Hello KARS members!

A special thanks goes out to Owen (KF5CZO) for donating a UPS to provide power filtering and to run the repeater while the backup generator starts.  Dave (KD5FX) got it hooked up Saturday.  While he was there, he did a quick visual check of the antenna along with checking reflected power and everything seems to be fine.  Since we intend to have both our VHF and UHF repeaters operational, the plan of putting a DB-224 on the top of the tower won’t work, as it is a monoband antenna.  The next recommended step is to secure the top of the existing dual band antenna to the tower so it won’t whip and wrap around the tower again as it did during Ike.

Dave also found a great article in QST about how the bands change during the course of a day.  A very good read if you’re not sure which HF band you should be on at what time of day.

Click for a full size version

As always, if you know of an activity that I’ve missed, or would like to have included, please email me at radioN5TGL@gmail.com and I will make sure that information gets distributed.  Also, if you would rather not be included on this email distribution, please let me know and I’ll remove your name from the list.

Volunteer Opportunites:

The Boy Scout JOTA is going to be held October 16 – 17.  We actually don’t have anything planned for this, so if anyone is interested in participating, let me know.

The ARES Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is scheduled for 2 – 3 October.

Please email me if you have any others you want me to list in the newsletter.

Contests:  The Texas QSO party is coming up Saturday September 25th and 26th.  Not sure if anyone wants to get together and do some sort of activity for this?  Possibly set up some antennas at the firestation?  Let me know, or please voice your ideas in the comments below.

Closing notes:

The planning for the fire station ham station continues.  I was unable to attend the first meeting at the fire station, but from the report back I’ve received, it looks like there were some great strides made.  Current plans will be to put up a VHF/UHF antenna, an 80m full wave loop, and a pulley system that will allow us to put up other wire antennas as we need them.  If anyone has the following they’d like to donate to the club, we’d certainly appreciate it!

Hello KARS members!

Our long string of sunspots has come to an end.  August 20th marked the end of the string with 55 days in a row with a sunspot.  The magnetogram doesn’t show any significant activity, although there seems to be two active regions predicted to come into view in the near future.  There is a rather large coronal hole facing the earth, and the solar wind from that should hit the earth on August 25th.  With limited sunspots and a geomagnetic storm, HF probably won’t be much fun on the 25th.

As always, if you know of an activity that I’ve missed, or would like to have included, please email me at radioN5TGL@gmail.com and I will make sure that information gets distributed.  Also, if you would rather not be included on this email distribution, please let me know and I’ll remove your name from the list.

Volunteer Opportunites:

The Boy Scout JOTA is going to be held October 16 – 17.  We actually don’t have anything planned for this, so if anyone is interested in participating, let me know.

The ARES Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is scheduled for 2 – 3 October.

The Katy ISD Emergency Drill is coming up.  I don’t have a date for it, but Charlie (KT5BBQ) will be heavily involved.  For more information you can contact Charlie or Chris (W5OIL).

Please email me if you have any others you want me to list in the newsletter.

Hamfests: Here’s your chance to hit Belton if you missed it the last time!

10/02/2010 | HamEXPO

Location: Belton, TX

Type: ARRL Hamfest

Sponsor: Temple Amateur Radio Club

Website: http://www.beltonhamexpo.org/

10/08/2010 | Paris Texas Hamfest

Location: Paris, TX

Type: ARRL Hamfest

Sponsor: Paris Texas Radio Group & Red River Valley ARC

Website: http://www.paristexasradio.com

10/16/2010 | Lufkin Hamfest 2010

Location: Lufkin, TX

Type: ARRL Hamfest

Sponsor: Deep East Texas ARC & Nacogdoches ARC

Website: http://www.lufkinhamfest.com

11/13/2010 | NCTECH 2010 Hamfest

Location: Azle, TX

Type: ARRL Hamfest

Sponsor: Tri-County Amateur Radio Club

Website: http://www.wc5c.org

Closing notes:

I’m hoping that the sun will wake back up again soon.  It’s normal to see dips on the way up, but I’m somewhat surprised that we showed so much activity, and then went right back to zero.  This cycle is just being a real slow starter, and we’re currently behind on the sunspot number and the solar flux.  The charts show that we should have flux in the 90′s and we’re sitting at 76 and heading lower.  Not the way to get 15m to open!  I guess we’re going to have to wait a bit longer.

Remember, the KARS net is held each Tuesday evening at 8:00 PM local time. The nets are held on the club repeater, KT5TX with an output frequency of 147.200(+) and a PL of 141.3.  Currently we are transmitting tone, so you can use tone squelch if you have it.  We also have a pre-net “Elmer session” which starts at 7:30pm.  Feel free to bring your technical questions and we’ll do our best to answer them.  We also get together each Saturday at Skeeters for breakfast around 8 am.  Skeeters is located on the NE corner of Mason Road and Highland Knolls. You are cordially invited to attend and enjoy the food and fellowship.

73,
Michael/N5TGL

Minutes: Katy Amateur Radio Society

Date: August 9, 2010

1. Call to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
3. Old Business
   1. Minutes of July 12, 2010 listed on the KARS website
   2. i.      Charlie and Paul motion to accept.  Club votes and accepts minutes as read.
4. Treasurer’s report – current account standing is $2124.34
5. Other old business – none to report
6. New Business
   1. New Members – currently, we have no policy of screening new members against the RSO database – thus, we will hold off on the voting with new members
   2. Jerry makes motion to read a message from Joel Dunlap passed through Bruce Smith.  Del and Charlie
      1. i.      Bruce reports that Joel is doing well in Arkansas, now an extra class, helped train 15 new hams.  Bruce reports he is moving in 2 weeks time to the Hill Country.
7. Attendee introduction and visitors
8. Presentation of fire station security keys to Dave Land, Michael Smith, Joe Peet
   1. i.      Darryl was kind enough to have 3 keys assigned to the club.  Phil will update the roster and record who has keys available.  Bernie points out that all key holders are working full-time, perhaps it might be a good idea to have a retired member hold a key as well.  Joe will discuss it with Dave and Michael.
9. Fire Station Radio Room Project, nomination and voting of leaders
   1. i.      Joe wishes this to be a “project project” – allowing new members the opportunity to participate and learn from the installation.  Dave Land was voted as to be the team lead.  Michael Smith, Dave Scott and Owen Morgan have been voted as members of team.  Finally, Jerry Cammack was voted to be technical and safety advisor.  Dave Land will communicate to the club on actions, Saturday meetings, fund raising and accepting donations of equipment.  Charlie suggests that the club propose a touch keypad be installed at the entrance of the radio room to limit access.  Dave will take the action of speaking with Darryl about the keypad.  Joe Peet, KARS president, will also serve on the project committee.
10. Austin Summer Fest – Highlights and comments
    1. i.      Marshall provided informal feedback – the seminars were very interesting, but the swap meet appears to be going downhill.  There is very limited availability of classic tube-type “boat anchor” transceivers or transmitter/receiver pairs.  The seminars were very good.  The biggest problem is that it was incredible hot.  Charlie shared that the “garage sale” portion of the event was not impressive.  Del attended the ARRL meeting held by NN1N that timing of the meeting affects attendance.  Paul picked up an FT-857D in the garage sale.
11. Emergency net frequencies for KARS
    1. i.      Michael Smith suggests 3878 KHz may be a suitable frequency.  Scott Reeve suggests that we connect with BVARC and be mindful of the frequency at the TX traffic net at 3873.  The intent is to have default frequencies to which members may turn for informal social support and KARS traffic in the event of an emergency.
12. Any other new business
    1. i.      Dave Land reports that the club repeater may need some interim power and surge surpressor on the repeater until the Fire Station generator comes up and running.  Dave and Darryl recommend the installation of a surge protector and UPS.  The club nominated and voted for Owen to pursue (a) possible equipment donations, (b) install UPS/surge protector for the club repeater.  Owen and Dave Land will pursue UPS/surge protector for the club repeater.
    2. ii.      Del Partridge announces he is selling is VX-150 handi-talkie with accessories to those interested.
    3. iii.      RSO – Chris motions that the club empower the president, Joe Peet, to assemble a subcommittee of club members to formulate and propose a policy restricting RSO from participation in club.  The motion is seconded by Jerry Cammack and voted on unanimously by club members with none opposed.
    4. Reminders
       1. Net control volunteers – Sachiko Peet (W5IDF) will be contacting you on an as-needed basis.
       2. Awards
          1. Presentation of certificates for first time NCOs
             1. i.      Joe Peet presented certificates to club members who assumed net control responsibilities for the first time.
             2. Refreshments

Attendees

KF5ENT            Paul Glosch

KF5CZO            Owen Morgan

KT5BBQ           Charles Lancaster

KJ5OW             Phil Burrow

AD5KB              Bernie White

WA5NSF          Larry Doyle

KB5ZBU            Peter McLean

K5MMD            Marshall Dues

KE5VAI             Mike Mettler

W5QQ              Del Partridge

KT5US              Jerry cammack

KT5SR              Scott Reeve

KD5FX              Dave land

AE5QB             Tom Maxwell

N5TGL              Michael Smith

KT5USN            Stephen Manning

W5IDF              Sachiko Peet

N5IDF               Joe Peet

W5OIL              Chris Haase

Hello KARS members!

Welcome to the dog days of summer.  Sure has been hot lately, not nearly as much rain as we’ve been accustomed to lately.  I made a trip out to the Austin Summerfest this past weekend and saw several KARS members there.  I didn’t come up with much in the way of deals, but it still made for a good trip.

The sun has been waking up a bit more lately.  We’ve got 3 active regions now, a few more spots forming and another region about to rotate into position on the eastern limb.  We’ll know if there’s a spot there by Monday.  All that activity is making up for some nice pics from the SDO satellite.

As always, if you know of an activity that I’ve missed, or would like to have included, please email me at radioN5TGL@gmail.com and I will make sure that information gets distributed.  Also, if you would rather not be included on this email distribution, please let me know and I’ll remove your name from the list.

Volunteer Opportunites:

The Boy Scout JOTA is going to be held October 16 – 17.  Mike Mettler will be our main contact for this event.

Email me if you have any others you want me to list in the newsletter.

Contests:

: 1600Z, Aug 14 to 0400Z, Aug 15 and 1600Z-2400Z, Aug 15

Upcoming Hamfests:

08/21/2010 | Cooke County Amateur Radio Club

Location: Gainesville, TX
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Cooke County Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.gainesvillehamfest.org
Learn More

10/08/2010 | Paris Texas Hamfest

Location: Paris, TX
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Paris Texas Radio Group & Red River Valley ARC
Website: http://www.paristexasradio.com
Learn More

11/13/2010 | NCTECH 2010 Hamfest

Location: Azle, TX
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Tri-County Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.wc5c.org
Learn More

Closing Notes:

Our business meeting is being held tomorrow at fire station 4.  I’ll be doing a presentation on digital mode operation, and it’ll be a live one.  Dave (KD5FX) is bringing along enough coax for me to hook my radio up to my screwdriver antenna on the car.  If you’ve been interested in digital mode operation, but aren’t sure exactly how to jump in, come on out and watch!  I’ll take you through the different modes and how to run a digital QSO — it’s a different set of lingo than you might be used to from SSB operation.

Remember, the KARS net is held each Tuesday evening at 8:00 PM local time. The nets are held on the club repeater, KT5TX with an output frequency of 147.200(+) and a PL of 141.3.  Currently we are transmitting tone, so you can use tone squelch if you have it.  We also have a pre-net “Elmer session” which starts at 7:30pm.  Feel free to bring your technical questions and we’ll do our best to answer them.  We also get together each Saturday at Skeeters for breakfast around 8 am.  Skeeters is located on the NE corner of Mason Road and Highland Knolls. You are cordially invited to attend and enjoy the food and fellowship.

73,
Michael
N5TGL

Just ran across a couple of items this morning.

First is a swap meet sponsored by the Baytown Area ARC

Second is a run in the Woodlands that needs operators:

The event is called ’10 for Texas’ and it’s a 10 mile Run that needs operators to help provide eyeball coverage of the course to assist in making sure participants get assistance fast if it’s needed.

Please visit http://www.woodlands-event-comms.info/10forTexas/ for more info, and to sign up.

There will be Tee-Shirts for those that get signed up early, and, food afterwards, including alcoholic beverage if you like.  Yes!  Free Beer!

You can email me at ke5stl@… if you have questions.

All the Best,

Peter Belbin
KE5STL

That’s all I’ve got for now.

73 de N5TGL

Sorry folks, had my parents over for my dad’s birthday yesterday, so that lead to a very busy weekend.  I do want to remind everyone that the Austin summerfest is coming up this weekend.  It’s the last hamfest of the year in the semi-local area.

08/06/2010 | Texas State Convention (Austin Summerfest 2010)

Location: Austin, TX
Type: ARRL Convention
Sponsor: Austin ARC and Texas VHF FM Society
Learn More

Posting schedule should return to normal next week.

73,

Michael