West Georgia Amateur Radio Society

WGARS Featured On WLBB

The West Georgia Amateur Radio Society was featured on WLBB' s Community Voice program on 02/21/2023, discussing Amateur Radio and Ballooning. WD8LQT, John Playford; N4BWR, Blake Raab; and WX4BK, Brian Keahl were the program guests. The interview included an introduction to WGARS, discussion of modern Amateur Radio, Amateur Radio and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), and Amateur Radio ballooning.

You can listen to the interview Here!

2023 WGARS Officers

Thanks to all who participated in nominations and voting for WGARS 2023 Officers.  Your officers for 2023 are - Board Member KO4DKS Wayne, Board Member KF4DVW Joshua, Secretary Treasurer KM4UPX Brian, Vice President KM4WQC Matt, and President WD8LQT John.  Thanks to all who have served in 2022 and to our outgoing Vice President KM4BYH Wayne.

KK4OHF - 2022 WGARS Ham of the Year!

Congratulation to Marshall, KK4OHF on being elected WGARS 2022 Ham of the year!  Out of the pan and into the fire...now the Winter Field Day Chairman for 2023 - you go Marshall!

Bike Ride and POTA

Winter Field Day 2023

Winter Field Day 2023 is to be held January 28 and 29, 2023 at the Little Tallapoosa Park.  Marshall, KK4OHF is the WFD chairman and doing a great job of getting things organized.  There have been some campsites reserved in the equestrian area.  If you have been around a while, you may remember the club operating there for summer field day with the Carroll County Mobile Command Vehicle.  No command vehicle this time...much more of a roughing it experience.  There is a google sign-up sheet that has been created and can be accessed at:  

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_B8p3yRVc4NDC3Uis_sixZR5zog6In_RRcNat73aQxs/edit?usp=sharing

We also have a special opportunity this year thanks to Richard, KN4FRP, to get some Winter Field Day long sleeve t-shirts. These can be ordered on-line and either paid for by using the donate button above or when you pick them up at winter field day.  There is however, a deadline on these for ordering.  The order must be in by noon on Wednesday (1/18/2023).  Check out the link below to see photos as well as ordering information.  All profits from the shirts will be donated to WGARS.

https://form.123formbuilder.com/6342440/wgars-winter-field-day-shirt-reservation

Hope you can make it for some operating or fellowship time.

WGARS August 2022 Balloon Launch

The West Georgia Amateur Radio Society launched a high altitude weather balloon on Saturday August the 6th. The launch was from the club shack at the VFW fairgrounds in Carrollton, Georgia. It turned out to be a beautiful day for such an activity. Clear skies and a nice breeze in the morning getting ready for a 10:15 a.m. launch.

The predicted track put together by Blake, N4BWR, had the balloon coming down somewhere off Hwy 431 in the Oxford/Anniston Alabama area. The payload on the balloon included APRS, a Crossband repeater, video camera, as well as a multitude of sensors (Outside Temperature, Ascent Rate, Descent Rate, etc) This was put together by Brian, WX4BK. (Insert Photo 2022 WGARS Weather Balloon Payload)

The balloon launching was definitely a group effort. Once in the air, we began tracking its ascent immediately on APRS. Assembling in the club shack with our resident meteorologist Bryant, WX4EVR was Richard, KN4FRP (who was actually the first to find the payload after landing), several of us watched the movement. (Insert photos "Balloon Ready to Go" and "Off into the wild blue yonder") Once the chase was on, a rather large group began to make their way down Interstate 20 at rates of speed which we don't discuss here.