Born from the 1974 Xenia Tornado
On April 3, 1974, an F5 tornado tore through Xenia, Ohio — killing 34 people and destroying a third of the city in minutes. Communications collapsed. Emergency responders couldn't coordinate. The disaster exposed a critical gap in local emergency preparedness.
Amateur radio operators stepped in. Their ability to communicate when everything else failed made the difference — and local leaders took notice. Bellbrook and Sugarcreek Township officials formed a communications support group as part of their Disaster Plan, and on July 4, 1976, the Bellbrook Amateur Radio Club was officially founded with 20 charter members.
That founding mission — being ready when it matters most — still drives everything we do today.
A general purpose club with serious purpose
BARC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with over 120 members drawn from Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Township and the surrounding region. We're a general purpose club — meaning there's something here for every ham, whether you're a newly licensed Technician or a seasoned Extra class operator.
Monthly meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month at 7: 00 PM at the St. Pierre Education Center. The club is funded through modest annual dues and member donations — no commercial interests, no sponsors, just hams supporting hams.
The St. Pierre Education Center
BARC has called the St. Pierre Education Center home since 2025, following years at the old Sugarcreek Elementary School where we first established our clubhouse in 2007. The new facility features a freshly installed antenna array and a fully equipped radio room.
The clubhouse serves as our meeting room, training center, and a four-station communications center — used for on-air operations, contesting, demonstrations, training, and as a full BARC/Greene County ARES Emergency Communications Center when a local, county-wide, or regional emergency demands it.
Not sure of the entrance? Call us on the BARC repeater 147.045 MHz (+ offset, no tone) or phone 937-310-1381 and someone will direct you.
Mission & Purpose
Licensing & Elmering
We run Technician and General class license courses and pair newcomers with experienced Elmers for one-on-one guidance.
Emergency Comms
As a Greene County ARES affiliate, BARC members train and deploy to support emergency communications when called upon.
On the Air
Weekly nets, Field Day, POTA activations, and contesting keep our members active on HF, VHF, and UHF.
ARRL Special Service Club — Ohio's 8th
In December 2022, BARC received a renewed Special Service Club designation from ARRL Ohio Section Manager Tom Sly — making us the 8th club in Ohio to earn this distinction. The SSC award recognizes clubs that go well above and beyond for their communities.
- Recruit, assist, and train new ham radio operators
- Offer continuing technical and operational education and practical training
- Establish an effective community presence — promoting Amateur Radio and providing public service and emergency communications support
- Promote individual and organized group operational activities and training
- Maintain ongoing special interests and unique activities that give the club a special personality
Affiliated Organizations
BARC is deeply connected to the broader amateur radio community through active participation in these organizations.
BARC provides emergency and auxiliary communications during disasters through ARES — coordinating with Greene County and regional emergency management agencies.
arrl.org/ares →The national association for amateur radio in the Americas. ARRL oversees licensing, emergency communications, contesting, and club programs including the SSC designation.
arrl.org →Our local ARES affiliate coordinating emergency communications across Greene County. If you're interested in emergency comms in Greene County, this is your starting point.
gcares.net →For members operating in Montgomery County, MoCoARES provides emergency communications coordination across the Dayton metro area.
mocoares.org →Join BARC
Licensed amateurs and SWLs (short-wave listeners) are welcome. Not yet licensed? Contact us — we'll connect you with our next Technician class.