November GHRC NEWSLETTER

                       Presidents Column

                                                                            Jim Hall, AA8Y

Hamfest	
The hamfest was another success for the Gallatin Ham Radio Club.  I was very happy with it.  I made it to 
two of the seminars and felt both were very informative and interesting.   I enjoyed my self ,bought some 
parts, and even did a little trading myself!
Thanks to Don Wilson KC7EWZ and the hamfest crew.  You all did a great job.

Search and Rescue
Don Wilson KC7EWZ and I helped with a search and rescue, on Oct 12th, for two hikers lost in the Portal 
Creek area.  We set up the portable repeater and relayed messages at times when the repeater couldn't 
be used.  Happily both hikers were found, safe but cold.

10 Meter Contest
It is time to start thinking about the 10 meter contest this December 9 – 10,  0000Z to 2400Z.  We’re once
again thinking of operating as a club from the W7YB MSU club station.  Anyone interested again?

Elections
Election of club officers takes place at the December 7th meeting and we should think of who would be good 
for the various jobs.

 

 

                    Meeting Minutes

                                                    submitted by KD7FVR, Ron Schimpf

 

October 5, 2000 Meeting

The October meeting was held at Sacajawea Middle School. President Jim AA8Y called the meeting to 

order at 7:05 PM. 27 members were in attendance.

Minutes of the September 2000 meeting were approved as printed in the newsletter.

TREASURER’S REPORT

Harley KI7XF reported that the club balance is $81.00. Treasurer’s report was accepted by unanimous vote.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Don KC7EWZ announced, for Fred KE7X, a Fire Prevention Breakfast at the Fairgrounds in Building #4

Monday Oct. 9 from 7 to 10 AM.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Doug KK7VC reported that seven tables have been reserved for the Ham Fest. Don KC7EWZ headed a

planning discussion for the Ham Fest.

Bob W7LR and other volunteers removed Big Sky Lumber’s equipment from the Flat Top site. Two of the 

four solar panels were bad. The Forest Service is still working on a permit for the site. It is looking good.

Ric KB7KB reported that the Marla System is all working well. Don W7MRI from Helena announced that the

146.68 addition in Great Falls is planned to be operational by mid November. The auto patch is back up on

the 146.85 in Helena. It had been shut down due to intentional interference.

OLD BUSINESS

Jack N7ODN learned that videos are not yet available for the new question pools. He suggested using the

present tapes and reviewing them for the new questions. There is a new "Now You’re Talking" and a New

"General" manual. Jack suggested publicizing shortly after Christmas for February classes and exams. An

application and interview are necessary for including the classes into the Adult Ed program. Jack will look into

it further, however he is leaning toward having the classes at the University as in the past.

Jack N7ODN proposed that the club split the cost of twenty manuals with the VE budget for donation to the Middle

School and High School Ham Clubs. It was approved.

Bob W7LR has reserved the Valley View on December 10th for the Christmas Dinner. There will be choice of

Chicken, Pork or Prime Rib. Cocktail hour will begin at 6, dinner is at 7.

NEW BUSINESS

Jeff AA7GK will be organizing operators to assist with communications for the Air Show on July 21st and 22nd.

Harley KI7XF and Karla KC7BLA may be able to be reached in Nanjing on 14.250, Oct 13 – 18. The event call 

is BT4ARDF.

Don KC7EWZ said that the new SAR building has been off again - on again. It is now "on" for the site of the 

Sheriff Posse Shack at the Fairgrounds. We have spent our share of the SAR budget on new batteries for the 

Ruby/Garnet portable repeater.

Don KC7EWZ mentioned that the GHRC trailer is in need of some TLC. He suggested that three or four people

spending a day could get it fixed up.

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:16 PM

 

 

Upgrade Honor Roll

This column honors all who receive or upgrade their license through the GHRC in 2000.

Congratulations to all who upgraded!

 

Vikki Bohlman KD7HGY

Scott Graber KD7HGZ

Andy Macrae KD7HXA

Shelley Peterson KD7HXB

Melody Schimpf KD7HXC

Ross Snider KD7IEV

Kim Snider KD7ILW

Joshua Alzheimer KD7JBD

Tanner Currie KD7KKM

J. L. Stuker Call not available

Charles Sucharda Call not available

 

General Class

Andrew Jesaitis KD7EMO

Wendy Reeser KD7DYW

James Sweaney KD7DYU

Ron Schimpf KD7FVR
Darrell Berreth KC7NHF

Don Wilson KC7EWZ
Pat Sands N7SVI

Don Bissell K7DRB

Kurt Borge KC7PFG

Gordon Lister KD7HHA

William Loman N7PWC

Kent Rudolph N7WHL

Glen Gallier KD7AEP

 

Extra Class

Robert Williams N7ODM

Walt Baxter WB7USV

Ralph Bergantine KC7PFH

Ric Helvey KB7KB

John Nash K7YXU

Doug Peterson KK7VC

Don Regli KI7OJ

Larry Cronenwett KA7WXN

Dale Heidner W7NAV

Theodore Hundtoft KA7QCY

Willard Cox N7FMT

Greg Estep KC7SK

Jim Fuller N7VMR

Jerome McDonald W7FVB

Albert Zoller W6OTE

Darrell Berreth KC7NHF

Harley Leach KI7XF

Theodore Hudtoft KA7QCY

Michael McFeters KE7VQ

Carl Bartman KD7AZX

Mabel Berreth KC7RCU

 

Element definitions:

Element 1 = 5 WPM CW Test

Element 2 = Technician Class

Element 3 = General Class

Element 4 = Extra Class

 

 

VE Test Sessions

Cobleigh Hall on the MSU Campus the first Saturday AFTER the first Thursday during the following months:

December, March, June, September. This schedule may be revised. Make sure to check your newsletter each

month for any changes to the VE Testing Schedule.

For more info: Contact Jack, N7ODN

2000 Schedule

December 9th

 

2001 Schedule

March 3rd

June 9th

September 15th

 

 

Happenings Page

November 2000

   

1

2 Club Meeting 7pm SMS

3

4 Ham & Eggs @ 4– Corners

5

6

7 146.88 Net at 8pm

8

9

10

11 Ham & Eggs @ 4– Corners

12

13

14 146.88 Net at 8pm

15

16

17

18 Ham & Eggs @ 4– Corners

19

20

21 146.88 Net at 8pm

22

23

24

25 Ham & Eggs @ 4– Corners

26

27

28 146.88 Net at 8pm

29

30

 

Nov. 2nd – Club Meeting 8PM at Sacajawea Middle School.

Nov. 4th – Ham and eggs at 4-corners café 7:30AM.

Nov. 7th - 146.88 Net at 8PM.

Nov. 11th - Ham and eggs at 4-corners café 7:30AM.

Nov. 14th - 146.88 Net at 8 PM

Nov. 18th - Ham & eggs at 4-corners cafe 7:30 AM.

Nov. 21st - 146.88 Net at 8 PM.

Nov. 25th - Ham and eggs at 4-corners cafe 7:30 AM.

Nov. 28th - 146.88 Net at 8 PM.

 

Hamfests & National Amateur Radio Events

CONTEST

 

ARRL 10 Meter Contest

December 9 0000Z to Dec 10, 2400Z

See November QST page 97 for details.

 

HAMFEST

November 4, 2000

Mount Baker ARC, Ferndale, WA

Ph: 360-354-4622 or email: k7iey@netscape.net

 

Montana Amateur Radio History

10 years ago – November 1990

Section Manager: Pete Peters, KF7R (now W7OW), Congrats to the Anaconda ARC and the Capital city 

ARC on their renewal as ARRL affiliated clubs. A good article on lightning by Vern Phillips, W7KG, has 

been reprinted twice. Pinics such as Father’s Day, W7OTJ, WB7SWH & Big Arm are becoming 

successful annual events. A new repeater (147.14+) on Pats Knob near Plains now covers part of I-90 N 

of Missoula, where 2-meter repeater coverage was not available. N7OQO is a new member of the QCWA. 

W7IOJ received a complimentary letter on the Glacier Ground Wave net in the Flathead Valley Area. The 

Yellowstone RC made it into the Billings Gazette with a Field Day article-good work Billings.

 

20 years ago – November 1980

Section Manager: Robert Leo, W7LR, N7ANT achieved PSHR. FB! WA7OBH sez Sheriden WY 22/82 

repeater good into S. Central MT. K7LK, WA7LSF ran 220 test Red Mtn to Red Lodge Mtn. MT Section Net 

active Sunday 9:30AM local 7240KHz. Glendive/Sidney LYARC newsletter 1 yr old. 6 new Richland Co. area 

Novices. KB7Q reports 4 siz meter openings. Silent Key: WA7NDO. 65 hams had picnic at Canyon Ferry Lake to celebrate Gallatin ARC winning FD. Thanks to Butte ARC for refreshments. Bozeman hams put up antenna system on courthouse roof for C.D. use. Anaconda hams helped search for lost child. MT hams discuss MT RTTY net – Time, freq, mode need to be set. Honolulu ARC has Dec. 13 & 14 hamfest. W7LR 

had dinner & picnic with visitors JA8ECS, FB8XY, FB8ZO, C5ACC, A22GV. See you in Montana QSO 

Party Oct. 11 & 12. WB7EVG, N7ANR now Extra Class.

 

25 years ago – November 1975

Section Manager: Harry A Roylance, W7RZY – Asst. SCM: Bertha A. Roylance, K7CHA. SEC: WA7IZR. PAM: WA7PZO. I have received a letter from the national Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (WX Bureau). They are desirous in establishing a weather reporting service via amateur radio into areas not 

served.  Federal weather reporting stations. I have discussed this with serveral and would like to have your opinions if so interested. W7CT took a nice vacation west and south and is now home. Silver Bow County Emergency Net will again be on via the WR7ABY repeater.

 

NET CONTROL

Nov 7 N7LT

Nov 14 N7GS

Nov 21 KD7FVR

Nov 28 (open)            PLEASE HELP OUT

Dec 5 (open)             BY VOLUNTEERING!
Dec 12 (open)
Dec 19 (open)
Dec 26 (open)

If you’ve not signed up as a net control operator yet, please do so! As members of the GHRC, each of us 

should take a half an hour each month to run the net. This is a very small sacrifice of time which greatly 

enhances the quality of our net and club.

If you’ve never run the net before, contact KC7EWZ, Don for info on running the net. It’s really easy! 

Running the net is a great experience which will help prepare you for participating in emergency

communications.  The net is every Tuesday evening at 8:00 PM on 146.88.

 

Newsletter Editor Needed!

 

NORTHERN ROCKIES WEAK

SIGNAL GROUP

 

TUESDAY EVENING AT 8:30PM ON 144.200 USB.

FORMAT IS CASUAL ROUND TABLE.

NET CONTROL IS BOB N7CZ AND JIM N7YO IN GREAT FALLS.

 

W7FC SK

William Joseph "Sully" Sullivan, W7FC, passed away Oct. 19, 2000, after a long illness. He was born 

Oct. 15, 1909, in Butte, MT.  W7FC began his lifelong interest in radio and electronics as a teenager. 

He became a ham radio operator in 1923 – one of the youngest ham operators in America – and received 

the call 7FC which he still liked to go by on the air.  In 1932 W7FC moved to Bozeman. In the 30’s and 40’s 

Sully ran various radio/electronic stores in Bozeman, and in 1949 he created AMC Sullivan Foto, a camera 

shop at 107 E. Main St. Sully ran for U.S. House in 1952. Sully invented several items during his life, most 

notably the "Crazy Duck," "TIX" solder, the "Grasshopper" bait box, a magnet door/window alarm, and 

several machines used in his manufacturing plants. W7FC, a landmarkin Montana Amateur, radio will be 

missed by all of us.

Christmas Party!

Another reminder that the GHRC Christmas Dinner is set for December 10th at the Valley View Golf 
Clubhouse on Kagy Blvd - a nice location and lots of parking. The clubhouse manager says that there will be
 nice Christmas decorations for our enjoyment.  Social hour begins at 6 pm and dinner at 7 pm.  The club 
can accommodate from 30 to 100 people, and since we already have 34 signed up we will have the place for
 our group.  There are three dinner choices - Chicken Cordon Bleu, $12.95; Roast Pork, $12.95; or 
Prime Rib, $14.50.  Included will be salad, vegetable, potato, dessert, and coffee or tea.  Payment is to 
Valley View - they will give us one bill, so we will need a treasurer.  
Include a tip with your payment, or leave it at the table.  The club has a no host bar for those that like 
happy hour.  So that the clubhouse manager can plan for our dinner, please let Bob W7LR know how many
of you will attend, and your dinner choice.  If  you know of hams in Butte, Helena, Livingston or elsewhere 
that you think would be interested, let them know about our dinner.  See you there.

 

ADRF World Championships In

China

October 13 to 18, 2000

The Tenth ARDF World Championships has just completed in Nanjing, China. . This was the second time that the USA has participated in the ARDF World Championships. Twenty-five other countries competed. Harley (KI7XF) and Karla (KC7BLA) Leach represented Montana and the USA at this event.

Schedule of events was as follows:

Friday, Oct 13	Arrival and registration
Saturday, Oct 14	Practice event, Team Leaders meeting, opening ceremony
Sunday, Oct 15	VHF (two meter) competition
Monday, Oct 16	Local tour
Tuesday, Oct 17	HF (80 meter) competition
Wednesday, Oct 18	Departure or start of optional tours

Notes from Bob WA6EZV:
Date: Saturday, October 14, 2000 1:40:47 PM PDST
Its 4:45AM. Breakfast at 5:30, off to the start area at 6:30. Competition starts at 8:30.

Everything appears to be under control. Except our nerves.

Most everyone took our photo at the opening ceremony. Pictures with the American team were a popular item, especially with parents and their children.

Practice sessions went well yesterday with everyone checking and de-bugging their equipment.

Accommodations are outstanding, hospitality also. Food, too much, Chinese of course.

Had a pile-up on 15 meters to JA-land and Asia the other morning. The guest station (BT4ARDF) is very popular. Keep trying for

propagation to the US but so far no luck. Using a FT1000DM and a R7000 vertical on top of the 30th (top) floor.

Date: Sunday, October 15, 2000 8:24:22 PM

Here are the winners and the USA results from the Two meter event.

Individual winners

Old Timers (54 in category)
	Name		Country	Time      Foxes
Gold      Janos Orosi	HA0OJ   	HUN	57:43	4
Solver    Konstantin Zelensky      	RUS	61:36
Bronze	Fursa Oleg		Ukraine	61:50    
(42nd)	Marvin Johnson 	USA       129:45  3 
(53rd)	Bob Frey       		USA(o) 145:00	2
(54th)	Dick Arnett    		USA(o)	156:00	1

Junior (42 in category)
Gold	Vana Petr                	CZE	65:31	4
Silver	Konstantin Kulikov	RUS	66:05
	Name		Country	Time      Foxes
Bronze	Ladan Vladimir	MLD	71:17
(31st)	Jay Thompson   	USA        128:49  2

Women (43 in category)
Gold     	Omova Michaela	CZE        62:16	4
Solver   	Luo Chunyan	CHN       62:17 
Bronze   Oksana Shutkowskaia	RUS        63:46
(42nd)	Karla Leach  		USA (o)   195:00	2

Seniors (55 in category)
Gold    	Wu Yongsheng	CHN         56:49	5
Silver  	Tarassov Nikolay	KAZ         57:28
Bronze	Viskup Peter	SVK          67:07
(27th)	Gyorgy Nagy                  	USA       120:30	5 
(40th)	Csaba Tiszttarto 	USA       125:56	3
	John Loflin		USA	DNF

Veterans (33 in category)
Gold	Jozsef Cserhati	HUN         74:48	4
Silver	Nikolay Semenov            RUS         82:39
Bronze	Christensen,Arne D.        NOR         90:13
(9th)	Bob Cooley		USA	109:23  	4
(31st)	Harley Leach 		USA (o)	??????	?

Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2000 09:06:04 PM PDST 
Well let's just call this one "Team USA rebounds." Unlike the two meter event, NO ONE ran over 
today. To say the least, we learned fast. USA will at least post team score for 80 meters. 
Much better run in the rain all day.
Here are the 80 meter results:

Women  (43 in category)
	Name		Country	Time      Foxes
Gold	Lou  Chunyan		CHN     	67:02  	4
Silver	Omova Michaela	CZE	70:02
Bronze	Yang Chunxian	CHN	75:11
(41st)	Karla Leach		USA    	102:48	0

Junior  (42 in category)
Gold	Krcal Jaroslav		CZE     55:22	4
Silver	Oleg Jirov              	RUS     61:49	4
Bronze	Vana Petr               	CZE     69:56	4
(33 rd)	Jay Thompson		USA     84:14	2


Senior (55 in category)
Gold    	Fucik Karel             	CZE     	59:41  5
Silver  	Voracek Michal          	CZE     	63:27  5
Bronze  	Zsolt cserpak           	HUN     	67:24  5
	Name		Country	Time   Foxes
(14th)	Gyorgy Nagy  		USA     	84:04  5
(34th)	Csaba Tiszttarto  	USA    	131:23 4
(38th)	John Loflin 		USA     	97:56  3
Team 11th of 17

Oldtimer ( 54 in category)
Gold    	Konstantin Zelensky     	RUS     	54:38  4
Silver  	Tchermen Gouliev        	RUS     	62:17  4
Bronze  	Alexander Kulikov       	RUS     	65:33  4
(41st)	Robert Frey 		USA     	89:59  2
(43rd)	Dick Arnett  		USA    	116:49 
(47th)	Marvin Johnston 	USA    	132:24
Team  (16th of 16)        

Veteran (33 in category)
Gold 	Josef Tuttman           	GER     	67:37	 4
Silver	Vladimir Kirgetov       	RUS     	74:00	 4
Bronze  	Nikolay Semenov         	RUS     	75:08	 4

(19th)	Harley Leach  		USA    	120.16 3
(28th)	Robert Coley		USA    	131:45 2
Team  ( 9th of 11)
 
		Congratulations to Harley and Karla for 
	representing Montana and the United States at the 
	   ADRF World Championships in Nanjing, China!
 
 

Hamfest 2000

Submitted by Don Wilson, KC7EWZ. Hamfest Chairman

Another successful hamfest has come and gone. It was a very good feeling to see a big event like this

come off with the help of so many people. When many people help, no one person has to do too much.

I hope that was the case in this event.

Special thanks go out to the following people:

Sacajawea middle school administration and staff who shared their rooms.

Vivian Lindon (K7CUB) who arranged everything with the school, arranged for equipment and smoothed

everything over.

Rick Thompson (KC7PEM) who did the great job on the advertisement.

Tom Wold (WW7O) and Todd Gahagan (WA7U) on Signs.

John McDonald on Talk-in

Doug Peterson and his great crew on table reservations and set-up.

Ron Schimpf (KD7FVR) on seminar organization

Bob Leo (W7LR) for his seminar on the Halicrafter Expedition

Fred Cady (KE7X) for his seminar on "Wildfires 2000"

Lyndel Thiesen (N7LT) for his seminar on "Beacons Their History And How To Use Them"

Don Ward (KB6KJ) for his seminar on PSK 32

Following crew on door admission:

Polly Walden (KD7JKY)

Ric Helvey (KB7KB)

Leona Helvey (N7MCV)

Don Hecox (W7FGB)

J.L. Stuker

Curt Borge (KC7PFG)

Thanks for the great eats: Jeff Torgrimson and his crew of the "Chuck Wagon". I especially liked the Tri Tip

Steak sandwich!

Thanks to Jack Myers (N70DN) and his crew for the VE testing.

Mal Goosey (N7GS)

Jim Hall (AA8Y)

Don Regli (KI7OJ)

Doug Peterson (KK7VC).

Thanks to Steve Longacre for another great job on the Raffle. He arranged for the prizes, tickets, drawings,

and did all the announcements during the hamfest.

Congratulations to the prize winners:

Steve McNeil Bozeman; Grand Prize IC 706G MKII

Bobbie Bomeko (N7OQO) Billings; The power supply

Judy Cosgrove (KD7KHL) Butte; ARRL operating manual 2000

Ron Swanson (KA0KZY) Bismark ND; ARRL Operating Manual

Terry McLaughlin (N7GDM) Bozeman; ARRL RFI Handbook

Larry Chambers (KD7FQQ) East Helena; Repeater directory 2000-2001

Bill Erhardt (K7MT) Helena; Ham trader subscription

Boy we sure spread the prizes around the country this year.

A special thanks to Am-com from Lakeside with all their gear and Arrow Antenna for adding so much to the

event.

For all the swap tables, thank you for coming and we hope you had good luck in getting rid of those treasured

items.

I know some names were not mentioned as there were many willing hands helping throughout the year and the

day of the event. It was very much appreciated. I always say, "many hands make a task light".

We look forward to next year being even bigger and better.

 

Simplex operators causing QRM to Satellites.

In the wake of a recent FCC statement touting the value of Amateur Radio band plans, Chris Kelly, K0PF, thinks it's a good time to also remind all amateurs that terrestrial operation in the satellite subbands causes interference to the Amateur Satellite Service. "There are now three satellites that can operate in Mode J FM, with uplinks in the 2-meter band from 145.8 to 146.0 MHz," Kelly said in a note to ARRL Headquarters. "It is common now to hear a QSO in progress in which the hams do not seem to know that all of North America can hear their 'simplex' QSO." Kelly says that in the last month alone, he's monitored conversations in which husband-and-wife hams "discuss the relative merits of Safeway mayonnaise and other subjects a good bit more personal." He points out that the satellites are very sensitive and will easily pick up even handi-talkie signals and relay them to the whole continent. "The users of this subband usually don't know they are causing interference, because the downlink is in the 435 MHz range," he said. John Hennessee, N1KB, of the ARRL's Regulatory Information Bureau says Kelly makes a good point, especially as the launch of Phase 3D draws closer. He recommends that FM simplex users stick to recognized simplex channels to avoid satellite input frequencies on 2 meters.