2025-07-22 Net Minutes

Check-ins (30)

David Bailey (K5DKB)

Tom Johnson (KI5ZPG)

Matthew Barry (KG5LYE)

Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ)

77 members
Bank balance: $11,984.40
Next ham license exam 2025-08-16 11:00
- After W5BCS meeting
- Be sure to bring your FRN
- Successful test session at last meeting: new technician!
- Thank you to Volunteer Examiners who helped!
Henry will be a sad loss for the club
- Didn’t know him well myself, but I know there are many who knew him

Question #233 for conversation: What are your favorite memories of Henry Menefee (W5RAS)?

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

I know of a few young people who are going to be ready to take the test. When is it?
- Saturday, 2025-08-16 11:00 after the meeting

Will miss Henry
I remember him being there with the Submariners
CEOC visit this Friday, 2025-07-25 09:00
- Will be monitoring W5BCS repeater (we’ve switched due to 400 MHz interference)

Henry kept me on the radio; I almost quit
- Got my license and was disappointed that not many people wanted to talk about electronics
Got to be very good friends with him
Talk to his son Allen Menefee (KD5MMH) every night on the 146.490 rag chew

When I first got my ham license, Henry was the first person I talked to
Invited me to his house and gave me a Kenwood TS-700 base station
- Was on his roof pressure-washing his roof
Used to watch The Virginian with him and his wife

Wacom cavities are the gold standard for 2-way repeater business
The first ones were made of aluminum, and they would de-tune every time the weather changed
The one time Henry refused to help he gave them 3 warnings
- re-tuning cavity duplexers
Climed his tower to adjust his TV antenna at 95 years old

Henry helped me in my early days, 1992-ish
Always monitoring the repeater throughout the day for conversation and help
Amateur radio is designed to be self-policing, and Henry would respectfully call folks on the phone to help them be better operators
Used to live in Rainbow Acres (southern part of Brazos County)
- Moved to northern part of the county
- Disassembled part of his home (took the roof), moved entire house, and reassembled
Would talk and have a good time with just about anyone
- Brought some magazines to share with American Legion Submariners
- Articles about WW1 sub he served on, names of those with whom he served
Was also an honorary member of the W5BCS club