Volume 39, Number 6, L’Anse Creuse Amateur Radio Club February 2019 THE TUNED CIRCUIT Club Website: http://www.n8lc.org INSIDE THIS ISSUE: [Click the link to jump to the item] THE PREZ SEZ February Meeting Program We had a great start at our first meeting of 2019. We had a very informa- tive presentation on the Internet for Hams. We will see more about this pro- The Secretary’s Report gram and improvements to our repeater over the coming year. We also had the White Elephant Gift Exchange with a new method of keep- Membership Report ing all gifts wrapped until the end. A lot of gift stealing was done with no idea of what is in the package. Some great wrapping ideas and gifts were Future Programs provided. I think it was fun for all. Upcoming Swaps Of course we have Winter Filed day coming up and the monthly dinner out is starting back up in January. So a busy January and coming year. Club Nets I have come up with some ideas of how to achieve some of the goals I thought we should focus on for 2019. To keep this update short I will ad- March TC dress these thoughts in a separate article in this month’s newsletter. On another good note our club is doing well with increasing membership Deadline: and our treasury is financially sound. Our club is strong because of the Monday members and their willingness to be involved. February 26th I hope everyone made a New Year’s resolution to spend a little more time enjoying the hobby and spending a few more minutes on the air or attending a Net. Looking forward to hearing some of you on the air . 73, Ken / KD8RJN Next Meeting - 7:00 PM Febru- ary 6th 2019 at the Tucker Senior WINTER FIELD DAY 2019 Center (see last page for map and address). It was definitely wintery weather for the January 26/27 Winter Field Day event. No reports have been received Meeting Program - The program for by your editor so we will all have to wait for the our February meeting will be as February meeting to learn how it all played out with reported on page 1!. our club effort. I did hear an N8LC CQing near 28.026 MHz on Sunday morning (around 11:48 AM), but I was unable to make a contact, and the CQ calling just The NEXT board meeting will be stopped. John / N8FYL on Wednesday, March 13th, 2019. 1 Volume 39, Number 6, February 2019 Thoughts about some Club Goals Ken / KD8RJN Last month I stated a few goals we could have for Next is training, As they say you can always learn 2019: a new or better way to do things. If we have some of our skilled hams present how to do the basics. • Increase Membership. Soldering, kit building process, setting up software like digital or logging, short cuts that make things • Find additional ways to make the club fun and help new and veteran hams enjoy the hobby. smoother in the shack like tuning a radio. I am The hobby is exciting with the technology al- sure there are many of us that struggle with doing ways changing. things or don’t attempt them because we just don’t know how, • We need to find a way to help members of all As a club’s treasury grows many clubs struggle with technical levels learn and increase their what to do with the funds. We do things like sup- knowledge and use of Amateur Radio. plement the Christmas dinner, maintain our repeat- er, and make a few donations to the senior center These sound like good ideas but the question is we use for our meetings and the youth forum. All always the HOW. I came up with a few ideas I good stuff. The problem, but a good problem, is a would like to provide for discussion and maybe it treasury will continue to grow. will help us come up with additional ideas and One idea I had was how to get our veterans of the move forward. military involved. I am sure there are many local Here are a few topics for discussion during our Vets that are disabled and could spend many hours meetings. on the air talking with other vets. Increase Membership: They may lack the training, the ability to install an- My first thought was not only how to increase mem- tennas and the funds for equipment. With the cost bership but also get younger people into the hobby of the products being produced today, at very low to keep our club going for many years to come. prices, we could provide training to those interest- Many times a club will grow as the word spreads ed to get their license, install a simple 2 meter an- about the club and the things it provides. I think tenna at their home and provide an inexpensive 2 that has been happening and why we are growing. Meter radio. One thing I thought may be fun is to have a session Just think if each club in the area took a few Vets under their wing to help them get on the air. I am at one of our meetings that I will call Show and Tell. Members can bring or show kits they have build sure the word would spend and we could have a that provide fun and function for them. Maybe new group of younger members on the air and show a product they use in the shack and how it keep the hobby and the clubs going. has improved their enjoyment or ability to make I looked at some things taking place on line to sup- contacts. This could also be added to the agenda port our veterans but they are on a national level. each month to see if anyone wants to present a I have not seen anything taking place at a local lev- Show and Tell item. el support by clubs to provide the training, support, These can be short 10 to 15 minute overviews of and equipment. the item to bring awareness to the members of If we are interested in attempting to provide some something you find fun and useful. form of a program like this I will check with a few of If it is a presentation on a kit maybe we then see the local veterans groups to see if there is an inter- how many members are interested in purchasing est on their end to work with us. the kit and then schedule a kit building session as ———*****——- a club. 2 Volume 39, Number 6, February 2019 Report of the Secretary Submitted by Dave, N6WY Meeting Called to Order: The LCARC President (Ken, KD8RJN) called the 2 January 2019 LCARC general meeting to order around 7:02 PM. Roll Call. I counted a total of 25 people at this meeting including two visitors. The two visitors were Paul, KC8BDK, and George, KA6IWP. Meeting Minutes Approval. Meeting minutes as in the December's Tuned Circuit News Letter were approved after a motion made by Dale, K8RO, and seconded by Cathy, KC8WNK. Mi6WAN Network Presentation: Tonight's presentation preceded the business meeting. The presenter was the Macomb County ARPSC Emergency Coordinator, Paul Reinhardt, KC8BDK. Mi6WAN is an Internet Protocol (IP) based network that uses microwave, fiber and wireless connections for a high-speed point to point and point to multipoint network. The network links are measured in MBPS not bps like traditional ax.25 based amateur radio based networks. Dave, N8HUL, and Marty K8HVI, will have discussions with Paul to determine if the Mi6WAN network can provide internet access for the N8LC repeater. Where's Doug, N8PYN: The next swap is the Hazel Park ARC's 53rd Annual Swap and Shop on Sunday 27 January 2019. This is the same weekend as Winter Field Day. Repeaters Status by Doug, N8PYN: Doug turned on the heater for the repeater shack. Net Points Report from Clem, W8VO: Clem is recovering from an injury and was not at tonight's meeting. John, N8FYL, announced the only net point award was Tom, WU8C, at 4950. Membership and Tuned Circuit Report John, N8FYL: The LCARC has 71 members at the start of 2019. Five members have not renewed from last year. The next Tuned Circuit deadline is 28 January. Treasurer's Report by Gregg, N8GEO: Total amount in the account is $7300.74. The Youth Fund has $184.74. The Repeater Fund has $599.42. Total Available $6516.58. The Youth Fund increased is due to the Christmas Party Radio raffle by Ralph, W8ROI. Treasurer's Report approved after a motion made by Rick, K8RWM, and seconded by Dale, K8RO. Old Business: Christmas Party. The Christmas Party was a great success. Cathy, KC8WNK, said that other locations are available for the Christmas Party but no one has any complaints with Sajo’s. The food, service, and party room is good. Gregg, N8GEO, said that if we change and want to go back, Sajo’s may have already booked the party room to someone else. (Continued on page 4) 3 Volume 39, Number 6, February 2019 (Continued from page 3) Winter Field Day (WFD). Listeners and observers are welcome to the Tucker Center during WFD. This is an opportunity to learn about contesting operations and logging. Dale, K8RO, and Scott, W8CQD, will provide two stations. Others may also provide a station. A list will be posted on the LCARC reflector page for people to sign up for operation times, equipment, and potluck food items.