The Airwaves
April 2005
SIERRA AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
 An ARRL Special Services Club
-- RACES -- ARES --
P.O. Box 1442, Ridgecrest, California 93556-1442

BOARD    President    Bill Burns    WA6QYR    375-8566   
    First VP    Paula Herr    N6VGW    375-5324   
OF    Second VP    Gene Brewer    KI6LO    446-1315   
    Secretary    Tom Ingram    WB6EPD    375-7950   
OFFICERS    Treasurer    Pam Evans    KC6UUS    375-4240   

SARC Owned and Maintained Repeaters

Randsburg WA6YBN 145.34 MHz (-600 kHz), PL 100.0 Hz, Wide Area Coverage, Emerg. Pwr.
Ridgecrest WA6YBN 146.64 MHz (-600 kHz), Translator, No Squelch Tail, Emergency Power
Ridgecrest WA6YBN 147.00 MHz (+600 kHz), PL 107.2 Hz, Autopatch, linked to 145.34
Ridgecrest YBNBBS:WA6YBN, 145.050 MHz, Bulletin Board, 1200 Baud
Ridgecrest #YBNSW:WA6YBN-4, 223.580 MHz, Node, 1200 Baud
Ridgecrest #YBNSW:WA6YBN-4, 439.025 MHz, Node, 9600 Baud

SARC Committees

Technical Assistance: Greg, WA7IRW 446-4383 Public Relations: Paula, N6VGW 375-5324
Program: Gene, KI6LO 446-1315 Airways Editor: Mike, WA6ARA 275-5324
RF Interference: Bill, WA6QYR 375-8566 Emergency and Public Service: Jerry, KK6PA 446-2228

THE AIRWAVES CALENDAR 

Every Monday Night
    ARRL Audio News
    1910 (7:10 p.m.) on 146.64 MHz
    SARC Net - Visitors Welcomed!
    1930 hrs (730pm) 
    WA6YBN Translator 146.64 MHz (-)

April 13 SARC Meeting
    Echolink, IRLP and the WIN
    system of open 440 interconnected
    repeaters.

AMATEUR RADIO LICENSE EXAMS
Second Sat, Even months
Apr 09   Volunteer License Exam Sessions
    Kern County Library Ridgecrest Branch
    131 East Las Flores Ave. Meeting Room
    Pre-registration ONLY by 9 Feb 
    All must sign in at 9 am. Code test 11 am
    Contact Elvy NØLV 760-384-3589
    E-mail ehopkins@ridgenet.net
    Dates for the rest of the year are:
		11 Jun
		13 Aug
		08 Oct
		10 Dec
From the President's Shack

Spring has sprung along with time moving forward again. The spring winds are back testing weather our antennas are big enough or too big and fall down. Have you checked your clock batteries and those in the smoke detector? Field Day is coming up again in June and the club needs someone to lead the effort. In the past we have worked with the High Desert DX club in Jackson Park. This year they are going elsewhere where it is cooler. So we are on our own. The need to start planning this early is to get a location and our insurance in order for the event. So if there is someone itching to do something in the way of Field Day please let one of the officers know of your desire.

In April there is another Boy Scout Merit Badge Fair where John Piri will be running a session on Radio Merit Badge. I ran a session last year and had several Boy Scouts interested in amateur radio, but none came around looking for license sessions. In October SARC helps with the Jamboree-On-The-Air event to help spice up interest in amateur radio. At least we are planting seeds of knowledge out there and let it be known there are other things to do besides on the computer over Internet.

If you know of a youth interested in amateur radio classes and licensing, please let the club officers know of the need.
73's Bill WA6QYR

Board of Officers Meeting Minutes
By Secretary Tom Ingram (WB6EPD)

The March 9, 2005 board meeting was called to order at 1906 hrs. Those present: Pres. Bill Burns (WA6QYR), 1st Vice Pres. Paula Herr (N6VGW), 2nd Vice Pres. Gene Brewer (KI6LO), Treas. Pam Evans (KC6UUS), Secy. Tom Ingram (WB6EPD) and Airwaves Editor Mike Herr (WA6ARA). There will be a stay-at-home drill on 19 March. There are no public service events scheduled in the near future. The Death Valley to Mt Whitney bike ride may start again in May. Field Day is coming up in June. Need to start planning soon. Application for insurance certificate will be made this month. There is a VE session next month. Discussion on the summer Barbecue and Ice Cream Social was held. Repeater work is still in progress. The club received a Thankyou from the ARRL for the club contribution for Spectrum Defense. The meeting was adjourned at 1916 hrs.

Minutes of the General Meeting
By Secretary Tom Ingram (WB6EPD)

The 9 March 2005 meeting was called to order by the President, Bill Burns (WA6QYR) at 1931 hrs at the Heritage Inn. The Sign-in sheet was started around.

Announcements:
1. 50/50 tickets are available.
2.The Treasurers Report is in the newsletter.
3. The sign in sheet was started around.
4. Work is ongoing on the 147.000 repeater link. Pre-amps keep going out.
5. There were no visitors.
6. Greg Roush (WA7IRW) reported that no technical assistance was requested.
7. There will be a VE session on 9 April.
8. The Club received a Certificate from the ARRL for the $500 donation to the Spectrum Defense Fund.
9. There will be a stay at home drill on 19 March. Jerry Brooks (KK6PA) provided some guidelines for those participating in the drill

Gene, KI6LO, Discussing 12 volt power systems
10. The 100-mile horse ride went well. The portable repeater was set up for the ride.
11. There is an ARRL Field Day in June. A Coordinator is needed.
12. There will be a Foxhunt on April 12th. The first hunt will be an easy one. Mike Herr (WA6ARA) demonstrated a Thunt transmitter and Greg Roush demonstrated an small unit that used a small credit size Alinco HT as a T-hunt transmitter.
13. Pam Evans (KC6UUS) provided homemade cookies

Gene Brewer (KI6LO) provided the program on 12-volt DC power systems with an additional presentation by Jerry Brooks. Mike and Paula Herr won the 50/50. 20 members signed in for the meeting.The meeting was adjourned at 20:15.

TREASURER'S REPORT
Treasurer's Report As of April 1, 2005: 
Draft Account $   812.74
Share Account $ 5,531.10
BALANCE:      $ 6,343.84
Submitted by Pam Evans, KC6UUS

Indian Wells Valley Emergency Net Report 
Check ins
March 7 - 14
March 14 - 13
March 21 - 12
March 28 - 12
Thanks to Bill, WA6QYR for taking net control for February and March.
...Mike Herr WA6ARA

FOX HUNT!


The March Fox hunt went off great! There were actually two chases. The first was a warm up on foot in a nearby field. Paula, N6VGW was the fox, hiding the transmitter in a creosote bush in a large empty field. Most folks watching us would question our sanity as we twirled around and walking backwards. After all had found the fox Paula headed off again to hide. This one was somewhat harder. Teams included Todd W6TOD, Pam KC6UUS, Bill WA6QYR, Greg WA7IRW, John, KC6UWM, Sam KG6EMT and Mike WA6ARA. Todd and Pam chased the fox on classic Honda motorcycles while the rest chased in cars. Sam, KG6EMT was the first to find the fox and was declared the winner.

The fox hunt was a blast and all agreed they wanted to do it again, just not every month, maybe quarterly instead. So, it looks like we will have the next hunt in May. Look for the announcement in the next Airwaves and on the Monday night net.

MICROWAVE UPDATE

Just an update on the microwave activity going on around us here in Ridgecrest. The San Bernardino Microwave Society (SBMS) is working with the Owens Valley Radio Observatory in Big Pine (operated by Cal Tech) on some what they call outreach projects for school children. For some time Cal Tech has been working with the children in the Bishop area on understanding the universe through listening to radio signals from other places in the galaxy. SBMS is working on 1296 MHz and 10 GHz transceivers to put into the 40 meter (131 ft diameter) dish facility to allow children to talk with others in the world via signals bounced from the moon. We will be having a unit at the feed of the big dish that will have 120 w output on 1296 MHz (52 dB gain at 1296 MHz) and 10 w output on 10,368 MHz (70 dB gain at 10 GHz). We will be building antennas for the 1461 and 1660 MHz band for the observatory on the same box. The plan is to every quarter or so contact other hams who may only have a 4 ft dish and 10 or so watts in their station. By having repeatable operations this could encourage lots of experiments by hams all over the world. One of the issues to be learned is that the big dish will have less than 0.05 degree beam width at 10 GHz (0.4 degrees beam width at 1296 MHz) on the moon whose eyeball viewing angle to us is 0.5 degrees wide. Finding hot spots of reflection to cover a good reflection to other stations has been a problem in previous efforts by oneshot operation in other big dishes. Now we will have several attempts to figure out this issue. The observatory can track the moon close enough for us to focus on one tiny spot on the moon during a whole evening of operation. The builder of the feed point box and antennas is Chuck Swedblom, WA6EXV in Buttermilk acres. Bill Burns, WA6QYR is building his station in the back yard to be able to work the signals off the moon. Several other SBMS members in Southern California are working on Project management and interfacing with Cal Tech.

Bill, WA6QYR

Free Batteries!

As many of you know Jerry, KK6PA, is gathering free 7.5 AH 12 VDC batteries. The batteries are good for emergency backup for your HTs. Jerry has checked these to confirm that they are still good for 7.5 AH. Plus you can't complain about the cost. Give him a call at 446-2228 or email at kk6pa@hotmail.com

Looking for News, Ads or Comments!

I'm always looking for local news for and about the IWV amateur radio community. Also, if you have something for sale or are looking for something else, drop me a line and I'll put it in the Airwaves.

Ok, let's say you have some news for the Airwaves. The best way is if you can send it to me via email. The text can be in Word or Works, but the most universal is as text body of the email, no HTML, PLEASE!

Email, while fast and easy, it is not 100% reliable. If I get Airwaves input via Email, I will send a note back as a receipt. If you don't get a receipt back, then likely I didn't get it.

However, if you dont have email, I can take paper copy. You can send it to me at
613 Rebel Road, Ridgecrest.

Editor, Mike, WA6ARA, herr@ridgenet.net

SARC Membership / Newsletter

Remember that the SARC newsletter is now available via email, in TWO formats, Adobe Acrobat PDF and in plain text. The PDF version is complete, and in color, but you will need Acrobat Reader to view it. Most have it and it is available free to both PC and Mac users. The plain text version can be read by just about anything! ...but you lose the graphics.

If you want the newsletter via Email make sure you check the proper box on the membership form, add your email address and the version you want. If you have already renewed and want to convert to email, or have changed your email address, drop the secretary, Tom Ingram, WB6EPD, (375-7950) a note, as he is keeping the email address lists.

...Editor, Mike, WA6ARA, herr@ridgenet.net

For Sale!

Misc Ham Equipment
Ramsey Fox Hunt Set Up w/Headphones $20.00
ICOM V8 Handy w/drop in charger, Box, Manual $75.00
Kenwood TM261A w/box, manual 100.00
SEC 1223 switching 12V supply $40.00
T-KIT model 1202 dual band watt meter $20.00
New In Box Military Surplus Mobile Mast "nice" $100.00
Kantronix Packet Communicator 3 Plus $50.00
MFJ morse Code Tutor model 418 $20.00
CushCraft Ringo Ranger 2 meter $20.00
MFJ Coax surge protectors $5.00 Each
Radio Shack discone DAMAGED $5.00
Call 375-2677 for Details

And More For Sale!

Ham Radio Mobile Crank-up 55' tower, mounted on trailer. With tool box and guy wires. Excellent for Field Day.
$2,000.00 (760) 373-2105 California City

RACES, ARES and INDIAN WELLS VALLEY EMERGENCY NET MEMBERS

In case of impending or current emergency, monitor the SARC translator on 146.64/04 MHz or the backup simplex frequency of 146.52 MHz. KK6PA, Jerry, the local RACES EC, will coordinate mobilization. An Emergency Net Control Station will direct radio communications. Check in. State your capabilities. Be prepared to go outside the IWV for at least three days.

An E-Pac should contain: your RACES card, radios and accessories, batteries, charger, paper, pen, clipboard, flashlight with spare batteries, timepiece, headgear, sunglasses, spare glasses, your medications, your medical history, first aid kit, severe weather clothing, non-perishable food, 3 gal. water, sleeping bag.

Updated Fri Apr 22 13:00:25 PDT 2005