BATON ROUGE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

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History of the Club

Ed: The following history of BRARC could not have been completed without the dedication of Al Heine (W5OVV) who published our 50th anniversary directory in 1986. Al joined the club in 1947

In 1901, Marconi spanned the Atlantic with his radio signal for the first time and in 1909 a radio hobby group was organized by a group of local teenagers. It wasn't long before experimenters in the Baton Rouge area joined in on the new hobby. Even before World War I they were tinkering with spark gap generators, coherers and regenerative / super-regenerative receivers. After the War, licenses were issued to several area residents and Vincent Rosso, 5KC was among the first.

1937

In 1937, a group of ten amateur radio operators organized the Baton Rouge Amateur Radio Club. A letter was sent to the ARRL on April 23, 1937, requesting club affiliation information. The club held its first meeting in the Naval Reserve radio room on the third floor of the old City Hall (now the City Club). They later met at the old City Police Headquarters where Shirley Arrighi (W5AXS) was a radio operator. These original club members included:

The rules of the club were strict compared to today's standards. The club meet twice per month and a dues were 25 cents per meeting. If a member missed four consecutive meetings they would be suspended. A 50 cent fine was collected before the member could be re-instated. Just a few weeks after organizing the Club, the members sent in an application to join the ARRL and to sponsor the State ARRL Convention. On October 23 / 24 the convention was held at the Heidelberg Hotel in downtown Baton Rouge. Mayor Wade Bynum made the opening remarks. The programs included:

1937

The club held meetings at the home of various members. When the Naval Reserve was organized in 1937, they provided a radio room on the 3rd floor of the old City Hall on North Blvd. The club ran a long wire antenna from the radio room to the Louisiana National Bank Building. Later the meetings were moved to the City Police Headquarters were Shirley Arrighi (W5AXS) worked as a police radio operator. During this time Baton Rouge only had one commercial radio station, WJBO. Many of the local ham worked at the station. Wilbur Golson (W4AV / W5CD) was the first Chief Engineer and Ben Letson (W5BGO) was another engineer on the staff.

1939

The club adopted a new constitution and reported that 100% of their members also belong to the ARRL.

1941-1944

All activities moved to the Naval Reserve Headquarters in early 1941. After the start of WWII, Congress suspended all amateur radio operations and and many of the younger hams were called to active duty as radio operators. In June 1942, at the insistence of the American Radio Relay League, the US government created the War Emergency Radio Service (WERS) WERS was a precursor to the civil defense and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES ) groups and it which would remain active through 1945. WERS provided communications in connection with air raid protection, and communications during times of natural disaster. WERS licenses were given to communities and not individuals.

1946

After the War ended many veteran hams returned to Baton Rouge. The re-organized club first met at LSU; a number of faculty and students also regularly attended the club meetings. Later, the club moved its meeting place to the radio shop of Les Wilson (W5MZA) on St. Louis Street not far from the present location of the River Center. Some of the members included:

In 1950, Al Heine (W5OVV) and several other hams worked as control operators at WJBO.

1950

Always ready to foster interest in all aspects of ham radio, several members of the club formed a mobile group. They operated on 3805 KHz using low power AM transmitters and one tube converters on their AM car radios. The Deep South Mobile Club, with up to 30 members, met each Sunday afternoon at the Glas House Restaurant on Florida Blvd. While the group drank coffee and socialized, one member went off to hide a transmitter and the hunt followed. This group also formed caravans to attend nearby hamfests with a dozen or more units in a continuous round-table as they traveled.

1960

BRAC create the BR Award, inspired by Dr. John Hunter (W5DTL) . Dr. Hunter was President of LSU and a very active ham. This award is given annually to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to ham radio and it is currently sponsored by his son, Dr. David Hunter (W5DUU). No one is sure of exact year that this award began, but Dr. Hunter is reasonably sure it was in the 1960’s.

1970

With the availability of many surplus commercial radios (like the famous “80-D” FM), there was no shortage of opportunity for hams. In the Baton Rouge Area, many of these rigs were converted to two meters and the first popular two meter repeater went up through the efforts of hams like Bill Mixon (K5SVD), Fred McMurray (WA5ZHD), and others. Bill and Fred worked in the Civil Defense Branch of City Parish Government.

The original “94” repeater was a split site system with the transmitter at the Old Civil Defense Office in the basement of the Old BR Junior High. This site was linked by a dedicated phone line to the receiver site atop the State Capitol building. Since everything in those days was crystal controlled, it was convenient to use 146.94/34 for repeaters in all the major cities in the state and surrounding states, too.

Little interference was experienced between those repeaters (except with band openings) since the systems in those days were not very long ranged. Early ham rigs for two meters were all crystal-controlled with 6 or more channels. Each channel required two separate crystals, one for transmit and one for the receive frequency. Every two meter ham radio in those days came with 146.94 crystals and 146.52 simplex.

By 1970, just about every ham in the Baton Rouge area had two meter FM capability. BRARC installed a second repeater on 146.88 and most hams used either 94 or 88. It was easy to get to know every ham in the area that had two meter gear. Al Heine (W5OVV) kept a list of those he came across. By the time the list grew to 50 or more, Al decided to make a Directory of 2 meter hams in the BR area. Perhaps a few of these Directories are still around.

The annual BRARC hamfest was moved to Father Colbert's Camp on the Comite River.

1972

In 1972 the club began meeting at Catholic High School. Al Heine (W5OVV) was one of the instructors who set up a station in the back of the Chemistry Lab. It was often used after lab sessions to let the students experience what ham radio is all about. The students later formed the Catholic High School Amateur Radio Club.

1976

The Louisiana Public Service Commission directed South Central Bell Telephone to apply the residential tariff for the phone line at our repeater site. Previously the club was charged business rates for the line.

1978

The ARRL Delta Division Convention was held at the Baton Rouge Hamfest from May 5 to May 7.

1979

The 146.79 repeater was originally put on the air by Bob Taylor (WA5LBT) and the chosen frequency was not accidental. In 1979, the National ARRL Convention was held in Baton Rouge, at the Centroplex. For that occasion, Bob put the 79 repeater pair on the air and it was used for the talk-in repeater for the Convention. Later, Bob transferred that repeater to the BRARC and it has been the primary repeater for the Club since that time.

From the very beginning of ham repeaters, the importance of keeping operations within the FCC guidelines and rules has been a special concern. Repeater control operators were deemed to be very important. Stan Preston (W5GIX) was always listening and became the first official Control Operator. The main New Orleans repeater had another old and respected member who likewise served in the same capacity down there. He was Jake Bullock (W5GXO). Jake always turned that repeater off at 10:30 PM, then switched to the Baton Rouge repeater, and said, “Good Night, Baton Rouge”.

Stan Preston (W5GIX) was likewise one of those mainstays on our repeaters. Stan always had time for a chat on two meters. He was a retired professor from LSU. After Stan became a Silent Key, the BRARC obtained his call as the official club call, W5GIX, and that is why we use that call on the repeaters as well as for Field Day events. Since he was always around following his retirement, Stan usually answered the call of hams passing through Baton Rouge. Often they had questions concerning traffic and locating addresses and the like. Stan had a very good knowledge of the streets and other information about BR. He got the reputation of being a very helpful person on the BR two meter repeater. With Stan’s passing, a second award was instituted by the Club and dedicated to Stan’s memory. It became known as the Stan Preston Good Samaritan Award. Originally given at a banquet at the Hamfest along with the BR Award, the Club now awards both of these at the annual Christmas Banquet.

1980

1982

BRARC club members were on-hand as the USS Kidd was moved to Baton Rouge. The Central States VHF Society Conference held their annual meeting from July 29 to August 1 at the Hilton Hotel.

1984

In September, an autopatch was installed on the 145.45 repeater. The annual dues for the club was set at $10.00

1985

1986

BRARC obtained a surplus travel trailer for emergency operations. The clubs HF and VHF equipment was installed and W5URR worked very hard to make the trailer operational. The trailer was used at several field days and other events.

1987

BRARC celebrated its 50th anniversary. A detailed report of the club history was drafted by Al Heine (W5OVV), club member since 1947, and it was published in the annual membership directory.

1992

A Beginners class started at Catholic High School on January 30 and the annual the Baton Rouge Hamfest was held at the Baton Rouge Hilton Hotel on May 2 and 3.

1993

1997

1998

The Baton Rouge Hamfest was held at the Great Hall on May 1 and 2. Prizes included:

In August, special QSL cards were ordered for the 1998 Special Event -" Navel Ships on the Air".

1999

2000

The BRARC Hamfest was held at the Baker Civic Auditorium on May 5 and 6 and in October BRARC re-named the club scholarship to the "Tom Stevens Memorial Scholarship".

2003

In February, Club members operated the W5KID station as part of the 60th Anniversary celebration of the USS Kidd.

March - 146.88 repeater was transferred to the East Baton Rouge Parish RACES group and the 444.400 repeater was re-coordinated for BRARC.

May 19 - Fourteen LSU and Southern University Students and several BRARC members traveled to Palestine Tx. The hams were on-hand to help track the weather balloon launched from the National Scientific Balloon Facility. The balloon reached nearly 10,000 feet in elevation and used APRS to provide tracking and telemetry data via amateur radio. The tracking team included:

June- The Memorial Day operation a success at the W5KID station. Operators made 200+ contacts and two visitors became BRARC members.

June 6 - LST 325, a WWII era Landing Ship Tanker made her way upriver on her 1st "Mississippi River Cruise" As she passed the USS Kidd, the ship's company manned the starboard rails to render hand salutes and the valiant old destroyer responded with a Three-Gun Salute from her forward 5" guns. The ship, who were operating as WW2LST, contacted the Kidd via 2 meters and expressed their appreciation for a warm welcome.

Nov 7/8 - The 66th Annual BRARC Hamfest was held at the Baker Civic Auditorium, with the following prizes:

December 20 - The annual Christmas Banquet was held at Don's Seafood on Airline Hwy.

2004

March 30 - The monthly club meeting was held at the BREC/LSU Observatory on Highland Road. Trey Goodman, KD5ZAS, the observatory supervisor, gave a presentation on the recent Mars missions, Sprit and
Opportunity, featuring some 3-D pictures and recent findings concerning water on Mars.

April / May - The 67th Annual BRARC Hamfest / "Louisiana ARRL State Convention" was held at the Baker Civic Auditorium on Friday April 30 and Saturday May 1st. Ed Laughery was the Hamfest Committee chairman

May - Several BRARC members participated in the LaACES Campaign. Teams from Louisiana State University, Louisiana Tech, Southern University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and University of New Orleans also participated.

August - U.S.S. Kidd staff allowed us to use the crew’s mess for our radio operations. The crew’s mess is air-conditioned and accommodates a large number of guests for demonstrations.

October 16 - Club members and other Baton Rouge area Amateur Radio Operators participated in 47th Annual Jamboree On The Air. The event was sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America and the ARRL.

October - The club meeting was held at the City of Baton Rouge Office of Emergency Preparedness. Club members were given a tour of the 911 center as well of the new RACES room.

November 11 - The USS Kidd station was operational for Veterans Day. A HeathKit Oscilloscope was donated to the ship's shop by the club.

2005

Several club members gathered on February 27 for 2 meter fox hunt held for an errant transmitter using 146.52 MHz simplex. In March, BRARC members installed an Amateur Radio Station at Glasgow Middle School.

On September 25, BRARC member, Command Sgt. James Gooden (KD5OLH) , was presented the Silver Star. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General Richard B. Myers, pinned the award for Gooden's actions during the Battle of Ia Drange in Vietnam The battle occurred on 11-17-1965.

On November 5, the club meeting was held at CAMD (Center for Advanced Micro Structures & Devices). Members were given a tour of the facility. In December out BRARC moved its meeting site to St Luke's Episcopal Church and the annual Christmas Party was held at Brunet's Restaurant.

2006

January - Club members supported "Cookin' for Our Neighbors". This event raised money for the City of Chalmette to help them recover from the recent hurricane.

April 8 - BRARC members participated in the ARRL Emergency Communications Course.

May 4 - Wayne Gordon, K5EOA, was invited to speak before the Louisiana Chemical Association about Amateur Radio.

May - The Memorial Ships on the Air was successful. We made 414 contacts from W5KID.

September - A beginner's class was started at the Goodwood Library and the club created a new members site on Yahoo Groups. K5EOA, Wayne, was appointed as the trustee for our FCC Club Call.

October - BRARC purchased a new repeater to replace the old 146.79 that had saw many years of service. An MOU with the Baton Rouge General Hospital as also approved by the Board. It called for mutual cooperation between the groups.

2007

March 3 - BRARC members provided communications for the Club South Runners 5K run

March 9-11 - BRARC members provide communication support for the Special Olympics in Baton Rouge

Last Update: December 19, 2007
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