Iroquois County Amateur Radio 147.030+ and 444.625+ - Meetings 2nd Thursday at the Red Cross Office in Watseka, IL

Volunteers are in town to assist with the unmet needs of those affected by the January and February floods.

Teams from the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee Disaster Response Prgram will be at the First United Methodist Church in Watseka Weds, Thurs and Fri from 1-5 and 7-9, on Saturday from 9-5 and if needed Monday and Tuesday.

For information call the Watseka Area Chamber Of Commerce Flood Referral Center at (815) 432-2416.

To listen to the interview on WGFA Radio just CLICK HERE!

Here is a link to the interview with Troy Simpson and Sam Ripple - W9QKF regarding the ARRL field day event that was held last weekend in Watseka.  This interview was first broadcast on WGFA on 06/26/2008.

http://icarc.com/wp-content/uploads/062608hamradiofieldday.mp3

We had several guests visit us at the first ever Iroquois County Amateur Radio Club Field Day event at the Glenn Raymond School in Watseka, IL.  Several came out to view the Ham and Amateur Radio operators and equipment that we use.  We made several contacts including a US Navy Ship in the Ocean.

 View Photos of Our Event By Clicking Here… and Enjoy the Following Videos…

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Public Demonstration of Emergency Communications June 28th in Watseka

This activity gives Amateur Radio operators the opportunity to practice
communication skills under primitive conditions with generators, battery
powered equipment and portable antennas.   Field Day is a competition as well
as a ‘trial run’ for emergency communication skills used during disaster
situations such as severe weather.   The lessons learned in the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina demonstrated factually that even the best state-of-the-art
communications systems were no match in a severe storm. Amateur Radio
remained viable to save lives and provide the vital communications so
desperately needed.   The Iroquois County Amateur Radio Club is a regular
participant and major player in the Multi-County SKYWARN severe weather
spotting activities. During a time of severe weather threats, they dispatch
volunteer spotters into the field to report back to the National Weather Service
 via Amateur Radio of weather conditions in their immediate
area, providing the National Weather Service with additional ‘eyes in the
field’. The Crescent City VHF (2-Meter) repeater, manned by Iroquois
SKYWARN control operators and ICARC members, provides coverage for all of
Iroquois County and to our local ESDA coordinator.

Thousands of Ham Radio operators will be showing off their emergency capabilities this weekend. Over the past year, the news has been full of reports of ham radio operators providing critical communications in emergencies world-wide. During Hurricane Katrina, Amateur Radio – often called “Ham radio” - was often the ONLY way people could communicate, and hundreds of volunteer “hams” traveled south to save lives and property and during the recent flooding in East Central Illinois and West Central Indiana ham radio operators worked directly with local authorities to pass along critical communications. When trouble is brewing in our Illiana skies, ham radio people are often the first to provide critical information and communications to the local ESDA office and work in conjunction with local radio. On the weekend of June 28-29, the public will have a chance to meet and talk with these ham radio operators and see for themselves what the Amateur Radio Service is about. Showing the newest digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications and even historical Morse code, hams from across the USA will be holding public demonstrations of emergency communications abilities.

This annual event, called “Field Day” is the climax of the week long “Amateur Radio Week” sponsored by the ARRL, the National Association for Amateur Radio. Using only emergency power supplies, ham operators will construct emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and back yards around the country. Their slogan, “When all else fails…”is more than just words to the hams as they prove they can send messages in many forms without the use of phone systems, internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis. More than 34,000 amateur radio operators across the country participated in last year’s event.

“We hope that people will come and see for themselves, this is not your grandfather’s radio anymore,” said Allen Pitts of the ARRL. “The communications networks that ham radio people can quickly create have saved many lives in the past months when other systems failed or were overloaded.”

In the Watseka area, the Iroquois County Amateur Radio Club will be demonstrating Ham and Amateur Radio communications at the Watseka Glenn Raymond School on SATURDAY FROM 1-6 (or anytime you see a ham operator outside at the school). They invite the public to come and see ham radio’s capabilities and learn how to get their own FCC radio license before the next disaster strikes.

There are 650,000 Amateur Radio operators in the US, and more than 2.5 million around the world. Through the ARRL, ham volunteers provide emergency communications for the DHS Citizens’ Corps, Salvation Army, FEMA and hundreds of state and local agencies, all for free.

To learn more about Amateur Radio, go to www.emergency-radio.org. The public is most cordially invited to come, meet and talk with the hams. See what modern Amateur Radio can do. They can even help you get on the air!

Following is the proposed amendment for distribution at the May ICARC meeting and voted on at the June meeting.  This will replace the proposed amendment posted in April.

73, Carl
K9CS

“In the event any reason arises to dissolve the organization of ICARC, all assets of the organization shall be distributed to the ARRL Foundation, AMSAT, or some other organization which is organized for the purpose of furthering Amateur Radio, and is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended from time to time.”

Iroquois County Amateur Radio Club - Minutes of the April 10, 2008 Meeting

Pres. Carl opened the meeting at 7:20 pm at the Red Cross office in Watseka. The March minutes were read and approved. The treasure’s report was read and approved.

Committee Reports

• Technical Committee—Benny and Steve reported both repeaters are working.
• Program Committee—Phil suggested dx film and more Field day planning.
• Publicity Committee—Sam and Troy are to be on Justin’s radio program.
• ARES Liaison—No report.
• Red Cross Liaison—No Report
• ESDA Liaison—No report.
• VE Liaison—Carl reported that the one person asked about a possible test site and he was referred to a club within 25 miles of his zip code.
• Incorporation and Non Profit Seeking Group—Troy and Mike have prepared the paperwork but need a very small modification to the constitution. This change was passed out to all members present. It involved article XII on dissolution. This motion will be voted on next month.
• No reports from the ARES, ESDA, Red Cross

OLD BUSINESS

APRS radio has problems and was replaced by a 7950 Kenwood from Sam.

May 3 is the date for the WGFA shed project. Sam will try to get about 20 cement blocks to place under the 440 repeater.  Carl has a sheet of plywood to place on top. Steve suggested that a small overhang to place tools on would be good to have. A workday is to be on May 3 to check out and clean out the WGFA shed. 

Benny is to pick up the 35 amp power supply at the old elevator site.

Field Day Fever has hit ICARC and many plans were made for the gear for Field Day June 28. Generator and radio and VHF antenna (Phil); VHF radio (Carl); HF and wire antenna (Benny); Tent, tables, chairs (Troy); Grill (Tim)
VHF-UHF FM station (Sam) more discussion in the May meeting. Meeting place for field day to be the Glenn Raymond School. Troy and Sam to visit with Justin on WGFA radio program close to field day.

Net Control 4/14 Brian 4/21 Benny 4/28 Tim 5/5 Brian

Snack for this month was Phil and Cindy. May meeting snacks are to be brought by Justin.

Members present–Carl, Chris, Keith, Phil, Justin, Tim, Ron, Steve, Troy, Mike, Benny and Sam.

Jeremy (W9YZI) sends us some good info from the NWS in a pdf file.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/images/ilx/pdf/2007_Basic_Spotter_ILX_web.pdf

In the April 2008 ICARC meeting the following was proposed as an ammendment to the existing ICARC Articles of Incorporation.  We will vote for approval on this at the May 2008 ICARC meeting…

Iroquois County Amateur Radio Club - Articles of Incorporation

Article 5

See attached By Laws

Provide that no part of the net earnings of the corporation shall insure to the benefit of any member of private shareholders of the corporation, and further provide that upon dissolution of the corporation all assets of the corporation shall be distributed to the ARRL Foundation, AMSAT, or some other organization exempt from taxation under 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code as amended from time to time and which is organized for the purpose of furthering of amateur radio.

Jeremy, one of our Hoopeston hams passed the following spotter video training along to the club from the Indianapolis National Weather Service Office

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ind/INDSpotter/player.html

Iroquois County Amateur Radio Club

Minutes of the March 13, 2008 Meeting

Pres. Carl opened the meeting at 7:15 pm at the Red Cross office in Watseka. The Feb. minutes were read and approved. The treasure’s report was read and approved.

Committee Reports

Technical Committee—Several members reported that the wind noise that we had seemed to be better. Sam suggested that the tech committee could look at repeater and tune up if necessary.

Program Committee—Roy and Phil suggested a field day video for the next meeting.

Publicity Committee—Sam thanked Justin for the great publicity during the recent flood.

ARES Liaison—The drill on March 29 has been postponed.

Red Cross Liaison—Sam has ordered a flood video to donate to the chapter.

ESDA Liaison—No report.

VE Liaison—Carl reported that the test held in Kankakee was very successful with several new techs and two new generals. Our own Troy is now a new general and working on extra.

Incorporation and Non Profit Seeking Group—Troy and Mike are working with Ted Spenn for help in the procedure to get the incorporation and non-profit. Troy has done a lot of work on the computer to get forms ready.

OLD BUSINESS

Sam brought in the APRS radio and Mike worked on it to try to prepare it for install at Sam’s house to double check it.

Sam gave a rough draft of the inventory of our equipment to the President.

Carl is planning to go to the annual meeting of the repeater council meeting in Bloomington.

We discussed a plan to elevate the 440 repeater to prevent water damage if the flood returns. We discussed using cement blocks to place under repeater and replace the insulation in the building.

We discussed the Field Day at one of the parks in Watseka or at GRS for this June.

NEW BUSINESS

Carl mentioned the idea of Echo link or IRLP for one of the repeaters. Sam has a complete IRLP set up but not installed on any computers. Mike and Steve might be able to help get it up and running.

Phil presented a nice video on PSK 31.

Net Control—March 17 Roy, Mar 24 Tim, Mar 31 Steve, April 7 Brian

Sam had wonderful snacks and Phil and Cindy are on for April.

Members present–Carl, Chris, Keith, Phil, Justin, Tim, Roy, Steve, Troy, Mike, and Sam.