About The Western Oregon Radio Club

The Western Oregon Radio Club (WORC) was incorporated in 1994 as a non-profit Amateur Radio club located in Beaverton Oregon. The clubs members mainly focus on radio related technical projects and have developed an extensive VHF/UHF radio repeater network providing coverage over a large portion of northwest Oregon. These repeaters are RF (radio frequency) linked to other interstate radio networks throughout the Pacific Northwest.

The current roster of repeaters participating in the Evergreen Intertie system includes 29 separate repeaters which enables users on any local repeater to be heard on all other repeaters that are connected together. This provides reliable long distance communications over a vast area. The majority of the clubs radio sites are located in hardened facilities with battery and generator backup power capabilities. This results in a robust communications network that is proven reliable in case of natural disasters or emergency situations.

The club supports other forms of Amateur radio activity including Voice over Internet Protocol systems, a connection to the public telephone system (Phone Autopatch), a weather alert monitor for NOAA weather emergency weather warnings, D-Star repeaters, and of course a low power FM Broadcast station, KISN-LP.

The WORC conducts several over the air meeting "nets" each week on the repeater system and is also connected throughout the Northwest in WA and in ID. A local user net is conducted each week on Wednesdays at 7 PM to provide up to date information about the local repeaters and to answer user questions. Please refer to the clubs dedicated website for frequencies, http://worc.info/

The WORC repeaters are all open for licensed Amateur Radio Operators to use. The clubs network has been used to support several public service activities. In addition, the WORC plays an integral part in the District ARES plan and has been active during exercises and real emergency activities.

THE WORC Promoting Amateur Radio and LPFM

In 2001, WORC club member Ken Seymour (KA7OSM) applied to the FCC for an LPFM license to be located in Newberg Oregon (the only area open for a station at the time in the Portland market). Due to a commercial FM station trying to move a station that they owned in another market into Portland a delay of 8 years resulted since they also applied for the same frequency. The WORC filed numerous letters to the FCC objecting the tactics of the commercial "move-in" station. Finally, the FCC issued the WORC a construction permit (CP) to operate on a different frequency. Then, on February 7, 2009 KQSO-LP signed on the air with 1 watt ERP on a frequency of 102.9 MHz.

In early 2014, the WORC applied to the FCC to move KQSO-LP to the city of Portland on a radio facility located on Mt. Scott. FCC rules only allow one entity to own one LPFM station. Therefore, the FCC would require the WORC to divest KQSO-LP in Newberg before the club could launch the new Portland station on Mt Scott. In August of 2014, Scott Young (N7SY) and Ken Seymour met and agreed to pool resources in an attempt to resurrect a tribute station to KISN radio which was a popular AM station in the Portland market from 1959 to 1976.

On October 21, 2014, Ken Seymour successfully negotiated use of the KISN call sign from the licensee of the current KISN radio station located near Bozeman, Montana. Subsequently, a press release was issued on November 28, 2014 where Ron Polluconi (KJ7IY), WORC club President, announced that "finally after 38 years the KISN call sign and radio signal will return to Portland via the FM airwaves". Then, on May 1, 2015, at 9:51 a.m. KISN-LP commenced broadcasting 24 hours a day 56 years later to the day when the original KISN launched in 1959.

The WORC acknowledges that "we can't entirely recreate the hype that KISN generated in the 60's. Times are different now as Boomers have matured and are more sophisticated. So, our attempt is to provide enjoyment and bring the real oldies programming supplemented with other entertainment back to Portland's airwaves and beyond". Amateur radio operators have a code of honor. Whereas, Amateur radio is first and foremost designed to provide goodwill among the peoples of the world and we are ambassadors of their community. The WORC is proactive in promoting amateur radio and encourages people of all ages to join the hobby. We encourage and will help promote any other amateur radio club who contacts us.

Members of the WORC's Broadcast Committee include:
Scott Young (N7SY)
Rhiner Johnson
Dirty Dave The Record Slave
Ken Seymour (KA7OSM)
Beth Buffeta
WORC Board Members are:
Ron Polluconi (KJ7IY)
Mike Hemel (KB7WUK)
Kris Schatz (K7RIS)