Become a “published author” and submit an article for your newsletter. It can be on about any topic (non-religious and non-political).

The field is wide open … just waiting for you to fill it with your ideas.

Please share them with the rest of us. We’ll all learn something …and maybe even be amused as well.

Please send all submissions to me. If need be I’ll adjust grammar and spelling for you (with your permission, of course). We’ll all read like Pulitzer Price candidates.

Thanks for doing this … and making many others happy not to have to read my stuff month after month.

73, de Padre

Please be aware we are nearing the end of our fiscal year, so we’re needing, and asking for, your continued support, as always. THANKS to those who have already renewed.

Please send your renewal to the undersigned: $20 individual and $30 for family members under the same roof.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

73, de Padre

E. R. Bova
360 Pinon Road
Bailey, Co 80421

These famous annual races will be held again this year in Fairplay (July 26) and Leadville (August 9).

Dolores Hart, KBØEKH, is again organizing and running the Hams’ participation this year, despite the death of her late beloved husband, Neal (KØUEM). Together they had done this important and big job for well over a quarter of a century.

Dolores is still in need of volunteers to man the check points.

To sign up for either or both races call Dolores at 303-421-9756. She’ll be very grateful.

From ARRL News
06/02/09

Why should you join an Amateur Radio Club? I can think of many, many reasons. First and foremost among them, the opportunity to meet and get to know other ham operators in your community. There are over one million amateur radio operators in The United States, but within your local community they are probably not on every block. Ham radio is no different than any other hobby, be it model aircraft builders or Civil War re-enactors. We are a small minority of the general public, so we band together to assist each other with our hobby, and to socialize with like minded individuals. Particularly for the newcomer, joining a club is almost a given, and here is why.

When anyone first gets into a hobby, they have questions, lots of questions. Some of the answers can be found in books or on line, but like any hobby, ham radio has a lingo all it's own. For the neophyte, the lingo can be very intimidating. Being in a club allows one to absorb some of the language just by hearing it in context. Most hams are only to happy to explain it to someone else as well.

Where the question of equipment is concerned, the choices are overwhelming. Club members can make sense of the choices and direct the tyro to solutions that make sense for his or her unique situation. People live in different kinds of communities and have different restrictions on what they can put up for antennas. Within the home, the space available for amateur radio might be a whole room, or it might be just a little space on a desk somewhere. Spouses also have different ideas on what and where they will be happy with radios in the house or the car. Since family always must come first, the advice of more experienced operators can be invaluable in getting amateur radio and your own personal zoning board to co-exist happily.

Inevitably, at some point the new ham operator is going to come up against a problem. It could be equipment related or antenna related or any of dozens of other problems. Trying to work it out alone can be difficult to say the least. If you belong to a club, it is a simple task to ask another member with more experience for help or advice. Down the road, someone will be asking you similar questions and suddenly you realize that you have become the expert that newcomers look to for help.

Most ham operators have more interests than just amateur radio. They may be expert gardeners or woodworkers or collectors. By joining a club and participating actively in it, you can avail yourself of the friendships and social contacts that the club provides. Who knows, you likely bring a skill or an experience level to the club that others will see as valuable too.

Another area where belonging to a club brings benefits is in the area of what I call "the big project". If there is a need for a tower to be erected, or some other large job, club members can be counted on to band together to get it done, whether for the club as a group, or for the benefit of an individual member. Just remember to reciprocate on the next "big project" for someone else.

To find an ARRL affiliated club in your area, go to http://www.arrl.org and look up clubs in your area by zip code, section or state. Also, and very important, join the ARRL. The services provided to the members and the excellent publications they put out are a cornerstone of the hobby. The ARRL is amateur radio's representative to the FCC and to the world. They protect our spectrum from encroachment by vested interests and speak for us to the government. They also do much more, but that would take a whole book to describe. Just a few are available insurance on your radio equipment, awards, email forwarding, license renewal, technical information, regulatory information and on and on. The cost is only 39 dollars per year, less if you are over 65 and no better bargain is to be had anywhere.

73,
Geoff Haines, N1GY

Monitoring the repeaters almost all day long I hear very little traffic on them.

There are many of us who can work the repeaters and are disappointed there are so few others using them.

Why not set your rig to our frequencies and monitor … maybe nearly all day long, as I do?

From time to time make a brief transmission and simply say, “WØXYZ monitoring (or standing by. Anyone out there?).” Do it often.

The repeaters are not just for emergency/D-6 usage. They are for regular communications and a way to build a bond among all our members. Hamming is for getting to know others, so we ought get to know our fellow members of the PCRC, and others.

Besides the above another benefit of frequent use of the machines is keeping the repeater tech folks aware of possible problems.

Any reports or observations should be sent to Dutch , Pete and myself .

Dutch, Pete and others have worked too long and hard to have the machines not be used.

THEY ARE FOR YOU. USE ‘EM!

73, de PADRE

Adapted and Excerpted from “QUA” Feb. 2002

Please forgive the pretension title.

I guess after over 60 years as a Ham I have developed a “few” ideas about Ham operating. Maybe they’re worth something. And maybe not.

But, please bear with me, because I put a lot of this article in the light of emergency service.

As a former two times per week NCS on the 75 Mtr. Co. Weather Net I had contact with as many as 50 Hams each Tuesday and Friday. For the most part I heard good operating.

But there are times and events which would make my blood run cold (if not boil!) were it to be an emergency net operation.

Even aside from the “emergency” business, what I often heard is just plain poor operating practice.

Here’s an example of two or three.

Because of weak signals and QRM, more than one morning I asked, “Is that a mobile station calling?” After a slight pause, and no other response, there comes another fellow who says, “I don’t hear him, but I’m here.” Really??? What if I was hearing the mobile, and the other fellow wasn’t? What if it was an emergency?

On many occasions, as I sign with one WX station, with a list of 3 or 4 more to call up, here comes someone who just has to get in NOW! No emergency, you understand.

He/she is not “short time.” He/she wants to be recognized NOW --- and everyone else can just wait. Maybe he/she was not listening before the mike was keyed. That’s another mistake in net operations.

A third example. The NCS asks a station to recheck to supply a missed call sign or location. There is no response. Then other stations start checking in without the NCS having inviting further new check ins. (I hear this frequently on other nets in which I participate).

Typically the NCS lets others know he/she has cleared the list and is now waiting for further calls. The best practice is to LISTEN, follow the course of the net, and WAIT YOUR TURN --- in any net situation.

Proper operating on the WX net is important, of course. How much more important it is in an emergency, or even a practice session.

73.

With the linking between Dick Mountain and Kenosha Range repeaters up and running, I have some thoughts regarding certain matters.

FIRST, note the linking takes place by way of the 448.175 equipment at Kenosha and Dick Mountain.

SECOND, because of distance and terrain involved the linking is subject to weather in general, and propagation in particular. There will be times when the machines might not appear to be linked, but they are. The time of day is also a factor.

THIRD, when on any machine hesitate just a moment after you key up before speaking, to allow the link to activate. (“Waiting” is always a good idea even when not using a linked system). Remember, in our system (so far) there are three repeaters in the link up.

FOURTH, courtesy tones on any repeater or system serve an important purpose. Try not to ignore them (as I often do, to my chagrin). The tones indicate the person just transmitting has unkeyed. Sometimes you can’t tell by the conversation!!! Having courtesy tones also reminds us to take that pause (before the machine goes to stand by) to allow someone else to call in, maybe with priority traffic, with an important query or contribution to the QSO.