In
The Beginning
The Vero Beach Amateur Radio
Club (VBARC) was formed on November 1st, 1961 and has
been an ARRL affiliated club since 1968. Since then it has
grown to include all of Indian River County.
From the beginning the club worked with the Office
of Civil Defense. That agreement to assist the local
government in emergency situations continues to this day with
our work for the Emergency Management Division of Indian River
County and the Red Cross. In 1965 the club received a letter
of thanks from the 82nd Airborne Division for the club's
assistance for providing emergency communications between the
Dominican Republic and various groups in Florida during the
Dominican disaster.
'W4OT' Call Sign
History
The Vero Beach Amateur Radio Club has had the W4OT call for
over 36 years. According to the records of VBARC minutes
from 1963, one of the active members was Harold Sever, W4OT,
along with Tom Moyer, W4KEE and Graham Lowe, K4EL.
During that year 31 active members appeared on the roster.
1963 was also the year that W4KEE was selected to be the
trustee of the club station. During those years the
individual who was the trustee used his or her own call.
Tom obtained a station license for the club.
The records are a bit sketchy here, but it is known
that Harold Sever became a Silent Key in March of 1965.
In 1970 the club’s license was up for renewal and it was
decided to request a 1 X 2 call. The minutes also showed that
Graham Lowe, K4EL, volunteered to become the
trustee. The W4OT call was obtained in memory of Harold
Sever, and the V.B.A.R.C. had an official call. Graham
was the trustee for about two cycles of license renewal. At
that time the license period was 4 years. In October of
1973 the club received permission to relocate its station
location from a house in the grove ( a story for another
time) to the Red Cross Building on 17th St. and
25th Ave. A unique combination, for emergency
communications and to work hand in hand with the Red
Cross. Our station equipment was secured from un-authorized
use within a locked box.
At a meeting in 1975, Ike Roach, K4QM, the “Quiet Man” as
he was known, volunteered to become the trustee. He
renewed the club license and held it for two 4
year periods. John Larabell, KF4BN, was the trustee from about
1983 through 1988 (John was Eric, KF4UJO’s, dad.)
John became Vice President of VBARC in 1991 and
president of the club in 1992, while Eric (then KB4BYP) was
Treasurer. In 1988, Richard Jackson, AB4AZ, became the
trustee, renewed the club license then, in September
of 1998, and again on 2008. He remains the trustee of
W4OT.
Listen for W4OT on the air during Field Day, Special
Events, and local drills and emergencies.
Meeting Location:
The club meets on the second Thursday of the month at 7:30pm
in the Indian River County Emergency Operations Center, 4225
43rd Ave, Vero Beach, FL 32967 MAP
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