The Lewis & Clark Radio Club is a group of
Radio amateurs (Hams) who have formed together for fellowship, promotion of the
amateur radio hobby, and for public service. Anyone interested in amateur radio
may become a member - although most members have obtained their amateur radio
license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The club has members
from 8 to 80 years old and meets monthly at the
Lewis & Clark Community College.
Although the club and
Lewis
& Clark Community
College have enjoyed a close working
relationship, the club is not affiliated, in any way, with the college. The
club was formed in early 1985 by a group of area hams who felt the need to
better organize the local ham operators, to provide public service and to
promote and improve the hobby. The response to the formation of the club was
outstanding, and the club now has over 120 members. The club is a
not-for-profit corporation and is affiliated with a national amateur radio organization,
the American Radio Relay League (ARRL).
The club has a number of regular activities
that provide a public service and make the hobby more enjoyable for the club
members. First of all, the club provides classes for people interested in
obtaining their ham radio licenses. Although anyone may listen to amateur
radio, a license must be obtained from the Federal Communications Commission to
transmit an amateur radio signal. The club regularly sponsors
"Novice" and "No-code Technicain"
license classes to introduce people to the hobby and help them learn the Morse
code and the electronic theory required to pass their license exam. Also, the
club has a team of certified license examiners who give license exams for
higher level FCC licenses, so that area hams have a convnient way to advance in their hobby (obtaining higher
level licenses allows greater operating privileges).
The club also provides communication services
for public events and stands ready to provide emergency communications services
in times of disaster. For example, you will see LCRC members with their radios
in the annual Alton Halloween
parade and sometimes during bike-a-thons along the
Great
River Road. Ham radio
provides a key "link" between officials and the event organizers. To
prepare for emergency communications, each year the club participates in a Field Day in June, where we set up a portable
radio communications center under simulated emergency conditions. This station
is then operated for 24 hours, contacing as many
other stations as possible.
Another
important function of the club is our participation with the National Weather
Service during severe weather. Several members of the club participate in a
SKYWARN communications network of severe weather spotters. The National Weather
Service relies on amateur radio and its network of trained weather observers to
alert them of weather conditions and to confirm the presence of severe storms
they observe on Doppler RADAR.
Of
course, any club likes to have social functions. Each year, the club sponsors a
Hamfest. This annual event draws hams from hundreds
of miles away, who come to enjoy the events and electronic flea market. Lots of
hams use events like this to trade and sell their radio equipment, to see
demonstrations of the latest techniques in ham radio, and to meet and visit
with other hams who they know over the radio, but
seldom see in person. Tickets are sold and raffle prizes are given away too!
Lots of fun for everyone!
Ham
radio is a hobby with lots of interesting things to do. Of course many of our
club members enjoy chatting with their friends on the radio. But there can be
more than just talking! Some hams enjoy building their own equipment, or work
hard at assembling a top quality radio station. Some hams specialize in certain
types of communications, such as transmitting through orbiting satellites, or
packet radio (using computer equipment to send typed messages), or DXing (trying to contact as many different places in the
world as they can). Some transmit using Morse code, while others transmit
television pictures. The club has members who do all these things and more!
Are you
interested in joining the Lewis & Clark Radio Club? Sure, why not?! We have
our monthly meeting on the campus of the Lewis & Clark Community College. The meetings are the first Tuesday of each
month at 7:30 pm
in the college cafeteria. If you can't join us at a meeting, why not write to
us? Our address is:
Lewis & Clark Radio Club, Inc.
P.O. Box 553
Godfrey, IL
62035
If you are already a ham
operator, you can talk with club members on our two-meter repeater. This system
is based in Alton, IL and operates on 145.23 MHz (-). It
provides excellent coverage of the St Louis Metro-East area! Write to us, or give us a
call - we'll be glad to hear from you!
Board of Directors:
President: KC9JZW, Jim McDermott
Vice President: KC9JLH, Ernest
Kautz
Treasurer: W9MXC, Larry
Roberts
Secretary: N9WHH, Chris
Holland
Director: N9FTA, John
Nell
Corporate Trustee: W9MXC, Larry Roberts
Contact any board
member by sending email to: k9ham@k9ham.org
Club Committee Chairs:
ARES: KB9AIL,
Todd West
ARRL Liaison: Unassigned
Activities: Board
of Directors
Emergency Comm and Weather: N9FTA, John Nell
Field Day: Unassigned
Membership: W9MXC,
Larry Roberts
Hamfest: KC9JZW,
Jim McDermott
Net: N9YYR,
Jerry Robins
Repeater: W9MXC,
Larry Roberts
Training Classes: KA9TOV,
Dean Oehler
VEC Testing: KF9F,
Rich Morgan
Website: N9KYQ,
Shawn Knight
Meetings: (All are
Welcome)
First Tuesday of each month at Lewis and Clark Community College, Godfrey IL
Route 67, north of Alton, IL
Reid Hall, Faculty Dining Room.
Time 7:30pm
Talk-in available on 145.230(-)
Net: Every Monday Night at 8:00 pm on 145.230(-)
Repeaters:
2 Meter Repeater 145.230 (-600) K9HAM, PL Tone
79.7 ECHOLINK Node # 204755
70 Cm Repeater 442.900 (+) K9HAM
70 Cm Repeater 442.225 (+) K9HAM
All are located on the bluffs over looking the Mississippi River in Alton,
IL.
Membership Dues per Year:
Regular: $ 24.00
Regular membership fee includes everyone in household, identified when dues are
paid.
Under 16: Free
Newsletter Q5~S9
Newsletter Archive
Field Day
Each year on the fourth full weekend in
June, amateur radio operators across the United States participate in an event called "Field Day."
During Field Day, groups of hams set up operating stations under field
conditions to test their ability to set up and operate their radio equipment
without the convience of commercial electrical power
and permanent antenna structures. Power sources range from portable electrical
generators to solar panels.
During field day, operators also participate in contests earning points for the
contacts they make. Ham operators, using the International Morse Code, digital
packet radio and voice make contact with other stations around the U.S., on
various different frequency bands.
Lewis and Clark Radio Club participates in Field Day, setting
up their equipment at Glazebrook Park, in Godfrey,
IL. Go north on Route 67 then west on Stamper Ln. (just past the new McDonalds at the traffic signal).
The public is always invited to come out to see what goes on.
Amateur Radio Classes:
Amateur Radio licensing classes are held periodically.
These classes are designed to assist people interested
in
obatining an amateur radio
license by providing the
information necessary to pass
the FCC licensing exam.
As classes are scheduled, the information
will be posted on this webpage.
Testing:
Volunteer examination coordinators (VEC) conduct testing sessions for
individuals interested in obtaining an amateur radio license. As the number of
applicants has dropped over the last several years, exams are given on an
"as needed" basis.
The VEC team will supply the license application form (VEC 605). The applicant
will need to bring a photo ID, pens or pencils and cash, check or money order
for $12.00, payable to ARRL/VEC. Calculators are allowed in some cases, but not
the programmable types.
Anyone interested in taking a test or learning more about the testing sessions
may contact Rich (KF9F) at 618-466-2306.
Hamfest:
Lewis and Clark Radio
Club sponsors a Hamfest each
year.
Click here for: HAMFEST FLYER
Location: Lewis and
Clark College
5800 Godfrey
Road
Talk-in frequency is 145.230 (-) K9HAM with PL tone of 79.7
