THE ARLINGTON BEACON

		September 2002
		President: Jack Reed WA4FXX Vice President: Dennis Bodson W4PWF Secretary: Mike Skelly KA8OPJ Treasurer: John Maher WD4MIS Activities Chairman: Mike Callaham NW3V Editor: Mike Callaham NW3V

September Program: Red Cross Volunteer Orientation Video

At the September meeting of the AARC, Arlington County Chapter Volunteer Coordinator Sally Cooney will show a three-segment Red Cross Volunteer Orientation video, to continue the Volunteer Orientation program that she began at the August Meeting.

Stand by Your Van

At the Arlington County Fair, AARC members manned the Red Cross Ford Excursion stuffed with DC-to-daylight comm gear. Truth be told, this particular van was not yet operational, but we used it as bait to lure those drawn to dishes, whips, and telescoping masts. We explained the role of the van and its gear, and the Club and its members, in responding to disasters in Arlington County and beyond.

Jack, WA4FXX, Beckons Fairgoers to Step Inside
Photo: Michael Callaham, NW3V


Paul, KA4KUU (l), and Mike, NW3V (r), Stand By The Van
Photo: Jack Reed, WA4FXX

Paul, KA4KUU (l), Mike, NW3V (c), and John, WD4MIS (r), Stand By The Van
Photo: Nuala Maher

-- Mike, NW3V
Activities Chair

Minutes of the August 20, 2002, Meeting of the Arlington Amateur Radio Club

President Jack WA4FXX called the meeting to order at 1940L at the Arlington Chapter of the American Red Cross. Also attending were Alan KO4ALA, George KR4MU, John WD4MIS, Mike KG4RKL, Mike NW3V, and visitors Keith KG4UIR, Norman of Federal City REACT, Sally Cooney W2DUO-harmonic, and Vishal Khemka.

The Minutes of the July meeting as posted on the AARC website were approved. Treasurer John, WD4MIS, presented the financial report and noted that he was working on updating the Club Roster.

Mike, NW3V, relayed regrets from Paul, KG4PXF, who was on his honeymoon. There were several murmurs to the effect that it was not at all regrettable to be absent by reason of honeymoon.

Arlington County ARES

Arlington County ARES Emergency Coordinator (EC) Alan, KO4ALA, said that the exercise proposed for September 18 was now dissipated. He said that an exercise was now planned for November. Alan also noted that the U.S. Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) would be held on October 27. He was not yet sure whether it would qualify as an ARES Simulated Emergency Test (SET); he had not heard from Rick, N4ASX, on that point.

Arlington County ARES Assistant Emergency Coordinator (AEC) Mike, KE4PKM, asked Alan for an interpretation of the recent email message from VA RACES State Training Officer Ed, KE4SKY. He also noted that Paul, KF4RQL, was upset because he had volunteered for 9-11 service to KE4SKY, who allegedly said that Arlington County was ARES, not RACES, so he couldn't help.

FAR

Alan, KO4ALA, reported that the Foundation for Amateur Radio was hurting for volunteers.

Old Business

Arlington County Fair

Jack, WA4FXX, said that he spoke to ACPD Chief Holl at the Fair, and that Chief Holl said that positions for were to be planned for perhaps three communications vehicles.

Jack displayed the MFJ-269 antenna analyzer purchased with a Red Cross donation.

Jack issued Keith, KG4UIR, a Morse code training CD, Your Introduction to Morse Code.

Jack asked about a proposed presentation to Red Cross Disaster Action Teams (DATs)--Radio Night. KO4ALA, KG4UIR, and Sally Cooney recalled a discussion of this but no specifics. Sally said that she would propose three dates in October and email them to Jack.

Jack said that Jim, K9AUC, has put go kits in shopping carts in the garage.

New Business

Fall-Fest

Alan, KO4ALA, said that he sent NW3V info about Fall-Fest and asked NW3V to put a link to the FAR web site on the AARC web site.

George, KR4MU, conveyed a message rom Mary Kane.

John, WD4MIS, tabled a motion to consider, at the next meeting, donations of flowers to the surviving spouses of deceased Members, or contributions to designated charities.

Guest Speaker: Sally Cooney, ACC Volunteer Coordinator

We were pleased to introduce guest speaker Sally Cooney, Volunteer Coordinator of the Arlington County Chapter (ACC) of the American Red Cross. Sally said she was here for three reasons:

1. My father, W2DUO, when I was a girl, had a shack we couldn't go in without him. He had a wall of QSL cards, and a license plate with a callsign. He loved it, and I'd like to keep that alive.
2. I am not alone of the opinion that we need you a lot. We'd like to continue the cooperation shown in the July 14 exercise.
3. At the Fair, we had a comm van, a Bloodmobile, and Blood Donor Registration. and a Publicity table. Someone came to the Publicity table seeking first aid (a bandage), but we couldn't communicate between the Red Cross locations at the Fair. We want to be able to do that next year.

Then, Sally presented a highly abbreviated Red Cross Volunteer Orientation for AARC members interested in becoming Red CRoss volunteers. She gave out Volunteer Handbook copies, and she distributed and collected volunteer application forms.

Sally said that at the next meeting, she would like to show a Red Cross Orientation video, consisting of three segments lasting 45 minutes.

Respectfully submitted,
Mike NW3V, Acting Secretary

JOTA Planning Meeting at W4WVP September 17

Mike, NW3V, Mike, KA8OPJ, and Mike, KG4RKL, will host Rob, K1PW, at W4WVP on September 17 at 1830L to plan for operating W4WVP/4 at the Boy Scouts of America Chain Bridge District Camporee, at Camp Highroad, on October 19 and maybe 20, to bring Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) 2002 to the Scouts encamped there. If interested, please attend or contact Mike, NW3V.

Radio Night for ACC Disaster Assistance Volunteers and Staff--September 23

Jack, WA4FXX, Alan, KO4ALA, Jim, K9AUC, Mike, NW3V, George, KR4MU, and maybe others will show and tell what Amateur Radio, the AARC, and W4WVP can do for Chapter Disaster Assistance efforts at Radio Night, September 23, 7-9pm, at the Chapter.

Calling All Courseware

Are you one of those members who has courseware (videos, CDs, books, tapes, or software) on loan from the Club? Others are waiting to use it. Please report the status of the courseware, and your progress, at the September meeting.

NW3V Operates K4P on 9-11-2002

Responding to a request from K7DID relayed by Alan, KO4ALA, Mike, NW3V, operated his home station using special event callsign K4P on September 11, 2002, to commemorate the Pentagon attack on September 11, 2001.

Links to Bulletins

This is just a sampler. For other ARRL bulletins, visit http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/, listen to W1AW, or check a packet bulletin board system.
 

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The Arlington Amateur Radio Club
4333 Arlington Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22203