The Spark Gap

James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. King James Version

Next business meeting will be held on Saturday, January 2nd at the Check Board Restaurant beginning at 10 A.M. Hope to see you there. During the december 2009 Christmas Part / business meeting new officers were elected.

President: Doug Stevenson (KD5GBQ)
Vice President: Charles Grisham (KB5SZJ)
Secretary: Bill Robinson KB5ASR
Treasurer: Debbie Hover KD5JYJ

Membership dues have already starting flowing in for the New Year. Thank you for your support. Please bring your dues to the Checker Board Restaurant on Saturday mornings or mail them to the address below. Dues are:

$23.00 per Year per Member
$25.00 per Year for Family
$15.00 per year if 65 or older

MARC c/o Debbie Hover
11785 Nancy Drive
Collinsville, MS 39325

Meridian ARC's Volunteer Examiner team conducted a successful exam session Thursday evening. We had 5 exam candidates for Technician Class license. Four were successful.

The session packet was mailed today so examinees may see results on the FCC site as early as Tuesday, though Wednesday or Thursday would be more likely. Thanks to Dennis, NO5C; Jim, W5ED; and CP, W5BX for serving as examiners.

Thanks also to LEMA Director, David Sharp for providing us the space at the EOC. Our next scheduled session is 25 March, at 6 PM.

On the HamRadioHelpGroup mailing list, there was recently a discussion about using modulated CW on 2m. One fellow pointed out that MFJ sold a unit that would do this. When I pointed out that this box cost $100 and that they could do exactly the same thing with the $18 PicoKeyer from HamGadgets. Com, I got some flack that the PicoKeyer was a kit, and that some people might not be able to build it.

I pointed out that a couple of years ago our club held a construction night, and that several people who had never soldered before successfully completed the kit. I also pointed out that even if the ham didn’t have the proper tools, he or she could purchase a soldering iron, needle-nose pliers, and diagonal cutters, in addition to the kit, for less than $100.

I don't know if that convinced him, but it got me thinking about what a ham should be able to do. This is the list I’ve come up with so far:

1. Solder. Every ham should know how to solder a connection, and by extension, build small kits and cables. Over the course of one’s ham career, this skill will save you a ton of time and money.

2. Build a dipole antenna. The dipole is the simplest and most versatile antenna. Knowing how to build one and use one is an essential skill.

4. Use a multimeter to measure voltage, current, and resistance and know what those measurements mean. This is the most basic skill used in troubleshooting, and at some point or another, you’re going to have to troubleshoot something.

This list does, of course, imply that a ham is physically capable of doing them. I would not expect hams that are physically disabled to be able to do everything on this list.

After I posted this to my blog (www.kb6nu. com), I got several good responses. Jeff said, "I believe hams should know how to install RF connectors, particularly the three most used in our hobby, the PL-259, the BNC, and the N connector." Blair, WB3AWI, replied, "Another thing that hams should know how to do is to measure the SWR of an antenna."

So, now I ask you, What do you think every ham should know how to do? Feel free to post a comment to my blog or e-mail me at cwgeek@kb6nu.com.

When not analyzing the abilities of amateurs, KB6NU pounds brass on nearly all the HF bands and teaches various ham radio classes in Ann Arbor, MI. You can read his other musings on our fine hobby at www. kb6nu.com.