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Volume XXX, Issue 6.w June 2002

From the Editor

Let's see if the editor can get this newsletter out without any problems. It was brought to my attention that May's newsletter didn't make it out. Most all of the post-virus damage has been repaired. If you didn't get last month's Editor's lessons learned, here's an excerpt:

Moving up the deadline might have helped the late newsletter syndrome... had it not been for an unprotected hard drive. Let this be a lesson to all computer users: 1) USE VIRUS PROTECTION!, 2) BACKUP EVERYTHING! Be assured that these items have been taken seriously here at the editor's desk. This poor 'ole computer won't be contaminating anybody anytime soon. I lost a bit of data during the invasion, so some of the regular recipients may not get this newsletter without your help. I'll have my distribution list repaired by next issue.

This month's articles are actually May's articles. John Vanden Bos' John's Jottings is on an important subject and bears reprinting. I'll also continue with Mike Mullins' Projects and Steve Clark's Activities suggestion lists. Please give these guys your support with additional ideas for projects/activities and with your participation.

REMINDER: This month's club meeting will cover emergency communications and mobile/portable installations. Please make it point to attend!

73's, Phill - KD5HTM

Please send constructive comments and suggestions about stuff you'd like to see in the newsletter. See Newsletter below for more information or if you would like to subscribe to the members' only e-mail version.

John Vanden Bos - WB8PHO  Trustee Top

John's Jottings

Welcome to May, the imminent approach of the 2002 Hurricane Season, Field Day in one more month, and vacations. Hurricanes, Field Day, and vacations, all things which require some preparation and planning.

Hurricanes. In case of a storm, where will you go? What will you take with you? If this area is hit by a storm, will you be able to assist with emergency or health and welfare traffic when you return? Will you have taken equipment so that if you are not personally impacted by the storm, you might be available to assist others who were? While there are no plans to open shelters in Brazoria County in advance of the storm because of significant questions about suitable structures (and having to leave in the middle of the storm because your shelter is collapsing is nothing I want to consider), but after the storm is another matter. Shelters will undoubtedly be needed for returnees, people coming to help with the recovery efforts, etc. Communications will be as important as food, water, and sanitation. The telephone system probably will have sustained severe damage, and restoration will not happen overnight. You may be able to help.

Field Day. The annual exercise to demonstrate our capability to set up a temporary station (or stations) at locations other than our homes, using emergency power, and produce usable communications happens the fourth weekend of June every year. That Saturday morning is not the time to start looking for your "emergency antenna" or that length of coax that's "somewhere". Steve, KD6CXD, is heading up the effort for BARC this year, and I'm sure he will be looking for assistance with equipment, food, operators, and those other things that it takes for a successful effort. You can expect to hear more about this at the meeting. Also, one of the club-owned rotators, cable and control box seems to have "gone astray". If you have any knowledge of where it is, Steve or any member of the Board would like to hear from you, and learn its location.

Vacations. Prior to your departure is not the time to be discussing your plans, how long you will be gone etc, on the repeater. You can never be sure whom you might be inadvertently inviting to "drop in" and help himself to the possessions you didn't take along. Even with the reduced speed limits, it won't take him long to have them up to Houston and in some pawnshop. Tell us after you get back. We'll still get to hear about the trip, and it'll be too late for "Light Finger Louis" to come "help himself".

Tuesday, May 21 will be the next membership meeting. It will be held at the Lake Jackson public library meeting room, starting about 7:30 PM. Last month, the cookies returned, and may well be back again this time. I understand that Eric has volunteered (or at least agreed) to put on a presentation on repeaters that promises to be very interesting. Hope to see you there.

de John, WB8PHO

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Contributions to this newsletter, concerning Amateur Radio and related subjects are welcome. Submit contributions as plain text or Word 95/97TM documents to [email protected] .

Deadline for submissions is the first Saturday of the month.

If you would like to get feedback from your article, please include contact information. If you or someone you know would like to be added or removed from the distribution list, please send me an e-mail to the address above.

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