SARS TOWER SITE #1, Winnebago/Boone/Ogle/Stephenson counties in IL
Organized by Stateline Amateur Radio Services
Team Members
DANIEL LARSON
$720
4 Supporters
Story
Campaign Update
24 days ago
Stateline Amateur Radio Services updates as of April 5th , 2025
First, we would like to thank ALL of our citizens, friends, companies and corporations
that have offered donations to such an important project and cause for all in our service
area!!!
Without donations we simply could not turn our goals into achievements!
I will say I personally believe this is one of the most important tasks and projects
needed in our service area. We have lost to many tower sites, repeaters, emergency
communications, etc.
We simply lost over half of our 2024 year waiting for our 501(c)(3) status clearance from
the IRS. We are so pleased to finally receive the status clearance, but we did expect a
lengthy process as we did file the long form to simply be absolutely precise in exactly
what all Stateline Amateur Radio Services is all about and only what we are about.
Simply purchasing and placing tower/repeater/communications/Emergency
communications sites starting with Winnebago/Boone to about the Mississippi river to
allow a network for Amateur Radio comms/Emergency Services comms/Nets/and
comms between counties for a first for our Illinois north central and northeast Illinois
regions. This is crucial in timing on weather alerts, further protecting our public. I won’t
go much further since we do have a “Our Story” tab here on our website so please be
sure to view and read that section.
To our updates,
2024,
1. Mostly all paperwork, filings, getting Board and all together to launch.
2. July received in mail our 501(c)(3) status.
3. Purchased our first almost 200 ft commercial full top hat tower system which is
designed to hold approx. 7 to 9 repeater systems and a couple of satellite dishes.
4. We started purchasing a few repeaters and further equipment.
5. Set up a temporary GMRS repeater system for the Rockford area for PUBLIC
General Mobile Radio Service. This is a service that allows the PUBLIC to simply
apply for a GMRS license with the FCC (Federal Communications Commission),
NO testing, and the license is good for the entire immediate family household.
This service will be fully implemented into the new Winnebago County
SKYWARN coming soon. This we felt was crucial in allowing comms and training
with any and all interested in our service area with the idea of adding GMRS to
the SKYWARN command centers coming. We also feel this could help our public
immensely in further protection for their children, families, and friends in a 2 nd
form of communications other than cell and when cell fails and/or out of service
areas.
6. We started working with Winnebago County committees and the Board of
Directors over a property to house our 1 st commercial tower for the services area.
7. Designed and built website and a GMRS Facebook page for all area GMRS
licensed people.
2025,
1. We are still working with Winnebago County for 1 st property for our first tower
already purchased and in storage waiting for property. We should be getting
close after conversations over this past week. ALL are onboard to date as we
have heard or had not one single no to date. Simply just takes time dealing with
different committees prior to the actual full county board.
2. We are also in the middle of a deal as we speak over the 2 nd tower site for
Winnebago/Boone that will cover much of Stephenson and Ogle counties as well.
This site is designed to be the back-up site for Winnebago/Boone and part of
Stephenson and Ogle counties in case of such disaster that the main site goes
down or fails. This 2 nd site will also host a couple of main site repeaters.
3. We received a donation and placed on their 2025 local service area donation list
from a very prominent Rockford HOME BASED company named “Rockford
Mutual Insurance Company”. We are blessed to see our 1 st corporate donation
and from such a great and respected hometown Rockford company.
4. We have received several donations from private citizens as well as 2 donations
from a gentleman in the Durand area retired and on SSI that means so much to
us as he is so concerned about further safety for the public and is a great and
long time SKYWARN Storm Spotter. Also, we have received great donations
from members of RARA (Rockford Amateur Radio Association) showing support
for such an important project. RARA will have the first right of refusal to place
one of their repeaters on a Winnebago tower site of ours.
5. The TEMPORARY GMRS repeater will also be moved to the first tower site that
goes live for the extended coverage all needs in this service area.
We are looking at the following costs needed immediately from donations,
1. $5000.00 approx. to finish deal on the 2 nd back-up tower site to complete deal.
2. $8000.00-$10,000 approx. for clean-up of 2 nd site, new roof on repeater building,
and equipment to get 3 repeaters immediately up and live as well as the service
area PUBLIC GMRS repeater.
3. Once we have land for the main master site, we need approx. $10,000 just for
concrete costs to get base into ground, then $2500.00 soil sample
study,$3500.00 Engineering study, approx. $3500 for crane, plus the installation
and build costs from the licensed tower company we must utilize.
4. Approx. $10,000.00-15,000.00 for all cable hardline runs for master tower site
and antennas.
5. We will need further repeaters and duplexers as well for both sites.
As we all can see, by our goals and number of sites for North Central and Northwestern
IL in our initial plan, we are looking at approx. $500,000.00 to a million-dollar project
here to complete all.
Again, we all at Stateline Amateur Radio Services thank all of you for supporting and
donating to such an important cause for our service area in Emergency Service and
Amateur Radio Communications.
Stateline Amateur Radio Services IS a 501 (c)(3) which holds a M20 Emergency
Services Communications NTEE Code and is rated Fully Charitable and Educational.
Please be sure to check with your Accountant and/or accounting firm for particulars as
donations to us are deductible on your taxes as we are a NON-PROFIT.
