[Ccarc] Early February updates

[Chuck Hendrickson]

Greetings ya'll, 

    It's not often that we have lots of things happening between meetings but between my thinking and some other things, I need to share some items. If anyone knows of anyone that isn't on the remailer please forward this to them. 
    I recently had a meeting with Jill Baughman, our local Red Cross coordinator. She had a couple items of interest that we need to consider and or act upon. The phone line that is connected to the repeater is owned by the Red Cross and for years they have been graciously maintaining this line and paying the monthly bill for us so we would have autopatch availability as well as a connection to the repeater by phone for our control link. Jill informed me that her phone bill for the Red Cross as a total is over $200 per month and it's putting a big dent in the local chapter's funds, and asked me if we absolutely need the line. I told her that I'd bring it to the membership and I'd get back with her on it with recommendations or options for her. 
    In the same meeting Jill also expressed an interest in getting interested Red Cross members trained as amateurs. Going a little further she also expressed interest in setting up semi permanent stations. Jill is also the coordinator in White County as well as Cass. That said she's interested in setting up stations in both counties. As far as coverage it appears she's looking at setting up HF through UHF capable stations. She realizes this will be at considerable cost and to cover the cost she has a few grants that she will be applying for. This grant will be written to cover not only the equipment needed, training for her personnel as well as including any equipment we'd like to include. Specifically Jill is looking at costs for the equipment (this would include everything needed as they currently have nothing), and she'd like to request our assistance for Technician classes as well as General Class mentoring for what she believes will be approximately 35 people. I informed her that the equipment is the easy part and the tough part would be the training. I further advised that I don't see a problem and I feel as a club we can offer the assistance needed but for the most part we would be better taking a supporting role offering advice and training in this venture letting Jill and or the Red Cross take the lead. Jill is very excited about this and I share her excitement. This could help us with a few more club members. Jill also offered the possibility of having this equipment available for our field day use as well. 
    The whole idea of this came about from her field day visit last year. Jill came before everything really got going but was extremely impressed with what she saw. While she was present I was able to demo PSK and SSB with a "test" contact on HF. Neither the VHF, nor the GOTA stations were operational when she was present yet she was still impressed to this degree. What I ask of you is ideas for equipment we need as a club. At this point the sky is the limit. What I plan is filtering it further until we get a reasonable proposal for Jill. I'd like to have something to propose to her after next meeting (February) as she needs plenty of time to write things up. I think her time deadline is sometime in March or early April. Don't let your lack of an HF capable license stop you from helping, we ALL have something to offer potential new hams. We have all seen individual new hams come about from seemingly innocent field day visits, now we have the opportunity to Elmer and witness an entire group become hams. 
    Our website is in SERIOUS need of updating. Last I remember we were awaiting an updated version of the roster. We've accomplished this and the website still needs work. I personally am not into taking a job away from anyone but I've not heard anything from Kyle to know what's happening. If he needs assistance or perhaps someone to take it over I need to know so this can be made possible. If anyone has contact with Kyle please ask him to email me or something. Kyle if you read this let me know what you need or want to happen. 
    In further news, as I listen to the scanner with slideoffs due to blowing snow it's hard to believe that field day is fast approaching. As you are probably aware, Don K9EQT has graciously offered his field once again for our operational site. Since nobody has fired me from the position I presume I will once again be coordinating this event. As always I'm looking for ideas. Not just new and different ideas but also variations or even some of the same things. This is and has always been OUR field day not mine. My job is to take your ideas and help make as many as possible happen. I have some ideas but I need help with this brain power thing. We'll worry about the leg work for all these wonderful ideas as they come. As time gets closer obviously we'll need plenty of help to make it all happen as we always do. I'll have more details later on the grande scheme of things. 
    Thanks again to everyone for your membership in the club as well as everyone's assistance in making things happen. We've done some pretty cool things in the past year or so and I'd like to see even more if possible happen. I hope everyone has an enjoyable Super Bowl weekend. 

GO COLTS!!!! 

73, 
Chuck Hendrickson N9PMW
President CCARC
http://www.culcom.net/~ccarcinc
ARRL Ham Radio's National Association
http://www.arrl.org
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