From Don, N6ALD...

Just dropping you a line to tell you that the amateur radio station at West Covina, CA Post 790 is up and working. we now have working amateur radios on H.F., 6 meters, 2 meters and 440 MHz. I also installed a public service scanner covering 30 to 900 MHz. Yes it is in a closet but we will survive.

Additional information;

Just a hint for posts having trouble getting radios, since the F.C.C. rules change requiring narrow band (12.5khz) radios on all commercial and public safety frequencies a lot of old radios have jumped into the "what do we do with this stuff" box. Well I will tell you, you get them donated to the local A.L. post and then use them for amateur radio, that's is where all of our V.H.F. & U.H.F. came from. Yes there are different than high priced ham radios but they are FREE!!! and they do work very well.

I have also decided to put in a G.M.R.S. radio at the post and a G.M.R.S. repeater up on a hill top. This will allow post members to set up a radio in their home and allow their non-amateur family members 2 way communications after a disaster with their legion volunteer amateur radio husbands who are doing disaster relief work. Since in So. Cal ALL of the wireline (HOME) and wireless (CELL) phones may be out of service for months after a major earthquake (after the 1971 San Fernando earthquake the telephone company found their central office switch out in the middle of the street, their building was O.K. but the earthquake just threw the dial tone and routing switch out of the building). Lots of family members of A.L. amateur radio operators WILL NOT get a ham licence and the G.M.R.S. system will support family communications. Disaster operations will not be allowed on this G.M.R.S. repeater this repeater will be used for volunteer to family welfare communications only. Note G.M.R.S. requires an F.C.C. license which costs $85.00 but has no test and only one license is required PER FAMILY.

Don Best, N6ALD