| CLUB MEETINGS
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The quarterly meetings are held on the first Friday of the months of February, May, August and November.
The election of club officers takes place every May meeting. Meetings are normally held at the
Colonial Restaurant at the corner of
McLean Boulevard & Spartan Drive in Elgin. Head toward the back of the restaurant and into
the meeting room. Dinner orders begin around 7:00PM, followed by the meeting agenda, though you can order dinner anytime you wish (even during the meeting).
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| REPEATER & NET INFORMATION
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The 2-meter (VHF) repeater is equipped with battery back-up and autopatch capability. The autopatch covers the following area codes in the Chicagoland area: 312/773/872, 630/331, 708/464, 847/224, 815. Never discuss any autopatch codes or other repeater codes over the air or to non-members. While there is a courtesy tone to indicate controller time-out timer reset, please allow the carrier to drop from time to time during QSOs to provide an opportunity for anyone else to join the conversation or pass emergency or priority traffic. The VHF repeater has coverage as far as the lake shore to west of Interstate 39.
The 70cm (UHF) repeater does not have battery back-up or autopatch capability. There is no courtesy tone, so please allow the carrier to drop after each transmission to reset the time-out timer during QSOs.
The VARA net occurs every Monday evening at 8:00PM CT on the 146.79 repeater, with Bob, K9WVY as net control. Any and all amateurs (members or non-members) are invited to check into this net and pass any traffic that may be of interest to other amateurs.
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| MEMBERSHIP
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The annual dues from our members go towards financially supporting our two repeater systems in terms of site rent,
electric & telephone bills, as well as other ongoing costs of maintaining the repeater equipment. Our fiscal year
runs from April to April, however, a grace period is allowed for dues to be paid at the following May meeting. Additional
family members (living at the same address as the paying member) may join free of charge. Regular membership is $30/year
and is prorated based on the time of year you joined. Autopatch membership is an additional $15/year (not prorated),
which comes with two speed-dial numbers programmed to your preference.
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| YAHOO GROUP
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The VARA Yahoo Group page can be accessed at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vara/. Access to this group is granted via membership invitation and only VARA members in good standing are eligible to join. Meeting notices, club news and other amateur radio related information can be shared via this group in between regular meetings. Please contact us if you would like to join the VARA Yahoo Group.
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© 1997-2012 Valley Amateur Repeater Association, Inc.
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Last updated on
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