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: Jim Callow K8IR
Vice President: Ed Engleman KG8CX
Treasurer: Lynne Rynish N8OSK
Secretary: Gary Luthardt KG9AD
The MMARC Newsletter July 2001
JULY
MEETING BACK HOME AGAIN AT BAMC…
The
construction at BAMC-Marinette is done, and we can again meet at the BAMC-Menominee
Cafeteria for our July 12th meeting, at 7pm.
Tentative
agenda:
a. 444 repeater news
b. Field Day update
c. Nomination committee
d. Special event station plans, schedules, etc.
e. August picnic plans
W9YQ running 'em on
20CW
Field
Day 2001 has come and gone, with a re-doubling of efforts from last year.
Running in class 3E (Home Station, Generator Power), from W9YQ’S beautiful
Oconto County QTH, W8PIF logged 1036 QSO’S. We worked every
ARRL section except the elusive Northwest Territories. Over a dozen operators
and visitors took part in the weekend event. Along with the operating, we had
the best FD food yet...walleye (AA9PB recipe), tenderloin (supplied by K8IR and
grilled to perfection by N8LHB), and a superb sloppy joe dish (created by
Connie, W9YQ's XYL). In addition, Jim, AA9PB, made breakfast on both Saturday
and Sunday mornings. Those "yellow" scrambled eggs were great. :-)
Special recognition goes to the all the operators, who burned up the bands, but still had time for fun, food, and relaxation. The ops were: K8IR, KG8CX, W9YQ, AA9PB, N9PQU, AA9JH, N9UGG, N9PQV, N8OSK, N8LHB, and Jake Mans, who is only 12 years, but worked the stations and logged like a seasoned veteran. Word is he will enter the ham ranks soon. Thanks again, Dwight, for a memorable two days in Oconto County. Those who did not make it to FD this year missed out on a great time.....next year?
444.075 BACK ON THE AIR…
After an absence of
nearly a year, the Club’s 444 repeater was back on the air at high noon on
June 30th.
At the June meeting, the
membership approved a motion to move the 444 repeater and antenna back to
the BAMC site in Menominee. Because we wanted input from as many members
as possible, it became the main topic at the meeting.
Previous plans were to
install the 444 repeater along with the 147.000 machine at KC8DOA’s tower.
However the club decided to use the BAMC site for the reasons...
(1) to keep a viable presence at the BAMC Menominee facility, with one
operating repeater.
(2) to have a secondary or backup repeater system for ARES, Skywarn, and
general communications.
(3) to have two operating systems at separate locations.... in the
event something should happen to the power or structural integrity at one site,
we would still have the use of a functional repeater.
(3) the opportunity to do the move at an early date using the dual band
antenna purchased by the club last year.
The June 30th 444 repeater move and antenna install sent smoothly,
with nary an appearance from "Murphy". We now have a functioning
2nd repeater, with decent coverage.
KG9GH and K8NB with the 444 machine
KG8CX checked the range shortly after the install , and found it full scale to
Peshtigo, with only slight dropouts between there and Oconto. Because of
the nature of 440 propagation, more variability in signal due to vegetation,
hills, valley, buildings was noted, but still it’s a great improvement over
what we had before on 444. HT coverage within the M&M area, and
Peshtigo as well, is now possible with excellent signal strength. George,
N9UGG, now is able to access the repeater with decent signals with just a small
mobile antenna on a shelf above his radio, from his mobile home on the southwest
edge of town, about 7 miles from the repeater.. He could never do that
before, even from his previous location in the middle of town, with an outside
antenna. KB9ZKO, was able to access the machine with an HT, from his location
north of "G" in Marinette Co. Good signals were reported from
Door Co. as well, and Jeff, N9PQU, is able to now access it full quieting with 5
watts from his QTH 20 miles west of the repeater. Good job, and thanks to....* *
Noel, K8NB...Eric, KG9GH...Tom, N8LHB...Dwight, W9YQ...Bob, W9AMZ...Jim,
K8IR...Gary, KG9AD...Nate, KB9NNV...and official "picture taker" Ed,
KG8CX.
And special thanks to
KC8DOA and BAMC for allowing us to locate our repeaters at their sites.
SPECIAL EVENT STATION...
Don't
forget our "event" of the summer on August 4th at Marina Park in
Menominee, the site of the annual Waterfront Festival. We will be set up
in a tent on the grounds, and be running a "Lighthouse" Special event
station from 11am to 4pm. We need operators and volunteers to help set up
in the morning and take down later. We want to be as
visible as possible, using both HF, 2 meters and 440. Plans
are to have Don Michalski, the WI ARRL section manger attend, and bring some
ARRL materials. In addition, we plan on having a "Powerpoint
presentation" on amateur radio run continuously on a portable laptop
computer, including scenes of local amateur radio operations. We are
also looking into the possibility of having a weatherproof banner in place
advertising the club.
Talk up the special event station, and encourage others to either attend, or
listen for us on the air. Information will be in the August issue of QST
and CQ Magazines. We also will probably have some forms for people to fill out
if they are interested in getting their amateur licenses, and would like more
info. We can really "sell" our hobby this time, as 5000+ people will
be passing by, and we can give them something unique in addition to the many
food booths, entertainment, and waterfront activities. Come to the July
meeting and hear it all outlined.
WELCOME TO W8PIF.COM…
Club members now have
easier access our club’s websites. K8IR has registered the domain name,
W8PIF.COM and donated it to the club. Just
type http://w8pif.com into your browser,
and you will be taken to a page with links to KG8CX’s Club Pages as well as
K8IR’s Ground Wave Archives. No
more trying to remember the long URL’s to those sites. We can easily make
links to any other club-related sites. Any
suggestions are welcome.
SKWARN
NEWS...
NOAA
weather in Green Bay called us up on June 16th in response to a severe
thunderstorm watch for our area. Several reports of trees down and strong
winds were made to the local net control who relayed them to Green Bay.
The net was up for one hour. Thanks to all who participated. They
were: AA9JH, K8IR, AA9PB, N9PQV, N8LHB, N8OSK, AA9GZ, K8NB, WC9E, KG9GH, KB9EYL,
and net control KG8CX.
We consistently get great response from area hams whenever a Skywarn net is
called up. NOAA weather is appreciative of the fact that Marinette Co.,
and Menominee Co. (MI) can always be counted on for severe weather
reports.
NEW HAM CALL...
Diana
Jaruntowski, XYL of Bob, W9AMZ, received her new call recently. She is now
KC8RSM. A new Yaesu VX-5 will be in her hands by the time you read this.
Congratulations to you Diana, and we all look forward to
hearing another YL on the bands. Upgrading is also in her long range
plans.
YAESU HT BECOMING POPULAR...
Looks
like the 3 band VX-5R is becoming the HT of choice among many area hams.
It covers 2 meter, 440, and the 6 meter band, as well as all frequencies from
the AM broadcast band right up to 999 MHz. Area hams who have one in their
hands are: KG9AD, KG8CX, WC9E, N8LHB, KC8RCW, and KC8RGE (Patti Douville).
Jeff
, N9PQU is looking for any radio or test equipment that you may want to sell.
You can call him at 920-897-4561, or email him at jrymer@ez-net.com.
JULY
ANNIVERSARIES/BIRTHDAYS...
Congratulations
to KB9IMX and KG9BI (Sally and Al Mans) on their
anniversary, July 1. The following have birthdays this month....
2...Ed Engleman, KG8CX; Arde Nelson, KA9WAR; 3...Bob Osier, AA9IB;
5...Lou Parkansky, AA9JH; 7...Bob Johnson, AA8UT; 15...Tanya
Parkansky; 30...Terry Dobzenski, N9JFC. Congratulations to all.
Thanks
to Peninsula Office Equipment of Menominee for printing the Ground Wave.
Thanks
to Jim, KC8DOA for hosting the W8PIF 147 Repeater on his tower.
MARINETTE AND
MENOMINEE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB MINUTES FOR JUNE 14, 2001
With
the President out of town on work duties the meeting of June 14 was called to
order at 7:15pm by Vice-president Ed Engleman KG8CX.
The
minutes for the May meeting were in the ground wave with a motion made by N9UGG
George and seconded by KB9WKD Renelle. All in favor.
The
Treasurer's report shows a balance of $192.72 in the checking account and
$340.27 in the savings account for total assets of $532.99 A bill in the amount
of $90.50 will be paid for the Now You're Talking Books donated by the club to
the three public libraries and the three public high schools.
OLD
BUSINESS:
ARES
Jeff is the one
in charge for Marinette County and Lynne is the one in charge for Menominee
County. More information and meetings on this will be held in the future.
Ed
reported that all six Now You're Talking Books will have a label in them showing
that they were donated by The M&M Amateur Radio Club.
NEW
BUSINESS:
Ed
reported that Field Day will be held again at W9YQ's location. June 23 and 24.
The
special event station will be on August 4th set up in a tent in Menominee for
the lighthouse special event week. Will be in QST and CQ with operation from
11:00am to 4:00pm local time. Don Michalski W9IXG will be there to provide
various ARRL materials to pass out. This event will be held with the Menominee
Waterfront Festival with a large crowd of people much exposure to Amateur Radio.
The
picnic is August 26th and will be held at Henes
Park.
The
Corn Roast in the talking stage we may and may not have one this year. If we do
have one it will be in September probably at Green Acres.
At
this time unknown if we will have our July meeting at the BAMC in Menominee.
Everyone will be advised on this and as to where the meeting will be held.
The
444 repeater situation was brought up and after much discussion a vote was taken
with paper ballots and the outcome was to put the antenna the dual band antenna
the club purchased through donations on top of the tower at the BAMC site. This
will all be done on Saturday June 30. The 444 repeater will be moved to the BAMC
site. The 444 repeater has been off since August Ed reported.
Motion
made by Bob AA9GZ and seconded by Lynne N8OSK
to adjourn. Ed Adjourned meeting at 7:56pm from Henes Park.
Submitted
by Gary W Luthardt KG9AD, Secretary
Persons
who signed in for attendance at the meeting of June 14, 2001
Lynne
Rynish N8OSK
Tom Rynish N8LHB
Paul Drees WC9E
Vicky Cunningham KB9ZKO
Noel Beardsley K8NB
Jeff Rymer N9PQU
Mary Rymer KB9TPC
Ashly Rymer
Brandon Rymer
Jim Mans AA9PB
Larry Buchholz N9OSF
Nancy Buchholz KA9UZC
Kieth Tonn N9PQV
David Cunningham NS9R
Bob Schrader AA9GZ
George Benoit N9UGG
Louis S Parkansky AA9JH
Dwight Bosselman W9YQ
Nathan Luthardt KB9NNV
Renelle Schaffer KB9WKB
Ed Engleman KG8CX
Gary Luthardt KG9AD