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AF4BA Joins AFMARS

26 September 2023
K4SBE - Sierra

...and off into the wild blue younders we go!

During our September 12, 2023 club meeting at First Christian Church, 306 College Street, Carrollton, GA., we had an awesome presentation from Tony, AF4BA, on \Air Force Military Auxiliary Radio System.

First, let me tell you just a little bit about AF4BA. In 2020, he started getting involved with Amateur Radio and decided this complex but yet simple communication style really interested him. In the same year, AF4BA joined WGARS with just a Technician barely in his pocket. He pressed on, asking questions, learning, digging for information, attends meetings regularly, helping out at events where is could and always participating, Tony is now the club’s Net Manager. Pressing on, he obtained his “General”, in a very short time, and then he made that “Extra” all his! Congratulations AF4BA.

Our Future Is Today

15 August 2023
K4SBE - Sierra

It takes a lot of energy and time to direct an active Amateur Radio Club, but once a club has active and participating members, the sky is the limit!

West Georgia Amateur Radio Society is fortunate enough to be one of those Clubs that is sailing towards endless limits. This Club is on the move! They launch Pico Balloons frequently, have regular Monday night Nets and a Carroll County ARES Net every Thursday evening; they have eating meeting at least six times a year, conduct monthly licensing exams for inspiring new Hams, participates in Toys for Tots and the Talladega National Forest Parks on the Air Weekend. Just recently, the Club held a very successful 24 hour Summer Field Day event at Little Tallapoosa Park, Carrollton, Georgia, and on July 22, 2023, the Club will have a “two part” Squirrel Hunt, which allows WGARS club members to work together – collaborate – to locate a transmitter using triangulation. These activities are just a slight mention of the many activities WGARS have. The Club’s leadership strives very hard to keep their club active and moving in a positive direction.

You may think this Club has its hands full. And, if you do, you would be wrong. WGARS’s goals for the Club expand much further. Right now, and I mean right now - they are in the process of purchasing a rv camper with the goal of converting it into a STEM* Lab Educational Mobile Unit. The mobile unit will be driven to various locations around the state, teaching youth about Amateur Radio, explaining its continued importance in a digital society, giving live demonstrations and showing youth how to get involve in Amateur Radio.

Summer Field Day 2023 by K4SBE

26 June 2023

The West Georgia Amateur Radio Society (WGARS) held its 2023 Summer Field Day this weekend at the Little Tallapoosa Park, off highway 113, Carrollton, Georgia. Field Day is amateur radio’s open house! Every June, more than 40,000 Amateur Radio Operators throughout North America set-up temporary transmitting stations in public places to demonstrate amateur radio’s science, skill and service to communities and our nation. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills all in a single event. Field Day has been an annual event since 1933, and remains the most popular event in amateur radio.

WGARS Featured On WLBB

21 February 2023
West Georgia Amateur Radio Society

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.

KK4OHF - WGARS Ham of the Year!

17 January 2023
John Playford

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!

Winter Field Day 2023

17 January 2023
John Playford

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:

2023 WGARS Officers

16 November 2022
John Playford

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.

Bike Ride and POTA

31 October 2022
John Playford

October 15 and 16 2022 - A Ham Radio Filled Weekend!

What a weekend! Need I say more? The WGARS ended up with two events on the same day this past weekend. The first was the Toys for Tots Semper Fi Century Ride. The club signed up to perform communications at the event which turned into much more. We ended up being comms and logistics, and in some cases, volunteer transportation. Hats off to all who participated. Net control was located at Printers Ale, and 4 rest stations were manned by other operators.

WGARS August 2022 Balloon Launch

12 October 2022
John Playford

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)