About Fair on the Air
Fair on the Air began with a simple goal.
In 2026, the Jennings County Amateur Radio Association wanted to become more involved with our local county fair. Our club president, E.C. Eberts, was going through chemotherapy during what had already been a difficult year, but he remained passionate about finding new ways to connect amateur radio with the community. Seeing that determination, I made it a personal goal to make sure JCARA had a presence at the fair and that we made the most of the opportunity.
None of us knew what to expect.
We had never attempted anything like it before.
During the Jennings County Fair in North Vernon, Indiana, JCARA operated Special Event Station K9J as the first Fair on the Air activation. What we expected to be another special event station quickly became something much more meaningful.
Families stopped to ask questions.
Children were excited to get on the air and talk through our repeater system. Many of them had never spoken over amateur radio before. Watching them make their first contacts and realize they were communicating with people beyond the fairgrounds was one of the most rewarding experiences our club has ever had.
The conversations never seemed to stop.
People wanted to know what amateur radio was, why emergency communications mattered, how Skywarn worked and how they could become involved. We realized we weren't just making radio contacts. We were introducing our community to a service that quietly supports it every day.
While operating 20 meter SSB, Brian Wilson, KD9VAG, looked over and said something that has stayed with me ever since.
I could see FOTA taking off and being a big deal.
Brian Wilson, KD9VAG
Brian is an enthusiastic Parks on the Air activator, and hearing those words from someone who understood what makes POTA successful planted a seed. It made me realize that fairs have something uniquely powerful to offer.
Unlike many activation programs, fairs already bring communities together. They celebrate local agriculture, history, businesses, youth organizations and volunteers. Amateur radio fits naturally into that environment. We don't have to ask people to come find us. They're already there.
That realization became the foundation of Fair on the Air.
Our vision is to create a worldwide program where county fairs, state fairs, agricultural fairs and qualifying community fairs receive permanent references, operators can activate those locations and hunters can work those activations while communities discover amateur radio in the process.
The goal has never been to replace programs like Parks on the Air or Summits on the Air. Those programs have inspired thousands of operators, including many of us. Fair on the Air exists alongside them, offering another reason to get on the air while helping amateur radio become more visible in the places where our communities already gather.
As Fair on the Air grows, we hope it becomes more than an operating award.
- We hope it helps clubs recruit new members.
- We hope it gives young people their first opportunity to pick up a microphone.
- We hope it encourages partnerships between amateur radio clubs and fair boards.
- We hope it strengthens emergency communications by introducing more people to the public service side of our hobby.
Most of all, we hope it reminds people that amateur radio is still very much alive, still serving communities and still bringing people together.
Whether you're an experienced activator, a brand new amateur radio operator, a club looking for a community outreach opportunity or simply someone curious about the hobby, we hope you'll join us in writing the next chapter of Fair on the Air.
73,
Chris Hockaday, KF4DBX
Fair on the Air