THE ASSOCIATED RADIO AMATEURS OF LONG BEACH
ARALB / W6RO HISTORY
Written By John Rogers KF6TTR
The Associated Radio Amateurs
Of Long Beach, started with a group of young amateur radio operators in
1923, meeting once a week at Recreation Park in a grove of Eucalyptus trees
located on 7th Street and Park Avenue in the City of Long Beach. Ham's as
we are called like our 1ST President Larry Higgins W6CAE who
served for 6 months then passed it on to our 2nd President Harold
Nahmens W6JK, Dwight Williams W6RO and Don Wallace W6AM were some of the
amateurs radio operators meeting at the park from 1923 to 1927 when they
decided to organize a club (May 1927) because another radio group in the
area disbanded. This was the beginning of The Associated Radio Amateurs of
Long Beach. Some of these Hams were from the area of Signal Hill before
Signal Hill was a city. Signal Hill was incorporated in 1924. The club
grew very quickly and they needed to have a place to meet. They found many
different places to meet, like meeting in member’s homes, then at George
Washington School which was located on American Avenue (now Long Beach
Blvd.) between 8th & 9th Street. Then a local Church,
Fire
Department, Police Department, Library, City Hall. On Friday, March 10, 1933
the city was struck by one of the largest earthquakes in the history of the
state. Club members Tommy Hunt, Bert Hanson and Charlie Morrison were the 1st
Hams to establish emergency communications with Los Angeles and Compton.
George Washington School, along with all the schools in Long Beach were
heavily damaged. Before August 1933, the group had acquired the use of the
Long Beach City Council Chamber for club meetings. The club history is
clouded up to this point, as there seemed to be no continuous records. But
in 1935 the 1st issue of the Scott Radiogram was published. The
Radiogram has proven invaluable to the clubs historical committee both for
insights into the early years of the club and as a technical resource.
Community service became the focus of the club once again in 1948 when plans
were made for the formation of a local Emergency Net operating on 145.161
mc, 52.4 mc and 29.4 mc, and on Oct. 26th of that year at 1500 (3 pm) the 1st
drill of the Long Beach Emergency Net was held. By July, 1950 organization
was under way to complete the Red Cross Emergency Station and participation
from there in an Emergency Net held every Monday evening. On August 28th
the Emergency Corps Disaster Drill was held, schools, fire stations, police
and the Red Cross all participated in a city exercise. This tradition of
Emergency aid and community service is still alive in the ARALB/W6RO today.
Now for awhile the club met at the Signal Hill City Hall basement, Red Cross
Center and finally the Signal Hill Community Center where we hold monthly
meetings, the 1st Friday of each month at 7:00 P.M. The 1st call of the club
was W6PMO. When Dwight Williams past away (SK silent key) his wife let the
club have his call sign, which is, W6RO and we still have this as our club
call sign. A call sign is the radio station F.C.C. identification license
to operate.
In 1940 the club hosted the
local Convention of Amateur Radio Operators. This was held in Long Beach.
On October 7, 1955 at 8:00 p.m. in a meeting held in Signal Hill at the City
Hall Auditorium the Associated duly authorized its Incorporation, and / or
Officers and Board of Directors eleven in all. Then on June 19, 1956 the
final filing was completed.
The club is a community service and emergency operating group. To mention
some of our community service projects they are National Field Day at EL
Dorado Park a three day activity, Beach Clean up, Long Beach Marathon,
ARES/RACES Emergency Preparedness Drills, Hospital Emergency Communication,
Youth Tennis Tournaments, Red Cross Disaster Communication Events, Fire
Departments Drills, J poles Antenna building for the School Districts
Emergency Communication, School Youth Project 6 th Grade, High School AREC
Emergency Club Pal Ham project, Stand Down Veterans Stadium, Long Beach
Special Olympics, Catalina Boat Race, Veterans Parade Communication,
Communication for the 5k and 10k Races. Air Port Day communication, JOTA a
Boy Scout Girl Scout function 24 hours, Scout-o-rama, Girl Scout Convention,
Promoting Elmering Activities in helping new Ham's, Baker to Vegas Police
Run, Pasadena Rose Parade, The Signal Hill Police Food Drive, Signal Hill
Easter egg Hunt for the children, Signal Hill Halloween Party for the
children, Signal Hill Children's Fest at Reservoir Park, Signal Hill
Children's Christmas Breakfast with Santa, Signal Hill 75 th Anniversary
Party, Opening Day of Discovery Well Park,Training Classes for varies
schools and Scout Troops, CARS Project, SEMS CERT Programs, Los Angeles
Area Council Of Amateur Radio Clubs ( LAACARC ),ARES Emergency Drills from
AEC Queen Mary W6RO, OES Fire Department, DCS Lakewood Sheriff Sub Station,
Roughneck Round-up Signal Hill. In addition to community service the ARALB
membership has a long-standing commitment to furthering amateur radio as a
hobby. Many members helped introduce young people into the world of radio
and electronics by sponsoring programs in the local schools and through the
Police Athletic League. Young people are not the only ones who need guidance
into the hobby. Many new hams find themselves lost in all the new terms and
types of equipment, enters the “ELMERS”. An Elmer is an experienced ham who
takes a newly licensed friend under his wing and teaches him everything he
has learned over the years. The ARALB is full of Elmers who are just waiting
for the opportunity to pass along this tradition.
ARALB/W6RO is Internationally known for its club station, which has been
aboard the Queen Mary since April 1979. The idea to put a station aboard
the Ocean Liner Queen Mary was purposed by Nate Brightman K6OSC to the club,
which in turn thought it was a great idea. The club has a rich history and
has been involved in the Queen ever since the city of Long Beach made the
decision to bring her to the States. To see more on Nate’s endeavors see The
40 Days Of GB5QM/MM by Al Lee, W6KQI and Nate’s Biography on our club WEB
site
www.aralb.org.
Not only do the ARALB Indocremented members sponsor the station, but many Indocremented operators from other Amateur Radio Clubs come to the ARALB/W6RO Club Station to operate in The Wireless Room, also we invite visiting Hams to the Queen to show their up-to-date license and come in and operate for a short time while visiting aboard the Queen. We also encourage them to go home and promote amateur radio in their area and clubs.
The operation of our Club Station aboard the Queen Mary in The Wireless Room is also an Emergency Station in case of a disaster. The Station is also a Public Relations of what Amateur Radio is all about and promoting worldwide good will. We are very proud of our Organization, the City of Long Beach, City of Signal Hill and all of the great folks that help us to be the best we can be!
The ARALB became a member of
ARRL on November 2, 1931.
The ARALB became a ARRL Special Service Club on April 20, 1988.
WE THANK YOU!
The Associated Radio Amateurs of Long Beach, Inc.
ARALB/W6RO
Material for this article is collected from many club members, History committee, old Scott Radiograms, old Oscillators, 1998 Commemorative Edition Booklet and Records Files From ARRL.
03/25/2005