December 2022, Monthly Newsletter

Field Day - Date: June 24th, 2023

SELARC 41st Annual Hammond Hamfest (2023) - Saturday, January 21, 2023

Florida Parishes VE Group - Testing sessions are scheduled for the last Sunday of each month [with the exception of holiday conflicts] at AmVets Post #68; 26890 Hwy 42 (jct. of Hwys 42 and 43) - Springfield, La. 70462 (approximately 3 miles south of I-12 at exit 32) at 2pm with $15 testing fee. Bring photo ID and any appropriate CSCE. For more information contact [email protected] or Find an Amateur Radio License Exam in Your Area.

Tom Grant (W5PGS)

Birthday Wishes for December go out to Carol F Redmond KE5GOC.
If we missed your birthday, then please let us know.

SELARC Meeting Minutes

(Meeting Type: In-Person)

(Amite EOC)

November 8th, 2022

Call to order: Russ Plyler (WI5ARD) at 07:05 pm

Pledge of Allegiance: Russ Plyler (WI5ARD)

Introductions: Done

Minutes of previous meetings: Russ Plyler (WI5ARD)

• 1st motion to accept meeting minutes as posted by Keith Samrow (KF5VLX)
• 2nd motion by Tyrone Burns (N5XES)
• All Approved

Members present: Keith Samrow (KF5VLX), Mike Jackson (KI5GGP), Ed Mason (KE5GMN), Pat Mason (KE5KMM), Russ Plyler (WI5ARD), Larry Lima (KI5JVY), Robert Jaeger (KI5TYD), Tyrone Burns (N5XES), Jerry Burg (W5TE), Bill Harris (KF5YBY)

Guest present: Scott Thomas (KI5UBC), Deborah Young

Treasurers’ report: Ernie Bush (N5NIB)

• 1st motion to accept the treasurer's report as presented by Tyrone Burns (N5XES)
• 2nd motion by Ed Mason (KE5GMN)
• All Approved

Bills / Correspondence:

• $15 has been paid for Hamfest Table by Bob Spahn
• Waiting to hear back from Matt Anderson on paying the Repeater Council (LCARC) dues of $15.00.

New member applications / renewals: Ernie Bush (N5NIB)

• N/A

Health and Welfare:

• Carol Redmond (KE5GOC) may still be in a nursing home.
• Jerry Olivia (Madisonville, LA) W5NJJ has gone SK
• Rudy Reboul (Metairie, LA) N5YIC has gone SK
• Dufferin “Duffy” Frantom (West Monroe, LA) KD5IGZ has gone SK

ARES report: Pat Mason (KE5KMM)

• Monday nights have been around 12-14 people. A bit down with time change maybe factoring in.

Hamfest Committee: Tyrone Burns (N5XES)

• Location
  • Ponchatoula Community Center
• We have permission to use the 3 rooms above on the 2nd floor. Our typical meeting room and the 2 rooms on the North wall.
• Waiting to hear if we can use the bottom room in the Northwest corner next to the offices. Lynette is checking with the group that controls that room to see if they would not mind.
• Ernie took measurements of the Community Center and created a layout of the tables. Keith, Ronnie, Dean (Extra Tables)`
• Clean-up our club room before the event.
  • Identify items that need to be removed and sold before or during the hamfest.
  • At least 2 antennas need to be working for talk-in and listening for HF/VHF/UHF.
• Need to get gaffer tape.
• Food Truck
  • Boss Hog Catering
• Volunteers
  • Need Names to support
• Prizes
  • 1^st Yaesu FT-891 HF/6M 100W Mobile $639.95
  • 2^nd Yaesu FT-200DR 50W UHF/VHF C4FM $399.95
  • 3^rd Yaesu FT-70DR 5W UHF/VHF C4FM HT $174.95
  • 4^th 20' Telescoping Flagpole Kit $64.99
  • Please submit any ideas you have for prizes and/or locations via email to Tyrone Burns (N5XES) and Russ Plyler (WI5ARD) via email address listed on QRZ.com
  • Refer to Spreadsheet on Google Drive

Repeater Committee: Tyrone Burns (N5XES) & Russ Plyler (WI5ARD)

• Tickfaw
  • Looks like Crown Castle has gone out and mowed the best they could around the guy cables for now. Obviously mowed but went around trees and ran through some pretty wet stuff getting cleaned up. Still no grounds added to the anchor points.
  • About 3 weeks ago some very weak grounding was added to the guy cables that affect the repeater the most. At best they were weakly wrapped around the end of the guy cables where structurally the guys are not affected. Over the past few weeks you might have noticed what would be a very strong noise about to kick off that on quite a few times gets clipped off quick and does not do a 5 minute run till the repeater timed out. We need to evaluate next steps once the grounding is completed.
  • It appears that the 600 kHz station down in the New Orleans area is mixing with the Crown Castle had no plans of adding the waterfall grounds back to the tower. Request was put in to provide the club recommendations on what we could do to address the grounding on at least the 4 cables on the East side of the tower which actually created the most interference.
  • Next Steps
    • Insulation is on location and needs to be installed on the ceiling.
    • Wall outlets have exposed wiring and burnt plugs that need to be corrected.
    • Considering removing the PL on TX once the Hammond repeater site is up and running.

• Hammond
  • The tower and building work inside has been completed for us to reinstall our equipment at the site..
  • Once we have good access to the site to install the repeaters back in we need to go and check for available cabinets for the club to bring to site to house all the equipment from Nick Tusa.

Old Business:

• none

Field Day: Mark Lacey (WX5RN) ← Not Present

• Date: June 24th, 2023

Training

• Ended up being a quick discussion around logging programs for HF. Russ Plyler (WI5ARD) showed import and export functions between QRZ and LoTW. QRZ allows for export and upload to some of the many other logging sites that are out there.
• Tyrone Burns (N5XES) commented that when changing your callsign make sure to provide the proper start date so that previous contacts do not get changed.
• Logging Websites
  • QRZ.com (www.qrz.com)
  • LoTW (The ARRL Logbook of the World) (www.lotw.arrl.org)
  • eQSL.cc (https://www.eqsl.cc/QSLCard/Home4G.cfm)
  • HRDLOG.net (www.hrdlog.net)
  • CLUBLOG (www.clublog.org)
  • HamLog CloudLog (www.hamlog.it)
  • There are also all types of POTA (Parks On The Air) logging sites along with lighthouses, boating, islands, and other specialty logging sites.

New Business:

• Congratulations to the new upgrade from the VE Session of the Florida Parishes VE Group.
  • Technician
    • Gregory Nothacker - KI5YQS - Hammond, LA ([email protected])
  • Extra
    • Steven Longwill - K1CSM - Mandeville, La ([email protected])

• Christmas Party ( 5PM to 7PM ) & Meeting ( 7 PM )
  • Date: December 13th, 2022
  • Location: Salty Joe’s BBQ Shop
    • 43344 S Range Rd., Hammond LA 70403
    • (985) 956-7099
  • No Dirty Santa, Just food and spirits.. and a shortened meeting.
  • How about a ugly sweater contest?

Upcoming events / Hamfest / Cancellations:

• SELARC Hamfest at the Ponchatoula Community Center in Ponchatoula.

General discussion, presentation, or training:

• N/A

Motion to adjourn:

• 1st motion to adjourn meeting by Mike Jackson (KI5GGP)
• 2nd motion by Pat Mason (KE5KMM)
• All Approved.