Tag: preview

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.

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.

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.

Preview: August 29, 2017, meeting

Our August meeting is rapidly approaching, and our president, Harold, WBØLFH, has lined up a program by James Whitfield, N5GUI. Harold thinks that he will talk about his Raspberry Pi and its use for digital modes.

James has been licensed for 39 years but got his start with amateur radio more than two decades earlier assisting his blind brother, W5BIY (SK, license re-issued). The early experience led to an interest in building equipment and antennas more than operating to make contacts. He enjoys public demonstrations of light communication technology and digital modes of amateur radio, especially with Boy Scouts at Jamboree-on-the-Air.

James is a retired aerospace engineer and USAF officer. He is a member of the Wichita Amateur Radio Club and the current secretary of the Boeing Employees Amateur Radio Society.

Preview: June 27, 2017, meeting

The June 27 meeting will be at the usual time and place (scroll down). We’re going to have a great program, given by one of our newest members. We hope to see you there!

Citizen Scientists: The Intersection of Amateur Radio
and the August Total Solar Eclipse

On August 21, we will experience a total solar eclipse that will affect much of the continental US. This relatively rare astronomical event presents a unique opportunity for amateur radio operators to add to our scientific understanding of the behavior of electromagnetic waves as they interact with the ionosphere. Researchers at Virginia Tech are asking for the assistance of ham radio operators and others to collect data from this eclipse event that can contribute to their scientific studies.

Joe Pajor, KBØKFH, will explain what we are being asked to do and why and will describe a Wichita Amateur Radio Club sponsored activation of Atchison, Kansas, which is within the path of totality. Amateur radio has a long tradition of delivering on one of our federally mandated purposes, that being “to contribute to the advancement of the radio art.” Come to our meeting and learn how our hobby can continue its role of helping others.