The 2M FM amateur repeater on Kamiak Butte began in the early 1970s on 146.13/73 MHz.  The original builder and control operator was Gary, K7VED of Pullman.  The control operator was Gary, K7VED of Pullman.  

Gary's employer, Radio Television services of Washington State University allowed him to place the repeater and duplexer inside the KWSU-TV building.  The radio equipment was a GE MASTER II.  The antenna was a Super StationMaster at approximately 150 feet on the KWSU-TV tower.  The Northwest 2M FM band-plan changed from 30 kHz spacing to 20 kHz spacing in the early 1980s; the repeater frequency moved to the present 146.14/74 MHz.  Also at this time, a repeater group was started to support Gary in his efforts to maintain the repeater.  Dan, K7MM, incorporated the organization with the State of Washington under the name Kamiak Butte Amateur Repeater Association.  Original members include Art, WB7AUK, Jo Ann, KA7SUZ, and Cheryl, K7OMM.  Gary moved to Spokane for a job change in mid-1980.  

Art became the repeater's main control operator and the callsign changed to WB7AUK/R.  Art was instrumental in securing a long-term commitment from WSU regarding site space for the amateur operation on Kamiak Butte via a letter of understanding from the Whitman County Sheriff's office for emergency use in case of disaster.  KBARA has expanded in repeaters and is linked to the Evergreen Intertie.

Today, the KBARA system consists of several amateur radio repeaters that are linked together to cover an area from southeastern British Columbia to northeastern Oregon, and from western Montana to central Washington. The KBARA system can also be connected to the Evergreen Intertie, an interconnected group of repeaters located in the northwestern United States and western Canada.

The primary purpose of the KBARA system is to function as a linked system that provides communications to and within the above area.  It makes possible a single system of mobile communications coverage extending beyond the limited range provided by any single repeater operation.

FM repeaters operating in the VHF and UHF bands are linked by full duplex UHF radios. 
The repeaters' frequencies and locations are as follows:
146.740 KC7HFI, Kamiak Butte, near Colfax and Pullman, WA 
147.380 W7OE, Mica Peak, east of Spokane, WA
147.360 N1NG, Stensgar (Stranger) Mountain, north of Spokane, WA
147.280 KB7WRT, Pikes Peak in the Blue Mountains, southeast of Walla Walla, WA
147.020 N7LVO, Lookout Pass, on the Idaho-Montana border
223.900 WA7YCP, Stensgar (Stranger) Mountain, north of Spokane, WA