Ryazan on the Air: Order in the Ether

Some regional branches of the Union of Radio Amateurs of Russia thrive on informality; Ryazan’s thrives on structure. From daily VHF round tables to Sunday HF check-ins, this is a community that keeps its calendar — and its frequencies — in tight order.

The Organisers

The branch is chaired by Alla Ivanovna Andryunina (R2SAB), whose presence is felt both on the airwaves and in the committee room. She is backed by a clearly delineated council: VHF is under Aleksei Yurievich Konkin (RA3SAD) and Oleg Sultanovich Zhakenov (UA3SFF); HF matters belong to Viktor Aleksandrovich Ivanov (UD3SAE) and Igor Vyacheslavovich Tumanov (UA3SLB). There is a secretary, a treasurer, and even a diploma manager — all with call signs that read like a local DX cluster.

Frequencies with a Pulse

Every evening at 20:30 Moscow time, Ryazan’s 145.425 MHz repeater carries the voices of its capital’s operators, while the smaller town of Ryazhsk checks in at 20:00 on 145.500 MHz. On Sunday mornings, the whole oblast gathers on 3.640 MHz for an HF session that still has the flavour of Soviet-era discipline.

A Physical Hub

Unlike branches that operate mostly virtually, Ryazan maintains a physical service window each Wednesday from 17:00 to 19:00 at the DOSAAF driving school building on Novaya Street. Here, members settle QSL card exchanges, handle licensing matters, and — inevitably — discuss the week’s propagation quirks.

The Ryazan Formula

With leadership continuity, clear sectional responsibilities, and a schedule that members can set their watches by, Ryazan’s branch demonstrates how a disciplined approach can keep a regional ham community vibrant. In the age of ad hoc online nets, it is a reminder that regularity still carries a certain signal strength of its own.