Welcome to W9JCA.COM — Internet home of the
Jay County
Amateur Radio Club
PO Box 418, Portland, Indiana 47371
A not-for-profit Organization - Email: w9jcarc@gmail.com
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Welcome to the Jay County Amateur Radio Club
Welcome to the Jay County Amateur Radio Club
Connecting minds, communities, and tech across the airwaves.
The Jay County Amateur Radio Club is a hands-on, community-focused group of operators from all backgrounds. Whether you are a seasoned ham with decades of experience or a curious newcomer discovering radio for the first time, you belong here. We are passionate about learning, technical experimenting, community service, and enjoying the hobby together.
No matter where your interests lie—from emergency communications and technical tinkering to casual chat nets and local public events—you will find opportunities to connect and grow. Our members actively build antennas, explore cutting-edge digital modes, and step up to provide critical backup communication when it matters most.
We believe amateur radio thrives on shared knowledge. That is why we host regular club meetings, scheduled on-air nets, special events, and informal collaborative sessions. If you value curiosity, service, and great company, take a look around our site to explore our resources and join the conversation today!
Homepage Guide:
Current News
Current News
October 2026 Club Updates
October 2026 Club Updates
- Expired Club Repeater License
We are pleased to announce that the administrative oversight regarding our club repeater license, which lapsed in April 2026, has been fully resolved. After clarifying the call sign assignments for our Pennville 145.210 and 443.475 repeaters—now under the respective trusteeships of Gil (KE9F) and Jeff (W9JKL)—we have confirmed that all operations are back in full regulatory compliance as of Sept, 2026. We appreciate your patience and look forward to the return of the 145.210 repeater to active service shortly.
- Special Club Meeting
Held Wednesday, September 30, 2026
We have an update regarding our club leadership: while both Steve and Krystal initially planned to step down from their roles as Vice President and Treasurer, Steve has graciously agreed to continue serving as VP for the current term by popular demand.
We are also pleased to announce that Tony Cline has stepped into the role of Club Treasurer—we are thrilled to have him on board, even if we are still keeping a watchful eye on his spending habits! Just kidding, Tony.
- Our Next Club Meeting — Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Our upcoming scheduled meeting is on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the clubhouse at the Jay County Fairgrounds in Portland, Indiana.
- 145.210 Repeater Status
We’re still working through the lingering issues with the 145.210 MHz repeater, and as of October 1, 2026, it’s still down. There is just so much else going on right now with the clubhouse that is being completed, hopefully later this year it will return to service.
- Meeting Live Stream
The September 16, 2026 meeting was streamed live on YouTube. It seemed to work out fairly well with the advent of the wireless webcam.
Sad to report that we don't believe it's drawing the club member views like we hoped it would so September's meeting live video will likely be the last one. However, if you are a club member, you will be able to view upcoming meetings on Discord and we're thinking about making them available on Google Meet or a similar platform, pending club approval. We did do this during the pandemic so it's nothing exactly new to us.
September 16, 2026 — Club Meeting
September 16, 2026 — Club Meeting
This was our third live stream monthly meeting. Hope you were there in person, but this is the next best thing. Sort of...
Sadly, we don't believe that at this time, we'll live stream another one since it hasn't attracted our club members very effectively. We will continue it on Discord and possibly make it available by invitation to members and other interested parties on Google Meet or a similar platform.
Saturday Morning Nets
Saturday Morning Nets
Tone Test Alert - Saturday @ 11:30 A
Net Control: Dave (KB8SCR)
Jay County Simplex Net follows
Net Control: Tony (KD9KPF)
These nets are subject to cancellation with or without notice.
JCARC Live Net – Sept 29, 2026
JCARC Live Net – Sept 29, 2026
Tuesdays @ 7 PM Eastern
🎯 Live Stream Update
We saw two notable highlights during our Tuesday net on the 29th. First, we had a fantastic turnout with 19 check-ins, just one shy of the previous week's count. Second, after a long dry spell of unsuccessful attempts, we finally had a winner in our guess-the-count challenge! Our live net emcee, Gil, correctly predicted the total of 19. Gary from North Carolina came very close to taking the title, but a last-minute check-in from Dick and Jenny in Redkey, Indiana, pushed our total from 17 to 19, securing the win for Gil.
📣 Spread the Signal
Enjoying our nets and live streams? Help keep our community active and strong:
Invite a Friend: Reach out to local hams, club members, or anyone who hasn’t keyed up in a while. A quick nudge might be all they need to jump back in.
Join Our Net Remotely: Remote participants who are unable to check in via over-the-air signals or EchoLink may participate in our weekly nets by using the live chat feature. Please notify Gil in the chat, and he will relay your check-in information to Net Control to ensure you are included in the official count. As a note, you must be a regular check in either by EchoLink or through our repeater system.
Thank you for checking in each week and helping keep this community connected and lively. Every voice adds something special to the net.
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East Central Indiana Hamfest
East Central Indiana Hamfest
The Jay County Fairgrounds is the home of the ECI Hamfest and is partly sponsored by the Jay County Amateur Radio Club along with many other generous groups, companies, and individuals. You can see the 5 1/2 hour live stream of the event on July 25, 2026 by clicking the link below.
Join Us!
Join Us!
We offer three ways to become part of the Jay County Amateur Radio Club community.
🎯 Full Member:
Dues: $50/year (or two semi-annual payments of $25)
Helps fund club activities, events, and operating expenses
Vetted members receive a unique unlock code for 24/7 access to our ~800 sq. ft. clubhouse for personal use when no other events are taking place.
Must be approved by a quorum majority at the next business meeting
Eligible to vote, run for office, and fully participate in club decisions
Family add‑on: up to 4 members for $10/year each (must be vetted for access to clubhouse)
License requirement: Technician, General, or Extra class license
JCARC is a 501(c)(3) educational and community service organization — dues and donations may be tax‑deductible
⏳ Probationary Member:
Dues: $25 for the first year
Great entry point for new hams
No voting rights or eligibility to run for office
No personal code for the clubhouse
Family add‑on: up to 4 members for $10/year each
License requirement: Technician, General, or Extra class license
No membership vote required to join
You can upgrade to Full Member at any time — probationary status is not mandatory before becoming full but must be approved by a quorum of the membership. Balance of dues will be pro-rated to the end of the year.
🤝 Supporting Member:
Suggested Donation: $25/year
No license required
Perfect for friends, family, and community supporters
Encouraged to earn an Amateur Radio license or at least a GMRS license (no test required)
Welcome to join our local GMRS nets
💵 How to Join & Pay: We currently do not accept online payments but you can pay by cash or check at any club event (some with advance notice) when a club officer is present.
Solar-Terrestrial Data
Introduction to DMR
Along with the introduction to DMR and hotspots, you'll find codeplugs for the TYT MD-380, the AnyTone D878UVII Plus / D575UV, and the Baofeng DM-1701 for hotspot frequency 446.100 MHz. All are easily edited.
Local Area Nets
We have a comprehensive listing of Northeast Indiana and Northwest Ohio nets listed that are generally in the range of our repeater coverage area. Also, you'll find a printer-friendly spreadsheet version.
East Central Indiana Hamfest
Click on the link above to visit our website for the latest and greatest on our local hamfest.
ARRL Latest News Feed
You'll now find the latest news feeds in both text and audio on our website. We hope you find it useful.
Real Time Band Conditions
You can not only see the real time band condition charts such as shown on this page, but there's a brief explanation as to what all of those encrypted numbers mean.
All About Smith Charts
Info including how to calculate and read a Smith Chart. PDF document.
Droidstar | SDR Radios | SWL | Online Scanners
These pages will make our site your first go-to place for information and links to relevant sites. Click on the page links above that may interest you.
Join the Digital Revolution!
Join the Digital Revolution!
DroidStar:
Ready to connect with voices across the globe? Grab your DMR ID from RadioID.net, fire up DroidStar, and join the friendly crowd on Brandmeister Talk Group 31181 every Tuesday at 8:30 PM for the Indiana Crossroads Net.
If you’d rather just listen in, our homepage has a banner across the top with a direct link that lets you monitor activity instantly. A great place to start is Talkgroup 91 (worldwide), but you can also see which talk groups are active in real time and jump into whatever catches your interest. DMR, P‑25, Fusion, D‑Star, DroidStar does it all, transmit and receive! Click on the links in yellow to see how licensed amateur operators can install it on their Android or IOS devices. And now it even runs on Windows, Linux, and even MacOS. With just an internet connection, your phone, laptop, or desktop along with your DMR ID, the world is your oyster. The best part? It's FREE!
EchoLink:
You can connect not only to most of our nets as well as others nearby using EchoLink on your Windows, Mac, or Linux based computer, Android or IOS smart devices, as well as using the cross-platform web based version. Many over-the-air repeaters will also link to other nodes by using the keypad on your radio's mic or HT keyboard.
Our EchoLink node number is 127019. You can find it online by searching the node list for W9JKL or just the node number. Make it a favorite and check in often. Many repeaters in our area are also capable of using EchoLink as well as other modes. We encourage those out of our area who join our Tuesday live stream to check in via EchoLink and let Net Control that you're watching the net on YouTube.
1 Muncie, Indiana
GMRS Net - Sunday at
7:30 PM
Join the friendly folks way over there in Muncie for their weekly net. You'll find them on GMRS at 462.7000 MHz with a standard 5K MHz positive shift at 467.7000 transmitting frequency and a PL tone of 110.9.
2 Jay County GMRS Net Sunday at 8:00 PM
Usually hosted by Tony (KD9KPF). If you don't have your GMRS license (no test required) yet, this may be the best motivation for you to get one and help populate Tony's Net on Sunday evening! You'll find it on the Jay/Mercer County GMRS repeater at 462.725+ (467.725 input), PL 107.2 Hz.
3 Randolph County Roundtable Net
Monday at 7:00 PM
A question and answer net geared toward new hams...or even old ones to help you keep up with the latest and greatest stuff. Join us on our primary frequency of 147.300 with a tone of 110.9.
4 Adams County ARC Net Monday at 8 PM
This net is normally hosted by Mark (KD9CES) and starts at 8 PM. It is linked to the W9JCA 443.475 (448.475 input), PL 100.0 Hz and the Fort Recovery repeater at 442.675 (447.675 input), PL 107.2 Hz. The primary EchoLink node, located in Decatur, Indiana is 808685 (KB9KYM) which is temporarily down as of Oct 1, 2026. As an alternate, use node 127019 (W9JKL) in Portland, Indiana.
5 Jay County ARC Net
Tuesday at 7 PM
Join us for our weekly net every Tuesday at 7:00 PM Eastern! All licensed hams are invited to participate, whether you're using one of our linked repeaters or connecting via EchoLink. If you're new to the hobby, remember that "+" means positive offset and "-" means negative offset when you see them after the frequency. Scanner listeners, just program in the frequencies listed to the right. Please note that any net is subject to cancellation.
Jay County Net Active Repeaters:
Pennville, IN: W9JCA, 145.210- (PL: 97.4 Hz) - currently offline as of 10-1-2026
Portland, IN: W9JCA, 443.475+ (PL: 100.0 Hz)
Fort Recovery, OH: KB8SCR, 442.675+ (PL: 107.2 Hz)
Fort Recovery, OH: 145.250- (144.650) PL 107.2 — Celina Receive Site 145.250- (144.650) PL 127.3)
EchoLink node 127019 (W9JKL-L): Usually monitored for log-ins during the Tuesday Evening Net.
6 P-25 Net - Tuesday evening following the JCARC Net
For those who have P-25 digital capability, this net is hosted by Dave (KB8SCR) and follows the JCARC Net on Tuesday evenings. Look for it around 7:45 pm. If the net isn't going to be held, it's likely you'll hear the news on the JCARC Tuesday Net. You'll find the net on 444.6875+ MHz with a NAC of 2a3 (675 decimal) and on the Lynn, Indiana repeater at 441.5125 with a NAC of 293.
7 Blackford County Net - Wednesday at 8:30 PM
Many of our Jay County members check into this net each week. Because of the linked repeater in Jay County in Indiana and Mercer County in Ohio, it gets well into Adams, Wells, and other surrounding counties. Active repeaters for this net will be found in the column to the right.
Blackford County Net Active Repeaters:
Primary: 146.655 - PL 141.3 Hz (Hartford City, IN)
443.475 + PL 100.0 Hz (Portland, IN)
442.675 + PL 107.2 HZ (Fort Recovery, OH)
EchoLink Nodes 239090 (primary) or 127019 (secondary)
8 Blackford Co GMRS Net Thursday at 7:30 PM
Kerry is generally net control for the Oil City/Montpelier GMRS Net. You'll find it on your GMRS radio at 462.6250 + 5.0 MHz (467.6250 repeater input frequency) with a PL Tone of 88.5 Hz.
9 Jay County 2M USB
Friday at 7 PM
Roundtable net for the local 2M SSB guys. You'll find us on 144.210 USB.
10 JCARC "Social"
Saturday at 8:30 AM
Clubhouse in Fairgrounds
Join our dedicated group of radio enthusiasts every Saturday morning around 8:30 AM for coffee and conversation. We now gather at our clubhouse located at the Jay County Fairgrounds in Portland, IN. If you are a vetted club member with an access code, please feel free to arrive early and get the coffee brewing!
11 Tone Test Alert - Saturday @ 11:30 AM
12 Jay County Simplex Net follows:
Join us every Saturday at 11:30 AM for our weekly check-in. The session begins with a brief P-25 and repeater system test conducted by Dave (KB8SCR). Dave will transmit a short test tone across our linked analog repeaters: 442.675 (Fort Recovery), 443.475 (Portland), and 145.210 (Pennville). Please ensure your handheld or mobile radio batteries are fully charged before the net.
Following the tone test, we move to the Jay County Simplex Net on 147.540 MHz, typically led by Tony (KD9KPF). If Tony is unavailable, Dave will announce during the initial tone test whether the simplex portion of the net will proceed as scheduled. Please note that these nets are subject to cancellation without notice.
13 Ragchew Net from Muncie
Mon, Tue, Wed, and Fri at 5 PM
Join Chris and the gang at the Muncie, Indiana repeater on 441.825+ PL 110.9 for some good old-fashioned chat time.
Francis Betts (KB9QVO) – Club President
Despite navigating some health challenges, Francis remains a steady, guiding force who quietly keeps our club operations on the right track. His dedicated leadership earned him a unanimous re-election during our annual business meeting on December 17, 2025. We are truly grateful for his steadfast commitment and for always being there when it counts.
Steve McDowell (KC9ZKY) – Vice President
Steve continues to be a reliable pillar of support for our club leadership, bringing experience, calm coordination, and a willingness to jump in wherever needed. Following his unanimous re-election on December 17, 2025, and despite his recent consideration of stepping down during the special September 30, 2026 meeting, Steve has graciously agreed to continue serving as Vice President. We are deeply grateful for his ongoing dedication and steady hand in guiding the club forward.
Kim Oswalt (KD9RIU) – Club Secretary
Kim keeps our records straight and our communications clear, consistently handling club affairs with dedication and good humor. Although she planned to step down at the end of 2025, we are incredibly grateful that she chose to stay on. Thank you, Kim, for your continued commitment and for all you do to support our journey.
Tony Cline – Club Treasurer
Tony Cline has stepped into the role of Club Treasurer, bringing a wealth of professional experience to our organization. As the operator of a large local business, Tony is uniquely qualified to manage our club finances and provide clear, consistent reporting. We are incredibly grateful to Tony for stepping up to take on this vital responsibility, as his expertise is essential in keeping the Jay County Amateur Radio Club on solid financial ground. Thank you, Tony, for your service!
Jeff Landers (W9JKL) – Repeater Trustee & Net Control
Jeff (W9JKL) is a cornerstone of our technical operations, serving as the trustee for the W9JCA 70cm repeater in Portland and the host of EchoLink Node 127019. His commitment to maintaining our infrastructure ensures our systems remain reliable and connected. Beyond his technical work, Jeff is the steady voice behind our Tuesday Evening Net, which he hosts with consistent professionalism and dedication, week after week.
Dave Wood (KB8SCR) – Repeater Systems & Net Host
Dave maintains the club-linked repeater systems in Fort Recovery, Coldwater, and Celina, Ohio, ensuring reliable coverage across the region. He also hosts the Tuesday evening P‑25 Net, keeping digital operations running smoothly, and serves as an Executive Member of the East Central Indiana Hamfest.
Gil Davis (KE9F) – Webmaster, Repeater Trustee, VE
Gil manages the Jay County Amateur Radio Club and East Central Indiana Hamfest websites. He serves as the trustee for the W9JCA 145.210 MHz repeater, hosts the Tuesday Evening Net live stream, and volunteers as an ARRL and W5YI license examiner. Additionally, Gil is an executive member of the East Central Indiana Hamfest, playing a vital role in keeping these complex club operations running smoothly.
We welcome your input!
Constructive feedback and suggestions to improve our website are always appreciated. If you know of any new nets or repeaters within approximately 50 miles of Portland that meet our listing criteria, we’d love to hear about them—we’re happy to include them.
Thanks for visiting!
We hope you find the site useful, informative, and worth returning to.
— Gil Davis, KE9F
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