THE
SPARK GAP
November 1998
Christmas 1998
This year's Christmas party has been set for Tuesday, December 15th at 7:00 at Queen City Truck Stop.
73's Phillip KD5CBK
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 to all agn; I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween. We had had lots of candy left over at our house, and we didn't let it go to waste. Thanksgiving is next up as fer as holidays go. Let's all enjoy this Holiday Season and be thankful fer all that we have. Remember, as bad as things may seem to be sometimes there are lots of people who wud trade their problems fer urs.
At the last VE exam session last month we got ourselves a new ham in the neighborhood. Listen fer Doug (KD5FKP) on the local airwaves and welcome him to our hobby. I've known Doug fer quite a few years and he will contribute lots to the HAM community. Also thanks goes out to Ronny (KB5DKW) and Melvin (N5JCG/RCA) fer helping with the exams. Without these volunteers we would not be able to upgrade and get new HAMS on a local level, tnx guys!
Christmas is just a few weeks away. Do we want to have a Christmas Party, Get together, or Cooking???? lets talk it up, we should do something dont u think??
Lastly, (new word) I'm enjoying the columns we're getting from Mel (N5JCG/RCA), Jim (WB5OCD) on wx and Ronny's (KB5DKW) personal views, ideas and thoughts on AMATEUR RADIO, however different they may be. These articles make The SPARK GAP a little more interesting to read each month.
Thats all ffffolks from my QTH, 73's to urs ......de....Dennis......KI5FW......
Vice President Report:
Hello to all. I'm in Branson having a good time. Will be back soon.
73's to all. W5OQY CP
Editor's note:
Call Darrell W5MAV @ 626-0053 to place an add, newsletter suggestions, or for an article you would liked published. Congratulation to our newest operators, Doug (KD5FKP), Steve (KD5CHD), and Patty (KD5FJA). I wonder if the Duke Family will be the 1st all Ham family in Meridian?
A Sense of a Goose
When you see geese flying along in "V" formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.
People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone - and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front.
If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those people who are headed the same way we are.
When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.
It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs, whether with people or with geese flying south.
Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. What messages do we give when we honk from behind?
Finally - and this is important - when a goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection.
They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies, and only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation to catch up with their group.
If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that.
Source Unknown
Everybody ~ Somebody ~ Anybody ~ Nobody
This is a story about four people named ~ Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done!
ARRL State Convention
Hamfest and Computer Show
Hosted by: Montgomery Amateur Radio Club
Saturday, November 14, 1998
9 AM to 3 PM
Garret Coliseum
Veteran's Day November 11
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 0800 hrs a van owned by U.S. government but purchased by D.A.V. provides transportation from the local VA clinic to the hospital and administration building on Woodrow Wilson drive in Jackson.
Volunteers (such as myself) from local service organizations provide a pool of drivers. No smoking, no drinking, no stopping (except for gas and biological functions). So far we can only take ambulatory people because we have no LIFT. Volunteers are provided with $4.00 worth of credit for a lunch in the canteen (if you are really rugged) and an I D badge with your picture and a wealth of 'war stories'. No weapons are allowed in hospital, and this is strictly enforced by security and metal detector (leave the uzi and brass knucks at home) QRU and QRT.....Ronald KB5DKW
WX UPDATE
All area amateur operators are encouraged to participate in the wx program. You DO NOT have to be a member of the Meridian Amateur Radio Club to participate. All you need is a Technician class license or higher, a radio that will operate on the frequencies we will use, and the desire to serve your community. If you would like to be trained to function as a net control operator or storm spotter, please contact me on the W5FQ repeater or at 601-644-3226.
This past month has been a good one in the area of weather. Mitch decided not to visit us and we have had no bad thunderstorms. We may have a mild fall thunderstorm season. Let us hope so.
The test of the backup communications on 146.700 MHz. last month went very well. Bill (KB5ASR), from high atop TV Hill, was able to hear most participants operating simplex just fine. Relay stations had to be used on several occasions and that too went well. 146.700 MHz was chosen for the test for a variety of reasons; however, during an actual emergency 146.520 MHz will be used for simplex operation. The main reason is that most HAMS have this frequency programmed into their handi-talkies or other rigs (including scanners) and will not need to drag out their manuals to reprogram for 146.700 simplex. At least that is how I would have to do it. This will also make it easier for non locals to be a part of our WX nets.
The southern and central area of Lauderdale are well covered by HAMS. We need greater coverage in the northern half of the county. We have several new operators in the area as well as many non club members that might wish to be a part of our net. If you are one of those individuals please let me know. I will plot your location on my map and include you in my list of stations to check on.
We have requested that LEMA again provide storm spotter classes. They are supposed to be working on a date for the class. The date will be passed out as soon as they let me know.
Jim WB5OCD
Lost and Found by KB5DKW
In case you are unfamiliar with the concept; The population of the Earth is divided into two basic personality types. Some people are NERDS and some people are BERMS. Without going into it extensively, I will give you some famous personalities that we can all relate to if you have a mental or chronological age of 18 or more.
Bill Clinton is a BERM. Bill Gates is s NERD. Liz Taylor is a BERM. Howard Hughes was a NERD. We the people are all individuals and unique each and every one, but some of us score very high on THE BERM TEST and some score very high on THE NERD TEST. Much has been said about all this, and I may now be skirting the edge of plagiarism, so I will expound no more.
My wife tells me that I am "Dorky Looking" and in the 'Nerded out' condition of my mind, I take it as a complement. My friend (ex-friend) N5HGN is a GOOD Looking NERD. Many of my friends who are female and are still speaking to me, tell me that this is true. Dennis, has also reminded me of this fact down through the years on a number of occasions therefore it must have some basis in fact. However,this does not alter the fact that Dennis is a NERD.Some people tell me that 'he just ain't right;' some say that he is way smarter than the Average Bear. Dennis, would say that if you add these two extremes up and divide them by two, then there you have it. This is not true because then you would have AVERAGE which will not compute.
What would I say or write if he died? I would probably say that I did not know that the gun was loaded and not write or sign anything without my lawyer standing right beside me. Dennis, tricked me into doing a lot of things with radio that I was just too busy or too lazy to do without some outside motivation. Dennis is serious and for real and expects such from others. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might". This is a quote from the beautiful and poetic book of Ecclesiastes in the 'King James Version' of The Bible . It goes on to say that work and wisdom are joys of this world alone and define us here and here only. They do not survive the grave. You will never have another chance to learn how to make your own antennas. You will never be able to work a DX pile up with a CW only QRP rig (that you made from a kit to save money). You will never have another chance to be a member of FISTS or buy some old junk at a Hamfest, get lucky and make it work. You will miss out (most likely) on getting more of the real news from Shortwave Broadcast and other Hams on HF that do not subscribe to the INFO-TAINMENT version provided to us by the major networks (featuring O.J., Monica, or Anita Hill).
HF radio is as vast as the internet and as fascinating if you expend the effort to understand it. It will work when the internet does not, and that is why we are here. Is this a hobby about making more friends and thus more money? I doubt it. Will it make you more popular? Not hardly. Will you always talk to nice people who are not drunk, crazy, or just mad at the world? No, because you are on World-Wide communication; the World is hard and someone will break your 'Pretty Bubble' for you. If you think that the answers to any of the above questions is YES then you are either very Radio-Inactive or you could be a BERM trying to make it in a very NERDY hobby. Perhaps, you just need a cell phone, an ISP, and none of the HF ham tickets which are the only ones worth a flip anyway. DENNIS, YOU TAUGHT ME WELL...
P.S. I remind you that this is your News Letter and we encourage the expression of your opinion. Whoever, you are. We would like to hear from you. I will gladly answer you 'Dear Abby' style, right here in the Lost and Found section of the SPARK GAP'. My e-mail address is <alien-j@webtv.net>. My name is Ronald Grayson. My call letters are at the bottom of the page. If you can not read my call letters then do not call me on the radio, use my E-MAIL address....
Ronny -.- -... ..... -.. -.- .--
Have a great month
