THE BRASS KEY - Amateur Radio Club of Central Louisiana

THE BRASS KEY
March, 2014
A Publication of the Amateur Radio Club of Central Louisiana
The BRASS KEY is published monthly as its official journal by the Amateur Radio Club of Central Louisiana,
P. O. Box 8852, Alexandria, LA. 71306. ARCCLA yearly membership dues (including a subscription to the BRASS KEY), is $30.
Editor/Publisher: Scott Wren, KD5DFL; (318) 715-5841; [email protected] . Members may submit texts for possible publication to the
editor, Scott Wren, KD5DFL, either by U.S. Mail at 70 Rainbow Dr., Pineville, La. 71360, or by email at [email protected]. Space and
printing limitations may affect the appearance of any item submitted. Photo submissions should be sent in either TIFF, JPEG, GIF, or
WMF formats, by email.
2014 Officers:
President: Stephen Neesley, KE5IAK
2914 Neal Drive, Pineville, La. 71360
(318) 640-8781; [email protected]
Vice President: Jim Walters, AE5VB
213 Waggoner Rd, Pollock, La. 71467
(318) 447-9384: [email protected]
Secretary: Scott Wren, KD5DFL
70 Rainbow Drive, Pineville, La. 71360;
(318) 715-5841; [email protected]
Treasurer: Jim Molan, KD5IGG
311 N. Matthews, Bunkie, La. 71322
(318) 452-5686; [email protected]
Past President: Michael Canady, N5GJQ
25 Rice Lane, Pineville, La. 71360
(318) 640-5313; [email protected]
Director: Jack Brossette, WA5ETL
PO Box 3157, Pineville, La. 71360
(318) 730-1125; [email protected]
Webmaster: Sam Yanz, KF7YQC
Alexandria, La 71301
(775) 350-4755; [email protected]
Website: ........... www.arccla.us
JOIN THE ARRL. Membership is the best bargain in amateur radio. To sign up go to the ARRL Web site and sign up
online. If you do not have access to the internet, send your name, call, full address, and dues of $39 for one year and a
subscription to QST, to:
AMERICAN RADIO RELAY LEAGUE
225 MAIN STREET
NEWINGTON, CT 06111
WEB SITE: http://www.arrl.org/join.html
Prez Says
Stephen Neesley, KE5IAK
March, 2014
I believe that we are all looking forward to Spring as we remember this cold winter. We have
seen increased activity on our ARES/RACES net. I know we had as many as 15 check-ins on one
Sunday night at 8PM on the 147.330 repeater. The LaSalle ARES/RACES net kicked off last
Monday night at 7:30 pm on the Jena repeater on 147.105 (PL 103.5) with 12 check-ins. Perry,
N5PRN, is net control and he is hoping in the near future that it will be accessible by echo-link.
The Acadiana Hamfest will host our ARRL Delta Convention on Friday, March 14th & Saturday,
March 15th at the Rayne Civic Center, 300 Frog Festival Drive, in Rayne. Admission is $5 with
talk-in on 146.820 ( PL tone turned off). The time is 5PM-8PM on Friday and 8AM-3PM on
Saturday. Among the dealers that will be there will be Palmetto Antennas, MFJ Enterprises, Sign
Man Of Baton Rouge, Elecraft, Austin Amateur Radio Supply, & Gifts4Hams. Guest Speaker at
the ARRL Forum will be Mike Corey, KI1U, who will present, “Amateur Radio in the Served
Community and Assistance To Neighborhoods.” For more information, you may go to
www.w5ddl.org/hamfest.
The Louisiana QSO Party has moved to Saturday, March 22nd. The Louisiana Contest Club has
taken over the overseeing of the contest. Mark, K5ER, is the contest chairman. For information,
rules and logging information you may go to http://laqp.org.
The Northeast Louisiana Regional Ham Radiofest will be held on Saturday, April 5th at the Barak
Shrine Temple in Monroe. Entry fee is $5. Doors open at 8AM. VE testing will take place at
9AM. Talk-in will be on 146.850. Grand prizes will be an Alinco DX-SR9T/E;MFJ 259B RF
Analyzer; Kenwood TM-281A 2 meter mobile; LDG Z-100Plus Antenna Tuner; & a Wouxun
KG-UV3D-2 Handheld. For more information go to www.w5ea.org.
We will be participating in the Natchitoches Tri-Centennial with a special events station on
Saturday, April 12th at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry Center, 500 Caspari Street, on the campus
of the Northwestern State University, across from Praether Stadium. We plan to operate from 89 AM until 5PM.
Bill Collins, KC5MUG, BCM Director has allowed us to use the BCM and its facilities. There
will be ample parking and a good area for putting up antennas. I want to thank Mike, N5GJQ, for
going over and talking with Bill Collins and getting this set-up. We will, upon approval from the
Tri-Centennial committee, be offering a certificate with the Tri-Centennial logo and the N5T
callsign. The Amateur Radio Club of Sabine in Many, Louisiana will also be sponsoring and
helping us to man the station. Suggested frequencies are 7.230, 3.935, 14.250, and the
Natchitoches 2 meter repeater-146.880. This will allow those who are technician class operators
to operate the special event station. Those who make contacts will send a QSL card with a selfaddressed stamped envelope and $2 for the Tri-Centennial Special Events Station certificate to
ARCCLA, P.O. Box 8852, Alexandria, Louisiana 71306.
Hope to see you at the meeting this coming Tuesday night at 7PM at Kees Park.
73’s Steve
Prior Public Proceeding
Scott Wren, KD5DFL
KEClub Secretary
Minutes of ARCCLA Club Meeting February 4, 2014
26 in attendance. Health and Welfare: Tom LaCaze has been a silent key as of January
22nd. Most of us just found out. Please go to www.arccla.us for funeral arrangements.
More will be out via rptr messaging and email.
Josh Adams, KF5VOX, led us in prayer. In attendance were Josh Adams/KF5VOX,
Tyler Adams (Josh’s son), Brandon Bailey/KF5VOY, Hugh Coleman/AE5VB, Dave
Teague/K5MQ, Joseph Delgado/KC5ILR, Pat Brouillette/KD5HHH, Dennis
Little/W5LD, Joe Inabnet/KD5EIY, Jack Brossette/WA5ETL, Jim Molan/KD5IGG, Jim
Bookter/N5NVP, Charles Clark, KE5CMA, Keenan Barnhart(KG5AFM-issued 2/13/14),
Brent Humphries/N5NLU, Jim Walters/AE5ZE, Ginger Jones/KF5YTH, Jerry/KE5YRY
and Susan Boniol, Bill Chaney/KE5CMB, Bryan Haviland/AF5JA,
Scott Wren/KD5DFL, Sam Yanz/KF7YQC, Mike Canady/N5GJQ.
Minutes accepted and seconded. Jim gave the Treasurery report and discussed club
membership. Treasurer’s report accepted and seconded. ARRL membership discussed.
We have not received payment from Hub City for insufficient funds check. Keanan
Barnhart, newest club member and ham (passed tech. test tonight), presented Baofeng
handi-talkie by Jim, AE5ZE. Budget discussed. As of this year club members will pay
for the Christmas dinner. Cash tickets, 3000 ordered, for $172.70. Joseph
Nochta/KF5FJP, paid for the tickets with an ad on the back of the tickets for Pathway
Advisors, the company he works for.
Need to add hamfest tickets to budget. Scholarship changed from 100 to $250. Will add
$200 for miscellaneous expenses. Total budgeted expenses will be $4113.00. Steve
says he needs ideas about vendor. Regal Brown is not coming back. Main Trading
company cannot attend. Maybe a vendor at the Rayne or Orange hamfest can be talked
to about this. Hugh discussed changing hamfest date.
Jim Molan discussed putting 6 meter repeater on our current Pineville tower. Freq is
53.230. Repeater up at Scott place—TEMPORARILY.
On April 1 Jim Molan will become Section Mgr. Jim M. says there are 123 hams
appointed to positions. The Emergency Coordinator (EC) is the fundamental part of our
ARES program. EC’s must keep their dues up. Jim B. discussed slow speed and high
speed nets on HF. Joseph discussed CW Forever, free software. Check out Joseph’s free
selling site at www.73Classifieds.com
Jim Walters did a QSL forum, a continuation of Mike forum last month. The US
accepting but not issuing International Reply Coupons. LOTW—do not have to be a
member to use. Logging software must be able to generate ADIF file to transfer to
LOTW. Keenan won the 50/50 pot.
Treasury Report
Jim Molan, KD5IGG
Beginning Balance, February 1, 2014: $8887.55
Credit: $34.50
50/50 drawing
Total Credit: $216.50 for 8 membership dues
Debits: $12.75 for CLECO (147.375 Electricity)
$250.00 for ARRL Scholarship Fun
Total Debits: $262.75
Ending Balance: February 28, 2014: $8841.30
ARES/RACES Report
ARES/RACES net, 8 pm, on 147.330 repeater, followed by the prayer net.
Perry Nelson, N5PRN, is the new Lasalle Parish ARES Emergency Coordinator. He
needs your support with control operators for Monday evening nets.
Morse code classes. Instructor: Hugh, AE5VB. Watch the website calendar.
ARRL ARES E-Letter:
http://www.arrl.org/ares-el?issue=2014-02-19
News, Contests, Events, and Tidbits
CLECO turned down our request to put 6 meter repeater on their tower.
Allstar Saltgrass repeater, 145.470 down. Saltgrass moved to 444.975.
Internet speed on theAllstar and D-Star system appears resolved.
The ARRL Letter: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter?issue=current News, lists of upcoming contests and
hamfests, and other amateur radio issues.
Check out our constantly improved and changing website. Please visit www.arccla.us, join the forums and
let Sam know what a great job he is doing.
Digital Mode Schedule
For those with digital capabilities (using Signalink or similar interface with Ham Radio
Deluxe, FLDigi or similar software): ARRL Digital Bulletins are transmitted every week
on the following frequencies: 3.5975, 7.095, 14.095, 18.1025, 21.095, 28.095 and
147.555 MHz. at 5 pm CST/2300 Zulu, Monday through Friday. The schedule rotates:
MONDAY-FRIDAY:
RTTY, BPSK31, MFSK16
Ham Humor!
Ham Radio Notes No. 3 by Jim N5NVP 22 Feb 2014
This month I am still thinking about the joy of building QRP transmitters. My primary focus will be on toroeds. Two additional items which warrant
attention are filters and inductors. These will be covered in a separate article. With a casual glance at many QRP projects you will see inductors
(coils) wound on small circular, Polo-Mint like, cores. These are toroidal cores, much favored in QRP radio design and often simply called 'toroids'.
With many builders, miniaturization is the watchword. This is especially true when working with solid-state and etched-circuit projects. One of the
deterrents encountered in designing small-volume equipment is the squeezing in of bulky inductors, slug-tuned or air wound, into a compact
assembly. Toroids offer a practical solution to the problem of mass. The good points do not end there. Toroidal-wound inductors not only fit into
small places, they offer exceptionally high values of tuned-circuit Q, a definite atttribute when selectivity is an important consideration in equipment
performance. Ordinarily, air-wound inductors which provide comparable Q are many times larger than are their toroidal kinsmen. The correct type
of core material must be used in order to realize the best possible Q at a particular frequency.
Usually QRP radio designs use the range of cores manufactured by Micrometals, often sold by Amidon Associates of California. They have the
advantage of being compact and easier to add windings than the cylindrical type of coil former. They tend to require fewer turns to achieve a specific
inductance. The main advantage is that toroidal inductors are self-shielding; most of the magnetic flux lines are contained within the shape. The flux
density is almost uniform over the whole winding and they do not require mounting inside a screening can. The self-shielding feature also makes it
posssible to mount a toroid against a circuit board, or against a metal chassis or cabinet wall, without significantly affecting their Q. Thankfully, only
a few types of core are commonly used in QRP curcuit design. When it comes time to wind your wire on your toroid core then you will be getting off
into inductance and again, this will be covered in a later article. So long and good luck for now. I will be back next month. - - 73, Jim (N5NVP)
Dues structure: $30 club membership with
full privileges, and an additional $2 for other family members
living in the same household.
The Amateur Radio Club of Central Louisiana
P.O. Box 8852
Alexandria La. 71306
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