As all of you know we will be moving into a new shack once the new hospital is finished. At least I hope you know that. 😉
But: the contractor and the hospital have big plans. Bigger than I even realized!
I got a quick tour of the new facility a few days ago, albeit from afar.
Take a good look at this photo. If you click on it you’ll get a much bigger version.
Look at the top right of the new building. That – clearly – will be the new location of our club shack; because – as you can see – there’s a huge disc on top of the roof that will hold our antenna tower and antennas. Yes, it’s rotatable.
That’s an equation that just about everyone in the electronics world strives to achieve: optimum power transfer! Power in equals power out.
But… from a slightly different angle: if that “power in” is the power that comes backin… then you have a problem. In this case: the reflected power.
Point in case:
High SWR? We don’t need no steenking high SWR!
After two Saturdays of troubleshooting this issue (I’m an essential worker nowadays) this old hound thinks it’s safe to say we have a problem up top. Because of recent heavy rain it could just be water in the balun or coax, as was the case with the 80 m dipole coax that I fixed last week.
For now our mighty, mighty beam has been disconnected and replaced by a multi-band Alpha Delta wire antenna, generously donated by WW5XX a while ago. (thanks James, you’re a visionary!).
Speaking of beam: there now is a 40 meter add-on available from the manufacturer. It comes in a kit, for those who want to have fun building. Wink wink, nudge nudge. 🙂
That’s all, y’all. Stay safe. Stop picking your noses. You’re shoving the Covids up in there!
Thanks to your great wisdom and kind generosity – as shown in your Executive Order GA-14 about Covid-19 (PDF file here)- we will still be able to practice our beloved religion in our place of worship, even in these troubling times, and in large groups; because said Executive Order contains an exemption for churches.
So: all we had to do was start our own church, and we did so. And we found a perfectly good name for it. Trademark pending. We have already taken action to spread your gospel to our members. Members: please bring your own PPE.
As they saying goes: the devil is in the details. So CLICK this image to ENLARGE it!
Out of concern for the health of our members, the UMH staff, its patients and visitors and ourselves we have decided to suspend the monthly club meetings and VE test sessions until further notice. This is a simple precaution we feel we need to take.
You will find updates here on our website. If you have any questions you can email us at kn5s@coyotearc.net.
We appreciate your understanding. Please keep yourself and others safe.
As part of efforts under way to help protect the health and safety of the CARC headquarters volunteers from the impacts of the coronavirus, the CARC has decided to suspend all tours and guest visits to station KN5S and the CARC headquarters, effective Sunday, March 15. Out of an abundance of caution, this suspension will be in effect until further notice.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to our members and their guests who had been planning to visit us in Uvalde, Texas. We feel, however, that this is a necessary precaution and is in keeping with the guidance being provided by federal and local health professionals.
We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we all endeavor to deal with this difficult public health situation.
The meeting was called to order at 19:11 UMH time.
Attending: Jim AB5JK and Erik K5WW.
Treasurer’s report: $696.98.
Jim reports that through a few of his contacts at the school he learned of the S.T.E.A.M. (science-technology-engineering-art-mathematics) expo, organized by the school and held at the El Progresso Memorial Library in Uvalde. The organizers asked if we were interested in participating; and we are! It sounds like the perfect opportunity to introduce or own STEAM to the students and community.
On February 9 K5WW met with Jody “Surfer Girl” Blumenfeld, our friend Dave WA6YJW’s widow. Dave donated his Diamond multi-band vertical to the club; but it still needed to be taken down. That was not a quick and easy task; but thanks to the help of Jody and her 3 brothers we managed to do that – safely! That vertical antenna will replace the one we had at the shack and mysteriously got damaged last year.
Before it will be installed K5WW will engrave Dave’s name and call onto the base of the antenna. It’s the least we can do to show our appreciation of the man himself and his generosity.
Jody also donated Dave’s HF radio and accessories to the club. We can always use a backup; but we might even donate it to he or she who passes his license test next. Start studying 🙂
K5WW also received a half dozen of Dave’s HP3/WA6YJW QSL cards, as shown below. If any of the members wants one as a tangible reminder of Dave please ask the Secretary.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 PM. Next meeting: March 23.
After months of careful planning and perseverance it finally happened: the Club Trustee and the Secretary made an FT8 QSO with each other on 20 meters!
