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News & Features
From the Idyllwild Town Crier weekly newspaper, 11.26.09 edition.
Mile
High Radio Club
connects the mountain
By Marshall Smith, Staff
Reporter
The Mile
High Radio Club (MHRC) connects the mountain in times of emergency with
a network of amateur radio operators and repeaters. This system enables
operators to reach all Hill communities and off-Hill locations as far
away as San Diego and Santa Barbara.
Celebrating their 20th year as members of the American Radio Relay
League (ARRL) and their 22nd year of existence, MHRC plays a key role
in providing disaster communication through its financial sponsorship
of the Mountain District Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES)
and its maintenance of the Pine Cove repeater site.
RACES is a volunteer organization directed by local, county and state
emergency management agencies and operated under the auspices of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the United States
government. RACES provides radio communications during periods of war
and civil emergencies including natural disasters, victim searches, air
crashes and many others. RACES communication is critical when
traditional power sources fail.
MHRC also plays other supportive roles throughout Hill communities,
including animal rescue during natural disaster as part of the
Riverside Animal Rescue System (REARS). A RACES operator is a regular
part of a REARS team that consists of a truck driver with horse trailer
rig and an animal wrangler or rescuer. RACES also provides course
position updates for the Spring Challenge Mountain Bike Race; parade
route communication and message transfer between announcer stations for
the Fourth of July Parade; maintenance of a communications tent at the
Idyllwild Arts Foundation’s annual Jazz in the Pines event; display of
portable radio communication equipment and distribution of educational
materials at the annual Idyllwild Health and Resource Fair;
participation in statewide events such as the Great California Shakeout
annual earthquake drill; fire patrols and fire watches; and the ARRL
Field Day, a national event in which MHRC sets up an emergency station
on Highway 243 and, using only emergency power supplies, communicates
with other off-Hill operators to test range and signal strength.
MHRC maintains a set of three radios at both the CalFire Station 23 and
Idyllwild Fire station as well as maintaining the Pine Cove repeater.
According to past President Bill Baker, MHRC is currently working on
two new repeaters — one that is transportable and has longevity in the
field and a backpack repeater that is fully mobile and able to get over
or around obstructions. “The goal [with the new repeaters] is to have
durable and transportable backups,” said Baker. To build both, MHRC
needs a total of $5,700. They are about $1,200 short of their goal and
welcome all contributions. The club is always looking for new members
and more radio operators to provide Hill-wide communication. Baker also
wants to get the 90 already licensed ham radio operators in the
Idyllwild and Mountain Center ZIP codes more involved with the club.
MHRC provides a valuable service to the community and relies on
community support, both financial and participatory, to prosper.
Visit MHRC and RACES at www.milehighradioclub.org or e-mail
mhrc@arrl.net, Mile High Radio Club, P.O. Box 1204, Idyllwild, CA 92549.
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