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Issue 102 — NOVEMBER 2001

Monthly Newsletter of the Southern Oregon Amateur Radio Club

SOARC, P.O. BOX 1164, GRANTS PASS, OREGON 97528
VISIT THE SOARC WEBSITE AT: http://www.qsl.net/soar/SOARC/
EDITOR: MIKE WRIGHT, N7GEI, 432 GRANDVIEW AVE., G. P., OR 97527
PHONE: 541-471-0440 E-MAIL: n7gei@msn.com

The President's Corner

November screams at me! Another year is almost gone.  We will accept nominations for all offices this month.  We have good WX for staying inside and playing with radios and computers.  I will bring some homemade stuff for show-and-tell.  We should have a good time.

Don't forget — the club is collecting non-perishable food items for the Gospel Rescue Mission for a Thanksgiving donation. Bring your food to club this month!

I hope to see you at club.

73, Jim, WA6OTP

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2001 SOARC Officers and Board

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Welcome From Your Editor

Having spent several years of my life in law enforcement, I have many friends and acquaintances who are police officers, firemen, and emergency services workers. The events of September 11, 2001, really threw me for a loop. In the weeks that have followed, we have been inundated with a continuous flood of stories regarding the lives of those who died either in the line of duty or as innocent victims of those tragic events in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. On several occasions I've had to change the TV channel because I was just too emotionally fragile to view another account of someone's death. I realize that every one of these unfortunate people was special to others in one or more ways, but it seems as though the media have gone out of their way to feature the saddest, most upsetting stories that they can dig up. I've had enough. I watch the TV news and read the newspaper every day to keep abreast of what's going on both here and abroad. I avoid the so-called TV news magazines and any specials that relate directly to the lives of those left behind. I tried to watch the two-hour special edition of Third Watch that was on a few weeks ago. I had to turn it off after 20 minutes. I just couldn't handle the sadness and despair of it all, but I'm getting better.

"9-11", as it's now being labeled, has done more to bring our country together than any single event since Pearl Harbor. Americanism and a re-emphasis of our religious roots are running rampant throughout this great land. In spite of how these heinous acts may have affected me personally, without hesitation I say "I'm proud to be an American!".

If you have anything to submit for publication in the Gnus, see the contact information below the masthead.

73, Mike, N7GEI

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NEXT CLUB MEETING
TUESDAY, 20 NOVEMBER
1900
SENIOR CENTER
3^RD & B STREETS
GRANTS PASS

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Coming Attractions

The SOARC program for November will be Al Rhodes speaking as the person-in-charge of the Josephine County Bio-Terrorism Team.  Al coordinates all aspects of the team and takes input from federal, state, medical, and ancillary agencies.  What's more, Josephine County is out front of all of Oregon's counties and "the plan" is being reviewed in Salem as a model for other counties.  He will be able to fit SOARC in between two other meetings and is scheduled for 8:00 PM.  We will have to be ready to copy when he arrives!

73, Bill Tyner, WX7U

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Calling All Ladies

Western Belles is a women's ham radio chat group that meets at 7:30 PM on the 1^st and 3^rd Thursdays of every month on the 147.300 repeater. Please check in!

The ladies get together regularly for lunch and all female hams are invited to attend. The next luncheon will be at 11:30 on Saturday, December 1^st, at Elmer's Pancake and Steak House, 175 NE Agness Avenue, Grants Pass. Elmer's is just below the I-5 Foothill Exit, near Shari's, Applebee's, and Big Lots.

73, Wilma, W1LMA, and Anita, KC7MGH

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2001 VE Exams

The 4^th-quarter VE Exam will be held on November 30th at 6:30PM.  Be sure to bring your documents, ID, any CSCE's you might have, and a copy of your current license, if you have one.  Youngsters may bring alternative ID like grade cards or other such paperwork if they don't have a school ID.  Current cost is $10.00.  SOARC may keep up to $4.00 for costs and the rest goes into the treasury.  The remainder goes to ARRL to cover costs.

We are still getting "grandfathered" upgrades.  Remember, to do this you will need proof that you were a Technician prior to 1987.  ARRL takes many records as proof.  In the past, we have sent old call book pages with your call listed, old QSL cards, and even log books!  The ARRL is extremely fair and accomodating during this kind of "exercise".  Lots of fun for us too. 

 Come by and test your code speed.  SOARC still offers code speed certification tests, should you wish to prove you are faster than light.  So far, Fred Schott has proven it.  Right now, he is faster than anyone else in SOARC!

73, Bill Tyner, WX7U

VE Liaison

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Buzz Bausman, WA7WFB, SK

Alvin D. "Buzz" Bausman, WA7WFB, of Grants Pass and Ajo, AZ, died November 1^st in Arizona. Buzz was 80 years old and had recently successfully undergone eye surgery.

Buzz was a snowbird and held a general class ham license. While not active in SOARC, he was very active on the CW bands and known locally by many of our members.

Our condolences and best wishes go out to his family.

73, Ed, KG6IA

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QST de W1AW

ARRL Bulletin 47  ARLB047

From ARRL Headquarters 

Newington CT  November 14, 2001

To all radio amateurs

ARLB047 W1AW seeking 40-meter reports

Maxim Memorial Station W1AW has made some hardware changes to its 40-meter bulletin/code practice transmitter and now is seeking signal reports.

Reports should note location, time of reception, mode, signal strength and quality. Use of the standard RST system is acceptable.

Mail reports on a postcard to: W1AW 40-meter reports, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111. E-mail reports may be sent to w1aw@arrl.org.

W1AW's schedule calls for Morse practice Tuesdays through Fridays, 9:00 AM Eastern, and Morse practice/bulletins Mondays through Fridays, 4-6:00 PM Eastern, both on 7047.5 kHz. The weekday digital transmission begins at 6:00 PM Eastern on 7095 kHz. A phone bulletin is transmitted daily at 9:45 PM Eastern on 7290 kHz.

The complete W1AW operating schedule is on the ARRL Web site,
http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.html.

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Ode to Osama

Osama Bin Laden, your time is short.

We'd rather you die, than come to court.
Why are you hiding, if it was in God's name?
You?re just a punk with a turban, a pathetic shame.
I have a question about your theory and laws:
"How come you never die for the cause?"
Is it because you're a coward who counts on others?
Well, here in America we stand by our brothers.
As is usual, you failed in your mission.
If you expected pure chaos, you can keep on wishin'.
Americans are now focused and stronger than ever.
Your death has become our next endeavor.
What you tried to kill, doesn't live in our walls.
It's not in buildings or shopping malls.

If all of our structures came crashing down,
It would still be there, safe and sound.
Because pride and courage can't be destroyed,
Even if the towers leave a deep void.
We'll band together and fill the holes.
We'll bury our dead and bless their souls.
But then our energy will focus on you,
And you'll feel the wrath of the Red, White and Blue.
So slither and hide, like a snake in the grass,
Because America's coming to kick your ass!

Anonymous from the Internet

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Food For Thought

If a word were misspelled in a dictionary, how would we ever know?

If Webster wrote the first dictionary, where did he find the words?

Why do we say something is out of whack? What is a whack?

Why does "slow down" and "slow up" mean the same thing?

Why does fat chance and slim chance mean the same thing?

Why do 'tug' boats push their barges? Shouldn't they be called "push boats"?

Why do we sing "Take me out to the ball game," when we are already there?

Why is it called "after dark," when it is really after light?

Doesn't "expecting the unexpected" make the unexpected expected?

Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?

Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things?

Why is phonics not spelled the way it sounds?

If work is so terrific, how come they have to pay you to do it?

If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting?

If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?

If you're cross-eyed and have dyslexia, can you read all right?

Why is bra singular and panties plural?

Why do you press harder on a remote control when you know the battery is dead?

How come abbreviated is such a long word?

Why do we wash bath towels? Aren't we clean when we use them?

Why doesn?t glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

Why do they call it a TV set when you only get one?

73, George, KC7JJG

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Two Great True Stories

World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O'Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific.

One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship.

His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet. As he was returning to the mothership, he saw something that turned his blood cold. A squadron of Japanese bombers were speeding their way toward the American fleet. The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but defenseless.

He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet, nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet.

Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50-calibers blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch weaved in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until, finally, all his ammunition was spent.

Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to at least clip off a wing or tail, in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible and rendering them unfit to fly. He was desperate to do anything he could to keep them from reaching the American ships. Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction. Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier.

Upon arrival, he checked in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet. He had destroyed five enemy bombers. That was on February 20, 1942, and for that action he became the Navy's first Ace of WWII and the first Naval Aviator to win the Congressional Medal of Honor.

A year later he was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29. His home town would not allow the memory of that heroic action die. And today, O'Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man. So the next time you're in O'Hare, visit his memorial with his statue and Medal of Honor. It is located between terminals 1 and 2.

Some years earlier there was a man in Chicago called Easy Eddie. At that time, Al Capone virtually owned the city. Capone wasn't famous for anything heroic; his exploits were anything but praiseworthy. He was, however, notorious for enmeshing the city of Chicago in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder. Easy Eddie was Capone's lawyer, and for a good reason. He was very good! In fact, his skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.

To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big, Eddie got special dividends. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago city block.

Yes, Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocity that went on around him.

Eddy did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddy saw to it that his young son had the best of everything; clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object. And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong. Yes, Eddie tried to teach his son to rise above his own sordid life. He wanted him to be a better man than he was. Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things that Eddie couldn't give his son. Two things that Eddie sacrificed to the Capone mob that he could not pass on to his beloved son: a good name and a good example.

One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Offering his son a good name was far more important than all the riches he could lavish on him. He had to rectify all the wrong that he had done. He would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Scar-face Al Capone. He would try to clean up his tarnished name and offer his son some semblance of integrity. To do this he must testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great. But more than anything, he wanted to be an example to his son. He wanted  to do his best to make restoration and hopefully have a good name to leave his son.

So, he testified. Within the year, Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago street. He had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer at the greatest price he would ever pay.

I know what you're thinking. What do these two stories have to do with one another?

Well, you see, Butch O'Hare was Easy Eddie's son.

Instructions for Life

Eat plenty of whole rice.

Give people more than they expect and do this willfully.

Learn by heart your favorite song.

Don't believe anything you hear and do not sleep as much as you would like to.

When you say, "I love you," say it truthfully.

When you say, "I'm sorry," say it with eye contact.

An engagement period of six months is crucial before marriage.

Believe in love at first sight.

Never mock others' dreams.

Love deeply and passionately. You may get hurt, but this is the only way to live life to the fullest.

Deal with discontentment, fight fairly but do not offend.

Do not judge others because of their relatives.

Talk slow, think fast.

When someone asks you a question you do not want to answer, smile and ask: "Why do you want to know?"

Remember that the greatest love and the greatest successes also hold many risks.

Call your Mom.

Bless a person who has just sneezed.

When you lose, do not lose the lesson.

Remember: Respect for yourself, respect for others and responsibility for your actions.

Do not allow a small disagreement to hurt a great friendship.

When you notice you have made a mistake, take the appropriate steps in order to correct it.

Smile when you answer the phone. Those who call can "hear" your smile.

Marry the person you love talking to the most. When you get old, conversation will be important more than anything else.

Spend some time alone.

Accept change with open arms; yet do not give up your values.

Remember that, sometimes, silence is the best answer.

Read more books and watch television less.

Live a good, honorable life. Later, when you grow old and remember the past, you will enjoy them once more.

Believe and trust God, whomever/whatever you conceive God to be, but securely lock your car.

An atmosphere of love at your home is most important.

Do all that you can in order to create a calm home full of love. Do not bring back the past.

Read in between the lines.

Share your knowledge. It is the way to live forever.

Be gentle with our Earth planet.

Pray. Prayer has incredible power.

Never interrupt someone who flatters you.

Take care of your problems.

Do not trust a man or a woman who do not close their eyes when you kiss them.

Once a year, visit a place you never did before.

If you make a lot of money, channel it so as to help others while you are alive. This is the greatest satisfaction a treasure can reward you.

Remember that, sometimes, not getting what you want is very lucky.

Learn all the rules, and then break some.

Remember that the greatest relationships are the ones in which the love between two people is greater than the need one has of the other.

Judge your success in light of what you had to give up in order to obtain it.

Relate to love and to the kitchen completely.

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Faulty Installation

There was a Midwestern phone company that was going to hire one team of telephone pole installers and the boss had to choose between a team of Polish guys and a team of Irish guys.

So the boss met with both teams and said: "Here's what we'll do. Each team will be installing poles out on the new road for a day. The team that installs the most phone poles gets the job."

Both teams headed right out.

At end of the shift, the Irish guys came back and the boss asked them how many they had installed. They said that it was tough going, but  they'd put it twelve.

Forty-five minutes later, the Polish guys came back in and they were totally exhausted.

The boss said, "Well, how many poles did you guys install?"

The team leader wiped his brow and sighed, "We got three in."

The boss gasped, "Three? Those Irish guys put in twelve!"

"Yeah," said the Polish leader, "but you should see how much they left sticking out of the ground."

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According to the Internet?

Don't go to the bathroom on November 28th. CIA intelligence reports that a major plot is planned for that day. Anyone who takes a poop on the 28th will be bitten on the butt by an alligator. Reports indicate that organized groups of alligators are planning to rise up into unsuspecting Americans' toilet bowls and bite them when they are doing their dirty business.

I usually don't send e-mails like this, but I got this information from a reliable source. It came from a friend of a friend whose cousin is dating this girl whose brother knows this guy whose wife knows this lady whose husband buys hotdogs from this guy who knows a shoeshine guy who shines the shoes of a mailroom worker who has a friend whose drug dealer sells drugs to another mailroom worker who works in the CIA building. He apparently overheard two guys talking in the bathroom about alligators and came to the conclusion that we are going to be attacked.

So it must be true.

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Another "True" Report

CHICAGO--The war on terrorism took a strange and sad turn Friday as airline officials at O'Hare International Airport refused to let a 73-year-old grandmother board her plane, as she had in her possession two six-inch knitting needles. Apparently, authorities were worried that she might knit an Afghan.

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