HISTORY OF WHERE AND WHEN THE NAVY CLUB BEGAN 3 MARCH 1979 

Back in 1979 a few Navy Veterans were meeting on the amateur radio bands each morning on 75 meters, most of them being from Florida...This went on for a few months...The few seemed to be having fun meeting each morning...One morning one of these fine hams came into my office, by the name of Oliver Loventhal W4AHZ...He asked me if I would meet him at his office the next morning...Lovie, as he was known, was the Civil Defense Director of Broward County, Florida at the time...He said that another ham from Ft Myers was going to meet with him and he was going to try to get a few more from our area to meet with them also...The ham from Ft Myers was our founder, Irv Reeves WB4BSW...Also attending was George Graveson K4JI from Plantation...George had something come up that he couldn’t make it...When we met at Lovies office the next morning, Irv had already been working on a program to set up the “NAVY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB”, known today to us members as “NARC”...It looked like things were going to get started with a little help from a few Navy Veteran hams...The Club started out on 75 meters...After a short time there were other Navy men hearing about our venture and Irv started a broader net on the 40 meter band where we still operate each morning...The frequencies have changed over the years due to foreign broadcast stations and QRM...The first Roster, as I remember, was put out by Larry Pierce W4PGD #005 whom was our long time secretary...There were only 44 members on that roster, which I still have a copy of in my files...Of these 44 members, there are 36 of them now silent keys...After members were coming aboard there was a number system started, which we still use to this date...I have to mention that Irv had a very good friend and helper that worked with him on the west coast as they both lived in Ft Myers at the time, and still is net controller on the 3.854 net at 0900 each morning...His name is Al McMullen K4IGI #006...He now resides in Inverness with his retired navy bride Marilyn...(NOTE: Al went SK on 12/14/2007)...I also must mention that Irv’s son, Al Reeves #561 checks in with us on the 3.854...So, you can see that in 1979 with a membership of 44 to where it is today with over 700 member numbers and of that over 200 are active dues paying members...We can thank Irv for starting this very special time we spend with each other for a few minutes each morning...29 years of progress and pride...I have not mentioned the fine reunions and other items I could expound on...Maybe at a later date...Submitted by Jack WA4ZHX #48...5/15/2008