DeFOREST
                       AMATEUR RADIO CLUB - K8GE
                 PO Box 73 - West Union, OH 45693-0073

                 SERVING SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO SINCE 1974


                              APRIL  2000
                  EDITOR: WB8IOW - Jerry S.  Paquette
                        http://www.qsl.net/k8ge


                         The Presidents Shack
                            George - KC8HFV

    Well I hope all of you had a very Happy and Joyous Easter.
    This is definitely my favorite Holiday season; the whole world is
    showing signs of new life trees in bud, flowers in bloom Dayton in
    hamvention everything waking after a long winter. And yes the
    storms too we haven't had it to bad so far but we never know.
    But we are fortunate to have weather spotters to keep us informed
    and alert us if need be.

    I want to give a big Thank You to the Field day committee who are
    busy working out the details for our club to take part in this
    annual event. We all know how valuable time is and they are giving
    us theirs.

    I really enjoyed seeing everyone at the meeting it feels good to
    be back and about, and I've said it before but I'll say it again
    all the cards phone calls well wishes etc. made it a lot better
    Thanks again.

    The April meeting went well we covered a lot of ground, don't
    forget at the May meeting we will have a program on satellites.
    Now I'm looking forward to this because you can write everything
    I know about satellites on a BB with a wide tip marker.
    I expect it to be very interesting.

    Well I guess that's about it for now. OH OH I almost forgot today
    is the 22nd and that means its time to save our pennies and dimes
    it's only 27 days till Dayton. Looking forward to that too as we
    all are hope to see everyone there. Now that is enough for now
    till next time.

                                              de KC8HFV 73

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                              MINUTES OF
                        April 11, 2000 MEETING
                         Barbara Lock - N8HIA

    George KC8HFV called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m., for the
    DeForest Amateur Radio Club. Our President, George led us in the
    pledge of allegiance to the flag. The sign up sheet was passed
    around and we had 24 members present.

    George KC8HFV asked for the secretary's report, Lucius KF8RC made
    the motion to accept the minutes as printed in the newsletter and
    Jerry WB8IOW second, motion carried.

    Marlene KC8JXE read the treasurer's reports with balance of
    $2,543.71 March 14, 2000 total inflows $50.00 and total outflows
    $43.60, balance as of April 11, 2000, was $2,550.11. Barry KB8OMG
    made the motion to accept the treasurer's report as read by
    Marlene, Kim N8YWX second and motion carried. Marlene passed
    around the report for all to read.

    Ed KE8FK read the vice president's report, stating that the
    repeater is working fine and that Jerry WB8IOW had put a message
    on the repeater for severe weather. Also that Ed, Jerry, and Don
    KC8JXC had been up to Ashridge site and put up the antennas for
    the packet site.

    George KC8HFV had put the special event for August 13, 2000
    information on the ARRL website. Be looking for the information in
    your QST magazine. Marlene KC8JXE had received the permission to
    use Adams Lake for the special event August 13, 2000 on a Sunday
    afternoon. Kim N8YWX will check to see if we have to pay $35.00
    for use of the site. Kim will see if they will waive the $35.00
    for the special event since Adams Lake will be mentioned.
    Pat KC8LVE made the motion to pay the $35.00 if need be, Marlene
    KC8JXE second and motion carried. The event will start at 12:30
    p.m. and end at 6:00 p.m. with a picnic for all.

    Barb N8HIA had a card for everyone to sign for Glenna KC8JXD
    who is in the hospital. We all wish her well and home soon.
    Also George KC8HFV gave the club a thank you card for all the well
    wishes he received while was sick. It was nice to see George at
    the meeting and running the show. The card from George was passed
    around for all to read.

    George KC8HFV did a follow up on the libraries and the radio books
    the club has given. There was some discussion with Jerry WB8IOW
    saying we should wait to the May meeting to make the decision on
    what we will do about books for the libraries.

    A trip to the weather bureau can be done at anytime, Jerry WB8IOW
    said that whenever Paul WB8ZZR is at the weather bureau they can
    handle about 20 people. George KC8HFV said it would probably be
    later in the year for a tour.

    George KC8HFV brought up whether we wanted to have a hamfest for
    the club. Jerry WB8IOW said he had checked around and talked to
    some that have decided to cancel and not have another hamfest due
    to low attendance. There are so many around that they are not
    making money and have poor attendance. After some discussion it
    was decided not to have a hamfest. Ed KE8FK reminds all that May
    meeting will have a speaker on satellites. It should be very
    interesting to all. This will be the topic of the month for May.
    Ed said that there will be a field day committee meeting and would
    get back with the club at May meeting.

    Jerry WB8IOW said that nothing new was going on right now at
    Ashridge. Also, Jerry said that last year he and Kim N8YWX took up
    the club equipment to set up for the Dayton Hamfest. This year he
    cannot do it and Jerry made the motion that Ed KE8FK could do it
    probably since he would have the time. The club gives two tickets
    to whom ever takes up the equipment and sets it up. So he would
    like to give the tickets to Ed and let him take up the club's
    things, and set up. Lucius KF8RC second and motion carried.

    Jerry WB8IOW has the topic of the month for April, went over FCC
    VE forms with the changes that have been made for the new
    licensing system. Jerry passed around a copy of the forms so we
    could follow along with him. April 22, 2000 and June 3, 2000 test
    sessions will be held in West Union. June 10, 2000 will be test
    session at Maysville.

    George KC8HFV congratulated all who upgraded on their license:
    Karen KB8QMV, Kyle West, George KC8HFV, Barry KB8OMG, Ed KE8FK,
    Barb N8HIA, and Lyle KC8DDY.

    Marlene KC8JXE had split the pot, Millicent drew Kyle's name, Kyle
    won $12.50. Lucius KF8RC made the motion to adjourn the meeting
    and Heber AA8VV second motion carried at 8:04 p.m.

                                                73's  Barb N8HIA

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                        West Union Wal-Mart now
                         accepting used ni-cad
                         batteries to recycle.

                             NEXT MEETING
                                May 9,
                            2000 - 7:00 PM
             ABCAP SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER, WEST UNION, OH
                      Across from the Courthouse

                       DeForest A.R.C. Birthdays
                           & SPECIAL EVENTS

                   05-02 KC8JXD    Glenna Blackburn
                   05-04 N8JSZ     Tim Applegate
                   05-08 KB8SDA    Richard Swayne
                   05-09 DeForest ARC meeting - 7:00 PM
                   05-14           Mary Jones
                   05-17 W8RCB     Richard Burnes
                   05-19 KC8LVE    Pat Ellis
                   05-25 KC8JZG    Linda Larter
                   05-26 KC8HFV    George H. Larter
                   05-26 KC8HZB    Thomas O. James
                   06-03 TEST SESSION WEST  UNION 9:00 AM
                   06-04 WB8IOW    Jerry Paquette
                   06-06 KB8TQU    Dorothy Silman
                   06-10 WX8B      Jim Newman
                   06-11 KB8UAO    Kelly Boone
                   06-13 DeForest ARC meeting at FIELD DAY site
                   06-17           Gladys Stultz
                   06-20 KB8TJT    Wanda Mangus
                   06-21 KB8SRU    Francis Cobb  Jr.
                   06-22 K8NJO     JoAnn Ramsey
                   06-23 KC8NHU    Maxwell Moore
                   06-24 FIELD DAY starts 2:00 PM
                   06-25 FIELD DAY ends   2:00 PM

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                               Frequency

               White, Rosalie,  WA1STO  rwhite@arrl.org

    By now you've heard of the new movie, "Frequency," with a plot
    involving Amateur Radio. Our PR folks have heard from Amateur
    Radio Clubs who've contacted theaters about setting up a demo
    during showings of the movie --what a good opportunity for
    promotion of Amateur Radio! To sweeten the deal, several of the
    Amateur Radio industry members are offering prizes of radio
    equipment for the best ham demonstrations. Watch this week's The
    ARRL Letter for details. The ham radio-related film is expected to
    debut April 28, but local schedules will vary.

    (excerpted from news for newsletter forwarded by Ohio's Section
     Manager, Joe Phillips K8QOE)

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                           ARRL TEST SESSION

    The DeForest ARC will conduct a test session Saturday, June 3,
    2000 at the ABCAP Senior Nutrition Center in West Union.
    Registration begins at 9:00 AM. All license classes will be
    available for test. Any special testing needs should be
    communicated to KE8FK at 937 544-2585 before the day of the test.
    Wheel chair accessible.

    Editors note: the following article was submitted for the
    newsletter by the author. Bob Halley will be the guest speaker
    at the May 9th DeForest ARC meeting. Guests are welcome.

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                       AMATEUR RADIO SATELLITES
                           K8YMI Bob Halley

    In March, the European Space Agency (ESA) published a manifest for
    a July launch  of an Ariane 5 carrying the Phase 3-D satellite.
    This news has been long in coming but it has been worth the wait.
    The Ariane 5 will place P3-D in the transfer orbit originally
    chosen and if all goes well, in a few months, we will have another
    high altitude amateur bird. The launch will be from the ESA site
    in Kourou, French Guiana. All of the testing is finished and the
    satellite will be stored in a climate controlled building until it
    is attached to an Arianne 5 rocket.

    Steve Ford, WB8IMY, wrote an excellent Amateur Satellite Primer
    for the April issue of QST. Steve described the basics of the
    amateur satellite program, how you can participate and what
    equipment you can use that you already have at your station.
    Steve pointed out that it can get expensive if you let it happen
    but that is true for all phases of our great hobby. You'll confirm
    much that you already know by reading at least half of his
    article.

    In the March QST issue, Steve Ford wrote a page about satellites
    in which he answered questions he has received from Amateurs.
    Much basic information was included in his answers.

    When the Cosmonauts left MIR last fall, we thought it was all over
    but the re-entry. Several recent news items stated that two
    Cosmonauts are to be launched on April 4 to reactivate the systems
    on board MIR. Much work will be done to re-activate the MIR space
    station... let's hope that the Amateur Radio Equipment is still
    functional.

    The first International Space Station crew and it's backup has
    received training on the use of the initial US provided Amateur
    Radio ISS station. The equipment will be installed as part of the
    initial ARISS effort on the Space Station. The training session
    was held at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia.
    Matt Bordelon, KC5BTL, prepared a consolidated schedule for
    training in the United States and in Russia that included
    familiarization with equipment, packet theory and hands-on
    simulation. The Russians have not yet launched their module
    (the Zvezda service module) that will house the 'nauts on ISS
    but it is scheduled for July.

    Shuttle Atlantis as STS-101 is scheduled for launch on 4/24 for a
    nine day mission to the ISS. Originally, this crew was to install
    the Amateur antennas on the outside of the "living" quarters on
    the ISS but since Zvezda won't be launched until at least July,
    much of this misssion will be to work in the two existing ISS
    sections. A second mission by Atlantis later in the summer will
    likely handle the antenna mounting etc.

    Mike Seguin, N1JEZ is updating "The Amateur Satellite Resource
    Guide" and it will be featured at the AMSAT booth at the Dayton
    Hamvention. This and other publications are very useful to both
    the newcomer and the experienced satellite operator. Speaking of
    Dayton, the main AMSAT forum will be held on Saturday afternoon.

    April 1, 2000 marked the 40th anniversary of the launch of the
    world's first weather satellite, an event that has changed our
    lives. The first weather satellite, a polar orbiting satellite
    named TIROS, was launched from Cape Canaveral on April 1, l960.
    The Television Infrared Observation satellite demonstrated the
    advantage of mapping the Earth's cloud cover from satellite
    altitudes.

    In February, Shuttle Endeavour flew a nine day Radar Topographic
    Mission with great success. Two of the Astronauts aboard are
    licensed Hams but no Amateur Radio was used during the mission.
    It was reported that the data gathered on that mission will fill
    13,000 CD's and will result in maps 30 times more accurate than
    any available today.

    KG8OC reports that the Michigan AMSAT web page has been updated to
    make it easier to view the information.

    Check it out at:  HYPERLINK http://www.qsl.net/kg8oc/index.html.
    http://www.qsl.net/kg8oc/index.html.

                                            -73-       K8YMI

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                           Ham Radio -Humor
                            Author Unknown

                          You Know You Might
                            Be a Ham If ...

                  Your antennas sparkle like the 4th
                     of July in a lightning storm.

              You burn your lips on a microphone because
                     the antenna wasn't grounded.

                 Your spouse wants to know why you are
                 putting the clothes lines up so high.

                   The snow starts and someone wants
                      to throw an antenna party!

               You drive numerous miles out of your way
                as your vacation begins to Dayton, Ohio

                You grab your HT instead of a newspaper
               when you are on your way to the bathroom.

            You steal the windshield wiper fuse to replace
                      the blown one in your rig.

                  Instead of running to the basement
                       during a tornado warning,
          you run to your vehicle to participate in SKYWARN.

        Your spare bedroom has more products than Radio Shack.

        You stay up a whole contest weekend and call that fun.

            Your electric bill exceeds your house payment.

               There's a blackout and the Power Company
                        calls YOU to complain.

                You check into the local Two Meter net
                    from your lawn tractor or ATV.

               You have to move the desk microphone out
                   the way each night to eat dinner.

               You come home from work and find your rig
             in the dog house and your dog in your shack.

              When you go anywhere you cannot go without
              your handheld, as you might miss something.

         Your choice of a new car is determined by how easily
                  you can mount your rig and antenna.

                 You start getting all kinds of R.F.I.
                    complaints from your neighbors.

           your definition of high fashion is a baseball cap
                     with your call letters on it.

             your shack actually beg ins to look like one.

        at a party, after you've told a joke, you say "hi hi".

               you find yourself thinking ... - --- .--.
              while waiting your turn at an intersection.

            each passing lightening storm makes you shudder
              to think what is happening at the home QTH.

         you go to a neighborhood party and upon introduction
    someone says, "OH YES, YOU'RE THE HOUSE WITH ALL THE ANTENNAS".

             You have ever activated your neighbors alarm
                    system from within your shack.

             You have more than five articles of clothing
                      with your callsign on them.

          Your idea of a good time is to be snowed in during
              the weekend of a major contest with a good
                    supply of pizza and softdrinks.

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                                WEEKLY NET

     The DeForest A.R.C. weekly net is held Thursday evening, 9:00 PM,
     all year, on the 147.00 MHz+ repeater. All check-ins welcome.
     Traffic, club news, information.

               ---------------------------------------------

            PLEASE REVIEW OUR NEWSLETTER SPONSORS ADS, BELOW

               ---------------------------------------------

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                                 FOODLINER
                             107 Walnut Street
                             West Union, Ohio

                          544-2643  or  544-5488

                           Chase Prather - Owner
                           Russ Grooms - Manager
                    Connie Bradford - Assistant Manager

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                               McDONALD'S

                              FAMILY OWNED
                              AND OPERATED
                               BREAKFAST
                             LUNCH - DINNER

                               WEST UNION
                                 RIPLEY
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                             Blake Pharmacy

                              Radio Shack

                          "On the town square,
                           in West Union, Oh"

                             (937) 544-2451

                       For special pricing, tell
                         Joey Traylor, you're a
                             member of the
                      DeForest Amateur Radio Club
                       & give him your callsign.

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                   C&D ELECTRONICS RadioShack Dealer

    N E W   L O C A T I O N!!   S A M E  G R E A T  S E R V I C E

                 Maysville Market Square - AA Highway

                  New showroom with Home Theatre Room

                   RadioShack plus a Whole Lot More

                 ((888) 759-5027  canddelectronics.com

                             HAM DISCOUNT

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                             SOUTHERN HILLS
                                EYE CARE

                          DR. HOWARD L. COVERT
                        125 S. MANCHESTER STREET
                             WEST UNION, OH
                             (937) 544-3325

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                           CUSTOM ELECTRONICS
                              PEEBLES, OH
                              937 587-5122

                      OWNED AND OPERATED BY W8ZFO

                         SALES AND INSTALLATION
                                   OF
                     DISH NETWORK SATELLITE SYSTEMS

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                           J.D.'s AUTO REPAIR

              NAPA AUTO CARE CENTER - ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC

                    4685 CHAPPARAL ROAD - WEST UNION
                             (937) 544-8586

              MONDAY - FRIDAY  8AM - 5 PM, CLOSED NOON HOUR
                          CLOSED SATURDAY & SUNDAY

                  OWNERS: JD - KB8VLF  & DEE - KB8VBH

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                       SOUTHERN OHIO DRIVING SCHOOL
                               PEEBLES, OHIO

                             (937) 587-3194 or
                              (937) 587-3837

                            First-Time Drivers
                            Adults and Students

                     Remedial for Adults and Students

                                  Owners:
                           Lyle Lambert (KC8DDY)
                          Jayne Lambert (KC8LUH)
                                    and
                          Karen Lambert (KC8LIA)

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                      EDITOR E-MAIL: wb8iow@arrl.net
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