Welcome to Smoky Mountain Amateur Radio Club (SMARC)

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

Are you a licensed ham and new to the area, been here forever or just have an interest in amateur radio, consider joining SMARC. Our 100+ members would enjoy meeting you, making a new friend and sharing the excitement. Maybe you need help getting started or with a radio or antenna. There is a group of mentors ready and willing 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.

  • Need a contact -> Click above ABOUT, then CONTACTS to reach President Bob KK4XA or Secretary Bob K9JU. 
  • Not a member, the SMARC Club Member Application -> click above on FILES and then DOCUMENTS.
  • Already a member, the 2023 Renewal Form is available -> click above on FILES and then DOCUMENTS.
      • To maintain your SMARC membership, please renew ASAP and continue support for SMARC!
      • Special thanks to the 84 past 2022 members who have now renewed as of March 9th and the 6 new members.

SMARC' s Fusion Repeater supports both Analog FM and Fusion Digital

443.075 MHz / 448.075        Tone Encode/Decode: 100.0 Hz

VHF and UHF club repeaters are linked during the nets. Let Net Control know which repeater you are using. (Tail removed from UHF repeater.)

SMARC e-MAIL LIST

To get on our list, just join our groups.io by clicking here. You will then be on an email list where you will be sent information and announcements of SMARC club meetings and activities. We also encourage you to join SMARC and become an active member, just back up a bit on this home page and follow the highlighted.

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

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

  • 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 two meter portable radio can cost as little as $50, while a basic digital radio, $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 likely you will want to acquire more equipment 

Upcoming Local Amateur Radio Events - Mark Your Calendars

> Every Thursday Evening: SMARC Net, 7 PM, Club Repeaters & Zoom

> Sevierville Hamfest:  March 18th, 7AM until 4PM CHECK OUT:  https://seviercountyars.com/hamfest-2023

> Monthly SMARC Meeting: March 27th, In-person and via Zoom at 7pm. PROGRAM: TBD

> SMARC Annual Trunkfest: April 24th, 6pm and after Sales Move Indoors for Hot Dogs and Dish to Pass Social Time. <No ZOOM>

> SMARC Field Day: Last Weekend of June at Smoky View Baptist Church, 2201 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville, TN

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: 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.

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. 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.


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 system, thus these two repeaters can be accessed from anywhere by connecting to DMR Talk Group 314742. 

New to Ham Radio or Want to Upgrade?

Smoky Mountain Amateur Radio Club is a social club with its membership having hundreds of years of combined experience in many of the various aspects of ham radio. Check out our local repeaters, W4OLB (146.655 MHz, Tone 100.0 Hz and 443.075 MHz, Tone 100.0 Hz). We meet informally, in-person, at TCs restaurant in Maryville on Thursday at 11:30am, and Friday at around 8:45am.  All are welcome to our Nets, our Meeting and to stop by for breakfast at TCs on Friday at about 8:45AM where about a dozen plus hams and their spouses show up to meet and greet.

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 General Question Pool will start July 1, 2023

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. 
SMARC routinely offers a Technician licensing class to help newcomers get into the hobby. A Volunteer Examiner test follows the training class, typically on the last day after a morning review. This training class is open to anyone interested in the hobby and you will learn the needed information to pass the FCC element 2 exam. To learn more about ham radio, click here.
For information on testing sponsored by SMARC and The University of Tennessee Amateur Radio Club please click here

Amateur (Ham) Radio Classes by ARRL Instructors and Testing by Official VEs

>>>>> NEXT TEST SESSIONS <<<<<

March 13th, 7pm - Parish House, St. Andrew's Church, 314 W. Broadway Ave, Maryville, TN

Contact Carrol, W4PCA to RSVP/Register: w4pca1938@gmail.com 

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. As of May 20th, ALL electronic batch filed applications that do not include a candidate's FRN will be rejected. The Social Security/Licensee ID Field will be disabled. The FCC will use the FRN rather than a Social Security number with all interactions after May 20th.

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

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 $25. Here is the link:  https://www.arrl.org/shop/Ham-Radio-License-Manual/

Looking Back at 2022 and Forward to 2023

SMARC: It’s All about Our Members

  • Support Amateur Radio
  • Caring for Each Other
  • Accomplishments
  • Sharing Ideas
  • Friendships
  • Outreach

2022 - A Very Busy Year for SMARC

  • 75th SMARC Anniversary, Logo, Special Event Station
  • ARRL Field Day and Winter Field Day
  • Award LIFE MEMBER – Carroll W4PCA
  • Technician Class via Zoom
  • Membership Growth to 107
  • Multiple Face-to-Face Activities
  • Finalized UHF Repeater Installation
  • Zoom Video System for Meetings/Classes
  • Expanded Nets and added Zoom
  • Investigated Repeater Linking
  • Elmer for Newly Licensed Operators
  • Update: Constitution & By-laws
  • 501(c)3 Submittal

2023 Goals and Objectives

  • Grow Membership
  • Support Club Activities
  • Meet member Needs
  • Understand 501C3 Status

Blount County Emergency Communications Service

Blount Emergency Communications Service (BCECS) is an active ARES group. 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 repairs are underway. The AC power system has been updated and updated DC lighting mostly installed. Soon a DC power system, replacement LED light fixture, two donated 100AH batteries, new chairs, U/V/HF radios and the antenna systems will be ordered and installed shortly. 

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.

Field Day, always 4th weekend in June

The Smoky Mountain Amateur Radio Club has a long and rich tradition of Field Day operations. June 2022 marked another successful Field Day, held at Smoky View Church, 2201 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway. Planning now begins for 2023, possible at the same location.
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We want all of our club members and as many visitors as possible to come out to help, get on the air and enjoy. Make plans now to be a part of the greatest tradition in ham radio. Actual Field Day operations begin 2:00 p.m. Saturday and lasts until 2:00 p.m. Sunday. Setup starts at 8:00 a.m. to use the cooler morning hours. Field Day usually takes the place of the June meeting. Click Link below for pictures from 2018 and 2019: 
If you have further questions or need directions, please visit our about page, just click: here.

Today's NCS

Bob

KK4XA

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