KBARA (KB7ARA) is a regional amateur radio club for the Pacific
Northwest region of the United States.
The primary purpose of the KBARA repeaters is to provide a means for
emergency communications within the Pacific Northwest, and secondarily
for routine radio traffic. It makes possible a single system of mobile
communications coverage, extending the limited range provided by any
single repeater operation.
The KBARA repeater system consists of several privately owned linked
Amateur Radio repeaters. It covers an area from northeastern Washington
to northeastern Oregon, and from western Montana to central Washington.
The KBARA system is also part of the
Evergreen Intertie, an interconnected group of repeaters located
around the Pacific Northwest. See Coverage Maps
for a graphic display of coverage.
The KBARA system can also be connected to the Evergreen Intertie, an
interconnected group of repeaters located in the northwestern United
States and western Canada.
Most KBARA FM repeaters operate in the VHF bands and are linked by UHF
radios. The repeaters' frequencies, call signs and locations are as
follows:
147.38 MHz W7OE, Mica Peak, east of Spokane, WA
147.36 MHz KF7QLH, Stensgar (Stranger) Mt., north of Spokane near
Chewelah, WA
147.28 MHz KD7DDQ, Pikes Peak, southeast of Walla Walla, WA
147.02 MHz K7HPT, Lookout Pass, on the Idaho-Montana border
146.74 MHz W7HFI, Kamiak Butte, near Colfax and Pullman, WA
53.75 MHz N7ZUF, Kamiak Butte, near Colfax and Pullman, WA (100 Hz Tone)
223.90 MHz AK2O, Stensgar (Stranger) Mt., north of Spokane near
Chewelah, WA 7141 IRLP Node KF7QLH, south hill, Spokane, WA 3282 IRLP Node KF7QLH, west Spokane, WA (Simplex - 147.40MHz, 100 Hz
tone)
History of KBARA
The 2M FM amateur repeater on Kamiak Butte began in
the early 1970s on 146.13/73 MHz. The original builder and control
operator was Gary, K7VED of Pullman. The control operator was Gary,
K7VED of Pullman.
Gary's employer, Radio Television services of Washington State
University allowed him to place the repeater and duplexer inside the
KWSU-TV building. The radio equipment was a GE MASTER II. The antenna
was a Super StationMaster at approximately 150 feet on the KWSU-TV
tower. The Northwest 2M FM band-plan changed from 30 kHz spacing to 20
kHz spacing in the early 1980s; the repeater frequency moved to the
present 146.14/74 MHz. Also at this time, a repeater group was started
to support Gary in his efforts to maintain the repeater. Dan, K7MM,
incorporated the organization with the State of Washington under the
name Kamiak Butte Amateur Repeater Association. Original members
include Art, WB7AUK, Jo Ann, KA7SUZ, and Cheryl, K7OMM. Gary moved to
Spokane for a job change in mid-1980.
Art became the repeater's main control operator and the callsign
changed to WB7AUK/R. Art was instrumental in securing a long-term
commitment from WSU regarding site space for the amateur operation on
Kamiak Butte via a letter of understanding from the Whitman County
Sheriff's office for emergency use in case of disaster. KBARA has
expanded in repeaters and is linked to the Evergreen Intertie.
Today, the KBARA system consists of several amateur radio repeaters
that are linked together to cover an area from southeastern British
Columbia to northeastern Oregon, and from western Montana to central
Washington. The KBARA system can also be connected to the Evergreen
Intertie, an interconnected group of repeaters located in the
northwestern United States and western Canada.
Historical content from Daniel Ransom and Bob Lemon
