FHARC Repeater Shack Tour

The FHARC Repeater serves as a vital communication hub for amateur radio operators in the region. It is strategically housed in the Butler County Emergency Communications Shack, a facility designed to support both everyday communications and emergency operations when traditional systems fail.

The shack is located on the campus of Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kansas, which provides both accessibility and a central location for coverage across Butler County and surrounding areas. The college setting also allows opportunities for outreach and education, introducing students and the community to amateur radio and its role in public service.

During our visit to the Communications Shack, we were greeted by Kevin Worrell, Butler County’s Radio System Administrator, and Chip DuFriend, the Network Administrator at Butler Community College. Both of them play key roles in maintaining the reliability of the county’s radio and data infrastructure.

Kevin provided insight into the public safety radio systems that operate alongside our amateur radio equipment.

Together, they walked us through the layout of the shack — pointing out racks of county equipment, backup power systems, cooling infrastructure, and network distribution panels. Their explanations helped put our FHARC repeater into context: while relatively small compared to the county’s multimillion-dollar public safety systems, it is an important auxiliary tool. In an emergency, our amateur radio capabilities can bridge gaps and provide a redundant communication path when other systems are overloaded or compromised.

Strategic Cooperation

The FHARC repeater is hooked up to the shack’s short term battery backup, and a Generex backup generator for longer term emergencies. This allows local amateur radio operators to provide critical backup communications during natural disasters, severe weather events, or other crises where normal communication channels may be compromised.

Flint Hill Amateur Radio Club is very lucky to have the support of both the College and the County. By placing the repeater within the Emergency Communications Shack, FHARC ensures that it is integrated with the county’s emergency preparedness infrastructure.

The antenna is installed on the County’s 500 foot tower connected to the shack. This installation ensures vital emergency communications remains strong during emergencies. The repeater’s placement also gives it a solid elevation advantage, improving signal propagation. This ensures stronger, clearer transmissions for local hams, whether they’re checking into a net, engaging in day-to-day QSOs, or assisting in public service events.