If you would like to become a member of SELARC, please print out and complete the application/renewal form and return it with your check to: P.O. Box 1324, Hammond LA 70404. Thanks!

VP8STI/VP8SGI trip to South Sandwich and S. Georgia Islands presentation by David Assaf III W5XU at the June 12th SELARC meeting -- don't miss this one!

Field Day 2018

Slidell Hamfest on July 21 at John Slidell Park, 105 Robert Road. Details at http://www.w5sla.net

Shreveport-Bossier City Hamfest on 10-11 August with prizes, flea market and FCC exams! Details at http://www.shreveporthamfest.com

Greater New Orleans Ham Fest on November 10th, Harahan LA, with prizes and flea market! Details at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2044282109131267/

Hammond VE Group - ARRL/W5YI tests are scheduled for the last Sunday of each month [with the exception of holiday conflicts] in Room "B" of the North Oaks Medical System Diagnostic Center at 2pm with $15 testing fee. Bring photo ID and any appropriate CSCE. For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Find an Amateur Radio License Exam in Your Area.

Birthday wishes this June go to Dean Melancon KG5AAE, Scott Hernandez KD5PCK, James Redmond K5QNT, Lambert Michel KG5DDW and Jason Liuzza K5WDH! If we missed your birthday, please let us know.

At the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Association’s Annual Membership Awards Luncheon in Baton Rouge on May 16th, Region 9 ADEC Ed Mason, KE5GMN, and Tangipahoa EC Pat Mason, KE5KMM, received a Dedication Award for Outstanding Service in Emergency Preparedness.
Congratulations and Thanks to both of them for their service to amateur radio and our communities!

The meeting was called to order at 7PM by President Tyrone Burns N5XES who then led in the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a brief self-introduction of all present. It was m/s/passed to accept minutes of the April meeting as published in the Hamster. A monthly financial report was given by Treasurer Carol Redmond KE5GOC, and it was m/s/passed to accept the financial report. A membership renewal was received for David Oehler, K4BHY.

Attendance (12):Tyrone N5XES, Mark WX5RN, Jerry N5GKJ, Ernie N5NIB, Lyle KD5JRY Jimmy AG5EJ, Carol KE5GOC, Ed Mason KE5GMN, Ralph Shaw K5CAV, David W5NPV, Bob WB5FBS and Keith KF5VLX.

Committee Reports: Repeater (Tyrone N5XES) - The 147.00 repeater went off-air recently with intermod timing out the controller. Went out to site and checked repeater and batteries. Checked power levels and cables; serviced batteries adding 1/2 gallon of water. There was discussion of further adjustments that may be taken. The 145.130 repeater is OK. The 444.250 still has hum on receiver. A stockpile of GE parts has been donated for maintenance of the UHF repeater, but parts still need to be picked up. Have not been able to schedule a time to pick up. Tyrone requested that members interested in being on the repeater committee contact him.

Old Business: (1)Strawberry Festival: The Strawberry festival event was rained out on Saturday, and nobody went out to operate on Sunday. (2) Field Day: June 23 - 24, 2018 -- At the club station this year. The stations and antennas still need prep work - members were requested to contact Lyle KD5JRY for participation in Field Day preparations for the 2018 Field Day. (3) LA Special Olymptics: Bob WB5FBS - Passed around a signup sheet and encouraged those present to remind other hams who may be not at the meeting but interested to work the event to contact Bob. All you need to work the event is a good HT with extra batteries. (4) The DDD+1 seminar in Lafayette, LA. - Tyrone N5XES, Ernie N5NIB, and Jerry N5GKJ attended the seminar, and there was some discussion about DSTAR, although the cost, internet connection, and specialized IT requirements seem to be significant obstacles. (5) A presentation by David Assaf III W5XU on the VP8STI / VP8SGI trip to South Sandwich and S. Georgia Islands. This will be after the June 12 meeting and last a couple hours, but well worth it, especially for those interested in how DX-peditions work.

New Business: (1) Tyrone discussed a plan to procure supplies towards upkeep of the radio room, including cleaning materials, a small portable vacuum, broom, dust-pan, and some curtains or blinds. (2) The club is in need of an active callsign trustee and Tyrone requested anyone interested to contact him. (3) Bob WB5FBS relayed a question received about the SELARC website still listing Ted KB5CQF as secretary - despite Ted's resignation. Tyrone N5XES appoints and proposes Jimmy AG5EJ be added as secretary, and asks for any objection -- no objection is made. (4) Keith KF5VLX presented a new high-quality printed large sign banner with the SELARC logos donated to the club. The presentation drew a round of applause.

Announcements:
Slidell HamFest - 21 Jul, 2018 - Slidell
Shreveport-Bossier HamFest - 10-11 Aug, 2018
N.O. HamFest - 10 Nov, 2018, Harahan

Adjournment: It was m/s/passed to adjourn at 8:00pm.
submitted by Vice-President/Secretary Jimmy Hess AG5EJ

==> The June VHF Contest is coming up the weekend of June 9 - You might want to study the results article for the January VHF Contest, and read some post-contest comments on 3830scores.com to understand how the VHF contesting landscape is changing vis-à-vis FT8. Remember, the contest exchange is just the grid square. Don't squander valuable band opening moments by sending any extraneous information. No signal report is required for the exchange. SSB and CW mode rates are usually greater than FT8 rates if the band is open. Remember to use Contest Mode if you're using FT8 on WSJT-X. If you see impractical grids being sent by the other side, one side is probably not using contest mode. Marshall, K5QE, published "VHF+ Contesting and the Digital Modes" which contains practical, specific guidance on how and when to use specific modes. It always pays to read the manual or help files for the software that you're using.

==> Eagles Guitarist Joe Walsh, WB6ACU, Promotes Amateur Radio in Media Announcements - Legendary rock guitarist Joe Walsh, WB6ACU, of the Eagles is featured in a just-released set of ARRL audio and video public service announcements promoting Amateur Radio. ARRL will provide the 30- and 60-second PSAs to Public Information Officers (PIOs) to share with their Section's television and radio stations. The ARRL Media and Public Relations Department also will provide these announcements files directly to interested television and radio outlets, and the announcements are available for downloading from the ARRL website for members to use in promoting Amateur Radio at club meetings and public presentations, such as ARRL Field Day on June 23-24 (PSAs specifically for ARRL Field Day also are available). Those PSAs will also be available for download from the ARRL website, so that members can present them at club meetings and other public gatherings.

==> Amateur Radio Parity Act Language Inserted in National Defense Authorization Act - ARRL has praised the work of US Representatives Joe Courtney (D-CT/2), Vicky Hartzler (R-MO/4), and Mike Rogers (R-AL/3) for their successful efforts in securing language in the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that asks the FCC to grant radio amateurs living in restricted communities the right to install effective outdoor antennas. Text from the proposed Amateur Radio Parity Act (HR 555) formed the basis for the Courtney-Hartzler-Rogers Amendment to the NDAA. "The bill does entitle each and every Amateur Radio operator living in a deed-restricted community to erect an effective outdoor antenna. Full stop. That is the principal benefit of this legislation," ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, stressed. "There are tens of thousands of ham radio licensees who now, absent the legislation, cannot erect any outdoor antenna at all. This enables them in the same way PRB-1 has enabled hams to address unreasonably restrictive zoning ordinances during the past 33 years." Imlay pointed out, though, that certain conditions apply. Prior to erecting an antenna in a deed-restricted community, an applicant for an outdoor antenna may have to apply to the homeowners association (HOA) for prior approval of the particular antenna system proposed by the ham. The Act would not empower an HOA to deny approval of all outdoor antennas. But neither does it entitle radio amateurs residing in deed-restricted subdivisions to erect whatever antennas they want.

==> MARS Urging Members to Use Computers that are Isolated from the Internet - US Army Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) headquarters is recommending that MARS members "migrate to standalone computer systems for [MARS] radio operations," subject to the availability of a dedicated computer. "These computer systems (or their associated local area networks) should be 'air-gapped' from the internet," Army MARS Headquarters Operations Officer David McGinnis, K7UXO, said in a message to members. "Although not a requirement for membership at this time, we will continue make this a condition of certain parts of our exercises."
McGinnis pointed to remarks by Cisco researchers in a recent Ars Technica article that discussed how hackers "possibly working for an advanced nation" have infected more than a half-million home and small-office computers "with malware that can be used to collect communications, launch attacks on others, and permanently destroy the devices with a single command." McGinnis told Army MARS members that MARS Headquarters does not discuss specific cyber threats with MARS members or with the public. "We also cannot confirm or deny information about specific threats," he said, adding that he had "no specific knowledge" about VPN Filter malware and no comment on the Cisco report. For communication exercises this year, MARS established conditions for a certain portion of the drill that requires use of standalone computer systems "normally not connected to the internet." He said used or refurbished PCs are widely available at low cost and could be dedicated to serve a standalone function.

==> The "Scouts BSA" program change is expected to enhance ham radio opportunities for young women - Boy Scouts of America's Radio Scouting Coordinator Jim Wilson, K5ND, says that, although the program name for ages 11 to 17 will change to "Scouts BSA" and begin admitting girls starting on February 1, 2019, the organization's name remains the same. "Perhaps the big difference is that girls will now be eligible to earn the Radio Merit Badge as part of their Scouting program," Wilson told ARRL. "Girls are already a part of Venturing, a coed program for ages 14 to 20." He pointed out that Venture Scouts of both sexes have always been able to earn the Amateur Radio Operator Rating Strip and the Morse Code Interpreter Strip. "Girl Scouts have always been welcome to participate [in JOTA]," Wilson added. "Now, they'll be participating in not only Girl Scouts, but also in Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA." Wilson noted that Scouting organizations in most other countries have had female members for quite a while now.

==> Informal Amateur Radio Nets Being Maintained in Wake of Volcanic Eruptions in Hawaii - Two informal informational nets remain open on the island of Hawaii ("The Big Island") in the wake of recent and ongoing volcanic eruptions and seismic activity, Pacific Section Emergency Coordinator Clement Jung, KH7HO, reports. No formal traffic has been passed, but frequencies are being monitored. An Amateur Radio net is in operation on 7.088 MHz (SSB), and the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) 146.720 MHz repeater (100 Hz tone) on Mauna Kea was activated after Hawaii's governor issued an emergency declaration. A federal disaster declaration has been approved. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports active venting of lava and hazardous fumes continues, with no end in sight. The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park closed after roads and trails were damaged. The Observatory this week increased the Aviation Color Code to RED, due to increased ash emission.

==> ARRL Renews Memorandum of Understanding with SATERN, Promotes Partnerships at Forum - On May 18 at Hamvention, ARRL and The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) renewed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organizations that spells out how they will work together in disaster and emergency responses. ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, signed the MoU on behalf of ARRL on Hamvention's opening day. SATERN National Liaison Bill Feist, WB8BZH, represented SATERN at the signing and delivered a copy of the MoU already signed by The Salvation Army. ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U, said ARRL and SATERN have enjoyed a formal working relationship since 1976, and the MoU was up for renewal. The MoU "defines the partnership" between ARRL and SATERN and The Salvation Army, in which ARRL and SATERN agree to work together toward common goals, particularly in disaster response, Corey said, adding that the MoU opens the possibility for sharing resources. Corey said ARRL and SATERN also have agreed to coordinate their disaster response activities, to eliminate duplication of effort. SATERN meets regularly on 14.265 MHz SSB, and is activated for extended periods during disaster and emergency responses. Cooperation was the focus of an ARRL Hamvention forum, "Building Partnerships," attended by more than 100 people. Leading the discussion were Corey and FEMA Community Partnership Specialist Sarah Byrne, who outlined the four "Cs" of partnerships: Collaboration, Communication, Cooperation, and Coordination.

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Stay Radio active -- See you at the June 12th Meeting

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