SPARCS Ham Radio Emergency Communication

Thank You KVMV “FM 96 Nine” For A Wonderful Year

Looking back so far on 2007 there is one thing hams in the Rio Grande Valley are very thankful for and that’s our new ARES repeater now operating on 146.70 MHz.  After thanking the Hams of S.T.A.R.S. (South Texas Amateur Radio Society) for providing the repeater, link radio, expensive commercial-grade coax and commercial antenna we now want to take time to offer up a never-ending Texas-sized THANK YOU to KVMV Radio Station, FM 96.9 for it is both S.T.A.R.S. and KVMV that has made this all-volunteer ham radio public service dream possible for any and all hams wishing to participate. Rio Grande Valley Hams from South Padre Island to beyond Edinburg and McAllen are now able to operate mobile to mobile and mobile to base station. Recently STARS has added VoIP technology to the repeater at the KVMV facilities to connect and communicate with other Ham stations and repeater installations via Echolink across the Internet.  This heaven-sent capability is truly God’s blessing in our ability to augment, assist and if necessary to temporarily replace emergency communications infrastructure to the extent possible or needed when the time should come.  We’re grateful beyond words to KVMV radio, FM 96.9 for providing a home for the ARES mobile repeater station, and for access to the 80 kilowatt emergency power generator set that runs the entire broadcast facility when commercial power fails.  Emergency Power for such a wide-area radio communications setup has not been obtainable here in the Rio Grande Valley before now, at least in the recent past to the best of our knowledge.  Because of KMVM and support from S.T.A.R.S. the Amateur Radio Emergency Service of District 3 in the South Texas Section is much better prepared to offer extended emergency communications support in ways which were not previously available without a wide-area coverage system. Thank you KVMV “Ninety Six Nine” Rio Grande Valley and thank you S.T.A.R.S.!