Welcome to the Home of the Desert RATS
Welcome to the home of the Desert Radio Amateur Transmitting Society. We are located in the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, California and serve Amateur Radio operators in and around the Coachella Valley, including the cities of Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Coachella and Indio.
Upcoming Meetings
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, December 17th at 7:00 P.M.
It will be a Zoom meeting and the Zoom details will be sent out to the newsletter list on Monday prior to the event. If you would like to sign up for our newsletter, click here.
“ARES: What You Need To Know”
Don Stouder, N1GAY will be presenting.
In this presentation, Don will discuss the modern mission of ARES, how people can participate, and what EMCOMM roles look like. He will discuss the Incident Command System as well as the kinds of risks found here in the Coachella Valley. Don will also review some lessons learned from recent weather-related disasters, and the important role that Amateur Radio played in neighbors helping neighbors.
Upcoming Events
Winter Field Day
January 25th & 26th 2025
The RATS will again conducting Winter Field Day operations from Lake Cahuilla Regional Veterans Park in La Quinta.
More details will be available soon.
Club Picnic – Save the Date
We will be holding our annual Club Picnic on March 22nd at the Lake Cahuilla Veterans Park (same location as last year). Save the date – more details will be forthcoming as we get closer.
A Note on Amateur Radio License Testing
Remote Testing for amateur licensing is available from the Greater Los Angeles Amateur Radio Group (GLAARG).
GLAARG is one of the 14 FCC-recognized Volunteer-Exam Coordinators conducting amateur radio exams. GLAARG is a VEC testing organization, not a radio club. Our exam fee is $10 for remote exams and $10 for in-person exams. Exam fees are waived for minors, students with a current ID, first responders, Active Military, Veterans, and GLAARG VEs upgrading to Extra.
For more information on times for the online testing please see the GLAARG website here.
Note that GLAARG also offers in-person testing when COVID regulations permit.
Other Testing Resources
The ARRL is facilitating video supervised on-line examinations. This testing is made available by video from a number of Clubs.
For more information, the ARRL website for remote testing is available here.
Also, Marc – N9WIB has assembled a series of technician class license tutorials. There are 20 presentations covering all the topics related to getting your initial ham radio license and all are posted on YouTube. This content is free and open to all Amateur Radio Clubs to use as an educational tool. Links and further information are available on his website here.
Here is a study aid for the web and smartphones available here.
Members of the Desert RATS club try our best to live by this code at all times.
The Radio Amateur Is:
* CONSIDERATE…never knowingly operates in such a way as to lessen the pleasure of others.
* LOYAL…offers loyalty, encouragement and support to other amateurs, local clubs, and the American Radio Relay League, through which Amateur Radio in the United States is represented nationally and internationally.
* PROGRESSIVE…with knowledge abreast of science, a well-built and efficient station and knowledge above reproach.
* FRIENDLY…slow and patient operating when requested; friendly
advise and counsel to the beginner; kindly assistance, cooperation and consideration for the interests of others. These are the hallmarks of the amateur spirit.
* BALANCED…radio is an avocation, never interfering with duties owed to family, job, school or community.
* PATRIOTIC…station and skill always ready for service to country
and community.
