KITTITAS COUNTY HAM NEWS

By now, you should know what comes next. It's time for the radio club meetings. RC2 will meet Saturday November 1 at 8:00 AM in Ellensburg at the Bar 14 Ranch House restaurant. UKCARC will meet Sunday November 2 at 8:00 AM in Cle Elum at the Sunset Café. If you plan to attend the UKCARC meeting, please note that the time changes Saturday night/ Sunday morning. So it won't be as early as it seems, or something like that. Anyway, pay attention to the time change so you don't arrive at the wrong time.

Last month, RC2 re-elected its officers. So, for the next year, Ken Matney KE7BRS will be president, Bob Wieking KC7EZC will be vice-president, and Gloria Sharp WA7GYD will be secretary/treasurer. This month UKCARC will be having elections.

Sunday November 2, after the UKCARC meeting - about 9 or 9:15, there will be a meeting at the Cle Elum Fire station to discuss and plan for digital operations in ARES. Everyone is encouraged to attend, even if you don't attend the club meeting. We will be hearing from our digital committee members who have been busy testing equipment, software, and methods of doing things. We need to make decisions about where we will put digital equipment, what kind of equipment we need, how to get operators trained, how to keep things updated and operational, and anything else you can think of that is related to digital. We especially need ideas and input. If you have questions, please bring them. The fire station is located on Pennsylvania a couple of blocks north of the main route through town. Hope to see you there.

The recent VE test session made one new ham for the upper county. Congratulations to the new tech. Your next opportunity to take a test will be Saturday December 20 at 10 AM. Watch for all the details in the next newsletter.

I'm sure you've heard by now that the MCI drill went well. It was different than we expected, but was still a good use of our time. The same can be said for the Public Health flu clinics. Due to personnel changes at the PH Department, we were not utilized as much as we had been in the past. And, because the Ellensburg clinic started before the PH offices were open we did not have access to our radios until things were underway. But overall, it was still good that we were there. And, because the flu clinics are the last scheduled event on our calendar for the year, we can now take a break from planning events and rest up for next year.

Here is an event that we can attend but don't have to plan. The fall EWA ARES Leadership summit is scheduled for Saturday November 8 in Pasco. It will start at 9 AM and continue until 3 PM. If you'd like to attend contact Bill Bowden KI7AO (962-1249 or ki7ao@elltel.net) for details as to location.

Do you ever wonder what other ARES groups do? Are their events as fun as ours? Read this and see what you think. Lincoln, Grant and Okanogan County ARES groups recently teamed up to provide communications for the Grand Columbian Triathlon. Just like our triathlon, there is a swim, bike and run. Unlike our triathlon, this one lasts for 20 to 24 hours. Obviously, the distances covered must be longer than ours. The three counties split the duty so that no one had to work more than 12 hours. They established two net control stations, one was responsible for the early portions of the race; the second started later and covered the later portions of the race. Simplex was used for all communications. At least it's not in mid-July.

If you like to read stuff about ham radio on the internet here is a web site to check out. http://frrl.net is described as “a web site of technology, observation, commentary, and opinion related to Amateur Radio.”

The Kittitas County ARES/RACES net meets every Sunday evening at 8:00 PM on the 147.360 repeater (131.8 tone, + offset). If needed, our simplex backup frequency is 147.540. Everyone is encouraged to check in. If you are not a regular member of the roll call, please check in (using your call sign) when visitors are called for.

If you have an HF license, you could also check in to the Washington State Emergency Net (WSEN). The WSEN meets twice a week, Monday evenings at 5:30 or 6:30 (the time changes on a seasonal basis) and Saturday mornings at 9 on 3985. Check in is organized by district and county - Kittitas County is in district 7.

The Kittitas County round robin net meets daily at 7:30 AM on 147.360. All are welcome.

Hams meet for coffee every Tuesday in Cle Elum at the Centennial Center at 9:00 AM; every Wednesday in Ellensburg at the Jack in the Box at 8:00 AM. Everyone is welcome.

Both clubs have web sites. Stop and visit at www.qsl.net/wr7ukc and www.qsl.net/rcrc .

Both clubs are ARRL affiliated. If you join ARRL as a new member through your club, the club gets $15.00. If you renew your existing ARRL membership through your club, the club gets $2.00. It may not sound like much but it adds up. See your club treasurer for details. Treasurers are Gloria Sharp WA7GYD for RC2 and Jack Williams W7HNH for UKCARC.

Please send address changes to Gloria Sharp WA7GYD 962-3820 or wa7gyd@arrl.net or 7731 Reecer Creek Rd, E'burg, 98926. Also send questions, comments, and ideas for the newsletter.

Remember the meetings - Saturday November 1, 8 AM, Ellensburg, Bar 14; and

Sunday November 2, 8 AM, Cle Elum, Sunset Café. And, remember the time change.

Here are some handy household tips sent in by Phil K7RZS. Thanks Phil.

Avoid cutting yourself while chopping vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.

If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.

You only need two tools in life - WD40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.

A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.