Metrocrest Amateur Radio Society
News
President’s Corner
October 2019
Welcome to Fall! Oh, the crisp days and cold clear nights! Yeah, me too. Oh well, buy the time of the meeting this Thursday it should be at least a little cooler.
We note with sadness the passing of one of our members, Rex Walthers, KE5ZYK/SK. Rex was a General Class ham and a member of MARS. He had been in ill health the past few years so you may not have seen him at meetings lately. Services were this past Wednesday. Rex was active in the community supporting the Carrollton Citizens on Patrol, a volunteer at the State Fair of Texas, participated in Denton County CERT, was an USAF Veteran (Vietnam) and an all-round good guy. Rex was a young 74 when he passed. We’ll miss him.
This Saturday we’ll have Hams & Eggs at the Whataburger at Old Denton and PGBT, and then at 10 AM the Carrollton-Farmers Branch-Addison ARES/RACES group will be conducting a Simulated Emergency Test (SET) on the 145.210 repeater. Please keep those frequencies clear for the SET from about 11 or so until about 1 or so. It’s OK to listen, and if you are not a member of C-FB-A ARES/RACES see Steve Darrah, KD5YPB, at the library about signing up!
For those who are not participating in the SET, we’ll be meeting at the Josey Ranch Library for an unstructured Radio Play Day. Bring whatever you are working on for expert opinions and help, or just to show it off. I’m planning to bring my new KerberosSDR Radio Direction Finder that I talked about last month. After the SET is completed the ARES/RACES folks will be back at the library for a “hotwash” (post event discussion) and then they’ll want to join in Play Day. We may set up an HF antenna or two and do some Winlink, maybe even to the Texas State Operations Center. Even if you are not a General or above, you can try your hand at HF.
There might even be a contest or QSO party going on and you can try that, too. As always there will be experienced control operators and Elmers there.
Bring some cash to the meeting, to Hams & Eggs, and to the library on Saturday, and grab a bunch of raffle tickets! Buy early and buy often! The more you buy, the better chance of winning the fabulous $1,000 gift certificate to Main Trading for the radio of your dreams! Well, at least part of the radio of your dreams—you probably dream about $12,000 Icom rigs, right?
Also, now is the time to get those Christmas Party dinner tickets!
The Dallas Amateur Radio Club is having their annual “Technet” on the Hill at Flagpole Hill in Dallas. All are welcome starting at 3 PM on Saturday, October 19. Andy Parcel, KE5KOF, and I might bring our Mobile Command Center.
See you at the meeting!
73 Kevin, N5KRG