The Mile High Radio Club (MHRC) headquartered in Idyllwild, CA. Nestled in the San Jacinto Mountain Range of Riverside County is an active organization that welcomes new members. MHRC serves the mountain communities of Idyllwild, Fern Valley, Pine Cove, Mountain Center, Garner Valley and Poppet Flats by providing an opportunity for licensed amateur radio operators to meet and exchange knowledge and experience.
We have members skilled in the technical aspects of ham radio communication who are always willing to help those interested in advancing their knowledge of radio or those having problems with their radios. We also enjoy the social aspects of meeting with people having the same interests we do.
Mile High Radio Club
Celebrating our 34th year, the club was formed in 1989 by a small group of individuals wanting the social contact and exchange of knowledge with others who were interested in amateur radio. They soon recognized the importance of amateur radio and the role radio communication could play in the event of disasters. Some time later, a VHF repeater station (KD6OI) was assembled on the Pine Cove Water District property where it remained for many years. In 2021, the repeater was moved to its current Pine Cove location, along with a second repeater (N6MRN). This repeater site, due to the 6000 foot plus elevation, provides amateur radio communications to greater Southwestern Riverside County.
While the club’s core values are focused on emergency communications through our financial sponsorship of the Mountain District RACES organization and maintenance of the repeater, we also enjoy the fellowship of like-minded people, some of whom are not able to dedicate themselves to RACES. The Club often provides communication for non-emergencies such as parades, bike races and festivals around town.
The club continues to educate their members on the use of their radio equipment. Should one be inclined to consider amateur radio as a hobby and is currently not licensed, instructional guidelines and study aids can be provided at a minimal cost for self study. The licensing process, including study time can take as little as 4 weeks in your spare time.
Programs & field trips
This year’s programs will include various local field trips and radio training exercises. On the social side, we are currently planning potluck dinners before some of our meetings and a barbecue for the annual “Field Day” event held on the fourth full weekend of June.
Help is always available to new Ham Operators and any Amateur Operators having questions or problems with their radios.
Many forms of recreational and social uses for amateur radio are also promoted by our club. For example, every year our club hosts an event called “Field Day”, held on the fourth full weekend of June. Field Day is an event that is organized by ARRL (Amateur Radio Relay League) and is conducted across the entire country. During this event, individual clubs, organizations and stations promote and demonstrate the use of amateur radio to the general public. For this event, our club sets up a camp site (complete with barbeque and refreshments), exhibiting the various forms of amateur radio equipment and emergency power (solar, battery and generator) supplies and systems along Highway 243 for a 24-hour period. Fun is had by all in attendance and by those visitors that stop by each year.