Special Event Stations
The Sin City Repeater Group, Inc. is active far beyond the repeaters and communication systems we maintain throughout Southern Nevada.
Our members also participate in amateur radio activities that connect Las Vegas with operators across the United States and around the world. Special event stations allow us to combine amateur radio, public education, history, service, and community engagement through temporary call signs issued for significant commemorations.
These events give operators an opportunity to make a memorable contact, learn about an important person or anniversary, and receive a commemorative QSL card recognizing the occasion.
Current Special Event Station
K7F: Commemorating Saint Maximilian Kolbe, SP3RN: August 9 through August 17, 2026
The Sin City Repeater Group, Inc. is operating special event station K7F in observance of the Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish Roman Catholic priest, Franciscan friar, missionary, publisher, and licensed amateur radio operator. His call sign was SP3RN.
Kolbe was imprisoned by Nazi Germany at Auschwitz II-Birkenau. In July 1941, he volunteered to take the place of another prisoner who had been selected for execution.
He died on August 14, 1941, and was canonized by Pope Saint John Paul II in 1982.
Today, Saint Maximilian Kolbe is recognized as the patron saint of amateur radio operators, prisoners, journalists, people struggling with addiction, and several other causes.
Listen for Us
K7F will operate at various times on:
– 10 meters through 40 meters
– Single Sideband
– FT8
– FT4
Operating frequencies and schedules will vary based on band conditions and operator availability.
QSL Information
Operators who contact K7F may request a commemorative QSL card.
All direct QSL requests must include a self-addressed stamped envelope and must be received no later than Thursday, September 17, 2026.
Commemorative QSL cards will begin mailing on October 1, 2026.
Please consult the official K7F QRZ page for current operating information, logging updates, and complete QSL instructions.
Previous Special Event Stations
The 250th Anniversary of Father Francisco Garcés Entering Nevada
In March 2026, the Sin City Repeater Group activated K7F to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Father Francisco Garcés entering what is now the State of Nevada.
Father Garcés was a Franciscan missionary and explorer whose 1776 journey brought him into Southern Nevada. He is widely recognized as the first European known to have entered the region.
The event introduced amateur radio operators throughout the world to an important chapter in Nevada history while demonstrating the reach and operating capabilities of the Sin City Repeater Group.
During the activation, K7F:
Contacted all 50 United States within the first three days
Made contacts with operators in more than 50 countries
Operated across multiple amateur radio bands and modes
Distributed commemorative QSL cards to participating stations
The response to the March activation demonstrated that a locally organized special event station can generate national and international interest while promoting Nevada history and amateur radio.
