Category: Uncategorized

Preview: June 26, 2018, meeting

Jerry Kahn, ACØRL, has prepared a very interesting and informative program for our June meeting: “A Modern, Simple, and Safe Method of Reforming Electrolytic Capacitors.”

The DOD, NRC, and manufacturers of capacitors recommend periodic reforming to keep electrolytics ready for use and to restore electrolytics that have gone through extended periods of disuse.

Bring an old, undamaged, electrolytic capacitor (or two or three) to the meeting. Once they are smoked, the magic is gone.

Jerry is an Amateur Extra Class operator, first licensed in 1991. He holds a GROL with Ships Radar Endorsement. He served in the United States Navy as an avionics tech, working on FLIR, RADAR, flight, and weapons systems. He worked in marine electronics.

Jerry attended DeVry University in electronics engineering technology. He worked for Logical Devices in QA, test, and product engineering.

He started his current technology business, VeriStitch, Inc., and Stitch Dynamics, in 1993, serving the personalization and decorative industry. His customer list includes Lands’ End, Neiman Marcus, J.C. Penney, Vera Bradley, Disney, Michaels Arts and Crafts, JanSport, Taylor Made, Williams Sonoma, and other companies.

He is a commercial pilot and certified flight instructor with instrument and multi-engine endorsements. He is also a certified motorcycle safety coach, currently teaching motorcycle safety at Hutchinson Community College.

Minutes: April 24, 2018

There was no formal business meeting.

Shaun Halstead, KØPER, joined Chapter 79. Three members paid their Chapter 79 dues for 2018.

Attendance: 12 members and 3 guests.

Joe Pajor, KBØKFH, arranged for the very interesting program presented by Dr. Brian A. Coon, traffic engineer and Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator for the City of Wichita.

Dr. Coon’s program, “Traffic Signals: Look Who’s Talking Now,” included information about various ways traffic signals can be programmed. Some intersections even have helpful talking signals for people who have impaired vision.

Preview: April 24, 2018, meeting

Joseph Pajor, KBØKFH, has lined up a guest speaker for our next meeting. Dr. Brian A. Coon will present a program titled “Traffic Signals: Look Who’s Talking Now.” This sounds like a program you won’t want to miss.

Dr. Coon brings his experience as an engineer, attorney, and police officer to bear on transportation-related problems. After graduating the University of Iowa, Brian was youngest elected representative to the Iowa House of Representatives. Going back to engineering from politics, Brian studied at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he worked with the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, where the SAFER Barrier was developed to protect racecars during crashes. After earning his master’s degree in civil engineering, Brian was a Fulbright Scholar at Sweden’s premier transportation research institute, VTI, Statens väg- och transportforskningsinstitut.

After returning from Sweden, Brian earned his doctorate in engineering and then graduated law school with honors at the University of Nebraska and is licensed to practice law in Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska. Brian is a licensed Civil and Mechanical Engineer in Nebraska, a licensed engineer in Kansas, a Professional Traffic Operations Engineer, and an accredited Traffic Accident Reconstructionist. Brian is the chair of the Machine Design Exam Committee with NCEES and was a reserve police officer with the City of Maize for ten years. Brian also served as the sole technical expert in a whistleblower lawsuit, where a jury found that Trinity Industries had defrauded the Federal Government, awarding a $663M verdict. Brian is currently the Traffic Engineer and the Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator for the City of Wichita, Kansas.

Bring a friend, and if you see a former Chapter 79 member ask him or her to join us again. If you have an idea for a program, or know of someone who will present a program for one of our meetings, let Harold Childress, WBØLFH, know.

Minutes: February 27, 2018

President Harold Childress, WBØLFH, called the meeting to order at 1907.

The minutes of the December 19, 2017, meeting and treasurer’s report were approved as printed and e-mailed.

New business: Discussion about sending a memorial in memory of Sharon Minor, KDØXW, and about raising the amount of memorial contributions our chapter sends to the QCWA Scholarship Fund. We have been sending $20.00 for many years. Bryon Cannon moved that we increase the amount to $30.00. There was a consensus to send a memorial and to raise the amount to $30.00. Motion passed. In memory of Sharon, XYL of John Minor, WDØEDK, we will send $30.00 to QCWA Scholarship Fund.

President Childress asked us to think about a way we could estimate how many people would be at our dinner meetings, so as a courtesy, we could let Spear’s know a week ahead of the meeting how many to set up for.

Old business: President Childress asked for a list of Chapter 79 members and a list of former members.

Business meeting adjourned at 1918.

Program: Shaun Halstead, KØPER, presented an interesting program about the history of amateur radio licensing. He told about new changes to radio application forms that the FCC announced August 7, 2017, that includes adding a felony question, effective September 7, 2017.

Our next meeting will be April 24, 2018.

Preview: February 27, 2018, meeting

Our trusty president, Harold Childress, WBØLFH, has wrangled another interesting program for our first meeting of 2018. Shaun Halstead, KØPER, will be presenting our program. Here is his ham radio autobiography.

I was first licensed in April 1993, as NØWHG. I passed my Novice written element at a hamfest in late 1992, and then the Tech written element at a hamfest in April ’93. I pursued my license initially as part of the Boy Scouts Radio merit badge, but also out of a genuine interest in electronics and radio. I upgraded to General in April 2013 (and took my current call, KØPER), then to Extra in December 2014.

In mid-2014, I was approached by Frank Blake, AA4FB (previously ADØNA) about helping stand up a Laurel VE team, under the auspices of the Wichita Amateur Radio Club. I agreed to help, and today, I am the team leader of the WARC’s Laurel VE team. While I don’t have totals for the life of our team, I can say that in 2017, we had 91 applicants, 76 of whom earned new or upgraded tickets; 42 people earned their Tech, and 7 jumped the line and went straight to General.

I’ll be talking about licensing changes over the past 25 or so years, the felony question, and, time permitting, Laurel VEC.

As a side note, I tried joining QCWA, but their PayPal link is broken, and I couldn’t pay.

–Shaun Halstead, KØPER

Bring a friend, and if you see a former Chapter 79 member ask him or her to join us again. If you have an idea for a program for one of our meetings, let Harold know.

Minutes: December 19, 2017

 

Photo by Dale Puckett, KØHYD

The 37 Mile Band performed Christmas music for us as our program, before and while we ate. The 37 Mile Band is an old-time acoustic string band. The band members are, from right to left, Troy Pulver, banjo and guitar; Joy Pulver, hammered dulcimer; Teresa Bachman, mountain dulcimer; and Marc Bachman, electric string bass. Thanks to Lloyd McCombs, KØLM, for making the arrangements for the band.

President Harold Childress, WBØLFH, called the business meeting to order at 1915. The minutes and treasurer’s report were approved.

An election of officers was held. Officers for 2018 are: President, Harold Childress, WBØLFH; Vice President, Don Sharp, WBØQFR; Secretary-Treasurer, Larry Cannon, KØSFV.

Everyone introduced themselves.

President Childress asked that we try to think of ideas of how to recruit new members. He asked the secretary to make a list of members and past members.

The meeting was adjourned at 1930.

Preview: December 19, 2017, meeting

Our December meeting is a week early due to Christmas.

Our annual chapter election of officers for 2018 will be at this meeting.

We’ve been operating without a Vice President for the past year so it is imperative that we elect someone for this important office. Nominations for all offices will be accepted, and we welcome folks to nominate themselves. If you nominate someone else, that person must be willing to serve if elected. Please e-mail your nominations to Harold Childress, WBØLFH, wb0lfh@cox.net, by December 17, if you haven’t already done so.

Lloyd McCombs, KØLM, has lined up a very good musical program for this meeting.

Troy Pulver and his 37 Mile Band will entertain us with Christmas music and maybe some other songs.

The 37 Mile Band is an old-time acoustic string band. They play barn dances, coffee houses, farm and art markets, private parties, etc. They feature a variety of stringed acoustic instruments, and play folk and Celtic music, and at this time of year some Christmas music.

Bring a friend, and if you see a former Chapter 79 member ask him or her to join us again. If you have an idea for a program for one of our meetings, let Harold know.

Minutes: October 24, 2017

President Harold Childress, WBØLFH, called the meeting to order at 1910.

Program: Harold introduced John Lock, KFØM, who, in the 1990s, got involved in repeater maintenance, which led him into the development of the Kan-Okla system of linked repeaters. His very interesting program included history of the Kan-Okla linked repeater network. He also explained about different ways repeaters can be linked, and talked about the direction linked repeater systems are headed.

Business: Minutes of the August 29 meeting and the treasurer’s report were approved as printed and e-mailed. Attendance: 6 members and 3 guests.

Harold stated that we need to get really serious about next year’s officers. We need a vice president, who also is the program chairman.

Election of officers will be at the December 19 meeting.

Harold asked the secretary to send an e-mail to all current members, with the current chapter roster, and the names of some former members. He encouraged everyone to recruit new members and to try to get former members to rejoin QCWA and our chapter.

The chapter will pay for the meal of a serious guest prospective member candidate.

Harold said we need a program for the December meeting. Lloyd McCombs offered to check with a musical group that he knows.

The meeting was adjourned at 2028.

Submitted by Larry Cannon, KØSFV, Secretary.

Preview: October 24, 2017, meeting

Our October meeting is a week early due to Halloween falling on the last Tuesday of the month. Our president, Harold, WBØLFH, has lined-up another interesting program for this meeting. John Lock, KFØM, will present the program for our October meeting.

John was first licensed in 1974 as a Novice, WN5MHY. He upgraded to Technician class, followed shortly by Advanced class in 1976 with the call sign WB5WOQ. He earned his Amateur Extra class license in the early 1980s and changed his call sign to KFØM.

He was initially involved in HF contesting, especially on 10 meters. He got involved in 2 meter SSB in the early ’80s to talk to friends in Arkansas.

The VHF/UHF Century Club (VUCC) got him seriously interested and he achieved VUCC number 9, on 144 mHz which then spurred an interest in EME. He achieved WAS on 144 mHz a few years later, and was within the first 100 hams to accomplish that goal. He also achieved WAC on 144 in that same time frame. In the 1990s, looking for a new challenge and learning opportunity, John got involved in repeater maintenance. This lead to the development of the Kan-Okla system of linked repeaters.

Most recently John has been trying to be more active in weak signal VHF-UHF on 50 mHz and 1.2 gHz.