What Is QRZ Forums?

Updated

QRZ Forums is an online discussion community for amateur radio operators, hosted at forums.qrz.com. It organizes conversations into topic-specific boards covering news, contests, hamfests, equipment, and community remembrance. Anyone can read most boards, but at least one section — the Online Swapmeet — requires you to be logged in.

What QRZ Forums Covers

The forum is a general-purpose meeting place for hams rather than a single-topic board. Its main sections, based on the forum index, include:

Board What it's for
QRZ Forums Code of Conduct Rules and guidelines for users, updated July 19, 2023
QRZ Newsroom Articles of interest to radio amateurs worldwide
Amateur Radio News Newsworthy amateur radio articles
Videos, Podcasts, & Blogs Media posts; threads that are mostly a video with little commentary get moved here
General Announcements Amateur-radio announcements for all hams — not for special events or contests
Special Events Actual special events only, not SES call signs for contests or QSO parties
Contests, DXpeditions, QSO Parties Upcoming contests, DXpeditions, and QSO parties; special events belong elsewhere
Trials and Errors – Ham Life with an Amateur Article discussion hosted by Dave Jensen, W7DGJ
Hamfest, Swapmeet, & Convention Calendar Upcoming hamfests and conventions
Hamfest Reports & Videos User reviews of recent hamfests, including video
Silent Keys / Friends Remembered In memory of those who have passed
Online Swapmeet A virtual hamfest — login required to access the Swapmeet Forums

Who It's For

QRZ Forums serves licensed amateur radio operators and anyone interested in the hobby. It's most useful if you want to:

  • Follow amateur radio news and announcements in one place
  • Find upcoming contests, DXpeditions, QSO parties, hamfests, and conventions
  • Read or post hamfest reports and videos
  • Discuss articles in the "Trials and Errors" column
  • Pay respects or share memories in Silent Keys / Friends Remembered
  • Buy and sell gear through the Online Swapmeet, once logged in

How Activity Looks

The boards vary widely in size, which helps you judge where the conversation is. Examples from the index:

  • Amateur Radio News: 14,156 discussions, 322,313 messages
  • Contests, DXpeditions, QSO Parties: 16,642 discussions, 41,467 messages
  • Silent Keys / Friends Remembered: 10,941 discussions, 21,357 messages
  • Videos, Podcasts, & Blogs: 2,637 discussions, 7,922 messages
  • Special Events: 199 discussions, 741 messages

Access Notes

Most boards are readable without an account. The Online Swapmeet is the clear exception: the index states you must be logged in to access the Swapmeet Forums. The site does not publish pricing information in the material reviewed here, so nothing about paid membership or fees should be assumed either way.

Practical Tips

  • Read the Code of Conduct before posting; it was updated July 19, 2023.
  • Post in the right board — special events, contests, and general announcements are deliberately kept separate, and misplaced threads may be moved.
  • If you're posting a video with little or no commentary, expect it to land in Videos, Podcasts, & Blogs.
  • Log in first if your goal is the Online Swapmeet.