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, or 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 8:30am to 10:15am or at a monthly meeting. Click the Join Zoom Link below. Passcode is w4olb.
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.
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.
| TEAM NAME | VEC | VENUE | FREQUENCY | SESSION MANAGER | |
| 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] |
December 11th, 7pm - Parish House, St. Andrew's Church, 314 W. Broadway Ave, Maryville, TN
Contact Carrol, W4PCA to RSVP/Register: [email protected]
September 26th, 7pm - Central Baptist Church, 962 Springbrook Rd, Alcoa, TN
Click here to register: VARG Registration
Contact Josh, AA4WX for more information: [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 REgistrati
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: We also welcome 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 any other topics are likely discussed. See: S.M.A.R.C. (w4olb.org)
FOX HUNTS and PICNIC: These events will be planned as weather permits where the club sponsors a picnic and with a fox hunt. Announcement of the event, location, time and date will be sent out via email to all registered on SMARC groups i/o.
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 salad or desert to share.
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'.
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 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. Some hotspots even allow a Yaesu System Fusion radio to link to DMR talkgroups.
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 with room setup starting about 5:30pm. Remember, you are invited a bit earlier, about 4:30pm at Hot Rods restaurant for a quick bite and then about 6pm to help set up the room for the meeting. All are welcome to attend.
Meeting will also be on Zoom, please carve out the date/time. 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.
> KK4XA Morning Net: Monday 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: August 15th, 6:00 pm, Blount Co 911 Center. Assuming weather allows, this will be a training session as to how to raise the trailer mast and set up the HF antenna system.
> SMARC Next Monthly Meeting: September 25th, United Steelworkers Union Hall, 339 S. Hall Road, Alcoa, TN (Meeting will be held on Zoom also.)
> Field Day 24: June 22nd-23rd, 2024, Middlesettlements UMC Field of Dreams, 2508 Middlesettlements Rd, Maryville, TN
| DATE | NAME | CITY, STATE | LINK |
| Oct 20-21, 2023 | Hamfest Chattanooga 2023 | East Ridge, TN | https://www.hamfestchattanooga.net/ |
| November 4-5, 2023 | Stone Mountain Hamfest | Lawrenceville, GA | https://stonemountainhamfest.com/ |
| 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 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 146.625 repeater. 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.
SMARC: It’s All about Our Members
2023 Goals and Objectives
