The Koolau Amateur Radio Club Newsletter for October 2000


NEXT MEETING- Saturday, October 14th, 2000 09:30

In Kaneohe, at The Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden, Meeting Room in the Visitor's Center at 9:30AM.


WINDWARD GUEST STATION IS REALITY-

Guest Station


Sid Sneidar, AH6HH, has put together an HF operating position for use by licensed radio amateurs with HF privileges. The position is for the use of amateurs who cannot, for one reason or another, operate from their home QTH.

This Kailua station is open to ALL licensed U.S. Amateurs; not just KARC members or Hawaiian residents.

Modes presently available are CW and SSB. The station equipment line-up is a multiband Butternut HF6V vertical antenna, Astron SS30M Switching power supply, Kenwood TS430S Transceiver and a Heathkit Umatic CW Keyer.

Future plans call for a computer with soundcard for operating the digital modes such as RTTY, PSK31, MFSK, Hellschreiber, etc. Please contact Sid if you are interested in donating a suitable computer, or monitor.

Howard,WH6CLZ, helped refurbish and erect the Butternut Antenna that was installed above ground using wire radials and the metal lanai roof! Howard was the first operator of the station and worked some new DX stations immediately. Ask Howard, the station works just fine!

Anyone interesed in operating the station should contact Sid, AH6HH, at 261-7916.


-NEWS-Features-CONTESTS-Ham Ads-MINUTES-Articles-PHOTOS-


antenna party


The HF6V Vertical on left, and Sid, AH6HH and Howard, WH6CLZ on right.


MINUTES- Mike, AH7R

The September meeting was held at the usual place, the visitor's center at Hoomaulahia Botanical park on Windward Oahu.

The meeting was called to order at 0939 HST by Walt Niemczura, president. After the usual introductions, Walt relayed a treasurer's report received the night before via phone. We had a starting balance of $1,944.49; The club voted to authorize payment of $50 to Jerry for field day food purchases and $14.52 in postage for the previous newsletter. Also approved was $50 to reinburse Shep for reserving the room for the Hamfest in November.

Jerry reported that ARRL has confirmed reception of the club's field day entry for 2000.

There was considerable discussion of details for the Hamfest which is in only eight weeks now. The full web page will be up very soon. Both EARC and HARC have been invited. There are indications that a information table will be set up by EARC. Some of the KARC plans include an information table, VE testing, a fast scan ATV demonstration, showing of the field day video tape and several informational session. We hope to have a Skywarn presentation and lots of ARRL regional brass are expected. Acquisition of club liability insurance through ARRL is ongoing.

It was a busy day with no less than four people voted for membership, Richard Hacker AH6QK; Scott Allen AH6BR; Gerald Carr NH6HZ; and Given Nakamine KH6UE. All approved unanimously.

Lee Wical made a presentation on propogation, sunspots and how to understand all those solar numbers.

A request for assistance for the park for their plant sale, the biggest event for them all year, was reviewed. Several members volunteered and Jerry said he would coordinate. Clem, who was not present at this meeting, was also working on the plant sale assistance. We updated our contact information with the park's front office to make sure they had lots of ways to reach club officers.

There was VE testing after the meeting with one person testing and one paperwork type upgrade.


TREASURER'S REPORT- By Al- AH6PT

No actual report this month, Al has been reviewing the paperwork from Len, KH6NFN(SK) and will provide a report when after his return from N/W USA.


KARC Website "Superlinks" updated

Greg, WB6FZH, found several broken links and repaired or deleted them as appropriate. A new group of links have been added by topic on the same webpage. Check them out, and be sure to submit your favorites.


NEW Packet Cluster 144.91

Dennis Yee, AH6P, of EARC posted this information to the EARC email reflector. Check out the EARC WEBSITE at http://www.qsl.net/earc/ for more Oahu Ham Radio information.

Attention all packeteers! The EARC is now the proud custodian/operator of the Oahu packet cluster. Operating frequency is 144.910, callsign currently NH6UY. Jump up there and check it out. It's located up on Mauna Kapu. You should be able to hit from most of the island with just a few watts. It will be operating as both a packet cluster for DX spotting as well as a mail drop. That means that you can drop mail for fellow packetters and they can drop mail for you. Neat stuff! It also has the ability for multiple logons so that realtime chatting can be done.

If you have any questions on how to use, drop me an email, or better yet, leave me a "P"mail on the cluster.

Many thanks to Ken KH7R for providing the equipment, Hank KH6HAK for setting up the equipment and providing the site, and George KH7DM for providing the antenna and feedline.- Dennis Yee, AH6P


Hamfest 2000- Your help will be appreciated!

All members are invited to contact KARC President, Walt- AH6OZ to find out how your special interests and skills may be used for this annual Oahu Event.


OCOTOBER IS "S.E.T." Month

Dennis , KH7H, ARES SEC for ARRL Pacific Section announced that the Simulated Emergency Test will be October 7th at 0800 HRS on Saturday. All ARES Members, RACES Members, and ANY Amateur Radio Operator wishing to participate are invited to particpate. The exercise will terminate at 1100HRS on the same day.

This year will be slightly different than recent years. The STATEWIDE HF FREQUENCIES will be used. The PRIMARY will be 7290 for the STATEWIDE NET. The SECONDARY frequency will be 3.993, ONLY of the PRIMARY is unuseable. There will be NO VHF or UHF STATEWIDE NET from NCS.

This is does NOT mean that you may not use VHF/UHF to voice or packet frequencies to coordinate information and traffic that may be forwarded to the STATEWIDE HF net.

This information was not availiable for last month's KARC News, and was sent as a special KARC Members and Friends Group Email prior to October KARC News publication.

If you are interested in participating in future Emergency Communications Exercises, visit Jim Yuen's website http://home.hawaii.rr.com/jy/ham/bbs.html for further Hawaii Ham Radio Information.


Windward 2 Meter Net Activities-

Lee Wical, KH6BZF, did a great job as NCS for the 145.150 repeater on Wednesday night at 8PM. You too can learn to be a NCS "Net Control Station", It is not "Rocket Science", and everyone on the net is very supportive of all that give it a try. Listen to the net, get the hang of this low-pressure training net. Tune in to 145.150 for the weekly Wednesday night 8pm net.

As an extra "bonus" Dean, NH6XK, is doing a weekly CW class after the Wednesday night net from 8:30 - 8:45 PM. Gordon West has given permission and even provided 6 tapes for Dean to use. THANKS GORDON! Gordon West has authored many handbooks, articles and training materials and are availiable from the usual Ham Radio Stores. -Thanks! Clem, KH7HO, for this information.


70CM REPEATER REMINDER: The ONLY Windward 70cm repeater is on 449.150 (-).


KH7HO, AH6PT and AH7PT Sighted by HPD!

Clem, KH7HO, Al, AH7PT and Jan, WH7Y, have been seen helping to test the Honolulu Police Department's Amateur Radio Stations at the Kaneohe and Kailua Police Stations.(Editor's Note: OK, Cheap Play on Words..

This equipment is used on the Oahu RACES nets and is part of the Windward Oahu Emergency Communications resources. The Dual-band 2Mtr/70cm FT 8100 at the Kaneohe Police Station is suffering from a bad power supply and the radio can only receive. The Dual-band 2Mtr/70cm and the HF radio at the Kailua Police Station work fine. There are several other HPD stations that need to be tested or established to be ready for training and disaster use.


OCTOBER CONTESTS- CA QSO Party, CQ WW DX (phone) and MORE!

Editor's Note: You may as well either leave the radio OFF or Join in the Fun on the First and Last weekends of October...CA QSO party fills the band as does the CQ WW DX Phone Contest. WB6FZH will likely be providing contacts for the RARE Trinty County multiplier in CA QSO..


SWAP, SELL & TRADE- KARC Members...Your FREE Advertisement here!




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MEMBERSHIP & Field Day CHAIRMAN- Jerry Mulherin, WH6BKQ, 235-3042, email:jerham@aloha.net

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