About the Western Tidewater Radio Association
By Dick Harrell, W4RBH
MAY 18, 2020 – THE WTRA IS 25 YEARS OLD TODAY !!!
The following is a brief history of the club from the WT4RA page on the QRZ.com website:
The club was conceived by Joe Roth, WC4R (ex N3ELM, N4ARI) and founded on May 18, 1995. The purpose was to create a central focal point to support RACES/ARES activity in Virginia District 10, now Virginia District #5, and SKYWARN. Its first club meeting was held in July 1995 at the Isle of Wight County library in Smithfield. The club immediately decided to fully support the ARRL as an affiliated club. Charter members of the club were: N4WXS (ex KC4WCH), KE4CHL, W4RBH (ex WA4ATW), W4RGN, W4VWH (now W4RGN), KM4QE, KE4TYF, KE4TYC, KD4FN, W4BER (ex KA4EQC), W4JJK (ex KF4AMF), WC4R (ex N3ELM, N4ARI), & KE4PHH. The initial callsign assigned to the club by the FCC was KF4ADJ. The club callsign was later changed to WT4RA. Ron, N4TJI, is the current club license trustee.
Throughout its 25 years the club, true to its original purpose, has supported Isle of Wight County in many ways. We have established and manned fully functional amateur radio positions in both the Isle of Wight EOC and the backup EOC in Smithfield, and in the Smithfield, Windsor, and Carrollton shelters. We have participated in numerous drills including semi-annual VOPEX drills since 1997 and in actual activations during hurricanes.
MAY 18, 2020 – THE WTRA IS 25 YEARS OLD TODAY !!!
The following is a brief history of the club from the WT4RA page on the QRZ.com website:
The club was conceived by Joe Roth, WC4R (ex N3ELM, N4ARI) and founded on May 18, 1995. The purpose was to create a central focal point to support RACES/ARES activity in Virginia District 10, now Virginia District #5, and SKYWARN. Its first club meeting was held in July 1995 at the Isle of Wight County library in Smithfield. The club immediately decided to fully support the ARRL as an affiliated club. Charter members of the club were: N4WXS (ex KC4WCH), KE4CHL, W4RBH (ex WA4ATW), W4RGN, W4VWH (now W4RGN), KM4QE, KE4TYF, KE4TYC, KD4FN, W4BER (ex KA4EQC), W4JJK (ex KF4AMF), WC4R (ex N3ELM, N4ARI), & KE4PHH. The initial callsign assigned to the club by the FCC was KF4ADJ. The club callsign was later changed to WT4RA. Ron, N4TJI, is the current club license trustee.
Throughout its 25 years the club, true to its original purpose, has supported Isle of Wight County in many ways. We have established and manned fully functional amateur radio positions in both the Isle of Wight EOC and the backup EOC in Smithfield, and in the Smithfield, Windsor, and Carrollton shelters. We have participated in numerous drills including semi-annual VOPEX drills since 1997 and in actual activations during hurricanes.