THE AIRWAVES CALENDAR
by Larry Merwin KE6YLG The PTA at many of our local schools sponsors an annual program called "Reflections" which encourages students to submit original works in the areas of writing, art and music. Each year the students are asked to take their cue from a specific tag phrase or theme which is designed to get their creative processes going. I remember, a couple of years ago, the theme was: "Imagine that---." Let us play that game for a minute. Come along with me, if you will, as we Imagine that the Sierra Amateur Radio Club did not exist. I guess that the first and most immediate result would be that you would not be reading this issue of the AIRWAVES. You would have to go out searching for all the useful information that it contains, like VE session dates, announcements of upcoming public service events, a repeater listing and status update, news of local Ham activities, contact phone numbers and many other important bits of information. Speaking of VE sessions, it is likely that without the existence of SARC, local VE testing would not be available and you would have to drive quite a distance to take the test for that next upgrade. If SARC did not exist, the number of repeaters in the Indian Wells Valley would certainly be smaller. There are a few privately owned systems, but the important 146.64 MHz translator and the Rand Mountain 145.34 MHz machine might not be there the next time you needed them. Finally, there is lots of little stuff that would be harder or just would not be there. There would be no chance for you to discuss your most recent radio gremlin with the radio gurus in the parking lot after the monthly general meeting. Those Ham radio books at the library that are so useful and which would be so expensive to buy would soon grow out of date. All this and much more would be lost if SARC did not exist. I hope that I have, by negative example, convinced you that SARC is important to Ham radio in the Indian Wells Valley and that it is worthy of your support. This mailing is going out to all Hams in the Indian Wells Valley and surrounding towns that benefit from SARC repeaters. We want to remind those of you who are not members that we are here and cordially invite you to become members. We would value your active participation in club activities. Quite frankly, we also need your financial support. Repeaters cost money to install, run, and maintain. A good portion of your membership dues will go to maintain the SARC repeater systems. In fact, if you are so inclined, we would invite you to make an additional donation to our repeater fund. I believe that SARC is an important and integral part of the IWV Ham radio community. I hope that I have convinced you of this as well. Please join us.
MEETING PROGRAM Wed 9 Feb
Jerry will also demonstrate a garden variety timer that he has modified for one-time-on, up to twenty-four hour, control of a battery charger. He protects his NiCd batteries with this very useful device.
LICENSE RESTRUCTURING The number of examinations has been reduced from eight to four: one code test and three written tests. Element 1 is the five word per minute code test required for General and Amateur Extra class licenses. The physician's waiver for Morse code credit will not be [as readily] available when the new rules become effective. Element 2 will be a thirty-five question written examination for the Technician class license. This examination will most likely embody the material covered in the current Element 2 and Element 3A examinations. Element 3 will be a thirty-five question written examination for the General class license. This examination is not expected to be much different than the current Element 3B examination. Element 4 will be a fifty question written examination for the Extra class license that will most likely cover the current Element 4A and 4B exams and possibly additional material. The National Council of Volunteer Examination Coordinators Question Pool Committee has not set a date for the release of the new examination question pools. The release date is expected to be announced in early February. Current Amateur Radio study guides will remain unchanged at least until the new rules become effective on 15 April. Holders of the Technician Plus license who were licensed as Technicians prior to 21 March 1987 can be grandfathered to General class. Prior to that date the Technician and General class written examinations were the same. The licensee is required to provide documentary proof of having held a Technician class license before 21 March 1987. The grandfathering process will be handled via VE sessions after 15 April 2000. The licensee must submit a completed FCC Form 605, the necessary documentary proof and the examination fee (if any) at a VE session. Technician Plus licensees who have passed the current Element 3B examination and Advanced class licensees who have passed the current Element 4B examination, after 17 April 1999, can be upgraded to General class and Amateur Extra class, respectively, using the previously outlined process. The required documentation is a properly executed CSCE. The only restructuring change to effect the VE community is that current Advanced class VEs will be able to administer examinations to applicants for the General and Technician class licenses after 15 April 2000. Additional information is available in the February issues of QST and CQ magazines. SARC puts QST in the local library.
Internet locations [Uniform Resource Locators, (URLs)] for more information are:
PUBLIC SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Coso Bun Buster Horse Ride Sat 18 Mar
RECENT SARC ACTIVITIES What happened at the ride: Thirty-six riders started the thirty mile course and thirty-three completed it. Seventy-two riders started the fifty mile course and sixty-four completed it. The ride started at 0630 hrs. The first rider to complete fifty miles came in at 1222 hrs. The last fifty miler came in at 1730 hrs. All five check points communicated through the SARC portable repeater. With out it, Hal and Judy would not have been able to reach base camp. Events of note: A rider was reported overdue at base camp by a waiting relative. A call to each of the check points narrowed down the last time the rider was seen and also a report from a motorcycle rider that an unidentified rider had been spotted going back to base. A jeep was just about to head down the trail from base camp when the missing rider returned. One of the horses, pulled early from the ride, spent most of the day tied up to the vets trailer at base camp with an IV bag plug in. Late in the day the vet at base camp decided the horse needed additional medication that he did not have with him. A call to the rock-pile vet check confirmed that they had the needed drugs and a vehicle was sent to retrieve them. The necessary dose was prepared and waiting for him when he arrived. The shot did the trick and the horse recovered. Thank you to all those who made this another successful communications, public service outing.
RACES RAMBLINGS Re configuring this asset to RACES use will require some manual labor. Stand by for a work party or two or three.
IN THE MILL This has caused a surge in advanced sign-ups for the 12 February VE session. A second sitting has been arranged for 19 Feb. If there are too many applicants to handle on the 12th, the VEs will inform those who must attend the 19 Feb. session. Please note that this session will start at 8:00 am, one hour earlier than normal. If you have registered for the 12th, expect a call to confirm your intentions and your test date.
Local Ham Writes Article For QST
Field Day 2000 For those who have never been on a Field Day, it is great fun. For a twenty-four hour period we operate portable, virtually all the bands and modes, high power and low. The club usually makes somewhere between 500 and 1000 contacts. One of the great aspects of Field Day is that you get to try different rigs, antennas, modes and bands. Anyone interested? Start talking it up and see how we can make it happen this year. If you are interested, please contact Mike Herr WA6ARA. Remember, Field Day it the fourth weekend of June, the 27th and the 28th. Is Your License Expired of Expiring? Bill Maraffio N6PR, while collecting addresses for this mailing of the AIRWAVES , compiled the following lists. Are you listed here?
Licenses expired in 1999 KA6ZYM Jul 11 KC6HBK Nov 21 KI6NP Jan 17 KO6SR Mar 21 N6JML Nov 28 N6VSC Jul 11 N6VSD Jul 11 N6VSE Jul 11 N6WNK Oct 10 WB7UKU Sep 05 Licenses expiring in 2000 KA6JLS Aug 28 KA6PLU May 01 KC6DYE Jul 17 KC6HAY Apr 10 KC6HUD Jan 02 KC6IIZ Jan 23 KC6KQB May 01 KC6KQC May 01 KC6KQD May 01 KC6LOI May 29 KC6LOJ May 29 KC6MKB Oct 09 KC6NGL Aug 21 KC6NQW Sep 04 KC6PCD Nov 06 KJ7A Oct 30 KK6UI Dec 24 N6EKG Jul 24 N6YRV Dec 24 N6YRW May 01 N6YRX May 01 N6YRZ May 01 N6ZVR Jul 17 W6YNS Feb 06 WA6CZD Mar 13 WB6VGH Nov 06 WB6VIX Nov 27REPEATER HAPPENINGS Relocation of 147.00 MHz Repeater Work is progressing very slowly on the electronic and programming reconfiguration. The mechanical components still need to be mated to the new nineteen inch rack. A source of inexpensively priced coaxial cable has been found. Procurement is in the works.
PACKET RACKET Please refer to the enclosed repeater listing for the latest information on packet nodes, BBS, etc. for the Ridgecrest area.
ARRL VE TEAM LIAISON NEEDED
VOLUNTEER EXAMINERS NEEDED
NET CONTROL STATIONS NEEDED
TREASURERS REPORT from Ralph Frasier KQ6UU As of 30 January Y2K Share account $3,397.70 Draft account 1,871.09 Total $5,268.79 Obligated funds Relocate 147.00 repeater 1,200.00 Balance $4,068.79OLD BUSINESS Minutes, Board of Officers Meeting There was no BoO meeting in January. Minutes, Membership Meeting by Elvy Hopkins NØLV The annual Officer installation banquet was held at the Texas Cattle Company on Wednesday, 12 January. SARC members and families totaled thirty. There were three large bags of raffle prizes. Small items from the Roger Meng KA6CIE estate and two bags of Comdex handout gizzywidgets provided by Judith Rogow N7TTH were raffled off using fifty-fifty tickets. Paula Gibeault N6OQQ won the $fifty-$fifty drawing. Jerry Brooks KK6PA led a rousing toast to the new Board of Officers. We all ate too much ummm good food. Everyone had a good time.
FOR SALE FOR SALE FOR SALE
WANTED WANTED WANTED
WANTED WANTED WANTED Chris Stewart KC6UTB, treasurer Ralph Frasier has a SARC badge for you. I knew I'd find something to put in this blank space. See ya in da funny paperz. de NØLV |