Early Radio Pioneer

Bill C. Roper definitely deserves a place on the list of “Montana’s Earliest Radio Pioneers” He obtained his first Amateur Radio License June 16, 1933. Bill enjoyed designing, building, and testing his own radio equipment and experimenting with various antenna designs and techniques.

He was very active in promoting Amateur Radio by helping anyone who showed an interest in obtaining their license. He administered many of the exams for new “hams” in the area.

Bill was always active on the local Amateur Radio Nets passing messages and running phone patches as needed. He served many years as the local “Amateur Radio Emergency Service Co-ordinator” for Glacier County and the surrounding area. He was always available to help by providing communications for the Lewis and Clark Days “Fun Runs” and other community activities.

The members of the “Highline Amateur Radio Club” feel very honored in obtaining Bill’s call for the group and want to say a big “Thank You” to his family for allowing us to do so.

Highline Radio – Current Members, Stations and Links

Members

• K7JAQ – Roy Nollkamper
• KA7DJK – Tom Shock
• W7AMK – Darrell Stafford
• KE7SFX – Carla Stafford
• KE7SFW – Aurora Stafford
• KE7QIP – Cliff Wevley
• N6ITA – Dave Jacobson

Highline Radio – HARK

The Highline Amateur Radio Klub had it’s begining on November 9th, 1975. Their constitution was adopted on December 8th, 1975.

The following officers were elected:

• Bill Roper W7DPK – President
• Jack McNichol W7IMG – Vice President
• Darrell Smith W7LVY – Treasurer
• Velma Cheety WB7BWV – Secretary

HARK’s First Project

Installing a 2 meter repeater (22/82) on the Hudson Bay Divide.

The repeater was relocated to 10/70 at Mt. Baldy, south of the Marias Pass in 1976. Another repeater was added to replace the One at Hudson Bay. In 1978 a remote base was installed at Mt Baldy and the 10/70 repeater was linked to a repeater at Plains.  The Hudson Bay Repeater has been updated periodically and now uses Motorola equipment both VHF and UHF, plus a digipeater and APRS site was installed in 2015.

Highline Amateur Radio Club

Membership of the “Highline Amateur Radio Klub” declined through the 90’s and activity gradually dropped off to almost nothing. Especially after Phil and Velma Cheety left town in late 1997.

In late July of 2006 the “Red Eagle Fire” from Glacier Park swept through the Hudson Bay area and knocked out our 146.820 repeater. The building survived with some exterior damage but the wooden antenna pole collapsed.  A new antenna pole was installed by Glacier Electric Cooperative and VHF and UHF antennas were installed.

The repeater has since been upgraded to Motorola equipment, new antenna installed and a 100.0 Hz tone used to help cover some local QRN.  Activity has increased and there is a possibility of adding a UHF repeater to the site with plans to link to our Canadian friends to the north.

The GE Master Pro was removed to Cut Bank to be checked out and a new pole and antenna was installed. The GE survived but after so many years of service did need some repairs. Meanwhile a Motorola Micor was donated to us so it was tuned up and put into service in late October of 2006.  The Micor was subsequently replaced by a Motorola MSR5000.

2007

 

The W7DPK/RB System was installed in the control tower at the airport. The UHF input is 443.450 Mhz simplex and the VHF output is switchable usually set to work the 146.740 W7ECA repeater located on Highwood Baldy, south of Great Falls.

2008

The W7DPK UHF (443.300 Mhz) repeater was installed on “Tank Hill” which is southeast of Cut Bank.

2009

Cliff added KE7QIP-L Echolink node # 400129 on 147.350 Mhz. and the KE7QIP/RB system UHF in on 446.820 Mhz simplex. VHF output is switchable to local area repeaters.

Local Information

Local Area Frequencies

If you are traveling in North Central Montana you might try any of these frequencies.

freq / offset / tone         call                      location

146.820 ( – ) 100.0         K7JAQ / R         Hudson Bay Divide – 5 miles South of St. Mary

146.700 ( – ) 103.5         K7HR / R           Mt. Baldy – 25 miles South of East Glacier

146.640 ( – ) 100,0         W7SWT / R        Mt. Royal – 30 miles North of Chester

146.670 ( – )                   VE6EVY / R      Milk River Ridge – North of Browning

146.740 ( – ) 100.0         W7ECA / R        Highwood Baldy – 30 miles East of Great Falls

146.910 ( – ) 100.0         W7HAV / R       Mt. #1 – 30 miles South of Havre

147.080 (+) 100.0          AA7GS / R         Mt. Royal – 30 miles North of Chester – Linked to MRLA

147.200 ( + )                  KE7QIP / R        Tank Hill, Cut Bank – Local coverage

147.350 (S)                    KE7QIP- L         Echolink Node # 400129 – Cut Bank

441.200 (+) 100.0          K7JAQ / R         Hudson Bay Divide – 5 miles South of St. Mary

443.450 (S)                    W7DPK / RB     Cut Bank – Local X-band to 146.740 above also switchable

443.300 ( + )                  W7DPK / R        Cut Bank – Local Area Coverage

443.325 ( + )                  K7IQA / R         Cut Bank – Local Area Coverage

443.375 ( + ) 88.5          K7HR / REM     Mt. Baldy – as above – with remote VHF base.

444.700 ( + ) 114.8        KE7BBN / R      Mt. #1 – 30 miles South of Havre

446.820 (S)                    KE7QIP / RB     Cut Bank – Local X-band to VHF switchable

447.125 ( – ) 100.0         W7HAV / R       Cement Hill – Havre