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
Officers
President: Jim Callow K8IR
Vice President: Ed Engleman KG8CX
Treasurer: Lynne Rynish N8OSK
Secretary: Gary Luthardt KG9AD
The MMARC Newsletter October 1999
NEXT
MEETING....
The
October meeting is set for Thursday October 14th, at 7pm, in the cafeteria of
BAMC, in Menominee. Items on the agenda include: discussion and
evaluation of the special event station operation, method of
replying to QSL requests, beginning Ham of the Year nominations by secret
ballot, progress report on a charter night program/booklet, and other business
as may come up. Hope to see you there.
The
Bay Area Wireless Association will hold a meeting at 6:30pm prior to the M&M
ARC meeting. Any members who are
interested in Dxing, Contesting, and HF are invited to join BAWA.
KG8CX reports he will start the Sunday net this week (10/10) at 6:30pm due to the 7:20pm kickoff of the Packer game.
SPECIAL
EVENT STATION A SUCCESS…
Our
50th anniversary special event station held on Saturday September18th at Green
Acres campground, was a resounding major event for our club. We had 350
contacts on 20 and 40 meters, and some on 2 meters as well. Many members
took turns at the mike. Over half of our membership showed up at one time
or another. A great picnic was held later in the afternoon, along with a
corn roast. Many stayed through the evening hours. The success of
the event was due in large part to a number of people, who contributed time and
effort. Thanks to Al, KG9BI, and Sally, KB9IMX, Jim, AA9PB for the corn,
Tom, K0SN, for installing antennas (along with AA9PB, N9UGG, and KG9BI).
Lynne, N8OSK and Tom N8LHB for coordinating the picnic, and Jeff, N9PQU, for
spotting our station on the packet cluster, and to the Greens for the use of
their superb facility.
WEB
PAGE…
Be sure to check THE KG8CX webpage for pictures of the special event station and other club activities. Point your browers to :
http://communuty-1.webtv.net/KG8CX/
MEMERSHIP
DUES....
Don't
forget to get your memberships in for the new year. They are still only $15 for
singles, and $22.50 for families. Use of the autopatch is included.
Be certain to fill out the membership form as well. This is necessary for
the member database we will be starting. The
form was included in the September Groundwave.
OCTOBER
FISH FRY...
Good
news for all you fish lovers....we will be reinstating monthly fish fries dues
to popular demand. This one will be held at Schusslers Supper Club in
Peshtigo on Friday October 29th. Drinks of your choice at 5:30pm, with
dinner at 6:30pm. RSVP to either Lynne or Ed by Oct. 25.
You can make those reservations on the Sunday night net. This is
Halloween weekend, but costumes are not required for attendance.
CHRISTMAS
PARTY ....
Our
annual holiday dinner/meeting will be held at the Brass Lantern on Thursday
December 9th, starting at 5:30 pm for cocktails with dinner at 6:30 as in the
past. A short business meeting will be held, and the Ham of the Year
nominations tabulated and the announcement made of the 1999 recipient.
A
form for HOTY nomination is included with this issue for your convenience.
Reservations form for the party will be included with the November mailing.
REPEATER
NEWS...
The
147.000 repeater continues to function quite well, except during windy
conditions when considerable noise can be heard on less than full-quieting
signals. We may or may not have it corrected this year. Very little in the
way of communications are heard from the 444.075 repeater. Mostly it
remains silent for days and weeks at a time.
HAM CLASSES...
Any
interest in holding classes starting in January? We didn't have any last
year due to lack of interest. This year, we do have some added interest,
perhaps enough to warrant them. With the new license restructuring
expected soon, there may be an increase in our ranks, and additional upgrades.
Let WC9E or KG8CX know if you or someone you know is interested in classes.
By the way, we do not anticipate VE sessions until after restructuring is
announced.
A new site dedicated to
amateur radio was started on September 1st. It's called the
"e-ham" site, and can be accessed at http://www.eham.net/
It has everything you might need regarding ham radio....daily propagation, swap
items, dx spots, news, surveys, soap box, ham spotlights, call sign data base,
dozens of links, and much much more. Check it out. You can link to it from
the KG8CX webpage.
WC9E AND XYL ON CRUISE....
On Friday, October
1st, Paul and Maxine departed for a Mediterranian cruise. They will be
gone for about 7 days, and plan to be back for the big M&M game on Oct. 9.
Perhaps we can have Paul put on a short program later in the winter. By the way,
no radio operating will be done on this cruise, just enjoying the great scenery
from the comfort of the cruise deck.
But before he
left, Paul submitted the following:
THE TOWER…A
CONTINUING SAGA
By Paul Drees, WC9E
Through
the efforts of W9SF and his boat trailer, my tower was delivered from Suamico to
my backyard. Fortunately, K0SN’s crew was at the house to help unload.
After a Sunday morning round of golf with AA9IB, I discovered
K0SN and N9PQU measuring for a template for the base section.
While
the engineering, design, and welding processes were taking place, my next job
was to dig a hole 6 foot deep by 3 foot wide.
My first base was dug by KB9NNW’s son, Jake, to whom I gladly paid $20
for his services. This time Jake declined.
After I found my spade and axe under the tarp, I decided not to
procrastinate any longer. I began
September 13th digging and throwing turf and sand and roots into an
old trailer I purchased from my garbage and recycling man, Fred Boivin.
I knew the sand would be used to fill the ruts in the camp road.
After the first two feet, I got through the roots. My axe worked well.
After
three feet, I found it difficult, if not impossible, to heave the sand into the
trailer. So, onto the ground, and
then into the trailer. When I got
to the four foot level, I noticed the sand got wetter and heavier.
My scoop-fulls per minute decreased by 40 percent.
As I was physically straining, I asked myself
“How many shovel-fulls does it take on the average to dig a 3 by 3 by 6
foot hole?” K8IR and KA9WAR, who recently dug their tower holes, probably know
the answer to that one. The first
trailer-load of sand was ready to be shipped to the Peshtigo Harbor.
As I backed the truck towards then trailer, my stomach and heart changed
positions. The left rear section of
the pickup sunk. After the wrecker
left, I carefully barricaded the hole. I finished then hole on the day of the
Packer’s loss to the Lions.
While
in Rome, I sampled a glass of wine and had a wonderful dream that evening…When
I returned to Marinette, I found my tower completely erected.
The next evening I decided to sample another glass of wine.
And guess what…I dreamed that when I returned home, I found the 6 cords
of wood cut, stacked, and covered…all set for the winter season.
And the night before our flight from Barcelona, I decided to try it
again. This time the Marines beat
the Maroons, 28-22.
On
Saturday, October 23rd, at N1493 Harbor Road, I will be barbequing
burgers and brats starting at 2pm. You
are invited. And I promise not to
bore you with my dreams.
OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS....
The
following are celebrating theirs this month:
7 - Ken Griffen; Tom Zeratsky; 25 - Linda Hellem.
CREDITS: Thanks to Peninsula Office Equipment of Menominee for providing the copying of the Groundwave.