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The SELARC "Hamster"
*Serving Amateur Radio Since 1974*
Published Monthly by the Southeast Louisiana Amateur Radio Club Inc.
P.O. Box 1324, Hammond LA 70404
Visit our website: www.selarc.org
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Vol. 45, No. 4 ......................... April 2018 |
* Club Meeting *
Tuesday, April 10, 7:00PM
SLU University Center
800 West University Avenue
St. Tammany Room -- Handicap Access
Special Guests will be John Mark Robertson K5JMR, LA ARRL SM, and Jim Coleman AI5B, LA ARES SEC
Talk-in 147.00 (-600) w/107.2 Tone
If you would like to become a member of SELARC, please print out and complete the application/renewal formand return it with your check to: P.O. Box 1324, Hammond LA 70404. Thanks!
| Special Events, Hamfests & VE Sessions |
Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival on April 14 & 15 -- SELARC Special Event Station WB5NET will be operating across the street from the festival grounds at the North Sixth Street QTH of N4USW. This is a covered facility in case rains occur. We will begin transmitting at 11am on Saturday & Sunday.
Mobile Hamfest on April 14th at the Abba Shrine Center, 7701 Hitt Road, in Mobile, Alabama. Details atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
NorthEast LA Hamfest/Convention on April 21 at West Monroe Convention Center (901 Ridge Avenue) with prizes, flea market and FCC exams! Details at tables or Jim Ragsdale This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ruston HOT DOG SOCIAL on April 28 at Cook Park with talk-in frequency 147.120 MHz, 94.8 tone. CORN AND POTATOES $15 per Tray!! A LIMITED NUMBER OF TICKETS AVAILABLE SATURDAY MORNING AT THE PARK ON FIRST COME BASIS. Contact Piney Hills Amateur Radio Association
LA Special Olympic Games will be held on May 19-20 on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana University; ham radio volunteers will assist with communications for the events. To volunteer, contact Bob Priez WB5FBS
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.
| Happy Birthday!! |
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GET WELL SOON - |
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In Sympathy - |
Visitation will be at McNeely Funeral Home, Ponchatoula, on April 7th from 2 - 6pm. Donations may be sent to St. Joseph Catholic Church in memory of Edward Michael Eichaker
| Tyke's TidBits -- |
We will also have our new ARRL state officials on hand for this meeting, so if you haven't met them before, be sure to introduce yourself when you come. Field Day will be held at the PCC club station! We still are planning to have a couple of work days at the club station in preparation for FD 2018. If you plan to participate contact Lyle Wales, KD5JRY.
We have recieved about a dozen survey questionniares back from members. If you did not get one or lost it, please pick one up at the meeting. SELARC and ARRL membership applications are also on hand at the club station and at all SELARC functions as well as online on at www.selarc.org.
Tyrone Burns N5XES, President
| VE Session Results... |
Technician : Michael Brandon - Denham Springs
General: Ronald Jung - Tickfaw
I would like to extend a huge welcome to Synomen Hebert KG5IRS and Brett Hebert KG5IQU to the Volunteer Examiner ranks. Your help is greatly needed and much appreciated!
If anyone is interested in helping with our sessions or becoming a Volunteer Examiner, you can visit the ARRL web site and clink on the links for becoming a VE!
The Hammond VE Group is an ARRL sponsored VE team, but some of us also hold W5YI credentials, just in case we need to sit in on one of their sessions! If you are a VE with either group, you can send a copy of your VE credentials to the other VEC group and recieve VE status with them also. Contact ARRL or W5YI for more info!!
As always, many thanks to the volunteers who do show up and help with our sessions! Remember, sessions are always on the last Sunday of each month, with exceptions of conflicting holidays and/or impending natual disasters!!!
Tyrone Burns, VE LiaisonN5XES
| FOR SALE: |
Yaesu G-450a antenna rotator -- will over-rotate 90 deg. past the 360 deg. north indicator. Comes with m metric mounting hardware to fit a Rohn rotor plate, no cable! Connectors are attached plus will include an extra molex style connector for control box. $150.00
Channel Master 3-wire antenna rotator and controller w/infrared remote and some cable - $60.00
Tyrone Burns N5XES
Looking for old radio gear (AM, receivers, tubes, audio or RF amplifiers) -- contact Robert Ramirez K6RAR (916-761-1542)
| New LA ARRL Appointments -- |
The following LA Section Appointments took effect on April 2nd:
Section Manager- John Mark Robertson, K5JMR
Assistant Section Manager- Michael R. (Mike) McCrary, WB5LJQ
Section Emergency Coordinator- James M.(Jim) Coleman, AI5B
Section Traffic Manager- Jimmy L. Lewis, AB5YS
Technical Specialist- Cedric F. Walker, K5CFW
Local Government Liaison- Jaclyn (Jackie) Price, KA5LMZ in addition to current Emergency Coordinator for Region 4
Congratulations and Thanks to all of them for their service to amateur radio and our communities!
| Donation Thanks!! -- |
THANKS to Clarence Abadie KB5GUW for his donation to SELARC of the Kenwood TS-520 transceiver and dipole antennas to be used at the PCC club station!
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The meeting was called to order at 7:05PM by President Tyrone Burns N5XES who led the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a brief introduction of all present. It was m/s/passed to approve minutes of the February 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 new membership application from Chris Benson KG5WDS, Ponchatoula, LA, was voted on and approved.
Attendance (21):Ernie N5NIB, Scott KD5PCK, Ken WB7NCW, Tyrone N5XES, Mark WX5RV, David W5NPV, Keith KF5VLX, Ron Harry KK5AAA, Roger KG5WQI, Jimmy AG5EJ, Pat KE5KMM, Donna KG5JSL, Roy KG5JSM, Lyle KD5JRY, Ed KE5GMN, Carol K5QNT, Bob WB5FBS, Carmen KF5VXO, Richard KG5DBA, John AA5UY, Judy AA5UZ.
Committee Reports: Repeater (Tyrone N5XES) - Lambert KG5DDW was absent: President Tyrone N5XES provides that 147.000 and 145.130 club repeaters are working normally, and the 444.250 repeater still has hum on the receiver.
ARES (Pat KE5KMM) - Pat, EC for Tangipahoa, provided updates on ARES activities. Ed KE5GMN and Scott KD5PCK discussed some issues with the Facebook pages and Groups (ARES and SELARC).Bob WB5FBS, DEC Region 9, announced the New ARES LA SEC will be Jim Coleman AI5B of Washington Parish who he hopes will attend the next club meeting on April 10 in conjunction with expected visitors from ARRL/ARES.
Old Business: Tyrone N5XES requests again for nominations on the vacant secretary position -- none are received during the meeting.
New Business: (1)Strawberry Festival: Bob WB5FBS will organize the Strawberry Festival club special event station. (2) Field Day 2018: It was decided to hold Field Day (June 23-24, 2018) operations at the club station. Tyrone N5XES said the club radios need more air time, and antenna work ahead of field day. Lyle KD5JRY - will head up preparations for the 2018 Field Day.
Announcements: Tyrone N5XES listed the following Events & Hamfests:
NELA HamFest - 21 Apr, 2018 - West Monroe
Special Olympics - 18-20 May 2018
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 7:57pm.
submitted by Vice-President Jimmy Hess AG5EJ
| Maidenhead Grid EL58hx Activation Memorial Day Weekend 2018 |
The activation is scheduled to begin after 23:00 UTC on May 25 and will conclude by 20:00 UTC on May 27. All 6m operations will use the callsign AC0RA. All satellite operations will use the callsign W5PFG. HF operation will occur during slower periods on 6m and when there are no satellites in view. Those wishing to confirm HF contacts must do so via ARRL's Logbook of the World (LoTW.) 6m and Satellite confirmations will be available following the expedition on LoTW in addition to paper QSL's accompanied with a Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope (SASE.)
Further information will be released prior to the expedition. For general inquiries contact Clayton, W5PFG, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For 6m operational questions contact Wyatt, AC0RA, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
| News from ARRL -- |
==> China's DSLWP-A1/A2 Satellites to Transmit Amateur Radio Data from the Moon - China is planning to launch the Chang’e 4 lander and rover which is slated to land on the far side of the moon in December. The lander configuration will use a relay satellite for a control and data link with Earth. Also aboard this flight will be a pair of microsatellites, DSLWP-A1 and DSLWP-A2, which will test low-frequency radio astronomy and space-based interferometry. These two lunar orbiting satellites developed by students at the Harbin Institute of Technology will include educational and amateur radio payloads (but not a trans- ponder). The launch is anticipated for May or June on a CZ-4C vehicle, putting the satellites’ deployment about 6 months ahead of the launch of the Chang’e 4 lander and rover.
[ANS thanks the Harbin Institute of Technology, IARU, and ARRL for the above information]
==> ARRL to Shine Spotlight on Public Service Communications at Hamvention 2018 - Hamvention 2018 is May 18-20 at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Xenia, Ohio. The largest annual Amateur Radio gathering in the US, this year's event has been sanctioned as the 2018 ARRL Great Lakes Division Convention. The theme for this year's Hamvention is "Amateur Radio...Serving the Community." ARRL has responded in that spirit, and four ARRL-sponsored forums -- to include many guest presenters -- will comprise a Public Service Communications track on Friday and Saturday of Hamvention. The centerpiece of the ARRL's participation at Hamvention is ARRL EXPO 2018, a spacious exhibit area that will be located in Building 2 at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center. Corey and Bailey have organized an Amateur Radio Public Service exhibit for ARRL EXPO, which will include a small stage and seating so attendees can enjoy 15-minute public-service-themed presentations throughout the convention.
People who attend three or more of the ARRL-sponsored Public Service Communications forums will earn an ARRL certificate in recognition of their commitment to ham radio public service training and development.
==> Tennessee Middle School Students Will Send CubeSat into Space - NASA has informed Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, that its "RamSat" 2U CubeSat proposal has been accepted for participation in NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) for a launch opportunity during 2019, 2020, or 2021. The Robertsville proposal was one of 21 satellites selected or prioritized for participation in the ninth CSLI selection. CSLI provides opportunities for small satellite payloads built by schools and nonprofit organizations to fly on upcoming launches. RamSat will be an educational mission to develop and implement a middle school STEM curriculum for building a CubeSat. The students' plan for RamSat is to send a small camera and radio encased in a 2U nanosatellite that will relay data and images from space back to Earth. This will let students study reforestation patterns of vegetation lost in forest fires. The student mission arose in response to a real-world connection they had to the Gatlinburg, Tennessee, fires last year.
==> USA ARDF Championships Set for June 13-17 in California - The 18th USA Championships of Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) will take place June 13-17 near Truckee, California, some 30 miles southwest of Reno, Nevada. The competition sites are at about 6,300 feet elevation near Donner Summit. An optional training day will be held on Wednesday, June 13. Thursday will be devoted to foxoring, a combination of radio direction finding and classic orienteering. Friday morning will be the sprint event, followed by a model event for equipment testing and a competitor briefing. The 18th USA Championships of Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) will take place June 13-17 near Truckee, California, some 30 miles southwest of Reno, Nevada. The competition sites are at about 6,300 feet elevation near Donner Summit. An optional training day will be held on Wednesday, June 13. Thursday will be devoted to foxoring, a combination of radio direction finding and classic orienteering. Friday morning will be the sprint event, followed by a model event for equipment testing and a competitor briefing.
-- The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League
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Stay Radio active -- See you at the April 10th Meeting
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