Santa Net on 3.916 MHz is back for its 20th consecutive year, giving kids a chance to talk with "Santa at the North Pole" over real HF radio instead of a phone app.
Run by The 3916 Nets, this year’s Santa Net kicks off Friday, November 28 and runs through Tuesday, December 23, 2025. The team expects more than 1,000 children to check in across the season, all on 3.916 MHz.
Operators around the country help relay the voice of Santa, so each kid gets a few moments of one-on-one conversation. As Pete Thomson, KE5GGY, puts it, the goal is to give families a shared Christmas experience they’ll always remember and to introduce young people to the excitement of amateur radio.
The Santa Net meets on 3.916 MHz at 7:00 PM Central Time. Check-ins usually start about 15 minutes before the top of the hour, so it pays to be a little early and listen for net control. The schedule runs select nights from November 28 through December 23, with no net on Christmas Eve.
The Santa Net runs on 3.916 MHz LSB, hosted by The 3916 Nets. It is a single, consistent HF meeting spot used every year so families and operators always know where to tune.
The 2025 Santa Net opens Friday, November 28 and runs select nights through Tuesday, December 23, 2025. Net check-ins start about 15 minutes before 7:00 PM Central Time and the formal net begins at 7:00 PM Central. There is no net on Christmas Eve.
Yes, the operator running the radio must hold a valid amateur license, but unlicensed kids are welcome on the air under control of a licensed operator. Most kids talk to Santa from a relative or family friend's licensed station.
After check-in, net control will pass each child to Santa for a short, friendly conversation on the air. Santa typically asks the child's name, age, and what they want for Christmas, and adds a few words of encouragement. The format is relaxed and welcoming, especially for shy kids and brand-new operators.
Any HF transceiver capable of LSB on 80 meters with an antenna that can hear and be heard around 3.916 MHz will do. A modest dipole at typical heights, an end-fed wire, or even a tuned vertical works in most regions during evening propagation.
The official schedule, updates, and tips for the 2025 Santa Net are posted at cqsanta.com, the home of The 3916 Nets. Bookmark the site early in the season so you do not miss schedule notes or weather-related cancellations.
Santa Net is a simple way to turn your HF station into a holiday memory maker. It’s a low-pressure, high-fun event that shows kids why amateur radio is still worth having in a world full of screens.
For the full 2025 schedule, tips, and updates, head over to the official site at cqsanta.com and get your family ready for a visit from Santa on 3.916 MHz.