Netoholics Net of the Month
July Net of the Month: The Nightcrawlers Net
When the day has finally slowed down and most of Chicagoland has gone quiet, the Nightcrawlers are just getting started.
Every night, a familiar group of amateur radio operators gathers on the WM9W system for the Nightcrawlers Net, a late-night roundtable hosted by The 220 MHz Guys A.R.C. It is the kind of net that makes amateur radio feel like home: no stiff script, no pressure, just good people, good conversation, and somebody on the other end of the radio when you are still awake.
The Nightcrawlers Net is a place for rag-chewing, swapping stories, catching up with old friends, and seeing where the conversation goes. Some nights bring on-this-day-in-history moments. Tuesdays feature Amateur Radio Newsline. Wednesdays may bring a classic RAIN Report. Saturdays can include Steve KB9DSQ’s Korny Kornball Korner and even a chance to play Guess Hap’s Blood Sugar. You never quite know where the night will lead, and that is part of the fun.
The 220 MHz Guys have built their club around making amateur radio enjoyable, approachable, and personal. Their roots are in Chicagoland and the 220 MHz band, but the Nightcrawlers Net reaches much farther through EchoLink and AllStar. Local hams can join on the WM9W repeater at 224.520 MHz, with a negative 1.600 MHz offset and a 110.9 Hz PL tone. Operators outside repeater range can connect through EchoLink WM9W-R, node 218858, or AllStar node 458800.
Most nights, the net comes alive around midnight Central Time. Monday starts early at 11:00 PM Chicago time, giving the week a proper late-night kickoff.
From there, the microphone passes around, the regulars check in, and a new operator is never far from a warm welcome.
Nightcrawlers has real staying power. The club marked the net’s second anniversary on September 2, 2018, and the years since have added plenty of late-night conversations, laughs, check-ins, and friendships to its story.
That is why Netoholics is proud to name the Nightcrawlers Net our July Net of the Month. It is steady. It is welcoming. It is a reminder that amateur radio is not only about the equipment or the signal. It is about having a place to land when the rest of the world is winding down.
If you are up late, turn on the radio, key up when the time is right, and meet the Nightcrawlers. Around midnight, there is always a chance that somebody is ready to talk.