Watch out “Old Man” hams! The Young Ladies Radio League, Inc. (YLRL) is celebrating its 85th year as the premier amateur radio organization run by and for the advancement and promotion of female hams worldwide. And there’s no shortage of fun to be had with over 400 “young ladies” operating at the helm. Hams of every age and skill level can enjoy a full lineup of celebratory activities this year, including the upcoming International Women’s Day YL Parks on the Air (POTA) Party on March 8.
Established in 1939 by a coalition of 13 female founders, the YLRL is the longest-running YL club in the world, providing opportunities for female operators through traffic handling, public service, ARES participation, contests, and DXing on AM, CW, SSB, FM, RTTY, AMTOR, packet, and satellite radio. The organization’s ultimate objective is to encourage and assist YLs around the globe to become hams, stay active on the air, and contribute to the field of amateur radio.
And the International Women’s Day YL POTA Party is the ideal opportunity to do just that! YLs everywhere are encouraged to operate portable in conjunction with the Parks on the Air program, which is designed to promote emergency awareness and communication efforts by operating portable at national/federal or state/provincial parks. On International Women’s Day, hams can participate in person at their favorite park or kick back and hunt POTA from the comfort of their own shack.
Curious if a park near you is an official locale to operate from? The POTA website has a full list of all locations that qualify for this and other POTA-related events. And to amp up the fun even further, operators are encouraged to wear pink (to show a little feminine pride) and decorate their stations as a symbol of solidarity and support to other women operating on International Women’s Day—and every day—around the world!
How to participate:
- Activate any POTA location during the 24-hour event on March 8, 0000Z-2359Z
- Submit your POTA activations to the POTA database
- Participate in any mode—SSB, CW, SSTV, and more
- Operate on any frequency that coincides with your license class
- Share photos and updates of your setup on any form of social media with the hashtag: #YL_POTA_Party
Interested in learning how the “Young Ladies” of the YLRL earned their titles? Check out this OnAllBands article to get the full scoop on the nostalgic moniker.
And make sure to stock up on equipment to get your party on at DX Engineering. We have everything you need to get outdoors and operate portable, including handhelds, mobile radio packages, new Go Box Kits featuring Icom and Yaesu transceivers, antennas, the DX Engineering Canopy Shelter, and much more.
