Indiana County Amateur Radio Newsletter for the Month

September 2006 News Letter

September 2006 News Letter

Written - August 14, 2006

By: Darrell R. Norris - WA3AJQ

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Not long ago I mentioned one of our club members and very dear friend Gloria Freeman, KB4JWV, was recently hospitalized, I'm happy to report that she's now at home. We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her at Saturday breakfast very soon.

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I discovered something the other day that I hadn't realized, ARRL to me had always stood for "American Radio Relay League" it seems that everything I look at these days with ARRL, bears a caption that reads "The National Association for Amateur Radio"

We had a discussion recently and the question was asked, why did ARRL refer to relay? It comes from the days of very low power and limited communicating distances. The only way to extend the distance was to relay the messages.

The following was taken from the back of my new Amateur Radio handbook:

The seed for Amateur Radio was planted in the 1890's, when Guglielmo Marconi began his experiments in wireless telegraphy. Soon he was joined by dozens, then hundreds, of others who were enthusiastic in sending and receiving messages through the air - some with commercial interest, but others solely out of a love for this new communications medium. The United States government began licensing Amateur Radio operators in 1912.

By 1914, there were thousands of Amateur Radio operators - hams - in the United States. Hiram Percy Maxim, a leading Hartford, Connecticut inventor and industrialist, saw the need for an organization to band together this fledgling group of radio experimenters. In May 1914 he founded the American Radio League (ARRL) to meet that need.

Today ARRL, with 170,000 members is the largest organization of radio amateurs in the United States.

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On July 16th I attended the Somerset ham fest held at the Somerset Vo Tech School.

This is a great location with lots of parking and located off Route 31 and handy to the Turnpike, Route 219 etc. I wondered how they come to use the school, I was told they asked, filed the appropriate papers and was granted permission. They pay a fee which covers the cost of a maintenance and security man. I was told this was their 3^rd ham fest since they started having them again. I discussed their club with a couple of their members. They have approximately 50 members, have tones on their repeater because of commercial noise, not interference from other amateur stations. They remove the tones for ham fest day. The auditorium was air conditioned and felt pretty good.

I think it was a nice ham fest and feel they did a nice job in advertising. They had a very nice web site at www.k3smt.org and I had received a card in the mail. They served free coffee all day and sold breakfast and lunch as well.

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Thanks and 73's

Darrell R. Norris - WA3AJQ

President

I.C.A.R.C. Mini Field Day

Thanks I.C.A.R.C.

Well a great time was had by all that attended. We got to see some faces from the past and a few I didn't know. Roger, K3RAS and Gloria, KB4JWV were there for a visit and it was nice to see them after their bad health issues.

They were looking good! Roger, N3ULC brought is daughter and she made her first HF contact in Texas. She had a smile from ear to ear. Henry N3LVF pitched in in setting up along with Dave N3DZ, Roger N3ULC and Greg N3PHF.

Larry, N3LT worked real hard on getting his mobile station back on the air.

He found he needs to do a little work on it. Ric, AL7DH was able to contact a station in Alaska and share some of the places of interest they had in common. The food was great and lots of it! The XYL's showed up just in time.

A special thanks to all the cooks! We were hungry. The day was a nice relaxing afternoon. About 20 people, and 3 dogs attended the event.

1^st place Bragging rights go to Greg, N3PHF with 22 contacts in a 1 hour period.

Thanks Dave for oganizing this I.C.A.R.C. Mini Field Day! You are a real asset to the club and Ham radio. I'm glad I got to know you!

73 to all Greg N3PHF

Meeting Minutes - August 1st 2006

Minutes from last meeting: (As posted on our web site)

Are there any additions or corrections? None

If there are no additions or corrections, the minutes stand as written.

Financial Report:

Are there any comments or concerns? None

If none the financial report stands as submitted.

Old Business:

ARES: Jerry Kiehl, WB3DUD

Reminder: At the end of the month, the net control operator can submit his / her updated call list to Robert KB3JOF, as an Email attachment however Jerry will be the one to have Robert place it on our web site after his (Jerry's) review.

Need a net control for September. Darrell, WA3AJQ, Volunteered for August. Passed a sign-up sheet around, no response.

A motion was made by Robert, KB3JOF, and second by Fred, KM3M, that Bill Menk, W3LAB, notify the ARRL that we no longer have an ARES Emergency Coordinator. Robert Zugates KB3JOF, would still like to get an ARES ID card.

RACES: Rusty O'Donnell WB3EUQ

Rusty - WB3EUQ informed us that you can go on the web and type in www.nims.com and you can take the classes on line!

Per Rusty, the county is going to issue identification cards to us. *Waiting on the Machine*

ECHOLINK - Rusty O'Donnel WB3EUQ

Rusty, WB3EUQ, noted that our Echolink is down for some reason, he will determine why.

Darrell, WA3AJQ, noted he can't connect Echolink with the internet since he went to Verizon DSL. Don't know why.

Repeater Operation - Elmer Soriso, KB3WG

At a previous meeting, Steve - KB3JNZ indicated there should be a Fire Ext. & First Aide Kit at the Repeater Site. A motion was made by Bill Menk, W3LAB, and second by Larry Freeman, N3LT, to have Rusty O'Donnell, WB3EUQ purchase a fire extinguisher and first aid kit for the repeater site. Kim Frech, secretary / treasurer will reimburse him for the cost. $50 was discussed as a limit. Al Fister, N3ZFZ, indicated we need to pay attention to the type extinguisher we purchase since we have the potential to damage our electronic equipment.

Field Day 2006

Thanks went to Dave Dzelsky, N3DZ and Larry Freeman, N3LT for taking the lead for the 2006 field day.

Meeting Announcement:

Meetings and Saturday breakfast are now being advertised in the Indiana Gazette. Thanks to Kim our Secretary.

50 /50 was won by: ___Ron Carnahan,KB3JOE____

Ron donated his winnings to the club, THANKS RON !!

New Business:

Activities for 2006:

Mall demonstration: - Tabled until next year.

Club picnic:

Kim Frech presented her report regarding the Blue Spruce and Getti Heights locations. Ric Lods, AL7DH made a motion, second by Ron Carnahan, KB3JOE, to arrange for the Blue Spruce facility at a cost of $40 with a coupon. The picnic will be a covered dish, on a Sunday in late September.

Christmas party:

December 10^th (Hoss's "big" room in Indiana)

At the July meeting, Roger & Kathy Lute were still receiving door prizes.

Ham Fest : 2007 ?

There was a lot of discussion and a need to answer some of the following questions :
1. Do we want to have a ham fest?
2. Where will it be held? What will be served for food / refreshments?
When would it be held? Who will be in charge of it? We need to find a better location. Kim Frech asked if we could utilize a facility with a pavilion as opposed to an indoor location? Possibility!

Sheetz:

Ric Lods, AL7DH, made a motion, second by Jerry Kiehl, we sell Sheetz coupon books again this year. Kim will make the arrangements for this !

Four counties get together.

Consider breakfast with Indiana, Cambria, Armstrong and Butler county amateurs. Where? Eat-N-Park, Indiana?

Was suggested we meet somewhere around Kittanning with Indiana, Armstrong and Butler counties?

Darrell, WA3AJQ will talk to Ed Wilbert, N3LFB, from Butler County, to see if he has any suggestions. (This was his idea)

Notes or comments?

The club would like to thank Robert - KB3JOF, for the " Great Job " he is doing with the Web Site !! Keep up the good work !

Darrell's Email address is now: drphn@verizon.net

If you know of anyone that would be interested in becoming a ham or would like to join our club, please invite them to our meetings.

We now have 47 members.

ADJURNED At: __8:48__ PM. (Local time)

Motion By Rusty, WB3EUQ and second by Ric, AL7DH.

ATTENDANCE:

Respectively Submitted by:
Kim Frech, Secretary / Treasurer

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