The Spark Gap 2019-10

Spark Ga

On Our MARC:

Welcome to the new term of Officer’s!

For those that did not attend the picnic, here are your Officers for the current year: President - Jacki
Frederick KI6QOG, Vice President - Bruce Tisdale K9ICP, Secretary — Chris Read W9OQ, Treasurer —
Chris Mazzarella KC9VGQ and Trustee - Chris Frederick KQ9Y. Bruce, we are surrounded by
Chris’s!!

Rhonda and Ron, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the years that you held
office. It was a pleasure having you as an officer. I will miss our monthly meetings!!

I would like to thank Brenda for getting us the church to use for our picnic this year. Thanks to Tim for
doing the cooking. Weather was great and so was the food. So much food I didn’t have to go home
and cook dinner.

Please mark your calendar for Oct 31“ for the Goblin patrol. I’m hoping Dave Daily will have more
information for us at the meeting. This is a yearly event and the Greenwood Police Department and the
Johnson County Sheriff’s Department really appreciate our help.

Hope to see you Saturday!

Jacky KIGQOG President
oe Sp

Birthdays for the month of October:

AF9SE - Steve Ellis
KC9NJM - Bob Jones
KN9C - Rudy Richardson
KB9JMU - Jim Adams
KC9ZMV - Clifford Whitrock
KD9HPF - Glenn Beasley
WB9PRF - David Litteral
KD9FBC - Wilson Low
W9BZ - Roger Lowart
KF9EFG - Johns McGrath
KMS - Darrell Sego

REMC PARKING UPDATE

Our scheduling contact at JCREMC informed us that when the south parking lot outside their
Community Room (A) is full, we should use the Employee Lot (B) on the east side of the building.
That parking lot is virtually empty on weekends, and they would rather that we park there than along
the road or at nearby businesses. This will be much safer and more convenient for us and probably
better for the image of REMC as well. I see this as a win-win.

-KOTHR

Johnson)

oa

Vinternational|Dr
7. —_—

SOLAR MINIMUM CONDITIONS ARE IN EFFECT:

The sun has been blank (no sunspots) for 28 of the past 30 days. This is a sign that Solar Minimum is
underway. During this phase of the solar cycle, sunspots and solar flares are rare, but we get plenty of
holes in the sun's atmosphere and lots of extra cosmic rays. Solar Minimum conditions are expected to
continue uninterrupted for the remainder of 2019.

.... steve - K9DY

Pictures from the annual MARC Picnic held on September 21° at the Union Christian Church shelter
house. All that attended seemed to have had a great time.

Burgers

a
‘ ~d a) simiiee

Tim grilling the burgers

...... Thanks to Steve K9DY and Tim WC9G for the pictures.

ARRL to Launch New On the Air Magazine in January

ARRL is launching a new magazine, On the Air, in January 2020. To be published on a bimonthly basis, On the

Air will offer new and beginner-to-intermediate-level radio amateurs a fresh approach to exploring radio
communication. Each issue will include advice and insights on topics from the variety of Amateur Radio interests and
activities: radio technology, operating, equipment, project building, and emergency communication. The goal of this
new magazine is to be a vital resource in helping new and newer radio amateurs get active and involved in radio

communications.

“On the Air responds to the brand new and not-so-brand-new radio amateur seeking ideas and answers,”

said OST Managing Editor Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY. Schoenfeld is part of the ARRL staff team that developed the
new magazine. The planning included an extensive national-level study of new Amateur Radio licensees, identifying

their motivations for getting licensed and their experiences of getting started. A focus group responded positively to a
trial sample edition of the magazine.

“Too many new licensees never take the next step,” says Schoenfeld. “We’re excited to introduce a new Amateur

Radio magazine for this audience, aimed at getting them active, getting them involved, and getting them on the air.”

The first issue of On the Air will be published in January 2020 (January/February issue) and will be introduced as a
new ARRL membership benefit. Effective November 1, when eligible US radio amateurs join ARRL or renew their
memberships, they will be prompted to select the print magazine of their choice — On the Air or OST. Current
members receiving the print edition of OS7, upon renewal, may choose to continue receiving the monthly print edition

of OST or the print edition of the bimonthly On the Air.

All ARRL members, including international members, will be able to access digital editions of both OST and On the
Air. Members who already access OST on the web or from the mobile app will be able to access OST and On the
Air starting in January.

.....,ARRL NEWSLETTER October 2019

Bidding Begins Today in the Annual ARRL Online Auction
Bidding gets under way today, October 17, on more than 230 items on the block in the 14th annual ARRL Online
Auction. Bidding begins at 10 AM EST (1400 UTC). The auction will continue through Thursday, October 24, closing
at 10 PM EST (Friday, October 25, at 0200 UTC).

The 2019 auction includes lab-tested OST “Product Review” gear, vintage books, used equipment, and one-of-a-kind
items. Some premier “Product Review” items up for bid include the Elecraft KPA1500 legal-limit HF and 6-meter
linear amplifier, the Icom IC-7610 HF and 6-meter transceiver, the Palstar LA-1K 160 — 6 meter amplifier, the
FlexRadio Systems FLEX-6400M HF and 6-meter SDR transceiver, and the Kenwood TS-890 HF and 6-meter

transceiver.

Among book offerings in the auction are the “sold out” 2019 Handbook Boxed Set, a special defense edition of The
Radio Amateur s Handbook from 1942, and a 1949 ARRL Antenna Book.

Proceeds from the annual Online Auction benefit ARRL education programs. Bidders must register

(your arrl.org user ID and password will not work on the auction site). If you have registered for a previous ARRL

Online Auction, you may use the same log-in information this year.

2d by the
matet

An ARRL Special Service Club

) =tratfic all Riverside Church
-_ ee exit 8660 Daniels Parkway, Fort Myers, FL

Just west of I-75, Exit 131 + Talk-In Repeater: 147.165 (PL 127.3)
Free Parking - Handicap Parking
Friday: Setup at 8 AM - Open from Noon - 5 PM
Saturday: Setup at 6 AM - Open from 8 AM- 3 PM

RAFFLE and DOOR PRIZES!

VISITOR INFORMATION
General Admission: Early Tickets $5 +» At the Gate $7
Kids 12 & Under: FREE with Paying Adult +» Students 13-18: $5 at Gate with Valid Student ID
On-Site Security Provided « Great Food at Reasonable Prices from On-Site Food Vendor
FREE FCC LICENSE TESTING: Saturday, January 18 at 10 AM
ARRL Card Checking

VENDOR INFORMATION
Indoor Vendor Tables: $15 Each*

Commercial booth fees will be determined by space requested.
Reserve Your Booth or Table Early for Best Placement!
Tailgate Spaces: $5* » Additional Tailgate Spaces: $5”
*All Tailgate and Indoor Vendors must also purchase a
General Admission Ticket for each person in their party.

PURCHASE TICKETS ON-LINE:
www.swilhamfest.info/tickets

MAIL TICKET REQUESTS with Check or Money Order to:

FMARC : PO Box 061183 - Fort Myers, FL 33906-1183
Please include SASE, otherwise Tickets will be held at the door.

Need more Information? www.swflhamfest.info

Pinto Lane

Apalosa Ln.
Palomino Ln.
Skyport Ave.

Daniels
Parkway

Powers Ct.

Riverside Center Ct.

UP- COMING ACTIVITIES AND HAMFESTS

10/19/2019 -- 0800 MARC Monthly meeting at the Johnson County REMC.

Johnson County REMC 750 International Drive Franklin, IN 46131.

10/19/2019 — Shelbyville Tailgate — Shelbyville,IN

10/26/2019 — Hamtoberfest — Lynnville, IN

11/16/2019 — 0800 MARC Monthly meeting at the Johnson County REMC.

Johnson County REMC 750 International Drive Franklin, IN 46131.

11/16 -17/2019 — Fort Wayne Hamfest — Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne,IN
11/30/2019 — Wabash Valley Turkey Fest — Brazil, IN

12/21/2019 — 0800 MARC Monthly meeting and Annual Christmas Breakfast at the Johnson
County REMC. Johnson County REMC 750 International Drive Franklin, IN 46131.
01/18/2020 - 0800 MARC Monthly meeting at the Johnson County REMC.

Johnson County REMC 750 International Drive Franklin, IN 46131.

02/15/2020 -- 0800 MARC Monthly meeting at the Johnson County REMC.

Johnson County REMC 750 International Drive Franklin, IN 46131.

02/29/2020 — Laporte Hamfest — Laporte, IN

06/20/2020 — East Central Indiana Hamfest — Randolph County Fairgrounds

If you would like to be part of Johnson County ARES please contact Bob LaGrange
N9SIU@YAHOO.COM

Buy, Sell or Trade:

Ed Woods, WD9DVA, retired from amateur radio, he is 90. He has some equipment and wanted to see
if there is anyone that may be interested. Ed has all of his amateur radio station for sale. If interested
please contact Bob N9SIU at n9siu@yahoo.com. Ed would like to have his radios and equipment go to
a HAM that would use it and enjoy the hobby like he has.

FOR SALE

DISCONE TYPE TRANSMIT/SCANNER ANTENNA

SCANNER FREQUENCY RANGE 25-1300 MHZ

TRANSMISSION BANDS 26-27-46-49-72-144-220-440-900-1290 MHZ
MAX POWER 60 WATTS BELOW 30 KHZ 200 WATTS VHF/UHF
FULLY ASSEMBLED WITH 16 FT OF COAX AND CONNECTOR
LIKE NEW CONDITION

ASKING PRICE $40

SEE SAM CARTER WA9VBG 317-432-2996 OR AT THE MARC MEETING

MID-SATE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

The Mid-State Amateur Radio Club meets the THIRD SATURDAY of each month
atthe Johnson County REMC 750 International Drive Franklin, IN 46131.

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

Everyone is welcome; you do not have to be a HAM to attend our meetings or a member of the club.

WO9OMID Repeater: Club Officers:

President: Jacki Frederick — KI6QOG
146.835/ Vice President: Bruce Tisdale — K9ICP
146.235 MHz Secretary: Chris Read -W90Q
(151.4 Hz PL Tone) Treasurer: Chris Mazzarella—- KC9VGQ

Repeater Trustee - Chris Frederick — KQ9Y
W9OMID Repeater:
443.525/
448.525 MHz
(151.4 Hz PL Tone)

Weekly Net: Sunday evening 7:00 PM ARES/RACES members and ALL RADIO AMATEURS
146.835/146.235 MHz (151.4 Hz PL Tone)

The Official Newsletter of the Mid-State Amateur Radio Club
P.O. Box 836
Franklin, Indiana

46131

Spark Gap Editor: Robert LaGrange N9SIU

Please send your articles to my email: n9siu@yahoo.com no later than the 2nd week of the month.

Special thanks to Johnson County REMC for the use of their community room for meetings and testing.