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The HOTLINE |
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Annual Meeting Night |
by John Chamberlain, AC5CV |
As the familiar song goes, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” The leaves are turning colors and dropping off the trees, the days are growing shorter and cooler, we’re all filled up with turkey, and that can only mean one thing: It’s time to meet and elect a new slate of officers for HOTARC! J (If your browser did not block it, you can click your browser's “Stop” button to silence the music. :-)
According to our bylaws, the November meeting, held on the Thursday following Thanksgiving, is known as the Club’s “Annual Meeting,” at which we elect the officers for the following year. As usually happens, that happens to be the first Thursday in December.
Your Nominating Committee (myself, Marshall Mabry KD5IQ, and Bill Feltenberger KD5UEW) has the following list of candidates who have agreed to serve if elected:
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President: Rodney Baden, K5YKC Vice President: Terry Williams, KD5KJU Treasurer: Norris Martin, KB5SLI Secretary: John Chamberlain, AC5CV Director (2007): Bill Feltenberger, KD5UEW |
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We are very grateful to those who have agreed to share their leadership skills with the members next year. Please make plans to attend this very important Annual Meeting and show your support for these!
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HOTARC Christmas Luncheon Noon Saturday December 11 at the Summer Palace (located at the corner of |
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QRV? (Are You Ready?) |
by Ed Middlebrook, KC5NT |
Magic in the Air
I’ve stepped away from the rig today to write this
article. I decided to try to work 100 countries by participating in the CQWW CW
Contest and I’m having a blast! I’m running a full 5 watts with the Kenwood and
the WriteLog software is helping me with my CW while keeping up with my
progress. So, why am I telling you all this? Even after almost 28 years of 
being
a “ham”, there is still magic in the air.
I can’t help but get a thrill when working new DX or picking up that state for a special worked all states award. I sometimes just sit back and think about how wonderful this hobby is. Where else can I reach out around the world to communicate with someone (even if it’s a simple contest exchange) or help the local public by taking part in a weather net or public service event?
My wish for you during 2005 is to regain that magic! Remember your first QSO on two meters? Or if you’ve been around awhile, that first 40m CW contact between static crashes on a weekday afternoon? Were you nervous and anxious? I wasľand I still am! It’s what makes life fun.
So now that you remember, why don’t you share that magic with others? It could be your son or daughter, a grandchild, a friend. Let them know what we know, and feel what we feel. The magic of radio is still here!
Before closing, I just want to thank all of the HOTARC members for allowing me to serve you as president these two years. HOTARC is a wonderful group of folks that really band together to make great things happen in our community. It has been a personal honor to serve you!
Whoa! What’s that? Sounds like the Czech Republic on fifteen meter CW… I’ll see you all Thursday night!
73
Ed Middlebrook, KC5NT
HOTARC President
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For the Record... |
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HOTARC Meeting of Members
October 28, 2004
The September meeting of the Heart O’ Texas Amateur Radio Club was called to order by Ed Middlebrook KC5NT at 7:02 pm at the Kultgen Automotive Building on the TSTC Waco campus. Present were nineteen full members, one family member, and seven visitors: Doug Loughmiller W5BL, Scott Wilson, Glen Ridings KB5SLH, Lennie Cooper KE5BQN, Amy Cooper KE5BSP, Lynn Gustafson KD5DZU, Alysson Gustafson.
The Minutes for the September meeting were approved as published in the HOTLINE, following a motion by Bill Feltenberger KD5UEW, second by Scott Shafer KD5MLY, and unanimous vote by the members present. The September Treasurer’s Report as published in the HOTLINE was also accepted, following a motion by Rodney Baden K5YKC, second by Bill Cox W5JRM, and unanimous vote by the members present.
Announcements
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The Treasurer Reports... |
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Heart O’ Texas Amateur Radio Club Beginning Account Balance $ 3,687.87 Income Interest $ 0.78 TOTAL Income $ 0.78 Expenses Handiham DVD $ 10.00 TOTAL Expenses $ 10.00 Ending Account Balance $ 3,678.65 Outstanding
(as of 11-20-04) Submitted by |
· Boy Scout Merit Badge: John Chamberlain AC5CV and Bill Feltenberger KD5UEW will conduct Radio merit badge training sessions for about 25 scouts on November 13 and 20, as part of the Merit Badge College held at Baylor.
· Mail Received: KC5NT reported that the Club received and acknowledgement of our nomination of Roy Rabey AD5KZ for re-election as ARRL NTX Section Manager.
Committee Reports
· ARES: Ed Hynan KC5KNI still seeking volunteers for the 2005 Net Control roster (for the Monday night 145.15 Net). He would like to have a total of about 10.
· Trailer: Mike Ross N5MVL reported that they are still trying to arrange to have the Club trailer pulled to Wells Cargo for a cost estimate for the door repair.
· Repeater: Norris Martin KB5SLI reported that Ryan Holt of Waco PD is still trying to install a ground for the Waco PD antenna tower (offered as a site for a HOTARC repeater). KD5MLY reported that we’re getting closer to getting up the tower to reverse the 145.15 antenna orientation.
· Web Page: AC5CV reported that the HOTARC web site is working well.
· ATV: David Bush KC5UOZ reported the ATV repeater is still working well, albeit with the temporary antennas.
· Education: Nothing to report.
· Special Events: AC5CV thanked everyone for the support of the WWWC bike ride on October 2, and announced that we have no more special events scheduled for 2004.
· Nominating Committee: AC5CV reported that candidates have been found for all open positions.
New Business
· Christmas Luncheon: AC5CV reported that he had reserved the Summer Palace for noon December 11, if the members were agreeable. A motion to hold the luncheon at this place and time was heard from K5YKC, seconded by KC5KNI, and unanimously approved by the members present. AC5CV made a motion to allocate $50 for door prizes, seconded by KD5UEW, and unanimously approved by the members present.
KC5NT yielded the floor to Doug Loughmiller W5BL of McKinney, TX who shared his vision as a candidate for the position of Vice-Director of the ARRL West Gulf Division.
KC5NT heard a motion by Roger Miles WB5MBO to adjourn the meeting at approximately 7:50 pm.
The program this evening was a presentation of home-brewed projects by HOTARC members: WB5MBO (tower assembly/disassembly tool), Jerry Tollison KD5JML (repaired antenna), Rusty Keyes AD5JY (6m dipole, 2m band pass filter), AC5CV (LED nightlight), Larry Bush W5NCD (emergency 2m antenna, commercial unit converted to ham repeater, emergency toolkit in “bank bag,” loading coil), David Bush KC5UOZ (440 and 900 MHz band ATV yagis for TX/RX), KC5NT (TenTec QRP 40m CW transceiver kit, K5YKC (rotatable 40m dipole using “hamsticks”—available at substantial discount to HandiHam supporters), and W5JRM (computer desk converted to ham desk, load tester, hi-Q 20m-160m loop antenna).
Submitted by:
John Chamberlain AC5CV
HOTARC Secretary
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Home Brew 2004 |
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KD5JML |
AD5JY |
W5NCD |
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KC5UOZ |
KC5NT |
K5YKC |
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W5JRM |
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Additional Request for |
by Ed Hynan, KC5KNI, |
The ARES / Bakers Dozen Training Net is held each Monday night at 8 PM on the 145.15 Repeater.
The first request for 2005 Net
Controls ran in the October HOTLINE. Since then I have had six of the original 
seven volunteer for another year. The seventh
individual requested that he be placed on the back-up list as he was going to
have extensive travel requirements in 2005. Check-ins to the Monday night net
usually range from 10 to 20. Certainly there is someone else who would like to
get some experience as a Net Control Station, if so please let me know.
Emergency communications is what Ham Radio is all about. I would like to
provide this excellent training opportunity to all current members of McLennan
County ARES. If you would like the opportunity to serve as a weekly net control
please let me know via e-mail: KC5KNI@arrl.net.
Let me know if there are any Mondays that would not be convenient (1st, 2nd,
3rd, 4th, and/or 5th).
For those who would like to volunteer, I will add you to the 2005 schedule, provide you with a copy of the preamble (the words we use to start off each week’s Net), log sheet, and the ARES/Bakers Dozen Training Net Operating Instruction. If you want to participate, please let me know by 15 December 2004. Again this is what amateur radio is all about: preparation for emergency service.
If we can have two additional volunteers, you would be scheduled to call the net no more than 6 times a year. Please let me hear from you.
I highly recommend that all current and potential net control stations take advantage of the ARRL Emergency Communications Courses. I have completed all three current courses and the information contained in the courses is great. The grant for course payment has been extended, so while you must pay the $45.00 fee up front, it will be reimbursed upon course completion (for ARRL members). More information can be found at the ARRL web site.
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Give this amateur radio crossword puzzle a try! Across 1. Simplest antenna 5. Come in anybody! 7. Highest frequency on the path 11. Don't have one of these, man! Visit the ARRL web site for the rest of the clues! |
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The HOTLINE is the monthly newsletter of the Heart O’ Texas Amateur Radio Club (HOTARC), Inc., a nonprofit corporation, chartered by the State of Texas and principally located in Waco. It is permissible to use any of the original material contained herein, provided proper credit is given to the source.
Edited and Published by John Chamberlain AC5CV, AC5CV@arrl.net
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2004 Board of Directors |
HOTARC 2004 Board of Directors
President: Ed Middlebrook KC5NT, 826-4053, KC5NT@arrl.net
Vice Pres: Rodney Baden K5YKC, 857-9760, K5YKC@arrl.net
Secretary: John Chamberlain AC5CV, 855-7731, AC5CV@arrl.net
Treasurer: Norris Martin KB5SLI, 829-2138, NMartin@tstc.edu
Past-Pres.: Rusty Keyes AD5JY, 662-1461, RustedKey@aol.com
Director (2004): Bill Cox W5JRM, 863-5149, W5JRM@aol.com
Director (2005): Ed Hynan KC5KNI, 666-4873, KC5KNI@arrl.net
Director (2006): Scott Shafer KD5MLY, 848-5888, ScottShafer@clearchannel.com
145.15 MHz (input at –600 kHz, tone 123 Hz)
146.88 MHz (input at –600 kHz)
146.98 MHz (input at –600 kHz, tone 123 Hz)
ATV: 421.25MHz (Cable 57), input 439.25 MHz (Cable 60)
NOTE: December testing will be on the THIRD Saturday: December 18 at Baylor’s Rogers Engineering Bldg, Room 109. Bring: 1) testing fee of $12 (cash, please); 2) current license and photocopy of it; 3) a photo ID (two for first-time licensees), and 4) photocopy of any relevant CSCE. Contact: Linda Hynan, AC5QQ at 666-4873 or Linda.Hynan@UTSouthwestern.edu.
Meeting NoticeThe Annual Meeting of HOTARC will be at 7:00 pm on Thursday December 2, 2004 in the Kultgen Automotive Center of the TSTC Waco Campus. Meetings generally last about 90 minutes consisting of fellowship, general Club business, and an interesting program. Visiting hams, family members, and prospective hams are welcomed! |
At the Annual
Meeting we
“set sail” for 2005. C’mon down!