Central Ohio Radio Enthusiasts—CORE—is an informal community for anyone enthusiastic or curious about radio—whether you're new to radio and want to learn or you've been tinkering for years and want to share. Ham radio operators, GMRS users, Meshtastic fans, software-defined radio nerds, makers, and technical and non-technical folks are all welcome. No experience required or expected.
Meetings are casual gatherings where you can listen to a talk, see and share projects, and chat with other radio curious folks. Maybe you'll even want to give a talk yourself! And, of course, a trip to the pub afterwards is always on the table.
| August 4, 2026 | Going Vertical: Signals from the Sky — Tom Graham WX8TOM (tentative) |
|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Details TBD |
| October 6, 2026 | Details TBD |
Talks, project show-and-tell, open discussion, social time. Beginners always welcome.
Regular meetings the first Tuesday of every month. Doors open at 6 PM. Talk at 6:30.
Location may vary but normally at CGI in Westerville or Leading EDJE in Dublin.
Nothing required but yourself. A project or gadget if you have one. Curiosity.
Discord is the first thing to join. That's where we coordinate meetups, share projects, ask questions, and get involved. We also have a GitHub organization where we keep this website, the code and materials from past talks, and share and collaborate on projects.
If you want to reach out directly, give a talk, or get involved in organizing, drop a message to the admins on Discord or send an email.
And if you want to be notified of events and announcements, you can join our mailing list. We won't spam you and you can unsubscribe at any time. We're not looking to sell your data, just to let you know what's happening with CORE.
Our informal simplex frequency. No repeater needed — just tune in and call out.
147.555 MHz
Join our Meshtastic mesh network. Scan the QR code with the Meshtastic app to add the CORE channel to your node.
CORE has a fairly broad focus. If it involves radio signals, antennas, spectrum, protocols, or hardware—then we like to talk about it. Here's some of the topics our members are into:
Amateur Radio
HF, VHF, UHF, digital modes, licensing
GMRS
General Mobile Radio Service, repeaters, family comms
Mesh Networks
Meshtastic & MeshCore, LoRa, HaLow, Reticulum, off-grid networks
SDR
Software defined radio, RTL-SDR, HackRF, WebSDRs
Shortwave
Shortwave broadcasts, world band radio, numbers stations
Scanners
Public safety, trunked systems, P25
Aviation
ATC listening, ADS-B, ACARS, VHF airband
Packet Radio
APRS, VARA, Winlink, digital messaging
Electronics
Antennas, hardware projects, microcontrollers
Anything Else
If it's radio or radio-adjacent, bring it up
We want CORE to be a place where anyone can show up, ask questions, and feel welcome. Our rules are simple:
Nope. CORE is open to everyone and actively seeks to be more than just a ham radio club. Licensed hams, GMRS users, Meshtastic and MeshCore enthusiasts, scanner listeners, and people who are just curious about radio are all welcome. You don't need any credentials to show up, to join the Discord server, or come to a meetup. Of course, if you want to get licensed, we'd love to help with that too.
No. There's no membership, no dues, and no registration. You're part of the community just by showing up. If we ever need to collect money for a specific thing—say a workshop that requires materials—we'll tell you before hand.
Maybe. But you definitely won't be made to feel dumb. And there are plenty of people to help you out. The community spans everyone from noobs to seasoned pros. Beginners asking questions is a feature, not a bug—most of us love explaining stuff.
Normally we meet at CGI in Westerville or Leading EDJE in Dublin, but some special events might be at different locations. Check the meetings section for details.
Just yourself. Maybe something to take notes with. If you have a project, gadget, or anything else you want to show off or have questions about, bring it. If you want to give a talk about something you've been working on or are passionate about, reach out on Discord or send an email and we'll get you scheduled.
100%. CORE isn't trying to replace radio clubs and, if anything, could help existing clubs by providing a more casual space for people who are be interested in radio but are intimidated by a ham club. A lot of our members are active in radio clubs and other organizations. We just fill a different niche: more informal, broader topics, and more maker and developer oriented.
Traditional clubs are great, but they tend to be more formal and more narrowly focused on licensed amateur radio. CORE is deliberately informal and welcomes anyone interested in all sorts of radio technology—including GMRS, Meshtastic, SDRs, LoRa, and more. It's for makers and developers and the chronically curious. And licensed amateurs too. But there are no bylaws, no officers, no required attendance. Just people who like radio.
Yes, please. Talks and demos are the whole point. They don't need to be polished—a 10-minute "here's what I've been messing with" is fine. So is a 1-hour presentation on radio theory. Just mention it on Discord or email us and we'll get you on the agenda.