Megan's Message and Musings There are a lot of Good Things about the month of June. Summer is finally here, the days are longer and warmer, and no matter where you look, you will find some sort of Ham activity. As you remember, I asked for everyone to look “Outside the box” and try their hand at some new event... whether checking into a new net, learning about fox hunting and participating in an event, attending a training session or a monthly meeting, participating in a community event, or just getting on the repeater and striking up a conversation with someone who is just “monitoring”. I ask that, as you step outside the box, please remember one important “box” that continually needs your help. I am referring to the box officially called the “Ken Groom ZR5AAD Technical and Training Center” and unofficially called the clubhouse. This month is our first fundraiser of the year, selling Lakeshore Coupon Books. Later this fall we have plans to sell food items including submarine sandwiches, pizzas, and cookie dough, and in October we host our 9th annual Great Lakeshore Super Swap. Why all of this fund raising activity? Plain and simple; we need a lot of money to run the clubhouse. These are the facts: The City of Holland charges us only $1.00 per month rent We pay an average of $150 a month for Utilities. We spend another $25 a month for materials and maintenance items such as toilet paper, cleaning supplies, light bulbs, paint, weed killer, plumbing materials, furnace filters, locks... the list goes on and on. Let's not forget the life blood of all successful social events; refreshments. Many attending do make a generous donation, but some forget to drop some change in the jar to cover our cost for pop, coffee, cups, creamer, sugar, and napkins. We are fortunate to have cookies thanks to the generous donations of time and ingredients from our volunteer bakers. Not everyone using the HARC clubhouse and repeater, or who attends other HARC programs, has paid the $20 club dues. Even if everyone paid dues we might still have a shortfall of funds needed to run the clubhouse. Although the clubhouse does not have enough room to hold our monthly membership meetings, we must make some use of this clubhouse, holding classes and other activities that benefit our members. If we don't use this facility, we are in effect are paying $150 a month for a room full of radios and a place to drink coffee. You, the members, must place a value on the clubhouse. If our Swap is not profitable enough to support the clubhouse, are you willing to donate more? Is it worth $20 a year in dues? OK, is it worth $40 a year? Will you sell coupon books and cookies to make up the shortfall? Will you do this all over again next year? As your President you have my assurance that this club is not going away, and I will fight with the devil to keep the clubhouse doors open as long as we can afford it, but I cannot be successful in this alone. We will continue to report the club's monthly income and expenses, but you must decide how much the clubhouse is worth, and how much you are willing to donate, to keep its doors open. Please let me know what you think. Megan 73, WO0MEG 2010 Bike MS Michigan's Bike MS, 2010: West Michigan - June 12-13, 2010 Mid Michigan - July 17-18, 2010 New Bavarian Breakaway - September 26-27, 2010. The Michigan Bike MS events are held to help the Michigan chapter of The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, raise funds and awareness for people living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in Michigan. As ham communicators our goals are to provide comprehensive, state-of-the-art amateur radio communications to support the MS Society, and at the same time to encourage as many amateurs as possible to participate in what has become the largest Public Service Events in Michigan. We need your continued support to expand and continue this role in communications. Information for the different events are listed on the new website, http://mibikemshams.org/ I look forward to seeing all the old faces and new faces at the events this year. Thanks and 73, Fred Moses, W8FSM Michigan MS-150 Amateur Radio Communications Manager (ARCM) fred@moses.bz [This lack of previous 'advertizing' for this event, and this short notice, are due to a gap in communications that occurred earlier this year. Michigan Bike MS organizers rely on Amateur communications and after many years of experience, consider these communications indispensible for this event. If your schedule is not already full, please consider volunteering to help with this event.] Field Day 2010 ARRL's Field Day is June 26-27, 2010. Several West Michigan clubs will be operating during Field Day, 2010. HARC – K8DAA, Holland Amateur Radio Club will operate from the Ottawa County Fair Grounds in Park Township. Talk-in on the 147.060(+) repeater. NOARC – W8CSO, North Ottawa ARC will operate from William Ferry Park in Ferrysburg. Talk-in on the Grand Haven 145.490(-) repeater. K8WNJ, Muskegon, Kent, andOttawa County RACES/ARES will operate from Grose Park, 22252 24th Ave in Casnovia, MI WA8RRA, Riverside Radio Amateurs Club, will operate from 225 South Pleasant Street in Saranac, MI BARA -K8BMI, Barry Amateur Radio Association will operate from Tyden Park in Hastings. All of these sites are open to the public and listed on the ARRL Field Day locator page, http://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator. You can use this page to search for Field Day sites by callsign, or state. Why not plan to visit any or all of these sites to watch how they operate in the field, and perhaps take a turn at operating a station or two? Meet, Greet and Eat Times and places to meet fellow amateurs “Open Mike” Night, every Tuesday night at 7:00pm At our Ken Groom ZR5AAD Memorial Technical and Training Center, 280 East 8th Street in Holland, Michigan. Come to operate or just enjoy coffee and conversation, members and guests are welcome. Board Meeting, 1st Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm Various locations announced via our K8DAA Yahoo Group email reflector. All members are welcome. General Membership Meeting, 7:00pm, Holland Fire Station Conference Room, 279 Kollen Park Drive in Holland, Michigan. See our Calendar for summer dates. Guests are welcome. Donuts @ Donutville, every Wednesday at 2:30pm Meet at Donutville, 676 Michigan Avenue in Holland for coffee and conversation. “HAM is for Breakfast” last Saturday of each month at 9:00am. New Location: We meet and eat at the Southside Inn,192 West 35th Street in Holland, just east of Washington Avenue. We have tables in the back room. Members, spouses, friends, family, and anyone else interested in amateur radio are welcome. Girls on the Run This event started normally, and the net had been open for a short while before lightning was observed and the event was canceled. Thanks to all who volunteered their time in spite of the inclement weather. Nets of Interest Compiled by Tom Wilson, KD8DEG Sunday 8:30 AM 50.400 AM, Grand Rapids 8:00 PM 145.270 FM, Lowell Club 8:00 PM 50.400 AM, Kalamazoo, Gary K8BKB 8:00 PM 147.240 FM, Allegan, Jim AC8AG 9:00 PM 50.150 USB, Zeeland, Charlie N8QEM 9:30 PM 144.155 USB, Holland, Bill K8NFT Monday 7:30 PM 147.060 FM, HARC, 2m Net. Ed, KF8EV is Net Manager Tuesday 7:00 PM 144.222 USB, Kalamazoo, K8BKB Gary 8:00 PM AM, Kalamazoo WJ8L Phil 9:30 PM 50.300 USB Kalamazoo, K8BKB Gary 9:00 PM 145.270 FM, MDXA, Dave KC8PCL 9:30 PM 50.400 AM Kalamazoo, K8BKB Gary Wednesday 8:00 PM 28.380 USB, Allegan 9:00 PM 50.140 USB, Cedar Springs, AC8AH Jerry Thursday 6:30 PM 147.520 FM 2nd Thursday each month OCEC Simplex Net 7:00 PM 147.060 (+) FM 4nd Thursday each month OCEC Repeater Net 7:00 PM 147.160 Michigan youth, 22 and younger 8:00 PM 146.800 FM, MAARC weekly Net Daily 7:00 PM 50.200 USB, Cadillac, round tables Minutes of Meetings As a reminder, all Minutes of Meetings are now posted and available for review and download from our website. Also, there was no Board of Directors Meeting in May. QRP in the Park A huge thank-you to the hams who participated in the spring kick off of QRP IN THE PARK! The guys had fun setting up there equipment and getting their rigs on the air! We worked a variety of bands and special digital modes this year. Kim, N8KAL was busy on the magic band of 6 meters and bagging contacts Joe, N8FQ worked the digital side on 40 meters Art, K0TWB, was operating satellites from his hand held and ELK antenna, making our first ever AO-51 contact from the park! And last, but not least, I operated 20 and 17 meters phone while managing to keep the hot dogs flipped and tending the food detail! For those of you who missed this one, you will have your chance again this summer as we once again head to the parks for fun! Dates will be announced via the reflector and HARC website. See you next time! 73! Jeff KB8QAP Public Service Opportunities Please contact each event's coordinator for more information. Bike MS 2010 June 12-13, 2010 Fred Moses W8FSM, please go to the website to sign up: http://moses.bz/ms150-signup-form/ Muskegon Summer Celebration June 24- July 4, 2010 Rich "Doc" Strait, AC8AL Disaster Services Technology Lead dstlead@arcmon.org Coast Guard Festival Parade July 31 through August 8, 2010 North Ottawa Amateur Radio Club Details to follow Air Affair, Park Township Airport Saturday August 21, 2010 Brian Fredricks, KD8IFE Megan Heyl WO0MEG Details to follow Parade of Lights Tuesday, November 30, 2010 Ivan DeWitt, K8EMU idewitt@charter.net