The calendar of autumn radio amateur events is slowly closing, but one of the most traditional ones is still ahead of us. Already on Saturday, November 7, 2026, the 25th jubilee meeting of radio amateurs will take place in the mountain pension Drozdovo near Nová Bani. The start is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. If you haven't made an appointment yet, you have the last week to do so.
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A tradition that lasts
Autumn meetings in Drozdov are among the stable events of the Slovak radio amateur community. The Old Timers Club SARA archive has been documenting their history since at least 2009. Then, on October 10, the fifth meeting was held and approximately 120 radio amateurs and their family members attended. The program included a stock exchange, joint meeting and operation directly from Drozdov.
Other years followed regularly. The sixth meeting was held in 2010, the seventh in 2011 and the eighth in 2012. The ninth and tenth years followed in 2013 and 2014, the eleventh autumn in 2015, the twelfth in 2016 and the thirteenth in 2017. Archive reports repeatedly mention participants from all over Slovakia and from abroad and the informal atmosphere that is typical for Drozdovo.
Drozdovo near Nova Bani
The meeting place does not change after years. It is the mountain pension Drozdovo near Nová Bani. Access leads from Nova Bana towards Veľká Lehota, and after turning off the main road, it is approximately two kilometers to the guesthouse. You can also come from the direction of Zlaty Moraviec or Topoľčiany.
In previous years, it was possible to use accommodation directly in the boarding house and parking was also available. Those who would like to come a day in advance should check the current possibilities directly at the guesthouse.
What the meeting brings
Drozdovo stands above all on a personal meeting. For many participants, it is an opportunity to finally see the faces of the brands they know from the band. Both amateur radio technology and operation are discussed and experiences are exchanged, which is often not the place on the air.
The stock exchange is also an integral part. It's a good opportunity to add a missing part to the Shack, find an interesting piece of equipment or, on the contrary, move on to the material that just takes up space at home.
A memory of older years
Archive photos and videos capture the atmosphere of older meetings. For the sixth meeting in 2010, the OTC SARA archive lists two YouTube videos and links to other videos. One of them, from OM3CAQ, is an interesting historical document about the form of amateur radio meetings in Drozdov.
A joint photo of the participants of the thirteenth year has also been preserved from 2017. Looking at her, it is clear that Drozdovo has always been about people.
25th meeting: 7 November 2026
The 25th anniversary year will take place on Saturday, November 7, 2026 in the premises of the Drozdovo pension near Nová Bani. It starts at 8:00 a.m. Jozef OM5JG and Bohuš OM2AT cordially invite you to the meeting.
If you are looking for an opportunity to meet acquaintances from the area, to talk about technology and operation or to visit the stock market, Drozdovo should not be missing from the November calendar. The twenty-fifth year is a good reason to come.