Noted scientist Dr. Adrian Popa, spell-binding speaker at our November 2001 meeting on "The Four Fundamental Forces of Nature," returns, by popular demand, to the Conejo Valley Amateur Radio Club stage Thursday, May 9, 2002, 7:30 pm at the Thousand Oaks Elks Lodge for a presentation entitled: 

"Quantum Electrodynamics Devices for Digital Nanoelectronics"  (Say What?)

For the past 40 years engineers and scientists have overcome one hurdle after another to keep the microelectronics revolution alive. We are now entering the new, mystical realm of Quantum Electrodynamics (QED), where dimensions are measured in atoms not micrometers, to overcome the limitations encountered in increasing the performance of current microelectronic devices. In this presentation we will cover some QED approaches to digital nanoelectronics including, quantum wells, quantum wires, quantum dots and spintronics.  Please join us and invite your friends, ham and non-ham alike, for another fun filled and informative evening with the Science Wizard.

Due to the extremely interesting topic to be presented By Dr. Popa, we will not have a brag session this month and our business meeting will be shortened to provide Dr. Popa with the maximum possible time for his presentation.

Sunday, June 9 8:30 am at East Valley Sheriff Station, 2101 E. Olsen Rd between 23 FWY and Reagan Library.

Test fee is $10, testing for all license classes, no pre-registration necessary.

Candidates should bring photo ID, check made to ARRL VEC. Candidates seeking license upgrades should bring BOTH their original FCC license (either the small or large one will do) and a photocopy of the license that the VE team will retain.

Any questions? Contact Jeff Reinhardt AA6JR at 818-706-3853 or aa6jr@arrl.net

This is the last CVARC VE session before the Extra Class license question pool changes on July 1.

As I have indicated the amount we collect goes back into prize kitty, so the more you buy the bigger the next month's prize can be!

I just picked up a fine antenna Rotor that could be the grand prize for May!  I also have the ARRL Operators Manual as another choice.  In the collection of items is a dual band 2m/440 mag mount antenna donated by HRO.  So, be sure you come to the meeting so your monthly tickets get into the end of the year drawing for that "special prize" yet to be determined!

Congratulations to the "younger set" of hams that took away a good portion of  the raffle items last month.  I hope they keep coming and win.

Rory Elkland, KG6HCU,  has been hard at work with repairs to the CVARC Trailer.  Thanks to Rory's work, the trailer is now ready for Field Day.  Additional work on the trailer is being planned for this summer and fall to improve its operational capabilities.  This work includes the adding of solar panels to keep the trailer's batteries charged and repair or replacement of the trailer's windows.  The work on the windows is particularly critical to prepare the trailer for winter rains (hopefully we will see some rain this coming winter).  Last winter we had to cover all the windows with several layers for plastic to prevent rain from destroying the new seat covers that were made for the trailer last year.  Rory has done a great job, but can not do all the work himself.  Volunteers to help with this work are urgently needed.  If you can help, talk to Rory or Greg, K7SDW, during one of our club meetings.

With only a couple of months to go, it does not leave us much time to put the final touches on plans for Field Day.  Don, K6CAB, has volunteered to be my assistant this year.  He his a welcome addition to Field Day preparations and our future planned activities.  I would encourage anyone else to assist in this years planning.  I do expect those who signed up for the various "bands" will decide who will be the "chairman" of the band.  I will be calling and trying to determine which of you will be taking on this wonderful responsibility of Field Day Band Chairman.

So, what is expected of a Band Chairman?  The Band Chairman is expected to obtain operators for their band.  Sending the "clip board" around each club meeting for those interested in a band they want to operate.  When the Band Chairman is identified in the newsletter it allows others in the club who have not attended the meeting to get in contact with the Band Chairman of their interest.

The Band Chairman should make sure that he has organized at the minimum the following:
1.  A radio that can operate at 5 watts on the band and frequency to be used.
2.  Antenna, coax and antenna support.
3. Shelter for the equipment and operators.
4. Deep Cycle Battery or equivalent battery "juice" to operate equipment for 24 hours.
5.  Solar panels are optional as they don't keep up with the "usage" but help put some "juice" back into the battery.
6.  Operators.  At least 4 to 6 operators per band segment to allow shift scheduling of operators.  If you don't have enough, see below.

It is really a "rough" road if only a few operators are working a band.  In the past this has not been discouraged.  Last year we tried to stay away from this method and this year we will attempt to do the same.

I encourage any Band Chairman to "team up" with another band.  We don't need an over kill of bands to enjoy the learning of "emergency preparation."  I suggest that if we observe the rules and the Maximum Usable Frequency (called MUF) for the operational periods, we can still achieve a positive outcome.  With the Get On The Air (GOTA) as an added bonus station this year, we could use a volunteer for setting up that station.

To this endeavor the 40-meter CW and 20 meter CW station will be under one "roof" and the MUF will be the operating plan for activating and operating each of the stations.  I think the same could be done with the "digital" stations and some of the SSB stations.  Let's give it a try this year!
At the June meeting I will be going over some of the Field Day plans.  That is after the movie!  We have had some new additions to the club, so the video will be a two part.  One video will be of our past FD's and the other will be a "condensed" version of one of our finer versions of FD.

Please be advised as the Operations Chairman for FD, it is a challenge to be flexible to meet any Hams needs; therefore, you need to be as flexible in making this enjoyable for everyone.  Sometimes we give up operating time just when the bands are at their best to explain to visitors what we are doing.  That is the most important issue is visibility to the general public of what we could do in case of an emergency.

The list below contains again those who have signed up for various bands and operational interests.  I will need to know by June 7^th each of your "band" selections so we can get together on the 8^th or 9^th to do some up front planning and site survey.  This will make the FD presentation understandable for other members who attend and my change their mind to support this exciting event.



Field Day 2002 Operator List
Rory     KG6HCU        2m or 6m
Brian    WD0HBG        Any
Jan      B3ERR         Any
Noel     K6NVS         2m or HF
Bob      K6FEZ         Any
Bill     Call Pending  Any
Mark     KF6WTM        CW
Bill     K6HB          10/40 SSB
Mike     W6UWB         Any microwave
Karl     KE6WVZ        40 SSB
Don      K6CAB         40 CW
Roy      KE6UMW        6m
Jonathan KC6QOQ        SSB
Alan     K6PSP         20 CW
Brad     KG6CPY        15/20 SSB
Ted      KG6AJH        15/20 SSB
Hugh     KF6HHS        900MHZ (33cm)

I am looking forward for your sign-ups and active energy to carry off FD 2002 on top of the Byrd Ranch site.

73 de Greg, K7SDW,
Field Day Operational Chairman

7:00 PM - 7:30 PM  VOICE 147.93-  pl 127.3 WB6WEY AREA 1
7:00 PM - 7:30 PM  VOICE 147.15+  pl 127.3 WB6ZTQ AREA 3
7:00 PM - 7:30 PM  VOICE 146.97-   pl 127.3 WB6YQN AREA 4
7:00 PM - 7:30 PM  VOICE 145.40-    no pl     N6FL        AREA 5
7:00 PM - 7:30 PM  VOICE 147.975- pl 127.3 N6AHI     AREA  6
7:00 PM - 7:30 PM  VOICE 146.985- pl 127.3 WB6ZTX AREA 7
7:00 PM - 7:30 PM  VOICE   145.28-   pl 100    WB2WIK AREA 8

I am very pleased that the Hams in our Area 2 have been providing their services to our community.  I was going to try and visit various clubs this year to see how they are interacting with their local Hams and ARES commitment.  I unfortunately have not been able to make many of my good intentions.  My intent as your Emergency Coordinator (EC) for Area 2 is not to make it a "life time occupation."  Our DEC expects a volunteer to assist an EC as an Assistant Emergency Coordinator (AEC) for at least two years before he would appoint them to EC.  If you are interested in helping, organizing and planning various activities to provide a level of return of your "hobby investment" back into the community, please contact me so we can get you on a training path as an AEC.

73 de Greg, K7SDW
EC Area 2.

We will need a total of 12 operators.  By the May 9^th meeting we will have only a bit of  "sign-up" time to fill the slots needed to support this very large bicycle event in our neighborhood.  For those that will have to drive their own personal vehicles to support this event, Mike, N7WLC, has indicated the some of operators will be paid for their gas.  Most of us just do it for fun, but if there is someone out there that needs this extra incentive to participate, bring it on!  Be sure to sign up for this event.  We will be using mapping program to follow the "SAG Wagons" that pick up bikers who have mechanical problems.  More information will be made available at the time of the event as to location for operators and frequencies to be used.  If in a SAG, you will need a 25-watt or better 2-meter radio to communicate out of some of the canyon areas.  Portable stations should be set up at the "water stops" and use of Hand Helds is last-ditch usage to get to the repeater.

Any questions?
73 de Greg, K7SDW
Operational Chairman

The next CVARC amateur radio course for the Technician Class license will begin on Tuesday May 21 and run for ten weeks.  These classes will be held from 7:00 PM to 8:45 PM each Tuesday evening at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 3645 Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks.  This location is one block East of Olson Road on Moorpark Road.  Karl Moody, KE6WVZ will be teaching the classes.

The cost of this class will be $20 to cover the cost of the study manual "Now You're /Talking" and all necessary classroom materials.

Anyone interested in obtaining an amateur radio license is encouraged to join Karl for this excellent class.  Assistance will also be provided to those wishing to upgrade from the Technician to the General Class license.  Planning is under way for a Youth Class to help young people under the age of 18 obtain their Technician Class license.  Karl Moody can be contacted for further information on the planning for this class.

The Conejo Valley Cyclists, BSA Troop 753, and the Arthritis Foundation are presenting their 18^th annual Cruisin' The Conejo bike ride on Saturday, May 11, 2002 in Thousand Oaks.  Again this year CVARC has been asked to provide radio communications support for this event.
The bike ride includes five different scenic routes through Conejo Valley and the surrounding area.  The five routes are:
Short Cruise:  21 mile easy tour of the Conejo
Metric Half Century:  35 miles moderate tour of the Conejo
Challenging Metric: 62 miles very challenging climb through the Santa Monica Mountains
Moderate Metric Century:  68 mile ride with half the climbing as the Challenging Metric Century
Full Century:  103 mile ride with additional miles added to the Challenging Metric
All of the rides begin in Newbury Park near the Amgen facility, and head through Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village.  The short course then circles back to the starting point in Newbury Park. The other rides continue on to Oak Park and Agoura Hills before looping back towards Newbury Park.  The long rides travel through the Santa Monica Mountains, Hidden Valley, the Oxnard Plain, Moorpark, and Simi Valley before finally returning to the starting point.  The activities begin at 6:30 in the morning.  The course is closed at 4:00 PM.  Along the course there are rest stops manned by the Boy Scouts.  The rest stops provide riders with water and refreshments.  SAG wagons (usually minivans) circle the route to help riders that have problems and, if need be, provide riders with transportation back to the starting point.

CVARC provides the radio communications for the event.  Our net control station will be set up at the starting point.  We will also have radio operators located at each of the rest stops and in each of the SAG wagons.  The radio operators at the rest stops provide communications between the rest stops and the event officials at the starting point.  The primary purpose of this communications is to arrange for delivery of additional supplies to the rest stops as they are needed.  Rest stop radio operators also monitor all of the radio traffic and can give riders updates on where the lead cyclists are and other status on the progress of the ride.  The cyclists tend to ride in groups.  The arrival of a group at one rest stop is radioed to the next rest stop along the course so that rest stop can make preparations for the group heading their way.  SAG wagon communications is extremely important in locating cyclists that are in trouble and getting help to them.  Occasionally a cyclists will be injured in an accident.  In that case, finding them and getting them to a medical facility is extremely important.  This is part of the job of a SAG wagon crew.  Because the role of the SAG wagons is so important, each of the SAG wagons will be equipped with an APRS tracker.  In that way the locations of all of the SAG wagons can be tracked from the CVARC Comm Van.  The radio communication links between the Comm Van, net control at the starting point, and each of the SAG wagons allows SAG wagons to be quickly rerouted as needed.  The Conejo Valley Cyclists list the radio dispatched SAG wagons as one of the key features of their event.  The radio communications that we provide is very important to them.
This event is particularly fun because the five different bike routes attracts all types of cyclists from families out for an enjoyable Saturday ride to the serious long distance cyclists.  As a result you will see all different types of bikes, including some very unusually configurations.  The colorfully riding outfits worn by the cyclists are also fun.  An other aspect of this ride that makes it particular interesting is that the route is circular.  As a result, you as a radio operator are never far from the activity as the ride circles around us.  You can hear most of the radio traffic from where ever you are and you can easily move from one location to another as needed, remaining a part of the activities throughout the event.  I encourage as many of you as can to sign up for this event.  It is very interesting and a lot of fun.

A Memoir 40 Years Later… By David M. Pepper, WA6TWA  (Next Month's News Letter )

CANDIDATE                       NEW CLASS   CALL
Sherry Hevner         TECH    KG6KRG
William Seeman        TECH    KG6KRB
Judith Dickhoff       TECH    KG6KRJ
Kevin LeMon           GENERAL KB7NTL
Kevin Thompson        TECH    KG6KQW
Bradley Plunket       GENERAL KG6KQU
Richard Wayman        GENERAL W7WWB
James Lux             EXTRA   W6RMK
Howard Alter          TECH    KG6KRO
Michael Ingle         TECH    KG6KRF
Donald Bittinger Jr.  TECH    KG6KRM
Myles Moran           TECH    KG6KRD
Harry Stortz          TECH    KG6KQX
William Zeider        TECH    KG6KQV
William Chin          TECH    KG6KRL
Karl Baird            TECH    KG6KRN
Elizabeth Goodliffe   TECH    KG6KRH
David Escandon        TECH    KG6KRI
Vanessa DiCecco       TECH    KG6KRK
Alejandro Mongalo     TECH    KG6KRE
Billy Lecroy          GENERAL KG6JZK
Vito Manzo            EXTRA   WA6AM
Nicole Oberfoell      TECH    KG6KRC
David Howe            GENERAL K9DBH
Duane Jenkins         EXTRA   KC6ZDO
Roderick Silver       TECH    KG6KQZ
Robert Church         GENERAL K6FEZ
Jacob Silver          TECH    KG6KQY
Brian Shin            TECH    KG6KRA

VE  Jeff Reinhardt AA6JR

CVARC - AA6CV