[SMCARA] Amateur Radio club meeting this Thursday, 28 January 2010 at 7:30 PM

[Butt, Peter CIV NAVAIRSYSCOM 5.4.1]

Folks,

  It's time for the January monthly meeting of the St. Mary's County Amateur Radio Association (SMCARA).  Our meeting will be held THIS Thursday, 28 January, beginning promptly at 7:30 PM in the main conference room of the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum.  Doors to the facility should be open just after 7 PM.  The museum is located in Lexington Park on Maryland Route 235 (Three Notch Road) about 100 yards north of the Naval Air Station Gate One entrance at the traffic lights at the intersection of Pegg Road and 235.  Talk-in is available on the 146.64 MHz and 146.775 MHz repeaters in Lexington Park.

  Topics of discussion will include:

  * Amateur Radio "Show & Tell" - if any of you have purchased, built or otherwise acquired something new in the last few months, please bring it in and give us all a short overview of the item, why you got it, and how you are using it in your station operations.

  * HF Yagi Beam discussion - we now have our new 50' tower installed at the museum radio station.  It is now time to pick out a new beam antenna to procure and install up on the tower.  We will be reviewing a short list of possible candidates and picking one of them to acquire for the station.  Come out and tell us which one you would like to see on the tower!

  * Upgrade to the museum station equipment - we are getting ready to install the newly repaired and updated ICOM IC-746 HF transceiver (to replace the Collins HF-380) and there is a proposal on the table to add HF digital capability to the station.  Come out to the meeting and help us figure out what you would like to see in the way of new capabilities.

  * 146.64 MHz 2-meter repeater status - Come to the meeting and get the latest word on what we have been doing to get your club assets up and running again.

  * PRIZES... A Major manufacturer has donated some prizes to the club and we will be giving them out at the meeting to lucky raffle winners.  Bring your dollars to the meeting and see if you can win.  The more tickets you buy, the better your chances of winning.  All proceeds go directly to the club treasury to help defray costs of new improvements to club assets.

  I look forward to seeing many of you at this week's meeting.  See you on Thursday at 7:30 PM.

  Vr, Pete (WA3UMY)
      President, SMCARA