[K3CAL] CARA Net Highlights Monday 9/06/21 7:30 PM

[KB3WFV]

Hello Everyone,

What started out to be a great net with a special quest via EchoLink. Abruptly ended with yet another repeater hang up and ultimately shutting down. This failure prevented most check ins from making their comments.
It certainly drives home the need to repair the 2 meter and 440 repeaters. Hopefully the CARA Board and it's membership can find a clear way to allocate club funds to finally get these repeater working correctly. The opportunity is now! New towers, mew antennas and new feed lines with new shelters are waiting for the CARA repeaters. Does the club really want to hook up worn out duplexers to a brand new system? Perhaps your donations, proceeds from the upcoming equipment sale at the St Mary's ham fest and funds from the club treasury can be compiled to make all of this happen soon!

**IMPORTANT** Please allow the repeater to reset before transmitting. In other words.. WAIT for the courtesy tone or beep. Then WAIT one or two seconds AFTER the beep before transmitting. This may help prevent repeater shut downs.

Our special quests tonight from Carthage, Illinois by way of EchoLink was Matthew KM9BUD. His younger brother Elijah kD9TFF. and their dad Doug KW9Q. I had invited Matthew to join us on tonight's net to share his story. Matthew is 12 years old. He recently passed his General class exam and is currently studying for the Extra exam. His brother Elijah is a also a ham, along with am older sister, an older brother and their Dad. This family of hams lives and works on the family owned 10 acre farm and still finds time to activate Parks on the Air. and participate in YACHT (Youth Amateurs Communications Ham Team).

I thought it would inspiring for both these young hams and CARA members to include them in tonight's net. Embarrassingly, the repeater failed and they were unable to hear any comments from the group. I will send along an apology email to them. Thanking them for their time with the best of wishes for all of them.

Donation for the repeater were last reported to be at about $140.00. Tonight's net had 14 check ins including 1 club officer before the repeater failed.
So, this week, 14 check ins included 1 Club Officer making the per check in donation $2.00 per check in! 14 check ins multiplied by $2.00 equals $28.00 dollars. Combine this with the
$60.00 total from last week and My Tax Deductible Donation to CARA is now at $88.00 dollars.

Great news! 3 other Amateurs have offered to match or beat my donation. Can you do the same?

ANY Donation is Truly Appreciated. Please help make the K3CAL Repeaters the NEWEST system in the area!

Send your Tax Deductible Donation to:
Calvert Amateur Radio Association
PO Box 306
Huntingtown MD 20639

-OR-

Visit www.k3cal.org and use the PayPal link in the lower right hand corner of the main page. THANK YOU!

Net Highlights
> Repeater failed before stations could make their comments

14 Check ins
KB3WFV - Brian
KB3RAN - Dave
N3AE - Shawn
W1AJW - George
WB9NCO - Ed
N3PPH - Bob
AB3LE - Charlie
KC3QQD - Eric
W3PQS - Dave
KC3SGE - Corrbit
N3ILH - Dale
KM9BUD - Matthew 12 years old
KD9TFF - Elijah 9 years old
KW9Q -  Doug - Dad

Brian
KB3WFV