THE LOCAL OSCILLATOR - August 2004 NOTE: An HTML version is available at www.mvrc.qzxservices.com. A pdf file of the web edition is available at www.mvrc.qzxservices.com/pdf/LO0408.pdf. It will be easy to print that edition. If you do not have the free pdf reader you can get it at www.adobe.com TABLE OF CONTENTS COMING EVENTS PRESIDENT'S CORNER DUKE CITY HAMFEST SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION CONVENTION BACK PAGE COMING EVENTS Week days 6 m FM net 52.540 6:00AM Mon WTRA Swap net 146.88 8 PM Wed Net 146.64 6:45PM round-table 52.525MHz 8 PM Weekdays Informal get together Mon Wed Fri Munson Center 10AM Tue Thur Wal-Mart E Aug 7 Breakfest 8 AM Club House Aug 7 Business meeting 9:15AM Club House Aug 9 Social Meeting (2nd Mon) 6 PM Golden Corral Aug 11 1st Wed after 2nd Mon Directors at Club House 7:00PM Aug 27-29 SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION FEST Sep 4 Alamogordo NM Hamfest Sep 18 Kingman Hamfest Oct 31 marathon Nov 11 Baylor Pass run PRESIDENT'S CORNER KD5SSF Since most of our radios run on about 12 volts we may not often think about electrical safety. When radios had tubes with the associated high voltages we constantly reminded ourselves of the danger such voltages presented to those of us who tinkered with such radios. I remember getting some real fireworks from an old radio. I was not injured, and amazingly it still worked at the completion of my explorations. Even though we don't come into contact with high voltages in our radios as often as we once did, we need to keep in mind basic electrical safety. It is easy to keep the proper fuses in our rigs. Harder to remember is to keep appropriate fuses in the projects we are building. It is much easier and cheaper to replace a fuse than transistors and ICs that have had the smoke let out of them. Outside we have more chances to encounter dangerous current sources. Since we often have metal objects sticking up in the air around our shacks we need to remember electric line safety as we construct and adjust our antennas. Our next club meeting on August 7 will feature a representative from El Paso Electric giving a demonstration and talk about electric safety. Whether you make it to the meeting or not, please remember to protect not just your equipment, but yourself from dangerous current. DUKE CITY HAMFEST Upcoming events include the Duke City Hamfest, August 20th and 21st, which will be held at the University of New Mexico Continuing Education Building, University and Indian School. Check the web site, , for the latest information, registration, prize and banquet tickets. There will be forums, VE exams, vendors, and free tailgating. The banquet speaker will be Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV, talking about his trip to East Timor (4W). Dennis will also host a VHF forum, with a presentation entitled "The Most Fun You Can Have With A Rock"; which deals with meteor scatter communications. SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION CONVENTION The 2004 Southwestern Division Convention (ARRL) will take place at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort, near Chandler, August 27-29. Check for talk-in frequencies and the convention web site for information or help in signing up for the event. BACK PAGE The newsletter is always looking for articles and notes of interest to the members of the Mesilla Valley Radio Club. Please send them to Alex. F. Burr, K5XY, Editor, MVRC Local Oscillator, 695 Stone Canyon Drive, Las Cruces, NM 88011. Small personal ads from members will also be published. It would be helpful if submissions would be made in a machine readable form. MSDOS disks are welcome. Files can also be sent to the Internet address aburr@aol.com. The club has a web site maintained by WA2NIJ at http://www.zianet.com/mvrc. OFFICERS Pres Tim Linn KD5SSF 521-0486 kd5ssf@arrl.net VPr Bob Deal KD5PPP bob-verna@zianet.com Sec Carleton Talbot KC5MRM (915)877-3538 kc5mrm@zianet.com Tres Charlie Welch W5TLU 524-3412 cwwelch@usa.net Board Communications Karl Larsen K5DI 524-3303 k5di@zianet.com Education Joe San Filippo WZ5R 521-7574 sanfilippo@zianet.com Special Events Cash Olsen KD5SSJ 382-1917 KD5SSJ@zianet.com Newsletter Alex Burr K5XY 522-2528 k5xy@arrl.net Repeaters Brad Sacca KD5SKE 382-4380 sheikyerbouty@msn.com Facilities Bob Bennett AD5LJ 382-0148 rbennett@zianet.com JOIN THE CLUB To join the Mesilla Valley Radio Club, renew your membership, or to support the repeaters, please complete the form below and send it with dues ($25 single, $35 family per year) to: Treasurer, MVRC, Box 1443, Las Cruces, NM 88004. Name: Address: Call: Class of License: Phone: E-Mail Address: ARRL Member? Yes? No?