The Official Newsletter

Of The

Cheshire County DX

OCTOBER_2001_MEETING

     This meeting had the biggest attendance for a long time with the following members present fot the meeting. Dale N1NCI, Dale F N1KWE, Bruce B WA1YZN, Mike N1MXJ, Derek W1WWW, Wayne C KB1YCM, Pat N1NCJ, Doc KV1S, Arnie N1BAC, Bruce G KA1TWX, Joel WA1ZYX, Dave K1ZS, Wayne H KC5WXC, Walt N1WRP, Dan KB1EAK, Karyn KB1FVP, Jack N1NGF, Skip K2XD, Colin W1EEK, Bernard KB1FVO, Cliff N1TGB, Dave KB1CYG, Randy N1KWF and Dean W1VK for a total of twenty four. Maybe we can start getting back to the fifty to sixty members we had when we reorganized almost ten years ago. Dale brought us up to date on Henry and the problems with the duplexers. Two antennas are being used for the time being, one to xmt and the other to receive and are doing a good job so far. A discussion on what could be done to correct the duplexers and where replacements can be acquired, as they are a fairly expensive item. A remote is going to be set up in the Hinsdale area at Dale Shipp's location and see how well it performs and hopefully it will correct what has been a difficult location for communications. The second one is to be put at the Crotched Mt. site for getting reliable contact into the Jaffrey/Rindge area on the other side of Mt. Monadnock. Dale (NCI) talked about APRS systems and the what is needed to operate in that mode. He had equipment with him to demonstrate and how to build some of the systems and how they work. The club computer system donated by Bob Ferguson RC EmergServDir has been updated and put on line for APRS and packet to replace the DOS machine we have been using for the past two years and Bruce (YZN) demonstrated both the DOS and DeLorme Street Atlas programs so members could see the difference between the two. Demos of some of the equipment from members present with radios with built in APRS was on hand for everyone to see. Dale (NCI) was looking for help from people to help with the "Pumkin Festival". This was a request from Barry Wante, Chief KPD and a small group at the meeting volunteered to help. A few more were needed and Dale put a message out on the club web page.

UPDATES

     Keene's Pumpkin Festival is now in the history books and while we didn't break our record of last year with pumpkins we did get more people visiting. The estimate was 55,000 + . And from the`amount of cars that I saw at the fairgrounds and the reports from other parking areas I don't doubt we exceeded last years crowd of 50,000. Dick KB2FF manned the radio in the command post at Keene PD headquarters. Dale N1NCI, Lennie WA1UNN, Arnie N1BAC, Doc KV1S, Bruce WA1YZN, Wayne KC5WXC and Jack N1NGF reported from the various parking areas around the city to help estimate the amount of people arriving. This info went to the command post so the PD and bus people could correct problems as they came up. We could have used a few more people to help as the hours were from 2 to 8  PM and we could have split the time into two shifts of about three hours. The weather cooperated as it wasn't as cold and windy as last year. We got a few sprinkles and that was about it. Final count for the pumpkins was 22,663 and there was good coverage on the news at eleven from several TV stations.

     Dale and Lennie were able to locate a surplus radio to be used in the EOC at KPD.  It has been programmed for the local ham channel repeaters (3) and simplex. This makes it a little easier as we have had to bring in our equipment and set it up before we could operate. Now there will be one permanently on site ready to operate and will be with the low band state radio. Also it will have more output power and with the external antenna will be ready for simplex operation if it is needed.

     The telephone poles have been installed at the American Legion. They went up a lot faster than was planned. Originally they were scheduled for November 5 and the crew that set them up were able to get it done much sooner. Thanks to Bruce (YZN) for getting it done. Buzz (NHP) is going to do a survey to see what kind of antenna configuration will best serve our purposes. The AL may put lights up for their parking lot also. And speaking of antennas a work party will be needed to get the ones at the Red Cross hooked up to the radios in their new location in the building.

     Ask Doc about his new Yaesu 817 back pack radio. It's a real nice unit and I'm sure he would be happy to show it off. Might make a nice show and tell at one of the meetings.

BRASSPOUNDERS NET

     Doc KV1S asked me to run this note in the next edition of the newsletter.

" I regret to announce that the Brasspounders CW net will be temporarily  discontinued due to poor participation. I hope it may resume in the future. I thank those who participated."

Doc KV1S net control.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

     Dean W1VK (603) 239-8302 has the following equipment for sale. You can contact Dean directly. He has other gear not listed.

(1)-Yeasu FL-2100B 1 KW pep desk top amplifier, 80 thru 10 meters. Tubes have low numbers of hours. Wired for 220 VAC. Unit in good cond. Works great. $300.00.

(2)-Heathkit SB-201 1 kw desktop amplifier, 80 thru 15 meters. No tubes in unit (will supply tubes if you want), wired for 220 vac. Unit in excellent cond. Works great. $300.00.

(3)-Rohn 25G 100 ft. (almost never used tower, ask Dale), base plate, rotor plate, heavy duty turnbuckles, guy brackets (for top and middle). All the guy wires are made up and ready to use for an 80 ft radius foot print. Lots of extra hardware and stuff, a spool of extra guy wire, 2 guy anchors (the other one is free if you can get it out of the concrete). $1400.00 or B/O

(4)-Kenwood TR-2600A 2 mtr HT, MS-1 mobile stand, SMC-30 Speaker Mike, battery charger, unit has PL tone generator modification. This was top of the Kenwood line at the time. Make offer.

(5)-Heathkit HD-1410 Electronic Keyer. $25.00

(6)-A collection of 45+ years of what you may need. Like a basket case Heathkit SB-10 SSB generator (tube type of course but a real classic). Check the junk box maybe there is something you can use.