PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE for April, 2021

GOOD AFTERNOON all HARC amateurs and others worldwide who read this paper.

Looking out the window tells me it’s antenna time again – i.e. time to see how the antenna survived the winter events. Always a good idea to make sure that everything is tight (guys), all connections are intact and corrosion-free and so on.
Before we get into various points of discussion here, this is a gentle reminder that club dues for the year 2021 are due. If you have forgotten, you may not get your copy of the Reflector in your mailbox for the month.. It is also important to get your application into the treasurer as this provides a link to the QSL Bureau in case there is a change of address or call or phone number. Currently, there are over 150 folks who may not have enough funds to get their cards mailed out or their information is not complete and we get mailed items returned. Remember, this is your money that we use to get cards out to you. If we spend $5.00 of your money to mail cards and they come back to us, after research we try to mail again, you have used up $10.00 of your money being held in trust. We ask that you keep $20.00 on account for mailings out to you.

The April monthly meeting will start early – 18:30 and the business portion will run to 19:30… after that, we will be joined by Al Cyples from Lunenburg where he will make a presentation on “ Digital Radios”. This will be our first attempt at adding another club to our meeting via Zoom. Should this be successful, we can have regular entertainment til July and then go from there.

For those who are contesters and DXers there are 2 sites that are invaluable: a contest calender- “wa7bnm” and a site for DX is “ DXWORLD.NET”. there are several really good CW learning tools that can be put on a cell phone or laptop for an anywhere learning experience. A good follow up to this is just listening on 20 or 40 meters and learn to copy call signs and learn CW procedures on how to make a call. Dick and his merry band of CW enthusiasts are moving along at a good pace and are at about 8-10 words a minute; so good progress is being made there.

We will be making some hard decisions on “Field Day” 2021 and just how we will conduct the event. I fully expect that we will follow last year’s process as the safety of our membership is of prime concern and the fact that vaccines will not be fully implemented at that time. This is true of our American counterparts where operations for field day will be from home and accumulated scores submitted under a club.

As for club news, Bill has successfully repaired our vhf/uhf radio at the club and Fraser has tested it during Exercise Handshake. There has been very little mail received at the club this past month or as of the last meeting. I do have a basic exam to administer on April 24/21: Our satellite tower project of 30ft. is still a go for 2021 with some engineering detail to work out. Our Tower Inspection project is moving forward: our building at Cowie Hill is being looked into for project work: Bill and Jason are doing various projects related to our network and moving forward but now, with the weather improving as it is, things could move along at a faster pace time permitting.

We have developed a monthly plan for the club: first Wednesday of the month is the Executive meeting: The second Wednesday will probably be the EMO MEETING ONCE IT RECONVENES .: the 3rd Wednesday is the General Monthly club Meeting: and the fourth Wednesday night can be our : OPEN SESSION night”.. Each Tuesday night is Dick’s night for CW – currently there are 11 members taking advantage of his skills and teaching method. This will last until everyone is comfortable copying and sending CW and go for the exam. It is a lot of fun and everyone is enjoying Dick’s approach complete with new stories to accompany his practice.

Well, that brings me to the end of this message. You are as up to date as the executive with nothing new to report. As our situation changes and we are allowed more freedom to do certain things I will keep you all up to date. In the meantime, please stay safe, get your shot when your time arrives and this way we will be able to get together sooner rather than later… but safety first.

Take care – enjoy your radio: propagation is getting better. 73’ for now..

• Respectfully, Brian Allen- VA1CC,
  President of the HARC