[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] ALexandria Radio Club - January 10, 2014 Meeting Notice and News Letter - ARC SHORTS

[Rick Bunn]

ARC-SHORTS

January 2014

 

Club Repeaters: 147.315 (PL 107.2), 444.6 (PL107.2), 224.82 (PL107.2), 53.13
(PL107.2) Down for replacement, 927.6 (-25Mhz, PL107.2), and 1282.600 (PL
107.2), DSTAR 145.38Mhz, 442.060, and 1284.600

 

NEXT CLUB MEETING

 

Our next meeting is JANUARY 10, 2014  at 3600 Wheeler Ave.  Just off Duke
Street in Alexandria about 1 block west of Quaker Lane.  We start the
meeting at 7PM with our program and follow with a short business meeting.
Our program will be a planning session for the coming year.  We need to go
over the budget, appoint various committees, Membership, School outreach,
trailer, fund raising, field day chair, etc.  Our program may be provided by
Ian N8IK on Stealth HF operations if he can prepare in time.  

Dinner prior to the meeting will be at Atlantis with folks starting to
gather about 5:30.  Our guest speakers get a meal on the club.

 

December  MEETING MINUTES

 

Our December meeting was held at Mango Mike's and was our holiday party.
All had a great time, awards were given out, food and drink were excellent.
Many awards were for members who could not make the party, so we will
present them at the January meeting.

 

Awards

Mr. Field Day Award. to Mr. Jack Hranicky K5OTZ

Rookie of the Year To Mr. John Hucke KK4RBB

Cat Herder of the Year Award To Mr.  Rick Bunn N4ASX

Defender of Ye Web Site Award To Mr.  Roy Wright K4AXQ

Fix it Award / Get'er Done Award To Doug Rose AK4QY and Liz Bartozs

Ear Doctor Award To Mr. Ed BradshawW4EDF

D-Star Astronomer Award To Mr. Marshall DeBerry KI4MWP

Director of Radio Activity Award To Mr. Craig Church - K4GOR

Director of Radio Technology Award To Mr. Tim O'Neill- KT4MV

Mr. Microwave Award To Mr. Richard C. Adamy (RCA??) KA4GFY

Wallet Extraction Award To Mr. Ted Einersen W9TCE

CW Advocate - Elmer extraordinaire Award To Mr. Ian Keith N8IK

ARC's Ambassador to New Zealand Award To Mr. Pete Laager N2KFA

Amateur Radio support to Scouting Award To Mr. Don Lewis KI4D

Amateur Radio support to Scouting Award To Mr. Steve Wagner W8RJH

Hospitality and Greeter Award To Mr. David Church - Observer

The awards are in a humorous vain, but there are also a serious and sincere
thank you to those in the club who contribute to making the club more than
just its meetings and members.  No one is expected to do these various jobs,
but without the above members and our officers we would just be a group that
has something in common. 

 

Club Program

 

January - Planning session

February - VA QSO Party

March - D-Star and MCM

April - VOA

 

Others in the planning stage. AMSAT, AMRAD, Field Day planning, Antenna
night, Fox Hunting 102 (with a few hunts when the weather gets better,
Project night, QRP ops,  WINLINK 2000,  Logging and station control
programs, VHF, UHF contesting. Any ideas would help.

 

ELMER'S Corner

 

For those who recently upgraded or pass their Tech license exams.
Congratulations and understand that the real leaning is about to begin.

 

For those with Tech licenses, your next step is a radio.  What you get is
determined for the most part on how much money you have to spend.  You CAN
pick up a used handheld or Mobile radio for as little as $50 at a hamfest.
If you get a handheld unit, you will need to make sure it does what you want
it to do.  Does it have PL capability?  Are the batteries good?  If you buy
a mobile,  you may want to install it in the house and that will require
both an antenna and a power supply.  The power supply can be an old car
battery and the antenna for two meters can be made with a few pieces of
wire.   

 

If your new to ham radio and you have not yet been to a hamfest,  there are
two coming up shortly.  Richmond Frost Fest and Vienna Winterfest.  The club
has a strong showing at both and you can carpool to Richmond.  Before you
run down the candy store and drop money on that shiny new radio,  take a
walk around a hamfest or two with one of our senior members.

 

Getting on HF radio.  If you upgraded to General or Extra and have not had
any experience with HF radio,  ask one of our members to get you started.
Most of us are happy to have others over and make use of the station.   If
your smart you will do this when there is a contest on. 

 

 

Hamfests - 

Its time to look for hamfests on next year's calendar.  The first hamfest in
the area is the Maryland Mobileers hamfest on January 26, held at the
Odenton Volunteer Fire Department.  The Richmond Frostfest rolls around a
week later on February 1 at the Richmond Raceway Complex and the Vienna
Winterfest at the Annandale Campus of Northern VA Community College on
February 23.  Its not that far off. 

Training - 

 

We just completed our latest class on December 10.  Ten of our students
finished the class and took the test.  All of them passed their Technician
test.  We also had several walk-ins taking tests.  In all, there were 20
candidates taking tests and 18 walked out with a new license, or an upgrade.
The final count was 16 new Technicians, one General and one Extra.  The one
Extra was our very own John, KK4RBB.  Next time you hear him on the air,
congratulate him on a job well done. 

 

Our next class will be starting on Tuesday, March 4 and ending May 6, 2014.


 

Contests

 


January 1 - ARRL Straight Key Night.  Not a contest, but friendly QSOs
between stations is the norm.  Instead of sending an "RST", use "SKN" to
clue others into Straight Key Night.  Some operators really can send code at
35+ words per minute with a straight key and it's a pleasure to listen to.
Editor's Note: sorry I did not get this out in time for this very FB
contest. -RRB

 

January 5 - ARRL Kids Day.  This is a great way to introduce kids to the
world of ham radio.  They can talk to each other in a relaxed atmosphere.
Round up your kids, grandkids, or even the neighbors kids.January 4 and 5 -
ARRL RTTY Roundup.  Exchange is the RST and state.   

 

January 11 and 12 -  North American QSO Party (CW).  Exchange is name and
state.

January 17 through 19  - ARRL January VHF Contest.  This is a contest is the
6 meter and higher crowd.  Higher frequency contacts count more points.
Most of the activity is SSB and CW.  The exchange is the 4 character grid
square.  Most of us are in FM18

 

January 18 and 19 - North American QSO Party (SSB) Exchange is your name and
state.

 

February 1 and 2 - Vermont QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

 

February 1 - Minnesota QSO Party.  Exchange is name and state.

 

February 1 and 2 - British Columbia QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

 

February 1 through 3 - Delaware QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

 

We also have a couple of non-contest operating events that are worth noting.

 

 

73, 

Rich, KA4GFY

 

 

Social Events

Monday Night Half Price Burgers - There is a group that gets together at
Shooter McGee's (Duke and Paxton Streets) on Monday evenings at 6:15 PM. A
good burger and soft drink runs about $9.00.

 

 

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