The History of The InterCity Amateur Radio Club (IARC)..

The actual date of when the InterCity Amateur Radio Club was formed is not known, but we do know that 5 gentlemen from the surrounding area formed it in the later months of 1933. The name "InterCity" is not hyphenated deliberately as to distinguish itself as being from all over the area and not just within it. It was registered 1933 with the American Radio Relay League as an Affiliated Club and the name actually was InterCity Radio Club (IRC). Its name was changed in the mid 1970’s to more clearly identify itself as a true bona fide Amateur Radio Club. And so it is.

The club call of W8WE was inherited from one of the clubs most influential members of the time, Bart Geib. By profession Bart was an Ohio State Highway Patrolman. His callsign was adopted in the late 1960’s as the club call. Even though the club had been in existence since 1933 it wasn’t until the later part of the 1980’s that the club actually was incorporated with the state of Ohio and then registered with the IRS as a non-profit organization. Over the years a great many of its members have received state and national recognition for their work in the advancement of the Radio Art.

The IARC holds its meetings monthly beginning in September through June with July and August being summer break. The Club meets at the Mansfield Red Cross Building at 7:30pm. Once each year in May there is a dinner held to honor one of its more outstanding members. This ritual is called the "Ham of the Year" dinner. The member honored is recognized for his/her contributions not only to the Club, but also to the community and Amateur Radio as well. This honorarium has been celebrated since 1968 with a new inductee added each year.

The majority of the Clubs funding comes from annual "Mansfield Mid*Winter Hamfest & Computer Show" (flea market) that his held the second weekend of February each year. Amateurs (more than 2,000 of them) from 20 states come to be a part of this event. 

In 2003 we celebrated our 70^th birthday while the state of Ohio celebrated its 200^th. A testament to both their greatness’. 

IARC’s primary service to the community is in its ability to teach Amateur Radio to the community. Thereby maintaining a corps of "trained communicators." This corps of "communicators" has served its community well over the past 60 plus years by providing a needed communications link between multiple public service agencies when a "Communications Emergency" has been realized.

Along this line they not only teach, but they also test for the Federal Communications Commission through the Volunteer Examiner Program. All Amateur Radio Operators throughout the world must be licensed. The test is comprised of questions concerning National and International Laws, radio theory, and safety.

The InterCity Amateur Radio Club has been instrumental in forming and maintaining what is now known as Skywarn in North Eastern Ohio. These trained weather observers have formed a network of communication relay points for the 33 counties of responsibility to enhance the National Weather Services ability to accurately report on and disseminate back to the general public, severe weather information that it receives. Amateur Radio Operators are responsible for more than 95 percent of the severe weather reported in the Northeasten Ohio area.

In a less formal role, it has been the privilege for members of InterCity to also be the primary communications link for the Miss Ohio Parade, the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure, Pineman Triathlon competition, and many bicycle and walk-a-thons throughout this area.

In the latter part of 2003 the Board of Directors of InterCity took on the challenge of merging the secondary club in Mansfield known as the Mansfield Amateur Service & Emergency Repeaters, Inc (MASER). This merge was completed in February 2004 with all assets from MASER now belonging to InterCity. This included all four repeaters as well as this web site. 

We invite you to come to one of our meetings.  We're sure that you will have fun and be informed as well..