News
Congratulations to Harold McMullen KE5WCQ for upgrading to general, to Bryan Loper KG5VDK and 16-year-old Jake Stegall KG5VDL for passing their technician! Special thanks to all the VEs who volunteered with the test sessions.
Danny Richard KG5ESG was appointed the new ARES Emergency Coordinator for Cass and Morris County on June 21. Danny got to work on implementing a county emergency communications plan for the counties. Jim Collom N5YU donated a dedicated ARES repeater that provides wide coverage for both counties.
November marks the final formal club meeting each year for the RACC. The 2017 officers were elected, and the 2016 RACC Christmas Party plans were finalized to be held at the Champions Bible Church on Saturday, December 17, 2016 at 6:30pm.
An unusual band opening on 2 meters allowed for FM contacts to be made on simplex and repeaters further than two hundred miles away late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning (16-17 November 2016).
The ARRL sent a mass email soliciting member support and action to encourage elected representatives to vote in favor of the Amateur Radio Parity Act. The league has made it easy by pre-loading a form on a website where members can type in their information, and an email is sent to the appropriate representatives.
You can help, too! Go to: https://arrl.rallycongress.net/ctas/urge-us-senate-to-pass-amateur-radio-parity-act
I went to the link and followed the instructions with a small twist...
2016 Antenna Launcher Contest
The contest, originally scheduled to occur during Field Day, had to be rescheduled because club members were still setting up operating stations and ran out of time. They gathered after the July club meeting and really had a blast!
The two events the members competed were for accuracy and distance. Kyle Wayne Goodson N5KWG was the official judge. Ralf Vopel KF5WGB won the distance event, and Danny Richard KG5ESG won the accuracy contest.
Jerry Goodson W5BFF competed for distance, but came up short. Bobby Brownlee WB5OSD competed in the accuracy event using a slingshot, but couldn't quite get his bullet far enough to the target.
Spectators at the event include Steve Rogers AF5JR, Ronnie Rumsey KA5LEK, Arthur Christy KF5VWN, Russell Jarosinski KG5NUQ, Sherlene Vopel KG5CWZ, Ladonna Goodson KG5GMC (the photographer), Cody Goodson KG5HGA, and Bubba Goodson KG5HFZ.
After the competition, the spectators were allowed to shoot the various launchers that were brought to the event. Arthur Christy KF5VWN shot 3 tennis balls at once out of the same tube.
The antenna launchers used by Ralf KF5WGB and Danny KG5ESG are sold by Ralf for $199 ($150 to club members). For information, you can contact Ralf. His email address is good on QRZ.com.
The winning prize for each of the two events was an individual one-year paid membership to the American Radio Relay League donated by a club member.