A Bit of Early Club History
The first Huntsville Amateur Radio Club was organized on October 6, 1947, with Bill Neal, W4FZD, as the first President. The constitution was approved March 22, 1948. There were twenty-two members of this first Huntsville Amateur Radio Club; but due to a lack of interest, the club was disbanded in the spring of 1949.
The second Huntsville Amateur Radio Club (HARC), as it is today, was organized April 18, 1952, at the WFUN Studio, 410 W. Holmes Street with John Garrison, W4FOG, elected as the first President. The constitution and by-laws were adopted June 20, 1952. 16 members were on the first club roster. HARC participated in its first Field Day event on June 21 and 22, 1952, with 16 members participating (WOW 100%) and has continued participating each year to present. The first auction was held July 11, 1952. The club became affiliated with the American Radio Relay League on September 26, 1952, and has continued until the present. The Huntsville Novice CW net was organized in November of 1952, and met on 3.735 KHz with twelve members checking into the net. The first club call, K4DTV, was obtained in July of 1954. In April of 1956 the ladies' auxiliary was formed and named the QRM Club.
The first issue of the club bulletin was published in December of 1961, with Mary Campbell, K4VAL, Genie Weaver, W4ERX and Dick White, W4MEM volunteering to get it started. The February 1962 bulletin had the name VOX on the cover, which was given by Bill Owens, W4YXW. In December of 1965 Mary Campbell, K4VJL resigned as editor of the VOX. The next month (January 21, 1966), Frank Emens, W4HFU became editor and publisher ....and still is today!
The first North Alabama Hamfest was held in Decatur in August of 1954, and was alternated between Decatur, Florence and Huntsville. The North Alabama Hamfest later alternated between Decatur and Huntsville. The last North Alabama Hamfest was held in Huntsville in August of 1980. The Decatur club voted to withdraw from participation and the first Huntsville Hamfest was held in Huntsville in August of 1981.
The club's current callsign is K4BFT, in honor of one of our members, Hammond "Ham" Carpenter. K4BFT was voted by the club members as the official club station call on April 3, 1964.
Photographs
This page last updated October 4, 1999