By Michelle McAfee / WAARC Member
(Originally published in the Applegater Newspaper Winter Edition, December 1, 2026, and the SOARC Newsletter, October 2026.)
WAARC members sharing information about Ham Radio communications at the Williams Farmer’s Market on September 21, 2026.
In November 2025, a motley crew of Williams and Applegate residents gathered at Fruitdale Grange to take their Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ham radio licensing exam. Hosted by the Southern Oregon Amateur Radio Club (SOARC), the exam brought together aspiring radio operators, with volunteer examiners generously sharing their time, knowledge, and encouragement.
This growing interest came from community members attending A Greater Applegate’s Resilience Hub meetings, where conversations focused on emergency communications and response in the region. When A Greater Applegate made handheld ham radios available to participants, many folks were inspired to take the next step.
Concerned about how to reach people during an emergency if power, cell towers, and internet went down, Allison Cleveland and Ash Martell founded the Williams-Applegate Amateur Radio Club (WAARC) in January 2026. Their mission: build a community-based radio network for everyday communication and emergency response.
With support from the Williams Fire Department Support Team, WAARC found a home in the old firehouse next to the new station, where they can use the radio setup, including a Motorola XTS Console assembled by SOARC Treasurer Bob Billington, and a Diamond quarter-wave antenna. The space is now affectionately known as The Radio Shack.
WAARC members Karen Rogers, Allison Cleveland, and Penny McAfee trying on the brand new WAARC t-shirts Karen made.
Since then, WAARC has been spreading the word. Earlier this year, public meetings in Williams and Applegate introduced the club and welcomed new members. Neighbors encouraged neighbors to get involved, train, and earn their FCC licenses. The club also connected with the community at the Williams Farmers Market, the Williams Fire Department Open House, and at the Williams Fire Department Trunk or Treat on Halloween, where its newest member, Bonesy NO7BNZ, made an appearance!
WAARC members hanging out with Bonesy NO7BNZ at the Williams Fire Trunk or Treat event on Halloween. Photo by Michelle McAfee.
WAARC’s growth wouldn’t be possible without the encouragement of its partners and supporters, including Joe Stodola AA7JS, Emergency Coordinator for Josephine County Emergency Communications (JCEC), Lee Merwin KI7NBQ, Emergency Coordinator for Jackson County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (JC-ARES), SOARC, and A Greater Applegate.
Today, WAARC has 15 active members who volunteer time each week to keep equipment and people prepared for when communication matters most.
If you are a licensed ham radio operator, you can join WAARC’s weekly Net on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. via the JCEC repeater network or at 7:30 p.m. on the 146.46 MHz simplex frequency.
Want to be a ham? Joe Stodola will be teaching a Ham Radio license preparation class at the Williams Library beginning February 6th. (Contact the William Library for dates and times.) The next in-person opportunity to take the Technical License Exam will be on February 19, 2027, at the Fruitdale Grange in Grants Pass.
Have questions? Come say hello at our first public meeting of 2027 on January 16, 2pm – 3pm at the Williams Grange, and bring your curiosity!
