Welcome to W2ABC.org, the online home of the Broadcast
Employees Amateur Radio Society (BEARS), Inc. BEARS comprises amateur radio
operators at the ABC Television and Radio and other facilities of The Walt
Disney Company in New York City. Chartered as a New York state non-profit
organization in 1975, BEARS is an IRS-certified 501c3 charitable organization,
and a Special Service Club affiliated with the American Radio Relay League We
are members of the Disney VoluntEARS program, and operate in concert with the
Disney Emergency Amateur Radio Service (DEARS) in Anaheim, California and
Orlando, Florida. We are also in partnership with the Channel Six Amateur
Radio Club at WPVI-TV in Philadelphia. BEARS operates the W2ABC two-meter
repeater system in Manhattan on 147.27 MHz (+), 141.3 PL, and members in good
standing enjoy also enjoy use rights on the co-located K2JRC repeater (443.70
MHz), (+, 127.3 PL) All repeaters are coordinated by MetroCor, the recognized
frequency coordination body in the greater New York area. Our operational area
includes the Five Boroughs of New York City, the north suburban counties of
Westchester and Rockland, much of Long Island, northern and central New
Jersey, and Fairfield County CT.
In November 2007, BEARS completely re-engineered its repeater
system, installing new antenna, duplexers and state-of-the-art
commercial-grade repeaters at both its primary (uptown) and backup (midtown)
transmission sites in Manhattan. Both sites have an output power of about 100
watts at a height above ground of 553 feet (uptown) and about 760 feet
(midtown), and both sites are equipped with generator backup for extended
emergency operation. BEARS is dedicated to communications in service to the
public. We are the primary repeater in the New York area for the Salvation
Army Tactical Emergency Radio Network (SATERN), and also assist the NYC
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and the NYC Radio Amateur Civil
Emergency Service (RACES) which operates under the aegis of the Mayor's Office
of Emergency Management (OEM) of the City of New York. In addition, BEARS is
now in the process of reviving its Volunteer Examiner licensing program,
through which prospective ham radio operators can be mentored, and licensed at
exam sessions conducted on the ABC corporate campus on Manhattan's Upper West
Side.
BEARS membership is open to all Disney/ABC employees who are current or
aspiring amateur radio operators. A limited number of employee-sponsored
associate memberships are also available. Annual BEARS membership dues are
$24/year, which includes autopatch privileges. Discounts for multiyear
memberships paid in advance are available. Now is the best time to join BEARS
as the FCC has lifted the Morse Code requirement for amateur radio licensees.
First-time licensing and license upgrades have never been easier. Log onto the
ARRL website, www.ARRL.org, to purchase exam study guides, and to find ARRL
Volunteer Examiners nearest you. If you’re an aspiring ham, BEARS welcomes
you. If you’re newly-licensed or a ham of many years standing, BEARS welcomes
you. Renew or establish a new BEARS membership TODAY! Click on the membership
application link on our home page to download an application, complete it and
send it together with your annual dues check, made out to BEARS, Inc., to the
address on the form. If you'd like more information on BEARS, feel free to
e-mail us at W2ABC@arrl.net. Thanks for visiting W2ABC.org, and 73!
Email Howard KA2QPJ (president at w2abc dot org), Email
Jerry K2JRC (VP at w2abc dot org)
