The Ole Virginia Hams (“OVH”) is a non-profit club organized for the educational and scientific study of electronics and communications, to provide amateur radio communication services for the public and for related activities. The OVH is associated with the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the National Amateur Radio Club.
The club was formed more than 50 years ago by a group of local amateur radio operators located in the City of Manassas, Virginia and in western Prince William William County, Virginia and nearby areas. Over the years the size of the club has grown considerably and currently we have about 110 members. The club is incorporated as a non-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
The OVH’s purposes include “to create interest in amateur radio, to promote study and experimentation in amateur communications, to further the art and to provide a common bond for all those interested in amateur radio.”
Activities in which the OVH and its members are involved include:
- Operating and providing VHF and UHF radio repeaters for western Prince William County and nearby areas
- Providing training for all amateur radio FCC license classes
- Providing (VEC) examination sessions / testing required for all FCC license classes
- Providing scholarships for high school students within Prince William County
- Providing message traffic handling – personal, health, and welfare emergencies – via the National Traffic System (NTS)
- Providing severe weather reports, weather watching, road closings, etc. for the National Weather Service under the SKYWARN network
- Providing public service communications for local government and charitable group events (i.e., bike-a-thons, walk-a-thons, parades, etc.)
- Participating in FEMA and Red Cross emergency preparedness drills and similar programs held within Prince William County and surrounding areas
- Participating in Amateur Radio Field Day – an exercise in emergency preparedness with amateurs around the world.
The OVH Club dues are $25.00 each year, 1/2 this amount if paid after July. There are reduced rates for certain full time students and for additional members living in the same household as another member. Full details about new membership applications, annual dues, renewal dues for existing members, the OVH Constitution and By-Laws, etc. are on the OVH Membership Application page at this web site.
The Ole Virginia Hams Amateur Radio Club hold its meetings in the evenings in the Manassas, Virginia area on the third Monday of each month. The time and place of each meeting is announced in advance to the OVH Members and on this web site. Currently meetings are held at the Buckhall VFD Training Room, 7190 Yates Ford Road, Manassas, VA.
For new visitors here seeking printable, summary information about the OVH, please click here for a printable, PDF file.