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July 2003 Vol. 13 No.7 |
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Good Ole Summer Time! The time when antenna work should be done. KW1C and KA1ZOE are doing just that with the help of N1CHF. KW1C is putting up a 40 meter antenna. KA1ZOE is working on getting his TV antenna up on his tower. N1KGS held the first meeting to reactivate ARES and RACES in this area on July 19th at the EMA at the Loring Commerce Center. Unfortunately I was unable to attend due to a necessary trip to Vermont. I am still in Vermont as I write this. The 2003 World Radio Communications Conference is now over. It lasted for four weeks. There were 2600 registered participants. K1ZZ says in the August QST says that the lavish receptions hosted by the commercial satellite companies for all participants during WRC-97 and WRC-2000 were not held this year. He says it is because of the declining fortunes of the telecommunications industry. |
The conference considered 48 different items. Because the International Amateur Radio Union
has always conducted themselves as professionally as any of the interest
groups, K1ZZ assures us that amateur and amateur satellite services
are taken seriously. Among the items of interest to amateurs are the dropping of Morse Code as a requirement for HF licensing. However, individual countries may keep the requirement. Also, there will be greater flexibility in assigning call signs, which now can have suffixes with four characters, or even more for temporary use. The 40 meter band will, in the future, have some relief from commercial broadcasters. Broadcasters will be removed from 7100 to 7200 MHz in Regions 1 & 3. It takes effect world wide in March 2009. US Amateurs will continue to have 7100 to 7300 MHz with greatly reduced broadcasting interference. Address comments, questions or suggestions to: Gale Flagg 108 Franklin School RD Fort Kent ME 04743 Phone: 207-834-6670 E-mail: galeflagg@sjv.net Next Meeting: SUNDAY AUGUST 11 AM CROSS LAKE PICNIC AREA Pot Luck Picnic Lunch |
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| Page 2 Feed-Point, July, 2003 |
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Called to
Order: 19:25 We ate the first
course of the Potluck Supper 1st. Then held the meeting.
Treasurer's Report: Submitted by N1CHF : June Balance $954.14. + interest $1.04 = July Balance $955.18 Old Business:
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2. 146.640 Report: N1FG reported
replacing the Damp-Aid in the repeater chest. Though the Dam-Aid was water
saturated with water in the bottom of its container, the interior of the
repeater chest was completely dry. 3. Field Day: N1KGS, N1PMS, and N1FG met at the Loring Commerce Center about 10 AM to set up an antenna using N1KG'S truck to hold a 20' mast. Well, we tried a 30' mast, but after several attempts we reduced it to 20'. The antenna was not working well when tested, so a trip to N1KG'S home was made to get his other antenna and coax. That worked well. See Page 3 for results. 3. Dues are Due: Some still owe dues. Keep your membership up to date please. New Business: 1. August Meeting: It was decided to have
the meeting at a picnic the second weekend of August. The meeting will
be Sunday August 10th. Picnic Lunch--Pot Luck
Adjourned:
19.44 Submitted by:
N1FG Program: Excellent
video on the sun. Stunning footage on solar flares. We then had course 2 of the supper, which had been cooking in the oven. |
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In Case You Are Interested
The club has received a brochure from Westgate Laboratories. They sell coax, transistors, capacitors and much more. Their web site is www.WestgateParts.com |
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
Henry Nutting 8-14
Gil Bourgoin 8-19 Cheryl Boomhower 8-26 Claudette Bourgoin 8-31 |
| Page 3 Feed-Point, July, 2003 |
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FIELD DAY 2003
While we were setting up the antenna for the second radio (the EMA
has one radio and antenna), we had a visit from N1KAT, ARRL Section Manager
of Maine, and K1TWF, ARRL Vice Director of the New England Division. They
delivered a copy of Governor Baldacci's Proclamation of Amateur Radio Week
in Maine, which was June 23rd through June 29th. The van they traveled
in had a quad antenna mounted on the roof. N7GLR and KA7VNR started operating at 2:00 PM. N1QMC and N1JHD came later to operate. N1PMS, N1KGS, and N1FG operated the two radios through the night and until 2 on Sunday. Band conditions were not the best, but could have been worse. There was a lot of fading in and out. Contact would be made, but before the exchange could be made both ways it was sometimes lost. We had to wait until the station was heard again. We also had a problem with the EMA Kenwood. Very few contacts could made on 20 meters. The radio could not be tuned to 20 meters. Most of the contacts on that radio were on 40 meters. A few times the radio jumped from 40 meters to 1400 with no warning in the middle of a QSO. We still have not figured out the reason. Anyone have an suggestions? The other radio was an Icom 706. It worked well. |
Despite the glitches, we eventually made 188 phone
contacts. The power multiplier was 2, and we are claiming 500 bonus points.
There is a problem with 200 of the bonus points. We tried four times
to copy the W1AW message, which was unbelievably long. QRM caused difficulties,
and I was off frequency for part of one of the attempts. Whether
we got enough of the message to earn the points is the question. Also,
we tried to pass the message to the Section Manager, but the Maine Public
Service Net did not ask for any further traffic before closing. Maybe ARRL
will give us points for the composed traffic message and maybe not. We did
our best to fulfill the requirements.
The July 9th St. John Valley Times had an article about our field day. It was headlined: Valley HAM Operators in American Radio Relay Field Day. Photo of KA7VNR and N1FG operating. The EMA was certainly a nice place to be. Big rooms. The two radios were in separate rooms, which minimized interference. There was a kitchen with a refrigerator, a coffee machine. There was air conditioning! PHISH CONCERT
The meeting to reactivate ARES and RACES also developed
a plan for amateurs to help during the Phish Concert August 2-3. I have
sent an e-mail copy of the plan to the members. We need to cover the NMMC.
The plan also tells you what can be monitored in case further help is needed.
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Heavy duty 40' galvanized steel
tower, 16" x 16" x 16". Includes mounting hardware.
Best Offer. |
Head-scratching Headlines collected by Richard Lederer: POISONING RESEARCHER CREDITED WITH SAVING LIVES.
* NRC: FUEL RODS MISTAKENLY STORED IN SAFE PLACE. * NO CAUSE OF DEATH
DETERMINED FOR BEHEADED VICTIM. * INSANITY PLEA BY MAN WHO'S HIS
OWN LAWYER * DEAD YOUTH IN SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITION
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| Page 4 Feed-Point, 2003 |
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Published by the St. John Valley Amateur Radio Association and distributed free to members and friends of Amateur Radio. Officers President: Gale Flagg N1FG Vice President: Sandra Daigle, N1QMC Secretary: Rotating Treasurer: Steve Boomhower N1CHF Public Information: Charles Ames, N7GLR Technical Advisor: Steve Boomhower, N1CHF Editor/Publisher/Printer Gale Flagg - N1FG / Stan Flagg 834-6670 Associate Editor/Web Edition Steve Boomhower N1CHF Membership Information (Annual Dues): Regular Membership $ 12 Associate Membership $ 6 Articles: Articles may be submitted by anyone with a good idea, and may be re-printed only in their entirety and with credit going to this newsletter. |
FEED-POINT
108 FRANKLIN SCHOOL RD
FORT KENT ME 04743