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The Roanoke Valley Amateur Radio Club (RVARC) is a non-profit, Special Service Club dedicated to the advancement and enjoyment of amateur radio. The club has been serving Southwestern Virginia since 1932.

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The RVARC meets the 2nd and 4th Fridays of every month at 8pm, except June (2nd Friday only), November (2nd Friday only), and December (Christmas party only).
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The VE testing session is the 3rd Sunday of each month at 2pm except June and December.
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The W4CA repeater is located on 146.985 (-) pl 107.2. We have a weekly social net on Wednesday at 8pm.

ARRL Sweepstakes

Posted: Nov 18 : 20:04 | Author: Karen KI4GOT |
Roanoke Valley Amateur Radio Club just finished working Sweepstakes. I want to Thank Dave KS4BO for the use of his first class station. His station consist of a Yaesu Ft-1000 transmitter and Fl-7000 amplifier, boom mic (Heil) and foot switch, voice keyer (VK64), Caroline Windom for 40 & 80 with a tower & beam for 15 & 20, all of which worked flawlessly. I especially enjoyed his ham hock with beans and cornbread for supper. Next Fred K4HVB for the use of his laptop and scoring program (N3FJP) and John K4JKA for the use of his BBQ grill and cooking the hot dogs and hamburgers.
We had our largest crowd around suppertime and as always the food was great. It was fun to watch Phil K4WFO lose his chair every time he went back to the food table. There is nothing like eating supper with your back to the woodstove. We had 14 at suppertime but many more visited during the weekend. We were a little short on operators after 9 p.m. and before 9 a.m. the next morning, but I'm sure anyone who wanted to operate got in all the time they wanted.
Sweepstakes is an ARRL contest in which you try to exchange QSO information with each ARRL Section and Canadian territories. If you can work all 80 entries you have a clean sweep for which the prize is a clean sweep whiskbroom. We worked all but three with a total score, which should be around 54,000. I had a great time working the contest and hope ever one else did likewise. A big thanks to everyone who worked hard to make this event happen.
73 AB4A Ron
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September Was a Busy Month!

Posted: Oct 09 : 19:05 | Author: Karen KI4GOT |
Is it October already?  Where's this year gone?

Last month (September) we had a bunch of things going on. Virginia State Senator Ralph Smith came by our Open House on the 12th, and presented the Roanoke Valley Amateur Radio Club with a Proclammation commending 75 years of public service to the community. Lots of good company and food (as usual with any ham radio event).

The W4CA Log was also published, thanks to AB4SK Charlie's hard work (and thanks to all who contributed content for it as well). It can be found *here*.

The Big Lick Triathlon was also held last month. Local hams volunteered to help with communications during this race. See AB4A Ron's article below.

Our last event of the month was the Blue Ridge Bonanza, a multi-station special event in it's 3rd year on the air. Thanks go out to all who helped make it a success again this year. As the bands improve it can only get better. We heard lots of enthusiastic people eager to contact all stations on the air, and hope to hear from them again next year.

This month local hams have already helped out with the Poor Mountain Hill Climb bicycle race, where results were transmitted from the finish line atop Poor Mountain to the bottom of the hill via email using a laptop, a 2 meter radio, and a tnc via WinLink VHF. Oh, and W4RPI Dave Potter's gateway too!

Coming up this month is also the PA QSO Party on the 11th & 12th for those who like to contest, Jamboree-On-the-Air on the 18th, and the School Club Roundup from October 20-24.

And finally, the 2nd meeting of the month is Friday the 24that 8pm and this month's VE Testing session is going to be on the 19th at 2pm at the Red Cross in Roanoke.

73 & Hope to see you around.
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Communications for Big Lick Triathlon

Posted: Oct 03 : 20:37 | Author: Karen KI4GOT |
Big Lick Triathlon 2008
The Big Lick Triathlon is complete with the Roanoke Valley ARC participating as the communications for the event. We had 7 members working the event; Mike KF4PHW, Ron AB4A, Fletch K4DCF, Kelly KG4QLK, Nancy KG4ETP, Joe WA5AB, and Ray KK4HR.
This event was conducted at Smith Mountain State Park on Sept. 20, 2008. There were between 450 and 475 entries. Everyone was checked in at a staging area where Michael set up a resource check in.
Participants ranged from a 12 year old (a 14 year old finished all 3 events) to a 78 year old (who placed in the top 250).
As I left breakfast in Vinton, I put a call out on 985 and was answered by Mike. He was about 20 minutes ahead of me with Fletch between us. We continued on to the state park and picked up our volunteer passes. I stopped on the way in where Fletch was setting up his net control station then continued on to Michaels resource check in.  I was assigned to the intersection of St 608 and St 734. I came back up the parking area and met with the Gold Wing riders (we were out numbered 12 to 7 by CBers).
The Gold Wing riders were operating on channel 1. I stopped by Fletch's net control station and was assigned tactical call Crazy checkpoint on the 40k bike course and we both had channel 1 to talk to the Gold Wing riders.  Joe came down and replaced Michael at the start/ finish line and Michael left on the boat with the kayaks to cover the 1.5k swim course. Nancy was assigned to the first checkpoint, which was used for the bike course and runners (10k). Ray installed a mobile radio and antenna in the lead vehicle for the bike course and rode in it.  We're ready to start!!!
Our first log entry at Crazy checkpoint was the race started at 9:00. Since we were working on simplex (146.58) the only person we could hear is the net control. This made it necessary to put out a quick call and then wait to be acknowledged.
  • The flag personnel and deputy sheriff arrived at 9:12. 
  • The first bike rider (a UVA rider) passed Crazy checkpoint at 9:48. 
  • The bikes entered back into the park at 10:28.
  • The first runner enters the course at 10:35.
  • Last entry was # 98 male blue top/ black bottom past Crazy checkpoint at 11:12.  This being our last rider we were given permission to secure. 
We had 457 bikes past our checkpoint with 19 log entries.  The high point of the morning was the deputy leaving his lights flashing, not realizing the high beams were on, which killed his battery and he had to call for a jump.
Submitted by Ron AB4A [/html]
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Franklin County & Towers

Posted: Sep 12 : 14:30 | Author: Karen KI4GOT |
Allies, I think all of you folks are aware that we amateurs here in Franklin County have been working very hard to help the county craft an amateur radio tower ordinance over the past several months. Well last night we successfully crossed the first hurdle. The Franklin County planning commission held a public hearing last night and voted 7 to 0 in favor of the ordinance that has metamorphosed from a stand-alone ordinance to an amendment to the current county tower ordinances.  There were two anti tower speakers last night and three pro tower speakers (w4bot, w4ye, and ka3nzr). In the end, the federal and commonwealth statues were followed; in fact the county attorney specifically stated that the commonwealth code was written in a manner that no other outcome than to pass the amendment was in order...This was a hard fought success and the feeling of absolute relief was overwhelming after the vote took place.  Next is the Board of Supervisor's Public Hearing which will take place either this month or next. Anything can happen but I am being optimistic and believe the amendment will pass at the BoS meetings.  Wanted to thank all you folk who provided me with information of other cases around the United States and VA. All of the information was valuable and put to good use. Also the words of encouragement meant a lot as well.  Cheers and 73, Harry (KA4NZR President of the Franklin County Club)
I received this from Harry, and I’m posting it here in case any of the RVARC members could be of any help to the Franklin County club.  The same type action may occur here next.  Many of us pay taxes in Franklin County and may be needed to help support them in their interaction with the Board of Supervisors.  73, Ron AB4A
Submitted by Ron AB4A [/html]
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