[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] ARC SHORTS - SEPTEMBER 2017 - Alexandria Radio Club Newsletter

[Rick Bunn]

 ARC-SHORTS

September 2017


Club Repeaters: 147.315 (PL 107.2), 444.6 (PL107.2), 224.82 (PL107.2), 53.13
(PL107.2) 927.6 (-25Mhz, PL107.2), and 1282.600 (PL 107.2), DSTAR 145.38Mhz,
442.060, and 1284.600 ALL AR UP AND RUNNING - HAM IT UP! Get on the air!

NEXT CLUB MEETING

Our next meeting is September 8th at 7PM at the Police Dispatch Center at
3600-Wheeler Ave.  Just off of Duke St on the south side half a block west
of Quaker Lane.  Dinner at Atlantis Restaurant at about 5:30 prior to the
meeting.  Our planned meeting could not make it this month and I am trying
to get a replacement.  

MEETING MINUTES.

Our August 11th program could not make the meeting do to a death in the
family.  We hope that we can get Howard WD5DBC to attend later (maybe
October).  Our president, Erik provided a nice program on antennas supports
and Don provided some additional inputs based on his ARES work.

DMR Repeater.  We are still awaiting a repeater frequency assignment from
T-MARC.  Rich will be the first to get the word and will share it on the
net.

President's Corner

Hello, all. Hope your past month has been enjoyable. I was stuck at work for
the eclipse QSO party on Monday the 21st, so I could not participate. Don't
worry, as the next eclipse to hit the continental US will be 6 1/2 years
from now, on Monday, April 8th, 2024. If you don't mind making a road trip
to Ohio, Western New York, southern Indiana, or northern New England, you
can catch another total eclipse.

With the end of the year coming, it is time to start thinking about new club
officers. I am ineligible to run for club president again because of term
limits. Perhaps one or more of you could step up and try one of the four
club officer positions - president, vice president, secretary, and
treasurer. There is plenty of documentation available to help you out with
any questions you might have. 

73 DE KI4BXU
-- 
Erik Misavage, KI4BXU
<ki4bxu at mac.com <mailto:ki4bxu at mac.com> >


Future Programs

September 8th  - Marine Corps Marathon (tent)
October 13th  -  City EMS (tent)
November 10   - Elections 
December 8th - Annual Christmas / Holiday Party
Possible programs:, Contesting HF/VHF, AMSAT, AMRAD, RF Interference (power
company), Logging programs,  Dayton follow up, Marine Corps Marathon.

Let me know what you want to hear about.  HELP!!!!  If you have an idea for
a program, please let Rick know and he will try to find someone to provide
the program.  If you know someone you would like to have present a program,
let me know Rick, N4ASX
Hamfests -
We are heading to end of hamfest season in our area, but there a couple of
hamfests close by.  
Don't forget the Virginia Beach Hamfest (also known as the Virginia Section
Convention) is September 9, 2017.  You leave Alexandria at 6 AM and be there
when the doors open at 9 AM.  The location is the Virginia Beach Convention
Center, 1000 19th Street, which is right off I-264 close to the waterfront.
Talk-in on the 146.970 repeater (-) with a 141.3 Hz PL tone. 
This year's CARAFest is on Sunday, October 1 at the Howard County
Fairgrounds in West Friendship, MD.  From our area, take I95 North to MD
Route 32 West.  Follow 32 West to Route 144.  Take 144 West to Fairground
Road on the right. It's sponsored by the Columbia Amateur Radio Association.
Talk-in is on the CARA repeater, 147.390 (+) with a 156.7 Hz PL tone. 
Training - 

Our next class is scheduled to start October 3 and end December 5, 2017.  If
you know somebody who has always wanted to get their ham radio license, let
them know.  The cost is still $50 and includes the book, test fee and class
materials.

Contests -

September 9 to 11 - ARRL September VHF Contest.  Exchange is 4 charter grid
square.  For most of us, it's FM18.

September 9 - Ohio State Parks on the Air.  Exchange is your state.

September 10 - North American Sprint - CW.  Exchange is other station's
call, your call, serial number, your name and state. 

September 16 and 17 - Iowa QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

September 16 and 17 - Washington State Salmon Run.  Exchange is RST and
state.

September 16 and 17 - New Hampshire QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

September 16 and 17 - New Jersey QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

September 16 - North American Sprint - RTTY.  Exchange is other station's
call, your call, serial number, your name and state. 

September 23 and 24 - CQ Worldwide DX Contest - RTTY.  Exchange is RST, CQ
zone and state.  We are in CQ zone 5.

September 23 and 24 - Maine QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

September 23 and 24 - Texas QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.
   
October 1 - North American Sprint - SSB.  Exchange is other station's call,
your call, serial number, your name and state. 

October 7 and  8 - California QSO Party.  Exchange is serial number and
state.

October 14 and 15 - Arizona QSO Party.  Exchange is serial number and state.

October 14 and 15 - Pennsylvania QSO Party.  Exchange is serial number and
ARRL section.

 

Repeaters - 

We have had many questions on the status of our DMR repeater.  As of press
time, TMARC is  running their software to look for a possible spot to fit us
in somewhere.  Looking through the TMARC directory on line doesn't really
tell the whole story.  What may appear to be an open frequency may not be.
Every repeater ties up two frequencies, so what may appear to be open may be
the input ot a repeater somewhere.  So, there are not a lot of pairs
available.    

I will send an email to the club reflector and in ARC Shorts with the
particulars once we hear from TMARC.  Also, I am sure N8IK will update the
"club" codeplug with the new frequency.

Be sure to use the club repeaters and log those contacts with other club
members for the year-long club QSO Party.  Each band and mode counts as a
separate contact.  
The club repeaters are all up and running.  Make 2017 the year you try a new
band or mode.

As always, ham it up and get on the air.
73, 
Rich, KA4GFY

WORKED ALL ALEXANDRIA RADIO CLUB MEMBERS VHF/UHF CONTEST
Our club has MORE repeaters then just about any other general interest radio
club. Look at the banner at the start.  BUT, if you listen to the repeaters
they are so quite you wonder if they are working.  Rich, KA4GFY and I
(N4ASX) came up with an idea.  Lots of folks played with the ARRL's National
Parks On the Air.  This was a yearlong contest so there was no rush. So we
think a contest that get's folks in the work each other and others over a
year would be fun.
To make the contest fair, we will have classes for each type of operator: 2
Meter HT only, Dual Band (2/440) only, 2 Meter Mobile/Base only, Dual Band
Mobile/Base only, All bands.  Points are awarded for working club members
who have been (within the last two years) or are club members.  You can work
club members on each repeater, on simplex on each VHF/UHF band and work them
on any mode (D-Star, Packet, PSK-31, CW, SSB, AM, etc.)  So, you can work a
member many times but only once per band using the same mode.  We will go
from June 10th 2017 to June 10th 2018.  We encourage the use of LOTW, but
you can use any logging program or paper.  For those who are not members
they too can participate but points are awarded for working Alexandria Radio
Club members.  A club member will get a point for non-members they work on
our repeaters.
Hope your keeping your logs up to date.  This contest is open to all.
73 Rick N4ASX
Social Events

Monday Night Burgers - There is a group that gets together at 6:15 PM on
Mondays at a local burger joint.   Mark up on the 147.315 repeater and join
them for the fun.  Mark up on the repeater about 6PM and join the group.
The location does change!  IF you have a good spot, you might make a
suggestion.



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