The desire of a repeater on the WUND-TV tower began with Mike Cohoon, KB4TOH, and other interested hams from throughout eastern North Carolina. After several years of seeking permission, the repeater was installed and went on air the weekend of July 4, 1989. The first meeting of the Columbia Emergency Repeater Association was held at the Columbia Fire House on February 10, 1990. The first officers elected were: President, Mike Cohoon, KB4TOH; Vice President, Albert Onley, K4VHV; Secretary-Treasurer, Greg Terranova, N4QLD. The group voted to air the Albemarle Emergency Repeater Net, now named the Coastal Emergency Linking Net, at 9:00 on Wednesday nights on the Columbia Repeater. The net covered a wide area of northeastern North Carolina and into southeastern Virginia. A linking backbone with Columbia UHF and Williamston UHF created a linking network of Columbia; Williamston; Manteo; Rocky Mount; Ahoskie; Rich Square; Elizabeth City; Hatteras; Franklin, VA; Farmville; Delco; Greenville; and Hertford. It took several years for the linking process to take place and several of the repeaters have since dropped out of the system. Seven repeaters, linked together in a UHF circuit, currently remain in the system and provide valuable communication when the usual means of communication fail. Several unlinked repeaters are also considered part of the Eastern Carolina emergency network.

Quarterly meetings are held in February, May, August, and November on the second Saturday starting at 10:30 AM at the Golden Skillet Restaurant in Plymouth, NC, unless otherwise announced. ARES occupies the first half of the meeting, which is followed by lunch. CERA business will be conducted after lunch. For current information or changes, check for announcements on the Coastal Emergency Linking Net on Wednesday at 9:00 PM, or call Kerry Krauss or Jo Ann Tetterton at the numbers above.