Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed a proclamation declaring June 20-26 Amateur Radio Week in Indiana. Among other things, the official proclamation mentions American Radio Relay League Field Day June 25 and 26.
The May 2016 Issue of the Allen County HamNews newsletter is now available for download using the link below. This and previous issues are also available for download by clicking the “Files” link in the main menu and then clicking “Newsletters.”
I bet you have heard the “come-on” pitch. “Double Your Money”…and the fine print that hardly anyone reads. Many of the “double your money” offers seem to be unreal…requirements that are difficult or impossible to meet.
NOT THIS TIME.
The FWRC Matching Fund Drive is a honest “double your money” offer. No strings attached. Here is how it works:
The FWRC is raising funds to construct a wide area coverage repeater system to be installed on the WLDE tower north of New Haven. The estimated cost of the project may total as much as $7000, or perhaps even more. This is way beyond the capability of the FWRC treasury to fund. A Matching Fund drive has been established by the Board of Directors to help raise the money needed for this project.
Several generous and dedicated club members have joined forces to make you an offer: For every dollar you contribute to the Matching Fund drive, they (as a group) will match it dollar for dollar.
You contribute $10, the club benefits by $20.
You contribute $50, the club benefits by $100.
You contribute $250, the club benefits by $500.
Each dollar contributed moves the club twice as far toward the project funding needs. You can think of this as a challenge, with the matching fund donors challenging you to make them spend their money.
The current matching fund level is capped at $1500 for matching dollars, so donations totaling $1500 to the matching fund drive will result in $3000 available to the club exclusively for the WLDE project.
Matching fund drives typically last for a specified time limit. This fund drive will last through the end of November 2016. The club will publish the fund drive totals at regular intervals.
Donations will be accepted at any time, from anyone. This fundraiser is not restricted to FWRC members. Donors can make multiple donations if it is more convenient for them. A donation of any amount may be made.
The matching fund has collected donations of $120 thus far, yielding $240 for the club. This is 8% of the way to the matching fund goal of $3000.
Often donors prefer not to be identified. The amount of the donation will not be revealed unless the donor requests that it be made known. The FWRC will make provisions for anonymous donations in this way:
If you want your donation known only to the club treasurer, put your money (cash or check, do not mail cash) in an envelope and mark it “Treasurer Only-Anonymous”. You may send it to the club post office box, the treasurer (W8ST) directly, or give it (in a marked envelope) to any Board of Directors member.
If you want your donation known to the Board of Directors but not to the club membership in general, send your money (cash or check, do not mail cash) in an envelope and mark it “BoD Only-Anonymous” to the club post office box or give it (in a marked envelope) to any Board of Directors member.
Donations that are identified but not marked as anonymous will be acknowledged in the ACHN at the conclusion of the fund drive.
The Interesting History of Matching Fund Drives:
The first gift matching was a scheme devised and implemented by Benjamin Franklin in 1751 when he persuaded the Pennsylvania Assembly to appropriate 2,000 pounds of public money if the citizens of Philadelphia could first raise 2,000 pounds of private money. (from en.wikipedia.org)
The Allen County, Indiana W5YI volunteer examiner team will hold an amateur radio licensing test session Saturday, May 7 at 9 a.m. at the Anthony Wayne Area Council office of the Boy Scouts of America, 8315 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne. This is an open session that does not require reservations. The testing fee is $14. Applicants must bring two forms of identification, one of which must bear their photos. Applicants testing for a license upgrade must bring a copy of their current licenses to submit with their applications. The team also plans test sessions Saturday, August 6 and during the the Fort Wayne Hamfest November 12. The team has not yet decided whether to conduct a test session Field Day weekend in June.
Four Fort Wayne amateur radio operators who are also volunteer storm spotters in the National Weather Service (NWS) SKYWARN program spent several hours April 11 assisting residents with their NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) receivers.
Al Burke (WB9SSE), Steve Haxby (N9MEL), Howard Pletcher (N9ADS), and Jay Farlow (W9LW) worked alongside representatives of WANE TV, the Alllen County Office of Homeland Security, the National Weather Service and the Midland Radio Corporation at the Walgreens store on Stellhorn Road to configure NWR receivers.
The volunteers assured that the receivers’ specific area message encoding (SAME) and receive frequency settings were correct, so users would receive warnings that the NWS issues for their home counties.
WANE TV had promoted the three-hour event, which was duplciated at other locations in the TV station’s market area. The Walgreens store sold nearly 100 near NWR receivers during the event, which volunteers configured. Volunteers also assited other visitors who brought in their own equipment, some of which was not SAME-capable (and at least one of which was not even a receiver!).
More photos of the event are available in this website’s photo gallery.
2016 Allen County ARES VHF Contest
Purpose
- To promote FM Simplex operation.
- To provide a local, fun, fast contest with equipment most hams already own.
When
Saturday, April 16, 2016, 1200-1600 Local Time
The contest is open to all radio amateurs.
This contest is designed for hams to have fun over a short period. You don’t need to devote an entire weekend, just an enjoyable Saturday afternoon. So get a cup of hot chocolate, a comfortable chair, and sit down for a few hours to see who is on the air. There will be some rovers running around during the full contest period to keep activity going the entire time.
This is a low key contest, do not feel rushed, there is plenty of time for a short chat. You can move a participant to another band. Ask questions, meet someone new. The rules are simple, equipment requirements minimal. It is really a pleasant way to spend a few hours on the radio.
Rules
Frequencies: Limited to the FM simplex frequencies on the following bands. 2 Meter, 220 band, 440 band
No contacts are permitted on the calling frequencies.
Classes
- Base
- Rover
- Portable – Limited to 10W, with transceiver mounted antenna
Exchange
Call sign, your sequential contact number, and County/Township
Note: You should not use a separate set of sequential numbers for each band. Start at the beginning of the contest and keep going in order even if you change bands.
On Saturday, April 2nd, the weather decided to go absolutely crazy! We had very cold temperatures for April, the wind was hurricane force, and the snow was horizontal! It was totally out of character for the time of year, so when Sunday the 3rd rolled around, we were happy that the sun was shining brightly. The temps were a little on the chilly side and the wind was still rather strong, but the Fox Hunters that gathered that day were thankful for the great improvement.
At the start of the Hunt, four teams had gathered: Charles, Fred, Robert, and Phil in one vehicle, Jason and his daughter Kylie, the team of Al, Carole, Anne, and Jim, rounded out by Kim and Jim with our first ride-along of the season, new ham Chris, KD9FNM, aboard for his first Fox Hunt. At 1:30 pm, the Fox went on the air. Two of the four teams had difficulty hearing the Fox on the input of the 146.76 machine, which prompted a furious anti-Murphy response by the Fox to try a better antenna, which turned out to be broken. So the Fox went back to the on-glass antenna on a rather low to the ground Mini Cooper but running at 50 watts output. In the process, I had completely tore apart the boot on the Cooper and had to reassemble in the field.
Please join the Fort Wayne Radio Club Friday, April 15, at 7 p.m. for the club’s spring banquet. As usual, the banquet is a carry-in affair, with the club supplying both grilled and fried chicken, drinks (coffee and Crystal Light Lemonade) as well as place settings and utensils. We ask that all who join us bring their favorite main dish, side dish or dessert to share with their fellow hams and quests. It is always a fulfilling meeting! See you there!
The Fort Wayne Radio Club mourns the passing of past president Bill Kindred, WA9RAP. Bill died April 4 at Parkview Hospital. He was 86. Many amateur radio operators in Fort Wayne received their licenses with Bill’s help, either as a teacher or examiner.
Funeral service is 11 a.m. Saturday, April 9, 2016, at C.M. Sloan & Sons Funeral Home, 1327 N. Wells St., Fort Wayne, with calling from 10 to 11 a.m. Calling also from 5 to 7 Friday, April 8, 2016, at the funeral home. Burial in Catholic Cemetery. Preferred memorials to St. Mary’s Soup Kitchen or The Salvation Army.
According to FWRC secretary Al Burke, WB9SSE, the club will make a donation to either the Soup Kitchen or the Salvation Army in Bill’s name. The club plans to circulate a card for signature at the upcoming FWRC Spring Banquet Friday, April 15th.
The April 2016 Issue of the Allen County HamNews newsletter is now available for download using the link below. This and previous issues are also available for download by clicking the “Files” link in the main menu and then clicking “Newsletters.”