Coyote Amateur Radio Club

The 2014 Field Day is June 28 and 29. We will be out in the field somewhere, making lots of contacts! Or a pasture. Or a nice, air-conditioned shack. But wherever we will be: there will be BBQ! Because it seems that our mighty president, when he’s not working, only does one of two things: cook or play radio. Or maybe I should make that 3 things; because he likes to fish too! Which then ends up at the BBQ. Possibly even at a radio event. Hmmm….. so maybe it’s just one thing he likes, all of the above rolled into one! 🙂

Come and join us in the fun! We will be here. Look for the yellow buildings 🙂

20 more days 😉

What? Concrete?? Rebar??? A tower base????

The next club meeting is on the 24th of June. About a week before Field Day 2014, plenty of time to take care of a few last-minute things, should there be any.

This is your official invitation!

Field Day is coming to a pasture to you soon! Putting up antennas and playing radio – big fun! But… I’m ashamed to say it: I don’t seem to be any good at making knots. And they come in so dang handy when it comes to installing push-up poles.

So I did some searching on the interwebs; and found this helpful little website, with several small videos demonstrating how to make some really good knots for all kinds of situations: I Will Knot!

If you’re knot-challenged – as I am – then I suggest you have a look!

(got lost in the shuffle for a while, sorry!)

The meeting was called to order at 7:17 PM CDT. Attending: James WB5AIG, Mary KU5Z, Richard N5YPJ, Jim AB5JK, Gregory (former) KB5RQW and sister, Erik K5WW and our esteemed president Jason KF5EJX.

The treasurer’s report showed no change since last month. But since May is due paying time that will change by June. Dues were collected from all attendees, and there even were some cash donations; so the Treasurer has some number crunching to do 🙂

There was some discussion about the location for Field Day. Suggested locations were AB5JK’s dad’s place, the club shack itself, or inside the hospital. All have their pros and cons: a magnificent view but mosquitoes at the Klaevemann residence, AC  but no restroom at the shack, and some public visibility but no smoking at the hospital! Everyone was asked to consider those choices, and we will vote on it at the June meeting, which is a few days before Field Day.

K5WW donated a used but perfectly good inkjet printer to the shack, including a brand new supply of ink and a USB (not LSB!) cable to hook it up. Might come in handy. Also, sales on eBay (the old equipment Jason bought) have exceeded expectations; the net profit so far is well over $400.

Gregory came down all the way from Bandera; because he wanted to take the technician exam again, after it had expired some time ago. That would have been possible right there and then if idiot K5WW hadn’t forgotten the test materials! But, in his defense, that was the very first time; and Gregory was offered to take the test after the meeting – in Brackettville. Which he did!

The 6 meter antenna will be installed soon – before the June VHF contest. It’s that time of year, folks! Jason has all the mounting equipment; he and Erik just need to find a good day to do it – without getting a brutal sunburn…

The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 PM CDT, in order administer the Technician class test to Gregory in Brackettville and allow him to return to Bandera at a reasonable time.

Next meeting is June 24th. Be there. There will be a H-U-G-E announcement!!

Mr. Gregory I. Smith from Bandera, TX, formerly known as KB5RQW.

Gregory’s license expired back in 2002; but he was determined to get it back. And he did!

He passed the Technician test on the evening of May 27 after the club meeting, in KU5Z’s kitchen (*). And not only did he pass; he aced it. Amazing job, Gregory! I am sure you will soon upgrade to General, and Extra after that.

(*) yeah, you need to start charging rent for the use of your kitchen 😉

Uvalde. Kettle. 7 PM. 27th. Be there, OK? And bring your annual dues! 🙂

On the agenda: the club’s constitution, installation of the tower, Field Day, members’ needs.

Well, ain’t that interesting? That’s the same agenda as April! Hmmmm 😉

a.k.a. K5WW’s kitchen.

This is what it takes to make a few bucks for the CARC, on eBay:

Oops – make that “KU5Z’s kitchen”! 🙂

I’ll be the first to admit that without the A.R.R.L. we wouldn’t be in this amateur radio hobby today. Without the League commercial interests would have costs us all of the spectrum we currently have, and we would either be fishing, playing cards or carving wood in our spare time. I am convinced that had it not been for several of the A.R.R.L.’s interventions in regulatory matters the amateur radio service would no longer exist today, not in the U.S.A. and – possibly – nowhere in the world. So I appreciate all that they’ve done to keep this great hobby/service alive.

Unfortunately every now and then they do downright stupid things too. Things that are not in the best interest of all of us, which they are supposed to represent. Things that are motivated by a few people inside the A.R.R.L., without asking the membership anything (that’s not representing, is it?), and without even explaining the whole deal to everyone who works (volunteer or otherwise) for that very same A.R.R.L.

One of those extremely foolish things the A.R.R.L. has done recently is file a Petition for Rule Making with the F.C.C.; a petition that was assigned RM-11708. That petition calls for a number of “small” changes to the F.C.C. rules (Part 97), that will change life as we know it, and drastically so.

I will leave the technical aspects to people who are better versed than I am; but suffice it to say that if you value RTTY, CW, or any digital mode that you have been doing for years then NOW is the time to act!

This petition, if approved, will obliterate all of the above transmissions, by allowing (very) wide digital signals in the spectrum that traditionally has been occupied by the currently legal digital modes and CW. One of those wide signals can wipe out 10 RTTY signals, close to 100 PSK31 signals, and about just as much CW signals. And it’s not a matter of “if”, but “when” instead. If RM-11708 is approved by the F.C.C. then that is exactly what’s going to happen; because some people at the A.R.R.L. are pushing this petition very hard, while others inside the A.R.R.L. are utterly clueless; yet are blindly following their “wise” colleagues. One of two people spearheading this foolishness is our own West Gulf Division director, K5RAV. (and if you happen to read this, David: you’re never getting my vote again!).

Please, folks: if you value your hobby as you know it now then take a moment to go to this website: www.savertty.com (there’s also www.savecw.com but the content is identical). It spells out what the exact motivation behind this petition is, what the results – if approved – will be; and what to do about it. All it takes is a few minutes of your time. Please do it now; because there’s no going back if it gets approved! And you’ll only have yourself to blame when you can no longer make CW, RTTY, or digital modes QSOs because of the constant interference…

And no, once again, I don’t hate the A.R.R.L. – I do quite a bit of volunteer work for them, and have for years. But as members (or even non-members!) we don’t have to agree with every stupid move they make and this petition is not in the best interest of amateur radio as a whole, but rather in the interest of a select few. Make sure you send your thoughts to the F.C.C.!

73,

Erik – K5WW

A.R.R.L. V.E. / O.O.

Please file a comment against RM-11708 on the FCC’s website. Instructions are provided at www.savertty.com / www.savecw.com

(My apologies for the late post! After a long day on the road and arriving very late at the meeting I also managed to misplace my notes in one of the many boxes with old radio gear I am selling on eBay; and it took me a while to find them…)

The meeting was called to order at 7:56 PM CDT, because of the secretary arriving late. And the Kettle being super busy with customers, all wanting F-O-O-D! 😉

Attending: Jim AB5JK, Gary K5QOW and XYL, Jason KF5EJX, Dave WA6YJW, David W5DUH, James WB5AIG and Erik K5WW.

According to the treasurer’s report we currently have $552 in our safe (read: old, smelly sock under the mattress). About half of that thanks to the dues; the other half is in the radio fund.

Erik K5WW is and has been selling a bunch of old radio gear on eBay, that was acquired by Jason at the open house day. Currently (as of May 3rd) we have about $150 profit, with 3 items still up for bids; and with some of it (the biggest items!) not listed on eBay yet. That should put a few more shiny coins in our coffers.

It was decided that we needed to revise our (old) constitution to reflect our current status. Gary K5QOW read the old constitution out loud, after which input was requested from the attendees. Several good points were brought up; and changes were made. President Jason KF5EJX is going to put all changes in writing.

There has been no change in our tower “situation” lately; but changes are on their way. Stay tuned!

The meeting was adjourned around 9 PM, after which most of us moved to the club shack, where Dave WA6YJW donated a lot of test equipment to the club. Thank you, Dave!!