Our Next Meeting: Friday May 11,
2001 8 PM
At Wantagh Public Library
This Month's Meeting will include a computer and software demo
by
Ralph Bose WP4KO, Jack Wicks KI2M and Vic Panzica K2IY.
Ralph and Jack will be giving latest tips and news on Windows 98
and Windows 2000 and answering questions on hardware.
A good part of the discussion will be a demo of software that can
be
used for field day. This will include software for logging,
packet,
and satellite tracking.
Last week's hot spell gave us all a preview of summer.
The next few weekends will hopefully be cooler and give us a
chance to
complete outdoor antenna work and spring chores in the yard.
Next Saturday's ( May 12) Jones Beach Coast Guard Station Tour
is still on for 10 AM.
Some of us will be meeting at the parking lot next to the Circle
M Diner between
9 AM and 9:30 AM. Others will be going direct. If
interested, please give me a call
at 826-0519 or email for directions or carpooling info.
I had a chance to speak with NLI Public Information
Coordinator, Diane Ortiz K2DO
about future club speakers and our upcoming US Coast Guard
Station Tour. Diane was
kind enough to have husband and NLI Section Manager George Tranos
N2GA list
the tour in the NLI Section Email Newsletter. The
Newsletter is also listed on the
NLI Section website: see links http://arrlhudson.org/nli/
and
http://arrlhudson.org/nli/news0501.htm
I also officially notified ARRL NLI Section Manager George
Tranos N2GA and
NLI Section Emergency Coordinator Tom Carrubba KA2D about our
Field Day
plans as well. Our Field Day is also listed under the NLI
Section Events web page:
see links http://arrlhudson.org/nli/ and http://arrlhudson.org/nli/events.htm
George also informed me that the Field Day sites will be listed
in an upcoming
Newsday Summer Funbook which will be in one of the upcoming
Sunday Newsday's during the month of May. The Funbook will
include
a listing of local Nassau and Suffolk Radio Clubs under a Ham
Radio hobby section.
A Field Day site survey was held on Saturday April 21 at the
Wantagh Park location.
Club members Jack Wicks KI2M, Dan Mirabelli KB2HTB, Ralph Bose WP4KO
and
Vic Panzica K2IY participated. The purpose of the survey
was to perform measurements
so we can optimize the site for antennas and equipment locations.
This year's Field Day rules allow for over one thousand bonus
points for everything
from special modes demonstrations (up to 300 pts), satellite
qso's (100 pts),
emergency official visit (100 pts) etc. In addition HF
digital mode contacts on PSK, RTTY
and packet count as a separate band etc. I have been
looking into satellite setups
for 2 mtr up 10 mtr downlink on ssb/cw and 2 mtr up/435 down FM.
I advise members
to check the official FD Rules Package on the ARRL web site.
For ARRL FD see links http://www.remote.arrl.org/
http://www.arrl.org/contests/announcements/rules-fd.html
http://www.arrl.org/contests/announcements/fd/
For official FD package with bonus points descriptions see:
http://www.arrl.org/contests/forms/01fdpack.pdf
Last month's meeting was our first Field Day Planning meeting.
We are
presently planning another 2A (two transmitter) entry with the
bonus vhf station,
packet digipeater, psk31, rtty and possible satellite.
April 13 , 2001 Meeting Minutes
Officers
Vic Panzica President
K2IY
Vin Vignati
Vice President KD2EP
Herman Milatz Treasurer
W2TLC
Bill Kelly
Secretary
N2RRX
Arnold Tarallo Board Member
W2OEJ
Al Bockelman Board Member
K2ES
Sid Wolin
Board Member K2LJH
Meeting Opened 8:15 pm
March meeting minutes were read by Bill Kelly and accepted.
Treasurer's Report by Herman Milatz: $1383 in account.
There is the upcoming expenditiure for yearly insurance
renewal of $325.
DX report was given by Len KB2HK. High solar flare
activity
made conditions tough. K index was up to 6 today (4/13/01).
You could not copy Texas or Florida on the DX net however
during normal solar activity, dx is still out there. Len
has
copied or worked stations in India, Indonesia and Alaska.
Advised to monitor packet cluster for band openings and
dx station activities and schedules.
Sid K2LJH will be QRP CW while on his fishing trip vacation
during late May. Talk to Sid about skeds.
Vic Panzica has a new callsign K2IY after 32 years as WA2JIW.
The US Coast Guard is scheduled for Saturday May 12 at 10 AM.
Those wishing to carpool can meet at the parking lot next to
the Circle M Diner on Wantagh Ave between 9 and 9:30 AM.
Some members will be driving direct. If directions are
needed
see Vic K2IY.
Ralph Bose WP4KO reported on web site progress, which has
been slow. Ralph would appreciate more member input about
site content or programming help.
Discussion was held about a Special Events Station at the
Wantagh Town Fair which will be held on July 20 thru 22 weekend.
Vic spoke to fair committee member Gregg Hammond about
setting up a station or a radio / computer sales table as a non-profit
group.
Meeting break at 8:55 PM for refreshments
Meeting continued 9:15 PM
FD Committee Discussion
The Nassau County FD site permit application received by Vic K2IY.
The application will be officially submitted pending insurance
certificate renewal for 2001. County requires an
endorsement
on insurance which names County as co-insured.
Computer logging was recommended for all setups.
Computer
logging allows for fast and reliable dupe checking. Bob
Rahm N2AUD
volunteered the use of a 386 laptop for logging.
Discussion was held about antenna setup for HF station.
It may be
advantageous to forego the triband beam setup in favor all band
long wire antennas with tuned feeders.
Arnold Tarallo W2OEJ suggested a long wire suspended by a
helium
balloon.
A Field Day site survey was scheduled for Saturday morning
April 21
at 11 AM. All interested members were invited to attend..
Items required for field day should include a first aid kit
and a small
electric refrigerator. Sid K2LJH volunteered a small
refrigerator,
provided arrangements can be made to pick it up from his house.
ARRL FD Bonus points were discussed. A digipeater setup
adds
points and digital modes (PSK31, RTTY and HF Packet) count as
separate bands in addiiton to ssb and cw. A longer antenna
will
also add 160 mtrs as another evening band.
The tents from last year need repairs. We will have to
repair them
or look into buying or renting new ones.
The May meeting will include a report on the April 21 site survey.
Meeting adjourned at 9:55 PM
Vic Panzica K2IY