Amateur Radio is all about people. Building strong relationships is the foundation for the success of the Anchorage Amateur Radio Club. This club, that has almost 300 members, is always asking the question, "What can we do for you?"

One of the first things that they do for all new hams in the area is to offer them a free one year full membership in the club. This "try it before you buy it" approach has not only helped boost membership but it creates an environment where people know that they are wanted not for their dues money but for what they can offer to the community, both as a ham and as a person. According to Club President, Jim Larsen, AL7FS, "You need volunteers for any program or it will die." He attributes this win-win attitude to the strong relations that the club has with the community as well as within Anchorage's business and political circles.

Club President Jim Larsen, AL7FS, mans the club information tent at the Alaska State Fair.

The clubs influence extends beyond the Anchorage area as they have also been able to help their neighbors build reliable repeater systems. Both the Fairbanks Arctic Amateur Radio Club and the Juneau Amateur Radio Clubs have received support from AARC on their repeater systems. These systems are just a part of the Amateur Radio network that is always ready to provide reliable communications throughout the state whenever the need arises. Working closely with neighboring clubs allows Alaskan hams to provide communications over a large area without conflict or confusion. Like the other clubs, the Anchorage ARC, participates in and supports many community events including the famous Iditarod dog sled race which runs over 1000 miles across the lower part of the state from Anchorage to Nome. AARC is involved in community events from January to October.

The club owns and operates a VHF/UHF cross-linked repeater high atop Mount Susitna that has tremendous coverage over the Anchorage area. The repeater was installed on the 4300 foot peak with the help of a helicopter and it took three trips to get all of the equipment and personnel to the site. They are planning to install the Grubstake repeater in November 2004. This VHF/UHF machine will be over 4800 feet above sea level.

Judi Ramage, WL7DX shows off some Amateur Radio equipment used in emergency communications.

These repeater systems, along with HF radios and a well equipped Command Control Vehicle, allows the club to be ready for any type of emergency communications.

The very impressive Command Control Vehicle is a converted motor-home that has HF, VHF, UHF, satellite, GMRS, FRS, packet, aircraft, marine, trunking radio for State and local, CB and scanners. A perfect compliment to the CCV is not one but two trailers that are equipped with a 40 foot tower and a 12KW diesel generator. Antennas include HF beams and wire antennas, push-up masts and VHF/UHF verticals or beams.

The CCV is used for Field Day and other drills and at public service events. Most recently the club had a display at the Alaska State Fair where they entertained more than 400 visitors to the booth. "People were very interested in Amateur Radio and what we do.", said Jim. "A lot of people inquired about getting or renewing their ham licenses." The club really pitched in and manned the booth for 12 hours each of the 12 days that the event was held. In addition to answering questions about ham radio the special event station that operated during the entire fair logged over 1600 contacts from hams in all fifty sates and from 64 countries.

KL7AA booth at the Alaska State Fair.

The club is also the subject of a thirty minute documentary to be aired on UPN affiliate KYES TV-5 sometime in November. Club member and station employee, Jesse Jones, KL1RK, is spearheading the project. Station KYES supports emergency service and Amateur Radio and provides the space on its transmitting tower for the club's Mt. Susitna repeater. Although this super location is not free, Jim tells us that the club gets the tower space and rack space for the equipment at "a considerably reduced price."

Always looking forward, the club does many things to introduce Amateur Radio to young people and other non-hams. One of the ways that they do this is donating ARRL library book sets to local libraries.

Last year they donated book sets to fourteen libraries in the Anchorage area.

ARRL is committed to support Affiliated Clubs in their efforts to mentor new hams. [Full Story]

AARC makes available scholarship money through its Scholarship Foundation Endowment and also supports many other charitable organizations in the community.

A project that the club has been involved in for years is making up Morse code sounder kits and donating them to the Girl Scouts as a way of introducing them to ham radio. Over the years the club has given out nearly 400 of these kits. AARC sponsors all of the volunteer exams throughout the state and is currently working with the FCC on a model program that would accommodate testing for Amateur Radio licenses in remote areas of the state.

Jim says that several years ago the club went through a restructuring where it set its sights on the future. Since that time they have not looked back. While many, many people have helped the club become what it is today Jim says that two of the biggest sparkplugs have been John Lynn, KL7CY and his wife Edythe, KL7EL. The club recently recognized the couple for all of their outstanding service by making them Life Members of AARC and honored them with a plaque. One of the things that the club did during this restructuring was to seek professional management and legal advice in order to attain the goals of the organization. Part of this forward thinking has the club working with legislators on BPL (Broadband over PowerLine) and deed covenants, conditions and restrictions (C,C&Rs), PRB-1 and other issues that affect Amateur Radio.

Using a proactive approach and working as a team with its many partners in the community, the Anchorage ARC has developed an interdependence that benefits, not only the Amateur Radio operators but, all of the people in Alaska.

Anchorage Amateur Radio Club donates funds to Police Aux. Search Team The Anchorage Amateur Radio Club (AARC) of Anchorage Alaska recently donated $2700 to the Anchorage Police Department Auxiliary Search Team, Inc. (APDST) for the purpose of buying two new radios for the Search Team's new mobile response vehicle. The radios are now in place in the vehicle communications console and ready for use. The APDST mission is to provide direct support to the Anchorage Police Department during searches for missing and lost persons or evidence related to possible criminal activity. AARC President, Jim Larsen, AL7FS is shown on the left with Chuck Springer the Director of APDST. AARC has a history of strong support for Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) as well as other related community service. Their Command and Control Vehicle (built into a 34 foot motor home) was reported on the American Radio Relay League website. In addition, the AARC supported Anchorage ARES organization is a permanent support member of the Anchorage Municipality Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and the organization has a fully functional communications station at the Anchorage EOC. More information, including past newsletters, can be found on the Anchorage Amateur Radio Club website. Jim Larsen, AL7FS President, AARC 907-345-3190

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