Election of the CVARC Board of Directors for 2005 will occur at the November general meeting on Thursday evening November 11. The list of candidates to be voted on is:

Note that we still need someone to fill the Vice President position and also a person for the Social positions.

Heard or used any of these Q-signals lately? Concerned about the health of your radio? Is there a problem with your radio? Are you using your radio correctly? Terms like deviation, sensitivity, or harmonic content confusing. Well, maybe it’s time for a little ‘hands on’ and ‘tech talk’.

Bring your HT or Mobil to the November meeting and get answers to your questions while your rig gets the once over. See your Tx signal on a spectrum analyzer. We will also be setup to check Rx sensitivity, Tx power, frequency, deviation, and harmonic content.

Make the most of this opportunity. A quick review of a Yaesu FT-2500 Mobil manual clearly identifies the internal adjustments for low/medium power, and modulation (deviation). Manuals for other radios will typically show similar information. Our time during the meeting will be limited, so please review and bring your manual if you anticipate any adjustments.

Testing radios that have other than UHF or BNC antenna connectors can be a challenge. If you have antenna adapters for some of the new HT gizmo connectors, i.e. SMA/reverse, SMA, etc. please bring them. Also, if your radio has a modified DC power connector, please bring the mate. We will have a healthy (200 AH) 12 volt battery pack (5/16” connector posts) with the standard ‘T’ power connector found on most of today’s mobile radios. The battery will also have a power adaptor for the small Anderson power pole connectors (if I can find my adapter pig tail).

We should be setup by 7PM and have some time to play before the official meeting time of 7:30PM. QSN, be first in line, QRE at 7PM.

QRU - - - - - -, QRT KF6HHS, aka Hugh

Didn’t recognize those Q-signals:

QRH Does my frequency vary
QRI How is the tone of my transmission
QRK What is the readability of my signals
QSB Are my signals fading
QSL Understood/understand, received
QSN Did you hear me on kHz/Mhz
QRE ETA, my estimated time of arrival at/is
QRT Stop sending
QRU Have you anything for me
QSA What is the strength of my signal
QSN Did you hear me

Here are the results from the most recent CVARC VE Exam given on October 10, 2004 at the East County Sheriffs Station on Olsen Rd.

The annual CVARC Holiday Party will be held Saturday December 4th at Rory Eikland’s home. Three prizes will be given away during the party.

Again this year, the Board approved a young ham prize. Young hams (under 18 years of age) receive a ticket each time that they attend a CVARC club meeting. The stubs from these tickets have been collected throughout the year by our CVARC raffle chairman. During the party, a drawing from these tickets will be made and the lucky young ham will win a Yaesu FT-60, dual band HT radio. The young ham does not have to be present at the party to win.

At the November club meeting, and also at the party, we will be selling grand prize raffle tickets for $10 each. The winner of the raffle will have his/her choice of either a Yaesu FT-2800, 2m high power Mobil radio, or an Astron SS-30M, 30 amp switching power supply with meters.

A red ticket prize will also be awarded. The CVARC raffle chairman has saved all of the ticket stubs from our monthly club meeting raffles. During the party, one ticket will be drawn as the year end raffle winner. The winner will receive the prize (the Yaesu FT-2800 Mobil radio, or Astron SS-30M switching power supply) not selected by the grand prize winner.

As you can see from the following specifications, these are fantastic prizes! To help build interest in the holiday party, we will have the prizes to show off at the November club meeting.

Astron SS-30M Switching Power Supply

* Desktop switching power supply
* 30 Amps, 25 amps continuous.
* Contains volt and amp meters.
* Dimensions are 3-3/4 x 7 x 9-5/8 inches.
* Utilizes high efficiency switching technology specifically filtered for use with communications equipment on all frequencies including HF.
* Heavy duty design with low profile, light weight packaging.
* Current limiting, overvoltage protection, over temperature shutdown, fuse protection, and EMI filter.
* 115 VAC 50/60 HZ.

YAESU - FT-2800M Mobile Radio

* Heavy-Duty 144 MHz FM Transceiver
* High power output, a huge, easy-to-read display, and one-touch WIRES™
* Internet Linking Access capability are yours with the rugged new FT-2800M!
* 65 Watts Power Output
* Excellent Receiver Performance
* CTCSS and DCS Encode/Decode Built In
* Extensive Memory System with 221 memory channels
* Alpha-Numeric Channel Display
* WIRES Internet Linking Access Feature
* WX Channels with "Severe Weather" Alert

FT-60R - 144/430 MHz FM Dual Band Handheld Radio

The FT-60R is a new dual-band FM transceiver with extensive receive frequency coverage, providing versatile two-way amateur communications along with unmatched monitoring. A new-generation Emergency Automatic ID (EAI) feature for Search-and-Rescue operations, is introduced in the FT-60R!

* Wide band reception 108-520 MHz/700-999,990 MHz (Cellular Blocked)
* New emergency automatic ID system
* Huge LCD
* High power output: 5 watts
* Ni-MH long life battery
* FNB-83 (7.2 V, 1400 mAh) overnight charger included
* Programmable keys for user convenience
* Split CTCSS/DCS and DCS encode only capability
* Over 1000 membory channels with alpha-numeric labels
* Ten memory banks for channel allocation

When I originally proposed putting together a Skills & Interests Directory, the aims were rather vague to me. It just felt like we should be more aware of our Membership’s interests. As I developed the questionnaire, and thought about the process some more, it became apparent that the survey could serve some important functions.

Firstly, the survey will tell the Program Planning Committee about the interests of the Membership. In my opinion, the Program Planning Committee does a great job. I really enjoy the speakers at our monthly meetings, and I like the variety of topics. But do you feel that way too? With information about the interests of the membership, the committee can make our programs better. Also, let’s not forget the potential for some very interesting speakers from within our membership.

Secondly, the Board of Directors makes a lot of decisions, big and small, on behalf of the members. It is not practical for the board to seek the opinions of members before making every decision, but with more information about your interests they can work better for you.

Thirdly, it helps Individual Members to know the interests and skills of other members. We often think about this kind of help as being of the technical variety, but there are a lot of facets to this great hobby. Mentoring or “Elmering” is one of the great traditions in Amateur Radio. Most hams love to help out where they can, and the Directory can help to facilitate the process.

If you have not already done so, please fill out the survey and return it to me. Please don’t be afraid to tell us about your interests. If the Program Committee asks you to consider speaking at a meeting, it is okay to say “no” if you are not comfortable doing so. I will not be listing your name and phone number in the directory under “24-hour help on…”. At least, not without asking you first!

Final note: When I emailed out the Skills & Interest questionnaire, quite a few of the email addresses “bounced”. Our CVARC member’s database is clearly out of date. If you did not receive questionnaire, send me an email at steve@stevechampion.com and I will respond with the questionnaire.

Steve Champion

The following letter was received from ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP, that explains an ARRL toy campaign to benefit children in Florida this coming holiday season. Allen may be reached at w1agp@rrl.org.

We need your help.  Over the past weeks, we have all heard of the devastation in central Florida.  Many hams actually heard it first hand through volunteer service or on the HF nets.  While many areas of the country were affected to differing degrees, Florida was the worst.  

Thousands of families are without a place to live and will be homeless over the coming Holiday Season.  For a child suddenly living out of a tent, or car, or someone else's home, the 2004 holiday season will be anything but jolly.  But hams are coming to their rescue in a new way.

Between now and Thanksgiving, hams across the country are being asked to purchase a new child's toy and send it with a QSL card or 3x5 showing their callsign to:

Ham Radio
The United Way White Dove Project
50 Kindred Street - Suite 207
Stuart, FL  34994

"The storms and their aftermath have been especially traumatic for children. In addition to the frightening experience of going through the hurricanes, youngsters are coping with a great deal of stress felt within their families and at school," writes Carol Hodnett, a Director at the United Way site, who will be handling the distribution end of the program.

  "Because of the overall strain on our state, we have been looking outside the area for help in supporting the White Doves Holiday Project this year. We are so incredibly thankful to you and the American Radio Relay League for thinking of the children of our area in planning your toy drive."

The Martin County United Way in Stuart still has the facilities to manage a large toy Drive.  They have agreed to serve as the collection point and also coordinate distribution to the surrounding counties whose agencies are no longer capable of managing such a project.

  "Just let me know what you need," offered Steve Blary, N1XC, the ARES Emergency Coordinator for Stuart County, Florida.  "This is a great idea and we're ready to help at this end."

Unwrapped toys for boys and girls of ages 1 to 14 will be gathered and shipped by amateur radio operators to the Stuart facility between now and Thanksgiving for distribution over the holidays.  Non-hams are also encouraged to join in this effort to provide for the thousands of children suddenly homeless due to the series of hurricanes.

Those wishing to donate money instead of toys can send a check to: 

White Dove, c/o United Way of Martin County
50 Kindred Street, Suite 207, Stuart, FL  34994

Recent figures from FEMA and the Red Cross showed over 22,000 homes destroyed and over 40,000 severely damaged.  Whole families who once had their own home or apartment are now living wherever they can, in vehicles, or tents, or sharing undamaged homes or shelters.  It is not simply a shortage of affordable housing; it is a lack of ANY housing.

We are asking all hams to make the coming Holiday Season a little bit brighter for a child by participating in this toy drive.  Purchase a new toy and ship it to the Ham Radio/United Way-White Dove address.  Maybe it's not a new home to live in, but knowing that someone "out there" remembers you is a start for these children.

  What kind of toy? The homeless children come in all ages, but we suggest thinking of age 1 to 14, both boys and girls.

Should I wrap it? No, just put it in the box unwrapped.

Why the QSL card? The cards will be collected and sent to the ARRL headquarters to track results.

Can my non-ham friends join in? SURE!  And if you give them your QSL cards to put in the boxes, your area will get the credit for their generosity.

Can't I just give to something here locally? Of course you can.  We're not saying "don't give" to any other place or cause. We are simply offering this option for hams to show the world that we remember the victims in disasters after the headlines are gone, and to do something good for children in real need.

I know our club can get more people involved than their club.... Club and area and section challenges are encouraged. We'll use the QSL cards as a way to track results.

Can I just give money? Money is always good.  Checks should be made payable to:

White Doves,
c/o United Way of Martin County
50 Kindred Street, Suite 207
Stuart, FL  34994

Just how bad is it really? The following numbers are from FEMA and the Red Cross.

THE DECEMBER 12TH VE EXAM HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO SCHEDULING PROBLEMS.

CVARC hosts FCC License Examinations at 8:30 AM on the second Sunday of even numbered months at the Ventura East County Sheriff Station on Olsen Rd. (near the Reagan Library). CVARC conducts exams for all license classes . Exam candidates must bring a form of government issued photo I.D., the original AND a photocopy of any existing license or Certificate of Exam Element Completion, a Social Security (or government issued Taxpayer I.D.) number, and $12 ARRL VE Exam fee (cash is preferred). No advance reservation is necessary, walk-ins are welcome. Advance notice is needed for special circumstances, such as reading the exam to sight-impaired candidates. If you have any questions, contact CVARC VE Coordinator Jeff Reinhardt at 818-706-3853.

Ventura County Area 2 R.A.C.E.S. members are encouraged to check in every Tuesday night at 7:00 pm on the Area 2 Check-in Net. Specific ARES/RACES times and frequencies are as follows:

The Net Controller’s script for the Area 2 weekly RACES check-in net is on the CVARC website, in printable form. Every member is encouraged to periodically serve as net controller. RACES members should remember that their RACES card is issued for only two years. When your card is due to expire call Jackie at the Office of Emergency Services in Ventura for an appointment to renew your card. Call (805) 654-2551 or toll free from the east half of the county at (800) 660-5474. For packet, call coordinator Dan Dicke KE6NYT (805) 983-1401. To register for Red Cross Disaster Services Classes, call (805) 339-2234 ext 0 Ventura County ARES/RACES web site: http://home1.gte.net/res19999/

The Conejo Valley Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL affiliated Special Service Club. Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month, unless otherwise noted. Meeting location is at the Elks Lodge, 158 Conejo School Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA. Meetings start at 7:30 pm. with a pre-meeting social and technical assistance session, for those who are interested at 7:15 pm. Meetings are open to the public, and members are encouraged to bring their friends.