SARC MEETINGS

At the last SARC meeting, the question was asked as to whether SARC would allow the tower trailer to be used at the Field Day in Shirley Meadows in conjunction with the Kern River Valley Amateur Radio Club. Questions of liability and SARC policy came up. The SARC insurance policy is through the ARRL. The insurance broker for ARRL policies is Albert H. Wohlers & Co. The liability department of Albert H. Wohlers & Co. was contacted and they said that as long as the tower trailer was being towed, the liability must be covered by the policy of the towing vehicle. When the tower is set up, SARC insurance covers the liability. If desired, and with thirty days notice, a Certificate of Insurance, which documents the coverage, can be obtained. It does not change the policy and therefore does not cost extra, but it might be useful if the tower is to be parked and used on government facilities. For practice, one was obtained for this year's Field Day.

SARC priorities for tower trailer use are:
1. Emergency
2. SARC activities and functions.

The tower trailer can be checked out to SARC members only. The tower trailer can not be checked out for personal use.

For those of you interested in going to Shirley Meadows for the Field Day, Mark Ball KE6IFD has graciously agreed to check out the tower trailer and tow it to and from the Field Day activities. Call Mark for further information on the combined Field Day program at Shirley Meadows.

PROGRAM FOR JUNE MEETING
The 1997 Heard Island DXpedition
How many times have you been asked "But how far can you talk on your radio?" 'Want to know what serious DXing is all about. For the June program, Bob Huckins W6UPI will introduce a video of the 1997 Heard Island DXpedition. Heard Island is the most wanted DXCC country. This $300,000 DXpedition netted 86,000 QSOs - most of them CW! Bob says this is an excellent video.

LICENSE CRAM SESSION 6, 7 & 8 June
This will be a beginning level Amateur Radio License Exam Cram Session held from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, 8-12 am and 1-5 pm on Saturday, and 8-12 am on Sunday. It is expected that these candidates will have done the studying needed to pass the FCC exams. Students should come in with questions about areas where they need help. The session is not designed to teach, in toto, the material needed. The Cram Session will be a series of about seven FCC style exams given from the question pool with the intent to find problems in understanding and memorization. Missed questions will be explained and discussed. To enroll, attendees must call the Sierra Sands Adult School Office at 446-5872 Mon- Thur 5:30-8:30 pm, Fri 10 am-2 pm. The next Volunteer Exam Session is 21 June at the Kerr-McGee Center at 9 am.

FIELD DAY 28 & 29 JUNE
Field Day is a nationally organized exercise for Hams to learn, build and test their emergency operation skills. An ARRL sponsored national Field Day QSO contest is the order of the day. Contest scores for several classes of stations and multipliers for many operating factors and power sources are computed to determine winners in all the classes. This is a fun thing to do and lets the community know Hams are here to provide emergency communications when required. For those who have never worked a field day, come out and just be an operator to get your feet wet and discover another facet of Amateur Radio.

Field day at Ridgecrest
Mike Cash KN6IS is making a last minute effort to get a SARC at Ridgecrest Field Day exercise organized for Leroy Jackson Park. He is doing all the paperwork with ARRL, our insurance company, Kern County, City of Ridgecrest etc. He plans to use the SARC tower trailer, tri-band antenna and generator. There are many ways that one can participate: operator, log keeper, set up and tear down labor, equipment contribution, cheering section etc. If you want to participate in any way call Mike at 375-4441.

Field Day at Shirley Meadows
Mark Ball KE6IFD has agreed to serve as the contact for Ridgecrest Hams wishing to participate in the Kern River Valley ARC Field Day activities on 28 & 29 June at Shirley Meadows. Call Mark at 375- 3077 for more information.

SUMMER ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED
July 9th. 5:30 PM
144th Annual SARC Bar-B-QSO, Pot Luck and Tail Gate Swap Fest SARCBBQSOPL&TGSF is at Ron Ogren's WA6PEV palacial estate, 243 North Brady St. on regular second Wednesday meeting night. Bar-B-Que light off is at 5:30 pm with the pot luck dinner getting off to a munching start around 6:30 pm.

Ronald McDonald's iced orange punch, condiments and sizzling hot BBQs will be provided. Bring: a pot luck dish - salad or desert to serve six (singles can bring rolls, garlic bread, chips & dips - easy stuff) - your own meat to BBQ - table service - lawn chairs - swim suit and towel - amateur radio swap items. The pool will be open for all to dip 'n cool. The Swap Meet will be a tailgate affair. Dig out that RF trading stock, old Ham magazines, other not-used-in-a- long-time hardware and take it to the swap fest.

Ron needs two more large BBQ's to supplement his. If you can supply one call him at 375-7138 to arrange for delivery.

How to find Ron's place: drive west on Ridgecrest Blvd. and look to the right for a UHF/VHF antenna farm on a small hill.

August 13th, 6:30 PM
77th Annual Summer Ice Cream Social at Al & Reeds Natural Ice Cream on regular second Wednesday meeting night, but no meeting. Just a get together - gab fest - eye-ball QSOs galore. Bring the family. The ice cream, sandwiches and chili are reeeeley gooood. C U there.

HAM LICENSE CLASS AT CERRO COSO
The Cerro Coso Community College will again be offering their class on Amateur Radio (Introduction to Amateur Radio, ET 69ar) this fall semester starting 18 August at 6-9:50 pm. Two hours of college credit, the Novice and Technician License can be earned. Fees for the class are $26.00 plus a $15.00 special material fee. The book for the class will be ³Now Your Talking² which may be purchased at the CCCC Book Nook, Radio Shack or the The Book Shelf for $19.00. (Be sure to get the new edition with the 1 July 1997 question pool.) The class will have a new, fully operational amateur radio station including HF phone, CW, digital and VHF FM phone and packet. High school students may attend the class with permission of their counselor. The final exam for the class will be the FCC Novice and Technician written tests administered by Sierra Amateur Radio Clubıs Volunteer Examiners. License exam fee is $6.25. Get more information from the CCCC fall class schedule.

The Amateur Radio class will run concurrently with Fundamentals of Electronics (ET 50). This class will teach the techniques of construction required by the working electronics technician as well as assemblers. Students may sign- up for both classes and earn 4 units. No text is required for ET 50. An additional $26.00 is required for Fundamentals of Electronics if you wish to have college credit.

Please tell your family and friends about this opportunity to get into Amateur Radio. Call Mike Cash, KN6IS, at 375-4441 or Cerro Coso Community College at 384-6357 for more information.

RECENT SARC ACTIVITIES
Rim Of The World Auto Rally
as told by Paula N6OQQ, Dave KC6UUR

Paula and Mike Gibeault, N6OQQ and N6PYM, were the PRORally organizers for their Fourteenth Annual Rim Of The World auto rally run in the Angeles National Forest and headquartered in Palmdale.

Six more Ridgecrest Hams were part of the contingent of seventy southland amateur radio operators assisting at this nationally known auto rally on 2 and 3 May. Steve Luhn KA7ULQ, Karen Luhn N6OQR and Alan Clayson KB6MCL were communication captains for Team C and Wayne Fiebick N6YUF was communications Net Control. Dave Stone KC6UUR chauffeured Paula and kept her in contact with the race activities for the two days and Chrissy Beavis KE6SMI was a ride-along Ham for another organizer. She was also registrar for the rally.

Five race stages were run Friday night and eight were run Saturday afternoon and into the evening. Most things went well and those that didn't were overcome via instant Ham communications. Dave's jeep was pressed into service as a tow truck when the course sweep vehicle didn't take a map and got lost. Note that it was "Dave's vehicle." He said "I've never towed a car" so Paula took over towing duties.

Paula says that the Ridgecrest Hams held very important positions in the communications network, performed flawlessly and that she extends her thanks for jobs well done. Dave Stone, who has worked this rally for several years, always talks about RoW with a grin on his face so he must be having a lot of fun. When the volunteer form comes around next April, sign up and collect some grins. The rally will be on ESPN-2 1 June at 4:30 pm and 3 June at 11 pm. Check local listings.

Death Valley to Mt. Whitney Bicycle Race
by Elvy Hopkins NØLV

The two day, 24th Annual Death Valley to Mount Whitney Road Race was assisted to success by ten Hams providing start-to-finish communications over the eighty mile Stovepipe Wells to Lone Pine course on Saturday, 10 May and the twenty miles from Lone Pine to Whitney Portal on Sunday the 11th.

Greg Roush WA7IRW, the caretaker of the portable repeater, found a dead transmitter during his pre-race, backyard checkout. He replaced it with one of his hand helds, adjusted the controller and put it back together. There was some concern as to whether the five watts of the hand held versus ten watts of the replaced mobile transceiver would affect communications, but it worked well all day Saturday.

The portable repeater also suffered a broken mast during it's setup. Ken KQ6LP, who was assisting Hal KM6JM, reported that application of generous amounts of duct tape and a jack handle got it back up for Saturday's duty. Three Hams brought along portable masts and antennas which were used very advantageously. Mike KF6BCN had an eight foot section of triangular tower and eight more feet of mast with a three element Yagi at the finish line. Jack NL7SX had four elements up sixteen feet with a mast secured to his Nissan Patrol. Bill WA6QYR had a real nifty tip over base held in place by his pickup's rear wheel and an eleven element Yagi up eighteen feet. Carl N6RNC had a copper pipe J-Pole four feet above his one-and-one-half bath, patio and portable pool pickup camper at Crowley Lookout.

Hams from three locations made up the communications team. Carl N6RNC came from Tehachapi, stayed overnight at Crowley Lookout Friday night and in Lone Pine Saturday night. Ken KQ6LP drove from Darwin both days. Lori KE6LPK monitored and stood by the phone in Darwin both days. The remainder of the team was from Ridgecrest.

Saturday started at 5:30 am at Stovepipe Wells for Elvy NØLV. The portable repeater was up by 7:30 am. The six water stops and finish line were all on line before the repeater was up. Carl N6RNC brought his portable repeater for use in the Panamint Valley, however it never came up well enough to be reliable.

The first rider reached Lone Pine four hours and nine minutes after the 6 am start. The last rider reached the finish line at 3:45 pm. Sunday was a shorter day starting at 7:30 am and ending at 1 pm.

After the race on Saturday, Hams were treated to a really yummy, help yourself picnic with beverages and honest-to-goodness home made deserts in the cool, grassy and well shaded Lone Pine Park. I really enjoyed the shade because I had collected enough sun to fully qualify me as a bona fide red neck.

Donna Bonnefin of the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce and Bob Glenn, president of High Sierra Cyclists, the co- organizers of the race, extend their sincere thanks and appreciation to all Hams who assisted. Once on Saturday I had three bicycle riders and their bikes in my van and on Sunday I hauled two. All expressed thanks and expressed their appreciation for the feeling of security in knowing that full race course communications was available in case of emergency.

The crew of ten Hams for Saturday was Mike Gallagher KF6BCN, Kenneth Edgar KQ6LP, Hal Hazel KM6JM, Lorri Semple KE6LPK, Bill Burns WA6QYR, Carl Gehrike N6RNC, Elvy Hopkins NØLV, Will Liebscher KB6TJE, Dave Stone KC6UUR and Jack Bitzer NL7SX. Those on standby were Wayne Fiebick N6YUF, Mike Cash KN6IS and Larry Merwin KE6YLG.

Sunday had six Hams working. They were Kenneth Edgar KQ6LP, Lorri Semple KE6LPK, Elvy Hopkins NØLV, Carl Gehrike N6RNC, Will Liebscher KB6TJE and Jack Bitzer NL7SX with Dave Stone KC6UUR on standby.

All Hams expressed their enjoyment of this weekend outing and said that they would do it again next year. And speaking of doing it again next year, Jack NL7SX is making plans to ride the race - on a bicycle. Good luck with your training program Jack.

Randsburg Women's Stage Race as told by Dave Stone KC6UUR with apologies to Jack Bitzer NL7SX for using his material Sunday 18 May was the date for the Women's Stage Race, a three loop, sixty mile bicycle road race (reduced to two loops because of heat and humidity) which started at 8 am from Randsburg. The race is run on Redrock-Randsburg, Garlock cutoff and Goler roads. Dave Stone KC6UUR from Ridgecrest, Will Liebscher KB6TJE from Red Mountain, Jack Bitzer NL7SX from upper Walker Pass and Jeff Clark KF6BKG, part of the race promoters organization, from Santa Cruz provided communications. Will got finish line duty because of his EMT skills. Jack patrolled the course as a motorcycle mobile (after the SAG vehicle driver he was assigned to wouldn't let him put a magnetic mount antenna on his new pickup truck and scratch the paint). Dave was transplanted into the race promoters vehicle to cruise the course and Jeff did the same in his vehicle. Dave programmed the scanner in the rent-a- CHP's black-and-white to scan 146.54 MHz so he could monitor Ham message traffic.

Forty-five riders in six groups finished the race by noon. T-Shirts and lunch were provided to the volunteer communicators. Working into Randsburg from some locations on the course was marginal. The portable repeater will be considered for use next year.

Volunteer Exam Sessions
Two SARC Volunteer examination sessions were held in May. The first, on 10 May at the Kerr-McGee Center, had six applicants pass tests for three new licensees, one upgrade to Advanced and two CSCEs for element two were issued. New Technicians are Ron Bush KF6LCF and Timothy Lyons KF6LCH. Ralph Frasier KF6LCG is now a Tech Plus and Richard Marvin KA6MQO now has an Advanced ticket hanging on the wall of his shack.

The Amateur Radio Class at Cerro Coso Community College had their VE session on 15 May. Eleven new Technician licenses were issued to: Michael Thoms KF6LEB, Scott Moneypenny KF6LEC, Hank McGlothlin KF6LED, Ray Lingenfelter KF6LEE, Fredrick Hareland KF6LEF, Harold Duffy KF6LEG, R. David Carter KF6LEH, Russell D. Carter KF6LEI, Charles Butts KF6LEJ, David Brown KF6LEK and Trenton Blizzard KF6LEL. Congratulations to these new licensees. They will receive copies of this and the September issue of THE AIRWAVES.

PUBLIC SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Picnic in the Park Bicycle Ride
This High Sierra Cyclists event is not a race but a club ride from Leroy Jackson Park in Ridgecrest to River Park in Kernville on Sunday 28 September. This is an enjoyable relaxed day of Ham radio public service ending with a picnic in Kernville. Keep this date in mind. Ten Hams make the work easy. Elvy Hopkins NØLV will be the contact.

Eighth Ridgecrest Desert Classic
The Eighth Ridgecrest Desert Classic Mountain Bicycle Race will be on 19 October this year. A dozen Hams keep things working smoothly for this nationally known race. Elvy Hopkins NØLV will be the contact.

REPEATER HAPPENINGS
by Elvy Hopkins NØLV

At the suggestion of Greg Roush WA7IRW, the keeper, fixer, maintainer, designer of the light weight transportable antenna system and general mother of the portable repeater, the SARC translator's empty spot in the Ridgecrest RF spectrum was filled by the portable repeater on Sunday afternoon, 18 May.

The installation by Greg and Elvy was entirely painless. Two coaxial cables connected to the translator's filters and one battery power connector put 146.64/.04 MHz back on the air. Output power is two and one half watts vs. the translators original 8 watts and the deviation is a little hot. If users are told that their audio is distorted, speak softer or hold the microphone farther away. Greg plans to make audio/deviation adjustments but probably not until the portable repeater is relieved by the repaired translator. This substitution gives Bill Maraffio N6PR more time to test, diagnose and repair translator's RF power amplifier. The translator is home built from scratch (in true Amateur Radio fashion) and suffers the vagaries of cold solder joints, not always accurate schematics not to mention being just plain ornery to work on.

The portable repeater is now running on a power supply because the marine battery which replaced the exploded one will not charge to normal specific gravity and the marine battery charger purchased for it does not do what it is advertised to do. It boils the battery with too high charging voltage. Both will be returned and alternates sought.

IN THE MILL
Jerry Brooks KK6PA is having so much fun building antennas and talking to the world on packet that he has volunteered to teach others. He is considering the two endeavors outlined below. Contact him at 446-2228 for more information.

Antenna Workshop
This workshop was run about two years ago. Most people built Yagis. There were designs for 144, 220 and 440 MHz. We learned that element diameter makes a big difference in the characteristics of an antenna. The next workshop will be run with better designs. You can build any kind of antenna you want: copper tubing J-Pole, quad, Yagi. The main advantages will be that parts orders can be combined to save on shipping costs. Help with construction and tuning your antennas will be invaluable to the new builder.

Packet Workshop
Are you interested in attending either a basic or an advanced class on use of packet radio and the National Traffic System. The basic class will be for those Hams just getting into packet radio. You can learn what you need to know by spending a lot of time and playing with packet or you can provide a copy of your software and Jerry will show you how to work with nodes, BBSs and how to use the local system. The advanced class can be used to learn: How to use nearby systems. How to get information on the routes used by nodes. How to connect into the existing 440, 9600 baud system. How to get to the Las Vegas BBSs. About internet gateways for e-mail. About other gateways world wide via the internet. More is available as what you need is worked out.

SARC Patches
The SARC patch will apparently have a second life. SARC members at the April meeting indicated enough interest to send treasurer Mark Rosenthal N6BVP into his catalogs looking for a manufacturer of a small run. The SARC patch is round, about four inches in diameter, with the same picture that the badge has on it and has "Sierra Amateur Radio Club, Ridgecrest CA" surrounding the picture. They will probably sell for $2.50-$3.50. What is your interest? Let an officer know.

TREASURERS REPORT
from Mark Rosenthal N6BVP

As of 21 May

Share account	$1,506.24
Draft account	1,923.76
Total	$3,430.00
Obligated funds
Relocate 147.00 repeater	$1,200.00
Balance	$2,230.00

SARC MEMBERSHIP
from Treasurer Mark N6BVP

As of 10 May, SARC membership consisted of fourteen Extra, twenty- seven Advanced, ten General, fifteen Tech Plus, forty-seven Tech and one Novice licensees for a total of 114 members.

OLD BUSINESS
Board of Officers Meeting Minutes notes
from Charlie KE6WQR, Elvy NØLV

Wednesday 7 May. Attendees: President Charlie Hawthorne KE6WQR, 1st VP Dave Stone KC6UUR, 2nd VP Larry Merwin KE6YLG, Treasurer Mark Rosenthal N6BVP, AIRWAVES editor Elvy Hopkins NØLV.

The meeting was called to order by president Charlie at 1730 hrs. The treasurer wants improvements in readability of the membership application before next year. Dave Stone wants the newsletter in text with line breaks for easier conversion to packet BBS format. The partial warranty replacement of the portable repeater battery was charged to the 146.64 translator since that is where it will now spend 360 days per year. Elvy was elected to purchase a $10 WRTC video as a backup program for the June meeting. The video will later be a door prize at the 1998 officers installation banquet.

Charlie has received a Certificate of Insurance from the SARC insurer for use of the tower trailer for Field Day at Shirley Meadows. He has also written a draft trailer loan policy. Mark Ball has agreed to be the contact for Field Day participation with the Kern River Valley ARC at Shirley Meadows. It was agreed that SARC should be listed in the ARRL Pacific Division club listing. Elvy will submit the information and has agreed to be the e-mail contact for SARC. Programs for upcoming meetings were discussed. June and December have no scheduled programs. Larry and Charlie are working on this.

The May AIRWAVES was mailed to 108 members and families. Ten free AIRWAVES are sent to surrounding clubs and ARRL dignitaries. Printing and mailing for the six page May issue was $66.74. Jerry Brooks KK6PA will attempt to get SARC meeting announcements into the Daily Independent. Mark reports that there is a Ridgenet only amateur radio news group. Mark Rosenthal has sent out a patch requesting quotes. An e-mail account had been created for SARC with RocketMail. It was voted to not use it and have it deleted.

Two methods of getting The AIRWAVES into internet e-mail for distribution to SARC members were discussed. Elvy is investigating both Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Word Viewer. Elvy Hopkins was paid for expenses: $32.18 printing + $38.40 stamps + $44.25 battery and box = $115.83. Paula Gibeault has paid the $9.46 owed for printing of RoW worker application in THE AIRWAVES. The meeting was adjourned at 1830 hrs.

Minutes of the General Meeting,
by Elvy Hopkins NØLV

The 14 May meeting was called to order by Charlie Hawthorne KE6WQR at 1935 hrs. Elvy Hopkins NØLV outlined the communications requirements for the 18 May Women's Stage (bicycle) Race at Randsburg and requested three volunteers. Minutes of last meeting were approved. The Bakersfield Hamfest on 15-17 May was announced. Elvy Hopkins gave a report on the condition of the 146.64 MHz translator - dead RF power amplifier - Bill Maraffio N6PR is repairing. Jerry Brooks KK6PA outlined his upcoming antenna and packet workshops and said that two computers set up in the back of the room were free to any taker.

Elvy Hopkins NØLV gave a report on the Death Valley to Mt. Whitney bicycle race - nine Hams - two days - fun. Dave Stone KC6UUR gave a report on the Rim Of The World rally and what the Hams did. Mike Cash KN6IS gave an impassioned plea for participation in a SARC Field Day at Ridgecrest and offered to do all the paperwork and organization. Mike Hugo reported that the 147.00 MHz repeater will be moved from El Paso Peak and relocated to Ridgecrest this summer. Elvy passed around a binder with surrounding club's newsletters and pointed out free magazines etc. in rear of room.

Jerry Brooks KK6PA gave the program on using the AVGATE/AV6QV internet wormhole for international packet. The 50/50 drawing was won by Gene Tab KD6IQM. The meeting was adjourned at 2036 hrs. Twenty-nine Hams attended.

FOR SALE FOR SALE FOR SALE
HF Gear and Oscilloscope
Butternut HF6V-X 10-80 meter vertical antenna $50,
Kenwood TS-520D HF transceiver $200,
50 MHz Dumont Mod 1908 dual trace oscilloscope
Call Bruce Bonbright KD6IPX, at 377-3132

811-A Xmitting Tubes, General Electric, new-in-box, four each $20 each, $35 pair, $65 for all four. I pack. You ship.
ARRL's "The FCC Rule Book" current, 10th edition $6 (half price) to SARC general fund.
Elvy Hopkins NØLV, 760-384-3589

Contacting THE AIRWAVES Editor
If you have an article for The AIRWAVES or an idea for one, contact the editor Elvy Hopkins NØLV. He can be reached at 384-ELVY and ehopkins@ridgecrest.ca.us.

Remember for Field Day
Tune forrrrrrr maaaXXimum smoOoke
aaaannd
Keep hoLLerin CQ FD CQ FD CQ FD CQ FD