[HCRA] Take advantage of this week's lousy weather!

[Jim - KK1W]

Yup, that's right! Let's take full advantage of the rain, snow and wind to
spend some time inside this week. What can you do with this time? You could
use it to put the finishing touches on your Show & Tell project, how's that
for a novel idea?

 

HCRA's annual Show & Tell meeting is next Friday, March 5th. As usual we
invite everyone to enter their favorite creation(s) for judging by our panel
of 'experts'. (Actually we take volunteers from the audience to be the
judges, and then submit them to a battery of tests, run them through a
background check and ask them for money - but I won't go into any further
detail about that!). There are two entry classes again this year, one
tailored to the novice or apprentice builder and the other for the more
experienced amateur constructor.

 

What constitutes a good project? Well, just about anything qualifies. A
winning project will be useful, well constructed and show some originality.
Good documentation and presentation is also important. Kits, homebrew,
software, modifications - all qualify to be a project for Show & Tell. I'll
bet each and every one of you out there has 'something' you can enter if you
really wanted to.

 

The neat thing about Show & Tell is it not only gives you a chance to show
off but allows everyone to get some ideas of things they can add to their
own stations or installations. Whether it be a neat station accessory, new
use of a sound card, SDR radios, unique antenna or a slick power
distribution scheme for your shack it will be of interest to everyone. You
could go home a winner but I'll guarantee a few more folks will leave with
some new ideas for their shack as well.

 

Speaking of prizes we have a couple of nice ARRL books for this year's
winners. A 2010 Handbook goes out to winner in the expert class and a Basic
Antenna book to the apprentice class. Just a little 'icing on the cake' as a
little extra incentive for your efforts.

 

Don't want to 'officially' enter or feel your project isn't quite finished
yet? That's OK too; bring it down for us to see what you're working on. I'll
bet we see a few Rock-Mites this year and I understand N1SR may show us how
his HPSDR (High Performance Software Defined Radio) is progressing.

 

I think you get the idea, there's something here for everyone. Whether
you're a builder or a dreamer, contester or DX chaser, public service or VHF
aficionado you'll find something of interest at Show & Tell.

 

We will also have our usual fare, coffee & donuts, a 50/50 raffle and of
course the best group of amateurs in the Pioneer Valley.

 

In closing I would also like to remind everyone to bring a friend. Our
meetings are open to everyone and we welcome the chance to show off our
stuff. More people, more fun - HCRA!

 

'73.

 

Jim, KK1W