M.A.R.A. History

HISTORY: The McDowell Amateur Radio Association began in the early 1980’s. Local Ham operators Dr. Robert M. Boggs, Joe Mcilwain K3CJG, the first Club president, and Calvin Philbeck WD4PVE organized a group of 20 local Ham operators to form the Club- McDowell Amateur Radio Association or M.A.R.A. Early in its beginning, Frank Goldsmith N4UWO, joined M.A.R.A. with Leonard Hensley N4YYY, James Holtzclaw KC4TNT, and Russell England KA4NMX. The first Club meetings were held in the electronics classroom at McDowell Tech. Then President Joe Mcilwain was an instructor at McDowell Tech. The Club meetings moved to the Steakhouse for a year and then to Refuge Baptist Church on Clear Creek Baptist Church. John Cook, then made the arrangements to move to our current location at 29 North Garden Street where the “REACT” group had been meeting before it dissolved. Ralph Moony W4HOG, was an early member of the club and a qualified Boy Scouts examiner.  After his passing, and in honor of Mr. Mooney, the Club took over his call sign W4HOG as the Club’s permanent Call Sign.

This club has been a bastion for fellowship and the continuance of the hobby through community service.  The passing on of technical knowledge that is used in the field of Amateur Radio remains the core interest of the club.

The WD4PVE repeater has been the center of 2-meter communication for McDowell Amateur Radio Association.  Calvin Philbeck, WD4PVE, purchased the repeater from Bud Adams of Old Fort and then moved the repeater to the McDowell area and put his call sign on it. It was first installed on Mt. Ida in Marion, then at his house in East Marion. In the Late 1990s, the opportunity to move the repeater to the County owned tower on Grant’s Mt. became available and has now become its permanent location.

FOX HUNT: The first foxhunt was in March 2019, when we received a request to assist MCSO in identifying an intentional interference source.  Due to initial erroneous info, and the caginess of the pirate station, a usable bearing was not obtained until June 28.  Additional bearings continued, but the signal source was too short for conclusions.  The various periods of interference were tabulated, and a pattern identified.  All club members were waiting in Marion on the evening of July 9, 2019, and when the signal began at 7:02 pm, everyone headed out to predetermined monitoring locations.  The signal source was positively identified by 7:45 pm.  Based on the information developed, the sheriff’s department obtained a search warrant, and days later was able to enter the house and seize the equipment while it was in operation during active interference.

As far as current Friday afternoon practice hunts, we started doing them in September of 2023.  Jim Elkins, KG4IKQ, has developed 44 hunts with various types of scenarios; some just bearing hunts, some to find the transmitter itself.  To date, the hunters are successful 53% of the time within the 2-hour time limit.  If it wasn’t for the 2-hour limit, they would probably always find the transmitter in 3-6 hours.

“Silent Keys” is the name given to Ham Operators that have passed. Here is the plaque that hangs in our clubhouse to honor them.