 E.A.R.S. History
Electronic Applications Radio Service was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in 1993 as a support group for the 145.150 repeater in Evansville and the 146.925 repeater in Vincennes, Indiana. The group was informally known prior to this as the Southwest Indiana Amateur Transmitters. Currently, E.A.R.S. is recognized as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The purpose of E.A.R.S. is to educate and provide for amateur radio operations in the midwest. The establishment of the E.A.R.S. Wide Area Repeater Network has been a major undertaking of the organization. In late 1994, the E.A.R.S. group assumed the operation of the 145.25 repeater in Indianapolis. This system was linked into the previous network, thus creating a near state-wide repeater network in Indiana. The E.A.R.S. network is the second largest repeater network in the midwest. The group was founded by Marty Hensley KA9PCT, as the repeater originally was a personal repeater under his callsign. With the assistance of several others, the system expanded and so E.A.R.S. was formed to assist with the financing and publicizing of the system. In April 1995, the FCC granted the callsign KB9KBT to the organization. In December 1996, the FCC granted to vanity callsign W9EAR. In 1997, an agreement was made for the Marion Co. ARS to assume operation of the 145.25 Indianapolis repeater in cooperation with EARS to better facilitate local needs.
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