We are a group of Amatuer Operators that have formed this group to provide emergency communications for two East valley hospitals. The two hospitals are the Chandler Regional Hospital located at 475 S. Dobson Rd. and the Mercy Gilbert Hospital located at 3555 S. Val Vista Dr.
Our home repeater is located in Gilbert AZ on the Mercy Gilbert hospital with a coordinated frequency of 449.825 with a 100.0 PL and a minus offset. A repeater on the Chandler Regional hospital is in the works and when ready will become our back-up frequency.

Anyone is welcome to view our web site but we do ask that before you sign up that you understand the purpose for this web site. The purpose is to develop a data base of hams that will respond to these two hospitals in an event of an emergency. Also, by signing up on the EVRG website you will receive e-mails that will inform the members of any important information pertaining to the East Valley Repeater Group. We encourage everyone to register with ARES, MCECG, and CERT to get any needed help to improve your level of training with the task of providing communications during an emergency.

Everyone is welcome to join our net on Monday night at 8:00 P.M. on the 449.825 repeater. If you believe that you could help us with this task of providing these hospitals with emergency communications, we encourage you to sign up on our website. You then will be a member of this group and you will receive all e-mails pertaining to this group. Also, as soon as you become a member of the East Valley Repeater Group, we encourage you to develop your own “My Page” site. Use this space to tell us of any training and experience you already have and the capabilities of the equipment you own.

Thanks for stopping by and viewing our website.

SB QST ARL ARLB011
ARLB011 New "PRB-1" Law Now in Effect in Ohio

On May 15, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed a bill into law granting
comprehensive rights to Amateur Radio operators in that state.
Several key players in the successful effort to enact a "PRB-1" law
in Ohio were present for the signing, including Section Manager
Frank J. Piper, KI8GW; Rick Swain, KK8O; Bill Carpenter, AA8EY;
Steve Katz, N8WL, and Constance Barsky, WD8ODC. ARRL Great Lakes
Division Director James Weaver, K8JE, was also at the signing.

Ohio SM Frank Piper provided some background:

"In the past three years, we have had four versions of this bill in
the Ohio Statehouse. In the last State Assembly, these bills died in
Committee. In this current Assembly, everything lined up for us, and
House Bill 158 made the entire journey from Introduction to the
Governor Kasich's signature.

"We had to make a few revisions to HB 158 during its travels through
committee hearings, but in the end we finished with an Act that
places the full language of CFR 47, Part 97.15 into the Ohio Revised
Code. In addition, language at the end of the law states: 'Any
legislative authority that denies an application for approval of an
amateur station antenna structure shall state the reasons for the
denial and shall, on appeal, bear the burden of proving that the
authority's actions are consistent with this section.' This language
removes the burden of proof from the Amateur Radio operator and
places it on the legislative authority.

"State Government Liaison Nick Pittner, K8NAP, did a tremendous job
over the past several years, staying on top of the status of bills
that were running their course on both sides of the Statehouse. Nick
knew when to call in key people to testify to Committees, and was
instrumental in the process of negotiating the required revisions
when requested.

"My thanks go out to all the Amateur Radio operators in the Ohio
Section who called, wrote and e-mailed their State Representatives
and Senators to support this legislation. Without their grass roots
work, this victory would not have been possible."