Visiting Las Vegas With a Ham Radio?
The complete Las Vegas ham radio guide for visiting amateur radio operators. Find traveler repeaters, SCRG visitor access, P25, simplex activity, Parks on the Air near Las Vegas, convention information, portable operating tips, and local hams who would be glad to welcome you to Southern Nevada.
Vacation • CES • NAB Show • IWCE • DEF CON • Conventions • Business Travel • POTA
Your Local Ham Radio Home Base While Visiting Las Vegas
Visiting Las Vegas with a ham radio? Sin City Repeater Group, Inc. W7RPT created this Las Vegas ham radio visitor guide specifically for traveling amateur radio operators. Whether you are staying on the Las Vegas Strip, downtown near Fremont Street, in Henderson, Summerlin, or elsewhere in Southern Nevada, this page is designed to help you get oriented quickly.
Tourists, conventioneers, business travelers, snowbirds, broadcast engineers, critical-communications professionals, technology professionals, POTA operators, and amateur radio operators simply passing through Las Vegas are welcome.
Use this guide to find useful Las Vegas repeater frequencies, monitor local simplex activity, learn about Las Vegas P25 amateur radio, request SCRG visitor access, discover nearby Parks on the Air locations, and connect with the amateur radio community that actually lives and operates here.
Coming to Las Vegas soon? Email info@lasvegashamradio.com with your call sign and approximate travel dates.
Las Vegas Ham Radio Quick Start
If you do nothing else before your trip, put these frequencies in your radio. They provide a practical starting point for Las Vegas, Henderson, wide-area coverage, and national 2-meter simplex monitoring.
W7IVK
Downtown Henderson
N4NJJ
Angel Peak • Mt. Charleston
K7RSW
Henderson
FM Simplex
No repeater required
Visiting Hams Are Welcome at SCRG
Coming to Las Vegas for vacation, CES, NAB Show, IWCE, DEF CON, another convention, business, a sporting event, a family trip, or simply passing through Southern Nevada? We would love to hear from you.
Sin City Repeater Group welcomes visiting amateur radio operators. Because SCRG operates a controlled-access repeater system, we simply ask visitors to contact us before transmitting so we can provide current access information and point you toward the best machines for where you will be staying or traveling.
Email us at info@lasvegashamradio.com with your call sign and approximate travel dates.
Live outside Clark County, Nevada? SCRG also offers a FREE Non-Resident Associate membership for qualifying licensed amateur radio operators. It is a simple way to remain connected with the Las Vegas amateur radio community even when Las Vegas is not home.
Membership remains subject to SCRG membership requirements and approval. Repeater authorization is governed separately.
Las Vegas Traveler Repeater Guide
Staying on the Las Vegas Strip, downtown, in Henderson, or elsewhere in the valley? These are several useful Las Vegas ham radio repeaters for visiting operators to have programmed before arriving.
We include SCRG and non-SCRG systems because the purpose of this guide is simple: help traveling hams get on the air.
| Output | Call Sign | Tone / NAC | Location | Traveler Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 146.940 MHz | K7UGE | 100.0 Hz | Las Vegas Strip | Convenient for visitors staying around the Strip and resort corridor. Verify current access and status before transmitting. |
| 146.880 MHz | WA7HXO | 100.0 Hz | High Potosi | Wide-area coverage and connection to the Intermountain Intertie. |
| 448.075 MHz | WN9ANF | 127.3 Hz | Fremont Street | Useful for visitors staying around downtown Las Vegas and the Fremont Street area. |
| 448.875 MHz | K7RSW SCRG |
114.8 Hz P25 NAC 293 |
Henderson | Analog and P25 repeater serving Henderson. EchoLink 7745 and AllStar 29342. |
| 448.325 MHz | N4NJJ SCRG |
107.2 Hz P25 NAC 702 |
Angel Peak | High-elevation SCRG wide-area repeater. Contact SCRG before transmitting. |
| 145.390 MHz | W7IVK SCRG | 100.0 Hz | Downtown Henderson | Main SCRG 2-meter entry point in Henderson. Contact SCRG before transmitting. |
| 447.975 MHz | W7IVK SCRG | Contact SCRG | Blue Diamond | SCRG-affiliated remote base linked to 146.520 MHz. Useful for monitoring national 2-meter simplex activity around the valley. |
Repeater ownership, operating status, tones, linking and access policies can change. Verify current information before transmitting.
The Las Vegas P25 Amateur Radio Authority
Bringing a P25 portable or mobile radio to Las Vegas? Bring it. Sin City Repeater Group maintains Nevada’s largest published collection of APCO P25 amateur radio repeaters and has made P25 one of the defining technical capabilities of the SCRG network.
SCRG’s P25 footprint spans 2 meters, 70 centimeters and 900 MHz, with multiple commercial-grade repeater platforms across the Las Vegas Valley. Visiting P25 operators can contact SCRG for current programming information, NACs, coverage, operating activity and system access.
P25 is also especially relevant to Las Vegas visitors attending IWCE, public-safety communications events, LMR conferences and other critical-communications gatherings.
N4NJJ
Centennial Hills
N4NJJ
Henderson / Arden
N4NJJ
Centennial Hills
N4NJJ
Angel Peak
K7RSW
Henderson
N4NJJ
Low Potosi
N4NJJ
Centennial Hills
Visiting Las Vegas with P25 equipment? Email info@lasvegashamradio.com before you arrive.
VIEW THE SCRG P25 NETWORKLas Vegas Simplex Frequencies for Visiting Hams
Do not forget simplex. Las Vegas terrain can produce surprisingly good direct-radio contacts from the right location, particularly from elevated areas and while traveling outside dense resort buildings.
2-Meter National Calling Frequency
Keep 146.520 MHz FM in your scan list while traveling, operating portable, activating POTA, or driving around Southern Nevada. There is a remote base attached to 146.520 MHz run by the Sin City Repeater Group, Inc. Contact us for more info.
70-Centimeter National Calling Frequency
Another useful simplex channel to keep programmed for local direct contacts without a repeater. Admittedly, no one really monitors it.
Monitor 146.520 Through W7IVK
The SCRG-affiliated 447.975 MHz W7IVK remote base at Blue Diamond is linked to 146.520 MHz, providing another way to monitor national 2-meter simplex activity around the Las Vegas Valley.
Using a Ham Radio From a Las Vegas Hotel
A five-watt handheld inside a Las Vegas resort can behave very differently from the same radio outdoors. Concrete, structural steel, coated glass, elevators and dense electronic infrastructure can dramatically affect VHF and UHF signals.
If you cannot reach a repeater from your room, move toward a window, try another side of the building, or operate outdoors from an appropriate public location. Height can help, but the direction your room faces may matter just as much.
Do not attach antennas to hotel structures, place equipment on rooftops, deploy masts, or hang antennas from windows or balconies without permission.
Ham Radio for Las Vegas Convention Visitors
Las Vegas hosts major conventions, trade shows and professional meetings throughout the year, and plenty of attendees are licensed amateur radio operators. If you are coming for CES, NAB Show, IWCE, DEF CON, a technology conference, cybersecurity event, broadcast convention, trade show or business meeting, bring your radio.
Your Local Ham Radio Connection While You’re in Las Vegas
Sin City Repeater Group members regularly welcome visiting amateur radio operators who are in town for conventions, business travel, vacations and special events.
Contact us before you arrive with your call sign, approximate travel dates, and where you will be staying. We can help point you toward useful Las Vegas repeaters, P25, local simplex activity, Parks on the Air opportunities, and current operating information for the part of the valley you will be visiting.
Amateur radio does not have to stop when the radio gets turned off. SCRG members have been known to meet visiting hams for dinner, cocktails, coffee, conversation and informal get-togethers while they are in Las Vegas.
It is an opportunity to put faces to call signs and meet local operators beyond the repeater.
We cannot promise schedules will always line up, but if you are coming to Las Vegas, tell us.
Email info@lasvegashamradio.com and introduce yourself.
Coming to NAB Show With a Ham License?
Amateur radio and NAB Show have a long history together in Las Vegas. Broadcast engineers, technical professionals and radio amateurs from around the world have gathered through the years around the NAB Amateur Radio Operators Reception and the amateur-radio community surrounding the convention.
Members of Sin City Repeater Group, Inc. have been active participants in that community and have attended the NAB Amateur Radio Operators Reception, connecting with visiting broadcast engineers, technical professionals and amateur radio operators.
If you are a licensed amateur coming to Las Vegas for NAB, contact SCRG before your trip.
Whether you want current Las Vegas repeater information, P25 programming information, local simplex suggestions, someone to meet for dinner after the show, or simply want to connect with Las Vegas hams while you are in town, we want to hear from you.
Visiting broadcaster, engineer, media professional or amateur radio operator?
CONTACT SCRG BEFORE NABComing to IWCE? Connect With Las Vegas Radio People
IWCE brings critical-communications professionals, LMR engineers, public-safety communications specialists, manufacturers, technicians, system integrators and wireless professionals to Las Vegas. Not surprisingly, many attendees are also amateur radio operators.
Sin City Repeater Group members have helped connect visiting IWCE attendees with local Las Vegas hams for informal meetups, meals, drinks, technical conversations and opportunities to get on the air while they are in town.
P25 operator? Even better. SCRG maintains Nevada’s largest published collection of amateur P25 repeaters and can help visiting operators with current P25 frequencies, NACs, programming, coverage and local activity.
CONTACT SCRG BEFORE IWCEParks on the Air Near Las Vegas: Easy POTA Activations for Travelers
Las Vegas is an excellent base for portable amateur radio. Within a relatively short drive of the Strip, traveling operators can reach desert, mountain, wildlife-refuge, lake and historic environments with substantially less urban RF noise.
Red Rock Canyon POTA Near Las Vegas
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is approximately 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip and is one of the most obvious choices for a visiting ham who wants to combine sightseeing with portable radio.
The paved Scenic Drive offers numerous stopping areas. Seasonal timed-entry reservations apply during portions of the year, so check current BLM access information before leaving the hotel.
Spring Mountain Ranch State Park POTA
Just beyond Red Rock Canyon near Blue Diamond, Spring Mountain Ranch State Park offers developed day-use facilities, picnic areas, restrooms, hiking and a straightforward environment for a compact portable station.
This can be a practical option for a traveler who wants an established park setting rather than a remote desert deployment. Check current Nevada State Parks hours, rules and fees before departing.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area POTA
Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers a huge operating area east and southeast of Las Vegas. The Boulder City side works particularly well for visitors combining portable radio with Hoover Dam or a Lake Mead day trip.
Summer heat can be extreme. Hydration, shade and heat safety must take priority over radio. A vehicle-based or compact portable HF station is often a practical choice.
Valley of Fire State Park POTA
Valley of Fire is farther from the Strip, but it turns the radio outing into a Southern Nevada destination of its own. The park is known for dramatic red sandstone formations and open desert scenery.
Check current Nevada State Parks hours, trail restrictions, weather and temporary closure information before leaving Las Vegas.
Desert National Wildlife Refuge POTA
Desert National Wildlife Refuge offers a very different portable operating experience just north of Las Vegas. At roughly 1.6 million acres, it is the largest national wildlife refuge in the lower 48 states.
For a traveling operator, Corn Creek is the logical place to begin. Travel farther into the refuge becomes genuine backcountry travel, with high-clearance vehicles needed on many interior roads and extremely limited cellular service.
Nevada Test Site State Historical Monument POTA
For a uniquely Nevada Parks on the Air activation, head north from Las Vegas toward Mercury and the Nevada Test Site State Historical Monument. POTA reference US-13415 commemorates one of the most historically significant locations associated with America’s nuclear-testing and Cold War history.
The POTA entity is active and accessible by automobile and on foot from the U.S. 95 corridor. SCRG founding president Bill N4NJJ has successfully activated US-13415.
The nearby Nevada National Security Site remains a controlled federal facility. Stay within lawful public-access areas and obey all posted restrictions.
Choose Your Las Vegas POTA Trip
Pick the activation that fits the amount of time, vehicle and type of Las Vegas trip you actually have.
Red Rock Canyon
An obvious choice when you have only part of a day and want to stay close to Las Vegas.
Spring Mountain Ranch
A straightforward state-park environment with developed day-use facilities near Red Rock.
Lake Mead
A huge recreation area with numerous possibilities for vehicle based and compact portable stations.
Valley of Fire
Best when the desert scenery and road trip are as much a part of the plan as the POTA activation itself.
Desert NWR
Start at accessible Corn Creek or plan carefully for a more remote desert experience.
Nevada Test Site Monument
POTA plus Cold War, nuclear-testing, engineering and Nevada technical history near Mercury.
Traveling With Amateur Radio Equipment
Portable HF and modern handhelds make fly-away amateur radio easy, but batteries and desert conditions require advance planning.
Lithium Batteries
Spare lithium batteries and power banks must travel in carry-on baggage. FAA rules generally permit rechargeable lithium batteries up to 100 Wh.
Batteries from 101 through 160 Wh require airline approval and batteries above 160 Wh are generally prohibited on passenger aircraft.
Check current FAA guidance →Calculate Watt-Hours
Example: a 12 V, 8 Ah battery equals 96 Wh.
Check the actual battery label and your airline’s current policy before traveling.
Desert Heat
Never underestimate Southern Nevada heat. Protect batteries, radios and displays from prolonged direct sunlight and do not leave electronics baking on a vehicle dashboard.
When operating away from developed areas, bring more water than you think you need.
Visiting Las Vegas From Outside the United States?
Do not assume that an amateur radio license issued in another country automatically authorizes you to transmit in Nevada.
Operating authority may exist through CEPT, IARP, bilateral reciprocal arrangements or a U.S. amateur license depending on your citizenship, home-country license and circumstances.
Verify your authority and identification requirements before transmitting in the United States.
Las Vegas Ham Radio Questions
Quick answers for tourists, convention attendees, POTA operators, P25 users and other traveling hams visiting Las Vegas.
What ham radio frequencies should I program before visiting Las Vegas?
Start with 145.390 MHz W7IVK, 448.325 MHz N4NJJ, 448.875 MHz K7RSW and 146.520 MHz national 2-meter FM simplex.
The SCRG-affiliated 447.975 MHz W7IVK remote base can also be used to monitor activity from 146.520 MHz simplex. Other useful Las Vegas machines include 146.940 MHz K7UGE, 146.880 MHz WA7HXO and 448.075 MHz WN9ANF.
Can visitors use Sin City Repeater Group repeaters?
Visiting amateur radio operators are welcome. Because SCRG operates a controlled-access system, contact us before transmitting so we can provide current access information and point you toward the appropriate machine.
Email info@lasvegashamradio.com .
Does Sin City Repeater Group offer FREE membership for hams who live outside Clark County?
Yes. Sin City Repeater Group, Inc. currently offers a FREE Non-Resident Associate membership for qualifying licensed amateur radio operators whose primary residence is outside Clark County, Nevada.
This is especially useful for frequent Las Vegas visitors, conventioneers, snowbirds, business travelers, POTA operators, and hams who want to stay connected with the Las Vegas amateur radio community even when they live somewhere else.
Membership remains subject to SCRG requirements and approval, and repeater access is governed separately.
Visit the SCRG membership page or email info@lasvegashamradio.com .
I do not live in Las Vegas. Can I still join SCRG?
Yes. Licensed amateur radio operators whose primary residence is outside Clark County, Nevada may qualify for SCRG’s FREE Non-Resident Associate membership. You do not have to live in Las Vegas to stay connected with the group.
Can I meet local Las Vegas hams while I am visiting?
Absolutely. SCRG is a social organization as well as a technical one, and members have been known to meet visiting amateur radio operators for dinner, cocktails, coffee, conversation and informal get-togethers while they are in Las Vegas.
Email info@lasvegashamradio.com with your call sign and travel dates. We cannot promise schedules will always line up, but we would be glad to know you are coming.
Where can I use P25 amateur radio in Las Vegas?
Sin City Repeater Group maintains Nevada’s largest published collection of amateur P25 repeaters, including P25-capable systems on 2 meters, 70 centimeters and 900 MHz.
Key options include 147.210 MHz N4NJJ, 420.850 MHz N4NJJ, 445.975 MHz N4NJJ, 448.325 MHz N4NJJ, 448.875 MHz K7RSW, 449.700 MHz N4NJJ and 927.5625 MHz N4NJJ.
Contact SCRG before your trip for current NACs, programming, system access and local P25 activity.
I am coming to CES in Las Vegas. What ham radio repeaters should I program?
CES visitors who are licensed amateur radio operators should start with the frequencies in the Las Vegas Traveler Repeater Guide above.
SCRG recommends contacting us before your trip at info@lasvegashamradio.com with your call sign and hotel or general area so we can provide current local information.
I am attending NAB Show in Las Vegas. Are there ham radio activities?
Amateur radio has a long association with NAB Show because many broadcast engineers and technical professionals are also licensed amateur radio operators.
Members of Sin City Repeater Group have attended the NAB Amateur Radio Operators Reception and participated actively in the amateur-radio community surrounding NAB Show.
Contact SCRG before your trip for current local information and possible opportunities to meet local operators.
I am attending IWCE in Las Vegas. Can SCRG help me get on the air?
Yes. SCRG members have connected visiting IWCE attendees with local amateur radio operators and can provide current repeater, P25, simplex and local operating information.
IWCE is particularly relevant to SCRG because of its focus on critical communications, LMR, interoperability and P25.
Email info@lasvegashamradio.com with your call sign and travel dates before arriving.
I am attending DEF CON in Las Vegas. Can I connect with local hams?
Yes. If you are a licensed amateur radio operator attending DEF CON, contact SCRG before arriving.
We can provide current Las Vegas repeater information, P25, simplex suggestions and information about the local amateur radio community.
Email info@lasvegashamradio.com .
What POTA parks are easy to reach from Las Vegas?
Useful Parks on the Air options near Las Vegas include Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area US-7494, Spring Mountain Ranch State Park US-2635, Desert National Wildlife Refuge US-0465, Lake Mead National Recreation Area US-0676, Valley of Fire State Park US-2637, and Nevada Test Site State Historical Monument US-13415.
Can I activate the Nevada Test Site State Historical Monument for POTA?
Yes. Nevada Test Site State Historical Monument is an active Parks on the Air entity, reference US-13415, near Mercury, Nevada.
It is accessible by automobile and on foot from the U.S. 95 corridor. SCRG founding president Bill N4NJJ has successfully activated the site.
The nearby Nevada National Security Site is a controlled federal facility, so remain in lawful public-access areas and obey all posted restrictions.
Can I operate amateur radio from a Las Vegas hotel?
Handheld operation may be possible, but large resort buildings can substantially attenuate VHF and UHF signals.
Follow hotel rules and do not install exterior antennas, hang antennas from windows or balconies, or place equipment on hotel property without permission.
Can I operate my ham radio on a Las Vegas casino gaming floor?
SCRG’s practical recommendation is no. Do not transmit with amateur radio equipment while on an active casino gaming floor.
Nevada law regulates electronic devices designed or used to gain an advantage at gaming, although an ordinary amateur radio is not categorically prohibited simply because you possess it.
Casino security and property rules always apply. Move to an appropriate non-gaming area or outside before transmitting.
What is the 2-meter simplex calling frequency in Las Vegas?
146.520 MHz FM is the national 2-meter simplex calling frequency.
Keep it programmed while driving, activating parks or operating from elevated locations around Southern Nevada.
SCRG-affiliated 447.975 MHz W7IVK is linked to 146.520 MHz and can be useful for monitoring simplex activity.
What is the 70-centimeter simplex calling frequency?
446.000 MHz FM is the national 70-centimeter simplex calling frequency and is worth keeping in your scan list while visiting Las Vegas.
Can I fly to Las Vegas with my portable radio battery?
FAA rules require spare lithium batteries and power banks to be carried in carry-on baggage.
Rechargeable batteries up to 100 Wh are generally permitted for personal use. Batteries from 101 through 160 Wh require airline approval and are subject to additional limits.
Check current FAA and airline requirements before departure.
Can an international ham radio operator transmit while visiting Las Vegas?
Possibly, depending on the operator’s citizenship, license and applicable reciprocal operating authority.
Foreign amateur operators should verify CEPT, IARP, bilateral reciprocal or U.S. licensing requirements before transmitting in the United States.
You’re Here. Get on the Air.
Sin City Repeater Group, Inc. W7RPT wants to be your local amateur radio home base while you are visiting Las Vegas.
Whether you are here for a vacation, CES, NAB Show, IWCE, DEF CON, another convention, a business trip, a family visit, a POTA activation, or a weekend in Southern Nevada, contact us and say hello.
We will help you find useful Las Vegas repeaters, understand local operating options, explore P25, discover nearby Parks on the Air opportunities, and connect with the amateur radio community that actually lives and operates here.
Visiting Las Vegas? info@lasvegashamradio.com
This Las Vegas ham radio visitor guide is maintained by Sin City Repeater Group, Inc. W7RPT. Repeater status, access policies, park rules, reservations, road conditions, fees and travel regulations can change. Verify current information before operating or traveling.