THE AIRWAVES CALENDAR
I hope everyone had a good summer. Judy and I got off to northeast New Mexico for a week. It was nice to see other parts of the southwest and some "green". Summer has brought us another ham band (5 MHz) and some a possible problem in the way of using power lines as data transmission lines which is before the FCC. The NORCAL QRP group has joined with the New Jersey QRP club to be come the American QRP group with a new magazine the "Homebrewer". The first issue is out and is full of good ideas. The BBQ at Ron's house (WA6PEV) was great although lightly attended. A lot of good food and discussion was enjoyed. The Ice Cream get together at John's Pizza was again lightly attended but we got to meet Jerry, W7IEW from Washington State who is at the base for a month digging wells with the Navy Sea Bee's. Welcome back to those of you who have been off traveling about. Hope to see you at the September 10 meeting. Bill. WA6QYR
SARC Committees
The June 11, 2003 board meeting was called to order at 1900 hrs. Those present: Pres. Bill Burns (WA6QYR), 1st Vice Pres. Phelps TerHeun (W6PTH), 2nd Vice Pres. Dennis Farrell (W6DWF), Treas. Pam Evans (KC6UUS) and Secy. Tom Ingram (WB6EPD). The ARRL has approved SARC as a Special Service Club for the next two years and our insurance has been renewed for another year. Training videos are expensive. We need to get advertisements in the local newspapers. High desert DX club would like to borrow the club tower for Field Day. Need to investigate responsibility. The club needs control operators for the SARC repeaters. The 146.64 machine has manual control. We need to be able to shut down the repeaters is a problem occurs. Right now we can only put the repeaters to sleep for 10 minutes. Need to investigate commands needed to shut down the transmitter. Several names were mentioned as possible control operators. There was a discussion on generating more interest in Amateur Radio. Pam will look into getting plain badges to use for visitors. The meeting was adjourned at 1930 hrs. Tom WB6EPD
Minutes of the General Meeting
Denson (AI6A) and Mark Swett (KG6NPS). John Vanderbeck (KM70) is a new member to the club. The Treasurers Report is in the newsletter. The Club has been recognized as an ARRL Special Services Club. The public relations committee announced that the newspapers have been co-operating with our request for announcements. The Renewal committee has come up with a list of things to try to increase participation in the club. There is a VE Exam scheduled this Saturday. The emergency Services Committee is planning activities with ARES RACES. Emergency Net Control for July is Mike Herr (WA6ARA). Bill Burns provided a report on the repeater statuses.
From the program Committee, 11 people are getting copies of E-mail
special announcement. If you wish to receive special announcements
via e-mail send an e-mail to Dennis Farrell w6dwf@arrl.net. Pam
Evans (KC6UUS) provided cookies. The program for the evening was
on Home brew stuff. Keith Clark won the 50/50. There were 24
amateurs at the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 20:45.
TREASURER'S REPORT
Draft Account $21.84 Share Account $6,416.63 TOTAL $6,438.47 Obligated Funds: Relocate 147.00 Repeater $162.85 BALANCE: $6,601.32Submitted by Pam Evans, KC6UUS
September Meeting Program - Broadband over Power Lines (BPL)
Broadband over Power Line may be the most significant threat to Amateur Radio in years. Depending how this may come out, it may spell the doom of weak signal DX and I or significant amateur radio associated interference that makes TVI look like a walk in the park.The ARRL is spending significant amounts of resources in addressing this issue. Go to the ARRL web page and learn more. http://www.remote.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/ Its well worth looking at even if just for a grasp of the range and scope of material ARRL has gathered. Spending time following even a few of the links on this page will provide extensive insight into what PLC is, how it's being supported, and what the possible effects on ham radio maybe. The program will include viewing a 5 minute computer video on ARRL tests, and some sound recordings made in Japan and elsewhere.
147 Repeater Status
VE News
Two applicants serviced.
Roy Mayhugh - General
Also VE's. The next exam is October 11th.
Please plan to serve as a VE on that date. If you can make a
commitment
in advance, PLEASE let me know.
Annual Kiwanis Walk-A-Thon
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 name badges. Volunteer hams will need to be at the park at about 0730 to get checkpoint assignments and maps, so as to be ready when the walk starts at 0800. Often our involvement is over by 1030 or 1100, and, depending on the checkpoint, one can leave much earlier if required. At least seven hams are needed to provide health and welfare message support to the Kiwanis organizers. We'll use the 146.64 MHz translator for the event, so a handy-talkie will work fairly well, especially with a mobile antenna. Typically, we relay the need for additional water or cups to support the local community group manning the checkpoint. Occasionally, a request for transportation of an injured walker or someone who cannot go the distance may need to be issued. In addition, we try to count the number of walkers to be better able to estimate the supplies needed, and track the last walker of the event to close a checkpoint. To volunteer, contact Greg Roush WA7IRW at 446-4383, or on the Monday night net.
Picnic In The Park
River Park in Kernville on the third Sunday, 21st, of September. It is sponsored by the High Sierra Cyclists of Ridgecrest. Eight Hams are needed to provide communications at the start, finish and six water stops. Duties start at 0600 hrs at Leroy Jackson park and go as late as 1500 hrs in Kernville. Volunteers on short time can be assigned to the Ridgecrest side of Walker Pass. 1shirts and a really nice lunch at Kernville will be provided. Contact Elvy Hopkins NØLV at ehopkinsridgenet.net or 760-384-3589. More info check out http://www.highsierracyclists.org/picnicpark/home.htm
SET
Some of the many purposes of the SET are: 1. Help amateurs gain experience in communicating, using standard procedures under simulated emergency conditions, and to experiment with some new concepts. 2. Determine strong points, capabilities and limitations in providing emergency communications to improve the response to a real emergency. 3. To provide a public demonstration--to served agencies and the news media--of the value to the public that Amateur Radio provides, particularly in time of need. The Eastern Kern County ARES will be conducting a Functional Drill rather than a full-scale drill. The functional drill will focus on sending and receiving RACES Radiograms via voice and packet, and entering and retrieving data using the ARESDATA Packet database application. Future training exercises and SETs will build on this foundation. The actual date has not been determined yet, but will be held on a Saturday, sometime between October 11 and November 15. When a real disaster strikes, having trained RACES and ARES members available during the first 24 to 48 hours is crucial. Knowing how to pass traffic, accurately and correctly, is essential to getting our community back to normal operations. 73... de Hal/KM6JM
Jamboree-On-The Air!
Hey, Sign Me Up!
Why do I do it? Bragging rights? No, but I like the pins and occasional T-Shirt. I'm bored? It's a good cause? If I don't do it, no one will? I'm the most qualified? Hardly. Why do I do it? I'm sure we all like to brag a bit at times. Remember the Coso Bun Buster Horse Ride that had heavy rain, hail and wind, and I moved a box of bottled water in front of KB6NIZ's truck, which he later ran over? Hah! That was fun and funny, and I WAS THERE! How about the rain and snow during one of the January horse rides? Not much fun, got a bit cold, but I WAS THERE! How about the lucky Ham at Check Point One of the Kiwanis Walk-a-Thon trying to count the number of people going by. It goes something like "1, 2, 3 .... . 4, 5,...150, 400..." ..Check Point Two is a little better, getting 8, 9, and 10 before jumping to 150. Things don't settle down until Check Point Four or Five. Regardless, I WAS THERE! How about some of those HOT Death Valley to Mt. Whitney bicycle races? Whew! Why does NØLV keep assigning me to the Darwin or Keeler check points? Well, at least he hasn't stuck me at the first day's finish line... yet. Whatever, I WAS THERE! But I don't like to brag. I do like my collections of pins and T-shirts from the various events I've helped out with. But I must have washed some of those shirts in HOT water a few times because they don't fit anymore. I can't think of any other reason to cause them to shrink. Why do I do it? Volunteering does give me something to do and it gives me a reason to put off drilling that 3/4" hole in the roof of my SUV. Just getting ready for these events can be very exciting. Imagine the night before the event, looking for the operating manuals for the two mobile rigs and five HTs that I think I might need. Are all the HT batteries charged up? Where are the batteries? Speaking of charged, where are the chargers? How much food, water, clothes, shelter, paper, pens... I better start a list right now before I forget I need a list. Volunteering for the events that the Sierra Amateur Radio Club supports does make me feel good. The value of the communications support we provide is incalculable when someone's life or property is saved. Although I don't recall anytime where advanced medical support was necessary, if we hadn't been there and the horse/horse rider/bicyclist/runner/walker had to return to base camp on their own, the outcome could have been totally different. Whenever it comes down to me volunteering or the task doesn't get done, it probably didn't need to be done to begin with. As to being the "most qualified" at something, I don't think so. I'm very good at taking a bad situation and making it worse and I also get lost fairly easily when out hiking. But being the most qualified, nah. So, what is my real reason for volunteering? Simple. It gives me the justification I need to purchase that new HT, mobile rig, HFNHF/UHF all mode, mobile radio shack... Hummm My bank statement says I have some credit available on my charge card. I see that Yaesu is coming out with a new DC to Light, All Mode, crossband/in-band repeater, 100 watt transceiver that operates off of 2 AA batteries for 96 hours and small enough to fit in a shirt pocket, with the antenna attached. Oh what the heck, HEY, SIGN ME UP!
ARRL Audio News
We are also looking for other Amateurs who would be willing to share the job of retransmitting the news. It is simple enough, just need to download the news from the ARRL web site, and, with a simple to build interface, retransmit it at the appropriate time. If you want to volunteer please contact Mike, WA6ARA at wa6ara@arrl.org
Looking for News!
SARC Newletter via Email
For Sale
Kenwood SP 930 speaker Make an offer for any or all. W6UPI, Bob Huckins
Updated Sat Oct 4 22:31:40 PDT 2003 |