Hill Country REACT, Inc., is made up of volunteer radio operators interested in radio communications, who are committed to public service and emergency communications. REACT is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible if you itemize on your tax returns.

DONATIONS ACCEPTED VIA PAYPAL OR U.S. MAIL

To make a donation to REACT, please use the DONATE button shown on the left margin to utilize PayPal and any major credit card. Enter the reason for donation in the "item" field, and/or send an email to donations@hillcountryreact.org with further instructions, such as "donation to support 147.14 repeater" or "Donation for helping wih event", etc..

Repeater Problems - Donations are needed to repair / upgrade this important repeater. Anyone using this repeater in 2008 has probably noticed intermitent problems on the air.

The 147.14 Repeater is known as the Canyon Lake Repeater, or by the old timers, the Buzzard's Roost Repeater. This repeater is located a few miles east of Canyon Lake off FM 306 with an antenna nearly 600' up the commercial tower. It's high elevation, plus the tower height, makes the coverage of this repeater the premier repeater for Central Texas. It covers nearly 15 counties, from San Antonio on the south to Austin on the North. Because this repeater is located on such a prime commercial location, the sponsoring organizations are having to pay annual tower space rent, in addition to routine and unscheduled maintenance costs.

This repeater is owned, maintained and operated by the San Antonio Repeater Organization, with some financial support from the Hill Country REACT Team. Due to the age of the radio equipment being used, some serious upgrades are being planned that were not budgeted for in SARO's annual budget.

REACT has committed itself to help provide financial support for the operation and maintenance of this vital repeater. We are accepting donations from hams in the area who use this repeater, but who have chosen not to join a club that isn't based in their home area. This provides a way for you to support the operation and help keep this repeater on the air.

The 147.14 repeater is used daily for the Central Texas Traffic System (feeding into the National Traffic System) and the National Weather Service during Skywarn activations. It's also used by REACT and Hayes / Caldwell County ARES for emergency operations. Local events rely upon this repeater to provide reliable communications as bicycle riders cruise across multiple counties all day long.

Monthly Meeting - Third Monday @ 7:30pm
Bulverde VFD Fire Station
Rotating Locations - call 210-771-7075

Due to cost of fuel, the Team voted to alternate physical meetings on a quarterly basis, meeting in person 1 month @ VFD (February, May, August, November), 1 month @ SA area restaurant (March, June, September, December), and 1 month via telephone conference call (January, April, July, October).

Meeting Location: We meet in the Bulverde VFD located at the corner of Cougar Bend Road and FM1863, about 1 mile west of Hwy 281. Exit FM 1863 from Hwy 281 and go west on FM 1863 about 3/4 mile. It will be on the right hand side of the road as you drive west from Hwy 281. See below for a map showing the location. This is just north of the Bexar/Comal county line in Comal County.

While REACT has a well known reputation in public service, coordinating events such as parades, walk-a-thons, bike-a-thons, triathlons, run-a-thons, etc., they also are well known for their disaster preparedness training and ability to respond during emergencies. REACT members train together as a Team, by using public service events and drills to practice working together and improving our skills in communicating between ourselves and other stations. REACT does not believe in waiting until the emergency is upon us before teaching our members how to be better prepared to respond in a timely manner.

We have active members in the team residing in three counties (Bexar, Comal, and Kendall), primarily the area from San Antonio (Bexar county) to the north, northwest and northeast (see map below).

Our membership is NOT limited by residence in any particular county, nor does it require a prospective member to have an Amateur Radio or GMRS license prior to joining. We DO require members to hold such licenses prior to radio operation where licenses are required.

Today, you will find REACT members belonging to almost every other ham club and organization in the area, and in some cases, serving on their board of directors. Anytime you find a public service event using ham radio communications in the area, you are likely to find a few REACT members participating, even when REACT isn't in charge of the event

REACT originally was a group of community volunteers who routinely monitored CB “emergency” channel 9.   This was offered as a free service to motorists who needed directions or to relay requests for emergency assistance. Over the years, CB radio has changed, and it is no longer the essential tool for mobile communications that it once was.   As a result, REACT has evolved.   Our basic “public service” element is still the same but our responsibility and capabilities have grown to match today’s environment. For more information about who we are today, please read about us.

Click Here to Download
REACT International's 30 second PSA!
(MPG file size is 4.95mb)

REACT Membership Application Available On-Line

We are currently seeking persons interested in joining REACT.as a member or supporter. If you have a genuine interest in public service and/or emergency communication preparedness, we would like to hear from you. A background in radio communications and an amateur radio license are desired but not necessary.   More

Thank you for your interest in Hill County REACT. To learn more about REACT and how it helps people all over the world, please visit the REACT International website.