2023-05-16 Net Minutes

Check-ins (27)

It’s been rainy lately, but looks like we had a chance for things to drain today

David Bailey (K5DKB)

Reminder: Club meeting this Saturday, 2023-05-20 09:30
- American Legion Post 159
- Lots to talk about: Field Day
- After-meeting presentation by David Wisby: Parks on the Air
- VE Testing Session: 11:00
Got plenty of rain here at my house: 5 in since Saturday morning!

Paul Bilke (KF5WGJ)

Can always use Volunteer Examiners for our test session
Other activities will be in the building after, so need to be good stewards in case we stay a bit later than usual
Will be happy to accept door prize donations and stash those for Field Day
N5ZKF: Thanks for last week’s reminder about the Armed Forces Crossband Test over the weekend!
Raffle tickets will be available for purchase at the meeting
- KI5FIZ: Prizes are…
  - $500 Burdett & Son Outdoor Adventure Gift Certificate
  - $400 Visa gift card
  - Wouxun KG-UV980P Quad Radio
  - Yaesu FT-60R
  - $100 Casa do Brazil gift card
  - 100th Anniversary Special Edition handbook

Matthew Barry (KG5LYE)

Sorry I’ve been absent for the past week or so:
- wrapping up semester with final exams and papers
- my brother graduated, youngest in the family and last one to finish undergraduate (did so with honors)
- had family visiting from out of town and out of state
Minutes from last week’s net and this week will be sent out after the net.
Look forward to seeing y’all at the meeting this weekend!

Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ)

59 members
Bank balance: $6,722.59
Looking forward to license exam after meeting this weekend and would be delighted for anyone who can participate

Question #127 for conversation: Do you have your amateur radio station grounded?

(If interested in submitting a weekly question, email n5zkf@arrl.net)

I am petitioning that Charlie Culver (KD5DLW) be made an honorary member of our club
- I have 27 signatures (votes) and need 40 total; constituting 2/3 of the membership approval per constitution and by-laws
- If unable to attend this weekend, let me know and I can bring the petition to you

station grounding seems to be a controversial issue
I’ve tried to adhere to code recommendations:
- Rod just outside the shack
- lightning arrestors
- Large gauge bonding cable and copper straps

do it for safety: doesn’t take much stray electricity to kill you, and it can damage equipment
source of electrons to potentially boost transmission
- driven element(s) is one half of your antenna… the ground is the other half
Make sure to ground to a single point:
- avoid ground feedback loop (can cause noise in your signal)
- avoid difference in voltage at different ground points