[SMCARA] SMCARA Amateur Rado meeting this THURSDAY at 7:30 PM

[petebutt at comfac.com]

Hello Folks,

  It's that time again... please mark your calendars and plan to attend
the September meeting of the St. Mary's County Amateur Radio Association
(SMCARA).  The meeting will begin promptly at 7:30 PM this Thursday
evening, 22 September, at the Naval Air Museum located just north of the
Maryland Route 235 (Three Notch Road) and Pegg Road intersection in
Lexington Park.

  We have a number of discussion items on the agenda including:

  - Emergency preparedness review with lessons learned during ham radio
participation in support of recent hurricane activities with emphasis on
potential upgrades to the repeater (emergency power, backup repeater
capability, possible remote receiver site in Virginia and more)

  - Final preparations for procurement and installation of the new HF beam
antenna on the tower at the Naval Air Museum demonstration radio station
exhibit

  - Solicitations of project ideas for the fall season for our newer hams
to participate in (Saturday antenna building seminar, upgrades to the
club museum display, Saturday 'Elmer' operating sessions at the museum
to help our newest hams transition from VHF to HF operations, etc.)

  - Planning for our fall meetings including another 'swapfest' and, of
course, the traditional Christmas holiday pot luck dinner.

  Remember, this is YOUR club and the only way for us to have a great club
is for each and every one of us to participate in some aspect of the
hobby that interests us and then share what you have learned with the
rest of your fellow hams so they can learn too.  Recently, I have heard
of some of our members experimenting with the 'WSPR' (Weak Signal
Progagation Reporter) mode and others with moonbounce technology.  This
fall I hope to encourage these folks to come to the meetings and give us
all an update on what they have been experimenting with and see if
others would like to try it out also.

  Oh, by the way, I almost hate to say it but don't forget to help your
club out by paying your dues!  The very low cost (almost a bargain these
days) membership fee is $20 for one year (each additional family member
is one extra dollar added onto the basic membership rate).  We aren't
trying to make a lot of money but we need some sustaining funds each
year to pay for picnic and holiday party expenses and help pay for
repeater repairs and museum display/club station upgrades, etc.  If you
haven't yet paid your dues for this year, please consider helping us
out.  You can pay in person at any club meeting or you can send your
renewal in via mail to our Treasurer, Lee Jamison (N8HTG) at the mailing
address shown on the first page of the club web page
(www.qsl.net/smcara).  Membership forms are located on the club web site
that you can print out and mail.  Don't forget that we no longer have a
PO Box address so you must mail anything for the club to Lee's home
address shown on the web site.

  I hope to see many of you at the meeting.  Don't forget... this THURSDAY
at 7:30 PM at the Naval Air Museum.

  If you can't join us this week, at least do something fun in Ham Radio!

  Vr, Pete (WA3UMY)
      President, SMCARA