The Yavapai Amateur Radio Club was established on July 18, 1991.
That was the day the bylaws were accepted by a handful of area hams.
Gene Piety, KH6PP, was responsible for organizing the club’s first
meeting on January 31, 1991. Gene (Silent Key in 1991) authored the
Bylaws as well as the Articles of Incorporation.
The Prescott Amateur Radio Association was the predecessor to YARC.
PARA started sometime in 1974 with forty members. Don Harrison, WA7WZE,
was president with John Hemingway, W7JPN, as Vice-president and Byron
Ballou, W7JSZ, as secretary/treasurer. There isn’t a great deal of
information about the club or it’s members during the seventies. They
did donate seventeen ham radio related books to the Prescott Public
Library in June of 1979. The value of the books was $87.50 (a 1979
Radio Amateur Handbook was valued at $9.75) Bob Tilman, K7CJW, was
President of the club during that year.
In May of 1981, PARA provided communications for the Third Annual
Whiskey Row Marathon. Bob Tilman, K7CJW and Dave Rutledge, W9KRQ,
(sk in 2008) were among the members that day. Also in May the club was there for
the YMCA Walk-a-thon. Bill Kafka (SK in 2013), then W7LLE, and later W2YAV, helped with
communications. Bill was Vice-president during that year with Jim
Wallace, WA7UJG, as president. Not much is written about the club
after 1983. They didn’t keep any newsletters, if there were any published.
First Organization Meeting January 31, 1991
Second Organizational Meeting February 21, 1991
Attendees at First Organization Meeting The Yavapai ARC Signal Vol. I No. 1
We Are the Yavapai Aamteur Radio Club
By-laws Voted on and Approved July 18, 1991
Letter from Leonard Beers, KB7FRV dated November 27, 2010