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The Club HuddleMike Flaherty, WA6UBW (This article ran in Worldradio, September 1998) Following the lazy, hazy days of Summer, Fall should be
a busy time of year for Amateur Radio clubs. By now club officers should
be lining up programs for the next several meetings and preparing publicity
for release to the press and TV/radio stations. During early summer many club meetings focused on planning
for Field Day. Meetings following Field Day mostly served as a time to
critique and relive the experiences of the weekend. Several clubs, including the Fox River Radio League of Batavia,
IL, bragged about how well the club generator(s) worked this year. Jim
Clark, KO6HV, wrote in the Sierra Wavelength about an unusual problem
which faced the Calaveras Amateur Radio Society of Hath-away Pines, CA.
The club could not use the same Field Day location as last year at Lake
Alpine. Seems there was too much snow and mud to use the site. Can you
say "El Nino"? Mark Hinkleman, NU8Z, president of the Adrian (MI) Amateur
Radio Club says it all for everyone who participated in Field Day. He
writes in the "From The Prez" column in The Tickler, "Well,
I just returned from our 1998 Field Day site at Ramsdale Park and I'm
a bit on the wiped-out side of things." He continues, "So if
this article does not make any sense, that is the reason why..."
Here's a good meeting idea which made money for the Westside
Amateur Radio Club in Marina Del Rey, CA. Club president Hank Miller,
AA6IR, suggested in Wavelength that those who attended the May club auction
had a real treat. Hank said, "Auctioneer Alan Corlin, AA6DW, kept us
entertained and laughing as he kept upping the bid like a real pro."
Best news is that WARC netted over $1,000 for the evening. The club will
consider another auction later this year or early 1999 if enough members
come forward with more equipment to sell. While some home-brew projects cause yawns and drowsiness
as the presentation drones on, the Lake Erie Amateur Radio Association
has the right idea for a great program. The Spirit of '76 and '88
asks members if they have ever taken the time to roll up their sleeves,
get their hands dirty, and build something they were proud of? It then
encourages them to strut their creative abilities and maybe even walk
off with a little something for their efforts. The article's final sentence says, "Pull out
those home-brew kits (liquid varieties, while not eligible for the prize,
will certainly not be turned away for testing purposes) and creations
culled from junk boxes everywhere, and plan to join us for a night of
creative genius." Nobody should sleep through that meeting. A club offering a series of informational meetings is the
West Coast Amateur Radio Club in Orange County, CA. In May, Corky Corcorran,
W5BYG, the Orange County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) District
Emergency Coordinator, spoke about what ARES is, what it does, and how
it differs from the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES). The following month WCARC presented Joe Selikov, KB6EID,
of Orange County RACES, who spoke on search and rescue in the local mountains.
Later meetings will feature Joe Saddler, WA6PAZ, on the subject of amateur
microwave activity in Southern California; Art Goddard, W6XD, talking
about DXing in New Guinea; and April Moell, W6XD, on the North Pole Network.
Michiana Amateur Radio Club (South Bend, IN) members recently
saw a presentation by Noel Kindt, W9EFL, on how to determine if an Amateur
Radio station is within the limited radiation requirements being imposed
by the FCC. Noel used a videotape and computer program to explain and
demonstrate the process used to confirm if a station is in compliance.
So how did the Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club of Missouri
City, TX, encourage members to attend meetings? It appeals to their tummies
in a big time way. The B-VARC Bulletin exclaims HOT Dawg! "Hot Dogs
and Drinks for Members - FREE! Come one, come all to the B-VARC
monthly meeting and join us for hot dogs and soft drinks. Visit with your
friends and enjoy a hot dog and drink on the club." At the June B-VARC meeting Dave Scott, WD8RZA, gave a practical
demonstration on direction finding, including sharing some of his tricks
on how to find a hidden transmitter. He then invited members to participate
in a hidden transmitter hunt on the grounds of the civic center. Heard about the International Association of Airline Hams?
This specialty Amateur Radio group formed during 1978 in Chicago and rapidly
grew in size. IAAH says it is a central source of information and activities
geared toward members' interest in Aviation and Amateur Radio.
Contact IAAH at P. O. Box 70 in Lovejoy, GA 30250 for further information.
(Note: I wonder if my Cherokee Arrow time qualifies me for membership?)
The Pioneer Amateur Radio Club in Fremont, NE, started a
Greeters/Treaters group. Each meeting two families bring treats for the
meeting and greet members and guests as they arrive. Seems like a friendly
thing to do, and the refreshments surely must hit the spot. One of the busiest persons in many clubs is the newsletter
editor. To highlight their effort, The Club Huddle will mention two or
three newsletters in each column. It's not a contest, but an opportunity
to single out a few of the more interesting and aesthetically pleasing
newsletters. The June issue of Nuts and Volts from the San Francisco
Amateur Radio Club has a bold first page featuring the upcoming Field
Day activities. Editor Mike Millard, N6BWS, even includes a San Francisco
cable car in the masthead. A real standout with a 3-column picture of last year's
Field Day on page 1, the Ottawa Amateur Radio Club Groundwave is enjoyable
and informative reading. Newsletter staff includes editor John Senez,
VA3JBS; graphic designer Maria Townson, VE3KIP; and production committee
leader Paul Campbell, VE3PC. |
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