THE LOCAL OSCILLATOR - October 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/LO0910.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 CLUB NOTES BUILDERS GROUP TREASURER'S REPORT OFFICERS JOIN THE CLUB COMING EVENTS Sun Slow CW net 3.575 MHz 3:30PM Sun CW net 3.575 MHz 4:00PM M-F 6 m FM net 52.540 6:00AM Mon WTRA Swap net 146.88 8:00PM Wed Net 146.64 6:45PM MWF Informal get together Wal-Mart W (Valley) 10 AM TTH Informal get together Wal-Mart E (Walton) 10 AM Oct 03 Breakfast 8 AM Club House Oct 03 Business meeting 9 AM Club House Oct 03 Pecos Valley ARC Swapfest (Roswell, NM) Oct 06 Buiders Group 7 PM Club House Oct 07 Board Meeting 7 PM Club House Oct 20 Builders Group 7 PM Club House 7 PM PRESIDENT'S CORNER KC5HFJ The usual breakfast (8 AM, $4)and business meeting will be held in October 03. CLUB NOTES KD5SSJ We are approaching the end of the year and that means that we have to get serious about the leadership for next year. This year has been a little unusual because we elected a President, last year and he was unable, to fulfill the duties of the office. Because of health and personal reasons (and Perry Walsh has since passed away (SK)). I have been officiating at the meetings, as one of the jobs of the Vice President. We need to elect nearly a full slate of officers, I have said that I would be willing to continue as VP. We need candidates for President, Secretary and Treasure and a couple of board members. Jack Lemons has done a fine job but he wants someone else to take on this important job for the future. Jack has held many positions in the club in the past and this year took the Secretary position this year because the Club must have a Secretary, required by our Bylaws and our Articles of Incorporation. This job should not be particularly difficult but requires a commitment to make the business and board meetings and answer some mail and necessary forms. Joe Ostrowski also stepped up to fill another required and important task of the club. Joe has managed to straighten out a several year old billing problem with the local LP (propane) distribution business. He stuck to it with the tenacity of a bulldog and it was finally resolved. Joe has done a fine job of the Treasurer but, like Jack, has held other jobs over the years and only took the job for one year. We need a Special Events Chairman that can be here and take charge of the Beanfeed and would hopefully continue the tradition of breakfast before the business meetings on Saturday morning. The Beanfeed is most important to this organization because the equipment sales offsets the yearly expenses that are not covered by dues which are collected from the membership. Bob Bennett as said that he would continue as the Building and Facilities Chairman. He has done a fine job and the club house has seen many improvements over the last several years that Bob. Bob does much of the work by himself, but asks for help for the two or three annual cleanings and the occasional painting party. Alex Burr has said that he will continue as a Newsletter Chairman. He has also done a fine job with very little input, and yes I am as guilty as anyone about providing him with scant input that he can publish. This is also an important function, because as Alex points out, this is main connection to the club for many members. They remain informed about club activities through the LO Newsletter, Alex has been the LO publisher the seven years I have been a member of the club. Henry Schotzko and George Kopp will continue to co-chair the Communications position. Henry is in direct and nearly constant contact with the City-County Emergency Manager and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and has overseen a major overhaul of the Ham Shack in that building. He is also the RACES and ARES representative. George is active in the emergency operations but he takes most of the load organizing our community services, which consist primarily of supporting many races throughout the community. Rob Truitt is the Repeater Chairman and during the year the repeaters have been repaired and remained on the air. Rob plans to continue in this position. We started the year without a Education Chairman, but Evan Salazar has taken charge of the upcoming Technician classes. Evan is a new ham and has a particular interest in building equipment and is a natural teacher. As you can see, the club needs leadership in order to accomplish all of the important things that the Mesilla Valley Radio Club does to support the HAM community in southern New Mexico. BUILDERS GROUP KD5SSJ The Builders Group continues to meet on the first and third Tuesday evening, 7pm, at he MVRC Club House. The focus has been on using microprocessors in the HAM shack. We are using the Arduino as a platform for developing software and the c language GCC compiler. The software is high quality, free and open source. The hardware is low cost (about $30) and offers a great opportunity to see how microcomputers are used in the commercial HAM gear and how HAM's can create their own applications. Dave, WA5DJJ, and Evan ,KE5ZRZ, are on the air with versions of the QRSS beacon that was a result of the Builders Group. All are welcome, you can join the projects at any time and we'll help you get up to speed. SEPTEMBER TREASURER'S REPORT KI5FJ INCOME BUDGET ACTUAL YTD Bean Feed Food 400.00 375.00 Breakfast & Drinks 600.00 491 Contributions 250.00 942.69 Dues 2000.00 1995 Education Classes 850.00 220.00 Equip Sales & Raffles 1845.00 2083 Bank Interest 30.00 Other 0.00 TOTAL 5975.00 6106.69 EXPENSES BUDGET ACTUAL YTD Bean Feed 300.00 296.72 Breakfast & Drinks 400.00 152.21 Clubhouse 400.00 734.91 N5BL Domain Due 09 2014 20.00 Education Classes 850.00 478.13 Field Day 150.00 90.42 Insurance 1000.00 Misc 100.00 125.15 NM Emergency Fee 30.00 30.00 NM Tax Exempt Fee 10.00 30.00 PO Box Rent 60.00 60.00 Postage 100.00 President’s Fund 75.00 207.17 Property Tax 800.00 Repeater Maintenance 600.00 523.70 Electricity 450.00 373.19 Propane 500.00 274.07 Water 150.00 134.17 TOTAL 5995.00 3509.84 AS OF 30 Sep 2009 INCOME 6106.69 EXPENSES 3509.84 NET +2596.85 OFFICERS Pres Perry Welch KC5HFJ 373-9171 Perrywelch@hotmail.com VPr Cash Olsen KD5SSJ 382-1917 kd5ssj@arrl.net Sec Jack Lemons N5PK 644-7207 jack_N5PK@hotmail.com Treasurer Joe Ostrowski ki5jf@arrl.net BOARD Communications Henry Schotzko AD5FE 526-1922 schotzko@comcast.net Education Special Events Kevin McNelis K5KMC 571-7326 kmcnelis@nmsu.edu 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?