P.O. Box 1324, Hammond LA 70404
Visit our website: www.selarc.org
Tuesday April 12, 2022 7:00 PM CDT
Location: Ponchatoula Community Center
(300 N. Fifth Street, Range Road)
Talk-in 147.00 (-600) w/107.2 Tone -- Handicap Access
Dinner before Meeting (Optional)
- Time: 05:00-5:30 p.m.
- Location: Toula Burger Company, 116 W Pine St, Ponchatoula, LA 70454
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!
Florida Parishes VE Group - Testing sessions are scheduled for the last Sunday of each month [with the exception of holiday conflicts] at AmVets Post #68; 26890 Hwy 42 (jct. of Hwys 42 and 43) - Springfield, La. 70462 (approximately 3 miles south of I-12 at exit 32) 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 for April go out to Blake KG5UZW and Judy AA5UZ
If we missed your birthday, then please let us know.
SELARC Meeting Minutes
(Meeting Type: In-Person)
(Ponchatoula Community Center)
March 8th, 2022
Call to order: Russ Plyler (WI5ARD) at 6:52pm
Pledge of Allegiance: Done
Introductions: Yes
Minutes of previous meetings: Ryan Plyler (KI5FMA) <— No Present
- Not read. Motion to accept meeting minutes as previously posted.
- Motion to accept first by Tyrone, Motion to accept second by Ralph, All in favor (Yes).
Members present:Tyrone Burns (N5XES), Russ Plyler (WI5ARD), Cullen Watts (AD7KJ), Ralph Shaw(K5CAV), William Harris (KB5YBY), Jerry Burg (W5TE), Ernie Bush (N5NIB), Terry Williams (NITDW), EdMason (KE5GMN),Pat Mason (KE5KMM), Ryan Dellucky (KI5NMJ), Louis White (KG5EFQ), Mike Starr(KF5INT), Mark Lacey (WX5RN), Chuck Sanders (NO5W), Dean Melancon (KG5AAE), Larry LIma(KI5JVY), Ji LeBlanc (KF5AGQ) Charlie Dietrich (KF5EK)
Guest present: Cullen Watts (AD7K)J, Ryan Dellucky (KI5NMJ), Chris Miltenberger (W5CMM) Treasurers’ report: Ernie Bush (N5NIB)
- Hard Copies Available
- $100 transferred to savings.
- ARRL insurance paid as discussed in the previous meeting .
- Motion to accept first by Ed, Motion to accept second by Tyrone, All in favor (Yes) Bills / Correspondence:
- Waiting to hear back from Matt Anderson on paying the Repeater Council (LCARC) dues of $15.00.
New member applications / renewals: Ernie Bush (N5NIB)
- Robert KI5TYD Jaeger of Covington LA licensed 2/28/22 (Approved Membership). - All in favor (Yes).
Health and Welfare:
- Been hearing some voices that had been vacant from the airways lately.
ARES report: Pat Mason (KE5KMM)
- The new time window for the net is helping with the number of check-ins ranging between 18-20. - Net continues on 146.610 until 147.00 is corrected.
- Net Time has changed to 7:30 PM!!!!
Hamfest Committee: Tyrone Burns (N5XES)
- Please email your recommendations to Tyrone on improvements you like to be considered in the next hamfest. If you are also interested in helping with the event, also provide his name and what you would be interested in helping with.
Repeater Committee: Tyrone Burns (N5XES)
- Tickfaw
o DB-224E type antenna <LINK>
▪ 37.9 lbs.
▪ Uses DB5001 Side Mount Kit
▪ $700.00 to $900.00
▪ Note: This is the current antenna we have on the tower.
o Sinclair SD224 Series
▪ 35 lbs.
▪ $1395.00 at Tessco
o Comprod 870 Series <LINK>
▪ 67 lbs. (Sent request to Crown Castle to see if the replacement would be
considered maintenance)
▪ $1726.00 + $360.00 shipping.
▪ The OZONE club antenna has been installed and showing great performance. ▪ This is the one the committee has requested to be approved by the Tower
Company to be an acceptable replacement. In being able to side mount directly
to a leg of the tower we will have a structurally better installation.
▪ Here is a <LINK> to the pictures taken when this same antenna was installed in Lacombe in the last two weeks.
o Quotes
▪ Once feedback is received from the tower company we will know the path
forward to requesting a final quote from the vendor(s).
- Hammond
o Mike Jackson (KI5GGP) provided great news on the tower bid being awarded.
o Some of the equipment in the tower house was donated to the club for doing cleanup within the building. This was worked between Mike, Gary, and Tyrone. Tyrone has 4 repeaters and 2 duplexers.
o Ed Mason brought up grant equipment that was purchased for the hospitals. HEAR. Ed to provide information on HEAR.
o 5 coax runs of ⅞ to be ran up the tower. Hammond PD, TPSO, Ham (2 x VHF, UHF, 50 MHz).
o 145.130 repeater will be on top. Need to keep up with the beacon hardware that is installed to understand if the same interference could be seen like on the OZONE 147.270 repeater after their beacon system was just upgraded.
o Tower will be 300’
2022 Bike MS: Dat’s How We Roll: Russ Plyler (WI5ARD)
- March 19-20
- Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you are interested in volunteering for Bike MS - Current Volunteers <LINK>
- Repeaters
o 147.000 (Primary) WB5NET
o 146.610 (Backup) W5TEO
o 147.345 (Primary) KE5ILT
o 442.275 (Backup): Greensburg
- Next Bike MS: Amateur Volunteers Meeting will be next Tuesday. If hardware like T-shirts and bands are available we will meet in person. If nothing yet to hand out the meeting will be virtually via Zoom.
- Questions to ask of MS Society by WI5ARD
o Who are the rest stop captains?
o What is the official stance of MS on calling 911? Comment was made that in the past the MS Society did not want hams to call 911.
Old Business:
- Waiting on Allen to get hardware to assist more with his tower.
- Donated Heath Kit Radios
- David Assaf (W5XU) continues to check out equipment. Commented on their storage they had was rough but the console is the first one he had seen power up. Was passed on the information on who to write checks to and the PO Box of the club.
Field Day: Mark Lacey (WX5RN)
- Date: June 25th & 26th
- Location: AMVET Post at 26890 Hwy 42, Springfield LA (Junction of Hwy-42/43)
- VE Testing: Will testing happen the same weekend? Tyronne
- https://nationaltoday.com/field-day/
- If you are going to participate please send emails to Mark Lacey (WX5RN) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and include what you may be planning on bringing as far as radio or other.
- Mark is looking to work this harder once the Bike MS ride has been completed this month.
Training
- If you are interested in training on a specific topic or interested in learning about a topic please reach out to Mark Lacey (WX5RN) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- April Meeting: Russell Plyler (WI5ARD) will present a presentation on Yaesu Digital mode C4FM Wires X fusion (If someone has a projector they could bring, please reach and let Mark know.)
New Business:
- Congratulations to the new Technician Robert F. Jaeger This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. KI5TYD of Covington, LA on obtaining his license at the last Florida Parishes VE Group testing session.
Upcoming events / Hamfest / Cancellations:
- Rayne Hamfest in March has been canceled.
- Mobile Hamfest
o April 23, 2022 at 8 AM to 1 PM
o www.w4iax.net
- Black Warrior Hamfest
o June 18, 2022 in Northport, Alabama
o www.blackwarriorhamfest.org
- Shreveport-Bossier Hamfest
o August 13, 2022 in Shreveport, Louisiana
o http://www.k5sar.com/hamfest-2022
- Huntsville
o Sometime in August?
General discussion, presentation, or training:
- Great call by Tyrone on Tula Burger Company for the pre-meeting dinner. Catered to our group much better than La Carreta has ever done. Much quieter and able to enjoy some conversations without yelling.
- Don’t forget to set your clocks.
Motion to adjourn:
- Motion to accept number 1, Motion to accept number 2, (Yes/No) All in favor.ed 1.st mark 2nd.
==> World Amateur Radio Day is April 18
World Amateur Radio Day (WARD) is April 18 and is celebrated worldwide by radio amateurs and their national associations, which are organized as member-societies of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).
It was on this day in 1925 that the IARU was formed in Paris. American Radio Relay League (today, ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio) co-founder Hiram Percy Maxim was its first president.
"On World Amateur Radio Day, all radio amateurs are invited to take to the airwaves to enjoy our global friendship with other amateurs, and to promote our skills and capabilities to the public," said Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, ARRL Director of Public Relations and Innovation. "Use the backdrop of World Amateur Radio Day to describe and demonstrate ham radio to family, friends, and co-workers." ...
==> AMSAT at Dayton Hamvention -- Call for Volunteers
Dayton Hamvention® is 6 weeks away! AMSAT has issued a call for volunteers and could use another 10 - 15 people, regardless of their experience level with satellite communications. 2022 Hamvention is May 20 - 22 in Xenia, Ohio. ...
==> New FCC Application Fee Will Not Apply to Amateur Radio License Upgrades
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) staff has clarified in response to an ARRL request that the new $35 application fee will not apply to most license modifications, including those to upgrade an amateur radio licensee's operator class and changes to club station trustees. The FCC staff explained that the new fees will apply only to applications for a new license, renewal, rule waiver, or a new vanity call sign. As previously announced, the new fees take effect on April 19, 2022. ...
==> WSPR Beacon on the Air from Antarctica
AMSAT Argentina has assembled and delivered a permanent WSPR (Weak-Signal Propagation Reporter) beacon system to the Argentine research station at Esperanza Base on the Antarctic Peninsula. Using the call sign LU1ZV, the 200 mW beacon is presently active on 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters at 7.0386, 14.0956, 21.0946, and 28.1246 MHz, respectively, and reception has been reported by stations throughout the world.
The LU1ZV WSPR beacon is on the air from Esperanza Base, a permanent Antarctic research station. ...
==> UK Amateurs Exploring 40 MHz
John Desmond, EI7GL, reports that Ofcom -- the communications regulator in the United Kingdom -- has granted temporary Innovation and Research licenses to several UK amateurs to transmit in the 40 MHz band.
On his blog, John stated that Roger Lapthorn, G3XBM, in the east of England will be operating beginning on April 2 with a license that is valid for 1 year. In a statement, Roger said, "After a very long wait, Ofcom has approved my 8-meter permit. It permits me to use 40 to 42 MHz with digital modes (including CW) at 5 W ERP maximum. I expect to erect a wire dipole that will be directed towards Europe. I expect to be mostly on FT8 around 40.676 MHz with a precise frequency done in liaison with others. My hope is all 8-meter FT8 stations can be monitored with one USB dial setting but spaced out. Five watts should certainly cover Europe when sporadic E is in play. I will try some local CW crossband QSOs but hope to be on FT8 24/7." [Thanks to Southgate ARC News] ...
--The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League
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Stay Radio active -- Hope to see you at the next meeting. Be sure to monitor your weekly nets, e-mail, and the SELARC website at https://www.selarc.org for any updates.
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