Dear Fellow Hams,
      As I write this, it is a wonderful autumn day. The sky is clear blue. The maples are showing orange, yellow, and rosy red on the ridges. In low spots flashes of scarlet from Red Maples and Pin Cherries brighten the landscape. Still, on Sept. 27, there has been no killing frost. Will we make it through the month without a frost.?

     Yesterday N1FCW, N1LON, N8VJM, and N1CHF had an unusually perfect day to work on the Rocky Mountain Repeater. The winds of Hurricane Floyd had toppled a couple of trees that had to be cleared from the road, and I understand all that was available to do the work was a Coping saw, a hacksaw blade,  and the saw on a Swiss Army Knife!  I guess standard equipment for future Rocky Mountain expeditions should be a good saw or ax. Anyway, somehow they did clear the trees. At the top they enjoyed a view  so clear they could see the fire tower on Deboullie. Even Mt. Katahdin was visible. The wind was calm. N1LON washed the windows. N1CHF and N8VJM worked on the antennas and tuned the cavities. A lockable hatch was put in place. Thanks to you all for all the work.

     I know the performance of the repeater was improved, because I have never been able to get into Rocky Mountain or hear it with my HT from my home. Now I can, and I was able to help with the audio tests, as N1CHF tried many different things.

     Mr. Murray thought it was a good idea that I had my HT with me. At Galilee Pond I called N1CHF on the Rocky Mountain Repeater and asked him to call the FK Bus Garage and ask them to call our bus and tell the driver to pick us up at Denny Pond in 20 minutes. The only trouble was the bus driver wasn't listening!

    WINTER NET HOUR SUNDAY AT 1900 (7 pm) STARTING OCT.3.

Address comments, questions, or suggestions to: 
Gale Flagg  R.F.D.#3  Box 250
Fort Kent  ME 04743 
Phone: 207-834-6670
E-mail: sgflagg@sjv.net

Called to Order: 18:34 by N1UYA

In Attendance: N1UYA, KW1C,  N1PMS, N1JHD, N1QMC, N7GLR, KA7VNR, N1FRX, N8VJM (Late---flat tire)

Secretary's Minutes: Motion to accept by N7GLR, seconded by N1FRX.   Motion passed.

Treasurer's Report (N1CHF):
     Not available.( July's balance $384.02,  plus $1.73 interest and $36. dues---information as of Aug.27).

Old Business: 
     Rosette's will be expecting us for the Harvest Supper on Oct. 16 at 5 PM. Canadian and Presque Isle Hams will be invited. Count needed for Rosette's by Oct. 9.  Please notify N1UYA on the Oct. 9 Net, or by e-mail.
      N7GLR brought a packet of QSL cards he had just received from the QSL bureau and explained that using the bureau is an economical way to QSL.

New Business: 
     JOTA will be Oct. 16 and 17th.  N1UYA will attempt to contact Boy Scout and Girl Scout Leaders to see if they would like any ham activities during JOTA.

      There was a discussion of who the scout leaders might be.

       KW1C gave a summary of the Sept. 11 Hospital Ham Test. Northern Maine Medical Center has an 80 meter bazooka and a 2 meter vertical. The radio is an ICOM 746, a 100 watt rig with HF 6m and 2m.  Marty says it is quiet with a low noise floor. Hospitals all over Maine took part. This was a Y2K Contingency Test. KW1C said it appeared to be a success.

Next meeting will be MON Oct.4, 1830 EST at UMFK, Grindle Conference Room.. 

Adjourned @ 19:40 EDT by N1UYA with no objection from the floor.

Programs: The Correct Way To Tape---Starting at the center and working to one end, then back to the other end, and finish in the center.
      N1UYA presented an introduction to the Maine Dragonfly and Damselfly Survey, explaining techniques for capture, and some facts about the insects.

Minutes taken by N1UYA in absence of N8VJM.

   Perhaps some of you will be interested in one of these new products  reviewed in the latest issues of QST and CQ/VHF . 
    The first are Tower Jack Tower Tools: 
1. A five pound Tower Jack---this is used when taking tower sections apart. A 24-inch handle gives good leverage for prying apart sections of tower that are stuck together. 
2. Legliner---this tool helps you to line up the legs when assembling a tower with legs that have gotten bent slightly out of alignment due to rough handling in shipping. It will not straighten seriously bent legs.
3. The Tower Block is a pulley that attaches to one of the tower legs.
The block makes it possible for the ground crew to pull horizontally on the lifting line of the gin pole. This way of pulling is easier on the arms and the ground crew can stand away from the drop zone under the tower. This will protect the groundmen from falling objects.
4. Tower Lube is also available, as well as a safety strap to attach the Tower Jack to the tower.  The reviewer, K1RQ, QST editor, found the tools well made and easy to use. For more information: http://www.towerjack.com/

        An excellent how-to with numerous photos shows you how to make
the Phillystran guys. See CQ/VHF October 1999  page 24-29. 

( N1UYA has a copy of this magazine) 

Heavy duty 40' galvanized steel tower, 16" x 16" x 16". Includes mounting hardware. Best Offer.

Pair of stacked 7-element beams for 10 meters. Best Offer.

Heil BM-10 microphone boom set   $35.

MFJ 451X  keyer  $35

Contact Charles Zafonte N1FRX  834-6273

     The ARRL Technology Task Force is looking for your ideas and proposals on how amateur radio technology can be improved or how things might be done differently. If you have ever thought,
"Why don't we have.. or do something differently" , this is the time, before Oct. 31, to send it e-mail to ttfinput@arrl.org  Write to ARRL Technology Task Force c/o Ed Hare, W1RFI, Staff Liaison, 225 Main St. , Newington, CT 0611. The task force will consider and work on the ideas that will bring new technology to ham radio.