AMATEUR RADIO CLUB - K8GE
PO Box 73 - West Union, OH 45693-0073
SERVING SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO SINCE 1974
AUGUST 2000
EDITOR: WB8IOW -Jerry S. Paquette
http://www.qsl.net/k8ge
The Presidents Shack
Well it's been so long since I've written you probably wonder if I'm
still here. Well I am! No, no, no keep the applause down. I'm still
here and okay. Any way our special event station went very well the
weather was beautiful and the bands were open, we made 46 contacts on
40 meters and 47 contacts on 20 meters. We even had some firsts Pat
and Kyle made their first contacts on the HF bands. I think this is
great and I hope it sparks an interest in upgrading, I think they
would both make great cw ops. But all in all a good time, I had to
leave early and miss out on the picnic @@#^%$ oops sorry hate to miss
free food. Anyhoo a good time was had by all.
We are getting closer to the end of 2000 if you can believe it we just
had Hamvention and now school is close to starting, remember when
summer lasted for three months? The Year has still got some wonderful
things coming up though, at our September meeting Kim N8YWX has
arranged for a demonstration of SSTV (Slow Scan Amateur Television)
that's September 12 folks so be there or be square. I am looking
forward to this.
Then in October the big CHILI COOKOFF!!! mmmmmmmmmmmmm can't wait the
hotter the better. I might even enter a batch myself. Oh that might
not be fair as my chili is unbeatable I would probably be an assured
winner. Oh well might do it anyway. We will need judges for this too.
So all you chili experts polish up those spoons. We will appoint these
in September.
November is nominations for officers and of course Christmas Dinner in
December. So you see there's still good things a'comin.
I worked the Marines race today Had a great time Bob and Mary were
there and Mary ran the course. As I manned my post (sitting on the
hood of my car) I told the runners as they went by Hey it's a tough
job but somebody's gotta do it. The race went well too a little foggy
but pretty good weather, first time for me doing this but it was fun.
Oh and I almost forgot there will be a theory class in September
nothing carved in stone yet just please contact Jerry WB8IOW for
information and I'll bet he would accept offers to help with this
class so here's a chance for you to be somebody's Elmer. What a great
hobby to give someone, don'tcha think. Just let Jerry know if you can
help.
Let's see and there is of course the... Wait I hear a cq on 30 meters
well gotta go; see you at the meeting in Sept.
73 fer now de KK8J.
George
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MINUTES OF
August 8, 2000 MEETING
Barbara Lock - N8HIA
The meeting has been called to order by our President, George with his
new call KK8J, at 8:06 p.m. George led us in the pledge to the flag.
George asked Barb, N8HIA for the secretary's report. Marlene, KC8JXE
made the motion to accept the report as published in the newsletter.
Linda, KC8JZG second the motion and the motion carried. George asked
Marlene to read her treasurer's report. Marlene said the beginning
balance was $2,372.90, with total inflows of $108.50 and Total
outflows of $59.70 , with a balance of $2,421.70 as of August 8, 2000.
Marlene passed out the report for all to read. Lucius, KF8RC made the
motion to accept the treasurer's report as read by Marlene. Barb,
N8HIA second and the motion carried. George asked Ed, KE8FK to read
his report on the vice president. Ed said that the special event will
be held at Adams Lake, August 13, 2000 starting at 1:00 p.m. and going
to 7:00 p.m. There will be a picnic at 6:30 p.m., bring a covered
dish. They will be setting up two stations, one for 40 meters and one
for 20 meters. Jerry, WB8IOW worked on the special event certificate.
Ed had given Jerry some ideas he had and Jerry worked on the Ohio
Bicentennial Logo for the certificate. The club decided to buy a color
cartridge and Ed said he would print out the certificates. Lucius made
the motion for the club to buy the color cartridge and Pat KC8LVE
second and the motion carried. Kim N8YWX suggested they use the
logging program used at field day for the special event. Ed said he'd
bring the laptops for doing the logging. Ed passed out certificates to
Lucius and George for running nets for March and July.
George said there has been an interest in a general class for upgrade.
Jerry said the no-code tech classes are to be held at the EMA office.
Classes will be held on Tuesday and Thursday.
Kim will have the topic of the month for September. Whitey, WB8NLL
and his wife Carolyn will give a talk on slow scan TV and demonstrate
how it works. It sounds interesting and the meeting will be September
12, 2000.
George said to keep the Christmas party in mind and decide if we would
want a speaker. Also, it would be nice if the club had a sign. Roy,
KE4MZN brought in the sign they use for Maysville club. Marie, KE4MZP
said that Bob Warner, KW4BJ would have the information and would give
it to George.
Kim said she was asked to bring the idea of the Georgetown, Maysville,
and our club to have a picnic together on October 15, 2000. Bring a
cover dish and club will split meat and drinks. Lucius made the motion
for the club to do the picnic with other two clubs. Lyle, KC8DDY
second and motion carried.
Marlene has split pot, Kyle, KC8OLJ won again! Ed said he has heard a
satellite Id'ing in CW. Kim said Ohio Section Conference will be
September 16th. Marlene made the motion to adjourn and Linda second,
with the club adjourning at 8:03 p.m.
73's
Barb N8HIA
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NEXT MEETING
September 12, 2000
7:00 PM
ABCAP SENIOR CITIZENS
CENTER, WEST UNION, OH
Across from the Courthouse
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DeForest A.R.C. Birthdays
& SPECIAL EVENTS
09-01 K8GXL Donald Hoop
09-03 KC8CXM Jered Grooms
09-04 KB8SCV Warren Lewis
09-05 KC8JXC Don R. Myers
09-09 K8CML Ed Harmon
09-10 KB8JML John Kimble
09-11 KC8HGA Helen Paquette
> > > > 09-12 DeForest ARC meeting
09-17 N8XGQ Marty Gilkison
09-21 N8XGP Ridney Lorenz
09-22 KA8URK Jack Bradford
09-24 KC8JZH Stephen Downey
09-25 KE4ETT James Brewer
09-29 KB8OMG Barry Storer
09-30 KF8IX Danny Hoop
09-30 N8YWX Kim Paquette
10-02 KB8VBJ Sheila Starcher
10-04 WB8UJM Alvin Norris
10-06 Angela Larter
10-20 WD8AIG Ron Bogard
10-21 KC8OIZ Berlin Setty
10-25 N8SND Bill Mangus
10-27 KB8QNR Norma Boone
10-28 KC8NHS Tom McDonough
10-29 AB8AM Mike Bailey
10-31 Judy Setty
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SECTION MANAGERS COLUMN
will return next month
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CLASSES
NO-CODE TECHNICIAN
The DeForest ARC will sponsor a no-code Technician class starting
September 19, 2000. The fee will be $20 including the new edition of
"Now You're Talking" published by the American Radio Relay League. The
fee is due before a book can be issued on t he 19th.
All who take the class will become a member of the DeForest Amateur
Radio Club for the remainder of the 2000 calendar year. If you have
questions or wish to sign up, call (937) 544-3763 and leave your name
and a phone number and your call will be returned.
In the News today
August 23, 2000
Gulf Air Jet crashes off Bahrain
tropical Storm Debby heads to Fla.
US issues new rules for stem cell research
'Survivor' finale airs tonight
ARRL AND REACT
STEP TOGETHER
ARRL and REACT--Radio Emergency Associated Communications Teams--took
some first steps together this summer. The ARRL Board of Directors
approved a memorandum of understanding between the two radio
organizations at its July meeting.
The ARRL was on hand July 26-28 for the REACT 2000 International
Convention in Kissimmee, Florida. The event included attendees from
the US as well as from Canada and Trinidad and Tobago. ARRL Southern
Florida.
Section Manager Phyllisan West, KA4FZI, coordinated activities for
ARRL's representation at the event with Walt Young, convention
chairman for the 25th annual REACT gathering.
"REACT folks are dedicated to public service, responding dependably to
cover emergencies, marathons and other charity events," said West, who
set up and staffed an ARRL exhibit table at the REACT event. "They
operate mainly on GMRS and FRS to avoid problems of unlicensed CB
channels, and are excited about working more closely with hams."
West said that copies of the ARRL Public Service Communications Manual
at the ARRL table were snapped up. "REACT folks were interested in how
hams handle NTS and tactical messages," West said. While a lot of
REACT members already are amateurs, West said she encouraged those who
were not to get ham licenses "to enhance their ability to participate
in emergency communications."
While REACT has been associated primarily with Citizens Band in the
past, the organization has widened its focus to embrace amateur and
other services. Young called REACT "just another radio group that is
doing the same basic job as ham radio operators" that provides
emergency communications when and where needed.
"The trick is to get various groups to work together," he said.
Approximately one-quarter of the REACT conventioneers were ham
operators, and one of the official events at the convention was the
Amateur Breakfast, at which West and her husband, Art, were guests.
FCC Special Counsel for Amateur Radio Enforcement Riley Hollingsworth,
K4ZDH, presented an FCC seminar during the REACT convention.
REACT International has a Web site at http://www.reactintl.org/.
Thanks The ARRL Letter, Volume 19, Number 31 (August 18, 2000) for the
previous and following articles
RAC SEEKS ELIMINATION OF
12 WPM MORSE REQUIREMENT
Radio Amateurs of Canada has asked Industry Canada--the Canadian
equivalent of the FCC--to discontinue that country's 12 WPM Morse code
requirement in favor of a 5 WPM test. During the past year, RAC says
it has consulted with the Canadian Amateur community on the issue, and
the RAC Board has concluded that a majority of Canadian Amateurs
support dropping the 12 WPM Morse test--although RAC acknowledges that
many are against the change.
"A decision by Canada to drop the 12 WPM test would be in harmony with
what is happening in other parts of the world and would simplify the
negotiation and implementation of reciprocal operating agreements," an
RAC bulletin said this week.
In a recent letter to Industry Canada, RAC President Kenneth Oelke,
VE6AFO, recommended that full HF operating privileges be granted to
amateurs who have passed a 5 WPM Morse test. At the same time, Oelke
requested that the IC consider beefing up written tests to strengthen
and expand the requirements for operator knowledge and skills in the
areas of station setup and operation, on-air procedures and operating
practices, and to include more questions on modern modes of
communication employed by radio amateurs.
RAC says its proposal would give Canadian radio amateurs operating
privileges similar to those currently accorded to US amateurs who
successfully pass a 5 WPM Morse test. --RAC
FCC TURNS DOWN KENWOOD
"SKY COMMAND" PETITION
The FCC has declared that use of Kenwood's "Sky Command" remote
station control system does not comply with Amateur Service rules. In
an Order released July 28, the FCC also declined to grant a waiver of
the rules to make Sky Command legal.
"We conclude that Sky Command does not comply with Section 97.201(b),
and that a waiver of the rules is not warranted," the FCC said.
Sky Command, which lets the user control a fixed HF station via a pair
of dual-band transceivers, has been on the market for almost three
years. The ARRL has declined to permit Sky Command advertisements in
QST, however, maintaining that the system was not legal to use as
configured. Sky Command operates in full duplex, using a 70-cm
frequency to transmit audio and control commands to a dualband
transceiver at the remote station and a 2-meter frequency to transmit
received audio via the remote station's Sky Command transceiver to the
operator's transceiver. The VHF channel also contains a Morse code ID.
The League has maintained that Kenwood's use of a 2-meter frequency
would cause amateurs using the system to violate Section 97.201(b),
which limits auxiliary operation to certain frequencies above 222.15
MHz.
The FCC agreed, saying the VHF link was integral to Sky Command and
that Kenwood's view represented "at best a tortured interpretation" of
the rules. The Commission also declined to issue Kenwood a requested
blanket waiver of the applicable rules because it said the
manufacturer failed to meet the standards required to grant a waiver.
The League has called Kenwood's Sky Command System "a fine product"
that would be of interest to many hams if designed for frequencies on
which auxiliary operation is legally permitted.
Paul Middleton, KD6NUH, Kenwood's national sales manager for amateur
and marine products, said the company has suspended shipment of the
SkyCommand PG-4R interface cable, but says that it "can't change
product software, manuals and literature." Middleton said the company
has not yet made a decision on the future of SkyCommand or on future
entreaties to the FCC.
The Certification and Continuing Education pilot project has a name,
thanks to the 383 people who took the time to vote. The winner:
"Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Program." The next step is to
gather suggestions for a logo for the program, the first block in the
League's Certification and Continuing Education program. ARRL
Certification Specialist Dan Miller, K3UFG, requests that proposed
logo designs be simple and in black-and-white. The new emergency
communications course is in the final stages of development and is
expected to be offered as an Internet class in September. The outline
and related materials can be viewed on the Web. Send suggested logo
designs to Dan Miller, K3UFG. An acknowledgment will be sent within
two working days.--Dan Miller, K3UFG