The PRC, Celebrating 70 years and going strong
thanks to good members like you
Join the PRC for Earth Day 2018
The PRC will kick off Earth Day 2018, with our 6th annual special event station, on Saturday April 21st at Stearns Farm. While actual Earth Day is on Sunday, we couldn’t wait. So please make plans to join us as we warm up the HF bands. We’ll have more information as the date approaches. Check the April QST Special Event page.
Thanks to VP Mike Marganski, KE8HBK and all who participated at the past meeting. Your suggestions for upcoming programs are extremely helpful. It’s the very best way to insure that our club meets your unique needs and interests.
Time to think about hanging that new antenna
This time of year don’t have to listen long on the ham bands before someone mentions the antenna they want to put up “when the weather breaks”. It’s no wonder the March QST is always dedicated to that popular topic. One particular article caught my eye in which a couple of hams describe their high tech method of hanging a wire antenna in a tree. I’ve heard the idea mentioned by wishful dreamers, but these guys actually used a drone!
At our Monday meeting we’ll talk about the drone approach and see how practical it really is. Like most adventures, there are some things to consider before taking the first step. Then we ‘ll review more down to earth methods that have served us well. If you’ve not hung your first antenna or have experiences (or cautions) to share, you’ll enjoy this meeting.
We’ll have a couple of informative videos, an actual drone system for you to see as well as the home made antenna launcher I’ve used with success. If you have a tool to show or discuss, please pitch in.
“Your license has expired.”
Those are quite scary words that you can avoid by belonging to ARRL. It happened to me once and I always regretted the lapse. Fortunately, I discovered the oversight while I was still in the grace period. With the 10 year license term it’s easy to let the expiration date slip by. My license was due to expire May 2018 and that’s why it’s been boldly noted on every calendar I have. I was surprisingly pleased to receive a letter from ARRL of the upcoming event — a wonderful benefit from ARRL and they make it easy to renew your license. They include a form for you to complete and then forward it to the FCC.
While it was a major thrill to receive that first license in June of 1961, it was a pleasant surprise to receive an email and printable Official Copy of my renewed license. This one expires in 2028. I must make a note.
Hal Rogers K8CMD, President, Communications Director