Some HISTORY of the Hellgate Amateur Radio Club
(also the Missoula Amateur Radio Club
and Missoula Area Repeater Klub)
-Club
-Call Sign
-Club Officers over the Years
-Hellgate
& Missoula History
-Meeting
Locations
-Newsletter, Hellgate STATIC
-Significant
Member Radio Events
-Silent Keys
-Recollections
Call Sign
From a few accounts, the Hellgate ARC was originally known as the
Missoula Amateur Radio Club. Its first call sign was W7BII.
Then in the 1970-early 80s, the club call sign was WB7SFL. With the arrival of the FCC regulation allowing clubs to apply
for special call signs, a couple of club members recognized the possibility of
obtaining long standing member Phil Coulter's call sign, W7PX. After pursuing
the thought with Phil's daughter, Helen Coulter Smith, the Hellgate ARC received in May
1986 an approval letter. In part it read;
"My father, the late Phil Coulter, W7PX was a long time and very active member of the Hellgate Amateur Radio Club. He
attended most all club meetings and functions, held offices and became over the
years the Hellgate ARC’s leader in business procedure.Phil’s first call sign was 7PT. He later became W7PX,
a call admirably recognized by many club members. To honor Phil’s long time
contribution to the Hellgate Amateur Radio Club and to the general amateur radio
community, as you have mentioned, club members would be honored to secure the
call sign, W7PX .I do hereby give my consent for the Hellgate Amateur Radio
Club to secure as their club call sign, the call sign of my father, W7PX in accordance with the FCC vanity call sign program." 
Suspected from the Missoulian, date
unknown.
After the application was approved by the FCC, the Hellgate ARC
received W7PX as its call. The current trustee of the
license is K7BA (ex KC7HP), Robert Black.A
BRIEF CLUB HISTORY, Missoulian circa 1960.
As far as we can find records, the Hellgate ARC was first founded about 1930 as the Missoula Amateur Radio Club.
The club's first call sign is W7BII. However, the ARRL issued to the
club a 25 year Certificate of Affiliation in May 5, 1950.
The club has been active since. An initial
member was W7PX, Phil Coulter. Phil held his first license, 7PT,
in 1923. The longest active club member is W7IPB. Bob
Williams. Bob was first active as a Hellgate ARC member in 1957. Way
to go and thanks, Bob!From the Missoulian, circa 1960:
The granddaddy of
the Hellgate Radio Club, then know as the Missoula Amateur Radio Club, held its
first meeting March 11, 1931. A. L. Smith was the first president, with
J. M. Hamilton vice president and A. T. Phelps secretary-treasurer. The
charter membership was 19.
Hoping to interest some of the high school and University boys in amateur radio,
the club built its won station and install it with the club call of W7BII.
With the exception of the war years, the club steady grew to its current
membership of near 100. It is an active club with meetings held the second
Friday of each month and a monthly paper, the "Hellgate Static."
Annual HARC Dues $1.50 in 1962, $5.00 in 1988, $18.00 in 1990 & jumping to the current $25.00 in 1992.
The Missoula Area Repeater Klub (MARK) was formed in the 1970's. It sole purpose was to establish and maintain a system of VHF repeaters. A newsletter was published at least during 1974. It became apparent in the later 1980s that members completing administrative functions and field work were the same members of MARK & HARC, combining the clubs was proposed. This combination became official by vote of and a combined new constitution was approved in 1989. The latest HARC constitution was approved in 2002.
CLUB OFFICERS
The Hellgate ARC term of office for many years was June through May.
Term of office changed to February of each year in 1989 and in January in 2002.
The
following list
approximates the officers as of February of each year. This list is
compiled from old Hellgate STATICs where officers were included or
from a historical listing in the HARC archives. Multiple entries during a
year occurred mostly as a
result mid-term replacement due to moving from the area or illness. If
you can fill-in any of the blanks, please let K7VK know. Thanks to all these current and previous officers!
| Year | President | Vice-President |
Secretary Treasurer |
| 2009 | WG7P Elmer Myers | W4YMA Bill Farrell | KE7IZG Michael
Leary N7GE Jerry Ehli |
| 2008 | W4YMA Bill Farrell | AC7UZ Lewis Ball |
KE7IZG Michael
Leary N7GE Jerry Ehli |
| 2007 | N7GE Jerry Ehli | W7PAQ Frank Kisselbach |
KE7NO Craig Nelson K7PX Steve Schlang |
| 2006 | N7GE Jerry Ehli | W7PAQ Frank Kisselbach |
AC7UZ Lewis Ball K7PX Steve Schlang |
| 2005 | NN8A Byron Van Alstein | NZ7S Eric Sedgwick |
AC7UZ Lewis Ball KK7UV Steve Flood |
| 2004 | NN8A Byron Van Alstein | NZ7S Eric Sedgwick |
AC7UZ Lewis Ball KK7UV Steve Flood |
| 2003 | AC7UZ(KB7UNW) Lewis Ball | NZ7S Eric Sedgwick |
KC5WRA Donna
Pecastaing W7DHB Dennis Barthell |
| 2002 | AC7UZ(KB7UNW) Lewis Ball | NZ7S Eric Sedgwick |
W7DHB Dennis
Barthell N7MSU Bob Henderson |
| 2001 | AC7UZ(KB7UNW) Lewis Ball | NZ7S Eric Sedgwick |
W7DHB Dennis
Barthell N7MSU Bob Henderson |
| 2000 | KC7RBC Jackie Harrington | K7PX Steve Schlang |
N7TYS Walter Meigs KA1YQE Richie Moore |
| 1999 | KC7RBC Jackie Harrington | N7GE Jerry Ehli | |
| 1998 | KC7RBC Jackie Harrington | N7GE Jerry Ehli | KB7UNW(AC7UZ) Lewis Ball |
| 1997 | N7TYS Walter Meigs | KI7BR(NZ7S) Eric Sedgwick |
KA1YQE Richie
Moore KB7UNW(AC7UZ) Lewis Ball |
| 1996 | KI7BR(NZ7S) Eric Sedgwick | N7TYS Walter Meigs |
KA1YQE Richie
Moore KB7UNW(AC7UZ) Lewis Ball |
| 1995 | KI7BR(NZ7S) Eric Sedgwick | KI7WR Jim Lizotte | N0UXX Parker Kelly |
| 1994 | KI7BR(NZ7S) Eric Sedgwick | N7TYS Walter Meigs | N7TAE Wayne Van Meter |
| 1993 | N7FMW Ruth Boydston (Scott) | KI7BR(NZ7S) Eric Sedgwick | KA7LEB Frank Irish |
| 1992 | WA7KHM(W7XY) Donne Fort | N7PFG(NZ7S) Eric Sedgwick | KA7LEB Frank Irish |
| 1991 | AA7FH(N7GE) Jerry Ehli | KE7WR Kevin Goffe | KA7LEB Frank Irish |
| 1990 | NZ7M Sid Frissell | WA7KHM(W7XY) Donne Fort | KA7LEB Frank Irish |
| 1989 | KE7WR Kevin Goffe | WA7W Morey Cambell | KA7LEB Frank Irish |
| 1988 | N7IKI Tony Terzo | KE7WR Kevin Goffe | KA7LEB Frank Irish |
| 1987 |
KE7LL Mike Moon N7IKI Tony Terzo |
KE7WR Kevin Goffe | KA7LEB Frank Irish |
| 1986 |
WA7GQO(K7YB) Bob Church KE7NO Craig Nelson |
KE7NO Craig Nelson KE7LL Mike Moon |
KA7LEB Frank Irish |
| 1985 | KC7ZO Danne Guthrie | N7FMW Ruth Boydston (Scott) | KA7LEB Frank Irish |
| 1984 | W7CII Dean Thorson | WA7OPY Phil Richardson | KA7LEB Frank Irish |
| 1983 | K7IMZ Jerry Nelson | KY7I(W7ERV) Erv Davis | KA7NVP(N7FMW) Ruth Boydston(Scott) |
| 1982 | WA7DEO(K7VK) Vick Applegate | KV7T George Watson | KA7LEB Frank Irish |
| 1981 | KA7DDV(K7BA) Bob Black | KA7DEN Ellen Wojiechowski | |
| 1980 | K7WNE Jon Sorenson | K7IQA Bob Thrapp | |
| 1979 | WA7IIQ(KB7P) Oscar Dooling | WB7VPA Dan Schrodeder | |
| 1978 |
WA7QZD Frank Meyer K7QA Tom Mc Ginley |
K7QA Tom Mc Ginley K7CHY(W7XT) Dick Walton |
|
| 1977 | WB4DAD/7 Skip Stem | WA7ZOO Chuck Rafferty | |
| 1976 | K7CHY(W7XT) Dick Walton | WA7ZOO Chuck Rafferty | |
| 1964 | W7FX Vern Peters | K7MUM Jack Reich | W7IPB Bob Williams |
| 1963 | K7IMZ Jerry Nelson | W7IPB Bob Williams | Kn7MGL Walter Sulier |
| 1962 | K7EBE Frank Bretz | K7IMZ Jerry Nelson | K7CVK Eugene Pearson |
|
1961 1961 |
W7OHQ Tom Hopkins W7MAK Willard Smith |
W7MAK Willard Smith K7EBE Frank Bretz |
W7NEG Milburn Parker |
| 1960 | W7JIZ Walt Polette | K7IMZ Jerry Nelson | K7IMZ Jerry Nelson |
| 1959 | K7CVK Gene Pearson | W7EKB Ken Gordon | KD7FS Don Anderson |
| 1958 | W7IOJ George Nickols | K7EBE Frank Bretz | |
| 1957 | W7EAM Francis Nickerson | Not Known | W7INC Pat Nickerson |
| 1956 | W7COH T.J. Rigby | W7BNK Lee Pratt | W7NEG Milburn Parker |
| 1951 | W7NPV Vernon Phillips | W7CJB Woody Davey | W7OGY Mrs Vernon Phillips |
| 1950 | W7NCS Mack Helman | W7NEG Mel Parker | John Gregory |
| 1949 | W7ELY Harold Bennyhoff | W7NCS Mack Helman | John Gregory |
| 1931 | A. L. Smith | J. M. Hamilton | A.J. Phelps |
Member
Memorable Radio Events
December 1983. WA1JXN/7 (now W7GJ), Lance Collister became
the first amateur radio operator in the world to communicate with an astronaut
in space. Lance communicated with W5LFL, Dr. Owen Garriot while the
Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-9, orbited the earth 250 nautical miles above the
western Pacific. The antenna, a home brew "moon bounce"
two-meter array of 12 yagis.
May 2006. N7TAE, Wayne Van Meter received in Washington DC, the National American Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services award.
HISTORY of Hellgate STATIC
The Hellgate STATIC is first mentioned in a Missoulian article, circa 1960. The Hellgate Static has been published nearly monthly every since. Copies of the Hellgate STATIC dating back
to the early 1960s are in the HARC archives. There are some month gaps
over the years and we have no hard copy editions, 2000 to present.
Many, many Hellgate ARC members have contributed the
newsletter over the years. Several newsletter editors have thanked the numerous club
members for their writing and publishing contributions. It also takes help in
printing, addressing and mailing. Thanks to all who have
contributed.
Please let K7VK know if you have information on earlier editions or any updates on more current
editions for the archive. Here's
a listing of the newsletter editors we've been able to compile. Multiple
names per year indicate mid-year change of new editors, assistant editors or
substitution editors.
Hellgate STATIC Editors
| Date | Editor (s) |
| 2007 |
K7VK Vick Applegate N7MSU Bob Henderson KE7SHZ Andy Commons |
| 2007 | KE7NO Craig Nelson |
| 2007 |
KE7NO Craig Nelson |
| 2006 |
KE7NO Craig Nelson |
| 2005 |
KE7NO Craig Nelson NN8A Byron Van Alstein |
| 2004 |
NN8A Byron Van Alstein KE7NO Craig Nelson K2GQJ Tom Stock |
| 2003 |
N7MSU Bob Henderson KD7SWH Jon Pielaet |
| 2002 | N7MSU Bob Henderson |
| 2001 | Not Known |
| 2000 | Not Known |
| 1999 |
KA1YQE Richie Moore K7PX Steve Schlang |
| 1998 |
K7VK(WA7DEO) Vick Applegate KA7YQE Richie Moore |
| 1997 | K7VK(WA7DEO) Vick Applegate |
| 1996 |
N7VKY Carol Brekke (Goffe) K7VK(WA7DEO) Vick Applegate |
|
1993- 1995 |
N7VKY Carol Brekke (Goffe) |
| 1992 |
WA7DEO(K7VK) Vick Applegate N7VKY Carol Brekke (Goffe) |
|
1985- 1991 |
WA7DEO(K7VK) Vick Applegate |
| 1984 |
WA7DEO (K7VK) Vick Applegate KC7ZO Danne Guthrie |
| 1983 | KC7ZO Danne Guthrie |
| 1982 |
KA9HYO Doug Decker KC7ZO Danne Guthrie |
| 1981 |
K7CHY(W7XT) Dick Walton W7LUU Tom Wojciehowski KA7DEN Ellen Wojciehowski |
| 1980 |
K7CHY(W7XT) Dick Walton W7LUU Tom Wojciehowski |
| 1979 |
K7CHY(W7XT) Dick Walton W7KJA Bill Surratt |
| 1978 |
K7CHY(W7XT) Dick Walton W7KJA Bill Surratt |
| 1977 |
W7KJA Bill Surratt K7CHY(W7XT) Dick Walton |
| 1976 |
W7KJA Bill Surratt W7PX Phil Coulter WA7VTD Kevin Hunt WA7VTG Lar Autio |
| 1964 | W7GBH J. Syverson |
| 1963 | W7GBH J. Syverson |
| 1962 | W7MAK's xyl Jean Smith |
| 1961 | W7MAK's xyl Jean Smith |
| 1960 | W7MAK's xyl Jean Smith |
Meeting
Locations over the Years
The club has met at many locations over the years,
many times at private homes. Here's a memory jogger list. Any
others?
Missoula Firehouse #4
Missoula Public Library
St Patrick's Hospital
American Redcross Office, West Broadway
NOAA, National Weather Service Office, Missoula Airport
City Fire Station #4 (Latimer St)
Western Federal Savings Bank
Southgate Mall
Montana Power Company (Russell)
Univ of Montana Student Housing Rec Center
Airport Cafe
Old Forest Service Radio Station (Whittaker Dr.)
Missoula Electric Cooperative
Northwest Distributors
Grange Hall, Hamilton (annually)
Vern Peters Shop
2007 September 2. N7TAE, Wayne Van Meter. Know for his magnitude of his public service and friendship, and quiet demeanor. Wayne served in many service positions such as ARRL Assistant Montana Section Manager, he was also very active in the Hellgate ARC in club officer & committee positions and heading up numerous public service events. He was always willing to help out or organize any event. He helped administer nearly 100 amateur radio license examinations to over 500 candidates. Wayne was also very active in actual emergency responses with the Red Cross, local wildfire agencies and National Weather Service. In 2006, Wayne's was recognized nationally in Washington DC with an American Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services award. It was a fitting award of how Wayne lived and assisted others.
2007 August 18. W7VUF (x KA7SPI), Dwayne
Clark. Dayne, an active supporter and public service participant
with HARC in the late 1980s and through the 1990's moved to Ogden Utah,
but still returned several years in May/June to assist with the bicycle
Tour of the Swan River Valley. He was most notable on those events
in his antenna adorned compact car with the yellow 'caution' light
flashing away.
2006 July 11. K7MEA, Ervin Ball. An
early volunteer examiner, Erv was a frequent visitor to Missoula from his home
in Libby, Montana to see friends and his son, AC7UZ, Lewis. His wife NQ7D,
Myrna became a silent key 1995. Many of us remember Erv for his enthusiasm
for 'good deals' especially related to ham radio.
2005 November 29. W5UEE, Ed Redlhammer, radio enthusiast and supporter of the Hellgate ARC. A B17
& B24 pilot during WWII, Ed never gave up flying hobby that included his own
planes, building kit aircraft and taking his last flight at age 82 over
Northwestern Montana. Ed's family dedicated his HF & VHF radios
to the Hellgate ARC to be used in the amateur radio hobby that Ed
loved.
2005 October 23. WA7YYB, Chuck Weihe, one
of HARC's original life-members became a silent key on October 23, 2005.
Chuck, 91, had been active on HF & VHF for decades. More info in November 2005 STATIC.
2005 June 29. W7KJA, Ellis Surratt Sr, a long-time
HARC member and officer. Many remember Ellis as a hunting & fishing
partner, a black powder and radio enthusiast. Others remember him as their
electronics instructor at Missoula Vo-Tech.
2003. November 17. N7NUS, Don Householder. Active
HARC member and public service participant. A big guy with a big
smile.
2003. March 13. KA1YQE, Richie Moore. Active HARC
secretary, Hellgate Static editor and public service enthusiast. Many
remember Richie for his New England-Boston accent and his never ending discussions
about the US
Postal Service.
2002. July 27. W7MAK, Francis "Smitty"
Smith A Pearl Harbor Survivor, a long time ham and member of HARC.
Even after moving to Washington state, Smitty continued to check into MTN.
1998. December 29. KB7AYK, Harriette Dooling.
xyl of KB7P, Oscar Dooling.
1996. November. W7CII Dean Thorson past President
and active HARC member.
1994. June. KV7T, George Watson long time supporter of
the volunteer examiner program, Hellgate STATIC roster and mailing coordinator
and avid public service participant.
1994. February. ND7L, Norbert Kuffel. HARC member
and 2 meter FM enthusiast.
1994 January. KZ7N(WA7AFQ) Don Marshall. Longtime
Missoula resident and HARC member.
1993 December. WA7VTT, John Collins. Active
HARC member, may be best remembered for his dedication to public service
including for many years being "tail-end-charlie" rescuing tired
bikers on the Tour of the Swan River Valley (TOSRV)
1991 March 23. WA7VIK, Paul
Applegate. An active radio enthusiast, long-time Montana Traffic Net Control station
and active public service participant. Paul lead a group of volunteers
bringing the first Television from Spokane to Libby through a system of
translators that continued for decades. Harmonic is K7VK(xWA7DEO), Vick and
grandson, N7WKS, Rick.
1990 October. W7DVK. Jack Zeckman.
Longtime radio enthusiast, Jack received his first license in 1933. He and
his son placed the Missoula area's first digipeater on Point Six.
1988 April. W7PX. Phil Coulter's radio enthusiasm spanned
seven decades. He held many HARC offices. Phil was first licensed as 7PT. He also held the calls, W7CAI & AAA8MT.
1987 February. KE7LL, Mike
Moon. Active Hellgate ARC officer, radio enthusiast and talented
writer. HIs fine articles were published in many magazines including QST.
One of Mike's successful visions was to get "Special Service Club"
status for HARC. HARC has maintained this status continuously
since.
1987 June 4. Townsend (T.J.) Rigby. W7COH Early
radio pioneer radio enthusiast.
1985 November. W7FXV. Ray
Reid. An early radio "home brewer" and active member of
HARC.
1984 January. KB7P, Oscar Dooling (x-WA7IIQ).
Active Hellgate ARC officer, radio enthusiast and volunteer
examiner. Many of the Hellgate STATICs are on file in the HARC
archive as Oscar had the foresight to save them.
1984 January. Jean Smith, xyl of W7MAK, Smitty. Jean was an avid Hellgate Static editor, a post she held
for several years.
1983 June. W7NEG. Milburn Parker.
Longtime radio enthusiast and HARC official.
Recollections
..in the 1970s, WA7VTD, Kevin
Other Historical Stuff....as soon as we can or find some who can remember it! Folks with information please send it to K7VK@arrl.net. Thanks.
Some
HISTORY of the Name HELLGATE and MISSOULA
by K7VKThough we have no idea of how the selection of "Hellgate
Amateur Radio Club" from the earlier "Missoula Amateur
Radio Club" came about, Hellgate does have a unique
history to the Missoula area. The term "Hell Gate" was
applied to the steep walled narrow canyon just on the East edge of
Missoula that is filled by the Clark Fork River (previously the Missoula
River). Early French Canadian trappers termed it "Porte
d'Enfer," or Gates of Hell, due to the stories of ambushes on
other Indian tribes by the Blackfeet. The Blackfeet and Flat Head (Salish)
Indians and maybe others were known to battle one another within the
narrow canyon, a primary route East to the great plains of Eastern Montana
and the vast herds of buffalo. Captain Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark
expedition traveled and camped near Missoula in July3 & 4, 1806 on his
way East from their Western march to the Pacific Ocean. He traveled
beyond the Hell Gate and up the Blackfoot river to enter US Territory on
the continental divide. British explorer David Thompson also passed through this way in the early 1800s mapping the area.
In 1860, FL Worden & CP Higgins located a trading
post about 4 miles West of current day Missoula calling it Hell Gate
Village. Missoula is derived from a Salish word (some would say
corrupted),"Nemissoolatakoo" or "lm-I-sul-e" with several meanings. Commonly heard are " by the shining
waters" and "near the cold, chilling waters". The
later, some attribute to the Indian conflicts within Hellgate
Canyon. A good but lengthy read on the subject is at http://www.memoriallibrary.com/NA/IndianWhite/pt2ch12.htm.
So, even though uncertainty remains about how we became the "Hellgate ARC", we do know that the name is not the biblical gate to "hell". But rather, the name is tied to a significant Missoula geographic landmark with a rich history of those who passed through the Hell Gate.