THE LOCAL OSCILLATOR - January 2009 NOTE: An HTML version is available at www.mvrc.qzxservices.com. A pdf file of the web edition is available at http://www.mvrc.qzxservices.com/pdf/LO0901.pdf. It will be easy to print that edition. If you do not have the free pdf reader, you can get it at http://www.adobe.com TABLE OF CONTENTS COMING EVENTS PRESIDENT'S CORNER VP PLANS VE TESTING SESSION MVRC CHRISTMAS SOCIAL STOLEN ITEMS TV TRANSITION HELP NEEDED BACK PAGE COMING EVENTS Sun CW net 3.565 MHz 5:00PM M-F 6 m FM net 52.540 6:00AM Mon WTRA Swap net 146.88 8:00PM Wed Net 146.64 6:45PM M-F Round-table 52.525 MHz 8:00PM MWF Informal get together Wal-Mart W (Valley) 10 AM TTH Informal get together Wal-Mart E (Walton) 10 AM Jan 3 Breakfast 8 AM Club House Jan 3 Business meeting 9 AM Club House Feb 7-8 NM QSO Party see URL http://www.swcp.com/~n5zgt/nmqsoparty PRESIDENT'S CORNER KC5HFJ The club will start the new year with a breakfast and business meeting January 3 at the club house. VP PLANS KD5SSJ As the Vice President I have two primary functions: 1) maintain an accurate inventory of the club's assets, and 2) to procure a speaker for the monthly meeting. Occasionally I may be called upon to assume the role of President for a meeting should Perry not be available, which will be the case for the January meeting. A meeting is scheduled with Tres and Dennis (outgoing VP) to transfer the inventory log. And I will have something interesting as a presentation. I look forward to pitching in every other month , or so, and helping a member who has said he wants to re-establish the hot breakfast before the meeting each month. I think the club enjoys that and it encourages participation. I'm looking forward to a very good year with my friends in the MVRC, I might even get on the air once in awhile. VE TESTING SESSION N5WQ A VE testing session was held on Sunday, November 23 at the club house. Here are the results: New Technician license to: Rene Guerrero, Mesilla Park --- now KE5YHT New General license to: Rodolfo Gutierrez, El Paso --- KD5ZVU New Extra licenses to: David Anderson, Radium Springs --- KE5YAG Dale Bragdon, Las Cruces --- K4BHL John Powell, Las Cruces --- N5TPT William Skinner, Las Cruces --- K5ILF Vern Vonheeder, Las Cruces --- KE5VGH MVRC CHRISTMAS SOCIAL A sucessful club Christmas social was held at Furr's on December 11 at 6:30 PM. Some where around 40 people gathered and did a lot of rag chewing as well as filling up with the wide variety and quantity of food offered by the buffett. The cover picture shows some of the people present. STOLEN ITEMS KJ5Q Stolen from a residence at 112 Hideaway Lane, Ruidoso, New Mexico. Yaesu 2 meter radio/transciever Model FT-1500M This little radio is very small and compact and is in a metal casting making it heavy. Kenwood HF transciever Model TS-850AT This radio has the 100 watt auto tuner, hand mike, PS 31 power supply, SP 52 speaker. I bought it new at HamComm 15 years ago and will sure miss it as it has been very reliable throughout the years and has never been in a shop for any repairs. Also stolen a Polaroid 37" LCD television, a Bissell carpet cleaner, and an IBM computer, This computer is quite unique in that the motherboard, operating system, and the 15 inch monitor are all in the same unit together, It has an external power supply that hooks up to the monitor. IBM made but a few of these units about 10 years ago. It has had a hard drive replacement . If you should run into any of the above for sale let the police know. The officer handling the case is Chris Case #S08001176. His phone number is 258-7365. TV TRANSITION HELP NEEDED ARRL The following is a summary of a request for help which seems like a good club project. It would be useful to discuss it at the next business meeting. We have received a request by the FCC for members of the ARRL to provide technical educational assistance to their communities during January and February in accomplishing the digital TV conversion. Clubs are being asked to develop and implement plans to provide information about the DTV conversion in their areas in ways they think best fits their community. Each community is a little different, so your plans may vary. Let your Section Manager know your group is willing to help out. Hams should *not* make "house calls", sell any equipment or do actual installations -- the request is only to distribute technical information and their materials. As we all know, some folks just never get the message until too late. Materials for presentations, education and many other activities are available at http://www.dtv.gov/outreach.html. Beginning early January, FCC staff will contact Section Managers and leaders of interested clubs and, where possible, arrange to meet for sharing even more information, A/V and printed materials and training aids with the clubs in this effort. We know the time is short and problematic,(not our choice) but your aid in this now will be appreciated. In early January, Section Managers will be asked for the names and contact information of the volunteering groups. FCC staff will then make contact with them, learn their plans, and provide them with the media, brochures or other materials your group may need in this effort. Materials also can be downloaded from the web at http://www.dtv.gov/outreach.html. FCC regional staff may even come and visit with larger groups to aid in implementation of the group's plans. The FCC said, "I really appreciate the willingness of the ARRL to actively participate in helping Americans with the transition to DTV and your helpful suggestions. The DTV transition will be an historic moment in the evolution of TV. Broadcast television stations can offer viewers improved picture and sound quality and new programming choices. All-digital broadcasting also will allow us to significantly improve public safety communications and will usher in a new era of advanced wireless services such as the widespread deployment of wireless broadband." OFFICERS Pres Perry Welch KC5HFJ VPr Cash Olsen KD5SSJ Sec Jack Lemons N5PK 526-9428 jack_N5PK@hotmail.com Treasurer Kevin McNelis K5KMC 571-7326 KMCVELIS@NMSU>EDU BOARD Communications Henry Schotzko AD5FE 526-1922 schotzko@comcast.net Education Special Events Newsletter Alex Burr K5XY 522-2528 k5xy@arrl.net Clubhouse Bob Bennett AD5LJ 382-0148 rpbennett1@comcast.net Repeaters Robert Truitt KE5OFK 649-4173 robtruitt@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 ($35 single, $45 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?