January
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The Mercer County Amateur Radio Club
The January 26, 2021 meeting
Mercer County Amateur Radio Club
I am proud to announce that Bart Jahnke, W9JJ will be our special guest speaker From ARRL HQ. Featuring Rose Ann Lawrence, KB1DMW via Video. The presentation will cover the outgoing QSL Bureau.
The Elmer Zoom starts at 6 PM fellowed by the business meeting at 7 PM. Welcome Cory, W3CDG with a presentation on printed circuit boards.
Join us January 26 at 7:30 PM form the main speaker.
MCARC meeting using Zoom meeting. Download the App for your platform. Practice using Zoom each Thursday prior to the Thursday Net.
To Join Zoom MONTHLY CLUB Meeting Check your E mail for the meeting ID
THIS IS THE MONTHLY MEETING
The January 26, 2021 meeting
Mercer County Amateur Radio Club
Welcomes Bart Jahnke, W9JJ with Rose Anne Lawrence, KB1DMW and thanks to Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R. The QSL Bureau
Within the US, the ARRL DX QSL Bureau System is made up of numerous call-area bureaus. They act as central clearing houses for QSL cards arriving from foreign countries. Volunteers staff these "incoming" bureaus. The service is free. ARRL membership is not required.
Hamvention 2021 Cancelation Release:
Unfortunately, several setbacks in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic make necessary the difficult decision to cancel Hamvention 2021. Hundreds of volunteers have been working to do everything necessary to bring this Hamvention to the many amateur radio enthusiasts and vendors who support the Dayton Hamvention.
Vaccine distribution both in the United States and around the world is lagging behind what was planned. In addition, the emergence of a more communicable form of the COVID-19 virus increases the potential for further public health problems in the next few months. We make this difficult decision for the safety of our guests and vendors. Those who had their tickets deferred last year will be deferred again.
Stay tuned for information about a QSO party for the Hamvention weekend. We’ll be back next year!!!
Executive Committee, Dayton Hamvention 2021
The Mercer County ARC has voted to adopt W3JTV as their official club callsign. This will take a few weeks to process through the FCC.
Joe positively influenced so many MCARC members – this is a fitting tribute to Joe – who was a selfless member – who always helped anyone – no matter what.
Very 73
Tim K3LR
In these chaotic times
MCARC salutes club member Laura Gibson, N3BSN
Mother, Wife, Nurse, Ham
Thank you for your service.
Our very own MCARC member, Harry, W3YJ has the cover and lead article in the November/December 2020 issue of the ARRL QEX magazine.
Harry wrote “Remote Operating with a Raspberry Pi, FLdigi/FLrig, WSJT-X and NoMachine”
Congrats Harry!
73
Tim K3LR, MCARC President
CQ News Release - Announcing: 2020 Inductees, CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame - congrats K8CX.
The CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame honors those individuals, whether licensed hams or not, who have made significant contributions to amateur radio; and those amateurs who have made significant contributions either to amateur radio, to their professional careers or to some other aspect of life on our planet.
Tom Roscoe, K8CX, a champion of amateur radio history who collects and makes available online his "Ham Gallery" of old QSL cards and other historic photos.
New members are also being inducted into the CQ DX and Contest Halls of Fame in separate online ceremonies, due to the cancellation of the Dayton Hamvention and related DX and Contest dinners. Contest Hall of Fame inductees were announced on May 14; new members of the DX Hall of Fame will be announced on May 20.
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MCARC badges with logo are available from www.Jerichoprints.com / phone: 513-702-4641
This is the White Badge, W/LOGO
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Wooden Call sign Badge may be ordered from:
The URL for the site http://www.gifts4hams.com/badges.htm
PLEASE be sure to include that you are with the Mercer County Amateur Radio Club.
Mercer County Amateur Radio Club targets area libraries with Radio Amateur books for those interested in radio science and Ham Radio.
Contact Alex, W3XH for information about the project at alco141@zoominternet.net
PiAware SkyAware installed at repeater site.
Josh K3LH project idea goes live with the Alex, W3XH and Jeff N3JD install team along with Cory, W3CDG and Barney, K3LA programming the link into the internet.
To view the PiWare SkyAwre page use this Link MCARC PiAware SkyAware from the repeater site. The information is received at the repeater site via a Raspberry Pi to be displayed at the link shown above.
To view NEXRAD Weather click on the Gear wheel in the upper right next to "Hide All Tracks" In the window that appears select the box next to the words NEXRAD Weather.
Checkout the PiAware SkyAware view from the K3LH site in Phoenix Click HERE
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Here are a few of the many activities held & planned for MCARC in 2020. Support your club by becoming a member.
Elmer Sessions - Ideas wanted. Step up show what you know - help others
Scouting Radio Merit Badge Saturday March 28th
PA Cyber Hosting a Balloon Launch APRS tracking.
Monthly Hospital Tests - Check in from home. Your signal report helps.
VE Sessions - Become a VE - Let candidates know where they can test.
Fox Hunt - June Meeting @ Shelter 1 for Fox Hunt Demonstrations. Be the Fox June 30th 1:30pm
W3B Buhl Day - a great way to support the community
W3LIF Field Day - ELMER Classs. Bring friends, Picnic Food.
July Club picnic - July, 2020 at Buhl Park
W3LIF PA QSO Party - just outstanding radio fun.
Field Trips - Day trips coming your way. Need suggestions for the new year.
ACS Support for Events. NEW -The addition of a 440 repeater at W3LIF its happening.
NEW - The addition of a 2M (146.685) repeater in Grove City at the Grove City Medical Center
Amateur Radio Get together in Greenville
Breakfast Saturdays @ Park Inn 9:45am - 10am in West Middlesex TBA
September 2020 Penn State Shenango Jane Williams 5K
November Sharpsville Food Bank 5K on or about Nov. 9th
September Penn State 5K Downtown Sharon at Penn State Shenango Club Picnic July at Shelter #4 in Buhl Park stating at 6:30 PM
SET Simulated Emergency Test April 4th, 9AM till Noon
ZOOM meetings and Zoom speakers Hamvention QSO Party
Contest University
Your Dues support expanding repeater operation and maintenance. Support your Club.
Thursday's at 9pm it's the W3LIF Soap Box Net 145.350. A friendly way to say hello. Early Check in for those on the go starts after 8pm ish.
+++++++++++++++++++ W3LIF expands coverage 145.350 and 442.675 repeaters are now linked full time. Thanks to KB3GRF, Jerry L Koewacich for his donation of the 442.675 repeater. For Mercer County Amateur Radio Club Local Nets Click the photo.
Special Thanks to Sean Kutzko, KX9X
Satellite super user A good overview of Satellites and Amateur Radio. As Sean says "Life is Short: Do more radio."
Thanks to Josh Reichard, K8KJR who joined us for the 6PM Elmer Session. Josh K8KJR's presented and demonstrated WSPR as a Citizen Science initiative looking at propagation .
Scounting Tech Merit Badge On Air March 28th in the morning AM Mercer County ARC supports Radio Scouting. Our Club contact is Bruce, K3BEG. Want to learn more? Click on the Radio Scouting LOGO.
Health and Welfare Nets
>Lawrence Co. Health & Welfare on 444.750MHz at 5pm daily >Butler Co. Health & Welfare on 147.300MHz at 7pm Monday - Friday
>Monday Through Friday 147.30MHz
Time 7:00 PM
Activities to be announced at the EOC 911 center in Mercer Monthly Test of Hospital Radios:
Dear MCARC members:
ACS/RACES/ARES conducts the monthly hospital tests on the last Friday the month, around 6:45pm.
Monthly, we need volunteers to go to the EOC for the test and at least one at each site committed to UPMC Horizon - Greenville, Grove City Medical Center, Sharon Regional and UMC Horizon - Farrell. It is good to have one better to have two available to go to a specific site. Then each month visit a different site so the operators know the location and operation of each radio at any of the hospitals.
ACS/RACES/ARES applications to be turned in ASAP
ARES Community Support of the Sharpsville Food Pantry November 9th - 5K Run/Walk.
We will be resuming the monthly hospital tests. On the last Friday of the month, we will conduct the test as usual. You should arrive at your facility between 6pm and 6:30pm. We will begin the net at 6:45pm.
Having been away from it for several months, I hope that there will be ample resources to have someone at each location (four hospitals and the EOC). Everything is as usual with one exception on the door to enter at the EOC. If you plan to cover that site, please let me know and I will give you more details.
Thanks in advance to all who will be able to assist in this month's test. The hospitals really do want us to maintain the equipment should an emergency arise.
73,
Mike Varga, NR3C
Michael S. Varga, NR3C
Mercer Co. ACS/RACES Radio Officer
Mercer Co. ARES Emergency Coordinator
WPA Public Information Officer
MCARC-sponsored VE Team Liaison
ARRL Registered Instructor
MCARC Secretary
Please use ARES Connect at arrl.volunteerhub.com to sign up for the Monthly Hospital Testing.
Thank you!
73,
Mike Varga, NR3C
Mercer Co. ARES EC
MCARC Membership and Renewal
NOW MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
ARE YOU ON THE MEMBER LIST?
Check the members list at W3LIF.org to see if
Your on the members list. Be a part of YOUR Club.
Full Membership - $30
Family Membership - $40
Student Membership - $10
Click HERE to buy
Clicking on the PayPal button will give you the option to use PayPal or your own Credit Card.
Your Membership makes possible the operation and maintenance of the W3LIF repeater sites. - The Loan of Amateur Equipment - Voice and vote at meetings - Field Day Lunch and Sunday Breakfast. - The W3LIF Annual Picnic - Helps to off set the W3LIF Christmas Party Venu. Support Your Club.
ARRL Special Service Club and ARRL Affiliated Club
Amateur Radio has so much to offer and as a MCARC member we want you to "own-it" as an ARRL Special Service Club (SSC). MCARC is recognized as a positive force to improve the visibility of Amateur Radio in the community, to assist in emergencies, to encourage training and to provide activities for the betterment of the membership and the Amateur Radio Service. The Club thanks all its members and what you do to become a ARRL Special Service Club. Lets keep moving forward in making Amateur Radio a positive force in our community.
Amateur Radio Exam: To Be Announced
Walk-ins are welcome. There is a $15.00 testing fee due the day of the examination.
Anyone seeking a modification in testing procedures must contact VE Liaison Mike Varga, NR3C, prior to the exam session and provide him with a written doctor's excuse explaining the need for the modification requested.
Contact mcarc.ve@gmail.com for confirmation and additional information.
