The annual Christmas Party held on Wednesday, December 13, 2006 at Canoa Ranch was a fabulous time for all. A great turnout with witty conversation, great food, many giveaways and music. If you missed it, don't next year.
The following officers were elected to serve our club for 2007.
Looks like 2007 will be better than ever.
Here we are entering 2007 which for me is my 3rd year as the President of the GVARC. As a young friend of mine once said “times fun when your eating flies” while I agree with the first part of that I do not think I agree with the last!
We have had some fun in 2006.
The Club project to replace the Club Station Beam, Geocaching Competition, Cross county trip to Patagonia for brunch, the licensing classes and the VE testing in the spring.
The March SAV Drill, when we were able to field 2 Ham operators for each of the parole cars in the drill.
A really great spring picnic with BBQ ribs by the best BBQers Wisconsin has to offer.
A good turn out of folks enjoying a potluck of great food and activities including a Geocache hunt made even better by a near perfect Arizona day.
Ham Fests in Sierra Vista, helping the Titan Missile Museum celebrate its 20th anniversary, Field Day and that’s just the first half of the year.
The nifty thing is that all of the above things can be reviewed on the GVARC web site. Just go to “Club Happenings” and click into the Archives. While you are there you can check on what’s gone on during the last half of 2006. You may wish to reread one or all of the newsletters, check on some of the comments that members have made or leave a comment of your own. Check out the Technical page or find something you have been looking for on the “Our Favorite Links”. There is also a way of contacting or thanking some of the members that have given so freely of their time and abilities. Just click on “Contact Us” or the “Webmaster” and send an email.
While you are digging around the club web site think about thanking Jon AD7GS, who put the site together and Bob K8NRT who donated the band space. Without them we would not have a site at all or the neat web address we have, gvarc.us! How much easier can it get to remember? How lucky we are to have Jon and Bob who put this together for us.
Talk about talking, have you availed yourself of the new fun to be had on the 145.27 repeater? Thanks to Ron VE6RGP we have a IRLP/Echolink node which allows us to choose which part of the world we wish to talk to. Sometimes that part of the world will even choose to call us. New friendships can be formed and as in the case of one member old friendships renewed. All this on 2meters FM.
This coming year there are more things in the mill maybe we will be able to operate the new HF rig at the club station with its Steppir Beam and never leave your home. Don’t laugh, lots of things are possible. Of course we will be doing the fun things again Picnics, Field Day and special events, and maybe a couple of cross country trips. Who knows all we need is someone with the ideas.
73s Gene W0KAD
President GVARC
All students have been busy working on their various projects. We took a week off in November and the club toured the Titan Missile Museum with our own tour guide, George Birch, AD7DH. For our last meeting in December we had a combination work session and party. Bill Kulawske, AA0TF, supplied a Vandegraff high voltage generator and it was a hair raising time for some of the students.
In January, we start on new kits. This year's new kits include a digital voltmeter and an electronic roulette game.
Our December 10th VE exam had 11 students earning their technician license. Four of the students are xyls of club members. Welcome Dee Gross, KE7KCS, Linda Cadell KE7KCT, Dora Mc Gowan, KE7KCR, and Jane Lang KE7KCY. Other new club members are James Powell, KE7KCX, James Call, KL2DE, and Walt Harsch, KC0FGT.
For almost 100 years, Morse code has been required for an amateur radio license. Starting January 15, Morse code is no longer required for any class amateur radio license. The U.S. joins most other major countries that have already dropped the code requirement.
From the beginning of wireless communication, Morse code has been the mode used to pass information. The sinking of the Titanic brought a requirement that all ocean ships continuously monitor the Morse code emergency frequency. This law was in effect until recently when satellite communication took over that role. Code was the primary method of long distance communication in both World War I and II.
Though thousands of amateur radio operators will continue to use code, digital modes with interface to computers are becoming increasingly popular. Voice over internet is a new digital mode that allows amateurs in Green Valley using hand held radios to talk to other amateurs locally and all over the world. Responding to the technical changes the FCC, is dropping the code requirement, has added questions on various digital modes in their examination questions.
There are three levels of amateur radio licensing; Technician, General and Extra. The Green Valley Amateur Radio Club will start a 6 week class for General on January 14th. A 5 week Technician course starts on January 21st. An examination for all license classes will be held on February 25th. A class for the Extra license will follow in March.
For more information, call Lloyd Miller at 648-2834.