Gosh, it's August already and it is quite obvious that it is summer from the temperatures outside. It's a perfect time to not be working outside on antennas, but sitting at the radio. Operating marine mobile from your bass boat is another alternative. From what I saw in the latest issue of QST, Yaesu now has a 5-watt handheld radio that is submersible, well up to 3 feet. So it looks like they had the fisherman in mind.

It was good to see everyone at the last meeting, and it looks like I'll be there again this month. It was also nice to see a few new faces at the meeting. Help out the club-- if you run into any new hams or locals hams who haven't been to a meeting in a while, mention when the next meeting is. We sure would like to see them. If you know of other amateurs who haven't been coming for need of a ride, give me or one of the membership committee members a holler and we will try to find them someone to car pool with. I know that John Stubbe, K7VSU, and I have taken advantage of Elmer, W6IGK, and Joanne Seutters', N6OJF, taxi. We all live within a ¼ mile of each other. By the way Elmer and John, did I mention that I picked up a new 1KW linear amplifier? Now we will see who is king of the hill. Only dreaming – still running 100 watts – not to worry.

I am sorry to hear that the Western Belles on-the-air Thursday night meeting has gone on an extended vacation. I'll say that, for now, and hope that more of the YL's may get interested in renewing the on-the-air meetings in the future. Luncheons will continue.

A reminder that next month is the annual SOARC Picnic. Be sure to keep your appointment book open for Sunday, September 18th, and we will be looking for you at the picnic. There will be more about the picnic at the meeting, so don't miss it--the meeting or the picnic. If you have any extra equipment or items you want to sell, swap, or give away, bring them to the picnic. As always, bring your own table setting(s), specialty drinks, and those big paper plates.

We are still looking for someone to head the education committee. If you are interested in helping out, please let me know. We also need someone to coordinate the training of people who are interested in becoming amateurs. If you can help instruct, then all the better, but having someone to get things organized is the first step. I think we can find instructors.

See you all next Tuesday.

73, Dennis Recla, WA5KTC

I know you join me in thanking Jim Woods, W7PUP, for stepping up to the plate as our new secretary. He is a welcome addition to our club officers.

I wasn't able to make it to the JARS Swap Meet and Potluck. I apparently didn't win anything either. I hope it went well and we'll get someone to give us a report on Tuesday.

With any luck, I'll make it to my first Bandon Hamfest, sponsored by the Coos County Radio Club, and have a report on it at the meeting.

Next month is our SOARC Picnic and Swap Meet. We may even have some kind of a raffle this year. Bring your table service(s), a covered dish, and your own drinks. The club will provide the meat. More details at the meeting.

Don't forget--you can list your "for sale or trade" or "wanted" items in the newsletter. Please limit them to ham or computer-related merchandise or services.

If you have anything to contribute to the Gnus, see the contact information above.

73, Mike Wright, N7GEI

Western Belles is a women's ham radio group that gets together regularly for lunch and all female hams are invited to attend.

Our next luncheon will be at 11:30 on September 10th at Elmer's Restaurant, 175 NE Agness Avenue, Grants Pass. We will be meeting on the second Saturday in September because of the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Our repeater chat group has been discontinued due to a lack of interest.

August 16 – 1800 SOARC Board Meeting

August 16 – 1900 SOARC General Meeting

August 20-21 – Maryland/DC SSB QSO Party, 1800Z 8-20 to 0600Z 8-21

August 20-21 – North American SSB QSO Party, 1800Z 8-20 to 0600Z 8-21

August 27-28 – Hawaii QSO Party, 0700Z 8-27 to 2200Z 8-28

August 27-28 – Ohio QSO Party, 1600Z 8-27 to 0400Z 8-28

August 28-29 – Kentucky QSO Party, 1600Z 8-28 to 0400Z 8-29

September 3-4 – All Asian DX SSB Contest, 0000Z 9-3 to 2400Z 9-4

September 10-11 – Arkansas QSO Party, 1400Z 9-10 to 0600 9-11

September 10-12 – ARRL VHF QSO Party, 1800Z 9-10 to 0300Z 9-12

September 11-12 – Tennessee QSO Party, 1800Z 9-11 to 0100Z 9-12

September 11-18 – POW-MIA Recognition Day by K6P, 14.253, 18.150, and 21.350 MHz

September 16-18 – "Get Your Feet Wet Weekend", slow sending, no keyers or bugs, for CW newcomers or rusty old timers – 1800Z 9-16 to 0000Z 9-18

September 17-18 – QCWA Fall QSO Party, 1800Z 9-17 to 1800Z 9-18

September 18 – North American SSB Sprint, 0000Z to 0400Z

September 24-25 – CQ Worldwide RTTY DX Contest, 0000Z 9-24 to 2400Z 9-25

September 30-October 2 – Pacific NW VHF Conference, Shilo @ The Prom, Seaside, OR

September 18 – SOARC Picnic, Whitehorse Park, Grants Pass

October – JOTA & CROP Walk

October 1-2 – Oceania SSB DX Contest, 0800Z 10-1 to 0800Z 10-2

November 15 – Nominations for SOARC officers and board

November 29 – VE Testing

December 20 – SOARC Christmas Party/Potluck/Gift Exchange, Redwood Grange, Grants Pass

The last SOARC VEC exam session will be November 29th at the regular meeting site. The fee is $14.00 per license class exam. As usual, if you take a written and code test together you only pay the single fee. Either one by itself is $14.00. Should you take two written tests to upgrade twice in one session it will cost $28.00. Even if you don't take any tests, the fee for an upgrade (in this instance, the invoking of the grandfather privilege for pre-1987 technicians) will be $14.00.

Walk-ins are dandy with no pre-registration required. If there are many of you arriving in a group, or are examinees requiring special accommodation (PWD), then please do advise me in advance so that we can best meet your needs.

Register between 6:00-6:15 PM. Exams begin at 6:30. Plan on spending from one to two hours.

Contact: Bill Tyner, WX7U, by e-mail at
goodgrendl@aol.com or leave a phone message at (541) 476-2703.

73, Bill Tyner, WX7U

VE Liaison

In the July Wireless Gnus, I read where you could download a slashed zero font. My method is much simpler. Whenever you need a slashed zero, just hold down the ALT key and type Ø216 on the numeric keypad. It will not work using the numbers above the keyboard, one must enter the code on the numeric keypad on the right side. Makes a nice slashed zero to: 123456789Ø.

73, Steve Woodward, W7AZF

Interested in building an active filter? Check out the National Semiconductor Active Filter Webench for online design at:
http://amplifiers.national.com

Here is another website to add to last month's listing for fasteners:
http://www.fastenal.com

Looking for something that will key virtually any amplifier with any transciever? See:
http://www.theheathkitshop.com/ampkeyer.html

Would you like a tool for predicting tropospheric ducting based on weather patterns? See:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~dxinfo/tropo.html

For information on how to deal with fatigue while contesting or performing other activities requiring long hours:
http://members.cox.net/bmw-1rider/fatigue.pdf

For everything you wanted to know about computer serial and parallel ports, see:
http://www.lvr.com

For a lot of information on towers, go to (for a free CD):
http://www.rohn.net/

For a detailed paper on guyed towers, check out:
http://k7nv.com/notebook/towerstudy/towerstudy1.html

73, Elmer Seutter, W6IGK

ICE — In Case of Emergency, is a campaign encouraging people to enter an emergency contact number in their mobile phone's memory under the heading "ICE" (In Case of Emergency). It has spread rapidly throughout the world as a particular consequence of the recent terrorist attacks in London.

Originally established as a nationwide campaign in the UK, ICE allows paramedics or police to be able to contact a designated relative/next-of-kin in an emergency situation.

By adopting the ICE advice, your mobile will help the rescue services quickly contact a friend or relative, which could be vital in a life or death situation. It only takes a few seconds to do, and it could easily help save your life. Why not put ICE in your phone now? Simply select a new contact in your phone book, enter the word 'ICE', and the number of the person you wish to be contacted.

Space Shuttle Discovery's seven-person crew included six Amateur Radio licensees, including Mission Commander Astronaut Eileen Collins, KD5EDS. The spacecraft also carried into space the PCSat2 Amateur Radio payload.