Welcome to GEARS
The Golden Empire Amateur Radio Society of Chico, Butte County, California
For more than 85 years, GEARS has been at the heart of amateur radio in Northern California. Based in Chico, we are a community of radio operators of every stripe, from lifelong hams to curious newcomers, brought together by a love of communication, technology, and public service.
What We’re About
All Aspects of Amateur Radio
Local VHF and UHF nets, cross-country contacts on HF, Parks on the Air and Summits on the Air, chasing DX around the globe: GEARS does all of it. We run everything from vintage tube rigs and CW (Morse code) to the latest digital modes like FT8, and we enjoy the full spectrum of radio technology.
Knowledge, Education & Cooperation
We believe in learning by doing, and in sharing what we know. GEARS members mentor newcomers, teach license classes, and help fellow operators explore new modes, antennas, and homebrew projects. Our meetings and events are open, friendly, and full of chances to pick up something new.
Public Service & Community Support
When disaster strikes or cell networks go down, amateur radio keeps working. GEARS operators support emergency communications throughout Butte County, and we volunteer at local events too, providing radio coverage for bike rides, charity walks, and community fundraisers that help keep our region connected and safe.
Get On the Air with GEARS
Seasoned operator or brand new, there is a place for you here. Come to a meeting, check into one of our weekly nets, and experience the thrill of making contact, whether it is across town or across the world.
GEARS: Keeping the Golden Empire on the air, since 1939.
Membership
Monthly Meetings
When: 3rd Monday of each month, 7:00 PM (doors open at 6:00 PM)
Where: Golden Beaver Distillery - Park Ave Still House, 2420 Park Ave, Chico, CA 95928
Join us for club updates, presentations, project sharing, and good conversation. Meetings are casual and open to all, and visitors and newcomers are always welcome.
Come early, grab a seat, and meet fellow hams from around Butte County.
Membership Fee
New or Renewing?
Membership is $20 per year, due each January. Your dues keep club subscriptions running, help us host events, and keep ham radio alive and well in the North State.
New members join at half price. Send just $10 with your callsign and you are in.
How do I pay?
Pick whichever of these three options is easiest:
Or mail a check to GEARS, PO Box 202, Chico CA, 95927.
Donations
Silent Key Program
Losing a loved one is hard, and it can be harder still when they leave behind amateur radio equipment you are not sure what to do with. Our Silent Key Program helps you weigh your options and choose the best path forward, whether that means selling the gear or donating it for a possible tax deduction.
Monetary Donations
We accept monetary donations three ways. Use whichever is easiest for you.
Or mail a check to GEARS, PO Box 202, Chico CA, 95927.
Calendar
GEARS Repeater Network
Using the GEARS Repeaters
Our repeaters are open to any licensed operator, but courtesy counts.
Please remember:
- Always identify with your call sign as required by the FCC
- Keep transmissions concise and leave breaks so others can join
- Avoid tuning tones, long kerchunks, or music
- Be welcoming to visiting operators and new licensees
Amateur radio runs on respect, learning, and community, and GEARS is proud to reflect those values on every frequency we use.
Questions or Reports
If you run into repeater issues, have a question, or want to help out with repeater maintenance or the technical team, please email us.
GEARS VHF East Repeater (Forest Ranch)
Frequency: 146.850 MHz Offset: – (minus) PL Tone: 110.9 Hz
Coverage: Chico, Forest Ranch, Paradise, and surrounding foothill communities
AllStarLink Node: 57364 (W6RHC)
EchoLink Node: 7818 (W6RHC-R)
This is GEARS’ primary repeater, active for nets, emergency operations, and daily QSOs, with reliable coverage across much of eastern Butte County.
It is also reachable over the internet: on AllStarLink as node 57364 under W6RHC, and on EchoLink as node 7818 under W6RHC-R. EchoLink connects licensed operators to repeaters like this one from a computer or phone anywhere in the world — see EchoLink.org to learn more and to get validated.
GEARS UHF East Repeater (Forest Ranch)
Frequency: 440.650 MHz Offset: + (plus) PL Tone: 110.9 Hz
AllStarLink Node: 56934 (W6RHC)
This UHF repeater reaches well beyond the local area through AllStarLink node 56934, registered under the club call W6RHC. AllStarLink is an open-source network that ties repeaters and hotspots together over the internet, so from a quick chat with a friend in Chico to a contact on the other side of the world, GEARS repeaters keep you connected.
The node replaced an older full-time link to the Worldwide Interoperability Network (the WIN System). That connection is now one of many the club can reach on request rather than one that is always up, and the repeater works normally on RF whether or not a link is active. From your own radio: *3 + node number connects, *70 announces what is linked, and *1 + node number disconnects. Please clear any link when you are finished, and before scheduled GEARS or CERT nets.
The full story, including how authorized CERT operators can drop the internet link ahead of a net or an emergency, is in Glenn Maclean WA7SPY's AllStarLink presentation.
GEARS VHF South East Repeater (Bloomer)
Frequency: 147.945 MHz Offset: – (minus) PL Tone: 110.9 Hz
Coverage: Located above Oroville, it covers The Northern Sacramento Valley: All the way up to Red Bluff and some parts of Redding and down to Roseville and some parts of Sacramento.
It covers The Northern Sacramento Valley all the way up to Red Bluff and some parts of Redding and down to Roseville and some parts of Sacramento.
GEARS VHF West Repeater (Mt. St. John)
Frequency: 147.945 MHz Offset: – (minus) PL Tone: 123.0 Hz
Coverage: Western Butte and Glenn Counties, extending toward the Mendocino National Forest
A great choice for mobile operators and anyone on the western side of the valley, and a strong link for regional communication.
