Stateline Amateur Radio Services updates for 2024.

First, we would like to thank ALL of our citizens, friends, companies and corporations
that have offered donations to such an important project and cause for all in our service
area!!!
Without donations we simply could not turn our goals into achievements!

I will say I personally believe this is one of the most important tasks and projects
needed in our service area. We have lost to many tower sites, repeaters, emergency
communications, etc.

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We simply lost over half of our 2024 year waiting for our 501(c)(3) status clearance from
the IRS. We are so pleased to finally receive the status clearance, but we did expect a
lengthy process as we did file the long form to simply be absolutely precise in exactly
what all Stateline Amateur Radio Services is all about and only what we are about.
Simply purchasing and placing tower/repeater/communications/Emergency
communications sites starting with Winnebago/Boone to about the Mississippi river to
allow a network for Amateur Radio comms/Emergency Services comms/Nets/and
comms between counties for a first for our Illinois north central and northeast Illinois
regions. This is crucial in timing on weather alerts, further protecting our public. I won’t
go much further since we do have a “Our Story” tab here on our website so please be
sure to view and read that section.

To our updates,

2024,

1. Mostly all paperwork, filings, getting Board and all together to launch.
2. July received in mail our 501(c)(3) status.
3. Purchased our first almost 200 ft commercial full top hat tower system which is
designed to hold approx. 7 to 9 repeater systems and a couple of satellite dishes.
4. Then we started purchasing a few repeaters and further initial equipment.
5. Set up a temporary GMRS repeater system for the Rockford area for PUBLIC
General Mobile Radio Service. This is a service that allows the PUBLIC to simply
apply for a GMRS license with the FCC (Federal Communications Commission),
NO testing, and the license is good for the entire immediate family household and a 10
year period before renewal.
This service will be fully implemented into the new Winnebago County
SKYWARN coming soon. This we felt was crucial in allowing comms and training
with any and all interested in our service area with the idea of adding GMRS to
the SKYWARN command centers coming. We also feel this could help our public
immensely in further protection for their children, families, and friends in a 2nd
form of communications other than cell and when cell fails and/or out of service
areas.
6. We started working with Winnebago County committees and the Board of
Directors over a property to house our 1st commercial tower for the services area.
7. Designed and built website and a GMRS Facebook page for all area GMRS
licensed people.
8. All Winnebago County committee meetings went very well and thus far 100% on
board with our project for a plot of land for our 200 foot commercial tower already
purchased. We hope to be able to finalize soon with them and start installation of our
Master Site for Winnebago County. Then we will start on the back-up Site #2 for
Winnebago County, then next to Stephenson County for site #3.

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Again, we all at Stateline Amateur Radio Services thank all of you for supporting and
donating to such an important cause for our service area in Emergency Service and
Amateur Radio Communications.

Stateline Amateur Radio Services IS a 501 (c)(3) which holds a M20 Emergency
Services Communications NTEE Code and is rated Fully Charitable and Educational.
Please be sure to check with your Accountant and/or accounting firm for particulars as
donations to us are deductible on your taxes as we are a NON-PROFIT.