The Spark Gap 2009-10

The Official
Newsletter of the
Mid-State Amateur
Radio Club

WA RG

Mid-State Amateur
Radio Club

P.O. Box 836
Franklin, IN 46131
wwwinidstatehams.org

It has been a busy
two years as MARC
president. Thanks to
the efforts of two great
officer groups we have
accomplished a great
deal. Passing the gavel
on to Steve Carmean-
K9DY caused me to
reflect on two years of
club accomplishments.

In the fall of 2007
we moved the repeater to high ground with
new antennas, coax, voice controller and
backup power. Once again we had handheld
coverage across Johnson County.
Unfortunately, our hopes of getting the
Franklin Link up is still in the testing and
planning process. We expect Repeater
Trustee Jay Chrisman AAYYP to have
everything linked by the end of the year.

We did witness instant success from our
repeater move. Outlying stations began
checking in to the Sunday night net. Club
membership grew at 10 percent each year
and we put our MARC repeater back on the
map.

Getting 501c3 status with the IRS led to
equipment donations which were used to
purchase the initial repeater upgrades. A
grant from the Johnson County Foundation
led to further upgrades. As we receive radio
equipment donations we have followed the
local hamfest circuit to sell the equipment for
funding future club projects.

In the last 24-months we have taught
and licensed nearly 50 new hams. Last year,
under the guidance of Linda Harshbarger
KC9GCH, we sponsored three Tech

with our first ever General Class course. We
even helped local Boy Scouts earn
Communication merit badges. Back in the
club meeting room Brian Murrey KB9BVN
had many members fire up soldering irons to
build multi-meter kits. This gave our newer
hams a better understanding of how
components are put together.

Emergency training was high on our list
of things-to-do. Another five club members
were trained in CERT classes. Using a
FEMA grant we added three new radios,
antennas and digital interfaces to the EOC
radio room. Adding an 80-meter dipole
antenna to the mix will complete our
communications abilities in case of a disaster.

Being Club Prez for two years put me in
an ideal position to enjoy the 25th
Anniversary of the Mid-State ARC. As the
club’s third president, way back in the
1980’s, I had an opportunity to invite past
club presidents and members to our
February Celebration Breakfast. It was a
trip down memory lane that gave newer
members a chance to meet and greet many of
the hams who actively participated in past
Field Day and other public service projects.
We followed up with a day long Special
Event station in May. Nearly 700 contacts
were recorded from around the world. We’Il
be sending out W9M Special Event QSL
cards for the next few years.

I can’t emphasize how much I
appreciate the support of our officers and all
the club members who have volunteered for
the many activities, special events and
projects. I leave the gavel in Steve’s hand
knowing he will continue to lead the club
toward greater growth. 73, Jack W8ISH ™

License Classes. This year we followed up fn iene Bee ae | 26 Issue 10

Officers

President:
Steve Carmean,
K9DY

Vice President:
Dave Daily,
KB9SLOT

Secretary:
Robert Jones,
KCONJIM

Treasurer:
Jacki Frederick,
KI6QOG

Repeater Trustee:
Jay Chrisman,
AASYP

Spark Gap Editors:
Bob LaGrange,
N9SIU

Linda
Harshbarger,
KC9GCH

Update on Recent Events

Hilltopper Event

The Indianapolis Radio Club’s 2009
Hilltoppers 3rd annual Hilltop on the air
(OTA) event was held September 19, 2009.
Bands used were 2, 6, or 40 meters, SSB or
FM modes. The objective was to work all
other registered Hilltop stations on as many
bands and modes as possible. Several
MARC members participated in the activity.
Jay (AA9YP) was on the air from Donald’s
Knoll near Franklin, Chris (KG6ZIJ) oper-
ated from Independence Hill in Greenwood.
Jack (W8ISH) and Steve (KODY) ventured
the farthest and tried their luck from Brown
county’s Bean Blossom overlook.

The event runs from 0800 until 1200, so
avery early morning start was required to
have everything ready to go. Jack and Steve
arrived at the overlook at 0730, in the pre-
dawn light to begin antenna assembly and
mast mounting of the 2 meter yagi and 6
meter stressed moxon, and hanging a 40
meter half-dipole. Batteries and coax were
soon connected to the three radios. One for
AO meters, another with transverter for 6
meter SSB, and the third for 6 meter FM,
and 2 meter SSB/FM.

All eight other hilltops were contacted
on multiple modes from Bean Blossom
overlook. This was a very good location to
work the other stations in Brown, Hendricks,
Johnson, Morgan, and Shelby counties. All
stations were strong on 2 and 6 meters, but
AO meters was very difficult for nearby
contacts.

Results were announced at the October
9th IRC meeting. Jay received a nice plaque
for winning the Single Operator category,
while Jack and Steve placed second in the
multi-op, losing a tie-breaker for first place
by only 4 total contacts. MARC members
made a good showing against some very stiff
competition.

-Steve, K9IDY -

Greenwood Band Contest

The Greenwood Marching
Invitational went very well this year with 14
bands partisipating. Due to the rain a day
before the contest, plans were made to use
parking facilities for fans at the Greenwood
Middle School and in frount of the High
School. It was very busy at times and
even had a couple of calls for an ambulance.
The weather started out fine and all was

going well until......... the rains came.
However we all stayed with it and kept things
moving,

I would like to thank the following hams
that gave up their afternoon and evening on
Saturday September 26 at Greenwood High
School: K9DY - Steve, KC9QCD- Rich-
ard, KC9EBL - Brenda, Wd9DVA - Ed,
Kc9owd - Myron, AASGY - Paul,
KC9INJM - Bob, KC9ODS - James and
KA9IOOH - Dave.

73, Bob N9SIU

Jay Chrisman, AA9YP, photo by Jack
Parker, WISH

| Spork Gop Gap

Class Update

The Technician level amateur radio class
was cancelled as not enough potential hams
signed up for the class If you know of
anyone wishing to take a class, please have
them contact me at 317-887-2558 or at
PIO@midstatehams.org. We will be
attempting another class beginning in
February or March 2010.

Class size is limited to 14 students so
registration will close when all 14 spaces are
filled. The class will not be held if there is a
lack of students. Please check around and
let anyone know who is interested. Let's do
what we can to get the spring 2010 class
filled.

October Meeting

New officers will chair the October
meeting. Please try and make the meeting in
order to meet and greet those holding office
for the first time. They need the support of
the membership. Also if you haven't gotten
your picture taken for the ID badge please
stay after the meeting to get that done.
Applications for club membership and
ARES/RACES applications will also be
available. As areminder, if you area
member and also a member of the ARRL you
can renew your ARRL membership via our
club. When you do so, the club receives
$2.00 of the membership fee in order to help
support the club. Also remember that
MARC is considered a Special Services
Club of the ARRL and receive discounts and
other perks. We need for a percentage of
MARC members to also be ARRL members
in order to maintain that status. If you are not
an ARRL member, please pick up an ARRL
membership form at the meeting and consider
joining today.

=

Hamfest/Event Info

The 37th Annual Ft. Wayne Hamfest
& Computer Expo, sponsored by the Allen
County Amateur Radio Technical Society
(ACARTS) will be held on Saturday,
November 14 and Sunday, November 15,
2009 at the Allen County War Memorial
coliseum Exposition Center. For directions
go to www.fortwaynehamfest.com. Times
are 9 AM to 4 PM EST on Saturday and 9
AM to3 PMEST on Sunday. Admission is
$6.00 on Saturday (good for both days) and
$4.00 on Sunday. Coliseum parking is $4.00
per vehicle. Lat. N41 06.878/Lon. W 85
07.388.

The 17th Annual Evansville Hamfest,
sponsored by EARS and The Ham Station,
will be held on Saturday, November 28,
2009 at the Vanderburgh County 4-H Center
Auditorium, Evansville, Indiana. Times are
from 8 AM to 1 PM Central Time. Talk-in is
on the EARS Wide Area Repeater Network
145.150- Evansville, 146.925- & 443.925+
Vincennes (all use 107.2 tone). For more
information go to w9ear.org.

VEC Testing

Our Volunteer Examiner Coordinator
(VEC) team is ARRL accredited, and
capable of administering any amateur radio
test. As a public service, the Mid-State
Amateur Radio Club sponsors test sessions
after all but one of its monthly meetings.
(September testing is done prior to the
picnic.) Meetings begin at 8:00 AM with
testing following the meeting (begins about
9:30 AM until 11:00 AM). We would love to
have you join us for the meeting. Please
check out our website at
www.midstatehams.org for directions. =

WAIRDF
Repeater
146.835/

146.235 MHz
151.4 Hz PL
Tone

Weekly Net
Every Sunday

at 7PM ET

Tune in to hear
the ARRL
Newsline!

The Mid-State
Amateur Radio Club
sponsers a weekly
traffic and social net
on our repeater. The
net begins at 7:00
p.m. local time, and
features local news,
announcements, and
NTS traffic, as well as
rebroadcasts of
Amateur Radio
Newsline. This is a
great chance to
meet other local
amateur radio
operators and test
your operating
skills.

K9DY and W8ISH at
Columbus. Photo by
Mrs. K9DY.

eee ie 26 Issue 10

2009 Schedule of Events

OCTOBER 2009
4 48th Annual Hoosier Hills Hamfest; Lawrence Co. 4H Fairgrounds, Bedford, IN
Talk-in 146.730 (-) (107.2 PL); for more information go to website
www. hoosierhillshamfest.org
10 Lake County Amateur Radio Club Hamfest; Lake County Fairgrounds,
Crown Point, IN
Talk-in 147.00 (PL 131.8) or 146.52 Simplex
10 IRCC Meeting Starke County Library 2-4 PM
Contact Jack Parker, W8ISH, for more information.
17 MARC Meeting - 8:00 AM, Franklin, IN
Located at the Johnson County Emergency Management Agency, 1111 Hospital Road,
Franklin, IN. VEC Testing after the meeting (approx. 9:30 am to 11:00 am)
17 Indianapolis Marathon
Contact Mike Palmer, N9FEB to volunteer or for more details. www.indyhams.org
31 Halloween (Goblin Patrol)
Dave Daily, KBOLOT, will have additional information closer to the event date

NOVEMBER 2009
14-15 Indiana State Convention (Fort Wayne Hamfest & Computer Expo)
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Avenue, Fort Wayne, IN
Talk-in 146.88 (-); for more information e-mail to chairman@fortwaynehamfest.com
21 MARC Meeting - 8:00 AM, Franklin, IN
Located at the Johnson County Emergency Management Agency, 1111 Hospital Road,
Franklin, IN. VEC Testing after the meeting (approx. 9:30 am to 11:00 am)
28 Evansville Hamfest
Vanderburgh County 4-H Fairgrounds Auditorium, Evansiville, IN
Talk-in 145.150 (-) Evansville; 146.925 (-) and 443.925 (+) Vincennes (All use 107.2 PL)
For more information contact Neil Rapp, 2744 Pinehurst Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403

DECEMBER 2009

19 MARC Meeting - 8:00 AM, Franklin, IN
Located at the Johnson County Emergency Management Agency, 1111 Hospital Road,
Franklin, IN. VEC Testing after the meeting (approx. 9:30 am to 11:00 am)

Mid-State Amateur Radio Club

Mid-State Amateur The Mid-State Amateur Radio Club meets the THIRD SATURDAY of each month
Radio Club

P.O. Box 836 in the basement of the Johnson County Emergency Management Agency, 1111
Franklin, IN 46131 Hospital Road, Franklin, Indiana 46131.

www.midstatehams.org

See our website, www.midstatehams.org, for maps on how to get to our
317.887.2558

Spark Gap meeting.

Mid State Amateur Radio Club
MA R C P. O. Box 836
Johnson County, IN 46131

October 2009 Newsletter — Photo Pages

Photo 1

“Serving Indiana Communities for Twenty-Five Years”