Hungary: Szőlősi József Rádióklub és Rádióamatőr Állomás – HA4KYB, Revitalizing Amateur Radio in Székesfehérvár

SZÉKESFEHÉRVÁR, Hungary — The Szőlősi József Rádióklub és Rádióamatőr Állomás (Szöllősi József Radio Club and Amateur Radio Station), operating under the callsign HA4KYB, is a dynamic force in revitalizing the amateur radio scene in Székesfehérvár and its surrounding areas. Their official website is www.ha4kyb.hu.

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Mission and Activities

The enthusiastic team at the Szöllősi József Radio Club aims to support local "radio amateur life" in several areas. Beyond general amateur radio activities, their focus includes education and youth development. They operate the HA4KYB station and the HG4RUC repeater, which has internet connectivity.

The club's website provides technical information and updates on club events. The radio club, while not a legal successor to previous organizations, is dedicated to restoring the once vibrant, nationally and internationally successful amateur radio life of Székesfehérvár and its vicinity. To honor this legacy, the club adopted the name of Szöllősi József (HA4YB), a respected and cherished member of the former Székesfehérvár amateur radio community and a leading figure in its post-war reorganization.

Despite initial challenges, particularly the lack of a permanent location, the club successfully integrated into the city's civil society. Their situation significantly improved when they secured a shared permanent room in the Civil Center (formerly the House of Technology). This led to club growth, an increase in membership, and even new licensed members. Although a change in the Civil Center's operating concept forced them to a less ideal basement location due to financial burden, a new space at the Szabadművelődés Háza (House of Liberal Education) is expected to provide long-term operational stability.

Beyond fostering various branches of amateur radio and mutual assistance among members, the club's primary goals include:

• Disseminating technical culture.
• Popularizing amateur radio, radio technology, electronics, and informatics.
• Collaborating with other civil and professional organizations.

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Community Engagement and Projects

In pursuit of these goals, the club actively participates in various community events, including:

• The Equality Day at Halesz Park.
• CISZ events in Székesfehérvár.
• Children's Day in Szabadbattyán.
• The annual village day in Csór.
• RSOE events. At these events, they use amateur radio to spread news and messages, promoting their hobby.

The club has been involved in several notable projects:

• In collaboration with Kandó College, they organized a presentation and demonstration on space telecommunications and its amateur radio aspects in connection with Károly Simonyi's second space flight.
• They participated in the TIT event in Székesfehérvár concerning the launch of MaSzat-1, Hungary's first satellite.
• Their joint project with the Terkán Lajos Observatory, Airveyor, involved launching meteorological balloons equipped with instruments and amateur radio devices to collect atmospheric data and capture stunning photographs.
• Images from their meteorological satellite receiving station are publicly accessible at http://hnsf.atw.hu/.

The club operates the HG4RUC analog and C4FM repeater, which, integrated into the Wires-X and Echolink networks, provides unique communication opportunities for local users. Their latest project involves relocating the repeater to a new, more optimal QTH for operation.

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Future Plans and Welcoming New Members

The club places significant emphasis on nurturing new talent, training, and educating young people. They previously ran an amateur radio club at the István Király Primary School, introducing children to radio communication and equipment building. Although currently inactive, they plan to restart it, utilizing the opportunities provided by their new cultural center location.

Future plans include:

• Expanding club membership, ideally with younger members.
• Organizing amateur radio exam preparation courses.
• Building a collective amateur radio station suitable for quality amateur work and showcasing club activities.

The new club premises at the Szabadművelődés Háza provide an ideal setting for these endeavors. The club holds its meetings on Friday afternoons (3 PM to 6 PM) at this location and warmly welcomes all interested individuals.