F  E  E  D  -  P  O  I  N  T

The Official Newsletter of the St. John Valley Amateur Radio Association

DecemberVol. 15 No.12
Letter From Our President

Hope everone had a good Christmas. Now it is the day after Christmas and we are getting a big snow storm. We have just over a foot early in the morning The NWS says it could be as much as three feet by tomorrow morning. Skiers and snowmobilers will rejoice.

The Sky Warn Recognition Day event held December 3rd and 4th for 24 hours at the Caribou National Weather service was, as it has been in the past, very interesting. There were four HF rigs set up. Filters were used to prevent interference between the rigs. Echolink was set up on one computer and APRS (Automatic Position Reporting System) was set up with radios and another computer.

I was amazed at the hundreds of individual weather stations reporting through APRS. The map on the computer was packed with the call signs of people reporting weather. KB1EZZ explained how to set up such a system. A weather station is set up and connected to the computer. A TNC and a radio are required, too. The APRS program can be down loaded for free. You use your call sign to go in through the computer.

KB1EZZ typed messages to the stations he wanted reports from, focusing on other NWS set ups. With all the methods we were using, we made 610 contacts, placing Caribou in third place.

"Mission accomplished!" said ARRL Delta Division Vice Director Henry Leggette, WD4Q, and assistant warehouse volunteer coordinator Joe Lowenthal, WA4OVO, about the 2005 Holiday Toy Drive. They were on the US Gulf Coast after they'd completed unloading some 5000 toys contributed by generous Amateur Radio clubs and individual radio amateurs from all over. In addition, the second ARRL Holiday Toy Drive benefited from more than $8000 in cash donations, which permitted the purchase of gifts for older recipients and helped defray the costs of transporting the toys. The toys headed to Mississippi following a December 15 sendoff ceremony in Memphis and distributed to hurricane Katrina victims.


Gale Flagg
108 Franklin School Rd
Fort Kent, Maine 04743
Phone: 207-834-6670
E-mail: galeflagg@sjv.net

Next Meeting:
Tuesday, January 10, 6:00 PM
Nadeau Hall, Alumni Conference Room, UMFK
Schedule of Coming Events
DateEventPlaceContactSponsorTimeFreq
SUNNetNBVE1PINIRG2000145.130
MONNetFort KentN1FGSJVARA1900146.64
MONNetPresque IsleWA1YNZAARA2000146.73
Page 2Feed-Point, December, 2005
December 13th Meeting

Start Time: 18:03
Members and guests in attendance:N1FG, N1QMC, N1JHD, N7GLR, KA7VNR, WB1FTK, KA1SJV, N1PMS, N1EVO
Secretary's Minutes: N1PMS moved to accept minutes as posted. Seconded by KA1SJV. Passed
Treasurer's Report: N1FRX will send report when CU Statement received. N1FRX suggested we put $1000 into a supershare to increase interest. N7GLR recommends holding onto our balance for repeater repairs (or possibly a new repeater). N1FRX Report: $1309.27 = Old Balance + deposits of $300 (Donation), $12 (Dues), $19 (ARRL membership portion) $1.31 Interest = $1,641.58 New Balance
N1EVO, Carl Pelletier, came into the meeting. Club members introduced themselves. Carl says he likes CW. He wants to join the club.
Old Business:
1. Rocky Mt.: 13.78 volts at 14:49 Hrs December 13th.
2. 146.64 Report: 14.17 volts at 14:49 Hrs December 13th. KA1OOW and XYL N1UYB have been using the repeater for the last month quite a bit as he has been trapping flat tails "in the middle of nowhere. (N1FG noted improved battery voltages for both repeaters due to recent sunshine)
3. Other:Check for website must be signed by N1FG and N1PMS.
New Business:
1. Pat and Heman Adams Generous donation of $300 to the club. Members signed a thank you note for Pat and Heman. (N1FG will mail it)
2. New England ARRL CAbinet Meeting Jan. 4 Meeting announced. No takers.
3. Other: N1EVO asked about upgrading to Amateur Extra. Nearest testing site in Augusta. N1FG said that the test could be here in Fort Kent. N1FG, KW1C, and N7GLR are VE's. N7GLR explained the about the test.

N1EVO would like to resume Saturday morning get togethers at his home (like W1TCF used to have at his home) with coffee and lively discussions.

N1EVO has quite a list of radio equipment for sale.


N7GLR suggested we dispense with movie and go onto the entertainment portion at 6:30.

We sang Happy Birthday to KA1SJV, Diane, and presented her with two birthday cakes. The Yankee Swap gift exchange went on while we drank juice and coffee and ate cake. There was no swapping! Everyone seemed content with the gift they chose.

Adjourned: 19:10

Submitted by N1QMC.
In Case You Are Interested
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
Quandrantid Meteor Shower January 04, Point of Origin N, Predawn viewing. 80 per hour. The most of any meteor shower.
Don Elrich 01-04 Steve Boomhower 01-22
Page 3Feed-Point, December, 2005
From the overcrowded shack of N1EVO
For Sale

2 Meters
  • Yaesu Ft-5100 2 meters and 440, never been mobile
  • Radio Shack HTX202 handie talkie
  • Yaesu VX1R shirt pocket 2 meter with wide coverage rcv.
Transceivers
  • Ten Tec Argonaut 509 2 watt qrp ssb and cw no WARC bands
  • MFJ9020 5 watt QRP 20 meter superhet xcvr QSK
  • SGC2020 w/ADSP2 20 watt all band HF radio, keyer, memories

Antenna Items
  • SGC230 antenna tuner…top of the line auto tuner
  • MFJ949C antenna tuner cross needles, dummy load, 2 antenna inputs
  • MFJ204B antenna bridge
  • MFJ259 SWR analyzer, frequency counter and grid dip meter

Station Accessories
  • MFJ1275 sound card interface
  • MFJ493 super memory keyer 20 functions, 8 memories
  • MFJ784B DSP filter
  • MFJ1278B multi mode controller
  • MFJ1272B mic / tnc switch

All items priced at 50% to 60% of replacement value. Discontinued items are priced at the average price they have been fetching on E-Bay.

May consider trading for what have you.

For more info or to horse trade call Carl at 207-316-5985


Happy New Year To All!
For Sale

Heavy duty 40' galvanized steel tower, 16" X 16". Includes mounting hardware. Best Offer. N1FRX.
Yaesu VX-5R Excellent condition. Mic, charger, two batteries, DC cord, charger, manual. N1FG
A Bit of Humor
Headline typo and spelling errors collected by Richard Lederer
*"The couple will exchange marriage cows." *"Family fears rabies from rapid kitten." *"Two men arrested for heroine trafficking." *"'Barbara of Seville' opens valley opera season."

F E E D - P O I N T            December, 2005

Published by the St. John Valley Amateur Radio Association
and distributed free to members and friends of Amateur Radio.
President: Gale Flagg N1FG
Vice President: Sandra Daigle, N1QMC
Secretary: Sandra Daigle, N1QMC
Treasurer: Charles Zafonte, N1FRX
Public Information: Charles Ames, N7GLR
Technical Advisor: Marty Bernstein, KW1C
Editor/Publisher/Printer
Gale Flagg - N1FG / Stan Flagg 834-6670
Associate Editor/Web Edition
Charles Ames N7GLR
Membership Information (Annual Dues):
Regular Membership $ 12
Associate Membership $ 6
Articles may be submitted by anyone with a good idea, and may be re-printed
only in their entirety and with credit going to this newsletter.




FEED-POINT
108 FRANKLIN SCHOOL RD
FORT KENT ME 04743