Posted in: Newsletters

Newsletter – August 2020

LAST UPDATED: 31-JULY-2020 – 2214 ET
PLEASE NOTE: Newsletter may be undergoing updates

Announcements

  • General meeting Tuesday 4-August 7pm via Zoom
  • Speaker: Robert Molleda NWS – Preparing for hurricane season
  • BRARA July General Meeting Minutes CLICK HERE
  • BRARA July General Meeting Recording CLICK HERE
  • Subscribe to BRARA Weekly Updates CLICK HERE
  • PBC Regional Parks and Shack opening status
  • ARRL 2020 FD – Watch for Results
  • BRARA Remote Station advisory
  • BRARA Tower Climbers Needed (see below details)
  • QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo CLICK HERE 
  • BRARA Calendar of Events CLICK HERE
  • Contest and Special Events CLICK HERE
  • DX Operating News and Information CLICK HERE
  • BIO: Archie McCallister, Jr W4FCE (sk) CLICK HERE


BRARA Monthly meeting Tuesday 4-August at 7pm via Zoom conference.

Join Zoom Meeting: CLICK HERE TO JOIN ZOOM MEETING

Meeting ID: 865 5255 5294
Password: 123456

OUR AUGUST SPEAKER
                          
Join us to hear Robert Molleda (Warning Coordination Meteorologist National Weather Service Miami/South Florida Forecast Office) speak about the upcoming season. He will show historical trends and update us on the higher than normal 2020 forecast. If you live in South Florida, you will want to watch this one.



2020 Shack Status

To ensure the safety of our members, we the full BRARA Board have decided to postpone our plans until the pandemic stabilizes in the state of Florida. We all feel very strongly that our club must not in any way, however small, add to the risk of spreading the virus. We will revisit and resume our plans as soon as we are confident that it is safe to do so.


VHF/UHF Tower Climbers Needed

GOAL

  • Adjust microwave dish if needed to FAU and repeater site
  • Install angle iron and pulley for wire antennas

CREDENTIALS

  • Proven climbing tower experience
  • References

WHEN and WHY
The microwave team consisting of Jerry.Z and others will define the exact date. We’re hoping ASAP for the IP feed to the remote station project. The tool line supports a dipole antenna and needs to be replaced with a dedicate support freeing up the tool line.

EQUIPMENT

  • BRARA has climbing harness with the latest and greatest safety hooks
  • BRARA will provide tools
  • Climbers should have their own hardhat, gloves, and boots

CONTACT
If you have the skills or know of a person who has the skills, please contact John.C N1QFH wirehead52@gmail.com


Stay Tuned for Results
Submitted as of 31-July


REMOTE STATION ADVISORY The next key component is to get a solid microwave IP signal from the repeater site to the shack (see above request for Tower Climbers). Once that is done, we can begin testing the process. Contact John.C N1QFH with questions.


Want to learn about NBEMS? What is it? Who uses it and why? You can begin learning the basics by  CLICKING HERE. Join us Wednesdays at 8pm on 145.29 where we practice all aspects of digital communications and yes problem solve and train. 


What is the QSO Today Expo

  • Virtual international amateur radio expo
  • Packed with renowned speakers, exhibitors, special conference rooms
  • Attend from your desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone

When

  • August 8 and 9, 2020

CLICK HERE FMI


PROJECT NAME: Satellite Antenna Installation (Phase-2)

  • PLANNER: George WA2VNV
  • STATUS: ON-HOLD 
  • WHEN: TBA 
  • WHERE: The Shack @ West Delray Park
  • WHAT: Install satellite system
  • WHO: All able folks who can help 
  • CONTACT: Email George sintchak@optonline.net

FOLLOWS ITEM NEEDED

  • Power supply (20 amp / 13 volt) for the transceiver
  • Up to date computer to support the satellite and EME operation

VHF / UHF Room at The Shack: WEAK SIGNAL STATION 

We are looking for donation of an ICOM IC-706-Mk2g to replace the current 6 meter weak signal operation. The current transceiver is intermittent and not repairable.

If you have knowledge of an ICOM IC-706-Mk2g, please contact George WA2VNV by emailing him wa2vnv@optonline.net and let him know the details


Ham Shack News

  • Station-1 IC-7600 working normally
  • Station-1 Amp being repaired
  • Station-2 Available space
  • Station-3 IC-7600 working normally
  • Station-3 Yaesu Amp and tuner working normally
  • Station-4 FT-1000MP working normally
  • Station-4 FT-897 offline
  • Station-5 TESTING STATION
  • Station-6 Various VHF/UHF radios are working normally

Special Projects

The following are project and watch weekly emails for status.

All project are ON-HOLD until we have the all-clear to enter the park and shack

  • Station 1 AL-82 Amp repair WIP
  • Satellite TOWER BASE installation COMPLETE
  • Satellite ANTENNA and radio installation WIP
  • Shack outside power replacement WIP
  • Repeater case and shelve replacement ON HOLD
  • Repeater microwave relocation and maintenance TBA

Report (by Ed N4II)

TBA

Ed N4II


About Our Members

We honor and remembered our members who have passed

  • Keith McPhail K3SKM
  • Linda Lindeman N4JNL
  • Sidney Gogel W2FUR
  • Bob  Dobski KB8WJF
  • Robert Fox W1VEI
  • Myron Goldstein WA2PWJ   CLICK FOR OBIT 
  • Hap Patterson WA4ZLJ         CLICK FOR OBIT

We welcome the following new members:

  • John Teahan KB2MPX
  • Sam Wilfond WS4BSA
  • William Waters W7GKF

New Membership Form
CLICK FOR MEMBERSHIP APP AS PDF

Statistics

  • 3 New members
  • 4 Pending online applications
  • 7 Silent keys
  • 116 Regular members
  • 2 Associate members
  • 24 Family members
  • 2 Lifetime
  • 145 Paid members

Good and Welfare


If you know of an amateur or their family dealing with health issues or may have lost someone, please let us know. Robert.K K3SUH is our go to person to send a communication in the form of a card to the person or family.

CLICK HERE to email details.


SCHEDULED NETS 

Analog 2m

145.29(-) PL110.9 50 watts out.
Status: Art and Lew have been addressing various issues at the 2m repeater site.

DMR Brandmeister

70cm 442.875(+) CC-1 TS-2 TG-311037  50 watts out. The FAU IP is working normally.

Monday to Saturday 

7am Ad Hoc Free Net
Analog 145.29- PL110.9  


Sunday

8.00pm South East FL DMR Tech Net TG-311037
BRARA 442.875+ CC-2 TS-2  
GCARA 443.350+ CC-11 TS-1  
Wellington ARA 145.19- CC-2 TS-1  


Monday

7.00pm Voice Com Net  
BRARA 145.29- PL110.9 


Monday

7.30pm DMR BrainWaves NotANet TG-311037
BRARA 442.875+ CC-2 TS-2  
GCARA 443.350+ CC-11 TS-1 
Wellington ARA 145.19- CC-2 TS-1 


Tuesday 

9.00am Breakfast Club Net 
BRARA 145.29- PL110.9 


Wednesday

8.00pm Southeast Florida NBEMS Net 
BRARA 145.29- PL110.9 

Other Local Analog Repeater Nets

  • Daily 6.00 pm SEFL Traffic 146.61 MHz
  • Tue 7.30pm CERT Plan-B 145.29- PL110.9

Club Repeaters

  • 144.390 APRS Repeater (NOW ACTIVE)
  • 145.070 Packet Repeater (OFF LINE)
  • GPS Location: 26.39724 –80.09485

Local DMR Repeaters
CLICK FOR REPEATER LIST

Scheduled DMR Nets
CLICK FOR DMR NETS

  • Sun 8.00 pm TG-3110037 SeFL DMR Tech Net
  • Mon 7.30 pm TG-311037 BrainWaves Net
  • Tue 8.00pm MA DMR Tech Net TG-31630 via any Brandmeister / hotspot 
  • Tue 8.00pm VT DMR Tech Net TG-3150 via CANTURBO server 
  • Wed 7.30 pm TG-3149803  Wellington DMR Tech Net
  • Wed 9.00 pm TG-3  NA Tech Net
  • Thu 8.20pm TG-31777 NotQuiteRight Net ON HOLD
  • Sat 12.00 noon TG-1 WW
  • Sat  8.00 pm TG-310035 GCARC KnowItAll Net


Newsletter Guidelines

Thanks for all who submitted articles and I hope you continue to do so. We’re also looking for new writers as well. Here are some guidelines for article submissions.

  • Text should be in MS Word or equivalent, saved as a .DOC file
  • Write your best stuff, but don’t sweat the grammar. That’s why there’s an editor.
  • Please submit pictures/illustrations as separate files, don’t embed them in the text.
  • Be sure to submit clear, in-focus photos


Club Ham Shack

West Delray Regional Park
10875 West Atlantic Avenue
Delray Beach, FL 33446


Board of Directors Scheduled Meetings

We hold scheduled monthly Board meetings at 12:00 Noon at the Shack on the Sunday preceding the next General Meeting.


Donations and Contributions

 

 

 

Contributions to BRARA— a 501(c)(3) organization—are tax deductible as charitable donations. As you complete your membership renewal or begin your year-end tax planning, please consider making a donation to BRARA.

Please donate to BRARA via Amazon Smiles:
Search for:  Boca Raton Amateur Radio Association

CLICK HERE TO SMILE AT BRARA

Planned Giving: Please also consider BRARA when updating or initiating planned giving (including charitable gift annuities, bequests and gifts or retirement plan assets) and other assets.


For More Information

Website:    www.brara.org  Twitter: BRARA@N4BRF  Instagram: #BRARA_N4BRF

Facebook:    CLICK VIEW FACEBOOK

Please be advised that the above are the official BRARA social media sites. No other social media sites are recognized by BRARA.


Newsletter Contributions

Got an idea for an article? Or constructive critique? Want to share club news and events? How about writing a short 30-minute project idea? Your submissions to the Radio Flyer are needed to help keep this one of the best club newsletters in South Florida.

Please send articles to   BRARA@BRARA.org


Ham Shack Access Rules

To obtain a key to the BRARA Ham Shack you must be a member in good standing for a minimum of one continuous year, hold a valid FCC Amateur Radio License, and complete a short training session with one of the Club officers.

Address

the Radio Flyer
P.O. Box 480162
Delray Beach, FL 33448-0162


Copyright and Protection

Copyright © 2020 Boca Raton Amateur Radio Association (BRARA).

Reproduction of material from any BRARA web page without written permission is prohibited.

Regards and 73 from The Shack
de N4BRF

             GOOD HEALTH