[GVARC] Nov 02 Newsletter

Tony [email protected]
Tue, 26 Nov 2002 19:08:04 -0800


************************* Garlic Valley ******************************
Volume 17                                                     Nov 2002
******************* Amateur Radio Club Newsletter ********************
GVARC OFFICERS
   President                   Frank Fahrlander, N7FF
   Vice President              Ed Vines, KG6WU
   Secretary                   Mark Deger, KG6IFQ
   Treasurer                   Tony Armendariz, AD6ID
   Newsletter Editor           Tony Armendariz, AD6ID
   WEBster                     Claud Furnare, NA6W

   Web Site                    http://www.qsl.net/gvarc

FEATURES IN THIS ISSUE:
 NEXT CLUB MEETING
 GVARC MEMBERSHIP
 DXCC LEGEND BOB WHITE, W1CW/SK
 ANTI-TOWER TRANSMITTER PETITION
 ARRL HONORS MFJ FOUNDER
 NEW ZEALAND AMATEUR RADIO HISTORY
 WORLDRADIO CHANGES EDITORS
 CONTESTS  DECEMBER 2002
 COMING EVENTS

***NEXT CLUB MEETING -  Saturday, 28-Nov-2002
--------------------
   GVARC usually meets on the LAST Saturday of each month, at the Sunrise =
 Restaurant in Gilroy on Monterey Avenue (near the car dealers in
front of Motel  6). From the North or South, take the Monterey St. exit
from highway 101 (south  end of Gilroy) and head north. We trickle in
about 8 a.m. and eat at 8:30ish.     The South County ARES net is held
each Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. on W6GGF/R (147.825 -.600, no PL).

***GVARC MEMBERSHIP
-------------------
   Dues for all members become payable each January. The annual cost is
only $20 per person and $10 for each family member in the same
household. Membership dues helps such things as the W6GGF/R repeater,
this newsletter, emergency readiness, etc. Membership, not required for
general use of the repeater, adds autopatch and autodial privileges.
   GVARC is a non-profit organization per IRS section 501(c)(4) - we
don't make any money, do service for the community, but are not a
charity.
   To join or for more information, please contact the treasurer:
   Tony Armendariz, AD6ID
   11950 New Avenue
   Gilroy, CA 95020
   408-683-2025 home
   Internet: [email protected]

***DXCC LEGEND BOB WHITE, W1CW/SK
---------------------------------
Former ARRL Headquarters staff member Robert L. White, W1CW, of
Seffner, Florida, died November 22 from complications arising from
pneumonia. He was 83.

Known to many as ''Mr DXCC,'' White was the manager of the ARRL's DX
Century Club program from 1952 until 1976, establishing the
award--and its stringent standards--as Amateur Radio's premier DX
achievement. White codified the rules for the DXCC program and
oversaw the checking of some 250,000 QSL cards submitted yearly,
often working as many as 90 hours a week to ensure that the job got
done right. During his tenure at Headquarters, White also oversaw
the ARRL QSL Service. He belonged to the ARRL for 62 years and was a
Life Member.

Dad was the guy who made DXCC what it was,'' said White's son, Jim,
K4OJ, in a posting to the CQ Contest reflector. ''He didn't cut any
corners--everyone was held to the same high standard--and this is
what made holding DXCC meaningful.''

Introduced to Amateur Radio in his youth, White was first licensed
in 1938. He served as a radio operator in the US Navy during World
War II.

White was an avid DXer and CW enthusiast. Active in the First-Class
CW Operators' Club, White was also inducted into the CQ DX Hall of
Fame in 1998.

His wife Ellen, W1YL, and his son Jim, K4OJ, survive him; both are
former ARRL staff members. Friends may send condolence messages via
e-mail to [email protected] or to 6607 Flicker Ct, Seffner, FL
33584. The family invites memorial donations to the W1CW Memorial
Fund-Florida Contest Group, c/o Frederick M Perkins Jr, 3437 Lake
Josephine Dr, Lake Placid FL 33852. Per White's request, there will
be no public service.
  -- ARRL

***ANTI-TOWER TRANSMITTER PETITION
----------------------------------
Gilroy anti tower & transmitter movement made some noise in the form of
a petition to the city council. The petition, signed by about 500
people, asks to prohibit any towers/transmitters "...emitting radio
waves or any other form of radiation ... within 2,500 feet of any
residence, school or city drinking water supply."

Mayor Tom Springer sees the petition as "...well intended but vaguely
worded and poorly constructed is confusing and a problem in itself. You
don=92t know what they=92re trying to achieve."

(Well said, Tom. A good start.)

As you no doubt know, an FCC ruling, PRB-1, requires that all state and
local governments "...accommodate reasonably amateur communications, and
to represent  the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish the local
authority's legitimate purpose."

I suggest that GVARC craft a letter opposing the ill advised,
oppressive, and (probably) illegal intent of the petition. We should
send this letter to (at least) the following people:

Tom Springer, Gilroy Mayor:
http://www.ci.gilroy.ca.us/cityhall/city_councilmember_springer.html
email:  [email protected]

Don Gage, Santa Clara County Supervisor & Former mayor of Gilroy. Don
may be contacted at:   [email protected]

Jon Jeisel of the Gilroy Dispatch covered this item locally.  You can
reach him  at [email protected].

For your reference, here's the main conclusion of FCC MEMORANDUM OPINION
AND ORDER PRB-1.

" 25. Because amateur station communications are only as  effective as
the antennas employed, antenna height restrictions  directly affect the
effectiveness of amateur communications.   Some amateur antenna
configurations require more substantial  installations than others if
they are to provide the amateur  operator with the communications that
he/she desires to engage  in.  For example, an antenna array for
international amateur  communications will differ from an antenna used
to contact other  amateur operators at shorter distances.  We will not,
however,  specify any particular height limitation below which a local=20
government may not regulate, nor will we suggest the precise  language
that must be contained in local ordinances, such as  mechanisms for
special exceptions, variances, or conditional use  permits.=20
Nevertheless, local regulations which involve  placement, screening, or
height of antennas based on health,  safety, or aesthetic considerations
must be crafted to  accommodate reasonably amateur communications, and
to represent  the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish the local
authority's legitimate purpose."

The ARRL has a wealth of information that we can draw on:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/PRB-1_Pkg/

 -- David KG6MVX & Tony AD6ID

***ARRL HONORS MFJ FOUNDER
---------------------------
 At the second annual MFJ ARRL Day in the Park celebration October 5,
ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, presented an ARRL Commendation to MFJ
Founder Martin Jue, K5FLU, in recognition of his 30 years of innovative
development in the ham radio marketplace. More than 300 visitors turned
out for the occasion, and some 700 contacts logged during a special
event station run in conjunction with the ARRL Day in the Park. Haynie
also toured the MFJ facilities while he was there. Jue, 58, started his
product line very modestly in 1972, offering some simple audio bandpass
filters. Today, his MFJ Enterprises, headquartered in Starkville,
Mississippi, is in the forefront of US Amateur Radio accessories and
equipment. The company <http://www.mfjenterprises.com> offers a product
line that includes everything from amplifiers and antenna-related items
to weather-monitoring systems and now includes the Hy-Gain, Ameritron,
Vectronics and Mirage brands in addition to MFJ.

***NEW ZEALAND AMATEUR RADIO HISTORY
------------------------------------
1923 - Regulations for Amateur, Experimental and Broadcasting Stations
gazetted on January 18. Annual license fee for grade one operators two
pounds =A32; grade two operators one pound =A31. Examination fee for
operator=92s certificates 5 shillings. Morse tests 10 and 8 wpm. Minimum
age 14. Wavelengths 140-180m. Maximum power 50W. First amateur radio
contact with Australia on April 26, between Frank Bell at Shag Valley in
Otago (using callsign BELL) and Charlie Maclurcan 2CM in Sydney, on 160
m. June 8, Dan Wilkinson 2AB, in Motueka, first licensed amateur. Forty
licences issued by end of the year.

1924 - NZ allocated call sign prefix Z. May 22, Ivan O=92Meara Z2AC in
Gisborne and Carlos Braggio RCB8 in Buenos Aires make first NZ-South
America contact and set world distance record for two-way radio
communication. Further world records set by Ivan O=92Meara Z2AC in
Gisborne and Jack Orbell Z3AA on ship off South American east coast.
September 21, Frank Bell Z4AA at Shag Valley and Wallace Magner 6BCP in
San Pedro make first NZ-North America contact and set new world record.
Oct 18, first round-the-world two way radio contact between Frank Bell
Z4AA at Shag Valley and Cecil Goyder G2SZ in London on 92m.

1925 - Single license replaces previous two grades. Standard Morse test
10 wpm. Wavelengths 120-160m. Maximum power 100W. Representatives from
twenty-three countries meet in Paris on April 18 and form the
International Amateur Radio Union. Frank Bell Z4AA elected member of
Executive Committee. Number of licences reached 100.

1926 - The New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters formed, in
Auckland, on August 16. Annual subscription five shillings. Brenda Bell
first YL operator. Joe Johnson Z2GA first portable transmitter/receiver
licence. Gordon Smithson Z1AF makes first NZART Official Broadcast.

1927 - International Telecommunication Union Conference in Washington
established internationally-agreed frequency bands. NZ allocated prefix
OZ. Sangster Shield contest starts.
  See the book
 -- "A History of Amateur Radio in New Zealand", by Ian Dougherty, 1997,
       available from http://www.nzart.org.nz/nzart/history/history.html

***WORLDRADIO CHANGES EDITORS
-----------------------------
  Rick McCusker, WF6O, has stepped down as editor of Worldradio magazine
<http://www.wr6wr.com> During his five-year tenure, McCusker--an ARRL
member--is credited with modernizing the magazine's appearance and
improving its content. Friends may continue to contact him via e-mail
<[email protected]>.
   Replacing McCusker at Worldradio's editorial helm is Nancy Kott,
WZ8C--the driving force behind FISTS <http://www.fists.org/>--The
International Morse Preservation Society. Nancy is has the Worldradio
column, "Positively CW", and is the editor for the FISTS North American
newsletter. Kott took over her new role on November 14. FB, Nancy!
 =20

***CONTESTS  DECEMBER 2002
DATE   WEEKDAY - TIME UTC   CONTEST NAME - MODE
-----  -------------------  -------------------------------------------
 1     Sun 2000 - 2400      QRP ARCI Holiday Spirits Homebrew Spr. - CW

 4- 5  Wed 6 PM - Thu 6 AM  QRP ARCI Topband Sprint - CW/SSB

 6- 8  Fri 2200 - Sun 1600  ARRL 160 Meter Contest - CW
 7- 8  Sat 0000 - Sun 2400  MDXA PSK-31 DeathMatch - PSK-31
 7- 8  Sat 1800 - Sun 0200  10th Annual TARA RTTY Sprint - RTTY
 7- 8  Sat 1800 - Sun 1800  TOPS Activity Contest 3.5 MHz - CW

14-15  Sat 0000 - Sun 2400  28 MHz SWL-Contest - CW/SSB
14-15  Sat 0000 - Sun 2400  ARRL 10 meter Contest - CW/SSB
   15  Sun 0200 - 0400      The Great COLORADO Snowshoe Run - CW
   15  Sun 1400 - 1500      SSA M=E5nadstest nr 12 - SSB
   15  Sun 1515 - 1615      SSA M=E5nadstest nr 12 - CW

20     Fri 2100 - 2400      AGB PARTY Contest - CW/SSB/DIGI

21     Sat 0000 - 2400      OK DX RTTY Contest - RTTY
21-22  Sat 1400 - Sun 1400  Croatian CW Contest - CW
21-22  Sat 1600 - Sun 1600  International Naval Activity - CW/SSB

25     Wed 0700 - 1000      SSA Jultest (1) - CW

26     Thu 0700 - 1000      SSA Jultest (2) - CW
26     Thu 0830 - 1059      DARC XMAS-Contest - CW/SSB

28     Sat 0000 - 2359      RAC Canada Winter Contest - CW/SSB
28-29  Sat 1500 - Sun 1500  Original QRP Contest Winter - CW
28-29  Sat 1500 - Sun 1500  Stew Perry Topband Distance Challenge - CW
 -- Jan-Eric Rehn - SM3CER, [email protected]

***COMING EVENTS
----------------
   - Livermore Swap Meet - 1st Sunday of each month at Las Positas
College in Livermore, 7:00 AM to noon, all year. Talk in 147.045 from
the west, 145.35 from the east. Contact Noel Anklam, KC6QZK, (510)
447-3857 eves.

***GVARC EMAIL LIST SUMMARY
---------------------------
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e-mail addresses. This is a closed list; Joining GVARC gets you on the
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Anyone can join (with confirmation message) and any member may
unsubscribe freely. Members of the gvarc_cc list can send to the list.
No one else can send to the list.    List administrators, Tony, AD6ID,
and Frank, N7FF. The list's web site is http://www.qth.net.
______________________________________

To leave GVARC list, Contact Tony Armendariz, [email protected]. If you're
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