SOUTH TEXAS AMATEUR REPEATER SOCIETY

W5RGV

®South Texas Amateur Repeater Society - Copyright 2006 - 2016          Courtesy of: N5SLI      Terms & Conditions

WELCOME TO W5RGV

South Texas Amateur Repeater Society

Amateur Radio operators serving the needs of the Rio Grande Valley

STARS is an organization of ham radio operators dedicated to the mission of advancing and furnishing radio communications in the Rio Grande Valley.  STARS members furnish their time and the use of their sophisticated communications equipment solely as a public service . They are available to furnish communications during storms, hurricanes, special events and times of disasters often when other regular commercial communications systems are not available. This sterling record of public service has been recognized at the highest levels of both national and international government!

As you read this web page, I  invite you to acquaint yourself with the many resources that STARS furnishes To the general ham community.

STARS EQUIPMENT INVENTORY:

 The STARS communications system includes many facets. Here is a brief listing of some of the equipment  available to the ham community:

 Currently STARS has about six VHF and three UHF repeaters on-line and operational.  STARS also has a vhf digipeater on 145.010.  STARS also has IRLP and ECHO LINK which is sponsored by K5RAV Dr. David Woolweaver.  All STARS equipment is state of the art, owned and/or operated by STARS.  STARS is able to make this equipment available to the general ham community  through your donations and membership dues.

STARLINK

STARLINK was commissioned in response to a request from a federal agency whom would like to see an effective communications system in place and operating along the entire American-Mexican border. STARS is currently obtaining equipment and installing it in a concentrated effort to implement this state of the art communications system.  Eventually,  this system  will stretch  along the border from the Gulf of Mexico to Laredo, Texas.  It will have the potential to tie into existing systems and ultimately could tie the Rio Grande Valley in to the West Coast of California!  At the present time STARLINK reaches from the Gulf of Mexico to Edinburg, TX

 YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

STARS is dedicated to the task of educating and adding young people to its membership.  The future of Amateur Radio and its ability to service the public sector in coming years is predicted on the infusion of new people to our ranks. STARS welcomes new members to our ranks and individuals in the organization are  happy to work with new members to train them so they can obtain their FCC licenses. Growth for the future is our watchword!

 NETS SPONSORED BY STARS

• RGV Rag Chewers Net Monday through Saturday at 7:00pm.
• The RGV Information Net Sunday night at 7:00pm With News Line
• ARES District 15/RACES District 84 Hurricane Net Thursday nights at 6:30pm This is a directed net directed by WA9IES (Ralph).
• SKYWARN NET is activated when the National Weather Service in Brownsville, TX, request that it be activated. This is a directed net directed by Pat - N5SLI or an assigned ARES District 3 and or 15 member. Non Ham Radio, weather reports can be tweeted to the NWS. Visit http://www.nws.noaa.gov/stormreports/ to learn how to tweet your weather reports.

• The STARS repeater on 146.700MHz has been designated by the state of Texas as the Valley-Wide Emergency Net.  If so required by circumstances. STARS has been used as a primary communications resource during the hurricane season in 1988. When all other communications systems were down, STARS became the primary emergency communications system for the Rio Grande Valley and facilitated communications between the Coast Guard vessels and their headquarters at Corpus Christi, Texas.  As a result, a citation for distinguished service was awarded  to STARS by the U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Communications Officer.

SUMMARY

In short, the South Texas Amateur Repeater Society has a long and distinguished record of serving the public interest.  STARS solicits your support, cooperation and membership. STARS is writing a new and proud chapter in the history of Amateur Radio.  We invite any questions or suggestions you might have and we thank you for your time and interest.

Amateur radio operators play a variety of roles that allow public safety officials to maximize their resources, including facilitating communications; providing emergency managers with on-scene situational awareness; and helping manage large-scale events, such as severe weather and other situations like the Queen Isabella Bridge collapse of 2001. STARS provides repeaters and digipeaters to handle needed emergency communications here in the Rio Grande Valley.