March 2001 - MARCHING ON

    I am always learning new "tools" when it comes to being a good ham. This is the nature of the "best!" (Insert "Beast" in my case!) Hi! What is amazing are the avenues and angles that Murphy's Law takes when you "think" you might be prepared for a disaster or two. For me, the month of February was a very rude awakening for me. I learned something that I had not considered.
    The effect of losing friends who were hams had a giant impact on my ability to function and not become emotional to the point where it affected my performance in other matters. If this was the case for me when there is no disaster other than the loss of a good ham friend, I can only dread having to function in a disaster where many of my ham friends might be lost or in distress.
    I have a place where I can "stuff" all emotion until a more suitable time arrives and I sure hope I can call upon that "place" in my mind if I need to do so. I am not so sure as I was a month ago that "This mindset" will be there for me as it has in the past.
    So with that said, please consider this in your "scenarios" for disaster. It was one that I had not considered until I saw my own reaction to the loss of two good hams in my life.

MARCHING ON!
Jack Foster, KM6TE, and Jerry Wilson, KF6IBP, should be happy and proud as their efforts have produced 8 new hams! Kim, KG6BFO, has now joined the ranks as General Class licensee! Bravo everyone involved!

The Spring Marathon through the Avenue of the Giants always marks the start of the "busy season" for ham activity. My assumption is the race will be on the Saturday of the weekend of Mother's Day. I ask, "What better place to enjoy a "tailgate" picnic and serve your community in a positive way?" It DOES benefit our club to have SHARC members helping with the marathons. So please consider helping out on the upcoming race. Contact Cory Allen, KN6ZU for details and assignment. 707-834-2147 (weekends preferred)

Not to start a "nickname"(HI!), but Kim Cabrera, KG6BFO, has taken over the SHARC WEB PAGE and it looks great! Good links! Good Job! It's looking great! Thanks Kim!

I would like to move up the deadline date for the SHARC Byte News to the 5th of each month. This might help get the newsletter out with the "news you need" in time for it to do some good. Let me know if you have some reason not to do so.
Cory Allen, KN6ZU, Editor

    It is with the deepest sadness that I must report the loss of one of the greatest hams in our area. Les Rienke, N6AFT has passed on.
    This man was my mentor in the world of digital ham communications and I was not the only ham that received help in so many ways from this fine person!
    Les would never loose his patience or become impatient with me as I stumbled along trying to find a letter on the keyboard or didn't understand something. He had the most contagious laugh and that is what stands out in my mind when I think of Les.
    Laughing was a continuous event as long as I was with Les. I will miss him so badly it stings like an ice storm.
    Every time I use the Grasshopper VIP Repeater, 147.330, I am reminded of Les's dedication to perfection! Please tell me of one "stand alone" repeater with better coverage, clarity, and reliability. I will be surprised if you can find one around here!
    Do you know who brought Packet Nodes to the mountaintops around this area and kept them running for as long as there has been packet? N6AFT! That's who!
    Do you know who put the first APRS Node in Humboldt County? N6AFT!
My first PSK contact on VHF was with Les and Joe, KA6ROM.
    No person will ever be able to fill his shoes in my book. He was the "perfect ham." Always helpful, kind, never a harsh word about anything; quietly putting together some of the most important systems we have on the hills and never a request for any financial help. Nope. No one will ever take the place of my good friend and mentor.
    If anyone knows any way to soften the blow of losing such fine people as Les please write me as I am having an awful time excepting these recent losses.
    What I guess I'll miss most is the chance to learn, laugh, languish, laugh, learn, and laugh some more. That was a given at Les's Satellite Station. My condolences and prayers are with his wife, Carol and his family.

President Leland Smith W6CLG brought the meeting to order at 1905 Hours
The following members were present:

TREASURER'S REPORT There is $424.03 in the Savings Account and $585.19 in the Equipment Fund. 16 have paid their dues for 2001

Repeaters: Jack is going to do some work on the 146.790 to 146.940 link. Jerry reports problems with the 146.610 - an intermittent popping when transmitting but the others on the FWRA net do not hear it so it must be the 610 transmitter only. Jack opines that it is interference from another transmitter that is sending at the same time. We need to observe the problem when someone is at the transmitter site.

Event Communications: Jack and Jerry participated in a area wide hospital communications drill January 24 - voice only. The drill was satisfactory on our part. Some of the other stations had some difficulty, but finally everybody got through.

Disaster Preparedness Committee will meet January 26. Neither Jack nor Jerry can attend. The conference room at the Public Health Building, which has been designated at the Garberville OES Command Post, is now being used by "Job Market" as a training center, making it difficult to install any communications gear. Jack and Jerry did install an antenna and coax line but all the other gear is still at the Fire House where it will remain until we can make a more secure installation at the Command Post.

Donation to the Senior Center for use for the Tech Class.
Jerry MOVED that we donate $50. SECOND by Todd. PASSED unanimously.

Monday Night Net Control Prize The consensus was that we should continue the prize.

OPEN FORUM: The Web Page that had been brought to date by Kim was displayed by Margaret and was appreciated by all, especially the animated shark and radio. Jack requested some additional changes be made.

President Leland Smith W6CLG brought the meeting to order at 1905 Hours
The following members were present:

PREVIOUS MINUTES: Amend the January Minutes to include the new members of the Board:

TREASURER'S REPORT: There is $599.80 in the Savings Account and $585.19 in the Equipment Fund. 20 have paid their dues for 2001

Disaster Preparedness Committee will have a work party on March 9 from 1 to 3.

OLD BUSINESS: License Exam for all Classes will be held Tuesday March 6 starting with a code exam at 6:30 and the Tech class at 7:00.

Newsletter: Without the Telepal facility there was discussion about making the newsletter smaller to save on copying cost.

Board vacancy: We need to fill Margaret's position on the Board. The Bylaws say "Vacancies shall be filled by a special election at the first regular meeting after the membership has been notified, in writing, of the vacancy. Nominations shall be taken from the floor, nominees are members in good standing and are willing to serve. Election shall be by the largest number of votes cast." Jack suggested that last year's nominee who lost be nominated for the seat. Notice shall be made in the newsletter.

Club Meeting Date: Since Margaret is no longer with us and we will not be using the Telepal office for meetings, Jerry suggested that the club meet the usual day, the 4th Tuesday of the month. Since the 4th Tuesday is written into the Bylaws, it was felt that a formal Board Motion was not required.

New Meeting Place: The Garberville Fire Protection District has kindly allowed us to use their meeting room at the Fire Hall for our monthly meeting. President Leland instructed the Secretary to send a letter to the District thanking them.

The SHARC Club needs your financial help. Please remember to invite others to join. All donations are welcome as well.

The FWRA (Far West Repeater Association) has no other funding than the support of the ham community. This linked repeater system is still a very valuable asset and I hope you can muster up an extra $20.00 ($25.00 for the entire family) for the yearly dues for FWRA. Their mailing address is: