THE SPARK GAP

A monthly publication of the Meridian Amateur Radio Club May 1998


Club Information

President: Dennis KI5FW

Vice Pres: C.P. W5OQY

Secretary: Bill KB5ASR

Treasurer: Ross WB4ZIK

Editor : Darrell W5MAV

Club meets every Saturday 10 A.M. at Queen City Truck Stop. All visitors and new members are welcome. Some folks come early for breakfast.

President Report:

GE Once Agn: It's hard to believe that it has been a month since the last time I wrote a Prez' Report but Darrell says it has been so it must be true.

On Sat. May 2nd, the local VE team administered Amateur Radio Test Exams at the Meridian Community College. We had a gentleman from Honduras come up to test with us. He passed his novice theory, his technician theory, and then passed the 5 wpm code test. Congratulations to Russell Patterson of Oxford, MS on the hard work and determination. I would like to thank three guys that helped with the testing - they are Ronny Grayson (KB5DKW), Gene Lee (W5MBJ), and also Mel Oubre (N5JCG/RCA). Without these guys we wouldn't be able to give these test here locally. Maybe next time we will have more local folks ready to test fer a new license or an upgrade.

At the time of writing this report I would like to advise everyone that the new antennas fer the repeater was ordered and are in. Maybe here in the next few days we can get a crew together and get the antennas up on the tower and working.

Now we have FIELD DAY coming up next month in June. Lets all try to be at the June meeting (1st Sat.) so that final plans can be made fer this event. I hope everyone will make plans to attend FIELD DAY because I'm sure there will be lots of contacts to make and grub to eat. It is always a family event so bring everyone and lets have some gud fellowship. John Ziller (N5OhhhhhhhhDV) has again reserved the pavilion on the east side of the Oakatibbee Reservoir Dam. This is a great QTH high on hill with lots of parking , a playground fer the little harmonics and a big BBQ grill. Come to stay the night as a few folks do; there is plenty of room fer campers, a tent or what ever u desire.

So far this year we have been pretty lucky here locally with BAD weather. Just remember to gather around the repeater when threatening weather approaches our area. till next month.......73's.........de...Dennis.....KI5FW.....

Vice President Report:

VP CORNER - Hello from Plant Sweat. The months are flying by. Anybody out there in control, slow us down some. We missed the bad weather last month that Tenn & Ala got. Be alert though, the season is not over. Remember Field Day in June and Hamfest at Philadelphia June 13. It will be fun and not so far us to go. We need a table. 73's and 88's W5OQY CP


TIME

Imagine there is a bank which credits your account each morning with $86,400, carries over no balance from day to day, allows you to keep no cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the a-mount you had failed to use during the day.

What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course. Well, everyone has such a bank.

Its name is TIME.

Every morning it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off as lost whatever of this time you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the records of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against "tomorrow." You must live in the present of today's deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success. The clock is running. Make the most of today.....

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who has failed his final exam.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of ONE DAY, ask a daily wage laborer who has ten kids to feed.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask the person who has missed the train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask the person who has survived an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who has won a gold medal.

Treasure every moment that you have. Time is a coin you can spend only once. Use it, invest it, make it count, and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special... special enough to have your time...and remember time waits for no one. Grab it and use it wisely day after day.


U.S. NATIONAL DEBT CLOCK

The Outstanding Public Debt as of 05/16/98 at 07:43:53 PM PDT is:

$5,489,133,893,386.63

The estimated population of the United States is 269,701,747 so each citizen's share of this debt is $20,352.61. Despite the current budget surplus, the debt has increased an average of $396 million per day since May 1, 1997!


HAMS ASKED TO CHECK INTO HURRICANE WATCH NET

 

The National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, has asked amateurs to participate in a communication preparedness exercise to kick off the 1998 hurricane season.

Amateurs are asked to check into the Hurricane Watch Net on 14.325 MHz on Sunday, May 31, 1998, between 1600 and 1800 UTC. Stations are requested to provide a real-time report of their current weather conditions, including wind speed, wind direction, and barometric pressure. Measured conditions are preferred, but estimated wind speeds will be accepted.

These reports will be forwarded to W4EHW at the National Hurricane Center. W4EHW will be on frequency. Stations do not need to continue monitoring the net once their reports have been forwarded to the National Hurricane Center.

"We look forward to talking with you on the 31st and hope that the only time that we have to do so this season is during exercises," said Jerry Herman, N3BDW, of the Hurricane Watch Net. --thanks to Rick Palm, K1CE


US TEAM TO TAKE ON WORLD-CLASS FOX HUNTERS

For the first time ever, a team of US hidden transmitter hunters--or "fox hunters"--plans to compete at the ninth ARDF World Championships. The US team will represent the ARRL at the event, to be held September 1-6 in Nyiregyhaza, Hungary (250 km east of Budapest). More than two dozen countries are expected to send their best on-foot fox hunters to this world competition, being organized by the Varosi Radio Club in Nyiregyhaza. The eighth ARDF World Championships were held last September in Sankt Englmar, Germany.

The ARDF World Championships follow established IARU fox hunting rules, using standard orienteering maps, punches, cards, and control flags. During separate events on 2 meters and 80 meters, five low-power "fox" transmitters are concealed in a large woods. The VHF and HF events are held on separate days. Each competitor, working independently, uses direction-finding techniques to find as many foxes as possible within two hours. Competitors and awards are separated into divisions on the basis of age and sex.

The ARRL's ARDF Coordinator Joe Moell, K0OV, says there's still room on Team USA for more fox hunters. Each competitor must be responsible for his or her own transportation, food, lodging and incidentals. For more information on how you can participate, contact Moell at Box 2508, Fullerton, CA 92633; e-mail homingin@ aol. com. "Time is of essence, because diplomatic and travel arrangements must be made well in advance," Moell says. Canadian amateurs should contact RAC National ARDF Coordinator Perry Creighton, VE7WWP, 4011 Hollyridge Place, Victoria, BC V8N 5Z8.

For more information on ARDF, visit the K0OV Web site, http://members. aol.com/homingin/


What is Skywarn for the NWSFO Jackson County Warning Area

Skywarn is a voluntary program developed by the National Weather Service to improve the warning program. SKYWARN volunteers serve as storm spotters for the National Weather Service and the local emergency management program. Keeping their eyes on the sky, volunteers serve as the eyes and ears for the whole community. SKYWARN volunteers come from all walks of life but they all have generally two things in common - an interest in the weather and an interest in serving their community.

SKYWARN is a rather loosely knit organization. Training in severe storm identification comes from the National Weather Service. Often, another organization such as emergency management, law enforcement, fire departments or rescue squads, or amateur radio groups is the backbone of the SKYWARN effort in a particular community.

These spotters use telephones and amateur radio to provide severe weather reports directly to the National Weather Service office and other county officials. This information is then used in severe weather warnings and statements, which helps save lives and property.

Skywarn was developed in the early 1970s. Over the years, thousands of law enforcement personnel, amateur radio operators, red cross volunteers, and other civic club members have joined forces with the National Weather Service to enhance the severe weather warning program.

Trained Skywarn spotters provide the National Weather Service with accurate and timely reports from either fixed or mobile locations. Reports such as flash flooding, hail, damaging winds, funnels, and tornadoes can mean the difference between saving lives or losing them. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer spotter for your county, contact your local emergency management coordinator for more information or Jim Butch at the National Weather Service Office.

Why Skywarn?

The NWSs mission is to protect lives and property. When weather conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms or tornadoes are expected to develop, a severe thunderstorm or tornado WATCH is issued. A Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado WARNING is issued when severe weather has been reported by a Skywarn spotter or indicated by Doppler radar. Skywarn volunteers become the NWSs and local Emergency Managements eyes and ears, helping to provide better weather watch and warning services. Who will activate Skywarn?

The NWS and/or the local emergency management authorities may activate the Skywarn net whenever there is a threat of severe weather or the NWS issues a severe thunderstorm or tornado watch. In this case information may be relayed through amateur radio repeaters. Localized events may be phoned directly to the NWS and/or local emergency management. Where will Skywarn Observations be taken?

Skywarn reports are relayed from on the road, while at work, or at your home. It is important not to jeopardize your own safety while participating in Skywarn.

Skywarn and Amateur Radio Operators

HAM radio operators have a special place in the Skywarn program. NWS offices have HAM equipment on site. Skywarn nets run by the volunteer amateur radio net control operators allow for reports to be directly heard at National Weather Service offices.

 

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