What is LARC? The Lambda Amateur Radio Club (LARC) is an international, non- profit organization of amateur radio operators (hams), short wave radio listeners, and persons interested in amateur radio, electronics and computers most of whom are members of sexual minorities. Most LARC members possess a high degree of technical knowledge relative to radio, electronics and/or computers. Most possess government issued licenses which allow them to operate specialized radio equipment and peripherals. LARC members routinely use their specialized knowledge and equipment to communicate with other hams locally and worldwide! However, even though LARC's talented men and women are making significant contributions to the growth and development of radio, electronic and computer technology, LARC has not been welcomed into the amateur radio community in the United States. Efforts to publicize the existence of the club and thereby expand the membership have been frustrated by the one and only professional organization representing the ham radio community, the American Radio Relay League. The 150,000 member strong League has refused since 1985 to allow LARC to advertise its existence in _QST_ magazine, the ARRL's membership journal. In fact, only one of the three major monthly publications covering the amateur radio hobby currently permits LARC to advertise. AND NONE HAS EVER COVERED LARC FROM A HUMAN INTEREST POINT OF VIEW OR EVEN ONCE PUBLISHED A DESCRIPTIVE PROFILE OF LARC. Unfortunately, we've also been unable to convince the national gay and lesbian media to run a feature on our club. Thus LARC, a very special organization of highly talented sexual minority members, is largely a well kept secret! But the story gets even worse! Two editors of ham radio publications have attacked LARC in print, one as recently as in the September, 1993 issue of his magazine! In March of 1992, LARC filed a discrimination complaint against the ARRL in Connecticut with the aid of the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund. The ARRL is contesting the claim and the process could drag on for years. Meanwhile, we're remain unable to get the word out about our club. I'd like to invite interested netters to join LARC. Here's a description of our club and its activities: LAMBDA AMATEUR RADIO CLUB LARC: Over the Years ===================== The Lambda Amateur Radio Club (LARC) is an international, non- profit organization of amateur radio operators (hams), short wave radio listeners, and persons interested in amateur radio, computers and electronics, most of whom are members of sexual minorities. While most members of LARC are gay men, lesbian women, bisexuals or transgendered individuals, membership is open to anyone supportive of sexual minorities. The club was founded in June of 1975 by a gay American ham radio operator who advertised in a national publication seeking to meet other gays and lesbians with an interest in ham radio. Before long membership consisted of about two dozen persons in the U.S. and Canada. The club grew slowly and operated informally until 1984, when an aggressive campaign was launched to seek out new members and to publicize the existence of the club. Since 1984, membership has increased steadily. LARC currently has members in several countries including the U.S., Canada, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, the Ukraine, and the United Kingdom and is beginning to grow more rapidly as more and more individuals learn about the club. Most but not all LARC members are licensed ham radio operators. Goals and Objectives ==================== LARC is a service-oriented club. During 1986, LARC members adopted a Constitution & Bylaws which set forth the purposes and goals of the club: o offer club membership, benefits, and a sense of community to members of sexual minorities who share a common interest in amateur radio, computers and electronics; o promote friendship and good fellowship; o provide support to members; o conduct an ongoing outreach program; o provide public service; o promote the amateur radio service. LARC members elect club officers for a term of two years. Activities ========== LARC activities consist of E-mail activities on Internet, GEnie and America On Line, and on-the-air meetings of members several times a week on various shortwave bands utilizing voice, Morse code, and digital modes of communication. In addition, the club publishes a monthly newsletter, the LAMBDA NET NEWS. Club members are encouraged to meet and correspond with each other. Members gather at various local events such as computer conventions or hamfests. Once a year, the club conducts an official business meeting at the Dayton Hamvention, one of the largest amateur radio, electronics and computer conventions in the world. Accomplishments =============== LARC members are proud of the accomplishments of the club and its members over the years. The club has been instrumental in aiding persons to obtain their amateur radio licenses. The club has successfully encouraged inactive amateur radio operators to again become active in the hobby. LARC members are active participants in pioneering technical advancements in the realms of amateur satellite communications and digital communications. LARC members have formed local chapters to promote the club at the local level and members continue to express an interest in forming additional chapters. One of the most significant benefits of having local chapters is the local public service they can provide to their community. In addition, LARC has sponsored two OSCAR-13 (Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio) DXpeditions to the Caribbean to activate three new countries on "the bird." LARC: The Future ================= Looking to the future, LARC will become more visible in the sexual minority community and the amateur radio community. Appearances at community and public service events at which members provide communications assistance are planned. An outreach effort to the international community has begun. The continued growth of the club is beneficial to the amateur radio service, which is suffering from a slow growth rate and an ageing population. "Highly skilled and talented members of sexual minorities will continue to make positive contributions to the computer, electronics and amateur radio fields" said Jim Kelly (KK3K), President of LARC. "LARC is a success in large part because we're proud to proclaim the participation and technical accomplishments of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered individuals in these important technical areas". FOR MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION: Lambda Amateur Radio Club LARC Hotline: P.O. Box 24810 (215) 978-LARC Philadelphia, PA 19130 USA (215) 978-5272 Best regards, Jim Jim Kelly (jimkelly@astro.ocis.temple.edu) Graduate School ++++++++\+++++++ Dept. of Political Science +++++++\++++++++ Temple University +++++++\+++++++++ | Amateur Radio Operator & Station Licensee KK3K _| KK3K @ K3PGB.#EPA.USA.NA / \ President, Lambda Amateur Radio Club for \ lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered ham \ radio operators and their supporters. / \ (215) 978 - LARC / \ / \ / \/ "With the abolition of private property, then, we shall have true, beautiful, healthy Individualism. Nobody will waste his life in accumulating things and the symbols for things. One will live. To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all" - Oscar Wilde