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Clearwater Valley Amateur Radio Club...

was established in 1970 by local radio enthusiasts. Today the club is going very strong with over 25 members and many other participants from neighboring communities.

Every month we meet and have training and activities to increase everyone’s skills. Every Sunday we hold two “nets” (radio check-in and traffic service) on the two repeaters the club owns.

These two repeaters provide radio connections throughout Clearwater County and reach areas like Grangeville, Kamiah, Lenore, Peck, Lewiston, etc. We are working to add more repeaters. An example would be to place one to cover much of the back county.

The club is always looking to advance communications in Clearwater County. Ham radio operators are well known for our communications support in disaster, post-disaster situations, and services to the public during special events like the jet boat races.

Amateur Radio operators come from all walks of life and are people of all ages. The club provides training for new and advancing hams.

Ham radio will surprise you. We talk around the world without the internet or cell phones; talk through satellites or with the astronauts on board the International Space Station; send a message around the world using less electricity than a nightlight; support recovery efforts in emergencies; send and receive email without the internet; and do experimentation and hacking with wireless technology.

Amateur radio is the most powerful and versatile communication service available to private citizens anywhere on Earth.

Why get an Amateur Radio License?

Ham Radio is not just for Walkie Talkies in the back yard. No, we do so much more.

The Clearwater Valley Amateur Radio Club is working on a Wi-Fi mesh network for our area. Our own internet-type network. Yes, as a ham you can do that. We are also working on SSTV, which makes it possible to send pictures, or even TV signals, over radio. With this, we could broadcast the end of a boat race to the start or a spectator area. Yep, we will use the Wi-Fi mesh to help make this happen.

But when you first start out, you could just use a radio to talk to friends and family when camping and hunting. With a $40 radio, you could get started. I know one local family that checks in after work to see if anything is needed at the store. You see, where they live, there is no cell service.

It takes very little to put stress on our cell system and internet. One cut cable/fiber, and you have nothing. And during heavy use, the cell system can become unexpectedly overloaded. Ham radio can help fill in at those times. Conversely, you can also use a cell phone to make ham radio connections! Best of both worlds.

It has been proven time and time again that amateur radio operators are the first ones back on the air after a natural disaster.

Amateur Radio (Ham) has been around for over 100 years and is a popular, growing hobby. There are over 700,000 thousand Hams in America and millions around the world. Amateur Radio operators come from all walks of life; doctors, students, kids, politicians, truck drivers, movie stars, and even your average neighbor next door.