| President: | Jack Reed | WA4FXX |
| Vice President: | Dennis Bodson | W4PWF |
| Secretary: | Mike Callaham | NW3V |
| Treasurer: | Mike Ingles | KG4RKL |
| Activities Chairman: | Alan Bosch | KO4ALA |
| Editor: | Mike Callaham | NW3V |
| September 2004 FINAL | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Meetings: | Usually Third Tuesday of each month, 7:30 P.M., Red Cross, 4333 Arlington Blvd. (US 50), Arlington,VA. Nonmembers are invited to attend. |
| Net: | Tuesday (except meeting nights) at 7:30 P.M., 144.87/145.47 MHz FM |
| WWW: | http://www.w4wvp.org/ |
| Roster: | http://www.w4wvp.org/roster.censored.txt |
| Affiliate: | ARRL, FAR |
| Information: | Jack Reed, WA4FXX, wa4fxx@amsat.org (e-mail), (703) 685-7933 (phone). |
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The September 21 meeting of the Arlington Amateur Radio Club will feature a presentation on Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT): Its Programs, Progress, and Prospects by Cynthia Kellams, Community Liaison for Arlington CERT, and AARC Member Chuck Norton, KI4DHW. Please make every effort to attend and see this important and interesting presentation!
-- Alan, KO4ALA, via Mike, NW3V
President Jack, WA4FXX, called the meeting to order at 1940 local. Attending, besides Jack, were Vice President Dennis, W4WVP, Secretary Mike, NW3V, Treasurer Mike, KG4RKL, Activities Chair Alan, KO4ALA, Members Rich, KI4FWE, Mike, KA8OPJ, Keith KG4UIR, Paul, KA4KUU, Chuck, KI4DHW, and visitor Adam, KG4VNC.
A motion to accept the Minutes of the July meeting as published on the web was moved, seconded, and passed. Treasurer Mike, KG4RKL, reported on Club finances and also noted that the computer "junk" in the shack had been disposed of--recycled: "it found a home."
AARC Vice President and ARRL Roanoke Division Director Dennis, W4WVP, said that the League's petition on regulation by bandwidth will go to the FCC. He said "there's additional material on the proposal in this month's QST, and there's a URL you can go to to read the petition and comment on it." Rich, KI4VWE, asked, "What will that do practically?" Dennis replied, "It will give more flexibility [for operation]. There are band plans for guidance." Mike, NW3V, asked "Will those be changed?" Dennis answered, "Maybe, if they have to--they're voluntary." Mike rejoined, "But there's an overarching provision of Part 97 requiring operation in accordance with good Amateur practice." Dennis segued to a new topic: "The new chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau's Public Safety and Critical Infrastructure Division is a ham: Michael J. Wilhelm, WS6BR. He replaces D'Wana Terry.
Responding to a question raised previously, Dennis said that ARRL membership is required for the position of ARES Emergency Coordinator (EC). Arlington County ARES EC Alan, KO4ALA, added, "But not for AEC" (Assistant Emergency Coordinator). Dennis said that he would ask regarding ARRL policy (?) for all ARES members to be ARRL members and for appointments below EC.
Jack, WA4FXX, asked about the latest Foundation for Amateur Radio meeting. FAR Representative Alan, KO4ALA, replied that he didn't go. Jack asked Secretary Mike, NW3V, "Any chance of getting something into the next Auto-Call?" Mike replied, "I should." Alan said, "The deadline is September 15."
Alan, KO4ALA, said that there will be a Simulated Emergency Test (SET) on the Saturday [Oct. 2] in the first weekend in October. Also, Captain Tom Panther of the Office of Emergency Management still needs reception reports on the 1700 kHz AM emergency transmitter. "They may need four transmitters instead of the three they thought they could get away with."
Keith, KG4UIR, said, regarding the September 25 Reagan National Airport drill, "The latest I have from Marcy--the Minutes of the August 11 meeting--is that ham radio ops will not be needed. We still need 150 victims. We'll want to moulage 100. Anyone here can help with the Arlington County Chapter communications. To volunteer, email me (keith@robertory.com) as soon as possible with your name, email address, phone number, and affiliation. I've got 60 volunteers." Mike, KG4RKL, said, "I'll post this on the Boy Scout net--this will fulfill a requirement--participate in a drill--for the Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge."
Keith said, "Victims will need a photo ID. Moulage will start at 6am. At 9am a bus will depart for the site. The drill will be from 10am until 2pm; victims will be bussed to a hospital. All victims will participate under the auspices of the Arlington County Chapter. If you want to help, out of role, we could use one op[erator] in each van [7-8 passenger vans to transport victims to area hospitals], one op in each of three ERVs (Emergency Response Vehicles), and one op in the Mobile Command Center (MCC) at DCA [Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport]. We'll need about twelve ops; a lower limit is one per hospital; an upper limit would be one per van." Alan, KO4ALA, said, "Let's see what happens--it might be a fine thing."
Jack said, "The Arlington County Fair is coming. We don't have volunteers. I'll make up a handout based on Keith's handout that could be handed out at the Arlington County Chapter table." Keith said, "Sally is in charge of the table." Jack said, "Also, the MCC will be there and maybe we could place handouts there."
Jack mentioned the Police, Fire, and Sheriff 9-11 Memorial 5K Race, and asked, "Are there any volunteers?" There were two "definite" responses and one "maybe." Jack reminded members about FARfest, the 22d AMSAT Space Symposium on 8-10 October, and the Arlington Prepares Fair on October 30, 0900-1200 at the Career Center. Jack added, "I still need write-ups from Arlington Prepares participants."
Jack said, "I move we [contribute?] two people." This motion was seconded and it passed. Jack said, joking, "I need a roll-call vote." Jack then passed around a letter dated August from Robert P. Griffin, Director, Office of Emergency Management, and Jackie Snelling, CCC.
Dennis said that he cleaned up the shack with KR4MU and KI4DTP. He said, "The dumpster was full." I had to wait until the next day (Thursday). My son helped me cart junk out to the dumpster."
Jack reminded members that on the last Wednesday of this and every month the 2m ARES-RACES SSB net would meet. Dennis said, "I actually tried that and didn't hear anyone."
Jack asked about progress toward applying for a federal grant for equipment. Keith asked, "Do you know about fedgrants.gov?"
Jack asked, "Do I hear a motion to accept KI4PWE's application for membership?" Dennis said, "I so move, and since he's my neighbor, I want to say this about him: ...," and launched into a long paean. The motion was seconded and it passed unanimously.
Paul, KA4KUU, asked about Jamboree-on-the-Air 2004, October 16-17. He said, "There's a Webelos Den interested--12 boys. Mike, NW3V, said, "I'll volunteer. If we want to order patches, they need to be ordered in advance.x" Dennis asked how much the patches cost. Paul said $3.50. Mike asked, "$4.00?" Dennis said, "I'll arrange to pay for one day."
Activities Chair Alan, KO4ALA, proposed a number of options for future programs: "A trip to the Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) at Leesburg? For Scouts? Think about it," he said. "Also, a VOA tour is interesting. Also, I sent a message to CERT regarding a program, but I might want to put it off and instead show the League video on use of miniature antennas to test antenna patterns--one hour and 8 minutes. AE4R said KE4BQM has a 1:15 PowerPoint presentation on the history of timekeeping."
As promised, Mike, KA8OPJ auctioned the broken FT-530 he had mentioned to the highest bidder.
Adam, KG4VNC, said that he'd like to join the club, and asked for an application. Keith, KG4UIR, asked for a receipt for a PC he donated.
It was moved, seconded, and passed to adjourn the meeting, which Jack did at 2100L.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Callaham, NW3V
AARC Secretary
[This is a more complete version of the Minutes of the May 18, 2004 Meeting than the version published in the FINAL edition of the June Beacon.]
President Jack, WA4FXX, called the meeting to order at 1937L. Attending, besides Jack, were Secretary Mike, NW3V, Treasurer Mike, KG4RKL, Members George, KR4MU, Mike, KA8OPJ, Jas, KG4YIQ, Ian, KI4DTP, Chuck, KI4DHW, and visitor Rene Costales.
The Minutes were tentatively approved. Treasurer Mike, KG4RKL, presented the financial report and also moved to round the Field Day T-shirt price charged to Members to thirteen dollars and pay shipping and handling fees from the Treasury. This motion was seconded and passed.
Jack reported on the Dulles Airport drill.
It was noted that there was no AARC Club report in Auto-Call
Mike, NW3V, sent the regards (and regrets) of Jim, K9AUC, and John, WD4MIS, and said that he expected Mike, W4GKI would attend. Jack asked Mike to tell John we'd love to have him participate in Field Day, if he doesn't go to Ireland.
Jack asked whether there was other old business, besides Field Day. Mike, NW3V, asked about the disposal of old computers. Jack replied that he had received no comments on that. Jack exhibited a backpack containing a binder containing manuals for the D-700, IC-706, and SG-230, plus a wire antenna kit and rope, assembled by K9AUC for emergency use. Jack continued, " we also need to look at the antenna situation--and feedline." He added, "I taught Radio Night for CAP [Civil Air Patrol], with Jim Quinn [KD7SSM]. Chuck [KI4DHW] was watching.
Jack announced several upcoming activities: an NCAC Institute May 22 at the Prince George's County Emergency Operations Center, the MS150 Bike Ride on May 22, the CQ WWPX CW contest on May 29-30, the ARRL June VHF QSO Party June 12-14, the ODEN [Old Dominion Emergency Net] May 26 at 2045L on 3947, June 7 at 1830L on 3947, June 9 at 1830L on 7243, and June 21 at 1830 on 3947, the 2m SSB net May 26 at 1900L on 144.25, the Arlington Prepares activity on June 5 ("they'd like our help"), and the June 6 Manassas Hamfest.
Rene Costales said that CERT has a map (ask Carl Lindgren, Assistant Director, OEM) showing the locations of CERT ops, and asked if there was anything similar showing the locations of hams. Jack said that the Arlington Prepares activity and CERT outreach should be action items.
Jack announced that W4WVP would again operate as a Class F station. He said that he had made up a FD2004 handout similar to the one for FD2003. He said he'd like to (1) trade in our HF rigs (except the 12VDC IC-720As) for an IC-706, and (2) trade in our trap dipole for a tuner on a mast. "Next in priority would be a D-700, which costs about $700." Mike, KG4RKL, asked whether we should apply for a grant to purchase one. Jack answered, "Maybe." Mike continued, "I helped put together a proposal for a FEMA grant for $7K for radios, baby protective equipment, et cetara."
Jack said, "we need a letter to the ACC," and asked NW3V to email KO4ALA to get a list of equipment needed [for emergency communications]." The focus returned to Field Day 2004, and there followed a discussion of what rigs and antennas on hand could be used for Field Day and what gear Members might bring.
Jack adjourned the meeting at 2047L.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Callaham, NW3V
AARC Secretary
ARLB-025: ARRL seeks comment on draft "Bandwidth" petition
ARLS011: AMSAT "Echo" Satellite to Open for FM Voice Trial Run
ARLB-021: ARRL Board Okays Volunteer Grassroots Lobbying Effort
This is just a sample. For other recent bulletins, check out http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/, or listen to W1AW.
The Arlington ARC Roster is online at http://www.w4wvp.org/roster.censored.txt. Do we have your info correct? If not, please contact the Treasurer (Mike, KG4RKL) or webmaster (Mike, NW3V).
The Arlington Amateur Radio Club
4333 Arlington Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22203