Before the Owensboro Amateur Radio Club was formed, there was a club in Owensboro named the Owensboro Amateur Radio Society which was created circa 1945, affiliated with the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) on May 10, 1946, and then disbanded at the end of 1950. Dave Tooley, W4LUB, was the last president of the Owensboro Amateur Radio Society.
On September 8, 1953 Max T. Douglas, W4VJV, wrote a letter to the ARRL for guidelines on forming an Amateur Radio Club. Lillian Salter of the ARRL responded to Max in a letter dated September 21, 1953 providing forms and requirements for club affiliation with the ARRL.
On October 13, 1953, the Owensboro Amateur Radio Club (OARC) was formally organized with 29 voting members who were licensed radio amateurs and 4 associate members. Of the 29 licensed members, 16 were ARRL members. Earl Jagoe, W4YYI, the station engineer at WVJS radio station, was chosen as the first president of OARC. Lambert B. Howard, W4NGN, was selected to be the club’s first secretary-treasurer.
President Jagoe was notified by a letter dated May 20, 1954 that the OARC’s application for club affiliation with the ARRL had been formally approved.
The OARC’s mailing address in 1954 was c/o U.S. Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Training Center, 1715 East Fourth St, Owensboro, KY. That facility, which is situated in front of the city’s water treatment plant was acquired by the City of Owensboro in April 1984 and is used by the city’s Utility Commission.
The call sign, K4HY, was issued to the club by the FCC in 1992.