April 1999 President's Message At our March general meeting, the over 75 members present unanimously approved revisions to WARC's constitution that were mailed with January's FEEDBACK, updated based upon input from the membership and posted on our WEB site, and discussed at our February and March general meetings. Thanks go out to chairperson Tom Michaud (WA3TQJ) and his committee for updating this important document, and to our club WEBmaster Al Konschak (WI3Z) for his help in getting the revisions in a "black lined" form so everyone could easily see the proposed changes. In addition to "cleaning up" a number of administrative items, our revised constitution now provides for a new membership class, "Alumni members", to have full privileges of club membership for the costs of printing and mailing our monthly FEEDBACK newsletter. So spread the word- if you know someone who is a former WARC member and is unable to attend meeting and Club activities on a regular basis due to health considerations or travel impediments, they qualify! Applications and checks should be sent to our Membership Chairperson Don McCunney (KA3N) c/o the club's mailing address. I must admit that this was a "pet idea" of mine. In the twelve years I've been a WARC member, I've seen a great number of our former members move away or become too frail to attend club activities and meetings on a regular basis. Some have chosen to maintain their "connection" by continuing to pay full membership dues; others have lost the former bond they had to WARC. It's especially meaningful to me that our first Alumni member is Stan Parr (W3MJR), who now lives (in retirement) in the Reading area with his wife Eleanor. When I joined the club it was in great part because of my then 11 year old son's desire to get his ticket. After Jason (N3FVS) became licensed, he often operated "bike mobile" and had many conversations with Stan. On a number of occasions, he was invited to help Stan install antennas at his former home in Newtown. Since moving away, Stan has attended our hamfests and our annual club dinners, but with the passage of time, these visits have become less frequent. In January I received a beautiful note from him, expressing his delight in receiving FEEDBACK each month. I'm glad the he (and hopefully many former members) will be able take advantage of our new "affordable" Alumni membership. We're getting into a very busy time of the year for WARC. Licensing and upgrade classes have started again - contact George Altemus (KA3WXV) if you want to help out by teaching or know someone who wants to join the Tuesday evening sessions. We have numerous public service events (see listings in FEEDBACK and on club WEB site). We'll want great participation for Field Day (no Air Show this year to compete with) the weekend of June 26/27 . And, WE NEED EVERYONE to help out with Hamfest'99 on Sunday, May 2 in order to insure it is a safe and well run event and a financial success for the club. I hope we see every member involved in some level of participation in club activities over the next few months- there's plenty to choose from! de Bill , K3MFI NEW WARC ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP Attention all former WARC members. At the March 4 General Meeting, revisions to our club's constitution were approved that among other things, establishes a new Alumni membership category for former WARC members who are unable to attend meeting and Club activities on a regular basis due to health considerations or travel impediments. Dues for the Alumni membership were established at $8.00 annually to cover the costs of printing and mailing our monthly FEEDBACK newsletter. ELMER COMMITTEE FORMING Ron Wenig (NY3J) has volunteered to form a committee that can Elmer (or mentor / coach) our members when they have questions about our broad hobby. He will be our resource on APRS, and is looking for other club members to take on similar responsibilities for any topic the feel comfortable with- HF, weak signal VHF/UHF, digital communications, DX'ing, QRP operation, etc. If we get enough response, we can have "special interest groups" who might meet on their own to discuss the part of ham radio they find most interesting. Club WEB master Al Konschak (WI3Z) said he can create a link from our homepage and list information, questions and answers for each group. Please contact Ron (NY3J) if you're interested in joining him and helping "the rest of us" participate more fully in ham radio. KIT BUILDING NIGHT RETURNS To encourage more "homebrew" equipment construction, WARC is again sponsoring organized sessions starting at 7:30 pm on the second Thursday of the month at the Ben Wilson Senior Center. So bring those (aged) TenTec 6 meter transverter kits in or anything else (amateur radio related) you want to build or get working. Looking for something simple- how about putting together an antenna? Lots of help and expertise will be available- past building experience is not a criteria for joining the group. CLUB ELECTIONS WARC members will elect officers (all positions) at the May 6 General Meeting. If you're interested in being on the slate, contact Steve (KA3ZLY) Larson on the club repeater, by phone (822-1511) or by e-mail (stlarson@erols.com) by the April 1 General meeting so that your name can appear on the ballot that will be sent out with the May FEEDBACK. Nominations from the floor will also be accepted at the May 6 General Meeting. New officers assume their responsibilities July 1, 1999 and serve for one year. UPCOMING PUBLIC SERVICE EVENTS MS Walk- Tyler Park, Newtown, PA (assemble at Newtown Jr. High) Sunday, April 18 ; 7:30AM-2:00PM ; 15 operators; Ellen (AA3AI) Contact Ellen (AA3AI) Hui at (215) 968-6758 March of Dimes Walkathons Upper Bucks (Quakertown) Saturday, April 24 , 7:30AM-2:00PM ; 10 operators needed Contact Bob (KA3VKU) Phillips at (215) 766-0456 Middle Bucks (Peace Valley) Sunday April 25 , 7:30AM-2:00PM ; 20 operators needed Contact Doc (W3GAD) Whitticar at (215) 968-0641 Lower Bucks (Core Creek) Sunday April 25 , 7:30AM-2:00PM ; 20 operators needed Contact Ellen (AA3AI) Hui at (215) 968-6758 Warminster Memorial Day Parade Monday, May 31 , 8:30AM-2:00PM ; I will need about 12 operators to staff this event. It is an easy and enjoyable public service event. Beside seeing an old fashion community parade, you will also be treated to food and drink at the firehouse after the parade. Contact George (N3HBT) Brechmann at (215) 443-5656 george-n3hbt@juno.com 30th Annual "Vintage" Ford Show (Johnsville) Sunday, June 13, 8:00AM-3:30PM ; the Antique V8 Ford car show will be held on the grounds of the Warminster NADC facility near the new firehouse. This is a new public service event for us and it should be fairly easy and low impact. I would like to have at least 15 operators to staff this event, and we will be working out of our cars on the base. I have also been promised that we will be well taken care of in the food department. The times for the car show will be from 8:30 am to 3:30 PM. Anyone who is interested in participating in either or both events, please sign up at the next two meetings or contact Contact George (N3HBT) Brechmann at (215) 443-5656 george-n3hbt@juno.com Thank you all for your support. '73, George; N3HBT Warminster Amateur Radio Club General Meeting March 4, 1999 Meeting called to order at 7:34 PM by Bill K3MFI Round of introductions by those present. Introduction of visitors. Don KF3CN upgraded to advanced. President's Report - Bill K3MFI Motion to approve the February meeting minutes as published in March issue of Feedback. Seconded. No discussion. Passed unanimously. An Executive Board meeting is being planned for March. Greater Timonium Hamfest is looking for volunteers to help. Admission to the hamfest will be provided. The hamfest will be held March 27 & 28. WARC is looking for coaches/mentors (elmers) in all areas of amateur radio to assist others who need help on some aspect of our hobby. See Ron NY3J for more info. Vice President's Report - Rocky N3FKR Upcoming topics for our general meetings: April - Annual homebrew night. Judging of best projects will be done and prizes will be awarded. May - Annual pizza social where any topic of interest to amateur radio can be discussed. June - Antenna design and building workshop. Treasurer's Report - Al KY3T Al presented the club's account balances. Secretary's Report - Mark N3GNW A letter from the Senior Center thanking us for the plaque was presented to the membership. Motion to continue publishing the general meeting minutes in Feedback for membership review. Seconded. No discussion. Question called. Passed unanimously. Membership - Don KA3N 131 current and active members. Classes - George Classes are starting March 9 at the Benjamin Wilson Senior Center. Seven people have called for information about the classes. Hamfest '99 - Tony N3YNH Venders are reserving tables now. Button slogan contest is starting now. Field Day '99 - Doc W3GAD June 26 and 27. There is no air show at Willow Grove Joint Reserve Base to compete for the club's attention. We could be 7A this year. Set-up will be on Friday. Stu K3QBU will assist Doc in organizing the event. PA QSO Party - Marty NR3Z 10 participants from the club earned seven coffee mugs. Participation was up from last year. Marty will organize the club's entry again this year. The seven mugs (for 100 or more contacts) were presented to club members. Constitution Motion to adopt the new constitution (revision dated March 4, 1999). Seconded. No discussion. Passed unanimously. Public Service Events MS Walk-a-thon: Upper Bucks KA3VKU 10 operators are needed. April 24 Central Bucks W3GAD 20 operators are needed. April 25 Lower Bucks AA3A 30 operators are needed. April 25 Information about these events will be published in Feedback. Memorial Day parade in Warminster May 24. Antique V8 Ford show at the former Naval Air Warfare Center. To watch the perimeter of the show so that no guests leaves the car show area. (The Navy is being very strict about this.) See George N3HBT to sign-up. Looking for a chairperson for a fall special event station. Rocky N3FKR is organizing another kit building session will be on March 11 at the Senior Center. New Business A new class of membership is now allowed by the new constitution. This is Alumni member. (Bill K3MFI) Motion to charge $8 for this class of membership. Seconded. The money will be used to cover the cost of printing and mailing Feedback to these members. Question called. Passed unanimously. Al's net program - KY3T Al created a program which will allow tracking net check-ins. It is available on the club's Web site. Motion to adjourn. Seconded. No discussion. Passed unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Mark Kempisty - N3GNW WARC Secretary NEW FREEWARE PROGRAM FROM AL FOLSOLM, KY3T NetManager 0.1 beta is a simple program for running radio nets. Included is a sample WARC club database. You will need to have a copy of Winzip or PKzip to uncompress it. Download it from WARC's WEBsite, try it and send comments to Al, KY3T. Score one for the good guys! "FCC fines operators in repeater QRM case: The FCC has used mobile direction-finding techniques to solve a longstanding repeater interference problem. The Commission alleges that Michael Gallagher, KB3DHX, of Concord, Massachusetts, and Kornwell Chan, W3CI, of Dresher, Pennsylvania, were maliciously interfering with the Phil-Mont Mobile Radio Club 2-meter repeater, W3QV, and has levied fines on the two operators. On multiple occasions in February, personnel from the FCC's Philadelphia office traced radio transmissions to a vehicle said to be occupied by the operators in question. Both licensees have been issued Notices of Apparent Liabilty for $7,500 each.--FCC" During the period of time when the FCC was taking statements from Gallagher and Chan, and preparing formal charges, those Phil-Monters directly involved in this matter were requested to keep it confidential until such time as the FCC was ready to issue a News Release. This the FCC did, on Friday last, and so "now it can be told." And it will be, beginning on Sunday morning's net, and the next BLURB. Again, we owe a big, big vote of thanks to Rick and Carol...and to Don, who we recruited (with FCC's knowledge) to be the "bait" station, keeping Hosanna Banana and his sidekick on the air long enough for the FCC men to do their thing...which they did with amazing speed. BBB, DHI and I were in beeper & cellphone contact with the "good guys," who were super cooperative...even on Saturday and Sunday nights! Richard A. Moll P.O. Box 88 Abington, PA 19001 Voice & FAX: 215-659-4200 RESULTS: ARRL JANUARY SWEEPSTAKES What a wonderful year for contesting. 18 Logs were submitted this year and over 75% of the submissions were active on more than one band. 2 meters and 440 were the most popular of course. 222 and 6 meters were also well represented. 10 stations had entries on 6 meters and 5 on 222. Sounds like a great outcome. I want to thank everyone who participated. We who have done this for a few years better look out. There are some rising stars out there. Bill Strunk, K3ZMA, put all the veterans behind him save for one. Nice Job Bill! Dennis Shegda, N3KRE, was responsible for 1/3rd of our total score. Look out Dennis there's some good competition right behind you! From conversations on the repeater it sounds like everyone had a great time and enjoyed themselves. Thanks to all that participated and submitted logs----it was an easy job checking this year! Lets get ready for next year and spread the word about the fun we have! Here are the club scores for you to view! CALL NAME SCORE BANDS N3KRE Dennis Shegda 7600 6/2/432 K3ZMA Bill Strunk 3192 6/2/432 N3HBT George Brechmann 2470 6/2/222/432 WI3Z Al Konschak 2398 6/2/222/432 KA3N Don McCunney 1708 6/2/222/432 N3GNW Mark Kempsty 1630 2/222/432 N3HKS Jonathan Janssen 576 6/2/432 tight race! K3QQ/3 Richard Janssen 568 6/2/432 KA3YCGAlan Ash 536 6/2/432 KB3ANO Denise Burstein 500 2/432 with son! N3EMA Joe Bagnick 462 6/2/222/432 N3AAT David Shaw 348 6/2 N3MXT Paul Magidman 225 2 N3LJE Randy Gehman 82 2 WR3V Richard Stahl 70 2 WG3S Richard Mack 54 2 KD3DI Tom Ledoux 40 2/432 N3RAF Bill Essner 34 2 Thanks again to all those who helped make this campaign successful. Joe, N3EMA and Brian, N3EXA FOR SALE ACER Pentium 200 MHz w/ MMX Technology, 96 Mb RAM, 6.5 Gb HDD (new), 3.5" FDD 16x CD-ROM, 56kbps USR Modem, Soundblaster Pro Awe 64, Keyboard/mouse, ACER ASPIRE Monitor 17"(15.7 viewable), SVGA w/ .28 dot pitch, Transferable Warranty (good until 05/16/01), $500.00 (firm) Mike P. (W3MJP) 215-491-9665 BACK