The Starved Rock Radio Club (SRRC) meets on the first Monday of every month, unless otherwise scheduled, at 7:00 p.m. at the SRRC clubhouse in Leonore, Illinois. Club nets are held on the SRRC repeater (W9MKS) every Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. The W9MKS repeater is located at the SRRC clubhouse in Leonore, Illinois, and it operates on a frequency of 147.120 MHz (+ 103.5 PL). The Starved Rock Radio Club was organized in September of 1934, and has remained an ARRL affiliated club since 1934.
The mission of the Starved Rock Radio Club has continually
been to give faithful, co-operative service and assistance for the betterment
of amateur radio, in the promotion of interest in amateur radio communications,
for the advancement of the radio art, for the use of amateur radio for
public service and welfare, and for the maintenance of fraternalism and
the promotion of good fellowship along with a high standard of conduct.
Visit us on the web at www.qsl.net/w9mks
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Secretary’s Report – August Meeting Highlights
There were 28 members at the August meeting. KF9NZ told the members
that he had talked to the Leonore Telephone Co about the cable they buried
on our property - without our permission. They were sorry about it,
but unwilling to do anything. Then the subject changed to providing
service for the repeater. It doesn't look like there will be
a big bill to install it. Hmmm.
The hamfest Committee is moving right along.
Next year's contract is signed, and nothing was said about camping fees.
There was discussion about a possible 2-day event (NO), The future of hamfests
and ours in particular (NOT REALLY GREAT) and reducing ticket prices (PROBABLE).
We finally
got around to the repeater matters. The request to have the
controller repaired and upgraded was turned down. The recommendation
of the Committee to erect a 100 ft self-supporting tower was explained,
but all estimates for such a structure were far beyond the available funds
the Club could afford. I told the members that after
careful measurement and calculation, I find it impossible
to erect a guyed tower of any height that would help. Therefore,
we are left with locating a new site. Members were requested to investigate
and report on possible sites. Two were briefly talked about, but
no details were available.
DE
KF9NZ
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NOTICE TO HOLDERS OF THE CLUB'S PANASONIC COMPUTERS
The laptop computers, which left the meeting Monday in the hands of members,
are the property of the club. They were not given away!
I have compiled a list of those of you who hold these computers - I think.
They are KF9NZ, KB9VZH, KB9TMA, KB9PZA, K9ZQ, N9OUW, KB9UPS, K9PHW, KB9LNK,
KB9RKU, N9HON, and N9TWZ (?) If this list is wrong, please let me
know.
Holders are not to sell, give away, or otherwise
dispose of these machines, nor are they to modify them. In due course
the club will want to install certain software on them, and members are
expected to cooperate in this. These computers were acquired
from the City of Naperville in order to help our emergency program, and
computer holders will be expected to take part in this program, undergo
training and attend drills. If such is not your intent, please return
the equipment to the club.
I need to know the status of each computer.
All computer holders please let me know what software is on your hard drive,
If your battery will take and hold a charge or not, and any other obvious
problems. Also I need the serial number of your machine.
In order to get this, you must remove the two Allen screws at the handle,
and then carefully lift the computer from the docking plate straight up.
You may then turn the computer over and read the serial number from the
number plate. Some of you need keys for the
mobile docking mount. I will have several made, and N9OUW already
has passed out a few.
Frankf9nz
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Hamfest Committee Report
If anyone is interested in helping Jesse and I with the 2003 Hamfest and will be willing to take things over for the 2004 fest please contact either of us and we will get you started. The sooner we get people interested and learning about what need to happen and when the easier it will be. It takes a little time and effort but in the end its not all that bad.
Matthew Weaver, KB9VZH (kb9vzh_gov@yahoo.com)
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Activities Report / Calendar of Events
We had a small but decent turnout at the annual multi-club
picnic held at Starved Rock State Park this past Saturday, August 10th.
There was plenty of great food and fellowship among area ham operators,
with some operators traveling as far as the Chicago suburbs to attend.
We hope to have a bigger and better picnic next year!
¨ North American QSO Party--SSB--sponsored by the
National Contest Journal, 1800Z Aug 17-0600Z Aug 4 (see Jan QST, p 107
or http://www.ncjweb.com/).
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¨ ARRL 10 GHz Cumulative Contest, 0800 local-2000
local Aug 17 and 0800 local to 2000 local Aug 18 (see Mar QST, p 115).
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¨ Special Event Station - Evanston, IL: Metro
Amateur Radio Club, K9Y. 1700Z-2300Z Aug 18. Grosse Point Lighthouse. 28.030
21.030 14.030 7.030. QSL. Michael Dinelli, N9BOR, 9423 Kolmar Ave, Skokie,
IL 60076-1321. http://www.qsl.net/mac.
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¨ The Bolingbrook Amateur Radio Society’s 17th Annual
Hamfest 2002 will be held on Sunday, August 25, 2002 at the Inwood Recreation
Center at 3000 W. Jefferson St. (Rt. 52) in Joliet, IL (I-80, exit 130
or I-55, exit 253). For table or ticket reservations, contact Tom
Ballard, N9LJY at 630-739-3740 or tune into the BARS net on Thursday evenings
at 8:00 PM on 147.33+ KHz.
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¨ The next regular meeting of the Starved Rock Radio
Club will be held on Monday, September 2nd 2002 at 7:00 p.m. at the SRRC
clubhouse in Leonore, Illinois. Everyone is welcome and encourage
to attend the meeting. There is a “pre-meeting” over dinner, held
prior to the regular meeting, beginning at 5:00 p.m. at Schmitty’s Grill.
Come on over for some casual chat, and enjoy the evening steak dinner special!
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¨ The Illinois Valley Radio Association (IVRA) will
host their next monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 3rd 2002 at 7:00
p.m. at the Hennepin Town Hall in Hennepin, Illinois. Everyone is
welcome and encouraged to attend the meeting!
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¨ Special Event Station - Schaumburg, IL: Schaumburg
Amateur Radio Club, N9RJV. 1400Z Sep 2-0100Z Sep 3. Village of Schaumburg
Septemberfest. 28.425 21.335 14.280 7.275. QSL. Schaumburg Amateur Radio
Club, 1430 Yorkshire La, Schaumburg, IL 60194.
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¨ The Streator Amateur Radio Club will be hosting
their monthly dinner/meeting on Saturday, September 7th 2002 at Chippers’
Grill, route 23 North in Streator. The dinner/meeting begins at 5:30
p.m., and everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend!! If you would
like to attend the monthly dinner/meeting, please make reservations no
later than Friday, September 6th by contacting Jesse Risley, KB9TMA on
the air, or by phone at 815-673-1023 (home) or 815-674-1059 (cell).
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73's DE
Jesse L. Risley, KB9TMA
SRRC Activities Chairman
Around the Hobby – Stray Items Relating to Amateur Radio
Ham Operator Injured
Former club member/officer and area resident Mike Schrowang, N9GZ, of Hennepin is in Rockford Memorial Hospital and will probably be there quite a while. Mike was very recently involved in a motorcycle accident. If you would like to send him a card the address is as follows:
Mike Schrowang
Rockford Memorial Hospital
CCU D308
2350 N. Rockton Ave. #210
Rockford, IL. 61103
Phone: (815) 971-7255
********************************
NWS Officially Recognizes SRRC Role in June 4th Tornado
On June 4, 2002 members of the Starved Rock Radio club assisted our Office with tornado warnings for an F0 tornado in Livingston and LaSalle counties.
In my time in the National Weather Service the number
of times Ham Radio Spotters have helped in Warnings (Tornado, Severe Thunderstorm,
Flash Flood and, Flood) is very large. With the help of spotters we have
had lead times for warnings that we know
saved lives.
If you would like to talk more about the role of Ham Radio and see our radios and new setup here please write to my email address, William.Wilson@noaa.gov
Bill Wilson
Meteorologist, KB9ZXN
Submitted by: Joe Tokarz, KB9EZZ
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Upcoming VE Exam Sessions
24-Aug-2002
Sponsor: STARVED ROCK RADIO CLUB
Time: 10:00AM (No walk-ins)
Contact: JOSEPH J TOKARZ
(815)433-2347
Email: KB9EZZ@ARRL.NET
VEC: ARRL/VEC
Location: STARVED ROCK RADIO CLUB
73 TABOR ST
NEXT TO TABOR GRAIN - LEONORE, IL 61332
25-Aug-2002
Sponsor: BOLINGBROOK ARS
Time: 9:00 AM (Walk-ins allowed)
Contact: DALE J ONDERISIN
(815)723-3332
VEC: ARRL/VEC
Location: BARS HAM/COMPUTERFEST
PARK DIST ADMIN OFFICE
3000 W JEFFERSON ST
JOLIET, IL 60435
27-Aug-2002
Sponsor: ROCK RIVER ARC
Time: 07:00PM (No walk-ins)
Contact: BRION C GILBERT
(815)652-3367
VEC: ARRL/VEC
Location: LOVELAND COMMUNITY HOUSE
513 W 2ND ST
PRE-REGISTRATION 2 WEEKS PRIOR
DIXON, IL 61021
17-Sep-2002
Sponsor: FOX RIVER RADIO LEAGUE
Time: 07:30PM (Walk-ins allowed)
Contact: DOUGLAS A RENEKER
(630)355-0190
VEC: ARRL/VEC
Location: NORTHGATE SHOPPING CENTER
BASEMENT OF FORMER BANK BLDG
900 N LAKE ST
ROUTE 31
AURORA, IL 60506
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SRCA “Pumpkin Pie Ride” 2002
The Starved Rock Cycling Association has requested our assistance for the Sunday, October 6th Pumpkin Pie Ride. The ride starts at 8am and runs until 3pm, but helping during any 4 hour block of time would be must appreciated.
Last year, members of SRRC showed more than 400 bike riders just what ham radio can do. We give excellent voice coverage and tracked the SAG (biker safety/repair) vehicles using GPS. UI-View really wow'd and dazzled the riders. PPR 2002 will start at the Ottawa YMCA with rest areas in Seneca, Utica, Sheridan and the Streator YMCA. Hams will be needed to ride and or drive the SAG vehicles and operate the radios/computers at the rest areas. If you would like to drive your truck/van, as an official SAG, please let me know as soon as possible.
I would like to get a list of volunteer hams to SRCA by
the first of September. Please let me know how you would like to
help as a:
SAG driver (mobile vhf & GPS is needed)
SAG rider (mobile vhf & GSP is needed)
Ottawa YMCA rest area; Sheridan rest area; Seneca rest
area; Utica rest area; Streator YMCA rest area
Also, what is your shirt size (free T-shirt for all volunteers)?
The hams at Purdue want to sell their packet gear...let me know what you want and how much you would pay and I will visit them the third Sunday in July for a pick-up.
2 Kantronics KPC 3's with box and manual. One box
says that it is a KPC-3 Plus
1 Kantronic 9612 (I'm pretty sure that we still have
the box and manual). 1 PacComm Spirit 2 9600 Baud TNC. Brand
new still in the box. 1 Kantronic D4-10 9600 Baud Data Radio (Crystaled
on 430.55). I have the cable that goes between the 9612 and
D4-10.
73 and thanks,
Joe, KB9EZZ
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SRRC Earns Certificate of Appreciation
For their participation in the LaSalle County Nuclear Drill, ESDA awarded SRRC certificate of appreciation.
Is SRRC a 501 C corporation? If so, this and the award may enable us to ask Illinois Power for space on their twin towers in Oglesby. We will not ask for money...just space on their tower...after all, there are two of them and if they want to sell the other, they can.
Here are their requirements...do we meet these:
Helping people in the communities IP serves is extremely
important to us. Each proposal submitted to Illinois Power for financial
assistance is evaluated on its potential value to the community, compliance
with company guidelines, and available funds. By suggesting a general format
for submitted proposals, these guidelines will help grant applicants present
ideas in a clear, concise, and compelling way. Our budget is limited and
we
will be unable to grant all requests submitted to us.
Illinois Power supports organizations sponsoring programs within these pillars: Education Minority Affairs Special Constituencies Health & Safety and Environment Community/Economic Development
Descriptions for each of the pillars can be found on www.illinoispower.com under "Our Communities"
Specific Criteria - Preference is given to programs and
services that:
Have a significant presence in Illinois Power's service
territory; Have a 501 (c) designation; Can be measured to some degree,
so that impact can be assessed; Offer opportunities for Illinois Power
employees to attend and participate in the event.
Exclusions - Illinois Power does not offer support to:
Individuals or memorial funds, Organizations which are
not classified under the 501 (c) tax code, Capital campaigns, Political
organizations or campaigns, Religious organizations for religious purposes,
Labor organizations, Fraternal organizations and veterans organizations,
or Organizations or services that limit participation by race, creed, color,
religious preference or national origin
Submitted by: Joe Tokarz, KB9EZZ
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From the Editor’s Desk
I wish to thank everyone who has extended his or her compliments
regarding the quality of our club newsletter. However, this newsletter
is a combination of efforts from each and every club member who sends a
submission for publication in my direction. Please keep submitting
items of interest for publication in the newsletter. I hope everyone
enjoys the quality of information relayed within the pages of our monthly
newsletter, and please do not hesitate to inform me of anything you feel
needs to be added or revised to make an even better newsletter.
With summer winding to a close and autumn fast approaching,
now is the time to prepare your station for winter. Have you checked
each of your antennas to ensure that they are able to withstand the snow,
ice, and blustery winds of the Illinois winter? Also, make sure your
coax connections are sealed for the weather ahead. We have a few
major hamfests coming up within the next six weeks, so I hope to see everyone
there.
The deadline for submitting items for publication in the September edition of the newsletter will be Sunday, September 8, 2002.
Regards,
Jesse L. Risley, KB9TMA
Kb9tma@yahoo.com; 815-673-1023 (home phone)
SRRC “Static” Editor