Ham radio for the Lewis‑Clark Valley.
Hell's Gate Amateur Radio Club is a group of licensed operators at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers — on the air for fun, for each other, and for the community when it matters most.
A club built on the local terrain.
Hell's Gate Amateur Radio Club took its name from the canyon country around Lewiston and Clarkston — basalt rimrock, river confluence, and enough elevation change to make VHF/UHF propagation genuinely interesting. We've been on the air since around 2017, and our members range from brand-new Technicians to operators who've been keying up since before repeaters had autopatch.
We exist to make the hobby more accessible, keep the local repeaters and nets running, and put trained operators in the field when the valley needs communications support — whether that's a community bike ride, a boat race on the Snake, or something less planned.
Our full history, event photos, and day-to-day chatter live on our Facebook group — this site is the front door; Facebook is where the club actually happens.
What we do
- Weekly on-air nets, open to anyone with a radio
- Monthly license testing with local VEs
- Mentorship for newly licensed hams
- Public-service & emergency communications support
- Repeater upkeep across the valley and hilltops
Nets & repeaters.
Two standing nets a week, plus an informal monthly meetup. Check in with your callsign; visitors and new hams are always welcome.
| Frequency | Offset | Tone | Site |
|---|---|---|---|
| 146.960 | −600 kHz | 94.8 Hz | WA7HGR (2m) |
| 444.375 | +5 MHz | 94.8 Hz | WA7HGR (70cm) |
| 223.960 | −1.6 MHz | 100 Hz | KB7RKY (1.25m) |
| 462.675 | GMRS Ch. 20 | 141.3 Hz | GMRS — license required, separate from Amateur Radio |
The 223.960 repeater has no automatic ID — identify manually as KB7RKY. All club repeaters are open, and their use is encouraged.
Meetings, testing & new hams.
No license, no invitation, no experience required to show up. Bring questions — someone will have answers.
3rd Thursday, 7 PM
Harvest Wesleyan Youth Center
902 11th St, Clarkston, WA
Donuts & Ham
2nd Saturday, 9 AM — Rosauers, Lewiston, ID
No agenda, just coffee, donuts, and radio talk. Come as you are.
We'll get you on the air
From your first Technician study session to your first repeater check-in, club members mentor new operators one-on-one. Ask about license testing at a meeting.
Join the conversation on Facebook.
Event photos, repeater updates, net reminders, gear talk, and the fastest way to reach the membership — our Facebook group is the real hub of the club. Request to join and introduce yourself.
Request to join the group →Get in touch.
Questions about the club, testing, or repeaters — reach out by email or find us on Facebook. We'll get back to you.