The San Joaquin Valley ARRL Section maintains strong cohesion across its 22 affiliated clubs through monthly Section All-Hands meetings and dedicated section nets. Led by Section Manager Steven Hendricks (KK6JTB) and Section Emergency Coordinator Dan Sohn (WL7COO), these sessions bring together club leaders, emergency coordinators, and individual operators from allContinue Reading
Digital communications have revolutionized emergency message handling across the San Joaquin Valley ARRL Section. Operators in Lodi, Turlock, Mariposa, and California City utilize Winlink Global Radio Email, VARA HF, and Packet radio to transmit formal emergency traffic without internet dependency. Digital nodes connected to AllStar Link, DMR, and Yaesu SystemContinue Reading
Amateur radio enthusiasm thrives in Visalia, Tulare, and Porterville through active contesting, antenna experimentation, and community outreach. The Tulare County Amateur Radio Club (WA6BAI) and Porterville Amateur Repeater Association (KE6WDX) host regular license examination sessions, mentoring new ham operators across the South Valley. Local hams participate in major ARRL HFContinue Reading
Extending from the San Joaquin Valley floor into the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada, high-altitude repeater systems provide vital radio coverage across vast alpine wilderness areas. Maintained by mountain clubs such as the Mountain Amateur Radio Club (W6BW) in Oakhurst and TCARES (K6TUO) in Sonora, these repeater systems bridgeContinue Reading
The Stockton-Delta region represents one of the most intricate inland waterway environments in California, comprising hundreds of miles of levees, islands, and river channels. The Stockton-Delta Amateur Radio Club (W6SF) leads local communications initiatives, providing vital backup radio links for emergency agencies and levee safety district personnel. Utilizing high-profile repeatersContinue Reading
When atmospheric rivers and severe convective storms sweep across Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties, amateur radio operators in Modesto step up to provide real-time ground truth weather observations. In close coordination with the National Weather Service (NWS) forecast office in Hanford, members of the Stanislaus Amateur Radio Association (WD6EJF) operateContinue Reading
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) teams across Bakersfield and Kern County play an indispensable role in disaster response and emergency communications. Operating under the San Joaquin Valley ARRL Section framework, local operators from the Kern County Central Valley Amateur Radio Club (W6LIE) and Sierra ARC (WA6YBN) maintain rapid-deployment HF/VHF stations.Continue Reading
The San Joaquin Valley relies heavily on robust VHF and UHF repeater infrastructure to maintain continuous communication across Fresno, Clovis, and surrounding agricultural communities. Led by active organizations such as the Fresno Amateur Radio Club (W6TO) and Central California DX Club (W6MEL), local operators maintain linked repeater networks operating onContinue Reading