Mission Statement
To be recognized by the citizens of the Toledo area as the leader in providing support services to the community through amateur radio.
The Toledo Mobile Radio Association is an organization based on amateur radio activities. The TMRA is the largest of 5 similar organizations in the Toledo, Ohio area. The organization was originally founded to provide emergency communications should some type of disaster occur.
TMRA was founded in December of 1953 by Maynard “Red” Nelson, W8HHF; Karl Koella, W8VSB; and John Rosenberger, W8WIT. Approximately 15 amateurs met at the American Red Cross Building near Downtown Toledo for the first monthly business meeting of the new organization. Today the organization is still prepared to provide emergency communication along with participating in a variety of other activities related to amateur radio and community service, such as providing communication services for local running marathons, bikeathons, and parades.
Over the years, the TMRA has held its general business meetings at the Red Cross building, in the home garage of one of its members, the Salvation Army, the Auditorium of Toledo Edison’s Acme generating station and Luke’s Barn which is part of the Lucas County Recreation Center. Today, monthly meetings are held at the Electrical Industrial Building in Rossford.
An amateur radio license is not required to become a member of the TMRA. However, a current amateur radio license is required to become a full voting member in the organization.
For many years, the TMRA has sponsored entry level amateur radio classes free of charge to interested persons living in the community. Volunteer instructors from within the membership conduct the classes. Class size has ranged from as low as 5-7 to more than 30 students. Typically, there is one class offered in the Spring and another class in the Fall. Occasionally a more advanced course is offered to assist those interested in upgrading their operation license classification.
Through the backing of the ARRL, the TMRA has taken on the responsibility of financially supporting a local Volunteer Examination group for Northwest Ohio. A number of our members have received the accreditation to be a Volunteer Examiner.
The TMRA is classified as a tax exempt, non-profit, educational organization. The organization is also registered with the State of Ohio Attorney General’s office as a charitable trust foundation.
TMRA Committees
| Name | Description |
| Audit | Members of the Audit Committee meet annually to review the club’s financial records and to submit a report of their findings to the club members. It is preferred that members of this committee have experience in finance or accounting. |
| Budget | In addition to the Treasurer, 3 or 4 club members meet in late March or early April to review the club’s financial position after the Hamfest and to draft a Budget proposal for the next Financial Year. This proposed budget is presented to the Executive Committee, and, no later than June General Meeting, to the club’s membership for approval. |
| Education | This committee plans the licensing classes and community outreach classes. |
| Field Day | Members of the Field Day Committee plan and organize the Club’s participation in the ARRL Field Day event. They recruit Club members to operate stations, assist with setup, tear down, meals, and band captain duties. |
| Flowers/Cards | The club reaches out to hams that have a serious illness and family members of silent keys. |
| Hamfest | The Hamfest committee is responsible for the organization and staging of the TMRA’s yearly Hamfest and Computer Fair. The Hamfest is usually held in March and attracts both hams and computer lovers alike to the event. Previous venues have been the Lucas County Recreation Center and more recently on the campus of Owens Community College. Members of this committee organize tables, provide security for the event, get donations for door prizes, and provide a talk-in on the day of the Hamfest for travelers on their way to the exciting event. |
| Membership | This committee tracks membership, updates contact information, and records dues. |
| Nominations | Members of the Nomination committee are asked to seek out nominees for President, Vice President, Secretary, Bursar, and Treasurer. |
| Programs | This committee selects guest speakers for the monthly General Meetings. |
| Technical | The Technical committee is responsible for the continuous operation of the club’s communication systems. Committee members spend hours repairing, replacing, and adjusting the TMRA’s repeater and packet equipment. |
| Newsletter | The newsletter includes minutes from the general meeting, the president’s letter, pictures from our events, and more. |
| Public Relations | This committee is responsible for notifying the public about upcoming TMRA events, such as the Hamfest and radio classes. |
| Webmaster | Updates this site |
