The New Bern Amateur Radio Club, The Filling Station and Jones County Emergency Services are strengthening emergency communications in Eastern North Carolina with the installation of new radio antennas and repeater equipment at The Filling Station in Pollocksville.
The antennas were installed Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, as part of an ongoing effort to expand ham-radio education and provide practical communication options when ordinary systems are unavailable or disrupted.
Two repeaters support emergency and general radio use
The upgraded system supports two types of radio communication:
- A 2-meter VHF repeater
- A GMRS UHF repeater
The repeaters are available for emergency communications and general radio use. They also create additional opportunities for local residents, volunteers and emergency-response partners to practice using radio equipment before a storm, power outage or other disaster occurs.
The upgraded 2-meter VHF antenna provides 3 decibels of gain over the previous antenna. That improvement significantly increases the repeater’s expected range across Eastern North Carolina.
Duke Energy investment supported the project
The antenna installation was made possible in part by a $10,000 Duke Energy investment in ham-radio and disaster-preparedness education connected to The Filling Station’s onsite office.
Those funds were used to purchase and support key parts of the project, including:
- A new Kenwood VHF repeater
- A 100-watt amplifier
- A repeater controller
- Backup battery power
- A computer for digital communication
- The crane-assisted tower climb needed for the antenna installation
Additional equipment was donated to help complete the system. Donated items included the 2-meter VHF antenna, a GMRS repeater and antenna, coaxial cable with connectors, and a server cabinet to house the radio equipment.
Building preparedness through education
The equipment project is part of a larger partnership that has been developing for the past two years. The Filling Station, New Bern Amateur Radio Club and Jones County Emergency Services have worked together to provide ham-radio education and new licensee training.
The program has trained more than 50 new licensees across Jones, Craven, Lenoir, Carteret, and Onslow counties.
That training is important because emergency communications depend on more than equipment. Operators need the knowledge and experience to use radios effectively, relay information, and work with other agencies and volunteers when normal communication channels are not available.
A community resource for the future
The new antenna and repeater system gives the region another layer of communications capacity while supporting everyday radio use and continued education. It also demonstrates the value of partnerships among nonprofit organizations, amateur-radio operators, emergency-services agencies, businesses, and local supporters.
The New Bern Amateur Radio Club thanks The Filling Station, Jones County Emergency Services, Duke Energy and the volunteers and donors who helped make the project possible. NBARC continues its partnership with The Filling Station through financial support and amateur radio expertise.
