The Aerial May 2001

APRIL-2001-MEETING

The following members were in attendance. Dale N1NCI, Skip K2XD, Joel WA1ZYX, Dean W1VK, Wayne KB1CYN, Jack N1NGF, Mike N1MXJ, Bruce WA1YZN, Dave K1ZS, Colleen, Arnie N1BAC, Bob N1ZM, Pete N1YSW and Randy N1KWF. The amended by-laws for the club were approved and voted on by the members present. Field Day plans were well under control with radios, generator, antennas and the ever present coffee pot accounted for. The lift is yet to be confirmed. The antennas will be setup the night before as in past years. And speaking of antennas the club has received a donation of a vertical unit courtesy of Fred Norris W1WGP. It's supposed to be a three band unit but on closer inspection it looks like a five bander. Dave and Colleen ran the Wednesday night net from the Red Cross emergency station. A possible work party for the VHF/UHF repeaters on Hyland Hill is being planned and all the snow should be gone by this time. More details will be announced in the near future. A replacement repeater without the bells and whistles is being made up to operate with while "HENRY" gets a complete checkup and adjustments. Also it will be moved to its new location. The site for the remote now under test has not been decided on and as soon as the repeater committee decides it will be announced. For those who do not know it is located in the Chapter house and has a PL of 123.00. Dave K1ZS is working a scout jamboree in Chesterfield and asked anyone who could to check in to talk to the scouts. He was to be on 2 and 75 meters. There was discussion on space communications and some of the frequencies for those who are interested in that part of ham radio. Dale and Bruce G were reelected to the positions of President and Secretary/Treasurer as everyone felt they were doing a good job and "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Plans for a fox-hunt were brought up as several members would like to do one. Makes a nice summer activity. Also everyone is making plans for Hosstraders up at the Hopkinton Fairground and is looks like quite a few people are planning on going up. A reminder of the Red Cross disaster drill for May 5th was mentioned and at least five people would be needed. Also someone to act as liaison with the RC after the end of June as I will be stepping down from that job. And last, the planning for the next HAMFEAST is under way and will be at the American Legion Post in Marlborough on Rte 101 with details to come. The date for this event will be June 16.

UPDATES

We wish Dean W1VK good luck in his new job. He is going to a firm in Torrance, CA and has to leave before the next club meeting takes place. But all is not lost as he plans to return to the area when he retires. Dean has been active in the club for several years now and I won't say how many as it will give his age away. He'll be missed especially at field day with his CW and with his "fogger" and the laser shows that he and Dale put on when the sun goes down. He will be in the same field of micro-wave technology and has to move as soon as possible. We all wish him well in his new endeavor and to set up a sked so that he can stay in touch. He has some radio equipment he will not be taking and will be for sale.

Thanks to all the people who participated in the Red Cross disaster drill on May 5th. The staff at the RC asked me to thank all the hams that helped in this event. Good job guys. THX MUCH

Through the efforts of Bruce WA1YZN there will be a SKYWARN training class on Monday June 11 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM at the Red Cross Chapter House, 83 Court St. in Keene. This is the class that was to be at the Monadnock HS in Swanzey. It is being presented by the NWS from Taunton, MA for qualifying weather observers. Also, for people who need to update and refresh their skills. This should be done every two years for those who already have ID cards as weather observers.

The June meeting will be the last one for the summer months. The September 19 meeting in the fall will be the next meeting after the June meeting. DON'T FORGET FIELD DAY ON JUNE 23-24.

RED CROSS DISASTER DRILL

On Saturday afternoon May 5 the local Red Cross Chapter conducted a mandatory drill for damage assessment teams and a shelter management group. The program was under the direction of Bob Ferguson (EmergServDir). The drill started at the Chapter house and was then relocated to the local American Legion Post 4 to setup a shelter and communications center. This was for a simulated flood from the Ashuelet River to homes in Tanglewood Trailer Park. Local amateur radio operators from the CCDX amateur radio club provided an emergency base station and two mobile units to travel with the damage assessment teams to report back to the disaster coordinator from the field teams and allow assignments to the teams to be changed or recalled as the situation dictated. The club practiced a failure of the repeater and made the changeover to a simplex frequency for the balance of the exercise with a minimum of difficulty. A critique of problems for Red Cross people was held at the conclusion of the drill.

The radios were operated by Dick KB2FF net control, mobile operators with teams were Pete N1YSW and Dave K1ZS, backup operators Bruce B WA1YZN, Bruce G WA1TWX, Dale N1NCI, Doc KV1S. Jack N1NGF was liaison between the CCDX radio club and the Red Cross personnel. Other stations who checked in were KB1DRD, N2UID and WA1NHP who were available if needed. Thanks to the hams that were on sight and to the ones on standby whose services were greatly appreciated. Also thanks to the Gordon-Bissell Post #4 of the American Legion in Keene, NH for the use of their facility. The exercise was terminated for radio people at 1525 local hours.