March 2022 – HamGab

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No Report this Month

Secretary’s Beat – Meeting Minutes

Hamfesters Amateur Radio Club W9AA meeting Friday Feb. 4, 2022 7:37pm
Our first meeting at lodge in Oak Forest, IL. Gene’s w9png lodge.

19 members, 2 visitors Welcome everyone! visitors: ka9hlq Keith Rich, & Jim Johanson

Roll: Nora kc9mlv, Jim w9jpr, Kurt wb9fmc, Patti kc9lye

Gene w9png, thanks for the use of your lodge, and tonight’s program Social Engineering that means being safe on-line.

Health & Welfare: Cathy kc9nrh, had surgery today, is home and doing well.

Minutes: approved by Connie ac9ck, & Don kceqq

Treasurer’s report: by Kurt wb9fmc, money come in, none paid out.

New Member: by Brian w9hlq, new member Conerty

Education: Hamfesters might offer an Extra Class license course, probably on Zoom.

Programs: March White Elephant sale at Bridgeview Center setup 5:30pm Remember, if you don’t sell it, take it back home.
April Weather Program by Dave n9kpd, on Zoom ONLY
May Field Day by Jim w9jpv

Hamfest 2022: by Don kc9eqq, need short programs. Possible kids programs.

Field Day 2022: by Jim w9jpr, June 25-26 We need a new tent.

Old Business: by Nora kc9mlv & Don kc9eqq, we need a volunteer to bring snacks to club meetings. Contact Nora, or Don, for details.
Please sign up for the purchase of Hamfesters sweatshirts, & hoodies.

Adjournment: Jim w9jpr, Kurt wb9fmc @ 21:32pm

de Jim Riley W9JPR

The sun is shining and it’s above freezing, barely, as I write this. Time to start thinking about Field Day. I know Brian W9HLQ is ready. He’s already ordered his T-shirt. If that doesn’t make it official, I don’t know what does. It looks like COVID mitigations will be winding down and I don’t see weather worse than we had last year. Note to Mother Nature: the previous sentence was not a challenge. Let’s plan for a good, old-fashioned Field Day in 2022.

The big news is we’re looking for a new tent. We bought our current one in the late 90s. We have no idea how old it was then, but it’s served us 20-plus years since. It’s showing its age. A grommet came out in my hand the last time we set it up. D-rings and O-rings are MIA. We need some poles too. Steve W9KXT called our tent maker but they’re closed until April. We should still have plenty of time to get a new one by then. If not, we’ll make do with what we have.

What we have is the best Field Day group anywhere. Be sure to join us.
Field Day 2022 is June 25 and 26 at South Bridge Church on Wheeler Drive (155th St.), just west of Harlem. Operations go from 1800Z Saturday to 1800Z Sunday. Setup Saturday is 0800.
More next month.

For Sale By Owner

No Items for sale this week. 🙁

But, check out the White Elephant Sale on March 4th! Details Above

email me at hamgab@hamfesters.org if interested or see me at the club meeting

Hamfesters VE Testings

Hamfesters conducts FCC authorized VE (volunteer examiner) tests for Technician, General, and Extra class licenses monthly.

Date: 2nd Saturday of each Month

Location: Oak Forest City Hall, 15440 Central Ave, Oak Forest, IL 60452

Time: 0900 hrs

Walk-ins accepted with FRN number in hand

Exam Candidates: You are REQUIRED to register in the FCC CORES system and receive a FCC Registration Number (FRN) before exam day. Already Licensed? Please bring your Amateur License and Copy of Your License. Also, Bring any CSCE from previous Exams and A Copy if FCC has not acted upon.

Exam Session Requirements
Candidates could go directly to the FCC CORES User Account and Registration
page: https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do

FEES: (currently $15) for the test. We urge you to bring the exact amount of cash. NO CHECKS or CREDIT CARDS EXCEPTED!

VE Coordinator: Al Bukowski – N9ZD

N9ZD@ARRL.NET

PLEASE – NO TELEPHONE CALLS!

Exam Day
What to Bring to an ARRL Exam Session:

1. One legal photo ID (identification):
   a. State Driver’s License
   b. Government issued Passport
   c. Military or Law Enforcement Officer Photo ID card
   d. Student School Photo ID card
   e. State Photo ID card
2. If no photo ID is available, two forms of identification:
   a. Non-photo State ID card (some states still have them)
   b. Birth certificate (must have the appropriate seal)
   c. Social security card
   d. Employer’s wage statement or Minor’s work permit
   e. School ID card
   f. School or Public Library card
   g. Utility bill, bank statement or other business correspondence that specifically names the person; or a postmarked envelope addressed to the person at his or her current mailing address as it appears on
   the Form 605.
3. Students/minors without a photo ID need to bring only one of the above items if a legal guardian presents their photo ID; otherwise two non-photo IDs are required. Minor children (under the age of 18) may be accompanied in the room by an adult during the test.
4. FCC Registration Number (FRN): VECs are required by the FCC to submit your FRN with your license application form.
   New license applicants MUST create an FCC user account and register their Social Security Number (SSN) in the FCC Commission Registration System (CORES) before attending exam sessions.
   Registrants will be assigned an FRN which will be used in all license transactions with the FCC. Examinee Must bring their FRN number to the Exam Session.
   For instructions on how to register your SSN and receive an FRN from the FCC, visit the FCC’s Registration page and the FCC’s Registration instructions page. Per FCC rules, a valid email address is also mandatory on the application form.
5. If applicable, bring a printed copy of either your official Amateur Radio license or a reference copy available from the FCC website, or the original(s) and photocopy(s) of any Certificates of Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) you may hold from previous exam sessions. If your license has already been issued by FCC, the CSCE showing license credit is not needed. The photocopy(s) will not be returned.
   Instructions on how to obtain an official FCC license copy are on our Obtain License Copy web page.
6. Two number two pencils with erasers and a pen for in-person sessions.
7. A calculator with the memory erased and formulas cleared is allowed. You may not bring any written notes or calculations into the exam session. Slide rules and logarithmic tables are acceptable, as long as they’re free
   of notes and formulas. Cell phone must be silenced or turned off during the exam session and the phones’ calculator function may not be used. In addition, iPhones, iPads, Androids, smartphones, Blackberry devices
   and all similar electronic devices with a calculator capability, may NOT be used.

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March 2022 Contest Calendar

From WA7BNM Contest Calendar Website

+ AGCW YL-CW Party	1900Z-2100Z, Mar 1
+ ARRL Inter. DX Contest, SSB	0000Z, Mar 5 to 2359Z, Mar 6
+ Wake-Up! QRP Sprint	0600Z-0800Z, Mar 5
+ Open Ukraine RTTY Championship	1800Z, Mar 5 to 1359Z, Mar 6
+ SARL Hamnet 40m Simulated Emerg Contest	1200Z-1400Z, Mar 6
+ ARS Spartan Sprint	0200Z-0400Z, Mar 8
+ YB DX RTTY Contest	0000Z-2359Z, Mar 12
+ RSGB Commonwealth (BERU) Contest	1000Z, Mar 12 to 1000Z, Mar 13
+ SKCC Weekend Sprintathon	1200Z, Mar 12 to 2359Z, Mar 13
+ AGCW QRP Contest	1400Z-2000Z, Mar 12
+ Oklahoma QSO Party	1500Z, Mar 12 to 2100Z, Mar 13
+ Stew Perry Topband Challenge	1500Z, Mar 12 to 1500Z, Mar 13
+ EA PSK63 Contest	1600Z, Mar 12 to 1600Z, Mar 13
+ Idaho QSO Party	1900Z, Mar 12 to 1900Z, Mar 13
+ North American Sprint, RTTY	2300Z, Mar 12 to 0300Z, Mar 13
+ Wisconsin QSO Party	1800Z, Mar 13 to 0100Z, Mar 14
+ 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint	0000Z-0200Z, Mar 14
+ NTC QSO Party	1900Z-2000Z, Mar 17
+ BARTG HF RTTY Contest	0200Z, Mar 19 to 0159Z, Mar 21
+ Russian DX Contest	1200Z, Mar 19 to 1200Z, Mar 20
+ AGCW VHF/UHF Contest	1400Z-1800Z, Mar 19
+ Run for the Bacon QRP Contest	2300Z, Mar 20 to 0100Z, Mar 21
+ Bucharest Digital Contest	1800Z-2059Z, Mar 21
+ SKCC Sprint	0000Z-0200Z, Mar 23
+ CQ WW WPX Contest, SSB	0000Z, Mar 26 to 2359Z, Mar 27
+ FOC QSO Party	0000Z-2359Z, Mar 26

Club Information

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Photos from the Feburary Meeting

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