Greater Cincinnati Amateur Radio Association, Inc. 77 years of service to the Greater Cincinnati Community Volume 78 October 2014 Issue 10 Have a set up, QSL Card collect, Homebrew you would like to show off. Here is your chance for your 5 minutes of fame. Bring it to this month’s GCARA Meeting and show it off! Next Meeting October 22, 2014 7:30PM The Main Door to the Breeze Manor will be locked, and you must use the Communication Device located near the entrance to request entrance to the building. Page 1! Maple Knoll (Breeze Manor) 11200 Springfield Pike, Springdale, Ohio (Take Maple Trace Dr. off Springfield Pike) Message from the President David Self, K8SSN This has been a busy pass few months and will be glad it get things back to normal. I have been working 7 days a week for as long as I can remember and can’t remember when I have been able to get on the air. Drive to work 2M don’t count. It is October and I haven’t closed my pool yet. Haven’t been to the Lake in over a year. OK off my soapbox: This year’s Christmas party will be Tuesday, December the 9th. Notice I said Tuesday! The cost is still $20.00, more information in the the next TM&K. This month is elections, so come out and make sure to cast your vote. And if you have a write in they are always welcome. This is also the last meeting of the year, so if you have something you would like to see the club do in the future bring the ideas to the meeting. We are always looking for ways to get more members active. This is your club. Hope to see you at this month’s meeting and some show and tell item you may have. 73 Upcoming Monthly Programs Published monthly by the Greater Cincinnati Amateur Radio Assoc. Inc. Submit ads and news to the editor Deadline: forth Wednesday of the month Editor: David Self, K8SSN 3261 Old Oxford Rd. Hamilton, Ohio 45013 tm&k@gcara.org Advertising Fees Business card size..$5.00 / issue $60.00 / 12 issues Half page.................$10.00 / issue $100.00 / 12 issues Full page..................$25.00 / issue $250.00 / 12 issues Reprinting, from The Mike & Key is granted to amateur radio publications provided credit is given to the original author and The Mike & Key. GCARA officers & committee chairs PRESIDENT: David Self, K8SSN president@gcara.org 1st VICE PRES: Neal Berter, N8QFZ nberter@cinci.rr.com 2nd VICE PRES:Roger Kleine, KA8MOE (513) 681-4586 RECORDING SEC’Y: Allan M. Hale, WA9IRS (859) 525-1761, wa9irs@arrl.net CORRESPONDING SEC’Y: Richard Pestinger, KC8RP (513) 829-8807 kc8rp@arrl.net SCOUTING ACTIVITIES:VACANT TREASURER: Roger Kleine, KA8MOE (513) 681-4586 REPEATER CONTROL OP: Roger Kleine, KA8MOE (513) 681-4586 HAM HELP/EQUIPMENT SUPPORT: Richard Pestinger, KC8RP 513-829-8807 kc8rp@arrl.net HAMFEST: Neal Berter, N8QFZ nberter@cinci.rr.com Stan Cohen, W8QDQ stanco49@zoomtown.com HISTORIAN: Sean Connelly KD8BQA The Mike & Key: David Self, K8SSN, tm&k@gcara.org WEBMASTER: David Self, K8SSN gcara.org@gcara.org MEMBERSHIP: Richard Pestinger, KC8RP (513) 829-8807 kc8rp@arrl.net SCHOLARSHIPS: Rick Burdick, K8WWA, (513) 554-4662, rickburdick@yahoo.com SILENT KEY COMM: Jim Benson, W8OUU, (513) 825-1254, w8ouu@fuse.net VE TEAM: Gary Osborne, W8XS (513) 474-0287, osborne@fuse.net ARRL Great Lakes Director: Jim Weaver, K8JE (513) 549-0142, k8je@arrl.org Ohio Section Manager: Fred Piper, KI8GW (614) 589-4641, ki8gw@arrl.org W8DZ 2M REPEATER :145.27- 1936 Net 1.936 MHz, Thursdays 9:00pm Net Control: Jay Adrick,K8CJY / Geoff Mendelhall, W8GNM October 22…Show and Tell November-February…NO MEETING December 9…Christmas Party DONATIONS TO THE GCARA may be tax deductible. Contact the treasurer for information Page 2! Meeting Minutes Officers in Attendance President - David Self, K8SSN Present 1st Vice Pres. -Neal Berter, N8QFZ Present Corresponding Secretary – Richard Pestinger, KC8RP Present Subject: Date: Location: Opening: GCARA General Meeting September 24, 2014 Manor House Breese Manor 7:30PM 2nd Vice Pres/Treasurer, - Roger Kleine, KA8MOE Absent Recording Sec.Allan Hale, WA9IRA-Absent Call to Order: - President Self Pledge of Allegiance Introductory remarks by President Self with a joke. Reports – Treasurer’s Report – Roger’s report for this evening for September and the Picnic included: Income Beginning Balance $142.87. Income; Transfer from savings $500. Total Income $642.87. Expenses: Park reservation $140.00, Catering $150.00, Richard for Drinks $50.55, Kroger’s supplies $66.32, Bank Fee, August September $28.00 Total Expenses $434.87. Ending balance $218.00. Picnic Report, Dinner collection $130.00, Dues collected $120.00, Total for Picnic $180.00. Paypal Collection $50.00. Picnic Expenses = Park reservation $140.-00, Catering $300.00, Drinks $50.55, Kroger’s supplies $66.32, Kroger gift card $25.00 Total $581.87. Balance = (-$410.87) A motion was made and seconded that the Treasurer’s report be accepted and submitted. Scholarship Report – Rick mentioned that he had not received any applications for the scholarship program. Rick encourages our new members and anyone to submit an application. The requirements are simple, you need to be a GCARA member and you need to be present and support the club activities. Membership Meeting Minutes – Allan noted that the meeting minutes from the August meeting were not taken due to his absence resulting from out of state work commitments. Membership Report –Richard was present and indicated that the club has 88 members. Repeater Report– Neal mentioned that the club repeater is operational and functioning. He did mention that the repeater will be moving to a new site very soon that has an elevation of some 400 feet above ground terrain which should significantly improve the signal strength throughout the metropolitan area as well as the suburban areas outside of the city. Don’t forget that the GCARA repeater is on +145.27_ (Negative offset) with a PL of 123 Hz. Be sure to try the repeater and see if you can access it and continue to let Neal know of your experiences! V.E. Session Rick mentioned that at the recently held GCARA VE session there were two applicants and they each were successful in their exams so we have two new Technician Class Licensees! Great going guys! Old Business? Silent Keys – Jim Benson was absent this evening. No one else knew of a SK. New Business? As is customary for September, the nomination for officers for the club was held. The nomination slate for the upcoming club election includes: President - Open 1st Vice Pres. Neal Berter, N8QFZ 2nd Vice Pres. – Rick Burdick K8WWA Treasurer, - Roger Kleine, KA8MOE Corresponding Secretary, Membership – Richard Pestinger, KC8RP Recording Sec. Allan Hale, WA9IRS, Do not forget that next month nominations can be made from the floor by any GCARA Club member in good standing that attends the meeting. If you would like to serve and help the club, please come out and let your voice be heard! The club depends, upon its friends! Other business? Dave mentioned the possibility of a GCARA Hamfest for next year with the possibility that it will be held at Strickler’s Grove as it did many years ago. Let’s see if this develops into a tangible opportunity for the club to have a well-attended event that will be open to the entire family including activities for children and adults alike! Stay tuned! Dave also mentioned that plans are underway for the GCARA Christmas Party. Additional information will be found at the GCARA Club website and will also be published in next month’s Mike & Key. Additional New Business? None brought to the membership, Motion to close the meeting, Noted and seconded, All in favor! Program: The program tonight is: Baseball's Greatest Scandals, #4: The Pittsburgh Drug Trials Dale M. Shiffman, an unemployed photographer characterized by his attorney as ''a minor league dealer among major league users,'' was sentenced yesterday in Pittsburgh to 12 years in Federal prison for selling cocaine, mainly to major league baseball players. That was the headline in the New York Times for October 22, 1985 describing a scandal affecting the Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball team but later was more widespread throughout the sport. The man who was directly involved in the activity Dale Shiffman, spoke concerning his involvement and the activities and events that changed his life from that time up to the present day. At the September meeting Dale told his side of the story which was a remarkable one and had the members in attendance spellbound for the program event. If you were not there you missed a lot! There being no additional business, Adjournment followed at 9:08 PM Respectfully submitted, Allan Hale, WA9IRS Recording Secretary Page 3! 1936 GCARA NET CONTROL STATIONS NCS FOR THE GCARA 1936 NET ARE AS FOLLOWS October-W8GNM, Geoff November-K8CJY, Jay December-NM4A, Bill Alternates: AI4XD, KZ8ZZ, WD8NKJ CO-NET MANAGERS:Jay Adrick, K8CJY & Geoff Mendenhall, W8GNM Don’t have an antenna for 160? Check with any of the above. NOTE: THE 1936 NET IS THE OLDEST CONTINUALLY RUNNING NET 'ON SSB AND AM. 1936 Net Thursday’s 9:00pm 1.936 LSB (160M) GCARA Membership If you have not taken the time to renew your membership in the GCARA for 2014, please take the time to do so. A lot of members renew at hamfest and Since we did not have one last year, your dues may not have been pay for this year. You can use the form on page 11 or you can use PayPal to renew by click here (if reading via pdf) or go to www.gcara.org and scroll to the bottom of the page. New members: if using PayPal, please put Name, Call address, etc in the message box or send email to kc8rp@arrl.net Silent Keys Bob Boehm K8YS If you know of a ham who has become a SK please contact Jim Benson, W8OUU 513-825-1254, w8ouu@fuse.net please contact Jim Benson, W8OUU Page 4! Member’s Mart For sale DX Engineering 5 band total antenna kit hexx beam mark 2. New but partially assembled $425. Ameritron ALS-600 amp clean $725. Jim wb4zcd 859-441-9684. Send ads to tm&k@gcara.org. Ads are free to members and subject to editing. Deadline: last Monday of the month. Ads will run for two issues, unless otherwise requested. TM&K ads usually work. If they don’t, consider donating to the GCARA Equipment Support Committee. Donations may be tax deductible. ARISS contact on Echolink and IRLP Please join us in listening to the ISS contact with participants at the Indiana Area School District, Indiana, PA, USA on Friday October 17th. AOS is anticipated at 1641 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and IK1SLD in Italy. Indiana, Pennsylvania is a rural town with a population of 32,000 that is situated sixty miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Our residents enjoy the convenient proximity to a major city, as well as the community-feel and lifestyle of a small town. The Indiana Area School District has provided a dynamic high-quality educational program for over 170 years. Our four K-5 elementary schools, one 6-8 junior high school and one 9-12 senior high school serve 2800 students district wide. In addition to distinguished academic achievement, our students’ activities include fundraising for a variety of charitable causes, school and community leadership, as well as setting new standards for excellence in both academic and athletics competitions. In fact, we currently boast two National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists and a third honoree. We are proud of our student’s accomplishments! Our dynamic school programs are part of the building blocks for student success. Beginning with a commitment to early childhood and pre-K programs to increase student learning readiness, to the rigor and challenge of enrichment options at the elementary school level. Our secondary programs include an array of Advanced Placement and STEM course offerings, dual enrollment options, and our own cyber school option for students. Many local residents will tell you, “Indiana, PA is a great place to raise a family.” This is true because we blend the small town community with a school system that continually strives to provide cutting-edge programs that prepare students to be successful citizens. Audio from this contact will be fed into the: EchoLink *AMSAT* (101377) conference server IRLP Node 9010 Discovery Reflector On the Web for Windows, Mac, iOS & Android Devices at: https://sites.google.com/site/ arissaudio/ Audio on Echolink & web stream is generally transmitted around 20 minutes prior to the contact taking place so that you can hear some of the preparation that occurs. IRLP will begin just prior to the ground station call to the ISS. Due to changes with the AMSAT Server, laptop listeners are encouraged to set the timers in Echolink ( with the software open go to TOOLS SETUP - TIMING and set receive and inactivity timers to 0 ) to avoid timing out. RF link users may time out. * Contact times are approximate. If the ISS executes a reboost or other manoeuvre, the AOS (Acquisition Of Signal) time may alter by a few minutes 73, John AG9D ARISS Audio Distribution Page 5! ARRL support for clubs could use some improvement By Dan Romanchik, KB6NU $2 for renewing members. According to a former treasurer of ARROW, my club here in Ann Arbor, MI, $2 just wasn't enough to make it worth his while to process renewals. Often, when you hear ARRL officials speak, they extol the virtues of amateur radio clubs, saying things like, "Clubs are the lifeblood of amateur radio." For example, Dale Williams, WA8EFK, in response to my e-mail congratulating him on his appointment as the new ARRL Great Lakes Division director, said that his "plans are to push to keep things local, club-related, and bottom-up driven." Of course, that kind of set me off. When it comes to club support, the ARRL is more talk than action. One example of this lack of support is that there hasn't been an issue of the ARRL Club News newsletter for years. Even so, if you log into the ARRL website and look at your e-mail subscriptions page, you'll see that it says that it's supposed to be a monthly newsletter. I'll also note that the ARRL CEO Harold Kramer, WJ1B,left this particular newsletter off the list of available newsletters in his June QST column. I don't know who at HQ is responsible for producing this newsletter, but the fact that there hasn't been one for so long speaks volumes to me. Another example is the club commission program. Under this program, clubs get a $15 commission when they sign up a new member. That's not bad, but the commission falls to only To be fair, it's not all bad news. The ARRL website does have a page with information on how to set up and run an active club (http:// www.arrl.org/affiliated-club-resources). The ARRL also has a club liability insurance program is a decent deal for clubs, but that program probably doesn't require much effort on the ARRL's part. The ARRL is also supposed to refer new hams to clubs, but I'm not sure exactly how they do that, and I don't think ARROW's gained any new members from this recently. Let me ask you. Is your club getting the support it needs from the ARRL? If so, I'd like to hear about what you think they're doing right. If not, I'd like to know what you think they should be doing to help your club. ==================================== When he's not writing this column for club newsletters, Dan, KB6NU enjoys working CW on the HF bands and teaching ham radio classes. For more information about his operating activities and his "No-Nonsense" series of amateur radio license study guides, go to KB6NU.Com or e-mail cwgeek@kb6nu.com. Page 6! ED NOTE: Reprinted from August 1974 TM&K Page 7! Electrical Safety This developed for A. Hale, of the club. crossword puzzle was the GCARA Mike & Key by WA9IRS for the enjoyment members and friends of the Copyright WA9IRS © 2014. Solution found at www.gcara.org/puzzle or scan Page 8! DX happenings… Page 9! FCC Ham Exams GCARA December 10:Blue Ash Recreation Center 4433 Cooper Rd Blue Ash. Registration 6:30pm. For more information contact Rick, K8WWA at rick_burdick@yahoo.com WALK INS ACCEPTED 1st Saturday each month: Cincinnati (Hartwell), CRA, at Hartwell Pres. Church. Registration 8:30am; walk-in only! All licenses classes. Dale Pritchett, KC8HJL at (513) 769 0789 2nd Monday each month: Kentucky (Edgewood) NKARA, at Turkeyfoot Middle School, 3230 Turkeyfoot Rd. Registration 6:00pm. Follow the signs. Pre-registration preferred, walk-ins accepted. Lyle Hamilton, AB8SH, (513) 315 4032. Talk-in 147.255 In all cases; tests require two Ids (preferably one with photo). Bring with you the or Webpages of Importance to Members of the GCARA Greater Cincinnati Amateur Radio Association…..www.gcara.org GCARA on Facebook…..www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=402853765060 American Radio Relay League…..www.arrl.org Great Lakes Division-ARRL...www.arrl-greatlakes.org Ohio Section - ARRL…..www.arrl-ohio.org Ohio Section News…..www.arrl-ohio.org/sm/Section_News.html Dayton Hamvention…..www.hamvention.org Shortwave listening Guide...www.naswa.net/swlguide Follow the GCARA on Twitter…@W8DZ * If reading from a pdf file, clicking on the link will take you to the webpage Page 1! 0 Membersh ip Applicat JOIN or RENEW GCARA MEMBERSHIP ion GCARA membership application and information update form ( ) I enclose $15 dues per club year (Jan. 1- Dec. 31) x ( ) years = $_________ ( ) I request free student membership (licensed Hams in grades 1-12) for Jan. 1-Dec. 31. If a free Student Membership, what is your school & grade?___________ This is a ( ) new, ( ) renewed membership. Member of ARRL? ( ) yes, ( ) no ( ) My yearly dues are paid. Please enter the following changes for me: NAME ________________________________________ CALL _______________ ADDRESS*___________________________________________________________ CITY/STATE*__________________________________________ ZIP* __________ Tel. No. with A/C* (_____)________-__________ E-MAIL ADDRESS* _____________________@____________________________ My interests in and out of Ham radio: Public service; Working with youngsters; On-air operations; VHF/UHF; HF; Building; Teaching; Computers; Helping people become licensed; Repairing equipment; Helping other Hams. *Provide specified information only if it has changed since last renewal. Mail with dues payment to: Richard Pestinger, KC8RP 66 Boehm Court Fairfield, Ohio 45014 Make checks/MOs payable to GCARA to pay with PayPal go to www.gcara.org GCARA meets the 4th Wednesday of each month Directions to GCARA Meeting location Maple Knoll (Breese Manor) 11200 Springfield Pike, Springdale, OH (Take Maple Trace Dr. off Springfield Pike) Page !11 Send application and $15.00 to Richard Pestinger, KC8RP 66 Boehm Court Fairfield, Ohio 45014 If you would like your membership card mailed to you, please send a SASE with your The Greater Cincinnati Amateur Radio Association, Inc. ______________________________ TM&K Editor 3261 Old Oxford Rd Hamilton, Ohio 45013 TO CHANGE YOUR CALLSIGN, ADDRESS, PHONE OR EMAIL GO TO THE GCARA WEBSITE www.gcara.org (link located at bottom of page) Page 1! 2