The Northern Colorado Amateur Radio Club official start was in August of 1971 with the writing and approval of the first by-laws and constitution. The next big step was in August, 1979 when the club got its state employer number (the organization version of a social security number). Then in 1985 the club official became a non-profit organization.
The club started as a group of interested amateur radio operator (hams) who wanted to gather as a group to discuss what was happen in the hobby, learn more about activity and its sub-specialties, and have a good time with friends of shared interest. Over the years the club has been involved in many aspects of ham radio. These would include dx-ing (communicating with stations in foreign countries), packet radio (early form of email and more}, repeaters (radios, normally, in high places that retransmit the signal to a much larger area), hold hidden transmitter hunts (called fox hunts), storm spotting, teaching classes for new hams, providing communications in "When All Else Fails" situations, and many more activities.
In order to be ready for emergency situations where our communications services are needed the club routinely volunteers to do communications for community events. We have done many events. A short list would include: marathons, triathlons, many running events, fishing opportunities for disable kids, New Year's Eve for Y2K, located people interfering with public service radio transmissions, and simulated emergencies with municipal, county, state, and federal authorities. This year we have already participated in more than six events and have at least 2 more on our calendar.
Real world events that we have been involved in include the Windsor tornado, the Big Thompson Flood of 1976, the Spring Creek Flood, many snow storm emergencies, several forest fires, reporting storm events (heavy rain, hail, high winds, and tornados) to the National Weather Service (NWS), and many others.
If you want to find out more about being a ham or how you can become a ham, go to our website, www.ncarc.net. If you need our services for you non-profit event, you can contact us through the same website (www.ncarc.net ). We can also advise you if you are suffering interference to your TV, radio, or cordless phone.
Interesting documentation about NCARC and the Big Thompson Flood in 1976.
