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Thank you to Gregory Rosenberg, AB9MZ on the subject of EMI (electromagnetic interference) and RFI (Radio Frequency interference). Gregg always gives an informative program. Special thanks to Jim, W9JPR, for running the meeting in my absence, Cathy and Bob for their efforts in handling the coffee, pop and water, and Cindy for the donuts.

Laura will no longer be available to handle the coffee, etc. at the upcoming meetings. Therefore, we are looking for someone that can take that over. The person that handles this, has to be at every meeting early in order to set up the coffee and get the pop and water refrigerated. You will also be responsible to purchase these items and all the necessities. Then at the break, be sure to have everything set up including the donuts (purchased by Cindy and brought to the meeting). All garbage needs to be emptied. Other members are always pitching in to help. If seriously interested, please get in touch with me.

HEALTH AND WELFARE: Best wishes and prayers go out to any members who are not feeling well and struggling with your health matters. We are keeping you all in our thoughts and prayers. And best wishes to Judy Riley, on her recent hip surgery. Good luck with your physical therapy.

EDUCATION: Once again, I want to thank Brian for setting up another upcoming class for upgrading to General License. Classes will be starting in March. Details are on the website and this HamGab.

MARCH MEETING: Your favorite meeting, the White Elephant sale. So grab your goodies and come on down to sell or have your cash ready to buy. It is always an interesting meeting and a great gathering of attendees who normally don’t come to regular meetings. As a reminder from Don KC9EQQ, please if you are selling at the sale, bring extension cords for testing items your selling, cash to make change, and please do not leave your table un-attended as Hamfesters Radio Club is not responsible for any losses of personal property or cash at any Hamfester’s event. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

APRIL MEETING: Our biggest meeting of the year is our Basic Weather Spotter course given by our own, Dave Bukowski, N9KPD. Be sure to pre-register when that becomes available. Also, please note this meeting will have an early start time of 7:00 p.m.

As always, we ask you to keep an eye on the website for the most current happenings in our club. Remember to Like us on our Hamfesters Page and spread the word about our great club too! We are a fun place to have a good time of fellowship at all of our events!

Thank you to all of you for your continued support of the best Ham Radio club around!

73,
Nora Pointer KC9MLV
President of Hamfesters Amateur Radio Club of Crestwood
P.S: If you need to reach me, please email me at: npointer92@gmail.com

Secretary’s Beat – Meeting Minutes

Hamfesters Amateur Radio meeting Feb. 7, 2020 7:30 pm.

Roll: Jim W9JPR V.P., Ed WA9EOL, Patti KC9LYE, Nora KC9MLV, & Don KC9EQQ, absent.

There were 34 members here, zero visitors.

Health & Welfare: Judy Riley (Jim W9JPR wife), is recovering from hip surgery.

Minutes: January club minutes approved by John KB9FQB, & Gregg AB9MZ.

Programs: Tonight Electrical interference by Gregg AB9MZ
March White Elephant sale, April Weather Spotters

Publicity: Jim W9JPR, sent publicity for tonight’s meeting.

Treasurer’s Report: by Ed WA9EOL, Paid for 2019 Christmas Party.
Ed Sent the owner at Bartolini’s a thank you email.
We will return there for Christmas 2020.

Education: Brian W9HLQ, General class license classes begin
March 11th (Wed.) 7 pm at Southbridge Church. See Hamfesters.org

New Business: Connie AC9CK, National Engineering Week EXpo, free event, family-friendly, Feb. 22nd, at 10 am-3 pm. See Hamfesters.org

Old Business: Dave N9KPD, please see Dave, or Jim W9JPR, for Hamfesters tickets, & fliers.

Adjournment: Gene W9PNG,& Gregg AB9MZ 9:35 pm.

Split the pot winner: Kurt WB9FMC
Door prize winners: W9DOQ, Al N9ZD, Gene W9PNG, Cindy N9CAS,
Ron KB9TCX, John KB9FQB, Greg KD9HOK

General License Class

Try the Club’s Flex 5000!

This Flex 5000 is available to a club member to use and experience this high performance HF transceiver. You can borrow the rig on a one month (or more) installments. You will need a 12v DC power supply at 10 amps. Included in the package is the Flex 5000, computer, keyboard, mouse, monitor and power speakers.

Contact Brian, W9HLQ to schedule your session.

73, Brian, W9HLQ

CQ Field Day

de Jim Riley W9JPR

As I write this, the temperature is six degrees outside. It’s a perfect time to give some thought to Field Day 2020.

We especially need to start thinking about nominations for this year’s GOTA station call. In the past, we’ve nominated regular FD ops both alive and those who have gone SK but whose licenses are still active. There are only a few rules: the nominee must be an extra and it can’t be a call we’ve used before. The GOTA era started in 2006 and this is a list of our previous GOTA calls: K9RDR, WA9EOL, N9JYX, K9MS, N9VOK, KC9LYE, AB9MZ, W9HLQ, and W9KXT (I think). There are possibly one or two more but this is all I could glean from old Hamgabs, ARRL Field Day records, and what’s left of my memory. Some sharp-eyed readers might notice that there have been 14 Field Days in the GOTA era but we’ve used fewer than 14 calls. That’s because we used some calls over multiple years.

I’m asking for your pictures for my Field Day presentation at the June meeting. This is your show and your photos are what make it what it is. If you have any pix of Field Day 2019, get them to me soon. CD, flash drive, email, or prints, it doesn’t matter.

Field Day 2020 is June 27 and 28 at Southbridge Church on 155th St. west of Harlem. Operations run from 1 p.m. Saturday to 1 p.m. Sunday. Setup begins at 8 a.m. Setting up is a big job and we’ll need all the help we can get.

Space Labs Update

VE Testing

Hamfesters VE Testing Report for HamGab
Al Bukowski N9ZD – VE coordinator

Hamfesters Amateur Radio Club VEs offer Amateur Radio License Testing for those who want to get their first ham license, or Amateur Hams who want to upgrade to a higher class license. Examination sessions are available on the second Saturday of each month. We will assist you with all the necessary paperwork prior to taking your exam. Please make sure you are studying the latest question pool that can be found on the internet, through ARRL publications or Gordon West books. The Exam fee is $15.00 (CASH ONLY – Please NO Checks or Credit Cards.) Also please bring a photo ID with you to the exam. If upgrading, bring your original signed Amateur License and a photocopy we can send with the test results.

If you need information on how to print your FCC License, please go to this url for information. http://www.arrl.org/obtain-license-copy

The exam sessions are held at the Oak Forest City Hall 15440 S. Central Ave. Oak Forest, Il 60452. Please arrive by 9:00 AM. We begin testing promptly at 9:15 AM. Please enter through the marked Police door entrance at City Hall and look for the ARRL Amateur Radio testing signs for directions.

Future VE Exam dates are as follows:

• March 14th, 2020
• April 11th, 2020
• May 9th, 2020
• June 13th, 2020

*******New General Class License Exams were implemented on July 1, 2019. You will need to study the new General Class Question pool found here. >>> http://www.ncvec.org/downloads/2019-2023GeneralClassQuestionPool.pdf

Please, it would help the VE Team to pre-register and/or if you have any other questions regarding our test sessions, please contact Al, N9ZD via e-mail at: N9ZD@arrl.net

A Special ‘Thank You’ to All the VE’s volunteering there Saturday morning to assist me at the Exam sessions.

Club Information

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Pics from January Meeting

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