The Orinda Radio Interest Group (FCC Amateur Radio club call-sign K6ORI) is a volunteer emergency communications team based in Orinda, California. Amateur Radio operators (Hams) in the club are an Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) team available for emergency and public service communications assistance to local communities and organizations. Anyone in the community with an interest in Emergency Communications is welcome to participate in our meetings, training, and drills. Trained and qualified volunteers are always of value in times of distress.

Membership in the Orinda Radio Interest Group is free. To remain a member, you will need to attend a minimum number of training sessions and drills each year (depending of the level of commitment you are making to the team). There are also some required minimum training (certification) requirements.

Weekly Net Schedule

K6ORI has a weekly radio net on Wednesday nights at 7:45PM which "meets" on the Orinda Simplex Frequency (147.540). Following the simplex portion of the net, members will change frequency (QSY in ham terms) to use the Baynet UHF repeater (443.975+100.0) for a second round of check-ins.

We encourage any Orinda-based ham to participate in these weekly nets. We invite any other hams who hear either of these nets to check in as well.

Training Opportunities

For Amateur Radio license training classes, see our Technician Class Amateur Radio License training. The next classes for prospective new Ham radio operators will begin on May 13th, 2008. There will be six two-hour sessions on consecutive Tuesday nights through June 1th. Classes start at 7:00PM in the Sarge Littlehale room at the Orinda City Office Building.

We have tentatively scheduled a meeting for all K6ORI members and other interested parties for 6May (Tuesday) at 7:00PM. This is intended to be continuing training for new hams and an organizing meeting for the group as a whole. We have requested use of the Community Room at the Orinda City Office Building.

For CERT graduate classes in Radio skills, see the CERT radio courses page.

No other training or drills are scheduled at this time.

K6ORI Notes

13May Weekly Net

We had 8 checkins this week. KI6OUN (a regular). KI6OUM got in from his roof(?). KI6OUH, and W6MDH. N4DLA ran the net. KI6OUK and KI6OUL got back to the radio a few mnutes late and checked in. We didn't do so well on the Repeater portion. There's always next week.

7May Weekly Net

We had 9 checkins this week. KI6OUJ and KI6OUN (regulars). KI6OUM got in from his roof(?). KI6OUG, KI6OUH, and KI6OUL checked in for the first time as did KQ6OL who recenty heard about the net. W6AHD (another regular) checked in as well. We all (with the exception of W6AHD) then got over on the repeater and did the roll call again. It was a very successful net.

UPDATE - 6May Radio Skills Session

We held our skills update as planned. Trevor Hall (WA6JAU) of MDARC and Matthew Vurek (N4DLA) came as elmer-support and about a dozen new hams, aspiring hams, and a guest attended as well. It felt like we were on a much better pace and many folks seemed MUCH more comfortable by the end of the evening. Jordan is most pleased.

16April Weekly Net

The net began a couple of minutes late. KI6OUN was the only member to check in successfully. KI6OUM was, again, unable to reach W6MDH.

K6ORI Radio Facilities

K6ORI uses two Amateur Radio Service frequencies for normal operation: a VHF simplex frequency (147.540) and a UHF Repeater (443.975+100.0). The simplex frequency was assigned by the Contra Costa County ARES/RACES organization. The Baynet East Bay Hills repeater has been made available by its owners for emergency communications by licensed hams who are members of K6ORI. We will also use it, by further permission, for drills, training, and general local communications. The Baynet repeater is an "OPEN" repeater licensed members of the community are invited to use.