Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club

Houston's Largest Ham Radio Club

Welcome to BVARC!

The Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club (BVARC) is the largest, most active amateur radio club in southeast Texas. The club, organized in 1978, was formed to assist the cities of Stafford and Missouri City during emergencies and weather events as an emergency communications group. Since then, the club has grown and expanded its activities over the greater Houston area.

BVARC is a general interest club with an impressive record of public service. From contests to educational classes to supporting area fund raising events, BVARC has always been active in displaying the “art” of amateur radio. By being active and committed, it has brought the recognition and status as a “Special Service Club” from American Radio Relay League (ARRL) which is a national organization for amateur radio. When you become a member of BVARC you join a family of ham radio enthusiasts that have decades of knowledge and experience to share.  Our membership is not just for amateur radio operators but is open to anyone with an interest in amateur radio and we welcome anyone licensed or not.

If you are interested and would like to get into amateur radio, BVARC is a great place to start. With over 330 members, you will have plenty of assistance to help you along your path into the hobby. Even if you are a newly licensed amateur radio operator or “ham” we are here to answer questions as you learn more about the hobby.

So come out to a meeting to talk to some of the members to learn about the hobby. If you cannot make the meeting, most of them will also be held on ZOOM. Either way, you can always connect to the membership to find out more about the hobby and the many facets it has. Remember it is truly a hobby that has only one barrier = C.

73,
 Mike Hardwick, N5VCX
President713-826-6917

What is Amateur Radio?

Amateur radio, often called Ham Radio, is both a hobby and a service in which participants, called “hams”, use various types of radio communication equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation, and self-training.

Amateur radio operators enjoy personal (and often worldwide) wireless communications with each other and are able to support their communities with emergency and disaster communication if necessary. 

How Do I Become a Ham?

Before you can get on the air, you need to be licensed and know the rules to operate legally. US licenses are good for 10 years before renewal. There are three license classes: Technician, General and Extra.

BVARC holds VE exam sessions every month for anyone who wants to get their amateur license or upgrade an existing license. 

Dealers that support BVARC

Advertising on this website! $30 for six months $50 for one year

General Club News & Events

Museum Ships Weekend

From June 2nd to the 4th, the historic ships at Seawolf Park on Pelican Island in Galveston will come to life as part of an annual worldwide event commemorating their service. This year, BVARC will be hosting MSWE on the destroyer escort, the USS Stewart, the submarine USS Cavalla and the concrete hulled WWI era SS Selma.

BVARC members will be operating and communicating with the 90+ other historic vessels in the United States and around the world. Due to the unique situation of Seawolf Park having the USS Stewart and USS Cavalla at the same location, any contact will provide an extra claimed ship QSO contact (2 for 1). During MSWE, the public may come and visit the operators during the weekend observing the contacts being made.

 The schedule for the weekend will begin on Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. Three operating positions are planned with SSB and CW modes available. The schedule break down is:

The event begins June 3rd 0000z(UTC) to June 5th 2359z(UTC) – Which for local time on Pelican Island is 7pm Friday to 6:59pm Sunday.

Set-up 4pm to 7pm Friday

Operating time 7 pm Friday to 1pm Sunday (tentative)

Tear down 1 pm to 3 pm Sunday                

Operators (and only scheduled operators) volunteering for the overnight shift will be able to nap in the Stewart’s enlisted berthing area in the aft of the ship.

The main meal Saturday evening (RSVP required) will be as traditionally catered by Leon’s World Famous BBQ (unless there is a mutiny). Lunch Saturday will be sandwiches (Subway) and breakfast tacos for Saturday and Sunday mornings.


To sign-up for a shift(s), bring equipment, volunteer for set-up or tear down or just obtain more information contact me, Mark Janzer, K5MGJ at k5mgj@yahoo.com  .

 The Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club is grateful for the enthusiastic support of the Cavalla Historical Foundation, Galveston Naval Museum and the Galveston Park Board of Trustees for their permission to be aboard the vessels and the use of the park facilities. We look forward to continued future activity and expansion of BVARC’s involvement of MSWE. This involvement allows us, in our own way, to honor those who served their country at sea and to support Galveston Parks.

 

Mark

K5MGJ

Museum Ships Weekend

Coordinator

BVARC Board Of Directors Meeting Sunday June 04th 5PM

Please take note: The BoD is now meeting on the Sunday before the Second Thursday of the month at 5pm (with few exceptions). This meeting will take place on Zoom only, and is open to all members to attend if they would like.
Where:   On Zoom
  

BVARC General Meeting Thursday June 08th at 7PM

Firestation 16005 Bellaire Blvd.
There will be FOOD… PIZZA!!
non-members welcome!

 RSVP to Mike N5VCX (n5vcx@att.net)

Discussion on the upcoming field day.. 

BVARC VE Test Session Saturday June 10th at 10:30am

You can sign up now on our website (BVARC.org) to take an FCC license exam to get your ham radio license or upgrade to General or Extra.
Where:  Bayland Community Center
6400 Bissonnet St
Houston, TX 77074
Future Testing Dates:
          
        Future dates
July 8th       
August 5th       
September 9th        
October 7th     
November 4th   
December 9th  
 
 
 
 
 

BVARC FIELD DAY 2023

June 24th and 25th at the Fort Bend County Fire Training Field, 260 Clay St. Richmond TX.
Expect lots of promotional material at our meetings, via email and on our social media. WE NEED YOU to come out and operate our radios and promote ham radio! This is one of the biggest events in ham radio nationwide all year! There will be “general public” promotional flyers at the club general meeting this month which we would love for you to grab and post anywhere you can! Help us get the word out, promote the event, promote the hobby, and bring in as many new hams into the fold as possible. Much more to come in the next few weeks. Including our first training session for Field Day (and POTA) volunteers on May 14th and 15th (see details below).
Station Operators Sign-up Sheet:
 
Volunteer Sign-Up Sheet:
 
Antenna Build Class Sign-Up Sheet
(for both the 10m dipole and EFHW multi-band antenna):

BVARC Extra Time May 20th

Please don’t forget there are 4-hour blocks reserved at Bayland for any club activity the third weekend of the month. 
 
The reservations are for:
May 20th           
July 22nd           
August 19th       
September 23rd       
October 21st       
November 18th       
December 16th. 
 
Members have requested a place to have training and education classes. Hopefully someone will utilize these dates in the future.

BVARC POTA to be Announced

 Brazos Bend State Park
Sunday May 28th
10am – 5pm

BVARC VE Test Session Saturday July 08 at 10:30am

You can sign up now on our website (BVARC.org) to take an FCC license exam to get your ham radio license or upgrade to General or Extra.
Where:  Bayland Community Center
6400 Bissonnet St
Houston, TX 77074
Future Testing Dates:
          
        Future dates
July 8th       
August 5th       
September 9th        
October 7th     
November 4th   
December 9th  
 
 
 
 
 

Newest Members

Craig Coussens – K8CPC
Lorn Westfall – KJ5AZI
Mark Roman – KI5WRI
David Kunwrka – KI5TEB
Stephanie Burton – KI5ZYI
Akshay Kapur – K5AKX
Danny Castiblanco – KI5YTY
Sean LinkenHeimer – W5URT
Jacob Mills – W5JHM
John Frost – KC5JRT
Steven Zilis – N8EXU
Michael Leatherwood – KI5ZZC
Peter Hill – KJ5ANT
Sally Russell – 
Kristy Fowler – KI5RLZ

Timothy Norwood –
David Morefield – KJ5ACS
Robert White – K0RCW

Newest Life Members

Matthew Miller – K5LKV
Jeffery Macmillian – KC5TT
Allen Stallings – KI5WJJ
Mark Brantana – N5PRD
Michael Doerge – KI5SKL
David Reed – W5SV
Howard Barnwell – KI5WNN
Richard Weeks – KI5JML
Brad Phillips – KD8YOP
Peter Mendoza – KD6QZH
Robert Cullen – KI5TPC
Terry Leatherland – K5PGF
 

Recent Silent Keys

Michael Mustachia – KF5PHA
Steve Chancellor – KF5M
Michael Scarcella  WA5TWT
Chris Heustis – W5GX
Howard Hargrove – KF5EYX
Ross Lawler – W5HFF
Tom Morton – W5TOM
Dan Gannon – WA5ANF

Recent Donations

Richard Bonica – KG5YCU – POTA $50
Rudolph Pickut – KI5LQS – POTA $10

Area Weekly Social Gatherings

Saturday Breakfast

IHOP Stafford
6:30am 

12725 Southwest Fwy, Stafford, TX 77477

Wednesday Lunch

LUNCH BUNCH: LUBY’S CAFETERIA 
11:00am to Noon 

10575 W Airport Blvd, Stafford, TX 77477

BVARC Sponsored On Air Nets

Monday:
12noon Stir Crazy Net – 146.94
8pm Public service net – 146.94
Tuesday:
12noon Stir Crazy Net – 146.94
7pm Questionaire Net – 146.94
Wednesday:
12noon Stir Crazy Net – 146.94
7pm Rag Chew Net – 3.910 Mhz
Thursday:
12noon Stir Crazy Net – 146.94
Friday:
12noon Stir Crazy Net – 146.94

Donate to BVARC

We do get a lot of Donations, as well as questions about donations.
BVARC is a 501c Organization, your donations to BVARC are Tax Deductible as well as a benefit to the Ham Radio  community.

You can donate below with your credit card, or you can donate in person at one of our meetings. You can not only donate cash, but you can also donate equipment or supplies.

Ask our Treasurer for a receipt.
DONTATE TO BVARC

Donate to BVARC!
Support your local Ham Club

$10 Donation

$50 Donation

Donate to 146.94 Repeater Fund!

$10 Donation

$50 Donation

Donations

Donate to BVARC!
Support your local Ham Club
$10 Donation
$50 Donation

Donate to POTA!
Food, Drinks, shelter all cost money
$10 Donation
$50 Donation

Donate to Field Day!
$10 Donation

$50 Donation

Donate to 146.94 Repeater Fund!
We all use the repeater everyday.
$10 Donation
$50 Donation

Donate to Museum Ship Weekend!
Help with Expenses
$10 Donation

$50 Donation