JUMP ABOARD THE PUBLIC SERVICE WAGON -- VOLUNTEER EARLY
FROM THE PRESIDENT'S SHACK
Welcome back. It has been a while since the last club meeting and AIRWAVES. I hope everyone had an enjoyable summer. I know we did. Over the break I got my AO-40 array on the tower, did a lot of HF packet operating and became a grandfather. School is back in session. Everyone is getting back to work. So, it is time to get down to business. There has been a lot of Ham news. We had a small, unexpected peak in the sunspots. Ten meters perked up out of nowhere but there was not much activity on six meters. Looks like a lot of positive FCC actions in the wings as well as a pro-Amateur Radio bill or two working their way through congress. Time for the nominating committee to start once again. I am looking for three volunteers to serve as the nominating committee. It is a straight-forward job. SARC has numerous individuals who would make excellent club officers. I am also looking for volunteers for an ad hoc committee to consider the future of SARC. I announced this in June and so far I have one volunteer. This committee will look at where the club is and should be going and propose any changes or actions necessary. Remember to have fun with Ham radio. Hope to see you all at the meeting.
MEETING PROGRAM
PUBLIC SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Picnic In The Park Sun 22 Sept
Kiwanis Walk-A-Thon Sat 28 Sept
The annual Kiwanis Walk-A-Thon will be held on Saturday, 28 September The event will cover the usual five mile route starting and ending at Leroy Jackson Regional Park. This is one of the easiest public service events in the Indian Wells Valley. The Walk-A-Thon is also a great opportunity for 500-800 of our fellow Ridgecrestites to see Ham Radio and SARC in action, so we should be visible and wear our SARC name badges. The Walk-A-Thon starts at 0800 hrs. Volunteer Hams will need to be at the park at 0730 hrs to get checkpoint assignments and maps. Often our involvement is over by 1100 hrs and, depending on the checkpoint, some can leave much earlier. Seven Hams are needed to provide health and welfare message support to the Kiwanis organizers. We will use the 146.64 MHz translator for the event so a handy-talkie will work fairly well, especially with a mobile antenna. Typically, the messages relay the need for additional water or cups to suppo
Geo Bun Buster Sat/Sun 9/10 Nov
RACES
It was, and still is, a summer of fires and floods, and hundreds of Amateur Radio operators who stepped in quickly, and skillfully to establish or restore essential communication links in support of a myriad of response efforts by professionals and volunteers. For us in the IWV, it was quiet. There were problems around us, to be sure, but none requiring a response from us. Were we ready if we had been called? What does ready mean? Does it mean being able to quickly convert an empty room or perhaps just a patch of bare dirt into a communications center? Well, partly, but that isn't really the challenge. Is it being able to rapidly create a mast and antennas from the contents of, possibly, just a couple of canvas bags? Again, partly but that isn't the challenge either, particularly if you've done it countless times. Perhaps it is putting together a bullet-proof power system, where the radios keep right on running until someone cranks up the standby generator. Well, no again, important and terribly useful as that may be, that is not the challenge either. The challenge isn't being equipped with nifty radios, portable venues or any of the other fancy equipment and goodies, useful as they may be. No, the real the challenge isn't any of those things. The real challenge is the availability of skilled people. It is people with the skills and training to set up quickly and operate to maximize the effectiveness of the aforementioned goodies? Is it people who can walk into a center, accept and skillfully execute whatever assignment is handed to them, without any explanation or supervision? Is it people who can establish and operate a remote site on very short notice. People who maintain the capability to be self sufficient for as much as three days (food, shelter, water and, of course power)? Is it people who understand and can execute common protocols designed to maximize the efficiency and professionalism with which their essential work is performed?
How many of us are these people? How many of us have the necessary
training, skills and experience? For those relatively few who have
extensively worked the emergency communications side of the street,
they are ready, but far too few in number. For the rest with an
interest in being able to support their communities when an emergency
does occur, directly applicable training is available on-line from
the ARRL. Training of volunteers is considered sufficiently important
that a $181,900 homeland security grant through the Corporation
for National and Community Service will reimburse the ARRL Level
I course for up to 1700 volunteers. Check out the ARRL web site
Emergency Preparedness Committee
RECENT SARC ACTIVITIES
Field Day 22-23 June
The whole thing ended up being more of a sprint type operation
rather than a typical twenty-four hour Field Day. We lost several
operators early. Bill Burns WA6QYR had a family emergency as did
Dave Rosenthal N6TST. Mike Alamo KF6WSR was ill. We did press on
and worked a number of stations. The weather was un-typically cool,
only low 90's, and mostly no wind. We had not planned on being QRP
and solar, but when we looked around after setup, we all were.
We started setting up at 1100 hrs on Saturday and the last antenna
came down about 2000 hrs on Sunday. WA6ARA came back and did a
quick AO-40 satellite stint on Sunday morning and snagged four more
QSOs.
Operators were Greg Roush WA7IRW, Mike Herr WA6ARA, Phelps TerHeun
W6PTH with their own stations and Elvy Hopkins NØLV operated
TerHeun's for a while on Saturday.
Visitors came often and most did not sign the log book, but Mike
Chavez who was planning to take the Technician exam in August and
Bob Cox who is looking at Ham Radio as another hobby spent a lot
of time asking questions and observing the operations. Dale Smith
W6ERT, a SARC member from California City, sat in the shade and
kibitzed for quite a while. Ralph Brooks N6YRY and Monty Shinn
W6PFR added their comments, suggestions and tall tales.
Antennas numbered four. WA6ARA used his trusty 40 meter dipole.
WA7IRW had a twin-lead wonder. W6PTW sky hooked a 65-meter sky
zapper. And on Sunday, WA6ARA set up an AO-40 satellite array.
The final count was 79 CW contacts and 14 SSB contacts including
4 through AO-40. Bonus points and multipliers gave a total of 860
points for SARC 2002 field Day.
Field Day Another View
Field Day 2002, lovely June day, usual cast of characters, typical
collection of stuff, a few deft tries with the sling shot and the
dipole is swinging high in the air, solar panels pumping ergs into
the battery. Sounds about right doesn't it? Well, yeah, but the
radio doesn't. Nice, brand-new tuner, same reliable dipole been
using for years, coax checked out. What in blazes is wrong here?
You've got to be kidding, the antenna wont load? Must have busted
the balun. Elvy NØLV, dashes off and brings back a brand
new W2AU 1:1 balun, still in the box and labeled $7.95. How many
decades have you had that one, Elvy? Balun installed, antenna goes
back up. No joy. Well, let's take inventory. Plenty of DC power,
radio works fine, antenna OK, all the coax OK (latter items checked
with a bridge). So what's left? The tuner, the brand new,
right-out-of-the-box tuner. Attention turned there. Elvy discovers
inductor knob pointer is misaligned. Off comes the cover. Ah ha,
simple screw driver fix. Antenna still won't
Volunteer Exam Session
Examiners were Lloyd Brubaker WA6KZV, Bill Burns WA6QYR, Charlie
Hawthorne AD6QK for 8 June and Monty Shinn W6PFR, Jerry Brooks
KK6PA, Elvy Hopkins NØLV on 10 August. Bill Maraffio N6PR
anchored both sessions by doing all the paperwork and exam submissions
to the ARRL.
IN THE MILL
SARC & Ham Radio For The IWV
COMING SARC ACTIVITIES
Transmitter Hunt Sat 12 Oct
Transmitter hunts are held in the IWV on the Saturday immediately
following the SARC monthly meeting. We meet in the Heritage Inn
parking lot at 0900 hrs. Usually the fox is out hiding by then and
the 146.565 MHz transmitter comes on every four minutes thirty
seconds with a thirty second message. Now that we are using an
automatic transmitter, the fox may or may not be in the area.
Typically the it takes about forty-five minutes to locate the fox.
Equipment is easy. A small beam with an attenuator is ideal but
the fox has been found with just a hand held and a rubber duck.
I am hoping to soon have a second transmitter to hide just to make
things interesting. For a little more spice, the second transmitter
will be capable of some new twists. Mode 1 will be the standard
beacon mode. Mode 2 will sound the beacon, as the hunter requests
it, by transmitting on a particular frequency. This can help you
but also your opponent. Mode 3 will allow the fox to send comments
and clues through a link.
If there is interest, we may schedule a hunt some day in a specific
field, using only a handheld. Also, if the Saturday hunts are
inconvenient due to other priorities, I am game for an alternate
or additional hunt day, say a flex Friday or holiday.
For more information, contact Mike Herr WA6ARA at 375-5324 or herr@ridgenet.net.
OLD BUSINESS
Minutes, Board of Officers Meeting
June 12, 2002. Those present: Pres. Mike Herr WA6ARA, 1st Vice Pres
Phelps TerHeun W6PTH, 2nd Vice Pres. Todd Evans W6TOD, Treas. Pam
Evans KC6UUS and Secy. Tom Ingram WB6EPD. The meeting was called
to order at 1903 hrs. Items for the general meeting were discussed.
Mike reported that he had received the Field Day video. A short
discussion was held on a Field Day Trophy. The last one left the
valley when the last winner moved away. Mike will check into getting
a new one.
The club received a $100 donation from the Arabian Breeders for
the endurance ride support in March. The annual Bar-B-QSO will be
held at Ron Ogren's WA6PEV on 10 July. Need to send out announcements.
Emailing the newsletter was discussed. A discussion was held on
raffling off a handheld radio. Should hold the drawing in October.
Todd will investigate possibilities. The meeting was adjourned at
1921 hrs.
Minutes, Membership Meeting
The 12 June 2002 general meeting was called to order by the president
Mike Herr WA6ARA at 1930 hrs at the Heritage Inn. Fifty-fifty
tickets were available for the meeting. The sign-up sheet was
started around. Announcements: Lloyd Brubaker WA6KZV provided the
following from the Emergency Services Meeting. There will be a
celebration for the anniversary of the Sidewinder at NWC. It is
expected to be a big event and the Chief of Police would like to
open the EOC and keep is manned for the weekend of the celebration.
All local Hams are requested to monitor the net frequency throughout
the weekend in case any problems occur.
Bill Burns WA6QYR will be the Field Day Coordinator and has a signup
sheet. T-hunts will be discontinued until September. $100 was
received from the Arabian Breeders for Ham support during the
endurance ride in March. Next month is the barbecue at Ron Ogren's
WA6PEV. Next newsletter will be in September. Greg Roush WA6IRW
had photos from his sailing trip. He used a Yaesu FT-817 during
the trip. The program this month was a Field Day video. Tom Ryan
WB8ENO won the 50/50. Seventeen amateurs signed in at the meeting.
There were no visitors. The meeting was adjourned at 2015 hrs.
TREASURERS REPORT
FOR SALE FOR SALE FOR SALE
FREE FREE FREE
|