Metrocrest Amateur Radio Society

Still Time to Buy Your Tickets

  There’s not going to be a Christmas Party this year, but there will be a raffle! The club has chosen a Yaesu FTM-300DR Dual-Band C4FM Mobile Transceiver. This state-of-the-art rig features a color display, band scope, built-in Bluetooth®, GPS, and much more.

  Go now to the RAFFLE PAGE now to buy your tickets. The drawing will be held during the December 10 meeting.

President’s Corner

November 2020

  It’s hard to believe it’s November already. We’ve been dealing with COVID-19 for a while now, and yes, it’s becoming exhausting. But we’ve got to somehow plow through this next wave over the winter. We’ll get through it eventually. Please keep doing what everyone says: wash your hands, use hand sanitizer, socially distance yourselves, and use a mask when you should. MARS will continue to meet virtually until we can safely meet face to face again.

  Despite all of the unpleasantries that this dumpster fire of a year has presented, November is the month to be thankful. It’s a great time to stop and ponder all the GOOD things you have!

  We still live in the greatest country on this planet. It’s wonderful to live in the United States of America and especially to reside here in North Texas!

  While it’s fun to bask in the glow of a tube-based Ham rig, technology gives us access to fantastic transceivers and operating modes our Elmers only dreamed of.

  Through the “magic” of Amateur Radio we can, from the safety and comfort of our QTH, contact folks in North Texas or the world! We are incredibly lucky to live in this era of technology. We have access to supercomputers, libraries, museums, books, and reference materials IN OUR POCKETS!

  Since we may not be traveling as much this season you may have some extra time during Thanksgiving week. To get out of a rut, try something different! Virtually visit your Public Library! You can access digital books, reference information, movies or magazines. Our city libraries are a great resource of digital resources—eBooks, eAudiobooks and digital Magazines. You’ll need a library card from your hometown library. If you don’t have a library card these sites have more information how to get one:

  Carrollton Public Library Digital Branch— https://innovative.cityofcarrollton.com/screens/cpl24-7.html

  Farmers Branch Manske Library—

https://www.farmersbranchtx.gov/455/About-Us

  MARS is still doing our Health & Welfare Nets Saturday mornings at 10:00 AM CST. For more information see the EVENTS page on our Website.

  Make a plan to fire up one of your radios and excite some airwaves. As Charles Osgood used to say, “See you on the radio.”

  73 David K5GIL

WiFi or The Wild Wild West

October 25, 2020

  MARS member Scott Taylor, N5NL, has worked with computers since the 70s and currently works in forensic computing, business continuity, and disaster recovery. Scott’s watched the industry evolve from typewriters and word processors with floppy disks to cloud-based computing, and has worked with just about every kind of computer on the market.

Please go here to download his brief history of technology and computers to the present day (PDF).

W5RPS Plants an Aluminum Garden

October 22, 2020

   In early October, Ken Wendel, W5RPS, spent some time doing a little RF landscaping that would improve his signals while meeting the demands of his neighbors. The result was a beautiful aluminum alloy sculpture pleasing to the eyes and to his rig. Please go here to read all about his Backyard Stealth Project.