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Get funded to earn your amateur radio licence. Build antennas. Talk to the ISS. Ship real radio projects and earn a UV-5R or UV-K5. RSVP to make this happen!

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$0 Cost to you
UV-5R, UVK5, or other Free radio on completion

What is CQ?

Amateur radio, funded by Hack Club.

CQ (short for "seek you/contacting you") is a You Ship, We Ship project. Study for your amateur radio licence, and we will fund the exam fees, get you a handheld radio (choose between a UV-5R and a UV-K5), and support your radio projects like building your own antenna.

Radio

Get a Radio

Pass your licence exam and choose between a Baofeng UV-5R or a Quansheng UVK5 handheld radio, on us.

Antenna

Build Antennas

Design and build your own antennas. We fund the parts so you can experiment with Yagis, dipoles, and more.

ISS

Talk to the ISS

The International Space Station has an amateur radio repeater. With the right setup, you can hear and talk through it.

Satellite

Fund Your Projects

Got a radio project idea? We provide funding for parts, SDRs, and whatever you need to make it happen.

The cool part

How to talk to the ISS

Heads up: Unless you have a radio licence and callsign, it is illegal to transmit. Listening is perfectly legal and you do not need a licence.

The ISS has a cross-band amateur radio repeater onboard. It listens on 145.990 MHz FM with a 67.0 Hz CTCSS tone, and retransmits on 437.800 MHz FM.

You can listen to it with just a simple handheld radio and hear other amateur radio operators transmitting through it. You get way better reception with a bigger antenna or a Yagi.

Uplink 145.990 MHz FM 67.0 Hz CTCSS
Downlink 437.800 MHz FM Listen here

This recording was made using about $20 in parts for a homemade yagi antenna and a $22 SDR (Software Defined Radio):

Audio received from ISS repeater on 437.810 MHz, May 2026

ISS

International Space Station

Total cost to listen

Homemade yagi antenna parts ~$20
RTL-SDR (Software Defined Radio) ~$22
Total ~$42
Get funded to make total cost free!

Getting licenced

Licensing info by country

CQ covers your exam and licence fees. Here is what licensing looks like in different countries. Know how it works in yours? DM @ruben to add it.

AU

Australia

The exam is free by law. After passing you pay for:

  • Certificate of Recognition: ~$48 AUD
  • Callsign Application: ~$30 AUD

Both are required before you can legally transmit.

IN

India

Two exam tiers available:

  • Restricted: 1hr MCQ, basic privileges
  • General: 2hr exam + morse code test

Exam fee: 100 INR. Licence fee: 1,000 INR (20yr) or 2,000 INR (lifetime).

Official portal
?

Your country

Know how amateur radio licensing works where you live? Help us fill in the gaps.

DM @ruben on Slack

Ready to get on the air?

Join CQ, get funded, earn your licence, and start transmitting.

RSVP for CQ

Questions

FAQ

What is amateur radio?

Amateur (ham) radio is a hobby where licenced operators use radio equipment to communicate. It covers everything from chatting with people across the world to bouncing signals off the moon or the ISS.

Do I need any experience?

Nope. CQ is designed for complete beginners. We will help you study for the exam and provide resources to learn at your own pace.

What does Hack Club fund?

Exam fees, licence application costs, a handheld radio (UV-5R or UV-K5) on passing, and parts for projects like building your own antenna.

Can I listen without a licence?

Yes. Listening to amateur radio frequencies is perfectly legal everywhere. You only need a licence to transmit (send signals).

What radio do I get?

After you pass your licence exam, you can choose between a Baofeng UV-5R and a UV-K5. Both are solid handheld radios that work great for beginners.

Is this open to people outside the US?

Yes! CQ is open to everyone. Licensing requirements vary by country. Check the licensing section above.