The Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society clubroom is located in the Red Cross building, 2425 Park Road, Charlotte, downstairs in room 023. We are there because we are an ARRL affiliated club and there is a statement of understanding between the ARRL and the Red Cross. As a support unit for the Red Cross, in our clubroom we maintain two HF stations.

The first has a Ten-Tec Jupiter transceiver, a Ten-Tec Hercules 500 watt amplifier, and an automatic antenna tuner. The second is a Kenwood TS-570S(G) which includes 6 meters. There are beam and dipole antennas on our tower located on the roof. Next to the HF positions we have a VHF/UHF operating position, which has a 2-meter/70-centimeter all mode ICOM 830 which can be switched to either a vertical ground plane or a horizontal beam antenna. This rig is often used to conduct our Metrolina 2 Meter Emergency Net. Next to the HF station is a packet station with a Kenwood TM-V7A radio that can be used for ARES support or packet cluster, and a computer for logging and other digital modes. Our stations are used by club members in ARES activations and drills, to check in with HF nets, and often as the W4BFB contest station.

Our clubroom station is available for use by any club member. To use the station you must sign in at the American Red Cross reception desk, and have a clubroom key. Keys are available to club members in good standing from our club treasurer. We also ask that you have another ham who has used the equipment, give you a familiarization session with the station. When operating our club station, you should always sign the logbook as the guest operator, and use your own callsign with your own operating privileges.

When you step into our clubroom, directly in front of you is our W4BFB packet radio BBS and its links to the associated nodes. Finally, stored in our clubroom are several radios, rolls of coax, antennas, station accessories, banners, signs, and toys that we use for Field Day, contest events, public service events, or ARES emergency events. Just remember, do not remove any items from the room without first checking with a club officer. When equipment leaves the room, it must be logged out, including what equipment, who is responsible, where will it be used, and when its return is expected.

Our clubroom is also the usual meeting place for our Board of Directors, ARES assistant EC’s, and other operating committees. Though not a very large room, club members are always welcome (encouraged) to attend our Board Meetings, which are currently held on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM. If the room gets too crowded we usually can find a larger one somewhere close by.

Club Room information updated by Paul Ponak AD4IE (11/06/2007)