| July 26, 2010: The WE4RC Repeater has been upgraded. We are now at the top of our tower, About 380' AGL, which puts us just about 1,200 feet Above Mean Sea Level. Calculated Effective Radiated Power is 480 watts. Thanks for the huge turn out from the club members for their help!
April 7, 2010: From left, David Rudd of the Walton County Amateur Radio Emergency Services and Donnie McCullough, director of the Walton County Emergency Management Agency, communicate with emergency personnel over radios during Wednesday’s simulated emergency. July 11, 2009: The club had it's first instruction (Ham Cram) and a full testing session today. We would like to thank Will Perkins, W1ZRV for his teaching the class. We have 20 new hams that passed today!
February 16, 2009: The club had a great turn out as folks built their Handi-Finder direction finding kits.
July 21, 2008: Andrea Hartlage KG4IUM gave us a wonderful presentation of her experience at the Mars Habitat and her involvement therein. We got Andrea to pose with us for a photo so we can say "we knew her when.." Keep an eye on Andrea's career, she is well on her way to the Astronaut Program. Thank you Andrea!
June 29, 2008: Field Day was a great success. We had lots of people drop by, everyone got to operate, we braved the storm with no disasters and had some great chow. A special thanks to the Mayor and City Council of Walnut Grove, Georgia for the use of the City Park and Pavilion. May 24, 2008: The final installation at the tower for the 2 meter repeater has been completed and the controller reset. The repeater can be accessed from as far away as Austell, Alpharetta, Jackson, Downtown Atlanta, Roswell, Sandy Springs, and places beyond. We are looking for reports, so keep checking as you travel. May 17, 2008: A bunch of the club members gathered and relocated the repeater to the Jersey tower. The frequency was changed to 147.270 + with a 162.2 PL. Big thanks go out to Keith K4NPD and Jerry KC4QJE for climbing the tower. Thanks to Michael KI4VCJ, Sonny KG4IWL, Satellite Bob AG4BR, Rick W1CRM and Dave AI4JI. Apr 22, 2008: The Walnut Grove, GA City Council approved our Field Day operations for the Walnut Grove City Park. We will be able to use the park facilities overnight, with the stipulation that during non-park hours (overnight) we cease generator usage and go to battery power. (Even better practice) We thank the Walnut Grove City Council and look forward to a great Field Day in Walnut Grove. Apr 10,
2008: Michael, KI4VCJ completed the ARRL's first Teacher's
Institute in Tampa, FL. The program is designed to help educators
bring ham radio into the classroom. For pictures and more information,
check out Michael at: Feb 1, 2008: In preparation for the Classic Exchange event that will be hosted at Jerry's (KC4QJE), Dave (AI4JI) and Jerry have been working on some old classic radio projects. Dave has both of his recently acquired radios up and working, the Yaesu FT-101B and the Swan 500CX. Dave and Jerry rebuilt a Swan power supply and were working on Jerry's classic Heathkit CW/AM transmitter. So far, the event looks like it's going to be a lot of fun! Rigs lined up for the Classic Exchange so far are: Atlas 180, Drake T-4 and R-4 Twins, Swan 500CX, Swan 750, Yaesu FT-101B, Kenwood TS-520SE, and others. (If you are planning to bring some gear, let Dave know so he can post it online) Jan 26, 2008: A big congratulations goes out to Michael, KI4VCJ, who successfully passed his General Class Examination this morning! Way to go Michael!! We look forward to hearing you on the HF bands in the near future. Jan 26, 2008: At 12:01AM, Dave, AI4JI received a request for help from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC). Dave is an officer in the United States Air Force Auxiliary, and serves as an Officer in the Civil Air Patrol. The AFRCC's satellite network picked up an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) in the vicinity of the Covington Airport. Dave and Satellite Bob, N4YWF responded and did some direction finding work. They narrowed the ELT down to the Covington Airport, and after coordinating with Rescue Air, the Newton County Sheriff's Department and the Covington Police Departments, access to the airfield was gained and shortly thereafter they found the aircraft that had the crash beacon activated. Fortunately there was not a crashed aircraft or injured personnel. Jan 21, 2008: After a unanimous vote by the members present, the club will participate in the Classic Exchange (CX) event on February 10th, 2008 at Jerry's QTH, KC4QJE. For more information, please click the link on the home page. Dec 15, 2008: Dave, AI4JI setup the club's new repeater, a /\/\otorola MSF5000 VHF repeater, capable of 350 watts. Satellite Bob, N4YWF assisted with the setup, as well as Teresa, KJ4AAC. The repeater is under the control of the RC-210 multi-port controller that was built by AI4JI. Dec 8, 2007: Teresa, KJ4AAC attempts to recruit Jeff Foxworthy as a member of the Walton County Emergency Radio Club, Inc. (she ran into him at the Loganville Wal-Mart)
Nov 10, 2007: Satellite Bob, N4YWF, Teresa KJ4AAC, and Dave, AI4JI installed antenna systems at the Civil Air Patrol's Walton County Composite Squadron. The antennas will serve both the Civil Air Patrol and the Walton County ARES and Walton County Emergency Radio Club. This is the beginning of our ARES Emergency Operations Center. Nov 3, 2007: The Walton County Composite Squadron of the U. S. Air Force Auxiliary, the Civil Air Patrol, graciously partnered with the Walton County Emergency Radio Club, allowing us the use of the meeting facility and a radio area to set up the Walton County ARES Emergency Operations Center (EOC) equipment. Oct 22, 2007: Congratulations to Teresa, KJ4AAC for earning her Technician's Class license. July 22, 2007: Cerise McAlpin - KG4TKT has accepted the position as our new Net Manager, please welcome Cerise and check in when she is calling the nets. July 21, 2007: Martin Ernst, Jr. - KD4HLV resigned from all club positions. Satellite Bob - N4YWF was nominated by a majority vote of the Board of Directors and accepted the position as the new Vice President of the Walton County Emergency Radio Club, Inc. We look forward to working with Bob on the many ventures planned for the club. June 21, 2007: Field day is in full swing with a great bunch of people and a good turn out. See the gallery section for photos.
May 18, 2007: Satellite Bob - N4YWF, along with Dave - AI4JI, Dink, Susan and Jake Sneed as well as Austin Reed (all relatives of Korene - KI4IWC), went to AT&T and picked up the club's trailer and generator set, which was graciously donated to the club by AT&T. Work began by Satellite Bob and Dave, who gutted the inside of the trailer and stripped up the flooring. I'll post pictures on the projects page as work progresses. Hurrah! We finally have our trailer, and hope to deploy it for field day!
May 15, 2007: Dave, AI4JI received an e-Mail from Don Klinger of AT&T, informing us that the decommissioned fiber splice trailer has finally been released to our club and is ready for pick up. May 7, 2007: The Walton County Emergency Radio Club, Inc. held it's first net on 2 meters. The net went well with our regular group, new members and non-members checking in. Thank you to all who checked in and those who continue to check in. Also thank you to those who thanked us and congratulated us on the new repeater, those words of praise made up for the long hours of driving to get the repeater, the trips to get equipment necessary to align the systems, the testing, programming, headaches, smashed fingers, and sore backs. I'll continue to do the best I can to fulfill the ARES and our club's missions. AI4JI May 5, 2007: At approximately 16:30 hrs, AI4JI put the 2 meter repeater up on the tower for testing purposes. We are currently running 25 watts and thus far the reports have been very positive. Thanks to Sonny for getting us access, and thanks to Marty for checking the VHF antenna at the site and for helping to move the repeater. April 28, 2007: Dave - AI4JI has completed testing of the 2 meter repeater system and has readied it for the final phase of testing out at the tower. Thanks to Satellite Bob - N4YWF, Korene - KI4IWC, Marty - KD4HLV, Mac - N4PMG, and Cerise - KG4TKT for assisting with the testing and reporting. April 16, 2007: Dave - AI4JI got a 2 meter test repeater system up and on the air. He aligned 2 sets of duplexers, programmed the controller, aligned the radios and put the system up at his QTH for testing. April 11, 2007: Satellite Bob - N4YWF and Dave - AI4JI drove down to Vienna, GA to pick up a complete 2 meter repeater system that Dave negotiated for the club. April 9, 2007: A big thanks to Marty, KD4HLV for setting up IRLP on our repeater. April 7, 2007: David, AI4JI requested and was granted
a 2 meter frequency pair which will allow us to put up a new April 5, 2007: Marty, KD4HLV received the IRLP startup kit. We are all anxiously awaiting the implementation of IRLP on our repeater system. April 2, 2007: Satellite Bob (N4YWF) and Dave (AI4JI) went to Mac's (N4PMG) to address an RF feedback issue Mac was having on his HF audio signal. After some investigating, they ran new ground strap and got his problems solved. (It didn't hurt any that Bob held his hand on high and shouted "Yeah! You evil RF Demons Be GONE!") April 1, 2007: Google introduces TiSP, a new
breakthrough technology that allows high speed, wireless Internet access
from anywhere in or around your house. Google is GIVING THE STARTUP
KITS AWAY FREE as a promotion for a limited time. So, be the first in
your area to get it all set up and get it FREE! March 31, 2007: Marty and Dave were back at Mac's to replace all his coax runs. Mac had his main feed line laying on the ground where it had come down. Marty and Dave installed a wire rope line about 8' off the ground and suspended Mac's main feed line from that. It's up, off the ground, and dry. (and working well) March 24, 2007: KD4HLV, Marty and AI4JI David, went to Mac's house (N4PMG) and installed a dual band VHF/UHF antenna, as well as re-built and re-hung Mac's wire dipoles for 80m and 40m. March 10, 2007: Congratulations to N4YWF, Satellite Bob for his upgrade to Amateur Extra class. March 9, 2007: Congratulations go out to KD4EXY, Royce for his upgrade to Amateur Extra class. March 2, 2007: A big thanks to Marty, KD4HLV for donating several UHF Motorola Saber hand-held radios, batteries and chargers to the club. These will be critical for Emergency Services work, and I look forward to finding a nice place for them once we get a trailer to build out. February 5, 2007: The ARES folks, combined with the State Red Cross, wish to conduct upcoming Hospital drills, which will involve ARES and inter as well as intra hospital communications exercises. We fall under the GPH10 area, as designated by the Red Cross. We have also been asked to participate in other county ARES nets. Here is the list that was sent to us: Madison Co. ARES Jackson/ Banks Co. ARES Oglethorpe Co. ARES Clarke Co. ARES January 27, 2007: AI4JI, David (your very shocked club President,) was named Ham of the Year by Georgia ARES, at the State meeting. Unfortunately, David was unaware and volunteered to operate communications for a Civil Air Patrol mission that day. December 29, 2006: After some output issues, Marty (KD4HLV) repaired the output amplifier and re-tuned the receiver and duplexer and the repeater is back alive and kicking. It's hearing quite well now. November 15, 2006: The Walton County Emergency Radio Club was presented with our Official Charter by the ARRL. We are now a fully chartered club, recognized by the American Radio Relay League as as Special Services Club. A big Thanks to Susan (AF4FO) and Mike (K4HBI) Swiderski , and Robin AA4RC for coming out and presenting the award and putting on a nice program about the ARRL from it's early days up to the present. WOW! We all had a good dinner and a great time. November 13, 2006: A big thank you goes out to Jim and Jack Messerly of Courier Express, Inc. in Marietta. Jim and Jack donated a large amount of Motorola radio equipment and accessories that will certainly be of great use to the club. You can find their web site under our Sponsors page, or click here. October 28, 2006: Thanks to those who showed up for the 'phantom' Halloween Parade at 08:00. And more thanks to those who came back that afternoon and assisted with the Loganville Halloween fest downtown. You help with communications between Local Authorities, the Event Staff, and the Civil Air Patrol, helped keep the event safe and functional. Thanks again for your public service. October 23, 2006: The ARRL has officially recognized the WCERC as a fully sanctioned, Special Services Club, as recognized and defined by the ARRL. October, 13, 2006: The WCERC received official notice from the ARRL that we are now an officially Affiliated club. The Georgia Section Manager, and others will be arriving at the November 15th meeting to present our official charter and to put on a program from the ARRL. September 11, 2006: Bob, N4YWF visited the Walton County Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol and helped instruct a radio class for the cadets. August 8, 2006: The Walton County Emergency Radio Club began teaching classes to the Walton County Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol. All club members are invited to visit the CAP Squadron, which holds it meetings every Tuesday Night at 7 PM, in the same location we hold our club meetings on Pecan St. July 28, 2006: The ARRL HQ has approved our club's official affiliation. Packets are being sent to the Division and Section Managers for approval. The Executive Committee will then nominate us for full affiliation in 6 to 8 weeks. July 19, 2006: We held our Monthly Meeting at our new meeting location, 4409 Pecan St., in Loganville. The facility is very nice and we have plenty of room for classes, testing, meetings and projects. The present members voted unanimously to move forward with the club's ARRL Affiliation. The finalized affiliation packet will be mailed on Monday, July 24th, 2006 to the ARRL for approval and voting. If we gain approval and ARRL Affiliation, we will then begin the process of becoming an ARRL Special Services Club, our ultimate goal. July 4th, 2006: The Walton County Emergency Radio Club provided communications as well as health and welfare monitoring for the annual Loganville 4th of July Parade. The turn out was huge, with hundreds of happy spectators and a long parade. We were very happy to work with the Walton County Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol. June 25, 2006: The Walton County Emergency Radio Club
was graciously invited to attend field day with the Alford Memorial Radio
Club, at Stone Mountain Park. We are pleased to announce an excellent
set-up, great bunch of people and a fantastic cook out. Several club
members were there and all looked like they were having a great time.
Myself, (AI4JI) got to work several bands and was on site from around 1 PM
Saturday until nearly 4 AM Sunday. I even learned about the
traditional midnight Grits. All in all, field day was fun and I was
pleased to meet a lot of great people. June 21, 2006: The club meeting was officially postponed, due to a lack of meeting space coordination. This little glitch actually worked out with the help of Darrell, KI4MTX who is coordinating our permanent meeting location in Loganville at the City's Meeting Chamber on Pecan St. See the web site's meetings link for a map and more information. June 20, 2006: Dave, AI4JI and Marty, KD4HLV have successfully re-crystalled the channel elements for 4 Motorola Mitrek VHF radios. These have been set for 145.030 packet, and 144.390 APRS. These will be the primary and backup WE4RC digipeaters. We hope to get these up on a tower and active asap. May 24, 2006: The first official meetings of both the Walton County ARES, and the Walton County Emergency Radio Club, Inc. were held this night, starting at 7:00 PM. The meetings were finally over at approximately 9:30 PM. We were happy to meet all the folks who showed up, and everyone who helped give us directions and ideas for the future of the clubs. Hams who attended were: Sonny - KG4IWL, David - KD4HLI, Patrick - W4VZB, Royce - KD4EXY, Bobby - W4BLB, Bob - N4YWF, Al - NZ4A, Marty - KD4HLV, Karen - KF4FCK, Korene - KI4IWC, and David - AI4JI. Thanks again to all who attended. May 10, 2006: The Walton County Emergency Radio Club, Inc. wishes to extend a big thank you to Barry, W4TGA for bringing out his service monitor and all his help in doing the final tune up on the repeater system. May 9, 2006: The first official Walton
County ARES net was conducted this day at 20:00 EDT. The net was a
success with a total of 5 check-ins via radio, and 2 check-ins via cell
phone from the GA State line and I-75 by Bob N4YWF, and Marty KD4HLV.
Korene, KI4IWC checked in live from the Conyers Police Station where she was
demonstrating Amateur Radio and ARES to the Conyers Explorers Group, as well
as a few Police Officers. May 7, 2006: The UHF repeater system is
up and operational. We are currently in test mode and need to make
some final adjustments; however, preliminary tests are looking very
positive. Tests have thus far been conducted with the same mobile in
various locations. The repeater has been opened and talked across from
said mobile at the following locations: I-285 and Chamblee Tucker,
I-285 and Hwy 78, The Atlanta Airport, I-75 at the McDonough exit, I-75 at
the Griffin exit, Conyers, Covington, Loganville, Snellville, Stone
Mountain, Walnut Grove, Social Circle, and Duluth. Further testing is in progress.
Once we get a good plot, I will attempt to post a map on this site of
reliable repeater coverage. April 25, 2006: Sonny, KG4IWL, has volunteered as the ARES Law Enforcement Liaison for Walton County. Sonny has also graciously donated a large lot of Motorola radio equipment that could turn out to be extremely helpful with the club's mission of supporting the Walton ARES and the amateurs of Walton County and our surrounding areas. April 14, 2006: The South Eastern Repeater Association (SERA) has granted the Walton County Emergency Radio Club a frequency pair for our repeater system. SERA coordinated the repeater frequency of 442.050 and we will be operating with the PL tone of 77.0 to coincide with the standard SkyWarn PL. We are awaiting the arrival of the ICOM modules for the repeater to put it on the air. (approximately May 1st) April 9, 2006: A big step in getting the club rolling has taken place over the weekend. Walton EMC has graciously given the club and ARES the use of a 70cm Repeater system. Initial testing has resulted in very good coverage, and more news will be updated as the testing continues. |
You can visit the Walton EMC web site at: http://www.waltonemc.com/ A big note of thanks goes out to the Walton EMC and a couple of it's ham employees for making things happen, along with Marty, KD4HLV. March 17, 2006: The FCC grants the Walton County Emergency Radio Club, Inc. the vanity club call WE4RC. March 10, 2006: The Walton County Emergency Radio Club, Inc. joins Sam's Club, opening an opportunity for WCERC members to get SAM's Club Cards. February 14, 2006: The Walton County Emergency Radio Club, Inc. is officially recognized by the state of Georgia and all filing fees to the state have been paid. January 20, 2006: David Rudd, AI4JI and Korene Sneed, KI4IWC file for non-profit 501(C)(3) status and form the Walton County Emergency Radio Club, Inc. with the intent of furthering the Amateur Radio Hobby and supporting the Walton County ARES. AI4JI is the ARRL's ARES Appointed Emergency Coordinator for Walton County, Georgia.
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Emergency Radio Club, Inc.
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