Grant Date: May 2021
Amount: $4,454

Rio Hondo Amateur Radio Club (RHARC)
On March 8, 1976, in the board room of Rio Hondo College, three amateur radio licensees and twenty-one individuals who desired to obtain an amateur radio license met to form a college club. The College’s Radio Communications former teacher, Bob Gemmell W6GNS, had died suddenly and in Bob’s memory his call was taken by the newly formed club as their club call. This call sign, W6GNS, still belongs to the club. Today, RHARC is no longer associated with Rio Hondo Community College, however it retains the fellowship and purpose of action that was established at the formation of the college club.

The club’s repeater system in the Whittier hills was established in 1977, filling the geographic gap between Los Angeles and the Anaheim hills. The two-meter, open access repeater has, over the years, proved to be one of the most reliable and popular repeaters in the Los Angeles basin. The club now operates three repeaters: two-meter, 1.25 meter, and 70 cm. Repeater frequencies currently assigned to RHARC include 146.175, 445.560 and 223.940. The repeaters operate under the Club’s other call, W6KAT. Our club’s two-meter and 70 cm repeaters are Yaesu System Fusion repeaters and operate in both analog and digital modes.

Loaner Radios & Repeater Replacement
This ARDC grant is for three loaner radios to help get newly-licensed hams on the air. The new licensees who receive the radio gear must be able to show that they can change frequencies in the field, that they know how to adjust squelch, that they can switch between FM and Digital, and that they know how to pass traffic in a directed net. They will borrow the radios for 6-month terms, and will be held to requirements to use the equipment regulary and participate in some club events.

Additionall, the club will replace an old 220 repeater with a Bridgecomm BCR-220.

Find out more about the Rio Hondo Amateur Radio Club at www.RHARC.org.