This & That — September 10, 2024
Club Resumes Membership Meetings with Computer Optimization Presentation
Sixteen Members Kickoff the “Fall Semester” at Pinckney Hall
The first of the SCHH ARC’s final three meetings of 2024 drew sixteen members last Thursday evening. Phil Blecker from teh SCHH Computer Club provided an excellent presentation on computer optimization to start the evening.
Phil’s background in information technology was on display as he provided several tips on how to speed up our computers. After a 45-minute program, Phil was gracious to answer several questions from the ARC members while providing additional insights on effectively setting up a computer. Many thanks to Phil for providing a great program!
Membership in the SCHH Computer Club is a bit “pricey” at $10 per year dues compared to our ARC dues! Many of our ARC members are already members of the Computer Club. Members of our ARC who are not Computer Club members should consider joining this great group of residents.
The program from a Computer Club member closed an “exchange loop” that began when Ken Finke, KN8F, presented on amateur radio’s use of computers at a Computer Hour gathering earlier this year.
A general membership meeting followed the presentation. The club welcomed two new members Lonnie Trotta, WD2LT, and Sharon McFetridge, who will be looking to become licensed in the months ahead.
The ARC will participate in SCHH’s Chartered Club Fair on October 5th. Preliminary plans for our set-up for that day were discussed. Plans for a Fall “Hidden Transmitter Hunt” were announced by Bob Officer, WA6WAY. Ken Finke, KN8F, provided updates on the ARC’s Volunteer Examiner group, which he has recently agreed to oversee. Ed Stratton, W1ZZ — who has done a fabulous job in organizing our meeting’s programs — provided an overview for the upcoming meetings’ programs. Ron Frick, AI4HH, updated everyone on the Okatie Repeater Association and the 147.135 MHz + repeater. Club president Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW, provided updates on two surveys that will be sent in the coming weeks…one to our club members about Emergency Preparedness and the other to “Friends of the Club” to see if they remain interested in ham radio and if we can help them become licensed. Jack Frisch, K2ITZ, will work on polishing up the proposed revisions to our club’s By-Laws so that members can review them and vote “yay or nay” on the changes at the October or November membership meeting.
New business discussions focused on the aforementioned Chartered Club Fair and the process for electing club officers for 2025.
The ARC gratefully received donated items from Jack (K2ITZ) and Sherwin Tames, W4QNW.
It was great to see everyone who participated in the meeting including our new members — AD2LT and Sharon — as well as AD5EN, KN8F, AI4HH, K2ITZ, KB3FW, KO4AQI, KQ4LCK, KD8IH, KQ4JKI, WA6WAY, K2OS, WB4KSG, W1ZZ, and W4QNW.
In Case You Missed It…KN4VWQ in Sunsations!
Check out pages 27-28 in September’s “Sunsations” magazine to read about Dr. Gwen Fox, KN4VWQ, and her volunteer work with the Friends of the Bluffton Library!
QSL Card of the Week
This is from Frank Pollino, K2OS, and is from his Dad’s collection of QSL cards. The QSO happened about 90 years ago!
Note that the time was in “E.S.T”. Also, the RST was very honest…a 449 wasn’t bad back in the day. Frank has related to Harve what the “X” that follows the RST means. Does anyone else know? Please let Harve know via email to hnat463@gmail.com.
Frank mentioned that this was his Dad’s first QSO with a station outside of the United States. It was on 80M CW…DX, right?
If you have a QSL card that you would like to share with fellow ARC members via “This & That”, please email a JPG file of it to Harve.
Nominating Committee Formation Nearly Complete!
The process for electing officers for our ARC for 2025 has begun. Nominations are needed for all officers: Club president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary.
Bob Officer, WA6WAY, will be joined by Ron Frick, AI4HH, and Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW.
If any other members would like to be on the committee, please notify Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW, via email at hnat463@gmail.com by Friday, September 13th.
The composition of the Nominating Committee will be finalized on September 13th (this coming Friday!).
DXpedition and Special Events News
DXpedition news can be found here.
The annual Route 66 On The Air Special Event has begun. If you hear or see call signs like W6A, W6B…right down to W6W over the coming week, you have landed on Route 66! W6A is in Santa Monica, CA which is at one end of this famous highway. W6U is in Illinois, which is two time zones away from CA.
More details on this special event can be found:
2024 Route 66 On The Air – W6JBT.ORG
A very good 3-book fiction novel series that has a LOT of Route 66 in it can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Road-Novel/dp/1501111779/ref=pd_bxgy_thbs_d_sccl_2/134-5804643-5760254?pd_rd_w=GIJ3A&content-id=amzn1.sym.f7fa8b58-6436-47b8-8741-9e90c231669e&pf_rd_p=f7fa8b58-6436-47b8-8741-9e90c231669e&pf_rd_r=MXE2RAEKEB5H4GKK3JQA&pd_rd_wg=eMm5b&pd_rd_r=fbf1c75d-c80b-4fdd-9c74-c813c6d8dad6&pd_rd_i=1501111779&psc=1
Fairly easy reading but a great and touching story.
Humor
Thanks to Chip Miller, KQ4JKI, for this one!
Upcoming Club Events and Meetings
Thursday, October 3rd – Membership Meeting: AMSAT Program and Demonstration by Phil Moore, KD4O. Stay tuned for details as the AMSAT demo may start early! General membership meeting will follow the AMSAT program.
Saturday, October 5th – Chartered Club Fair: The SCHH ARC will have a table just outside the back (courtyard) entrance to Pinckney Hall. Many clubs will be inside Pinckney Hall. Some clubs will be outside with us while others will set up in the Pavilion. Stop by and help us to promote amateur radio and our club to residents who stop by our table! Or, just stop by! You can renew your membership for 2025 at the Fair as well.
SCHH ARC Nets – Rolling Into Autumn
We are closing in on the autumnal equinox as our daylight hours continue to dwindle, temperatures get a little cooler, and our grass grows more slowly.
If you have been checking in regularly, thank you for that. If you have not been checking in or never have checked in, autumn is a good time to do that!
These are our nets. Please enjoy them. They are very special and give us the opportunity to connect with each other on a regular basis while testing our equipment’s connectivity capabilities.
Please keep our nets alive and well by checking in when you can.
Weekly SCHH ARC Nets
Sunday’s Net (8 PM) operates on 147.550 MHz simplex on the last two Sundays of the calendar month. The Sunday net will be on the KE4HAM repeater (147.135 + with a tone of 91.5 on both the input and the output) on all other Sundays of the calendar month. Check-in can be done even if you don’t have a radio up and running via EchoLink by using the link KE4HAM-L when the net is on SIMPLEX and KE4HAM-R when the net is on the SCHH Okatie Repeater.
Wednesday‘s Net (8 PM) operates through the KK4ONF/Jasper repeater, 147.060+. The net can be accessed via EchoLink using the link KE4HAM-R.
Net Control Stations and EchoLink Coordinator
Thanks to our regular Net Controls: Bob Officer, WA6WAY; Frank Pollino, K2OS; and Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW.
Thanks to Ron Frick, AI4HH, for working diligently to keep EchoLink up and running for our nets..
Net Control Schedule:
— Wednesday, September 11 @ 8 PM ET: Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW (JASPER COUNTY REPEATER)
— Sunday, September 15 @ 8 PM ET Bob Officer, WA6WAY (KE4HAM Okatie Repeater)
If you are interested in being a Net Control, please let Harve know.
SCHH ARC Net Reports:
Thanks to ALL who checked in to our SCHH ARC nets last week.
If you have the time, please check into our club’s nets on a regular basis.
Last week’s check-ins and traffic:
— Wednesday, September 4 : KE4HAM/K2OS, AI4HH, WB1DXN, K2ITZ, KQ4JKI, KB3FW, WB4KSG, W1ZZ QNI=8 QTC=0.
— Sunday, September 8: KE4HAM/WA6WAY, AI4HH, KD8IH, K2ITZ, KB3FW, K2OS, WB1DXN, KO4AQI, KJ4BSM. QNI=9, QTC=0.
Note: QNI = Number of Check-ins to the net, including Net Control; QTC = Traffic handled (Radiograms).
Other Operating:
Daily — Monitor the new KE4HAM Repeater: 147.135 MHz + with a tone of 91.5. You may get some good DX spots from time to time and other members may be there if you want to connect/chat.