THE BEGINNING The Estancia Valley Amateur Radio Association was founded in May, 2005, jointly by the county Emergency Manager at the time, Gary Kayser, and the County Manager, Bob Ayre. It
was begun largely as an ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) organization for Torrance County, New Mexico. EVARA had its first Field Day the following month, operating from the Emergency
Operations Center in the Torrance County Courthouse, in Estancia, New Mexico. A club call sign was issued, and modified to a vanity call as NM5EV, chosen for "New Mexico Five Estancia Valley."
In that early beginning, EVARA decided to be certain a good bit of its focus was not on just emergency communications, but a 'good old ham radio club," for fun and socializing. Our monthly
meetings were breakfast meetings, and rotated between three area restaurants, to give access to as many of the amateurs we could in our wide geographical area of roughly 2,000 square miles, and
scattered, small communities. Charter members were Gary Kayser, EM and KE5CSA, Bob Ayre, N5LVR, Joel Lockwood, KJ5EY, Ed Brooks, W5HTW, Bob Scupp, K5SEP, Earl Campbell, N8TV, Darlene Campbell, KD5HPN,
Glen Overlander, KD5BP, Georgia Overlander, N5GOY, Chuck, K5GMT, and Darryl Clutter, NX5W. I hope I haven't left out any. The president was Gary, Georgia was secretary, Joel was VP, and Bub Scupp
was treasurer. I was appointed DEC, Joe and Bob Scupp were appointed ECs. In early 2006, Gary Kayser left the position of Emergency Manager, and also left the club, and amateur radio.
Joel Lockwood was made president, and there was no vice president. MEETINGS Meetings were held the second Saturday of each month, and still are. The official meetings begin at 9 AM
local time, but we usually gather at the restaurant anywhere from 8:00 to 8:30 for BYOB ("buy your own breakfast" )social meeting. Locations of the meerings has been rotating between three
Valley restaurants. The Old Mill Cafe, in Estancia Ancient Cities Cafe, in Mountainair El Comedor Restaurant, in Moriaty. ACTIVITIES Presently the club participates in ARES only very
minimally, with a monthly ARES VHF net. We have only four ARES members. The club also participates in Field Day, and in the fall of 2005, participated i Amateur Radio Awareness Day, in September, at
Crosley Park, in Moriarty, NM. We plan amateur radio classes possibly in the fall of 2007, and may begin to have some VE test sessions out here if we can get enough people interested. This is a very
rural area, with villages far apart. There are few hams, and far fewer people interested in amateur radio. VHF NET We conduct a weekly VHF net on the Bob Foster repeater, K5CQH.
It is on 146.72 mhz, negative offset, and with a 100 hertz access tone. All licensed amateurs are invited to participate in the net, which begins at 7:00 local time. The net is for social
discussion, and is not limited to club activities. The club does not have a club station, but does have a club call sign, as noted earlier. We welcome participation by all amateur
radiooperators and those interested in, or curious about, amateur radio, in our weekly VHF net as well as in our club meetings, though non-members do not hvae a voting right in club activities If you are
reading this, and would like to be placed on our email mailing list, send an inquiry to: W5HTW@ATT.NET
We will be glad to keep you updated on our activities and events. Thanks 73 Ed Brooks W5HTW, and secretary, EVARA For information: Email: W5HTW@ATT.NET |
