2024-05-14 Net Minutes

Check-ins (26)

David Bailey (K5DKB)

Field Day Committee Meeting
- 2024-05-16 18:30
- For details on how to join, contact treasurer@w5bcs.radio
Meeting this weekend
- 2024-05-18 09:30
- American Legion Post 159, 101 Waco St, Bryan, TX 77803
Radio in the park after
- Tanglewood Park, 3901 Carter Creek Pkwy, Bryan, TX 77803
- The weather looks like it might cooperate!

Paul Bilke (KF5WGJ)

excused

Matthew Barry (KG5LYE)

Minutes will be sent out after the net.
I will not be at the meeting this weekend.
- Could someone please record minutes in my absence?
- I can format them and send them out later
National Train Day event at the Hearne Railroad Museum Depot was a lot of fun!
- Even despite the fact that HF bands were closed due to solar activity

Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ)

72 members
Bank balance: $9,227.82
Ham license exam afer club meeting
- 2024-05-18 11:00
- $15 fee for exam
- Must have your FCC Registration Number (FRN)!
- Will be requesting volunteer examiners: please let me know if you will be available
National Train Day recap
- Lots of fun despite everything that was happening around us:
  - Crash on Hwy 6 caused a traffic jam
  - Bands were closed
- Great turnout from the club: 16 club members, and 2 family members were there!

Question #177 for conversation: What was your experience with the recent severe geomagnetic storm?

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

Geomagnetic storm prevented us from making many contacts on HF
- everything below 2 m was very noisy
- made it all the way back to Bryan on VHF and UHF, though!
Wish I could’ve seen the aurora, but was cloudy that weekend

Looking to acquire equipment capable of transmitting on upper HF, VHF, and UHF: 10m, 6m, 2m, and 70cm bands
Contact n5zkf@arrl.net (can relay info to Lee)
KG5LYE:
- Icom ID-7100 is the only radio I’m aware of capable of doing all of these bands in a single transceiver, but it can be expensive
- It might be easer or cheaper to get two separate transceivers:
  - Many options for dual-band VHF/UHF radios; and you can get a separate one for HF
  - Some of the nicer HF radios can do lower VHF as well

N5SBN received a report that the CEOC had a lightning strike
- Vertical antenna was vaporized!
- Lightning arrestor did its job; none of the equipment was hurt (all of it was disconnected)
N5ZKF
- One of our local operators also had a lightning strike, and it damaged a lot of his equipment
- Protect your equipment: Have your power and feed lines disconnected