The 2026 IRCA convention will be held in Reno, Nevada on September 11 and 12, 2026 at the Best Western SureStay hotel, located on 1981 Terminal Way in Reno 89502 (near the corner of Plumb Lane and Terminal Way). The hotel is located just west of Reno-Tahoe Airport. The hotel has a 24 hr shuttle running between the airport terminal and the hotel and vice versa. The hotel has a 24 hr shuttle area directly inside with a TV showing all incoming and departing airport flights. Rental cars are also available at the airport, or you can also take a taxi to the hotel from the airport. The convention cohosts have set up a special rate for the hotel for the convention, with a block of 15 rooms reserved at a special rate of $109/night (there are combinations of single and double beds available). To get this special rate, you must call the hotel DIRECTLY at 775-348-6370 and mention the phrase "IRCA Convention Rates" when making your reservation. This is the only way to get the special rate. Convention registration is $25 per person if coming singly, or $25 for a family if coming with yourself and other relatives, please send a check or cash to: Robert Wien 875 Damonte Ranch Parkway, Apt 201, Reno NV 89521, phone: 909-997-7904 (cell) or 775-357-8121 (home). The convention is being tied in with Robert Wien's ham radio club SNARS (Sierra Nevada Amateur Radio Service) as well as Decalcomania. We will have radio station tours (tours still being set up) and radio transmitter tours. A meeting room has been reserved which will be used as the central meeting location. The convention will also consist of the Saturday business meeting and awards announcements, and an auction of radio-related items. Convention guides will be provided to all attendees. Refreshments will be provided in the meeting room with a coffee urn and an ice water urn. Most tours will be set up for Friday with Saturday morning a possibility. The hotel has a restaurant with morning breakfast for a fee as well as another restaurant where you can get dinner or lunch, and the hotel also contains a mini convenience store where you can purchase food or drink items and other sundries. Friday night we will have presentations, with Robert Wien doing an AM DX presentation he presented at his ham club in Dec 2025. Other speakers are TBD. We will also have a Friday night 'food run' at a nearby restaurant. The Saturday night banquet will be done at Black Bear Diner located a few miles west of the hotel. The hotel has a large central area with many comfortable seats so people can also socialize there as well on perhaps Thursday or Sunday if coming early or staying late after the convention. There are many sites to see in Reno, including Lake Tahoe, and many casinos in the Reno area. There is a Denny's and Jack In The Box fairly close to the hotel. More finalized details will be listed in SDXM as they become more concrete. We hope to have a good turnout and everyone should have a great time!
IRCA conventions have been held in many cities across the country and in Canada at about any time of year, though most often in the summer. Here is a by-year list:
1964 Dauphin Island, AL (near Mobile, AL)(Aug. 21-24)(Hosts: Alex Bowab, Park Barton, Dan Phillips)
1965 San Diego, CA
1966 Milwaukee, WI
1967 Denver, CO
1968 Hollywood, CA
1969 Chicago, IL (Host: Curt Fredrikson)
1970 Vancouver, BC
1971 Toledo, OH
1972 San Diego, CA
1973 Hammond, IN
1974 Seattle, WA (July 19-21)(Host: Bruce Portzer)
1975 Columbus, OH
1976 San Francisco, CA (Hosts: Ric Heald, Rich Segalas)
1977 Indianapolis, IN
1978 Portland, OR
1979 Peoria, IL (Host: John Clemmer)
1980 Louisville, KY
1981 Calgary, AB
1982 Moline, IL (Host: John Clemmer)
1983 Seattle, WA (July 1-4)(Host: Bruce Portzer)
1984 Toledo, OH (Host: Gary Siegel)
1985 Portland, OR (Host: Bill Block)
1986 West Palm Beach, FL (Host: Ted Fleischaker)
1987 Peoria, IL (Host: John Clemmer)
1988 Louisville, KY (July 29-31)(Host: Ted Fleischaker)
1989 Sacramento, CA (June 30-July 2)(Host:Ric Heald)
1990 Knoxville, TN (Oct. 5-7) (Host: Karl Zuk in conjunction with Monitoring Times)
1991 Monterey, CA (Nov 1-3)(Host: Jim Hilliker)
1992 Huntsville, AL (Aug 21-23)(Hosts: JD Stephens, Lynn Hollerman)
1993 Billings, MT (June 25-27)(Host: John Johnson)
1994 Aberdeen, WA (Aug. 26-28)(Host: Bill Hardy)
1995 Boise, ID (July 14-16)(Host: Frank Aden)
1996 Ocala, FL (July 19-21)(Host: Lee Freshwater)
1997 Costa Mesa, CA (July 25-27)(Host: Mike Sanburn)
1998 Missoula, MT (Aug. 14-16)(Host: Larry Godwin)
1999 Las Vegas, NV (June 25-27)(Host: Mike Sanburn)
2000 Billings, MT (Aug 25-27)(Hosts: John and Nancy Johnson)
2001 St. Louis, MO (Aug. 24-26)(Host: Mike Sanburn)
2002 Seattle, WA (Aug. 16-19)(Host: Phil Bytheway)
2003 Portland, ME (June 27-29)(Host: Mike Sanburn)
2004 Boise, ID (July 23-25)(Host: Frank Aden)
2005 Anaheim, CA (Aug. 25-27)(Host: Mike Sanburn)
2006 Seaside, OR (Sept. 22-24)(Host: Patrick Martin)
2007 Salt Lake City, UT (Aug. 24-26) (Host: Mike Sanburn)
2008 Flagstaff, AZ (Sept. 12-14) (Host: Bill Block)
2009 Albuquerque, NM (Sept. 17-19) (Host: Mike Sanburn)
2010 Seaside, OR (Sept. 24-26) (Host: Patrick Martin)
2011 Colorado Springs, CO (June 23-26) (Host: Mike Sanburn)
2013 Minneapolis, MN (Aug. 1-4)(Host: Mark Durenburger) (Joint NRC/IRCA/Minneapolis DX Club/WTFDA convention)
2014 Billings, MT (Sept 19-20)(Hosts: John and Nancy Johnson)
2015 Ft. Wayne, IN (July 10-12)(Host: Scott Fybush)(Joint NRC/IRCA/WTFDA/Decalcomania convention)
2016 Kansas City, MO (Sept. 9-11)(Joint NRC/IRCA/WTFDA/Decalcomania convention)
2017 Reno, NV (Aug. 17-19)(Host: Mike Sanburn)(Joint Decalcomania/IRCA/NRC convention)
2018 St. Louis, MO (Sept. 7-8)(Host: Ken Hawkins)
2019 Tukwila, WA (Sept. 5-7)(Host: Mike Sanburn)(Joint IRCA/DecalcoMania Convention)
2020 Convention canceled
2021 Anaheim, CA (June 10-12)(Host: Mike Sanburn)
2022 No convention
2023 Las Vegas, NV(Aug. 24-25)(Host: Mike Sanburn)
2024 Convention cancelled
2025 Sacramento, CA (Sept. 5-6)(Host: Mike Sanburn)(Joint IRCA/DecalcoMania Convention)
Check out the submenu under "Convention" for technical talks associated with various conventions!
(and thanks to Rick Dau for some information on past conventions!)
