FARS - The FARS Relay -- Volume 30, Number 6

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The FARS Relay

Volume 30, Number 6 JUNE 2000

June Meeting

June 16, 2000 7:30 THIS IS THE THIRD FRIDAY

We don't know who the speaker is yet. We also have to do some last minute preparation for Field Day the following weekend. If you have not scheduled operating time or volunteered to help, the best time to do so is at this meeting.

FIELD DAY

Amateur Radio Field Day is held once each year to make sure we know where our equipment is and operators are. It also is the time to make sure our equipment is working. By making as many contacts as possible during the time allotted, we practice handling emergency traffic if it becomes necessary. This year Field Day is from Friday, June 23 through Sunday, June

There may still be a need for people to move equipment on Friday and Saturday. We need someone with a pickup or other towing vehicle to move the tower trailer on Sunday. Please let us know if you can do this. Jack Eddy has details on the ball and electrical hookup.

There is something for everyone to do. In addition to people who love operating, we need loggers to keep them honest.

Field Day is also the best time to see how it is done. It is one thing to read about skip and bouncing off layers; quite another to actually hear what happens and have it explained by someone who knows.

There will be a pot-luck picnic barbecue on Saturday night. Please bring your favorite salads, deserts, or whatever to share. Keep in mind when selecting what to bring: It does get warm this time of year and some foods spoil more quickly than others. We also need ice chests to keep the drinks cold and to preserve the food. The club will provide drinks, hamburgers, and hot dogs.

Please see the sign up sheets later in this issue.

FARS Board Meeting Minutes

The FARS Board held its monthly meeting the evening of June 6, 2000. Members present were Jack, WA6YJR, David, KD6WRG, Herb, KF6BKL, Howard, KE6PWH, Omri, AA6TA, Shel, N6RD, Mikel, KN6QI, and Martin, KD6WJW.

Virtually all of the discussion involved Field Day preparations. (More details can be found elsewhere in this issue of the Relay. Those interested in participating are urged to attend the next club meeting, which will be on June 16.)

- Martin, KD6WJW

Calendar

Livermore Swap Meet - 1st Sunday of each month at Las Positas College in Livermore, 7:00 AM to noon, all year. Talk in 147.045 from the west, 145.35 from the east. Contact Noel Anklam, KC6QZK, (510) 447-3857 eves.

Foothill Flea Market - 2nd Saturday of each month from March to October at Foothill College, Los Altos Hills. FARS NET on 145.23 repeater Thursday nights at 8 PM.

Jim, WE6V is running W1AW code practice sessions on the 145.23 repeater every Tuesday evening 8:00 to 8:30.

Silent Key

We have only just learned that John H. (Jack) Priedigkeit, W6ZGN, became a silent key in February. Jack was a great friend of our club (known as EMARC at that time) and donated a lot of ham gear to the club, including a Kenwood TS-830 HF rig with a second VFO, which we put to good use in several recent Field Days. In recognition of his generosity, Jack was named an Honorary Life Member of our club a few years ago. He will be greatly missed. Our deepest sympathies to his family.

de Omri AA6TA

CLUB INFORMATION

President: Jack Eddy, WA6YJR
Vice President: Howard Califf, KE6PWH
Treasurer: Shel Edelman, N6RD
Secretary: Martin Liberman, KD6WJW
Training Officer: Steve Stearns, KF6OIK/AE
Radio Officer: Omri Serlin, AA6TA
Newsletter: David Wilkes KD6WRG (See address below)

Board members: Dirk Thiele KE6ZUY, Dick Baldwinson N6ATD; Hans Neumann KE6TGA; Herb Davidson KF6BKL, Omri Serlin AA6TA, Larry Moore KM6IU, Charles Arney KF6CUU, Steve Stearns KF6OIK, David Wilkes KD6WRG.

K6YA Station Trustee: Stan Kuhl, K6MA

FARS Web Page: www.fars.k6ya.org

FARS announcement mailing list is moderated, so you cannot reply directly to the list.

fars-announce@svpal.org

Also, note you can contact the FARS board of directors at

fars-board@svpal.org

To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to:

majordomo@svpal.org

In the e-mail message (in plain text) put one of:

unsubscribe fars-announce YOUR-EMAIL-ADDRESS
subscribe fars-announce YOUR-EMAIL-ADDRESS

(eg. Subscribe fars-announce dwilkes@svpal.org)

The FARS Relay is the official monthly newsletter of the Foothills Amateur Radio Society Meetings are held at 7 PM on the fourth Friday of each month except January (Winter Banquet); and 3rd Friday in June, Nov. & Dec. Annual membership $20; family $25. Visitors are always welcome! Directions on the back page. Talk-in: N6NFI (145.23-, 100Hz) or W6ASH repeater (145.27 or 224.36). Contributions to the newsletter from members, family, and guests are earnestly solicited! Contributions subject to editing and/or compression. ASCII files via packet, Internet or diskettes preferred; but all readable forms welcome. Here is how to reach the editor:
Internet: dwilkes@svpal.org, davewilkes@aol.com .

VHF voice: KD6WRG on N6NFI, 145.23- (100Hz PL) FARS net Thursdays 8 PM; Various other times. Mail: 1093 Kelly Drive San Jose CA 95129-3222 Voice: 408-996-1613 (Until 9 PM); Fax: 408-725-1036, and at FARS meetings.

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Field Day CW Station Sign Up

As one can plainly see, there is a lot of time open for CW operators. What more do you want? Your home installation is probably nowhere near as good as we have at the Field Day site. Go for those distant stations.

Saturday, June 24 Sunday, June 25
11 AM - 1 PM 2 AM - 4 AM
W6ASH
K6MA
2 PM - 4 PM 4 AM - 6 AM
WB8TBA
KD6WRG
4 PM - 6 PM 6 AM - 8 AM
6 PM - 8 PM 8 AM - 10 AM
WB8TDA
KD6WRG
8 PM - 10 PM 10 AM - Finish
W6ASH W6ASH
KE6TGA K6MA
10 PM - 11 PM
11 PM - 2 AM Sunday

Amateur Radio Newsline

DAYTON: 2000 IN REVIEW

If you were to find one thought to describe the outcome of the 2000 combined Dayton Hamvention and ARRL National Convention, it would be that the two were good for one another. Good in attendance. Good in content. Good in entertainment value and very good for ham radio.

While the final attendance has yet to be announced, Hamvention planners peg it at a bit over 28,000. If the number holds, it's a solid 10% increase over 1999.

Dayton's famous rain clouds threatened again this year, but after a short downpour and brilliant lightening display and windstorm Thursday night, the rest of the weekend was essentially rain free though cloudy. One of the pleasant surprises this year were the forums, and the number of forum attendees. Jim Ebner. N8JE, was this years forums chairman:

"We had 31 total forums -- not including the ARRL and the attendance went very well. Each room was filled to capacity." Jim Ebner, N8JE

Hollywood Producer Dave Bell, W6AQ, spoke glowingly of the Saturday night banquet and its award winners:

"The Technical Excellence went to Paul Shuch, N6TX, who have a terrific acceptance speech about his ham radio life and about SETI.

"There were a lot of younger kids at the Dayton Hamvention this year. I was very surprised to see a lot of young people going through the swap-meet and inside the show. It was really refreshing to see more and more young people at the Dayton Hamvention" Doug Wynn, WY6NN

(Newsline)

HAM RADIO ON THE INTERNET: DYSLEXIA PAGES ADDED TO HANDI HAMS WEBSITE

Saying that the organization is "committed to providing readers of its website with more resources on specific disabilities", Handi-Hams has added a dyslexia resources page to its home in cyberspace. According to Handi-Hams, teaching Morse Code to people with dyslexia is a real challenge and the new page contains a link to some teaching tips for that specialty.

Handi-Hams is asking hams who suffer from dyslexia to check out the new resource page and provide feedback. Look for it at:

www.handiham.org

(Handi-Hams)

HAMVENTION 2000: THE NOSTALGIA SIDE

And finally, while Hamvention 2000 was the showcase for some of the latest cutting-edge technology, vintage radio also made its presence known. Newsline's Paul Courson, WA3VJB, reports that a lot of old gear was plugged in and on the air:

The nations largest hamfest has always included older equipment out in the fleamarket. But this time officials confirm this was the first on the air vintage AM station in Hamvention history.

It was put together by fans of classic gear who came from as far away as upstate New York and New England to take part. Dale, KW1I, brought his multi Almac to the AM festival station at Dayton and it sounded like this as Dale described to spectators:

"There are people drawn to the audio and people drawn to the equipment that they used to operate. And then there were some people who are, you know, I don't know where they are coming from didn't even know what AM was. I was able to explain that. So it made a good impact." Dale

The station drew more than a 100 contacts from across the country as folks dusted off their own gear to join in the fun.

"I've got a fine signal up here. Running a pair of Hallicrafters twins. The novice station the HT-40 SX-1 into dipole antenna.

How copy? KW1I W8SHR"

The warm, inviting sound of AM filled the exhibitors tent at Dayton, as well as on the air waves. From DX 60's to broadcast transmitters, now converted for AM on the shortwave ham bands.

For once it was the contemporary high tech rig that was at a disadvantage.

"I think there is a station on single sideband and I don't have a single sideband detector though if you repeat your callsign a couple of times I'll put the vfo on and see how we do. This is KW1I portable."

There are already plans to have a vintage AM station next year at Dayton. Meantime, the sounds of classic radio are always found at 3885, 7290 and other AM gathering points across the bands. And there is a website, keyword search WB3HUZ.

I'm Paul Courson, WA3VJB reporting for Newsline.

Hamvention 2000 is now a part of ham radio history but Hamvention 2001 is less than a year away.

(WA3VJB, Newsline)

Directions to Field Day Site

On the map above, North is up -where it should be. From 280: Exit to Foothill Expressway and turn South. Cristo Rey comes up very quickly. Turn right, take it easy. Look for the FARS sign on the right. Enter the gate and find the field on the right. If you have heavy stuff to bring in to the picnic area, have someone show you the road. There will be guy wires and other things on the field.

Zoning Ordinances: Radio Antennas

Some of us get ourselves dirty playing in politics. Someone has to do it. Every once in a while there are good guys. Your mission is to write your local State Assembly and State Senate person to make sure they support this bill. Dennis Paull flagged this one for us.

AUTHOR: Brulte
TOPIC: Zoning ordinances: radio antennas.
Passed out of the Local Gov Committee 6 to 0
Passed out of Senate Appropriations Committee 13 to 0
Now on Senate Consent Calendar
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1714, as amended, Brulte.
Zoning ordinances: radio antennas. Existing law authorizes the legislative body of any county or city to adopt zoning ordinances for various purposes. This bill would provide that any ordinance adopted by the legislative body of any city or county that regulates amateur radio station antenna structures shall not preclude amateur radio service communications but shall reasonably ........
The Director of the Office of Planning and Research to prepare and publish a technical assistance bulletin for use by local officials and planners in the preparation and adoption of local ordinances regulating amateur radio service antennas, to prepare a model ordinance on local regulation of those antennas, and to report to the Legislature and the Governor regarding any recommendations for changes to the state statutes regarding state or local regulation of amateur radio service antennas.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:
yes. State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 65850.3 is added to the Government Code, to read: 65850.3. Any ordinance adopted by the legislative body of a city or county that regulates amateur radio station antenna structures shall not preclude amateur radio service communications. Any ordinance that regulates amateur radio station antenna structures shall reasonably accommodate amateur radio service communications and shall constitute the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish the legitimate purpose of the city or county.
SEC. 2. On or before July 1, 2001, the Director of the Office of Planning and Research shall do all of the following: (a) Prepare and publish a technical assistance bulletin suitable for use by local officials and planners in the preparation and adoption of local ordinances that regulate the placement, screening, and height of amateur radio service antennas. In preparing this bulletin, the director shall consult with individuals and groups with experience in amateur radio service communications and land use regulation, including, but not limited to, the American Radio Relay League, the American Planning Association, the California Association of Realtors, the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, and the Federal Communications Commission.
(b) Prepare and publish a model ordinance suitable for adoption by the legislative bodies of cities and counties for the regulation of the placement, screening, and height of amateur radio service antennas.
(c) Report to the Legislature and the Governor regarding any recommendations for changes to the state statutes regarding state or local regulation of amateur radio service antennas.

Field Day Sign Ups

Set up on Friday to start with loading antennas and other equipment at Arv's house at 1PM.

Herb KF6BKL, Omri AA6TA, Martin KD6WJW, David KD6WRG, Jack WA6YJR, Charlie KF6CUU, Dick N6ATD, Neal WA6OCP, Larry KM6IU.

Saturday, 8 AM

Dennis KC6PUN, Omri AA6TA, Jack WA6YJR, Charlie KF6CUU, Dick N6ATD, David KD6WRG.

CW Operators

Kitty WB8TDA, Walt W6ASH, Stan K6MA, Hans KE6TGA.

RTTY

Omri AA6TA, Mikel KN6QI, David KD6WRG, Jack WA6YJR

HF

Sat

11-2 Mikel KN6QI

2-4 Alan Childs K6IPM, Mike Flowers K6MKF, Neal WA6OCP, Ramsey KE6TFZ, Dennis KC6PUN Dick N6ATD, David KD6WRG, Jack WA6YJR

Sunday Same group as listed for Sat.

Take down Sunday

David KD6WRG, Jack WA6YJR, Herb KF6BKL, Charlie KF6CUU, Omri AA6TA, Ramsey KE6TFZ, Dick N6ATD.

Picnic Sign ups

Ramsey KF6TFZ

Jeff KD6MNP

Jack WA6YJR Salad

Stan K6MA Desert

Walt W6ASH Desert

Alan K6IPM Salad

Martin

Mikel KN6QI Watermelon

David KD6WRG Chili

How to get to meetings:

(Visitors always welcome)

FARS meets at the Covington School District building, 201 Covington Road, Los Altos. Take the El Monte exit (The same exit as for the Foothill Fleamarket) off of I-280 and go East on El Monte. Cross Foothill Expressway and turn right at the next light on to Covington (Note Saint William church on corner). Stay to your left as the road forks. Just past the fork, turn left into the school parking lot. Walk through the center hallway and turn right. The meeting room is the first door on the left. Talk in on 145.23 or 145.27, negative offset, 100 PL.