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The Nittany Amateur Radio Club - NARC
The NARC is based in State College, Centre County, Pennsylvania, which is the geographic center of the Commonwealth. The Nittany valley is located in the middle of the Allegheny Mountains and has an elevation of 1200 feet. The surrounding mountain ridges are in excess of 2200 feet, and two of the peaks at opposite ends of Centre County provide great locations for our two repeaters. Our two VHF repeaters cover central Pennsylvania from the New York border to the Maryland line. Although State College is the home of The Pennsylvania State University, we have no affiliation with the university. Our name reflects that of Mount Nittany and the surrounding valley. NARC has been affiliated with the American Radio Relay League, ARRL, since 1956.
PAQSO Party
The Pennsylvania QSO party is always held the second full weekend in October. Check the Pennsylvania QSO Party web site (link at left) for contest dates and details. The Nittany Amateur Radio Club has hosted the PA QSO Party for over fifty years. We are the largest State QSO party in the country with the largest number of submitted logs. The PA QSO Party is also the only contest to offer an award exclusively for non-sighted hams – The Beacon Award.
The PA QSO Party has always been known as a good old fashioned "Friendly" QSO party. We hope everyone has a great time this year. Enjoy, and good luck in the contest.
Public Service & Emergency Communications:
The Club is dedicated to assisting the public in general in all aspects of communication. The members of NARC have provided emergency communications on numerous occasions and stand ready to assist in time of need through our close links with the American Red Cross, the National Weather Service's Skywarn Program, and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
For more information, please contact Carmine W. Prestia Jr.,
ARRL Emergency Coordinator, Centre County, PA
By EMail K3CWP@ARRL.NET or by phone (814) 238-7857.
Mr. Prestia also maintains the Centre County Emergency Communications Blog here:
www.aresracescentrecountypa.com.
We also provide communication support for many local charitable organizations.
Amateur License Exams - in State College
- The Nittany Amateur Radio Club offers amateur license exams at all regular monthly membership meetings in State College. Exams are open to the public, so you do not need to be a NARC member to take a license exam! Exams are offered for all classes of amateur licenses.
- License exams are usually offered at the January, February, April, June, September, October, and November meetings. Exams are not offered at meetings that are held outdoors or at banquet meetings. Please plan to arrive by 6:00 PM on the published meeting night (usually the second Tuesday of the month).
- If you wish to take an exam, we ask that give us advance notice so we can prepare and bring the proper testing materials. Please contact Woody Brem, K3YV, at (814) 466-7229 or via email at K3YV@arrl.net if you wish to take an exam. Special arrangements are available for anyone with scheduling conflicts, disabilities, or other limitations.
Open Repeaters
Our club operates two 2-Meter repeaters that are open for all hams.
- W3YA - 146.85 MHz, located 5 mi. SE of State College
- W3GA - 146.76 MHz, located 10 mi. NW of State College
For more information and operating instructions, use this link: Repeaters.
Club Membership:
Membership is open to anyone interested. Full memberships, Associate memberships (for non Centre County residents), and Family memberships are all available. Membership includes the monthly NARC NEWSETTE. Dick Thompson, K3BIE, our membership chairman and newsletter "guru" will be happy to send you a complementary copy including all details for applying for membership. E-Mail him: rlt2@psu.edu
Operating Activities:
Our members enjoy all aspects of amateur radio including HF, Repeater, APRS, DX chasing, contesting, rag chewing, and satellite communication. ARRL Field Day and the club sponsored Pennsylvania QSO Party are two of the club’s major operating activities.
Monthly Meetings:
Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm usually at the South Hills Business School at 480 Waupelani Drive, State College. Talk-in is on the 146.85 repeater. The Board of Directors meet on the 4th Tuesday of the month, at the mountaintop clubhouse site weather permitting. All NARC members are welcome at board meetings.
Weekly Net:
An ARES net is conducted each Sunday Evening, 9:00 PM on the 146.85 repeater with over 60 check-ins each week. Visitors are welcome.
Coffee Call:
Every other week, local and visiting hams gather for the NARC Ham Radio Breakfast. The breakfasts are held at Eat 'n' Park Restaurant on North Atherton Street in State College on Saturday mornings at 9AM. Call on the 146.85 repeater for the next meeting date, company, or a ride.
Evening Broadcast:
Club meeting dates, club news, and items of amateur radio interest are broadcast every evening at 7:15 PM on the 146.85 repeater.
To Become A Member:
- Obtain an application
- Complete the application
- Enclose your membership dues
- Mail to address on the application form.
Contact Us:
Nittany Amateur Radio Club
P.O. Box 614
State College, PA 16804
Thank You & 73,
Ellwood (Woody) Brem - K3YV
NARC President
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