BARC Clubhouse & Communications Center

Sugarcreek Elementary School, Rooms 1 & 3 Lower Level

51 South East Street, Bellbrook

Talk-in on BARC 147.045(+) Repeater & 147.405 Simplex

Also, BARC’s 2010 Field Day Chairman Fred Stone will lead a discussion

on several questions relating to BARC’s Field Day planning.

By BARC Secretary Ed Kulesa K2VEE

The April meeting was attended by 15 members and guests. Club president Chris Stauter, KD8APN called the meeting to order at 7:35PM. Robert Creswell, W8TTT was recognized as a club guest and welcomed to this and to future club meetings.

There were no official minutes for the dinner meeting, but Fred Stone published a summary of the highlights of the dinner meeting in the April Newsletter. No corrections or additions were made to this summary or the minutes published from the February Meeting – these items were approved as published.

Treasurer’s Report By Dave Walton, WD8GCR

As a thank you gesture to Pete Fee, our electrician, who donated time and expertise without charge, Club members took up a voluntary collection of $133.00 to be given to Pete at one of our upcoming weekly luncheons. Many thanks to Pete from all within BARC.

Public Service: By Chris Stauter, WD8APN

Chris and Fred reminded everyone that the 32^nd Annual Bellbrook Sugar Maple Festival Parade will take place next Saturday, April 17, at 11:30 AM. This year’s parade is scheduled to start at 11:30 AM instead of the usual 11 o’clock start time of past years.  The Club is backing up our gathering time and operating times accordingly.

Ron reported that the north end of the meeting room needs preparation and painting. Following the painting, antenna work and setting up the stations will be in order.

Education by Fred Stone, W8LLY

Fred reported that 16 Technician Class students, 5 General Class students, and 5 Extra Class students have been attending the Spring license training sessions. Good luck to all the students taking their exams on April 25^th.

Chris Stauter asked for volunteer members to fill several posts to help more efficiently coordinate the various functions of BARC during the year. As a result of this request, the following members graciously volunteered for and were appointed to the following posts:

Activities Coordinator Todd Rardon

Clubhouse Manager Jim Lusk

Education Coordinator Fred Stone

Field Day Coordinator Fred Stone

Newsletter Editor Fred Stone

Public Service Coordinator Darryl Fowler

Refreshment Coordinator Todd Rardon

Repeater Coordinator Henry Bussey

Station Manager Ken Gunton

Youth Coordinator Ray Hitt

The following members volunteered to be on the Clubhouse committee:

The committee will meet on the 1^st Thursday each month at 7:30PM in the Clubhouse and at other times as needed.

This month’s program on the topic of HAM RADIO HF DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS was presented by Ralph Kanko, K4NKO.

Ralph did a marvelous job of putting together a program outlining the history, evolution, and modern day practice of many of the current forms of digital communications available to the amateur radio operator. His enthusiasm and thorough knowledge of the subject spoke to his keen interest and hands-on operating experience using several of these modes.

The most popular mode for Ralph, and for many of today’s digital operators, is BPSK-31. Ralph discussed what is required to assemble a working station and then demonstrated how to use the DM780 software package (part of Ham Radio Deluxe) for starting, conversing, and then logging a contact.

Many thanks to Ralph for putting together a very interesting and useful presentation.

Following the program, the meeting was adjourned at 9:15PM

Be sure to mark your calendars for and reserve the weekend of June 26 & 27 for BARC’s annual Field Day exercise in and around Shelter #1 at Sackett-Wright Park on SR-725 just east of Bellbrook.

Following is the preliminary Schedule:

Saturday, June 26

0800 Begin pickup of equipment & bulky items

Activate Talk-in Station at Site

0800-0900 Gathers at Site for coffee & donuts

0915 Set-up Briefing

0930 Begin Set-up

1200 Break for Lunch (1145-1245)

1345 Complete Set-up & Equipment Checkout

1400 Begin 24 hour Operational Period

1730 BARC Annual Field Day Family Picnic

1400 Conclude 24 hour Operational Period

Begin Take Down

1500 Begin return of equipment & bulky items

1545 Complete Take-down

1600 Complete Cleanup & Secure Site

Preliminary Plans call for the following Stations:

15-10m/6m/2m/70cm SSB

80-10m CW

Come to the meeting Thursday and help finalize plans for this year’s Field Day. The program for the June BARC meeting will be a full briefing about final plans for BARC’s 2010 Field Day Exercise.

Remember that Field Day is NOT a contest but an operating event to set up and operate communications capabilities that might be required in a disaster situation and to exhibit and demonstrate amateur radio technologies for the general public, elected officials and personnel of served agencies, and to also involve Youth.

BARC emphasizes Fun, Food & Fellowship in its Field Day activities. Plan now to participate!!

The Greene County Amateur Radio License Exam session was held Sunday evening, April 25, in the Training Room at Beavercreek Township Fire Station 1.

23 people took Technician, General and Extra Class exams, resulting in 12 new Technician Class hams, 4 General Class upgrades and 2 Extra Class upgrades. Per Club policy, all new Technician Class hams have been offered a one-year membership in BARC. Other upgrades have been invited to visit BARC and learn more about BARC and its members and activities.

Special congratulations go to BARC Vice President Darryl Fowler who upgraded to Extra Class and to new BARC member Linda Leach KD8NUE. And also to five Bellbrook/Sugarcreek residents: Don Root KD8NUF, and the Tracy family—Ian KD8NJJ, Lynne KD8NUI, Erin KD8NUG and James KD8NUH. Erin and James are students at Bellbrook Middle School.

These Greene County test sessions are sponsored jointly by the three Greene County amateur radio clubs (BARC, UVARC and XWARN) and GCARES. The exams are administered by the Greene County Volunteer Examiner (VE) team and usually assisted by several members of the DARA VE team

Well, the 2010 Dayton Hamvention is now history. Comments heard on the air, and otherwise, indicate this was a very well attended and successful Hamvention. Part of Thursday’s BARC meeting, in lieu of a program, will be devoted to comments and discussion about this year’s Hamvention—and also "Show & Tell" about any new goodies that followed you home.

A number of BARC members volunteered for various jobs to help make Hamvention a success. Besides receiving a free Hamvention ticket and parking pass for the lot in front of the Hara complex, BARC members wanted to express BARC’s appreciation to DARA for the funding assistance for the Communications Center antenna system components (coax, connectors, lightning protection, grounding, etc.).

As promised, a 2010 BARC Membership Roster has been prepared and will be distributed in a day or two after additional data is entered. There still will be some data missing for some members.

Please look over the BARC Directory when you receive it and see if any of your information needs to be added or corrected. Send updates to Fred at W8LLY@ARRL.net.

Note that the first column is your formal name as appears on your license. Column 1 also includes membership information and year through which dues is paid. The second column is the first name you usually go by and column 3 is your last name. Column 4 is your call sign. Column 2, 3 and 4 make it easy to sort the list by name or call sign.

All of your approved phone numbers are indicated in columns 5-6-7. Column 8 shows street address, email address and the last line shows license class, ARRL status and spouse’s first name and call, if any.

Note that the first two entries on the Directory are for BARC and the BARC Clubhouse & Comm Center.

The Greene County FALL 2010 Amateur Radio License Courses will begin Sunday, September 12, 7-9 PM. Exact location of each course will depend on how many courses are offered.

BTFD Station 1 already has been reserved and will be used for one of the courses. The BTFD Admin Building has been remodeled and dedicated for Beavercreek Township Trustees meetings and activities and, thus, is no longer a feasible location for ham classes. The BARC Clubhouse has been identified as an alternative location for the Technician Class course.

Fairborn Fire Station 2, the former location of the Extra Class courses, is slated for closing due to budgetary constraints. Thus, a new location in Fairborn is being sought for that course. Further information about Fall courses will be released as It becomes available.

In the meantime, talk with family and friends about taking the Technician course and becoming a ham. And, all current Technician Class licensees are encouraged to upgrade to General Class.

The Fall Test Session is scheduled for November 14 at BTFD Station 1 Training Room.

These courses and test sessions are sponsored jointly by the three Greene County amateur radio clubs (BARC, UVARC and XWARN) and GCARES.

The next Greene County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (GCARES) meeting will be August 23 (4^th Monday), 7:30 PM, in the Training Room at Beavercreek Township Fire Station 1 (Dayton-Xenia Road just west of Orchard Lane). All Greene County hams are encouraged to be Active members of GCARES.

There will no meetings during May, June and July. We take off May because of Hamvention, June because of Field Day and July because it’s a popular summer vacation month.

Unless something special is happening with the Montgomery County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (MoCoARES), we will discontinue having a separate paragraph for MoCoARES. We will, however, continue to list the MoCoARES meetings on the BARC Calendar.

MoCoARES meets on the last Tuesday of even months, 7:00-9:00 PM, at the Miami Township Government Center on Lyons Road (behind the Dayton Mall).

MoCoARES holds a Net every Tuesday night at 8:00 pm on the MoCoARES 146.640 Repeater (except the last Tuesday of every even month)

BARC members and new hams are reminded that they may become an ARRL member or renew an existing ARRL membership at a discounted rate. BARC is an ARRL affiliated club and receives a commission for ARRL memberships transacted through the club. BARC passes on this discount as a club membership benefit in order to promote ARRL membership. New ARRL members receive a $15 discount on first year cost. Please contact BARC Treasurer Dave Walton KD8GCR for details.