HISTORY OF THE MANATEE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB INC.

The Manatee Amateur Radio Club Inc.(MARCI) was organized in late 1950 with club call K4GG. The Club's first President was David Blake - W4ZEB. A Club constitution was adopted July 28, 1955 and on September 26, 1955 the Club was first incorporated. In the early 60's enough of its members belonged to the ARRL to qualify as an ARRL club.(Many of the early club documents either did not contain dates or were missing.) The first club newsletter was published September 1979. In the summer of 1992 the Club received its 25 year ARRL award.

The club has never had a home of its own. But, thanks to the many community organizations the club has been able to conduct monthly meetings. Some of the meeting places included: the Bishop Planetarium, the Red Cross bldg.(when their building was on Manatee Ave.), the downtown Library, the Bradenton Herald offices, the auditorium at Manatee Vocational Technical School, and the Trinity United Methodist Church.

In approximately 1976, when two meter radio was becoming popular, members of the radio club and hams from Sarasota formed a repeater club in Bradenton and named it the Manasota Repeater Association, operating on 146.820 MHZ under the call WR4ALZ. The only equipment purchased was a GE Master Pro Receiver. A 60 watt transmitter and a rack power supply that was donated by the Detroit Repeater Group(formally members of the Great Lakes Repeater Assocs.). A J-pole antenna was donated by the Sarasota Radio Club. All other equipment and some money was donated by individual hams. Charter members were:

WB4AS Dr. Bernard Karpel

W4BGR Wally Blakslee

W3BNL Lewis Rice

WN4CVN Bob Boylston

K4DYB Ozzie Osborne

WB4EZA Lester Long

W1FBJ W.A. Ramsdell

W4FKR Lamar Graham

K4FQM Harry Andrews

WB4HZE Norman Rosedale

WA4BYV Robby Terry

WA4VJE Paul Hintz Sarasota

In May 1979 Dave Blake - W4ZEB provided a repeater site at the Desoto Towers and an antenna erection party was held 14 stories in the air by the following:

WD4CRS Joe Wright President

K4WV Corby Pratt Tech. Committee

WD4KLS Wesley Smith Tech. Committee

K4JQW Donald Pratt Tech. Committee

Several other club members provided support. After the repeater was on-line a bottle of Andre champagne, supplied by WD4KLS, was opened.

A roster dated April 1981 revealed a change in the repeater call sign to K4WV (Corby Pratt); also a membership of 182 including 56 from Sarasota county.

In 1980 a few local Hams saw a need for a second repeater for emergency communications and formed the Palma Sola Repeater Group on 146.925 MHZ, and in March 1980 reached an agreement with Blake Memorial Hospital to provide emergency& radio communications to Blake and the community in the event of a disaster, in exchange for a repeater site. The following are listed with the hospital as charter members of the Palma Sola Repeater Group:

KC4VA Craig Anderson

K4FQM Harry Andrews

W4OHA Bobby Canup

K4FCJ George Gual

WB5MSB David Ihle

KB8YF Frank Levinson

WB4CLG Fay Wilson

WD4CRS Joe Wright

K4IEK Virgil Yarbrough

In 1982(?) the Palma Sola Group sold the 146.925 repeater to the Manasota Repeater Association. With WB4CLG (Fay Wilson) as repeater ID until September 1987 when it was changed to N8EHZ (Charlie Brooks).
Several attempts were made over the years to merge the Repeater Association with the Radio club.. In January 1987 the board of directors from each club met in one of many attempts to iron our merger differences. The items discussed at this meeting helped lay the ground work for future proposals.
In March 1989 three hams were picked for a merger committee consisting of: NS8D - Archie Carpenter, KC8DO - George Byrd, and N8EHZ - Charlie Brooks. This group met with the clubs&directors in mid-April of 1989 and presented their proposal. Approval was received to present the proposal to all members of both clubs. Many meetings were held and notices where published in the clubs newsletters stating the date of the merger vote.

In October 1989 the merge was approved with only two dissenting votes. All transactions were completed and the merger was effective January 1, 1990. New by-laws were written for the MANATEE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB INC. and the two repeaters(146.820 a top Desoto Towers and 146.925 a top Blake Hospital) then operated under the club call K4GG for ID. In March of 1994 the 146.925 repeater frequency was changed to 146.955 due to interference from other area repeaters, and again in late 1994 or early 1995 it was changed to 147.195MHZ.
In 1996 the 146.82 repeater was temporarily relocated to the Manatee County Administrative Building due to interference from numerous commercial radio installations a top the Desoto Towers. Finally, in September 1997 the 82 repeater found a new home high a top the ten story Shores Retirement Center in downtown Bradenton.
Manatee Amateur Radio Club members have participated in numerous activities throughout the existence of the Club. Some of the activities have included: the annual ARRL field day, conducting training classes for perspective HAMS, serving as volunteer examiners, conducting the Club annual FOX hunt, maintaining a packet BBS, operating a weekly information and training net on two meters(146.82), assisting incapacitated HAMS and families of deceased HAMS, and provided staffing for the local ARES/RACES. Additionally, the Club sponsors an annual picnic for all hands and a monthly breakfast get together. The annual awards dinner is held each December. The Club holds a monthly meeting the first Tuesday of every month, September through May. A monthly newsletter is also published and distributed, September through May.

The club membership over the years has ranged from 15 members at its beginning to over 200 members. Membership fluctuates with time and interest.

Originally Compiled(10/92) By: Charlie Brooks - N8EHZ

Records & Data: Be Persall - KA9QJS

Rev: 11/93

Rev: 08/96

Rev: 03/98

FORMER MARCI PRESIDENTS AND V. PRESIDENTS
Date Presidents Vice Presidents

? David Blake W4ZEB

1955 William R. Breen W4EDH

1959 Fred Kirham

1966 Jack Moore Jim Duke

1978 Ron Vargo WB4MEQ Robert Van Rheeden

1980 Alan Rice WA4VAT Bud Burlingame W8KBL

1981 Bob Canup W4OHA David Ihle WB5MSB

1981 Bud German KA4OCK Jack Campbell WB4ROY

1982 Bud German KA4OCK Tuck Tucker K4OOD

1983 Tuck Tucker K4OOD Ray Lean K4XN Bob Clayton

1984 Bob Clayton KB4EHN Ozzie Ozborne WU4W

1985 Ed Ropke WT4B R. B. Boone WB4FNH

1986 Archie Carpenter NS8D Carolyn Ozborne WS4Z

1987 Jim Smith KD4YD George Byrd KC8DO

1988 Charlie Brooks N8EHZ George Byrd KC8DO

1989 Ernie Strecker WB9LAE Ed Cleveland N4NTY

1990 Charlie Brooks N8EHZ Joe Wright WD4CRS

1991 Charlie Brooks N8EHZ Joe Wright WD4CRS

1992 Dale Harrell KJ4AY Frank Morton AC4MK

1993 Dale Harrel KJ4AY Frank Morton AC4MK

1994 Frank Morton AC4MK Neal Zipper KR4IZ

1995 Frank Morton AC4MK Neal Zipper KR4IZ

Harvey Hernandez N4TEC

1996 Joe Wright WD4CRS Harold White AE4KE

1997 Ann Coyer WB2YXK Frank Morton AC4MK

1998 Mike Strickland WA2IVN Ed Boyett KB4SYV

1999 Ed Boyett KB4SYV Frank Anderson KB2BE

2000 Ed Boyrtt KB4SYV Frank Anderson KB2BE

2001 Ed Boyrtt KB4SYV

AWARDS

The following individuals have received awards for outstanding work with the Radio Club/Repeater Association.

Hams of the Year

1980 Harry Lord K4QJ

1981 Virgil Yarbrough K4IEK

1982 Joe Wright WD4CRS

1983 Carolyn Osborne WS4Z

1984 Joe Bische WB4I

1985 Ed Ropke WT4B

1986 Harry Stewart AA4JB

1987 Phil Menerick W8MDE

1988 Corby Pratt K4WV

1989 Charlie Brooks N8EHZ

1990 Joe Chambers KC4LKY

1991 Neal Zipper KD4EGE

1992 Robert Somerville KD4EFT

1993 Frank Morton AC4MK

Chris Packard KE4FEJ NEW


1994 Jerry Salemi KS4TF

1995 none

1996 Charlie Brooks N8EHZ

1997 Rich Rodgers KE4LAB

1998 Steve Simpson KF4MBN

1999 Allen Turk KE4MPQ

2000 Frank Morton AC4MK

ARES/RACES - Amateur Radio Emergency Services/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service has been a very active organization in Manatee County. The purpose of these organizations is to provide radio Communications during emergency or disaster situations when regular communications fail or are inadequate. Since its inception ARES/RACES in Manatee County has served the American Red Cross, Office of Emergency Management, Sheriffs Department, Fire Departments, Forestry Service, Hospitals, Salvation Army and any other government agency or organization requesting assistance.

The ARES/RACES repeater is located a top Desota Towers retirement center in downtown Bradenton and operates on 443.250+MHZ. Another repeater(147.195+) located at Blake Hospital is also used for ARES/RACES communications during emergencies and for net training.

ARES/RACES Meetings are held the fifth Tuesday of any month that has five Tuesdays. The meetings are held at the Bradenton Herald bldg., 102 Manatee Ave. The purpose of the meetings is to pass information and conduct training. Additionally, a training net is conducted every Monday evening on the 147.195+ repeater at 1930 hours.

ARES/RACES members have received numerous awards and letters of commendations from Manatee County, the Red Cross, and a number of civic organizations in recognition of their dedication and past performance.

EMERGENCY COORDINATORS

1980 Don Wilson WA4YQW

1981-1983 Bob Brown WD4CRR

1984-1985 Ed Ropke WT4B

1986-1988 George Fritsch WA3TOX

1988-1998 Charlie Brooks N8EHZ

1998- 1999 Allen Turck KE4MPQ

2000 Frank Morton AC4MK

*During this year the RACES function was taken over by the Manatee County Emergency Communications Coordinator, Dug Cobb, WA4ZBM.