News Letter -- June 2006

Volume 24, Number 6

The answer to last month's Trivia question, "What does standing - wave ratio mean?" This is the ratio of maximum to minimum voltages on a feed line.

At our May 1st meeting, it was decided that on June 3^rd, Saturday, at 9:00 A. M. we would meet at the LEC to work on installing the shelving in the TRARC cargo trailer. Hopefully, we can get this done before "Field Days' scheduled for June 24^th and 25^th event.

Joe Callahan - NØQAU - informed us that pictures for the new Emergency Identification Cards to access the LEC will be taken at our June 5^th meeting. Therefore, it is important that you attend this June 5^th meeting.

Stanley Kittelson - WDØDAJ - explained how to use the TRARC - Motorola Service Monitor- in his "Testing Technique's" presentation. Since this monitor belongs to the club, it is available for any club member's use and it is stored at the LEC.

Joe Callahan - NØQAU - displayed the new, blue ARRL jacket (cost of $25) and anyone interested in buying one should contact Joe.

1. June 3^rd = work session at LEC

2. June 5^th = regular meeting, 7:00 P.M., LEC

3. June 5^th = need nominations for " Ham of the Year"

4. June 18^th = father's Day Picnic, Ft. Peck, MT

5. June 24^th & 25^th = Field Days, Dickinson Trap Club

6. July 1^st = Dickinson Roughrider Day's Parade

7. July 7^th = 9^th = International Peace Garden Hamfest

8 July 29^th = Horsefest, Taylor, ND

9. August 12^th & 13^th = Annual TRARC Picnic, at the Dickinson Trap Club

The Trivia question for the month is:

"In what radio - frequency range do amateur 2 meter communications take place"? This will be answered in next month's newsletter.

Enjoy the nice weather and hope to see you at the next meeting.

Theodore Roosevelt Amateur Radio Club

Meeting Minutes

May 1st, 2006

Minutes submitted by Laurie, KCØNHW, Secretary/Treasurer.

Dick, KCØHXG, President called the meeting to order.

Introductions of members and guests followed.

Minutes of last meeting were approved.

Laurie, KCØNHW, gave treasurer’s report.

Old Business

A. Repeaters – Antennae's for Beach arrived. Dan, KBØDLW is making arrangements with Kohler’s Communications to put them up. They will be about 10ft higher than the ones that came down during their snow/ice storm. There is two antennae’s, one is a Dual Band for 2 meter and 440, and a 2 meter for the APRS. Stan, WDØDAJ donated a beam for super link. Leon, KØLU donated coax.

B. Ham of the Year – Nominations for the Ham of the Year must be made at the June meeting. Information must be turned for the Nominee to the Peace Garden Committee by the end of June.

C. Auto Patch – Thanks Joe, NØQAU for putting in instructions for using the auto patch in the newsletter. Mick, KCØRLF will run it in the newsletter for the next few months.

D. Field Day - Dick, KCØHXG contacted Al Lundgren to confirm the use of the trap club. We need to get a key for the gate outside the club. The police department has a key. Dick read an article from page 105 of the May 2006 QST magazine. ARRL field announcement is an operating event designed to check emergency preparedness in less than optimal conditions. It is the largest operative event on the air sponsored by ARRL. Each year tens of thousands of Amateurs join the excitement. There are six operating categories. Class A - at least 3 persons away from normal station of operations. Class B - one or two persons away from normal station of operations. Class C - mobile. Class D - home station on commercial power. Class E - home station on emergency power. Class F - established emergency operation center. Interesting article for those of us who are not familiar with field day. Joe will order four pins to be given to the most contacts, furthest contact, coordinator, and random drawing.

New Business

A. Shelving in Cargo Trailer – Will be putting the shelving in the trailer on June 3^rd at 9:00am at the LEC. Meet where the trailer is parked. There is a leak in the roof of the emergency trailer and the air conditioner needs to be fixed due to storm damage. Gary Kostelecky has the insurance money. We need someone with a pickup to pull the trailer to Kuntz’ RV.

B. Trap Club – Need to make posters with dates to inform members of the times we will be using the Club. Joe will take care of that.

C. Stark County ID Cards – New ID’s for the Stark County Emergency Management have been cancelled until the June 5^th meeting. Suggestion for the information on the backside of the card. Some of the ideas were same as the old ones, poison control national number, highway patrol number, and weather service. Joe will meet with Gary to make the final decision. The front of the card will have the ARRL logo.

D. League Jackets – They are windbreakers with hidden hoods and not lined. Approximately $28.00 - $30.00. If anyone is interested contact Joe, NØQAU.

E. Membership Forms – Please fill them out when you pay your dues so we can keep our database current with information such as ARRL members.

F. Upcoming Events – June 16^th, 17^th, and 18^th – LYARC picnic at Fort Peck MT. July 1^st – Roughrider Parade. July 7^th, 8th, and 9^th – Peace Garden Ham Fest. July 14^th, 15^th, and 16^th - Glacier Ham Fest. July 29^th – Horse Fest in Taylor. August 12^th, and 13^th – TRARC picnic.

G. Badlands Simulation - Joe, NØQAU received an e-mail concerning the Badlands Emergency simulation. It is held at the logging camp ranch. Last year it was cancelled a few times due to bad weather. It is a one-day simulation that will possibly be scheduled in June. Joe will keep us up to date.

H. Testing Techniques - Stan, WDØDAJ will give a presentation to those interested on testing techniques for equipment after the meeting.

Winner of the meeting drawing is Margaret, KB7ITR. Congratulations!

Motion to adjourn made by Emil, NØDK, and seconded by Darrel, KCØAPN. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned.

CHECK YOUR CALENDAR

June 3 .......................... Work session - LEC @ 9AM

June 5 ........................... TRARC Meeting @ LEC 7 PM

June 24 & 25 ................ Field Day - Dickinson Trap Club

If you are in need of a test session, contact either Bill Bosch, KØUB or Emil Wieglenda,
NØDK. Bill is associated with ARRL VEC and Emil is W5YI. They will let you know when

the next test session will be held.

Bill 701-483-3869 Emil 701-483-4953

The weather is heating up and so are the activities - ham and otherwise. Graduation, picnics and our second season (construction) abound. It seems that this year will be a year of decisions again because many activities are doubled up.

I forgot to mention last time that on April 10th we had a surprise visit from Kevin KA4NWS and Sally KG4NWS who were on their way to Washington for a visit. They were able to meet with Stan and Betty somewhere in Idaho for a nice chat.

It looks like field day will take place this year even though several members will be leaving on Father's Day weekend for the YL Convention in Branson, Mo which takes place the 22nd to the 24th of June. Preparations for the event are in the able hands of our president, Richard, with the help of Joe and others.

Peace Garden weekend is shortly after that and of course the big topic of discussion is whether or not we will need passports when we go there in the future. Hopefully things get resolved in a good way because if not it could mean the demise of the Peace Gardens as we know it.

Once more weather is in the news too. Flooding in Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire, fires in Florida and 100+ days in Arizona. All I can say - as I always have - is Thank God we live in North Dakota. We could use some rain here. Speaking of rain, I understand plans are under way for another try at the Emergency exercise that was cancelled three times last year due to weather conditions of one kind or another. It is scheduled for June 10th. Will this one occur or will it bring us some rain? That is left to be seen.

Just a reminder that pictures will be taken at the June meeting for our cards since they weren't done at the last one.

Have a safe and happy summer.

How to use "Autopatch"

1. Key and hold mic in : while keying press * and your seven digit phone number

2. You will hear a series of matching tones, followed by the ringing of the number you dialed

3. Key the mic to talk to the other party

4. When finished, key the mic and hit the # key

5. You will hear "call complete"

Birthdays for June

Laurie Heick KCØNHW
6 - 7

Rod Redetzke KCØRRR
6 - 10

John Iglehart NØMGL
6 - 12

Mark Malm NØFAZ
6 - 15

Harrison Church WØKXP
6 - 16

Darrel Heick KCØAPN
6 - 18

Debbie Vollmuth KAØSXS
6 - 20

Connie Allar KFØON
6 - 23

Larry Fischer KBØZHN
6 - 29