The Preservation Net™ History

Below is the history of The Original 220 Preservation Net™. (Don't get confused by any other clubs' claims!)

Conception:

Around the fall of 2007, a couple of Hams from the South side of Chicago started a breakfast... an "eyeball" meeting if you will, for Hams in the area. They researched local licensed Amateur radio operators in the area, using the FCC database via the internet. In January of 2008, with the New Year starting, they sent out postcards as invitations to all local Hams. The postcards made mention of the 220 MHz band, operation in the 220 MHz band, and our local 220 MHz Guys. All were welcome. They put the word out on the air, and word of mouth throughout the Amateur Radio community. Soon, they had a group, of over thirty people at times, showing up from as far as ninety miles away, to meet and greet one another. The event became known as the 220 MHz Guys Meet & Greet Breakfast. Just a group of "Good Guys" getting together to share a common interest in radio communications. The group consisted of Ham radio operators, scanner listening enthusiasts, as well as members and officers from many other clubs and organizations.

In collaborating with an established local large club, that already had two 220 MHz repeaters located on the North and South sides of Chicago, whose members and officers regularly attended our breakfasts; the Preservation Net™ grew as the brain child of one of our founding Hams. He is now our club president -- Kelvin Jackson, W9BBQ.  

In 2009, an agreement was made to hold what we call our “Preservation Net™" on their repeater system. Our “Preservation Net™" was very successful. Soon, after much consideration, the founding group decided to incorporate, and turn this informal group of hams into an organized club.

The club became known as "The 220 MHz Guys Amateur Radio Club©”, which was incorporated on November 18th, 2011. The Club has become successful, and the membership continues to grow!

In fairness to the club that allowed us to use their system for our “Preservation Net™", it was decided by the The 220 MHz Guys Amateur Radio Clubs'© Founders and Board of Directors, to withdraw our Clubs' Preservation Net™ from their system to avoid any conflicts. A letter and email was drafted and sent to the hosting clubs' President, Officers & Board Members. After the letters & emails were sent on the following weekend, an announcement was made by the Net Controller that this night's Preservation Net was our final Preservation Net™ held on their system. Unfortunately, the hosting clubs’ President, Officers and Board Members, failed to read their emails, or pick-up the hard copy of the letter sent to all of them by U.S. mail. Due to their collective incompetency, the announcement unintentionally came as a surprise to them all. The announcement unfortunately made for some hard feelings. But today, a few of their members are members of our club, and participate in our meetings and functions both on and off the air. Unfortunately, to this day, there are some that still have antagonistic feelings toward us. Somehow, a 220 Net continues on that system, but beware - not as the original Preservation Net™.

We’ve moved on…

After many months of working through legal and financial logistics of incorporating, launching and maintaining our club, we have now secured the equipment, location and installation of our first Club Repeater, authorized & coordinated with the Illinois Repeater Association. Our vision, one day, is to build a 220 MHz band repeater system network! This may seem a bit out of reach, but so were the struggles and obstacles before us, at the start-up of this club, and providing a significant club repeater.

And so, here we are!

The repeater is an open repeater, and all are welcome!

Tune to the WM9W repeater on 224.520, with a negative offset, or via EchoLink at WM9W-R, Node 218858,

every Saturday night at 9:00 PM, and check into the best 220 MHz band Net…

“The 220 MHz Guys©, Preservation Net™"

All are welcome!!!!

Tune in, check-in and enjoy... You’ll be glad you did!

Many thanks to Kelvin Jackson - W9BBQ, Julius Horace - W9GHZ, and Steve Hill - KB9DSQ; local Hams that had the vision and fortitude to make their idea a reality!