The August meeting of the Charles County Amateur Radio Club met at the La Plata Train Station Museum this past Friday, August 5th with 6 members and a pleasant surprise, 4 guests in attendance.
In attendance:
AA3RT Art
KB3HNP Joe
KB3KOW Boy Scout Bob
KB3UYZ Pat
KE3GG Flyboy Bob
N3SLK Steven Priebe (Guest)
N3YWZ Lee
David Tenhoff (Guest)
Debbie (Guest)
Spencer Johnson (Guest)
The meeting came to order @ 7:35PM.
KB3KOW, recently back from another of those grueling business trips to Hawaii, gave a brief demonstration of a setup incorporating a laptop and small transmitter that he used while making some QSOs via linked repeater systems. This lead to a discussion of repeater linking and IRLP. More information here:
After Bob’s demonstration we started the business meeting with activities since this would most likely be of interest to our visitors. Upcoming events:
Activities:
Aug. 13 & 14 (Saturday and Sunday) Maryland/DC QSO Party at the home of Wanda (KA3AHI) and Jim (WB3KAS) Montgomery in Brandywine. If you plan on attending and haven’t done so already, please contact KB3KOW (rdavidson@aceweb.com) so that Jim and Wanda have a good headcount. The QSO Party this year will operate both days and members of the Prince George’s County RACES Group will be there as well.
More on the MD/DC QSO Party:
Sunday, September 11: Radio support for the Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club’s “Indian Head 100″. More here:
Sunday, October 30: Radio support for the Boy Scout Potomac Heritage Century Ride. (From the Oxon Hill Bicycle Club’s website)
| The Boy Scout Potomac Heritage Century La Plata, MD. 14, 33, 60, 80 or 100 miles through Southern Maryland on what was the Civista Potomac Heritage Bicycle Tour and is now the Boy Scout Potomac Heritage Century. Enjoy the same routes and rest stops that you did on the Civista ride. All routes, except the casual 14-mile family ride, will take cyclists along the scenic on-road bicycle route of the Potomac Heritage Trail National Scenic Trail from Port Tobacco to Leonardtown. |
President:
My copy of the “Town Notes”, sent to all La Plata residents, for August/September 2011 arrived in my mailbox on Thursday. Of interest to the CCARC, the town is planning a commemoration for the 10th anniversary of the tornado on April 28, 2012. They are looking for inputs from residents on how the tornado affected each of us. Personally, I’ve long thought that the efforts of the CCARC were overlooked, particularly when it came to the response immediately after the tornado struck. A number of us responded in various ways. Michelle, N3YRZ, was right in the thick of things while working at the hospital. Lee, N3YWZ, started an emergency net on the repeater, Joe, KB3HNP, trekked on foot through the devastation giving reports via radio from downtown while Tom, W3TOM, and Mike, KA3GRW, were at the EOC and yours truly also went to the hospital for 5 or 6 hours until the phones and paging services were restored. (I’m sure I’ve forgotten someone.) In the following days, a number of us provided radio communications for Red Cross personnel who were doing damage assessments. The most recent ”Town Notes” haven’t been posted on the town’s website yet. When they are I’ll provide a link and ask for inputs from members so that they can be collectively submitted.
I recently received an email from Megan Snider of the Maryland Independent. The Independent was updating information for the “2011 Charles County Welcome Guide” and she asked if the information presented was correct. I replied with a couple of revisions and those were incorporated. The Welcome Guide was included in Wednesday’s (Aug. 3rd) issue of the Independent. You can find the reference to the CCARC on page 8.
Personal note: I started a new job on August 1st. The good news: It’s only 14 miles away and traveling in the “right” direction (Away from Waldorf). The bad news: I’ll be out of town from late August through mid-September while I go for some training. That means I won’t be able to send out net reminders and won’t be here for the September membership meeting. I’ve already made arrangements to get KB3KOW the key to the station for the next membership meeting on Friday, September 9th. (No meeting on the 2nd due to the holiday weekend.) Eventually I’ll be working shift work which will more than likely conflict with my CCARC obligations. I’ll know more when I return in September.
Vice President: Absent (On travel)
Secretary: Absent
Treasurer: KB3KOW gave the treasurer’s report for unlicensed Andrew. There was no income nor were there expenditures over the last month-the balance in club treasury remains the same.
From the members:
KB3UYZ-I’ve assembled the necessary parts and am ready to put up a new antenna, even got permission from the XYL to drill a hole in the house!
(Pat also distributed CD’s with photos of Field Day from those who were participated. Thanks again Pat!)
KB3HNP-I’ll be teaching another class this fall semester which may conflict with my ability to participate in the Tuesday night nets.
N3SLK (Steven)-Steven introduced himself and stated that it was inevitable that he became involved in amateur radio as his father who lives in Minnesota is also an amateur.
David Tenhoff-David is 18 and very interested in obtaining his amateur radio license.
Spencer Johnson-Spencer is employed by the Navy at Indian Head and is interested in tube type radios. (His “Zenith Radio” T shirt was a clue.)
It turns out that Spencer grew up not far from where I did but on the northern side of the New York/Pennsylvania border.
The meeting adjourned at 9:00PM.
Of course we had the usual “Meeting after the meeting”. Some folks had already departed when Corporal Eddie Cunningham of the La Plata Police Department FINALLY arrived at 9:25PM so that those of us who remained could see the electronic equipment employed by the La Plata Police in their cruisers.
As always, if I’ve forgotten anyone or anything it’s due to a combination of my poor note taking skills and fading memory and isn’t intentional.
For our visitors, we’re glad that you attended and hope that we’ll see you again in the very near future.
Remember-Next CCARC Monthly Membership meeting is Friday, September 9th.