The
Marinette and Menominee Amateur Radio Club
GROUND WAVE
Repeater
Frequencies 147.00 MHZ & 444.075 Mhz
Club Net: Sunday 7PM 147.00 MHz
Simplex DX Spotting and Ragchew Frequency 146.55
Web Page: http://w8pif.com
Officers
President: Dave Cunningham, NS9R
Vice President: Dwight Bosselman, W9YQ
Treasurer: Paul Drees, WC9E
Secretary: Valerie Hallam, KC8WAI
The MMARC Newsletter August 2005
There
will be no regular meeting of the M&M ARC in August. Instead, we will
gather at Red Arrow Park in Marinette on Sunday August 14th for the
annual club picnic. The event
will be held in the “outdoor” pavilion at Red Arrow.
Well gather about noon, and eat around 1pm. Following the dinner, Dave,
W8DXX and XYL Jeanne will treat us to another session of Radio Bingo.
The
signup sheet and full details were in the July Ground Wave.
The deadline to make your reservations is August 7th.
It
is with great sadness that we report the passing of Lou Parkansky, AA9JH on
July 21st at the VA hospital in Milwaukee, where he had been
hospitalized for several weeks. Lou
had celebrated his 80th birthday on July 5th.
Lou was interred in the Veterans Cemetery at Union Grove,
Wisconsin on July 29th. A local memorial service will be held when
Lou’s XYL, Tanya is able to return to Marinette. The date and time will be
announced in the local newspapers.
Lou was one of the most beloved members of the M&M ARC.
Many of our members have related stories about how Lou assisted them with
radio-related problems. Ed, KG8CX
remembers Lou, Bob, AA9IB, and he studied for their Novice,
Technician, General, and Advanced exams together. “Lou was extremely
helpful with many of the technical terms, formulas, and procedures, and
explained them to a degree that we all passed our exams on the first attempt.
He was very generous with everyone, and helped to solve many problems with
computers, radios, TV's and VCRs. He gave me some great advice and
practice with the code, which allowed me to pass the 13 wpm test. I have
many good memories of Lou, and his desire to make amateur radio a positive
experience for all. He will be missed by many.”
Lou received the
club’s Ham of the Year award in May of 2004.
We
also note the passing of Robert Quick, WB9JTN on July 24th
at the age of 67. Gary, KG9AD remembers WB9JTN as being very
active on CW during the 1970’s, as well as being quite active with the
M&M ARC.
M&M ARC WINS AGAIN…
For the fourth time in seven years, the M&M ARC has won
the Michigan Club competition in the Michigan QSO Party held April
16th. The W8PIF club station, operated by AA9PB, K0SN,
KC8WJO,KC8WJN, KC8YZB, and NS9R placed first in the newly-created Multi Op,
Single Transmitter Class. Both the Club and W8PIF earned plaques for their
accomplishments. Noel, K8NB was the top scoring single-op (and the only
single-op) in Menominee County, and wins a certificate. Jim, K8IR and Ed,
KG8CX took third place in the very competitive Multi-op mobile category. And
Todd, N9NE placed second in the new single-person mobile category.
We’re happy that Todd, from Oshkosh, who mobiles in the U-P, again
added to the M&M ARC club score.
WATERFRONT FESTIVAL SPECIAL EVENT…
The M&M ARC will again have a special event station at
the Menominee Waterfront Festival on Saturday August 6th.
We’ll set up around 10am, and run through the afternoon,
participating in the National Lighthouse Weekend by activating the Menominee
North Pier Light which is visible from the festival grounds at the Menominee
Marina Park. Any members who
would like to operate during the special event are invited to come by, and
stick around Saturday night for the Waterfront Festival fireworks.
Hams manned the command
station at Twin County Airport.
Members of the M&M ARC played a big part in the recent T-34 fly-in at Twin County Airport. About 15 pilots brought their 1950’s vintage T-34 trainers to Menominee to practice their routines before heading to the EAA Airventure in Oshkosh. The local EAA Chapter hosted the pilots, and invited the public to join in the fun at the airport on Saturday, July 23rd. Arde, KA9WAR who belongs to both the EAA Chapter and the M&M ARC suggested the hams could help out with communications for the first-time event. Over a dozen of our members helped out with duties ranging from manning the “control tower” to making announcements on the public address system, to marshalling planes to their parking spots, to keeping EAA members in touch with each other as they spread out across the airport.
DAR PROJECT…
Ed, KG8CX reports the DAR Boys
and
Girls Club has several ham radio videos loaned to them, which will be shown to
the youngsters there, to gauge reaction to a possible inclusion of radio
communications to the program. A room is available with roof space
for antennas. Radio equipment from the estate of Howard Sorensen
has been promised and will equip the station when and if it goes operational.
Rich Crevier, the DAR director, is very enthusiastic about adding amateur
radio to the many opportunities that already exist for the children. Many
hundreds of youngsters from the tri city area are enrolled and go
there on a regular basis. If there is enough interest, we
can start instruction and set up the station sometime later this year.
NO CODE PROPOSED BY FCC…
The FCC has proposed dropping the 5 WPM Morse code element as a requirement
to obtain an Amateur Radio license of any class. The Commission included the
recommendation in a July 19 Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in WT Docket
05-235, but it declined to go along with any other proposed changes to Amateur
Service licensing rules or operating privileges. Changes to Part 97 that the
FCC proposed in the NPRM would not become final until the Commission gathers
additional public comments, formally adopts any new rules and concludes the
proceeding with a Report and Order specifying the changes and an effective
date. That's not likely to happen for several months.
"Based upon the petitions and comments, we propose to amend our amateur
service rules to eliminate the requirement that individuals pass a telegraphy
examination in order to qualify for any amateur radio operator license,"
the FCC said. The NPRM consolidated 18 petitions for rule making from the
amateur community--including one
from the ARRL--that had proposed a wide range of additional changes to the
amateur rules. The FCC said the various petitions had attracted 6200 comments
from the amateur community, which soon will have the opportunity to comment
again--this time on the FCC's NPRM.
The Commission said it believes dropping the 5 WPM Morse examination would
encourage more people to become Amateur Radio operators and would eliminate a
requirement that's "now unnecessary" and may discourage current
licensees from advancing their skills. It also said the change would
"promote more efficient use" of amateur spectrum.
ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, said he was not surprised to see the FCC propose
scrapping the Morse requirement altogether, although the League had called for
retaining the 5 WPM requirement only for Amateur Extra class applicants.
Sumner expressed dismay, however, that the FCC turned away proposals from the
League and other petitioners to create a new entry-level Amateur Radio license
class.
Sumner said ARRL officials and the Board of Directors will closely study the
30-page NPRM and comment further once they've had an opportunity to consider
the Commission's stated rationales for its proposals.
In 2004, the League called on the FCC to create a new entry-level license,
reduce the number of actual license classes to three and drop the Morse code
testing requirement for all classes except for Amateur Extra. Among other
recommendations, the League asked the FCC to automatically upgrade Technician
licensees to General and Advanced licensees to Amateur Extra. In this week's
NPRM, the FCC said it was not persuaded such automatic upgrades were in the
public interest.
The FCC said it did not believe a new entry-level license class was warranted
because current Novice and Tech Plus licensees will easily be able upgrade to
General once the code requirement goes away. The Commission also said its
"Phone Band Expansion" (or "Omnibus") NPRM in WT Docket
04-140 already addresses some of the other issues petitioners raised.
A 60-day period for the public to comment on the NPRM in WT 05-235 will begin
once the notice appears in the Federal Register. Reply
comments will be due within 75 days.
AUGUST BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES…
Congratulations to the following with birthdays in August: 15th…Nathan Luthardt, 21…Tyler Lehman, 22…Dwight Bosselman, 24…Gary Luthardt, 27…Maxine Drees.
The following are celebrating anniversaries this month: 3…Bob and Marge
Schrader,
17… Jim and Joan Callow, 19…Jim and Janet Voss, 22…Dwight and Connie Bosselman. Congratulations to all.
M&MARC
MINUTES JULY 14, 2005
Meeting
called to order by NS9R at 7:00pm. At Henes Park.
Pledge
to the flag.
Intros
of members and their radio activity.
GUEST
Jim
Hendrick Menominee
EAA concerning the fly-in at
the Twin County Airport on July 23,2005
T-34
pilots will practice formation flying and landings in preparation for their
appearance at the EAA-Oshkosh.
They
can use MMARC help with communications
T-34, ground, other HAMS as well as other planes wanting to land at the
airport.
The
communications will be set up in the office of the terminal.
Anyone
interested in helping be at the informational meeting 6:00pm, Wed. July 20
hanger #31 at the airport.
Secretary’s
report accepted as printed in the Ground Wave.
Treasurer’s
report accepted as printed in the Ground Wave.
Communications:
Arde
KA9WAR letter about the fly-in.
ED
KG8CX e-mail about the repeater.
WC9E
PICNIC
August
14, Red Arrow Park Marinette. $5.00
per person bring a dish to pass. Please call Maxine and let her know what you
will bring 735-7397
Old
Business:
DAR
KG8CX will bring video tapes to be shown to the members over the next few
months
WC9E
reported that Howard Sorenson, a Silent Key, has some equipment and Paul asked
the family if they would be willing to donate it for use at the DAR.
Insurance:
Marsh Company club liability insurance $325.00 a year.
This is through ARRL.
The
activities would not cover the tower climber.
Any
professional climber that moonlights is not covered under his company insurance.
Jim
K8IR will check into a “special rider” for a one time activity umbrella for
one month.
New
Business:
Nominating
Committee…Marge Bramschreiber, Jason Lauzer, George Benoit.
Lighthouse
activation for the Waterfront. August
6, 2005 8am to put up antennas.
Suggested we have pamphlets from ARRL as well as our own club info..
Marge
Bramschreiber, Menominee County Emergency Manager reported ..Central Dispatch
and the EOC at the ISD building. Antenna
Diamond x30A 2/440 with HF capabilities Marge
and JasonW9JTL will finalize equipment needs.
Adjourn..8:20pm.
Attendance:
Valerie
Hallam KC8WAI
Paul Drees WC9E
Joe Callow W9JJC
Jim Callow K8IR
Geo. Benoit N9UGG
Dwight Bosselman W9YQ
Eric Janssen KG9GH
Jim Mans AA9PB
Earl Bramschreiber KC8WJN
Nancy Buchholz KA9UZE
Larry Buchholz N9OSF
Jason Lauzer W9JTL
Gene Volker K9GGV
Arde Nelson KA9WAR
Pete Johnson AB9PJ
Rebecca Gondeck K9RLG
David Cunningham NS9R
Guests:
Jim
Hendrick
Taylor Johnson