THE HISTORY OF THE VIRGIN VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

 

                                                        

 

FOUNDING MEMBERS CHARLIE & STEVE

 

  

 

The Beginnings of the Virgin Valley Amateur Radio Club

by Charles L Lum Kee, KH6AB

 

I arrived in early January of 2005, just after Mesquite had experienced the effects of the “100 years” flood. After inquiring about the existence of an Amateur Radio Club in Mesquite from different places of business, I was told that some people from Overton and Logandale were in the area trying to set up some kind of communications location and that there was a mobile communications van that was sent from Phoenix, Arizona.

I found the van and a couple of men working in the parking lot of what is now the Rising Star Sports Ranch Resort. They were hams, whose names I’ve forgotten, but they mentioned that there was no radio club in Mesquite and that was why hams from Logandale were in Mesquite.

The next couple of months was spent in getting myself settled in after moving from Honolulu. I was first licensed in 1971 as a Novice with the call WH6HLU, valid for one year. In the next couple of months, I made it to Advanced and my call sign was changed to KH6HLU. I won my Extra in August 1995 and petitioned for several vanity calls; when my new ticked arrived, it was with my present call of KH6AB.

Mid March 2005 I reserved the meeting room of America First Credit Union on 590 W Mesquite Blvd., and placed an ad in the local paper asking any Amateur Radio Operators living in the area to attend a meeting on 2 April 2005 at 9:00am to discuss and plan an Amateur Radio Club in Mesquite.

It was an act of faith since I didn’t know any other hams. To my surprise, several showed up: Bob Burns, KD7WKO, Jerry Burt KB7WVU (SK), Lillie Burt KC7GGF (?) (SK), Steve Hoff KA7ZVD (K7AMP), Hal Whiting KD7TKP (KI2U),Harry Fielding (WA6GLB) (SK), Dan Farrell W8EQA

The following is a copy of the Agenda for that first meeting; unfortunately, I lost the minutes of that meeting, but suffice it to say that all agreed to found an Amateur Radio Club in Mesquite; Steve Hoff, KA7ZVD (now K7AMP), suggested the name Virgin Valley Amateur Radio Club, and so our club was born.

 

                   

 

FIRST CLUB MEMBERS

 

2 April 2005

 

Bob Burns, KD7WKO

Charlie Lum Kee KH6AB

Jerry Burt KB7WVU (SK)

Lillie Burt KC7GGF (?) (SK)

Steve Hoff KA7ZVD (K7AMP)

Hal Whiting KD7TKP (KI2U)

Harry Fielding (WA6GLB) (SK)

Dan Farwell W8EQA

 

 

FIRST SIGN IN SHEET

 

                                  

SECOND SIGN IN SHEET

                        

 

In Hawaii, I lived through two catastrophic hurricanes and participated in radio communications. We developed a tight knit community since we were in the middle of the Pacific and couldn’t rely on outside help. I was tasked with the developing of a group of hams dedicated to the hospitals and the local Blood Bank called HealthCom; we held a monthly net of the local hospitals; eventually it was expanded to hospitals in the neighbor Islands. I was also a member of a group of hams that worked with Honolulu Civil Defense. Through Civil Defense we were able to get license plates with our call signs which allowed us entry to nearly anywhere during an emergency.

The rest, as it were, is history. Unfortunately I got involved in the local Elks Organization (I transferred my membership from Honolulu Elks Club to Mesquite Elks Club) and lots of my energy and time was spent with the Elks.

In 2015 I became seriously ill with pancreatitis, and since all my specialists are in Vegas, we decided to move closer to medical personnel. Not wanting to live in Vegas, we chose Pahrump.

A Repeater in Mesquite.

Through some of our members we were able to communicate with the Dixie Club, but needed to communicate with Las Vegas. One of our members, Harry Fielder, WA6GLB, now SK, moved to Mesquite from Las Vegas and was a member of the Las Vegas Repeater Association. Harry contacted Frank Kostelac who was the current president of LVRA, and we worked out a deal where for the measly sum of $100 a year, LVRA would install a repeater in Mesquite. The UHF repeater was first installed in a building next to a water tank in Bunkerville and was linked to the LVRA network through the High Potosi UHF repeater.

And the rest, as they say, is history. The Mesquite group has, fortunately grown for which I’m glad that I was part of its beginning. Most of the old gang are gone either to their eternal reward or to other locals. Bob Burns, KD7WKO, moved and may have a new call sign (Note: He is now in Knoxville TN, same call). I found that Hal Whiting, KD7TKP (now KI2U) is in Sandy Utah and Dan Farwell, W8EQA is now in Paragonah UT. Steve Hoff, K7AMP may be able to fill in more.

Charlie Lum Kee, KH6AB

 

Steve believes he and Charlie met at the post office and sometime during their discussion, both mentioned they were Hams. Steve said they should start a club. He posted an announcement in the Desert Echo (Mesquite's only newspaper) to invite hams to come to a meeting. Steve trained with C.E.R.T. to get his foot in the door to help offer his radio abilities during the needed time. Steve was radioman in the Navy but bought his first ham radio later while living in Las Vegas. Him and his buddy put them in their land cruisers to use when out 4 wheeling in the desert. During the 100 year flood, Steve was relaying messages down river to Moapa from St. George and Mesquite. He met with the Mesquite city manager, Allen Bell, to help set up a command center here. (Being the Postmaster, he had a lot of contact with Allen). Since the beginning of the club in 2005, Steve has served as the club’s Treasurer and remains an active member.