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It was on
October 9th, 1931 that the Astoria Amateur Relay League held
it's first meeting of interested local amateur radio operators.
The meeting was held at the KFVI broadcasting station studio
located on the Mezzanine Floor of the Hotel Astor, later named
Astor Hotel and later John Jacob Astor Hotel.
Station KFVI
moved to Klamath Falls in the late 1930's. The station's antenna
was a multiwire flat-top (Marconi) located on the Hotel Astor's
roof. It was used on the 160 meter ham band for hours. Since it
start in 1931 the local amateur radio club has had eight (8)
call signs.
The Sunset
Amateur Radio Club is Clatsop County Memorial Station by reason
of it's method of information and old two letter call (W7BU)
assigned to the Club by the Federal Communication Commission
(FCC). This call was originally assigned to Wayne Harris of
Astoria. Wayne was a well known old timer in amateur radio
circles of the Pacific Northwest and, in addition, he was a
top-flight commercial telegraph operator in the maritime
service. His key is retained in the Club's trophy case. In
memory of his death in 1971, and with the approval of Mrs.
Harris, a request was made to the FCC that his call, W7BU, be
assigned to the Sunset Amateur Radio Club.
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