CHRISTMAS PARTY 2023 SIGN UP

Christmas Party is December 9th at 5PM at Regal Towers in Maryville.  $5 donation per attendee is requested as well as bring a covered dish to share.  Club will provide the meat. 

PLEASE SIGN UP BY CLICKING HERE

Welcome to Smoky Mountain Amateur Radio Club (SMARC)

Interested in joining the club?

If you would like to join the Smoky Mountain Amateur Radio Club, please CLICK HERE. Fill out the form and click send!

Per our Constitution, you must have a valid Amateur Radio License to join the Club.  Annual dues are $30/year, free for students, and are payable by check or money order to the address shown on the form, or you may bring cash to the next monthly meeting. New members do get a discount to $15 in the 2nd half of the calendar year.

Would you like to know more about amateur (ham) radio?

Are you a licensed ham, new to the area, been here forever or just have an interest in amateur radio? Please consider joining the Smoky Mountain Amateur Radio Club. Our 100+ members would enjoy meeting you, making a new friend and sharing the knowledge and excitement this hobby has to offer. Maybe you need help getting started, need help finding or programming a radio or putting up an antenna. There is a group of mentors who are ready, willing and able to offer assistance. 

One good way to learn about SMARC is to join a Zoom session either every M-Th at about 8:00am to 10:15am or at a monthly meeting. Click the Join Zoom Link below. Passcode is w4olb.

  • Need a contact -> Click above ABOUT, then CONTACTS to reach President Bob KK4XA or Secretary Bob K9JU. 
  • Already a member? the 2023 Renewal Form is available -> click above on FILES and then DOCUMENTS.
      • SMARC 2023 Membership is now 127 with 27 new members this year. 

As a little background relative to SMARC, the early club history is described under the ABOUT tab on the ribbon above.

If you are not yet licensed, SMARC holds a regular Technician class when there is a demand, and also routine FCC tests are given locally (see below). A Technician Class will be scheduled when there is enough need to do so.

  • You will need to obtain an ARRL Technician course book, about $25.  https://www.arrl.org/shop/Ham-Radio-License-Manual/
  • The SMARC Technician class is FREE, just your time
  • FCC Test is $10 - $15, depending on where you take it
  • A basic analog FM two meter portable radio can cost as little as $50, while a basic digital radio will cost between $150 - $250
  • First year of SMARC Club membership as a new ham after completing the class is FREE ($30 per year thereafter)
  • We believe you will enjoy the hobby, and very likely, you will want to acquire more equipment 

SMARC e-MAIL LIST

To get on our list, just join our groups.io by clicking on the link below. You will then receive all the emails that the Club sends out, like information and announcements of SMARC Club meetings and activities. We also encourage you to join SMARC and become an active member, the information on how to join is posted above.

Licensing and Education

SMARC AFFILIATED VE TESTING TEAMS

TEAM NAME VEC VENUE FREQUENCY SESSION MANAGER EMAIL
W4PCA VE TEAM WCARS-VEC In-Person Quarterly Carrol Peabody, W4PCA [email protected]
Volunteer Amateur Radio Group VE TEAM ARRL-VEC Online and In-Person 3 nights/week Josh Marler, AA4WX [email protected]
University of Tenn. Amateur Radio Club VE TEAM ARRL-VEC In-Person Monthly Bobbie E. Williams W1BEW [email protected]

W4PCA VE TESTING TEAM (WCARS-VEC)

December 11th @ 7pm - Parish House, St. Andrew's Church, 314 W. Broadway Ave, Maryville, TN

Contact Carrol, W4PCA to RSVP/Register: [email protected] 

VOLUNTEER AMATEUR RADIO GROUP VE TESTING TEAM (ARRL-VEC)

January 23rd @ 7pm - Central Baptist Church, 962 Springbrook Rd, Alcoa, TN

Click here to register: VARG Registration

Contact Josh, AA4WX for more information: [email protected]

ONLINE EXAMS ARE AVAILABLE

Volunteer Amateur Radio Group offers online test sessions via zoom up to 3 nights a week.
Exams are typically given Tues, Thurs, and Sundays at 8:00PM Eastern
Click here for a schedule of exams.

For more information on Online Testing email Josh Marler, AA4WX at [email protected]

ALL TEST APPLICANTS PLEASE TAKE SPECIAL NOTE

Applicants must use an FCC Registration Number (FRN) for all license transactions with the FCC. Examinees must register in CORES and receive an FRN before exam day.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBTAINING AN FRN.  Register in CORES (COmission REgistration System) and receive your FRN (Federal Registration Number) before sitting for your exam to ensure your new license is processed quickly and easily through the FCC's ULS (Universal Licensing System). To conduct business with the FCC, you must register through FCC CORES and be assigned an FRN. This number will be used to uniquely identify you in all transactions with the FCC. View the FCC web page New Users guide to ULS for step by step instructions on the registration process or the Commission Registration System Video Tutorials page for videos that help guide CORES users through a variety of situations. For assistance, submit a help request on the FCC’s Support Services page or call FCC at 877-480-3201 (Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET)

SPECIAL NOTES:

  • The FCC is now charging $35 for new licensees, license renewals and some changes to licenses. (10 year license). There is no fee to change an address or email or to UPGRADE!

  • New Amateur Extra Class Question Pool will take effect July 1, 2024

This change applies to all persons who obtain an amateur radio license, who renew their license or change to a vanity call. Fee will be paid to the FCC and not via Volunteer Examiners or clubs. 

Recommended Study Resources

ARRL License Manual

HamStudy.org

Amateur (Ham) Radio Classes by ARRL Instructors

If you would like SMARC to offer a Technician class, please click here and we will contact you with more information. In advance of taking the class please obtain an ARRL Technician Manual, about $35

Routine SMARC Social Events

EVERY THURSDAY:  Want to get involved in a face to face technical discussion? A number of members meet at TC's Grill on 2514 Old Niles Ferry Road, Maryville starting about 11:30am every Thursday. Just come in and look for the big group of folks in the back of the restaurant. All are welcome to stop by.

EVERY FRIDAY:  New to the area? Looking for a Club? Want to find out more about Amateur Radio or SMARC? We invite you to join a number of our members, spouses and guests for breakfast at TC's Grill on 2514 Old Niles Ferry Road, Maryville every Friday morning, people arrive about 8:30am. Just come in and look for the big group of folks in the back of the restaurant. All forms of radio, and many other topics are likely discussed. See: S.M.A.R.C. (w4olb.org)

FOX HUNTS, PARKS ON THE AIR and PICNIC:  These events will be planned as weather permits where the Club sponsors a fox hunt or POTA event. Announcement of the event, location, time and date will be sent out via email to all registered on SMARC groups.IO    

TRUNKFEST & POT LUCK: This event is usually held in the spring where members are invited to bring any ham related equipment to sell and then afterward for a pot luck with meat dish provided. Event starts at 6PM in the parking lot and then moves indoors.

CHRISTMAS PARTY: This event is held in December, in place of the normal club meeting. In the past, the meat dish was provided and attendees are requested to bring a side,  salad or desert to share.

Weekly and Morning Nets

The Smoky Mountain Amateur Radio Weekly Net is held each Thursday at 7:00 P.M. on the W4OLB Club Repeater (146.655 MHz, Tone 100.0 Hz), the linked W4OLB UHF Club Repeater (443.075 MHz, Tone 100.0 Hz) and the KK4XA DMR repeater on TG314742. All amateurs are welcome to take part. Net Control will ask only for your Call Sign, Name, Location and Affiliation. We also hold a simultaneous Zoom video conference which you are welcome to take part in by clicking here and using passcode 'w4olb'.


KK4XA Morning Net

Join the very informal KK4XA Morning Net every Monday through Thursday morning at 9:00 A.M. on the W4OLB Club Repeater (146.655 MHz, Tone 100.0 Hz), the W4OLB 443.075 Mhz, Tone 100.0 Hz) or the KK4XA DMR Repeater, 444.075 MHz, CC1, TG 314742. We also invite you to join the Zoom Conference, just click here and use passcode 'w4olb' to join the KK4XA Morning Net Zoom.

The W4OLB 146.655 Club Repeater, the 443.075 Club Repeater and the KK4XA DMR TG 314742 Repeater are Linked for the nets.

The KK4XA DMR repeater is privately owned and is connected to the internet via the Brandmeister reflector system, thus these two repeaters can be accessed from anywhere by connecting to DMR Talk Group 314742 using a ham radio hotspot, like the openSPOT or other MMDVM device. Some hotspots, like the openSPOT 1, 2 , 3 ,4 and 4 PRO also allow a Yaesu System Fusion radio to link to DMR talkgroups.

Join Us for Our Monthly Meetings

The Smoky Mountain Amateur Radio Club Meeting: We have monthly meetings in-person at the United Steelworkers Union Hall, 339 S. Hall Road, Alcoa, TN. We meet the fourth Monday of every month at 7:00 P.M. Members and non-members are welcome.

We starting assembling about 6:30pm at the Union Hall. Remember, you are invited join us around 4:30pm at Hot Rods 50's Diner, 337 Hannum Street, Maryville, Tn 37701, to join us for dinner, and then about 6pm to help set up the room for the meeting. All are welcome to attend.

Meeting will also be on Zoom, ALL are welcome! To join the Zoom video conference, click here. The passcode is w4olb. If you are not a member of our groups.io, please click here to join. There will be an email sent out to club members before each meeting including the credentials necessary to join the meeting.

SMARC also has a Club leadership meeting the Thursday before (4th Monday of every month) at 8:00 P.M. via ZOOM video conferencing. Announcement of the meeting and any changes to the schedule will occur via email. All are welcome to attend this meeting.

Please Note: June is Field Day month and likely no club meeting.  Generally no December meeting, as our Christmas Party replaces it. If you have any questions or need directions, please click here.


Upcoming Local Amateur Radio Events - Mark Your Calendars

KK4XA Morning NetMonday thru Thursday at 9 am, Club repeaters & ZOOM   ( ZOOM session starts at 8 am )

> SMARC Weekly Net: Every Thursday Night, 7 PM, Club Repeaters & Zoom ( ZOOM Session usually starts at 6 pm )

> Blount Co ARES Monthly Meeting: Thursday nighta at 9 PM on the WB4GBI 146.625, tone 118.8

> SMARC Next Monthly Meeting:  November 20th, United Steelworkers Union Hall, 339 S. Hall Road, Alcoa, TN (Meeting will be held on Zoom also.) 

> Field Day 2024:  June 22nd-23rd, 2024, Middlesettlements UMC Field of Dreams, 2508 Middlesettlements Rd, Maryville, TN

Hamfests In Our Region

DATE NAME CITY, STATE LINK
February 9-11, 2024 Hamcation Orlando, FL https://www.hamcation.com/
February 24, 2024 42nd Annual Dalton Hamfest Dalton, GA Dalton ARC QRZ
March 16, 2024 Sevierville Hamfest Sevierville, TN https://seviercountyars.com/hamfest-2024
April 20, 2024 Greenville Hamfest Greenville, TN https://greenevillehamfest.com/
May 17-19, 2024 Hamvention 2024 Dayton, OH https://hamvention.org/
June 15, 2024 Knoxville Hamfest and Electronics Convention / ARRL Delta Div. Conv. Knoxville, TN https://www.w4bbb.org/knoxville-hamfest
August 17-18, 2024 Huntsville Hamfest Huntsville, AL https://hamfest.org/

To add a Hamfest, please email [email protected]

Blount County Emergency Communications Service

Blount Emergency Amateur Radio Service (BEARS) is an active ARES group in Blount County. This is not a club, rather it is a service group formed under the structure of the ARRL. ARES communications operators receive emergency communications training and offers communications services to such organizations as Blount County Emergency Management, Blount Memorial Hospital, the local American Red Cross chapter and other community organizations. All licensed amateur radio operators are invited to take an active role in this organization. 

SMARC donated their communications trailer in support of the Blount County ARES group in 2019. A grant request was submitted to Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) for funds to update the trailer and make some needed repairs. ARDC awarded a $11,750 grant to BEARS. The trailer roof and floors have been repaired, the carpet cleaned and door repaired. The AC and DC power systems have been updated and new dual power lighting installed using LEDs. Exterior lighting was added that included upper and lower perimeter. The trailer is routinely used to support local events which offer real life training for ARES members.

If you have an interest in ARES, the group meets at the Blount County 911 Center at 7pm on the 3rd Tuesday each month and there is a regular Thursday evening Net at 9pm on the WB4GBI 146.625 repeater, tone 118.8 Want more information? Contact the BCECS TEAMAPP button below and/or take part in the Net, it is open to all licensed amateur radio operators.

Goals for 2024

SMARC: It’s All about Our Members

  • Support Amateur Radio and the members of the Club
  • Caring for Each Other
  • Accomplishments, upgrading your license and sharing knowledge with other Club members
  • Sharing ideas with others in the Club
  • Friendships, old and new
  • Outreach to our community, and to other hams

2024 Goals and Objectives

  • Continue to Grow the Membership
  • Support, and be active in Club Activities
  • Meet member needs, and help "elmer" new Hams
  • Understand 501(c)(3) Status

Next Field Day is June 22-23, 2024

     
     For 2024, Smoky Mountain Amateur Radio Club will return to the Middlesettlements UMC Field of Dreams for the first time in several years. The venue has served SMARC well in the past with many acres for spreading antennas and a tall hill to get antennas high up. 
The Smoky Mountain Amateur Radio Club has a long and rich tradition of Field Day operations. The Public is welcome to come join us.  Field Day is a national public event, sponsored by the ARRL, to educate and demonstrate amateur radio in action, and to practice our emergency response capabilities to provde communications, and is one of the highlights of our annual calendar.
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This Week's NCS

Michael J.

K4MJF

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