Please send QSL's to: WD4OAR Ocoee Amateur Radio Society P.O. Box 502 McDonald, TN 37353

The Ocoee Amateur Radio Society, Inc. , a.k.a. OARS, meets in Cleveland, Tennessee, but includes members from many local surrounding communities. The club formally began in 1995 and was officially incorporated in January 2000. Currently, the club has over thirty members. We are affiliated with the National Association for Amateur Radio a.k.a. ARRL for having over fifty percent of our members holding membership in the ARRL.

Club members participate in activities such as Field Day, radio contesting, fund raisers, community events such as the annual MS Bike-A-Thon and ADA Tour de Cure, and handling emergency communications when needed. Our club's Field Day was rated Tennessee's number one in category for the years 1998 and 1999.

Many of our club members are also affiliated with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service a.k.a. ARES and in addition, help provide communications for the Hiwassee chapter of the American Red Cross when activated. The club provides severe weather spotter reports to the Tennessee-Alabama-Georgia (TAG) Skywarn Net. Our club secretary, David Benton, WB4JGG, currently serves as Emergency Coordinator for Bradley and Polk Counties. Bradley and Polk County ARES maintains a ham radio communications room at the club's meeting location.

Our club meetings are open to the public and held 7 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at the Hiwassee Chapter of the American Red Cross building on Inman St. in downtown Cleveland during the odd numbered months. During the even numbered months, we have an eat and meet at various local restaurants. Check the OARS webpage or listen to the Tuesday night OARS net 9pm on WD4DES 147.18+ T 118.8 for the meeting location. In addition, we have a Saturday morning meeting outside of our regular club meetings. These normally occur 9 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month at various local restaurants. However, the date may change if there are local hamfests taking place on the third Saturday. Therefore, please check the OARS webpage or listen to the Tuesday night OARS net for the Saturday morning meeting location.