The Phil-Mont Mobile Radio Club

W3QV/R: The Jim Spencer Memorial Repeater System

The main repeater site is located at Ridge & Port Royal Avenues in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia. Several offsite receivers extend the repeater's coverage area. When control operators are available, Echolink node 507410, W3QV-R, is on the repeater. Backup link is KB3IV-L.

VHF: 147.030 MHz (+offset 91.5 PL) UHF: 444.80 MHz (+offset 186.2 PL)

Repeater Technical Description Repeater System History (Jim Spencer bio and photos, 5 Mb PDF)

W3QV was originally the call sign of  Walter Bradley Martin, for many years ARRL Atlantic Division Director, and a Naval Reserve Captain who was Admiral Halsey's communications officer in the South Pacific. Brad believed in and espoused amateur radio's role in providing public service, especially in emergencies. As W3QV, Brad monitored the Phil-Mont club frequency of 29.493 MHz day and night, and always responded immediately to any mobile amateur radio operator--at any hour--with a friendly greeting and offer of assistance. Appropriately, our repeater system continues to sign his call today as a memorial to the significant role he played in Phil-Mont's early development and direction.

Please participate in our Sunday Morning Nets... Schedule:(all times Eastern) 0930: 2m, 70cm and Echolink Net (on W3QV/R repeater) 1000: "10-on-10 Net" (28.393 MHz USB +/-QRM) 1020: 75 meter Net (3.993 MHz LSB +/-QRM) Net Control Station Format Net Control Schedule

Sunday evenings on W3QV/R: Philadelphia ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services) net Every Sunday evening at 2100 (9pm)

General Meetings of the club membership are held on the second non-holiday Wednesday of every month (except during July & August ) at 7:30 PM at Roxborough Memorial Hospital, in the Wolcoff Auditorium, directly behind the Main Hospital building.

The entrance is directly across from the loading dock. The hospital parking lot entrance is on Jamestown Street and is $3.00 in the form of DOLLAR BILLS or 12 Quarters After 6:30 there is usually area street parking. Please use the Wolcoff Auditorium entrance from Jamestown St.

Visitors are welcome!

Since 1985, Amateur Radio License Examinations have been held monthly by Phil-Mont on the fourth non-holiday Thursday of every month. Exams are given at Community Ambulance Association, Ambler, 1414 E. Butler Pike in Ambler, PA. Doors will open at 7:00 pm and testing will begin at 7:15 pm; please arrive no later than 7:30 pm.

All applicants (including minors) must bring two means of positive identification. Licensed applicants must bring the original, and one photocopy, of their license. You should also bring the original and a copy of any Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) needed to prove current status. A fee of $15 will be charged for all tests.

Applicants should contact Jim McCloskey NS3K at 215-275-2979 or jmccloskey@msn.com for the latest information.

Maps and directions from Google Maps

Every Single Minute...

In 1955, Phil-Mont provided emergency communications during the devastating flooding along the Delaware River and in the Pocono Mountains following Hurricane Diane, the sixth costliest U.S. hurricane of the 20th century...fifty years before Hurricane Katrina.

In 1959, the club produced this short film (Google Video, 22 min) to explain amateur radio, and especially mobile communications as practiced by the club.

(The main film begins after a three minute interview with Jim Spencer, W3BBB, produced by a local cable channel many years later)

PMRC Officers for 2010 President: Ed Marsarsky KB3IV Vice President: Eric D. Marano N3QV Secretary: Jennifer Miller KB3MIV Treasurer: Richard Moll W3RM Assistant Treasurer: Michael Taraborrelli N3MT

Board of Directors: N3MT(10) W3STW(11) W3AOK(11) WA3KIO(11) N3XKE(11) KB2ERL(10) WU3I(A)

is our monthly newsletter. Blurb Editor: Rick DeVirgiliis ND3B Articles from past issues: Satellites and Space in Amateur Radio W3QV Repeater technical description (You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it.)

Upcoming Public Service Activities

Bike MS: City to Shore 2010-  September 25-26 2010
For more information, please contact the Communications Coordinator for the event, Carmen DeCicco, KE3QB.

Click here to download the sign up form.
Click here to sign up on-line (Over 18 Only)
Carmen's N3MSS Discussion Group

Amateur radio station W3AA (originally W3TKQ) was located from 1952 through 2002 at The Franklin Institute Science Museum. Unfortunately, after 50 years of service in that location, museum reconstruction forced relocation of the station, which had been sponsored by PMRC since 1960.

Read about W3AA/W3TKQ History here.

On the fourth full weekend each June, radio amateurs from all over the US and Canada, and in other parts of the world as well, take their equipment into the great outdoors to operate away from power mains. The idea is to practice setting up and operating under emergency conditions. Participants set up efficient temporary stations and contact as many other Field Day participants as possible. Although it is a practice effort for future emergency operations, Field Day is, above all, fun; you can't help but enjoy the challenge of working cooperatively with your group to compete against perhaps 100,000 other hams who are also braving the elements to attain the same goal. PMRC Field Day 2010 photo album PMRC Field Day 2005 photo album PMRC Field Day 2003 photo album PMRC Field Day 2000 photo album

Contact PMRC Webmistress (Maggie Leber K3XS)

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