DeFOREST
AMATEUR RADIO CLUB - K8GE
PO Box 73 - West Union, OH 45693-0073
SERVING SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO SINCE 1974
MARCH 2001
EDITOR: WB8IOW - Jerry S. Paquette
http://www.qsl.net/k8ge
SILENT KEY - WA8WOB
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Isaac (IKE) Jones passed away March 13 at the Adams County Hospital. Ike
had been a resident of Eagle Creek Nursing home for almost a year. Ike's
wife, Mary died at the Eagle Creek Nursing home April 17, 2000. Ike was a
long-time member of the DeForest Amateur Radio Club. Mary was an Associate
member for several years. Unfortunately, we did not run a notice for Mary
when she passed away. We were unaware of her passing. Ike told WB8IOW to
put her notice in the newsletter whenever his was to appear. Ike said to
add that Mary was the best part of his life.
Ike was very active on 6-meters in the 1970's. In later years he was
active on the HF bands and the DeForest ARC repeater. He was not very
active the past few years; he spent most free time with Mary, in the
nursing home.
Ike's family has asked the DeForest ARC to look at his equipment and to
try help sell the same. Pictures of Ike's equipment can be seen at:
http://www.qsl.net/k8ge/wa8wob.html
If you do not have internet service, you can call (937) 549-2412 and ask
for Kelly. He is Ike's grandson.
SILENT KEY - W8DJY
------------------
Mike Brown, W8DJY, The Ohio Section Technical Coordinator, and professor
of physics at Miami University (Ohio) became a silent key this morning
Wednesday, March 21. Beside his work with the Ohio Section, Mike was an
avid contester who operated every 40 meter contest devised by hams.
He was active in the Dial Radio Club of Middletown, Ohio, his hometown.
Mike had been fighting stage four cancer since last October. Please
include Mike's family in your prayers. (Joe Phillips, K8QOE Ohio Section
Manager)
Additional note from Carl, K8CM: Mike suggested memorial donations be made
to the Miami University Fund, 926 Chestnut, Oxford, OH (45056) and/or
Hospice of Middletown, 4414 Lewis Street, Middletown, OH (45044).
Editors note: Mike Brown was friend to several DeForest Amateur Radio Club
members, who first met Mike a couple years ago at the Ohio Section
Conference.
NEXT MEETING
TUESDAY - April 10
7:00 PM
ABCAP SENIOR CITIZENS
CENTER, WEST UNION, OH
Across from the Courthouse
MINUTES OF MEETING
March 13, 2001
Barbara Lock - N8HIA
The DeForest ARC held the Weather Spotters Training at the Ohio Valleys
Vocational School on March 13, 2001. There were 27 people in attendance.
We had people from Waverly and Highland County also present. We would
like to thank all that came for the training.
Steve Wilkenson from the National Weather Bureau in Williamsburg, Ohio
taught the training class. It was very informative and interesting.
There is a lot about our weather to be learned at these training sessions.
It seems every year you pick up on something new or help to refresh you on
the weather spotters training.
The weather spotter training was the meeting for March. Jerry WB8IOW,
went over a new form that the weather bureau would like us to use. Jerry
said it would help make things easier and quicker for ones having to
report to the weather bureau. Furthermore it would be less time the
weather bureau would have to be on the radio with liaison f or
information.
73,s
Barb N8HIA
DeForest A.R.C. Birthdays
& SPECIAL EVENTS
04-04 KB8NBI Jack E. King
04-05 KC8LIC Ronald K. Buhr
04-05 KC8HTX Tristan J. Grooms
04-06 KB8RYG Lawrence P. Lewis
04-07 GMCARA TEST SESSION 9:30 AM
04-09 KC8CZD Marty Hatfield
04-10 DeForest meeting 7:00 PM
04-14 N4VGI Bob Drake
04-14 KC8LIE Sharon A. Buhr
04-15 Scott Rohrback
04-16 KC8OKD Hermann Wessels, Sr.
04-17 Carmen Payne
04-18 KD4PYZ T J Whitehead
04-24 KB8SCW Nadine Lewis
04-25 KA8VEE Robert W. Ralston
04-27 KB8VPR Joe Rogers
04-29 KQ4TN Paul D. Whitehead
05-02 KC8JXD Glenna Blackburn
05-04 N8JSZ Tim Applegate
05-08 KB8SDA Richard D. Swayne
05-08 DeForest meeting 7:00 PM
05-10 WB8SPV Gary B. Trustle
05-17 W8RCB Richard C. Burnes
05-19 KC8LVE Pat Ellis
05-25 KC8JZG Linda Larter
05-26 KK8J George H. Larter
05-26 KC8HZB Thomas O. James
From "The Ohio Section Jounal";
Ron Griffin, N8AEH, Findlay, editor.
Ohio Section Manager
By Joe Phillips, K8QOE
My favorite movie line - "Sure the town prostitute can join the church
but she can't run the choir the first week."
It reminds me of a new contention we're having in Ham Radio. New members
of a ham group at times display to the leadership, the attitude that
somehow they can't be bothered with certain work details necessary for the
operation of the club. That's one side of the dispute.
In the December issue of "The Listening Post," (see end of column for
credits) Greg Elsbernd, KI8JC, of Cincinnati, outlined another
perspective. In relating about the questions new club members have about
the status quo he wrote -"(As a newcomer) I was only viewed as fresh meat
just to be used whenever those in charged wanted."
Just to make sure no one misunderstood what Greg was saying, he continued,
"I wonder how many new hams get started, raring to go, but get discouraged
when they feel they are spoken down to as if they are children. When they
ask a question and are made to feel ignorant and stupid because they
haven't achieve a high enough consciousness to understand the mystical
higher planes of ham radio."
Now while I have no first hand knowledge of Greg's individual complaint;
in my travels across Ohio I've found both attitudes are getting said too
frequently to be ignored. Somewhere between the "town prostitute" attitude
and Greg's "fresh meat" feeling lies an important message. Yes, fresh
blood is necessary to our growth.
And we have to remember that the old days of young kids getting licenses
and quietly paying their dues while waiting for their turn at leadership
is gone for now. No one likes it but reacting against it is somewhat like
telling the evening ocean tide not to come in tonight.
Today's new member isn't going to have the same "gee whiz" attitude of the
60s or 70s. Something about new hams are older and more mature and they
already know how valuable a new ham is - partially because the ARRL and
newsletter ham editorials keep stressing our "new blood" needs.
Yet while I admire Greg's directness and honesty in his writing, the
"fresh meat" editorial smacks of a kind of brashness which does not lend
itself to instant friendship.
Too many ham radio organizations have tasks, previously given to new
members, which now go undone cause no one will take the trouble. Again I
am unaware of any of the particulars of Greg's complaint, but it, and
similar complaints throughout Ohio, does smack of an unwillingness to give
on both sides - the new ham and the old guard.
Don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled Greg wrote it and thrilled "The Listening
Post" editor Henry Greeb, N8XX, had the courage to print it. The attitudes
on both sides are too frequent and too important to be ignored.
Greg brought this up front where it belongs, not only in Cincinnati but
all of Ohio.
(The Listening Post is the official publication of the Queen City
Emergency Net -QCEN- which is affiliated with the Hamilton County Chapter,
The American Red Cross. A shorter version of this column originally
appeared the March, 2001 issue. It's use is with the permission of
"Listening Post" Editor Henry Greeb, N8XX. Greg's editorial appeared in
the December, 2000 issue).
AMATEUR RADIO
SATELLITES
K8YMI - Bob Halley
Announcements from several AMSAT web sites indicate that ground control
stations are still trying to decrease the spin rate of AO-40 (the former
Phase 3-D) satellite so that the major planned recovery efforts can begin.
AMSATNA, AMSAT-DL and AMSAT-U K are all operating web sites with updated
information. They are all easy to find simply by adding .org to the
name.
Testing of the newer software routine is underway now. The S-Band beacon
is operating at 2401.323 MHz and can best be heard near perigee. I don't
have receive capability in that range so have not heard it. If you hear
it, please record what you ca n and report it to AMSAT Hqs for use in
determining the condition of the satellite.
The ARRL reported that Hams were assisting with the earthquake relief
operations in the Indian State of Gujaret using UO-14 satellite to help
provide radio communications from the stricken region. The death toll has
been estimated at up to 50,000 persons and more than 600,000 left
homeless.
Shuttle Atlantis returned from a 12 day mission to the International Space
Station where they delivered the billion plus dollar space lab Destiny.
The Robotic Arm and three 6 or 7 hour space walks were necessary and all
went well. After the Lab was attached and cables connected, the Astronauts
visited inside the ISS with Astronaut Bill Shepherd KD5GSL and Cosmonauts
Sergei Kinkalev U5MIR and Yuri Giszenko. This first crew on the ISS will
be replaced in mid-March when the Shuttle Discovery arrives with a
replacement team. The first team originally launched from Russia but will
return to the USA so it will make for a strange "round" trip. Because of
high cross winds at the Cape, the shuttle stayed up most of two extra days
and finally landed at Edwards AFB in California.
According the NASA, the Destiny Lab is the centerpiece of the station and
will host unprecedented science experiments in future years.
On February 12, the NEAR spacecraft Shoemaker touched down on the barren,
rocky surface of the asteroid Eros and completed history's first landing
on an asteroid. Safe landing was confirmed when Mission Control received a
beacon signal from the craft resting on the surface of Eros, some 196
million miles from earth! The robotic spacecraft, which left earth five
years ago, spent the last year orbiting the asteroid and taking and
relaying pictures back to earth.
Russian space officials have postponed the de-orbiting of the MIR space
station until mid-March. The newest plan is to bring the 15 year old
station down over the Pacific Ocean between March 13 and 18th. It is
predicted that atmospheric conditions at that time will allow more of the
orbiter to burn as it enters the Earth's atmosphere. The charred remains
of a cargo vessel from the MIR platform plunged into the Pacific Ocean
recently, five days after detaching itself to make way for a fuel delivery
ship.
Why a fuel ship???? It delivered the fuel MIR will need for the de-orbit
burn.
SunSat, AMSAT Oscar 35, went quiet on January 19 and little hope remains
after two weeks of recovery attempts. This craft was built by Graduate
Students at Stellenbosch University in South Africa and launched from
Vandenburg AFB on February 23, 1999. It operated almost two years. When
operational, the package included 1200 and 9600 baud digital store-and-
forward capability, a voice "parrot" repeater system and a Mode B/J
operation with two VHF and two UHF transmit-receive systems.
For those interested in crafting an S-band helix antenna, Jerry Brown,
K5OE, suggests taking a look at the one Mike, K9QHO, built from hardware
store parts. It's an AF9Y design with a ring reflector and features a
detailed assembly as well. Check it out on Jerry's web site
http://members.aol.com/homebbrewpics.
-73- K8YMI
AMATEUR RADIO SPECTRUM
PROTECTION ACT OF 2001
INTRODUCED IN SENATE
The Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2001, introduced earlier this
month in the US House, now is officially a Senate bill, S.549. Republican
Sen Michael Crapo of Idaho introduced the bill in the upper chamber March
15.
Democratic Sen Daniel Akaka of Hawaii was a cosponsor. The bill has been
referred to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. In
introducing the Senate measure again this year, Crapo and Akaka referred
to the importance of Amateur Radio in providing communication in
times of disaster S.549 is identical in its wording to H.R.817, introduced
in the House of Representatives March 1 by Rep Michael Bilirakis of
Florida. If approved by both chambers and signed by Pres George W. Bush,
the Spectrum Protection Act would require the FCC to provide equivalent
replacement spectrum should it ever reallocate primary Amateur Radio
spectrum to another service. The same requirement would apply if the FCC
acted to diminish any secondary amateur allocations or to make additional
allocations in ham bands that diminish their utility.
Thanks to the ARRL Letter, Vol
20, No. 11 - March 16, 2001
Visit the DeForest ARC web
site at:
http://www.qsl.net/k8ge
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.
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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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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, Inc - Radio Shack Dealer
Satellite - Cellular - Computer
Maysville Market Square - AA Highway
MAYSVILLE, KY
canddelectronics.com
(606) 759-5027
or
toll free (888) 759-5027
MANAGER
KC4UXD
CHUCK DOUGHMAN
11 YEARS YOUNG AND STILL GROWING !
THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT
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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