The Klamath Basin Amateur Radio Association was originally founded in October 2nd 1947 to acquire, install, and maintain amateur radio repeaters for use in emergencies affecting Klamath Falls, the Klamath Basin, and all of Klamath County.
Below is a brief history of our club. This was converted from the PDF link below using free online OCR tools. Light editing was done to make it web friendly and readable.
History of The Klamath Basin
Repeater Association
Edited by Fred Bechdoldt ND7V
The first person I contacted after deciding to do this project, was Nina Price, N7RRO. I ask Nina if she could remember the early days of the Repeater Association. Nina was not too sure just when it came all about, but she remembered that a man named Hunter came in and talked to the area hams about putting up a repeater, and he received a cool reception.
The next person I spoke with was John Paxton, KA7BGQ, a long standing member, and board member of the Association. John was not too sure just when it all got started either, but he remembered that in the early days, there was not much money, and donations had to be taken up to really get things going. I ask John which repeater was put up first, the 146.85 machine, or the 146.610 machine. John reported that it was the 85 machine that went on line first. John reported that the Association was set up with four board members, and a financial secretary. From the four board members, a chairman of the board was elected by board members. The repeater association holds meetings about once a year, according to John, to take care of business. That meeting often is combined with the Klamath Basin Amateur Radio Associations monthly meeting.
Records from the earlier days of the Association were passed on to me by Dick Suber, K7DDI. The earliest recorded data that I have shows Dorthy Suber, K7DLS, as the secretary treasurer, she was taking the dues in 1974. The earliest recorded dues payment was on 10-29-74, and that five dollar fee was collected from Dean Lewis, K7BRP. It is the first recorded repeater collection I have record of; with that five dollars, the money kept coming in and the treasurery begin to fill.
Talking with Dick Suber shed some more light on the early days of the Association. Lets go back to 1972, it was about then that Dick thinks a repeater of sorts was put up in the area. Dick was Klamath County Emergency Services Director at that point in time, he had an old tube type Motorola machine he more or less donated to be a repeater. This was the first 85 machine, and it was located in down town Klamath Falls.
Dick thinks it was 1974 when an official repeater association was started. At that time, as Director of Klamath County Emergency Services, Dick gave permission to the newly formed Repeater Association to move their two meter repeater up to its current location, on Hamacker Mt. The association was started by K7ONR, Earl Bedoern, Rick Flynn, K7PHN, Larry Johnson, K7LJ, WA7UCJ, George Domeand Dick Suber, K7DDI. These good folks were the first board of directors of the association. Dick’s wife at the time, Dorthy Suber, K7DLS, became the treasurer and keeper of the books.
Some of the early donations to get the repeater going were considerable for the point in time. I will now list those who gave 50 dollars or more, and are shown in the records as paying such an amount: 1974 Sam Hawley, 50, Steve Tackas, 50. The year 1975; Kern Lilly 50. 1976; there is an entry where some one donated $429, but the page is worn, and the name of the person giving has been lost.
1977, W7IJK, Wayne, 50 dollars. W7TJJ, 65 dollars..
A conversation with Dennie Dunkeson sheads some light on the birth of the 146.610 machine. A license was applied for or received on 5-5-1977. Dennie was helped by a man named Rick, in getting this machine going. Most likely that would have been Rick Flynn, K7PHN; Dennie was not sure of the last name. The machine was first put up on property owned by Dick Suber, K7DDI. This location was in Wocus, on Lake Port Bulivard. At that time, a 450 link was put on the machine. At a later point in time, it was put on Hogs Back, the 450 link did not work here. It had to be linked with a phone line , according to Dennie.
In the year 1978, the books show some large donations. The records show that on August 13, 1978, it was voted by the association to purchase a new GE repeater for the 146.850 K7DDI Repeater on Hamacker Mt. Those who gave 50 dollars or more, as shown by the records, are; W7IEO, 100 . WA7RBZ, 100. K7DDI, 100. WA7YPR, 115. W7ZBY, 100. W7TC, 100. WB7DEX, 50. WB7CXW. 65. K7MOZ, 50. WB7WDZ, 50. WB7DDH.100 . K71300, Gary Price., 50. WB7SZN, 50. WB7QEZ, 115. W7IJK, 50. WB6EBA. 50. Mick Hines, 50. K7WME, 50. W6ZOF, 50. K7ONR, 60. WA7KRM, 100. WA7IZW, 50. WA7OYC, 50.. WB7ECQ, 50. WB7TOZ 65. W6DRG. 100. K7PHM, 100. This takes care of the donations 50 dollars or more in 1978. The K7DDI repeater on Hamacker received its new GE equipment; it was up-dated, and purking right along now.
We move on to Nov. 23, 1980. The Repeater committee, Wa7YPR, Dennie, K7PHM, Rick, K7ONR, Earl, and Dick K7DDI hold a meeting to discuss the 01/61 repeater on Hogback Mountain. The ideas they discussed were put into a ballot form, and mailed to each 1980 repeater member. Nov. 30, 1980, at 2 pm there was to be a repeater meeting. Members were asked to come or fill out ballots and send them back. When the meeting started at 2 pm Nov. 30, 19 members were present, and there were 5 mail in ballots received. After much discussion, the following were voted on unanimously. (From the records of Dorthy Suber K7DLS, Secretary / Treasurer.) 1. We will purchase a new G. E. Repeater, cost $1788.00. 2. Dues will remain at $15 per year with donations of $10 (more or less) ask for to finance the new repeater. 3. Members who use the auto-patch regularly will pay an additional $5 per year. 4. We will install a 450 MHZ link instead of the phone line now have to Hogback. This would cut the phone bill down $17.50 per month. We will only be paying $9 per month. 5. Members will be asked to pay their 1981 dues by February. Dorthy goes on to note: ” At this time, we are about $200 short of having enough to pay for the new repeater, so if everyone will send in their dues and a small donation, we will have enough by the time the new repeater gets here in February.”
As they always do, the Amateur community responded to the need for more funds to get the 146.610 machine up to par. In 1980, those donating fifty dollars or more are, KA7AZK, Hugh Currin, 300. KA7DXP, Bill, 75. W7SBU, Roy Felix, 50. These donations were in 1980, moving on to 1981; K7JNG, Bruce, 125.. At this point in time, the need for donations was no longer there, the new repeater was in place with its old call, WA7YPR. It still has the same GE works today, this being December of 1993. The K7DDI call stayed on the 146.850 machine until November ef-1993, and at that time, Rosie Purkhiser’s call went on the 146.85 machine, that call being K7JIY.
A phone call to Philip (Phil) Keizo, W6ZOF, sheds more light on the early days of our repeater association. As Phil remembers it, the first 85 machine, donated by Dick Suber, K7DDI, was originally a police repeater. Phil reports that they had quite a time keeping finals in it, the tubes were always blowing. As Phil thinks back, he goes on to say that Steve Takae s, W 6 DR G contributed a large sum of money to the early repeater association, in the days when they were getting the 85 machine up to par. Phil remembers that it was Dick, K7DDI, who got us permission to put the 85 machine on the hill where it is now. Phil explains that we were able to get that site on the hill because our 85 repeater was, and still is, designated as a primary emergency services repeater. That means that during a disaster, we relinquish routine amateur chit chat to traffic for the good of the public.
Phil goes on to remember when the new 85 machine was bought, and put on the hill. The reason for purchasing it was that the finals kept going up in smoke on the one that was in place then. Phil thanks Dick, K7DDI, for a good price on the new machine. Because of Dicks connections in Emergency Services, he was able to get the new repeater at a price considerably less than we would have paid on our own.
Phill speaks on the current association, and comments that it may seem to many that we have lots of money in the fund now; but if lightning hit one of our repeaters, it could cost six or seven grand to replace it at todays prices.
Lets move now to the K-BAR-A News Letter, dated January 1983. Lets go to the last page, here we have Repeater Associations Notes from K7DLS, Secretary / Treasurer.
quote: “Ed, WA7OYC opened the repeater net on January 5, 1983, on the 25 / 85 and turned the net over to Dennie, WA7YPR for a report on the results of the questionnaire sent out in December. Results are as follows: 72 letters sent out 41 replies received.” Here are the questions ask, and the response of the Association. 1. Should we shorten the timer to 30 seconds?–Yes, 4. No, 35. Undecided, 2. (2) Should we restrict QS0’s to 15 minutes? Yes, 26. No, 12. Undecided, 3. (3) Should we make contact and switch to a simplex frequency (2 meter, 80 meter, etc.) Yes, 27. No, 10. Undecided 4. (4) Put up a rag chew repeater Estimated cost for a good one $2500. Yes 2 No 33. Undecided, 6.
The notes go on to report 28 hams gave their comments and feelings on the questionnaire, and on some other subjects. The majority feel we do have a problem, but if all hams show respect for their fellow hams by shortening the QSOs, the problems will work themselves out.
There were comments that the autopatch at that time was being used for business. If any one was to hear someone using the autopatch for business, they were to contact Dennie, WA7YPR and report it to him. In ending the report. Dorthy K7DLS, thanks WA7OYC for a good job, and all hams for their comments.
From the books I have seen, it would appear that Dorthy Suber, K7DLS, kept the association books up until August of 1984. For those of us who were fortunate enough to have known Dorthy, we know that she was a very public spirited person, always there to give a helping hand when she could. After she passed away, the books were taken over by Marie Dunkeson WB7EIG.
Marie passed the torch on to Irene Currin, KA7AZV, in 1990. Irene was the Secretary Treasurer for three years. In 1993, she was relieved by Karen Lilly, N7RBO. Karen holds that job today, this being December, 1993.
Other items of interest found in the financial records; on 212-81 a CTN Directional Antenna was purchased for the association, its weight 58 LBS. On 12/22/83, a new antenna was purchased for the 146.25 / 85 machine, the cost, 279 dollars. Added to the cost was the freight, $19.53 for a total of $298.53. From time to time, our antennas have
suffered from the extreme weather they are exposed to on the Mt. tops; and they have had to be replaced. I remember a few years bay when Dick Suber strapped on a belt, climbed a pole and put up an antenna for the Amateur Community. I am sure Dick has been up poles many times in the past years putting up Amateur antennas for the good of the community.
I have no records that show it. but I know that Dennie, WA7YPR has put in his share of hours keeping our repeater equipment going. Those of us who use the repeater now, and take it for granted, owe a lot to the folks who gave of their time and money in the not so distant past. We need to be mindful of their good efforts, and always remember emergency traffic comes first. We have many people using the machines now, and common curtesy dictates that we all keep our comments short, and move to simplex frequencies when possible.
I want to thank all those I talked to, for their help in putting this material altogether. I have learned a lot about how it all come about, and I appreciate the efforts of those good folks who put it all together in the beginning.
In closing. I’ll report that the repeater association has elections every two years on the even year. Their next elections will be on January 12, and will take place after the K-BAR-A Meeting at their club house near Stepping Stones. Current board members are Rosie, K7JIY. Dennie, WA7YPR. Kern WA7PJU. John KA7BGQ. Dennie is the Chairman of the Board. Karen, N7RBO is the current financial secretary. The new K7JIY identifier was installed in Nov. 1993 by Allen, N0NEG this item of interest comes from Purk K7JIX.
–73– Fred