Meetings and Nets:
1st, 3rd, 5th Wednesdays:
On-the-air Net at 8:30pm on 147.225+ PL156.7 (no tone required during nets)
2nd Wednesday:
Informal/Social Meeting at 7:30pm - Dinosaurs Restaurant; U.S. Route 1 at Contee Road, Laurel
4th Wednesday:
Monthly Meeting at 7:30pm - The Woman's Club of Laurel, 384 Main Street, Laurel
Nightly:
Informal Net/Rag-Chew from 10-11pm on 147.540
Laurel Amateur Radio Club, Inc.
P.O. Box 3039
Laurel, MD 20709-3039
Topic: Field Day, 4th
of July, …
Next Meeting:
Wednesday, June 25, 1997
The Woman's Club of Laurel
384 Main Street
Laurel, Maryland
Officers:
President: Mark Doore N3NTQ 301-572-2385 mdoore@bellatlantic.net
Vice-President: Roger Davis W3LM 301-776-6961 rldavis2@juno.com
Secretary: John Menard N3GXA 301-725-1641 n3gxa@hotmail.com
Treasurer: Patty Menard N3OYN 301-725-1641
Other LARC Positions and Contacts:
Immediate Past President: Jim Cross WI3N 301-725-6829 jcross3@juno.com
Membership: Patty Menard N3OYN 301-725-1641
FAR Representative: Joe Seaslely KA3UZI 301-725-5822
FAR Representative: Dan Blasberg KA8YPY 202-667-5780 dan.blasberg@junoi.com
Laurel VEC: Bob Busch WB3KXJ 301-317-7819 rbusch@erols.com
LARC VE Testing: John Creel WB3GXW 301-572-5124 creewb3gxw@aol.com
AutoCall Reporter: Jim Cross WI3N 301-725-6829 jcross3@juno.com
Membership: Patty Menard N3OYN 301-725-1641
T-MARC/D-MARC Rep: Kevin Arber W3DAD 301-725-0038 aa0005@mail.pratt.lib.md.us
Public Information Officer: Pud Reaver W3YD 301-498-6293 preaver@erols.com
Youth Programs: Mark Doore N3NTQ 301-572-2385 mark.s.doore@bell-atl.com
Education and Training: Pud Reaver W3YD 301-498-6293 preaver@erols.com
Technical Specialist: Kevin Arber W3DAD 301-725-0038 aa0005@mail.pratt.lib.md.us
Emergency Operations: Mike Moseley WB3HUP 301-317-8546 wb3hup@aol.com
Club Emergency Station: Mike Moseley WB3HUP 301-317-8546 wb3hup@aol.com
Official Bulletin Station: Pud Reaver W3YD 301-498-6293 preaver@erols.com
Official Relay Station: Pud Reaver
W3YD 301-498-6293 preaver@erols.com
LARC Special Interest Groups and
Mentors:
Antennas Kevin Arber W3DAD 301-725-0038 aa0005@mail.pratt.lib.md.us
ATV
Contesting
Packet Radio
APRS Mark Doore N3NTQ 301-572-2385 mdoore@bellatlantic.net
QRP Scott Rosenfeld NF3I 301-549-1022 ham@w3eax.umd.edu
Repeaters John Creel WB3GXW 301-572-5124 creewb3gxw@aol.com
Satellite/EME
ARRL Field Organization:
Atlantic Division Director: Kay Craige WT3P 610-993-9623 wt3p@arrl.org
Atlantic Division Vice Director: Bernie Fuller N3EFN 814-763-1529 w3efn@arrl.org
MD/DC Section Manager: Bill Howard WB3V 410-551-6775 wb3v@erols.com
Affiliated Club Coordinator: Tony Young
WA3YLO 301-262-1917 tonny@juno.com
I often start this way, but it always bears repeating: I hope you made it to the last meeting. I saw our first meeting with Bob/WB4APR presenting various items about APRS packet. It was on the lengthy side. The same could be said for the May meeting, but almost everything Bob talked about seemed new. In fact, I'm quite certain that he could fill up another meeting and still not go over old material. The man is an excellent speaker and has very interesting material to bring.
Our next meeting will probably be devoted
to Field Day preparations. I've included some things to think
about, and FD Chairman Jim/WI3N has sent a brief article. We are
also hoping to have a map, so hang onto your trusty Feedback.
And if you are already pretty sure of the site location, use the
map as a means of inviting a friend.
Take note that recent new member Jim
Brent has received his call sign: N3ZJG. Also, this month's new
member: Marty Brown, KC3SI; 8507 Bovelder Drive, Laurel MD, 20708.
e-mail: martinbrown@fsd.com; telephone: (301)210-4804.
In researching the documents for my
Field Day article I noticed a blurb in a 1992 Feedback welcoming
3 new members: Kevin/W3DAD, Roger/N3MIJ (now W3LM), and Dick/N3MJA.
How time flies; and all have become very active in the club.
In reviewing and remembering past LARC
Field Day events, I think I generally recall how I felt after
it was all over, and I never remember how many points we scored.
Having said that, let me point out that one recent year, the club
had the second highest class score in the MDC section. (The highest
was the MADRAS club; and , yes, they were led by one of our own.)
Hopefully the WSSC patrol will remember
to unlock the gate this year. If you take interest in solar power,
be sure to come by. Satellite contact is usually made too.
I recall a very challenging FD which
required major antenna support modifications, real brainstorming
on how to set up the borrowed tent, (among other things), and
at the end of the hot, tiring, setup day, a great pot luck picnic.
My favorite part of Field Day is the
attempts at "Scientific Experimentation"; (I use the
phrase generously). I'm a civil engineer by trade, and I enjoy
discussing with my co-workers the likelihood for success of different
ideas that almost always seem to involve antenna supports. The
idea of supporting an enormous beam on the hitch of a half ton
truck would seem even more stupendous if it weren't for the fact
that there has also been a support for the same beam made entirely
of an inflated polyethylene sheeting tent. That was in 1994. If
you missed it, be advised that someday I intend to write an article
for QST about it all, just haven't gotten around to it. Oh, and
it seems mundane these days to use a blimp or balloon to fly a
wire antenna, but it was pretty exciting one year when helium
gas, (nonflammable), was superseded by hydrogen gas, (quite flammable),
if you get my drift.
A couple of our slightly out-of-town members came by for some of the setup and the picnic with some evening operating later. They said that earlier in the day they went to the FD site of their local club in Northern Virginia, but the operation was somewhat serious, and no one even said hello. I guess that's what inspired them to come to the LARC operation.
Try not to miss Field Day, and make
sure you keep in mind the social aspects of the day, especially
with non-ham visitors coming to the site. There's been some great
memories made in the past, and there's plenty more to come.
-Respectfully submitted, John/N3GXA
Laurel is counting on LARC to provide communications support for the Laurel Independence Day parade, festivities, and fireworks on Saturday, July 5. We need operators to take on 2-4 hour shifts throughout the day with the largest group needed from 10am-12noon for the parade. This is not difficult nor does it require an experience. Last year LARC was presented with the Harrison Beard award for the support we have provided over the years. Please let Mark/N3NTQ know if you can help out. Meet at Laurel Elementary (4th and Montgomery) at 10am for parade support. Other all communications support will be around the lake, net control will be at the boat house. Talk-in on 147.540.
It's time to wrap up the first half
of the year with Field Day on June 28-29 and then the Laurel 4th
of July Parade and Festivities on July 5. The next major activity
after that is the MD/DC QSO Party on August 9-10. But not to
worry, we will certainly have a few antenna parties to fill out
the summer. It looks like we are making progress in getting PG
County to fund the antennas at Laurel Regional Hospital - hopefully
we will have them procured and installed by the time Labor Day
rolls around. We also have a request from Pat/KK3F for some antenna
assistance at his QTH. And while we are at it, I might as well
put my name in the hat for some help putting up my 2m and 70cm
Isopoles.
Some LARC members helped to introduce
Amateur Radio to a group of eight Cub Scouts this month. Scott/NF3I
brought his new mobile HF station to demonstrate to the 7 and
8 year olds - conditions were cooperative and several nice contacts
were made, including one to the Netherlands. That same night
I showed the lads an ARRL video tape that provided a good overview
of ham radio. The following week the cubs assembled and tested
AM crystal radio kits with some parental assistance (particularly
the winding of the coils). With the expert assistance of Russ/N3AUQ,
Joe/N3TZA, and Kevin/WV3D, all the radios were working by the
end of the evening; and there was one report of hearing Africa!
(imagination is a wonderful thing) I was pleasantly surprised
at the genuine interest this young group displayed - several
of the parents also commented that it was one of the better activities
of the year. The following week, one of these aspiring future
hams came to the meeting with a new Radio Shack Shortwave Receiver
Kit all finished and ready to put on-the-air!
The Laurel 5k event went well although
the LARC contingent was pretty smaill this year. Thanks to those
members that did show up to help out - Scott/NF3I, Jerry/N3WSG,
Paul/N3NYM, Dick/N3MJA, Jim/WI3N, and Mike/WB3HUP. The weather
was wonderful and the event drew over 400 runners/walkers. I
think most of us were out of there by 10am with another nice t-shirt
to add to our collections.
I hope those that attended the May meeting
enjoyed the talk on APRS by Bob Bruninga (WB4APR). Maybe it will
spur some new interest in packet radio. I've setup a 'stand-alone
tracker' that stays on in Ondine/N3SCU's van all the time - so
I can watch her go around the Beltway to/from work. It even transmits
her velocity - fortunately the police don't monitor APRS yet!
Mike/WB3HUP set up an APRS digipeater at his place. I think
it has been down since the Father's Day Special Event but hopefully
we will get it back online for Field Day, and have it up most
of the time after that. The digipeater should allow most members
to experiment with APRS using very modest antennae.
I'd be interested to know who is on
packet radio these days. Let me know if you have a packet radio
address and I'll publish the list in one of the Feedbacks. You
can email it to me at laurel@webtrek.com or give me a call at
301-572-2385. (I know, I should provide a packet address for
you to respond to, right? I recently set myself up on packet
on the Goddard BBS, but the address escapes me at the moment :>)
Dan/KA8YPY, Pud/W3YD, and I started
on our grand plan and wish list this month. We did not make all
the progress that we would have liked, but have a fairly good
outline. This list will certainly be dynamic and should server
stimulate some thought. Due to space limitations it has not been
included in month's Feedback.
The BRATS have offered LARC a free space
at their July 27 hamfest in Timonium. If you are interested in
setting up and manning (personning?) the LARC tent please let
me know ASAP so I can get the word to the BRATS.
The Foundation for Amateur Radio (FAR)
is having the FarFest in Gaithersburg on September 7. They have
come up with a new approach to getting volunteer help and supporting
local clubs at the same time. If a club provides 6 volunteers
for 4 hours then FAR will donate $125 to the club. They will
donate an additional $25 for each volunteer over the first six.
This is an excellent opportunity for LARC members to contribute
to the success of the FarFest and benefit LARC.
I appoligize for the lack of graphics
and photos in this month's Feedback. I should be able to free
up some time to do more scanning in July or August.
73, de Mark/N3NTQ (see ya at FD)
Whiskey-three-DAD may not be politically
correct these days, but the Laurel Club had fun on Fathers Day
putting that call on the air, and about 375 QSOs later we called
it a very good day! At the new club station, the work QTH of
Mike/WB3HUP, we had two HF and one two-meter station on the air,
the at times the pile-ups, looking for us, were impressive. Operators
of our station included W3DAD (naturally) with WB3HUP and W3YD
starting early in the morning. Later we were relieved by W3LM,
N3LFL, WI3N, KA8YPY, and had moral support from K3IOG, N3AUQ,
N3TZA, KD3ZS, W0ZS.
A good time was had by all....and plans
are already being made to use that QTH for LARC's participation
in the MDC QSO party, and other major ARRL and CQ contests...we
can make significant contributions to the PVRC scores. Serious
(LARC) contesters are encouraged to watch this column for further
information.....by the way, FIELD DAY is very good training (ear
and mouth) for contest performance. Come on by FIELD DAY, and
let a trained professional show you the ropes!
At the Dayton Hamvention I had an opportunity
to see the Drake TR270 transceiver. The TR270 is a 2 Meter FM
transceiver with 70 centimeter receive capability. What struck
me as unique was that Drake had incorporated a TNC (optional)
within the receiver as an add-on board. The TNC270 features both
1200 and 9600 baud modems. The 9600 baud modem is G3RUH compatible
for use on the JD mode satellites. In addition, a DEMOD270 demodulator
board can also be installed which allows demodulation of weather
satell ite transmissions, ACARS, Morse Code and RTTY. Software
is included with both the TNC270 and the DEMODULATOR270. An RS232
computer interface is provided via a DB9 connector on the rear
panel. An external audio input is provided for connection to
other radios.
The radio appeared to be well constructed,
enclosed in a black case with speaker on the front panel. Operating
features are many, however the front panel is uncomplicated, having
only the usual keypad, up/down buttons, tuning and volume/squelch
knobs and a display. Power output is adjustable to 1/10/25 Watts
of 5 kHz peak FM with over-temperature and high VSWR protection.
The 2 Meter receiver covers 144-148 MHz with a first and second
IF of 10.7 MHz and 455 kHz respectively. Sensitivity is stated
as bet ter than .18 microvolts for 12 dB SINAD. The wide coverage
receiver covers 136-174 MHz and 420-470 MHz with IF frequencies
of 18 MHz and 455 kHz respectively. Sensitivity is stated as
better than .25 microvolts for 12 dB SINAD; selectivity is 15
kHz or 40 kHz selectable. Two antenna inputs are provided.
The radio features 400 memory channels
broken down as 100 each receiver, 100 satellite and 100 weather
satellite. Both receivers have dual VFOs and operate independently
with dual volume and squelch controls. Multiple scan functions
are available in either memory or VFO modes and each receiver
features independent scanning and priority watch modes.
The radio is powered by an internal
AC power supply or from the an external 13.6 VDC 8 Ampere power
supply. A preamp power output of 13.6 VDC at 100 ma is provided
on the rear panel.
For a person looking for a rig to anchor
their FM operation, the TR270 and associated demodulators provide
an attractive alternative to the separate transceiver and TNC
configuration. Additional information is available from R.L.
Drake, 513-746-4556, http://www.rldrake.com.
The meeting was brought to order Wednesday
June 11, at 8:04 p.m. at the HMS Richards building in Takoma
Park, Maryland by the FAR President.
There were 14 trustees representing
15 clubs present. Each person introduced his/herself and if their
club was having field day and where.
After noting corrections to the May
minutes, they were approved.
The treasurer's report was given by
Charles Johnson (N3HFO) and accepted.
Auto Call - Tony Young (WA3YLO) reported
that their had been a problem with John Queen's Internet Service
Provider (ISP), America-On-Line, during the past month but all
the problems have been resolved.
Millie and Ed Mumford (N3KGO and N3IRO, respectively) reported that they have been receiving complaints about errors in the Auto-Call calendar, FARFest not being listed and some articles not being published. Tony Young,
FAR's Auto-Call liaison, will work with
editor John Queen on correcting these problems.
Tony also reported that Auto-Call will
be publishing the names of those who responded to the Ethel Smith
Memorial Subscription Drive.
Survivor's Assistance - Tony Young (WA3YLO)
reported that he picked up a Kenwood TS-180 with matching tuner
and power supply in Baltimore. He also has a Hammarlund HQ-140-X
receiver and some miscellaneous equipment for sale. Ther was no
report for Virginia/DC.
Scholarship Committee - Hugh Turnbull
(W3ABC) had to leave early, but Chuck Sommer (N4OSD) reported
that Hugh has received 128 applications for the 60 scholarships
offered.
ARRL Report -- Since Hugh Turnbull left
early, there was no ARRL report.
FARFest (Gaithersburg Hamfest) - Chuck Sommer (N4OSD) advised that the next meeting of the FARFest committee will be on Wednesday June 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the Prince George's County EOC. The EOC is
located 1-1/4 miles inside the Beltway
and north of Central Avenue.
OLD BUSINESS:
Chuck Sommer reported that a new proposal
was received from the National Capital ARES Council (NCAC) and
it will be reviewed by the Board before submission to the FAR
Trustees.
Jeanne Rexroad (N4GZI) and Lenny Schachter
(N3RPQ) reported that the ARES Institute seminar, which was held
on the Memorial Day weekend, was a success with 35 attendees.
The MEPN/FAR picnic scheduled for Saturday,
July 19 was discussed. Announcements are/will be mailed out and
everything is on schedule.
NEW BUSINESS:
Turnout at the FARFest committee meetings
has been sparse. There was a lengthy and heated discussion about
proposed pricing changes for FARFest. The Trustees decided that
prices will remain the same as last year.
The 1997 FARFest will open gates at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 6 for general admission and tailgaters. The commercial buildings will open to the general public at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 7, however.
A general admission ticket will be good
for both days.
A letter will be sent out to all FAR
clubs and their trustees soliciting help in covering the gates.
Conditional reimbursement to clubs for their help was approved.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ed and Mille Mumford (N3KGO and N3IRO,
respectively) announced the Frederick Hamfest to be held on Father's
Day.
The Mumford's also announced the Hanover
Area Hamming Association (HAHA) Hamfest on Saturday, June 21.
Dan Blasberg (KA8YPY) announced that
the Laurel Amateur Radio Club will be operating special event
station W3DAD on Father's Day.
Lenny Schachter (N3RPQ) announced that
MADRAS will be operating the Voice of America Headquarters Amateur
Radio Club station (K3VOA) located at the foot of Capitol Hill
on July 4. This will be in celebration of the country's 221st
birthday and the 55th anniversary of the Voice of America.
Al Brown (WA3FYZ) announced the Maryland-DC
QSO Party, sponsored by the Antietam Radio Association, on August
9 and 10.
A motion to adjourn was entertained
at 9:03 p.m.
The next meeting will be held in Virginia
at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday July 9.
Dan Blasberg
KA8YPY
Alternate FAR Representative
July 26-31 are the dates for the Cycle
Across Maryland which starts in Bowie, MD and follows a course
through areas of Southern Maryland, back through Anne Arundel,
Prince George's and Howard Counties, finally finishing at Largo
in PG County.
Amateur Radio will again provide health
and safety support communications for the event. Communication
activities include net control operators, support for rest stops,
SAG vehicles and operation of "message centers" where
participants can send messages to friends and family via the National
Traffic System.
If you are available for the entire
six days of the event, our understanding is that meals and lodging
will be provided. If you are only available for one or two days,
you can still be a great help, and meals will be provided for
the period you will be working the event.
Since the communications requires coverage
of relatively large areas of the state, often covering several
counties in one day, it is important for participants to have
at least a 25-watt mobile with a gain antenna. More power and
portable antennas that can be gotten into the air are even better.
Because the operation covers a wide
area, this will be an excellent opportunity to test out your latest
portable setup and other capabilities, as well as practice NTS
message handling techniques.
If you are available to help out on
this interesting event, for one day or more, please contact Ken
Pease, N3JEY at (301) 762-8468.
Or you can email mcraces@aol.com and
we will see that your interest gets relayed to Ken. If you use
email, please tell us what days you are available, what kind of
equipment you can bring, and your telephone number.
We said it couldn't be done, and so
naturally, Congress went and did it! In one of the more promising--not
to mention surprising--developments so far in the 105th Congress,
the Senate has passed S 544, and the House has passed a companion
bill, HR 911, each described as "The Volunteer Protection
Act of 1997." The Senate is expected to adopt the House version
of the bill, HR 911, and send it along to the President for signature.
As a result, volunteers of nonprofit
organizations and government entities will, in the words of the
House Judiciary Committee report on the bill, "generally
be relieved of liability for harmcaused if . . . the volunteer
was acting within the scope of the volunteer's responsibilities."
This will be good news to Volunteer
Examiners, Official Observers, ARES and RACES volunteers and others
working under the sponsorship of a qualifying non-profit organization,
all of whom appear to be covered by HR 911. In non-legalese, this
means that you aren't as likely to be sued as a result of harm
unintentionally caused to someone else, if your actions were part
of your responsibilities as a volunteer working on behalf of a
government agency or a non-profit organization.
However, until the bill is signed by
the President and its various loopholes pass the scrutiny of the
legal community, volunteers shouldn't assume they'll automatically
be covered. It appears, for example, that radio amateurs who are
not working under the sponsorship of a qualifying organization
and who volunteer to provide communications during a marathon,
bicycle race or other public service or public safety event might
not be covered. The same exclusion might apply to frequency coordinators
and certain others who--though they are volunteers--aren't participating
on behalf of a non-profit entity. While these individuals could
affiliate with government or non-profit entities to do their volunteer
jobs, the law will clearly protect only those who are "volunteers
of a non-profit organization or government entity." The definition
is clear with respect to government entities, but it is less clear
with respect to "non-profit organizations." These can
be Section 501(c)(3) entities, that is, an organization holding
a certain tax exemption from the IRS. They also include, however,
those organizations which may not be tax-exempt, but which are
organized and conducted for public benefit and operated primarily
for charitable, civic, educational, religious, welfare, or health
purposes.
The growing reluctance of private citizens
to volunteer for fear of lawsuits triggered interest in this legislation.
While some states have enacted volunteer protection statutes,
the inconsistency among states has resulted in what the Judiciary
Committee calls a "hodgepodge." As a result, the League
has promoted liability legislation in Congress for several years,
initially to protect VEs and Amateur Auxiliary members.
The new legislation requires that the
volunteer be licensed, certified or authorized, "if appropriate
or required" by state or local authorities. It does not provide
protection where the harm was caused by willful or criminal misconduct,
gross negligence, reckless misconduct, or conscious, flagrant
indifference to rights or safety of the individual(s) harmed by
the volunteer. The House version of the legislation would not
cover any volunteer who inadvertently caused harm to another person
while operating a motor vehicle that requires an operator license
or insurance. Also, certain limitations in existing state volunteer
liability laws are not preempted by the Federal protection under
the bill.
ARRL's General Counsel Chris Imlay,
W3KD, is studying copies of the House and Senate bills to determine
the impact on Amateur Radio volunteers of the new legislation.
--SteveMansfield, N1MZA
The ARRL Letter is published by the
American Radio Relay League, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111;
tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259. Rodney J. Stafford, KB6ZV,
President; David Sumner, K1ZZ, Executive Vice President.
The following tapes will available for viewing
at Field Day, and for check-out afterwards:
Volume 1: Recruitment
New World Of Amateur Radio, Ham Radio
In Space, Your Headquarters At Work, ARRL PSAs, Sharing Amateur
Radio with Handi-Hams
Volume 2: Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX)
Ham Radio In Space, SAREX Space Shuttle
Mission STS-51F, SAREX Space Shuttle Mission STS-58
Volume 3: Disaster Preparedness/Public Service
When Disaster Strikes, At Any Moment,
Field Day Fever, Disaster Drill: The Big One, Last Voice From
Kuwait
Volume 4: Operating Modes & Interests
What Are Those Crazy Sounding Signals
Saying?, This Is Amateur Television!, Packet Radio, AMSAT Phase
3D
Volume 5: Educational
Everything You Always Wanted To Know
About Antennas, Spark Gap
Volume 6: DXpeditions
VP8SSI: The South Sandwich Saga, Journey
To Peter I Island: Close To The Edge
Volume 7: More DXpeditions & Contest Operating
Fastnet Force Seven, The AH1A Saga:
Howland Island DXpedition
Volume 8: Contesting
Winning On The Hill, All China Amateur
Radio Direction Finding Competition
Volume 9: Amateur Radio History
1935 Tour of ARRL HQ, The Trans-AtlanticTests
and Station, An American Inventor--Major Edwin Howard Armstrong
3 W3ICS Ed Mueller
5 N3OYN Patty Menard
9 KA3QPU Cathy Downs
12 K3GXF C T David
13 N3CLL Jim Lehnert
14 K1FSO Hank Moeller
23 KA3UZI Joe Seasely
25 KA3KID Larry Pickens
first year: 1923, last year:
1963
Did we miss anyone?
Laurel Amateur Radio Club
c/o Patty Menard/N3OYN
905 Montrose Avenue
Laurel, Maryland 20707-3835
June 1997
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22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30
July 1997
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31
August 1997
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
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September 1997
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30
22-29 Amateur Radio Week
28 Wed 7:30pm LARC Monthly Meeting 384 Main Street
28-29 Sat-Sun LARC Field Day
Panther Field
2 Wed 8:30pm LARC Net 147.225+
5 Sat 8am-10pm Laurel 4th of July Parade & Festivities (check-in 147.540)
9 Wed 7:00pm LARC Social Meeting Dinosaurs Restaurant
9 Wed 8:00pm FAR Meeting Alexandria
16 Wed 8:30pm LARC Net 147.225+
19 Sat 9:00am Laurel VE Test Session 384 Main Street
23 Wed 7:30pm LARC Monthly Meeting 384 Main Street
27 Sun BRATS Hamfest (LARC to have table?) Timoniium
30 Wed 8:30pm LARC Net 147.225+
6 Wed 8:30pm LARC Net 147.225+
9-10 Sat-Sun MD/DC QSO Party (LARC won it last year)
13 Wed 7:00pm LARC Social Meeting Dinosaurs Restaurant
9 Wed 8:00pm FAR Meeting Takoma Park
16 Sat 9:00am Laurel VE Test Session 384 Main Street
20 Wed 8:30pm LARC Net 147.225+
27 Wed 7:30pm LARC Monthly Meeting
384 Main Street
.
July 20 - Mid-Atlantic DX & Repeater Assn - Brunswick, MD
MADRA SweatFest '97, 230 North Potomac St., Suite #2B, Hagerstown, MD 21740, 301-416-8447 (Box #109)
E-mail: madraclub@aol.com, http://members.aol.com/madraclub
July 27 - Baltimore Radio Amateur Television Society (BRATS), Timonium Fairgrounds
York Road off I-695, I-83, Accessible to the handicapped, Children under 12 Free. Free VE Exams at 9am only, check in at
8:30am, pre-registration required: 410-467-4634. Buildings open at 8am, Tables Available. For information, table reservations,
and VE exam pre-registration contact BRATS, PO Box 5915, Baltimore MD 21282, 410-467-4634 voice or fax,
http://www.smart.net/~brats, brats@smartnet.net
September 7 - F.A.R Fest '97, Montgomery County Agricultural Center (Fairgrounds), Gaithersburg, MD
Gates open 6am, Commercial Buildings open 8am, Admission: $5 Adults, Children under 12 Free. Talk-in 146.955-, 443.400+,
146.520. Tailgate $15 per 10 ft space plus one admission ticket. Special Drawing 11:45am, picture id required to claim prize.
All requests for advance table and space reservations, contact: Mary Morris/N4TCI, n4tci@erols.com, 703-971-9305
Ahhhh, Field Day. The smell of new
mown grass, the sounds of a bunch of guys and gals struggling
to put together a big beam while trying not to lose the nuts and
bolts in the new mown grass. More grunts and groans while putting
up tents, portable 40 foot antenna poles, setting up equipment.
All for the expressed purpose of stirring up some electromagnetic
fields in an attempt to say a few words to as many people all
over this country as we can.
This is one event that is shared by
hams throughout the country. It's both a contest and a chance
to sharpen our skills for emergency operation. Our Field Day
will begin with set up at the Rocky Gorge athletic field at 10
am Saturday morning, June 28. We'll begin operating at 2:00 that
afternoon and probably tear down the equipment around 3:00 pm
on Sunday. There will be two HF transceivers that will need an
operator and someone to log throughout the day and night. We'll
also have some packet set up to send traffic and an APRS station
to demonstrate that aspect of the hobby. We'll have a VHF/UHF
station operating also. We'll try to work the RS-12/13 satellite
which gets us 100 points if we do.
All of you club members and your friends and family are encouraged to come by to see what we do and to help operate the stations. At 6:00 pm, we will take a break from operating to enjoy a pot luck
meal. This has been a tradition for
many years. We will have some hot dogs and burgers to grill.
Hopefully many of you will bring a favorite dish or dessert to
share. I also recommend including some folding lawn chairs.
Its a great time to visit with old friends and make some new ones.
While we do try to rack up as many points as possible, we work
hard at enjoying ourselves. The dinner is a family affair, so
don't be shy about bringing the spouse and kids. If you don't
have any, you can probably rent some.
I look forward to seeing lots of LARCers
turn out for our main club event of the year.
73 de Jim/WI3N
Sat 6/28
10am setup
2pm key down
6pm pot luck dinner
Sun 6/29
3pm tear down
and lots of other stuff!
Bring some show-n-tell, a tent, or just yourself!
