W7MOT
Arizona-based amateur radio club W7MOT, maintaining repeaters and fostering diverse ham radio activities.
Description
Twenty-four repeaters, including D-STAR and Fusion systems, are maintained and operated by MARCA Inc., primarily located on Arizona mountaintops and around the Phoenix metropolitan area. The organization, holding the callsign W7MOT, facilitates a wide range of amateur radio activities, such as ARRL Field Day events near Forest Lakes, Arizona, and participation in ARRL FMT contests. Members engage in antenna experimentation, construction, and maintenance trips to repeater sites.
The club's interests span diverse topics, including HF voice, digital modes like WSPR, WSJT-X (FT8, FT4), and CW, alongside DXing, MESH networking, and EOC operations. It supports technologies from SDR radio building to antique radio restoration and computer-based operations like Echolink, fostering a Single Board Computer (SBC) and Raspberry Pi group. Monthly meetings, held on the third Tuesday, feature business discussions and guest presentations, with informal summer gatherings and an annual holiday dinner in December.
Monthly VE testing sessions for Technician, General, and Extra Class licenses are conducted by Ray Vasquez, K4RMV. Post-meeting discussions often cover specialized interests such as repeater operations, technical topics, D-STAR, SDR, APRS, Fusion, and Raspberry Pi projects.