BRIEF HISTORY
OF
HOW I.C.A.R.S. WAS CONCEIVED, BORN
AND
WHAT HAPPENED AFTERWARD
In spring of 1975 four radio amateurs, Ray Smith - WA4LMW, Vincent Smith - WB4TBP, Donald Summers K4PAJ (A140), and Fred Stiening - K4EYQ (Silent key) were Operating on 2-meter FM simplex in Statesville. Solid communications by mobile to mobile was possible only within 2 to 3 miles and mobile to fixed station with 5/8 wavelength antenna was 8 - 10 miles. 2-meter FM mobile equipment was simple to install and provided superior communications. The only problem was it didn't have enough range unless a repeater was used. They decided that Iredell County needed a 2-meter FM repeater.
A research was made to find out what it would cost to get a simple 2-meter single-site repeater on the air. The cost came to about $900.00. This included the VHF Eng. RPT-144B at $495.00, Northshore 62-3 Duplexer at $330, Hustler Antenna at $55, and Coax Cable.
They all agreed to join the CVRA and coordinate a frequency pair for the repeater. There were only two 30 KHz channels left at that time, 147.36/96 and 147.39/99. Ray Smith - WA4LMW wrote Frequency Coordinator for an assignment. Letter came back saying they could use 147.36/147.96 MHz. Donald - K4PAJ (A140) sent back a letter asking for 146.01/146.61 MHz. He wanted to us that pair for two reasons: 1 - Crystals already available in the existing transceivers, and 2 - Myrtle Beach was on 146.01/146.61 MHz. and rigs would work down there when on vacation. (The technology for synthesized rigs were not fully developed then.) CVRA wrote back saying "yes", you can use 01/61 pair. It was agreed to accept the pair. Boone was assigned 36/96 pair soon after that and Charlotte 39/99 pair.
1976 arrived and the group was still trying to get more of the other local amateurs on 2-meters and help purchase a repeater. Donald - K4PAJ (A140) decided to, do a first and conduct a novice class. Hopefully enough support from such a class could be realized to form an amateur radio club and sponsor a 2-meter repeater. A Novice Class was started at Old Court House (MCC Annex) in June of 1976; but later moved to the Biology. Class Room at main building of MCC. The acoustics were so bad at old Court House that something had to be done. This was arranged by Steve Sallee - WB4YWZ (N4QG) a student in novice class. Steve was already licensed but wanted to brush up on code. About 23 students were enrolled. Fred assisted Donald for a couple classes and then became attracted to the Republican Convention on TV. The new Novices were issued WA4 and WB4 calls.
Donald contacted WB4YJP and WB4VJQ, two local radio amateurs that had been demonstrating SSTV at the Mall earlier. He discussed what the long term plans were, "form Amateur Radio Club and support and 2-meter repeater installation". He also ask them to write a Newsletter to circulate to other local radio amateurs and to the Class. They were also invited to and assisted with Class.
By the time Class was taking their Novice Exams all agreed to draw up a Charter, organize, and sponsor a 2-meter repeater in Statesville. Steve Sallee - WB4YWZ (N4QG), Paul Kleane - student, now WA4WRY, Hugh Henline - W4JOP (moving from VA.) now a silent key, and Donald worked on and developed the original Constitution & By-Laws. Steve was responsible for final draft. Support group (Charter Members) agreed to meet at MCC Student Building on September 9th, 1976. First order of business was to accept the Constitution & By-Laws. Second, was to agree on a name. Iredell County Amateur Radio Society (ICARS) was agreed on. Third, agree to support a 2-meter repeater for Statesville and surrounding communities. Donald gave presentation on proposed repeater using an overhead projector and transparencies. The Society voted to proceed with the project.
The Society appointed a committee to decide how to finance the project. Donald suggested that each Member contribute $30 toward project to help raise money because it appeared that thirty Members could be mustered. If a second Member front same household wanted to contribute to project, a $15 was suggested. This was agreed on and accepted. (These were called Repeater Membership ); but in 1982 By-Laws were amended to establish Fees These are paid by all Full Members 18 years of age or older holding a Technician license or higher. You might say the $30 became an Initiation Fee. The term "Repeater Membership" was never used again. All ICARS Members, Technician or higher are termed Repeater Support Group.
In order to expedite project the Committee decided to obtain a loan for $600 to match the $300 already raised from the membership. The loan was paid off within 30 days or so. This must have been a first. . . a 2-Meter repeater eighty percent supported and owned by Novices that couldn't even use it! (More incentive to upgrade).
Repeater Kit was ordered and wired by Larry - WB4WSA and Donald - K4PAJ (A140). It was taken to second meeting of ICARS so Members could see it. This was where (Wayside School) Charter members signed Constitution. At the second meeting a new Novice Class was started and instructed by WB4WSA - Larry, a Novice from first class. This was held at Wayside School. WA4LMW - Ray Smith was Principal there and had arranged for use of that facility.
Repeater was put on air (146.01/146.61 MHZ.) in the afternoon of October 24th, 1976 at 1600 EDST using two antennas at home of K4PAJ (A140). Donald was appointed to be trustee of Repeater. Later the Duplexer Kit was ordered, assembled and placed into operation. Experimental operation was conducted using K4PAJ/RPTR as call sign. A repeater license was finally secured by Trustee on January 3, 1977. WR4AZS was call sign assigned to him.
John Fleming - WD4FFX secured permission from County Manager to locate Society Repeater antenna on old Sheriffs' Tower located at Old Court House in Statesville. On. August 18, 1977 John and his crew mounted the Hustler antenna and control link antenna on side of tower. Repeater was relocated August 27, 1977 to the new site by Dan - WA4WRV, Billy - WA4PVI, and Donald.
Unfortunately war had began in winter of 1976... another amateur in Virginia had placed an uncoordinated repeater (his) on 01/61pair. He even sent other amateurs into Stateaville to see how strong his signal was. This was same person that put (his) repeater on Asheville's 16/76 pair and FCC finally become involved. Donald, seeing the problem would continue indefinitely proceeded to coordinate a new pair with CVRA. On September 9th, 1977 Herman Cone, III. of CVRA agreed to change Statesville repeater frequency to 146.085/146.685 MHz.
At Society meeting on September 15th, 1977 group voted 20 to 1 to move off 01/61. Crystals were ordered for new pair and Statesville Repeater was later moved to .085/.685. Maps were sent to CVRA Frequency Coordinator stating a 75 mile radius 0f coverage area and requested a 150 mile radius protection zone.
K4SNI in Greensboro, NC began using 146.01/146.61 after Statesville moved off. It was not coordinated with CVRA.
In last quarter of 1977 the FCC decided to stop issuing repeater call signs and cancel the ones already in use. All repeaters would use a Club or Trustee call sign. The Repeater call sign was changed to K4PAJ/R.
On June 29, 1978 Billy Webb - WA4ONM, Larry Stroud - WB4WSA, WD4FFX, and K4PAJ relocated Hustler antenna to top of tower. On July 1 1978 the Society purchased and installed an Autopatch on Repeater. Electrical storms took its toll on its CMOS chips.
On September 5, 1976 the Repeater call sign was changed to A140/R because the Trustee had received a new call.
The Society purchased and installed a Phelps-Dodge PD 220 Super Station Master Antenna on June 9, 1979 The Hustler was relocated to side of tower for spare and the PD-220 was installed on top of tower. Unfortunately the PD-220 s.w.r. was out of spec. (2.6 to 1). Phelps-Dodge was notified and new PD-220 was installed on May 3, 1980. ICARS was reimbursed for bad one.
ICARS helped the Jaycee's with boat racing from 1978 till 1984. All ICARS members participating could have been killed helping with that project. (Remember the drunk boat racer on starting line going in wrong direction?) On March 24, 1984 ICARS assisted EMS in relocating patients from old Davis Hospital to new Davis Community Hospital. If you forgot Net time was 0700 till 1014 hrs.
In 1985 a 1986 Donald - A140 began searching for information on a new and better Repeater After talking with other repeater operators, contacting the manufacturers and getting a lot of information he recommended the integrated Controller, Repeater, and Autopatch System. This information was past along to others in Society. In the spring of 1987 three quotations were requested from the different sources and were properly forwarded The President - WD4FFX suggested that it was time to conduct another Novice Class. This was scheduled in fall of 1987 and was conducted by A140, NG4X, and WB4WRY at MCC Annex. In March of 1988 the Society voted to raise necessary funds to purchase the new Repeater recommended by Donald. A request for donations was mailed out to all members and the order was placed for the new Repeater. On August 28, 1988 new repeater was received and put into use. The old RPT-144B Repeater and Autopatch was put in standby status.
In November of 1988 the County Manager (as expected) asked Society to move its Repeater from the Old Court House site sometime during first quarter of 1989. Immediately Sherrill - W4SDT, Walt - W4YBO, and Donald began working with Iredell County Officials about a new site. After some meetings and exchanging of letters a new site (present) was obtained February 1, 1989 in a letter to Trustee from Officials. On February 5 and 6, 1989 the Repeater was removed from old site by WD4LXC, W4SDT, KC4DBZ WB4WRY, and A140. The Repeater was again operated from the home QTH of A140 beginning in March of 1989 on a temporary basis.
Having been caught without proper antenna mounting hardware the Society agreed to pay the cost of relocating the Repeater and its associated antennas. This came to around $500. A request for donations was mentioned. Donald refinished the fiber glass on PD-220 and cleaned up the Hustler.
Finally, on April 29 and 30, 1989 Jeff Watts - KC4DBZ, Jimmy - N4SZF, Sherrill - W45DT, Walt - W4YBO, John - WB4WRY and A140 relocated Repeater to its new site. Then again on August the 8th, 1989 Ben Watts, W4SDT, WB4WRY, Alex - KB4OP, and A140 mounted the G7-144 Hustler Collinear antenna at new site. The old G6-144-B Hustler was swapped with County for the G7-144 Hustler. The old Hustler was previously relocated to another tower for emergency communications. This was accomplished by Larry - WD4LXC, Dennis - N4WHK, W4YBO, WB4WRY, and A140.
THE SOCIETY IS ALLOWED TO OPERATE ,ITS REPEATER FROM NEW SITE AS LONG AS IT AGREES WITH WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND ALSO AGREES TO HELP PROVIDE EMERGENCY
COMMUNICATIONS (ARES) SHOULD IT BE NEEDED.
In summary... a lot of thought, time, and work has been done over the past 13 years as you can see. Many Novice Classes had to be conducted by WB4WSA, K4PAJ/A140, and recently by Perry - KM4CV to bring new members in and keep Society active and alive. At present ICARS consist of 40 plus members. Since organizing it has been instrumental in assisting approximately 100 persons obtain an amateur license from 1976 to present. During that time
ICARS has fulfilled its purpose by providing local and state government, citizens, and different organizations reliable communications second to none. ICARS is involved in all facets of amateur radio operation not just 2 meter FM. A lot of RF can be detected in and around Iredell County these days. Now you know the rest of the story... and let's hope it continues.
Donald Summers, A140
ICARS HISTORIAN