Our Story

Novice enhancement by the FCC in the early 90’s brought many new hams into the hobby that otherwise would not have shown an interest or explored the hobby. Brother Simon Jaworski at St. Peter’s Catholic School in Greenville began holding Tech Level Ham license classes in cooperation with Brightleaf Amateur Radio Club (BARC). These classes dramatically increased interest in the hobby and brought many new members and prospects to BARC. During one class, a good portion of the class participants were from Beaufort County and naturally congregated together into what would become a new club, Pamlico Amateur Radio Club (PARC).  PARC is a play on words as the members spent time at Goose Creek State Park engaged in the popular radio sport called ‘fox hunting’. After the Superstorm of 93’ this group began to think more about formalizing a Beaufort County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) affiliated club. The Club was formalized in 1994 through Articles of Incorporation filed with the State of North Carolina September 12, 1994, an EIN (Tax ID Number), and 501(c)3 non-profit status. On May 26, 1994, Bob Richardson KD4VBC was named Registered Agent with the State and Joel Sondys KD4WIT served as the inaugural President. The original Club call was KK4EKI so members applied and waited for K4BCH (standing for Beaufort County Hams). On October 15, 1997, K4BCH was granted! Over the years the Club has met at several locations: Wares Chapel, Beaufort County Community College, and Zion Episcopal. The Club’s original repeater was a Motorola tube type repeater that was located on a commercial radio tower on the Southside. The repeater had great coverage – Greenville to the Sound. It covered Farmville and would only start to lose signal in Wilson. The repeater malfunctioned in and was going to be very expensive to repair. Although still working it could barely be heard and was not available through the morning commute. Cell phones were becoming commonplace and Club members lost interest. The Club ceased monthly meetings in the spring of 2010 and the required filings with the state and federal government.

Sometime in 2009 John Sprouse N4VJJ and Connie Sprouse KJ4JUD moved to town. John N4VJJ and Connie KJ4JUD had considerable experience with the Department of Homeland Security and struck up a relationship with John Pack Beaufort County’s Emergency Manager. John N4VJJ began the process of starting a new radio club the Beaufort County Amateur Radio Society (BCARS). In addition, John N4VJJ gathered a Beaufort County ARES working group from BARC membership, began a weekly net, a monthly net between Eastern North Carolina hospitals, and installed a new repeater at Hunter’s Bridge in Bath.  In April 2011 George Armistead KD4MTN, Kirk Blackmon N5NC and Jim Hackney K4AJR began the process of rebooting the Pamlico Amateur Radio Club with the intent of helping this nascent group of Beaufort County Hams. Dave Tabbutt W3DET took the helm as President in June 2011 at the first reboot meeting. Linda Woods AI4MY served as Secretary/Treasurer. John N4VJJ remained Beaufort County ARES EC. The reboot process involved filing forms and reports with IRS, FCC, ARRL and the bank. The website K4BCH.com went up in 2012. The Pamlico Amateur Radio Club has remained in operation continuously since 2012 meeting monthly and maintaining repeater coverage for most of Beaufort County. Club members have participated in SAR exercises, have provided emergency comms during hurricanes, supported community events with comms and kept the radio equipment working and linked to other repeaters in Eastern North Carolina.