April 2003 Edited by George Lanning  KB6LE

Table of Contents

 From the Oval Shack

 From the VP's desk

 Lakefair is looking for a few good Hams

 Bloopers

 Treasurer's Report

 Equipment for sale

 OARS Net check-ins

 Medicine

 Iraqi amateur operation reported

 OARS Directory by Call Suffix

 Cross Reference by Name

Spring is here and along with it Daylight Savings Time, or as the Europeans call it, "Summer Time."

As the weather improves and the days lengthen so that we can spend more time outdoors, it is not too early to begin thinking about and planning for OARS Field Day participation, which is coming up on June 28-29, 2003. Lee, KI7SS, has again gotten the permit for us to set up on the Capitol Campus. While this may not give us the best location for antennas, it is offset by the exposure that it gives us in the community.

Dan, KB7DFL, has arranged for the Thurston County sheriff's communications van to be available for us and along with this, a Washington State EMD Mission Number which gives us L&I insurance for the event. Duane, WB7ROZ, has arranged for the Intel emergency communications van to be there also. This will give us two very good and visible operating positions. We have already arranged with Steve, WC7I, to have his rig available for one of the stations.

Duane is again to provide us with a network based logging program like we used last year to facilitate our contact logging. This worked out very well last year, and I am looking forward to using it again this year. 

Also, we are planning a potluck on Saturday evening for all interested members to come down and join us on the Capitol Campus for a great time. Even if you don't come down and operate, we would like to join us for the potluck. We will provide a list of last names and potential dishes next month.

I have volunteered to take the load off Lee and coordinate our efforts this year, so if you have any resources that you would like to make available to our Field Day 2003 event, please let me know by email, eyeball, fax or phone.

Now on to other topics. On the subject of our repeaters, we have been offered a couple of microwave channels for links between the water tower and Crawford Mountain. The advantage is that it eliminates the current radio links and simplifies the system. It will also give us increased performance by eliminating the delay in bringing up the links when you press the PTT. The downside is that it will increase our dependence on CAPCOM and Thurston County for the operation of our system.

I would like your input on this issue.

73

-- Ken Dahl, K7TAG

From the VP's desk

Talk about juggling! I just put together a calendar of upcoming events we've got a hand in somehow:
 

May 3          YMCA 10K
May 18         Capitol City Marathon
June 7-8       Road Rally
June 27-28     Field Day
July 5         Fox Hunt
July 19        Lake Fair Parade
August 18-22   Radio Camp
September 6-7  Road Rally

Not to mention Seaside in early June, the hamfests of August and September, and a vision of a ham radio show on TCTV in the distant future. There's hardly time to mow the grass! Yippee!

But seriously, to make this work we need lots of volunteers. If everyone helped with ONE event no one would be really inconvenienced, and collectively we could take a deep bow. Immediately, I need those of you who were part of last year's Capitol City Marathon to volunteer for this year's event. It's coming right up!

I bought an antique Atlas 210X mobile transceiver for $125 a couple of weeks ago. How many of you can tell me what that is? In case you've forgotten, or never knew, this beast is a solid state HF radio, with an analog dial (no digital display), about the size of two reams of paper, stacked. I've an idea to mount it in my Jeep if I can figure out where and how. I took the radio out to the Jeep today and did some initial measuring. The only place it fits is between the seats, sideways, and that's cumbersome. I'm really beginning to appreciate the detached-faceplate radios. None of the modern cars I've had for a while would really accommodate this beast, or my all-time favorite, the Kenwood TS-120.

I've been collecting old Morse code keys. I got into this sub-hobby mostly by accident. Oddly, when I go to garage sales, I often find old keys for sale for pennies, abandoned like orphans, and I can't just let them lie. What's that about? How did so many telegraph keys get scattered into so many clearly non-code homes? No matter, I'm making it a passion to buy them and give them a place where they'll be appreciated! This is not just a random collector at work; I do like "the code," so I can justify this passion directly. I admit I'm not a breakneck CW fanatic, but the soothing sound of well sent code, clear and cutting through the static, is a real delight. It takes me back to the early days when CW really was king. What radio passion do you have? Write about it and our kindly editor George will print it!

I went to the Saturday breakfast a week ago, and we discussed fox hunting. It's been a while since we've played the game, and it's time to have at it. So, July 5th is fox hunt day this year. We'll have our breakfast as usual, and then have a shot at finding a fox who will be transmitting on 2 meters from an undisclosed location, with low power. Plan to dig out your beam antennas, attenuators, and dust off your fox hunt manuals and have a little fun.

All the best! 73!

-- Lee, KI7SS

Lakefair is looking for a few good Hams

As in the past 6 years, OARS has been volunteered to help with communications during the annual Lakefair Parade. The event this year will be on Saturday, July 19th from 5 PM till 7 PM in downtown Olympia.

Larry, KC7CKO, and Lee, KI7SS, are coordinating communications assets this year. Net control will operate out of the county comm van stationed along the route. OARS needs about 26 people to do this properly. Here is a partial breakdown on nets, locations and duties. This may change as we get close to the event.

1. Olympia High School check in point. Hams are needed here to coordinate with parade officials on who has signed in and their locations in the parade. ARES/RACES will provide four 440 handhelds for this location to work with on simplex. We would like at least 4 people at this site.
2. Bus Riders: We will need a minimum of 4 Hams to ride on buses. They need to have handhelds with at least 5 watts of power and a mag-mount type antenna for 2 meter operations. They will use the OARS 2 meter repeater.
3. Announcers: Up to 12 people would be needed in case some others require relief. We would like some folks to have a basic knowledge of packet, but IT IS NOT a requirement. They will work on 2 meter voice simplex and possibly have a packet terminal provided by ARES/RACES on site to receive parade updates.
4. Float/Band/Horse unit coordinators: Need about 6 people for these 3 sites. Frequencies TBA.
5. Net Control Station: We need 4 people at the comm van to assist in voice and packet operations. People volunteering for this location need to be able to listen to multiple radios and modes, and be able to write quickly and clearly. In the event of an emergency, they may be the link to medical or law enforcement services for assistance and need to be able to remain calm during a crisis.

Bloopers

• Funeral services for Karl Smith will be held at noon in the chapel of the First Methodist Church. Entertainment will follow in the cemetery. Excuse me. That should have been interment. (Announcer, KERV, Kerrville, Texas)
• One day I had to be the bearer of bad news when I told a wife that her husband had died of a massive myocardial infarct. Not more than five minutes later, I heard her reporting to the rest of the family that he had died of a "massive internal fart." (Dr. Susan Steinberg) 
• Senators are chosen as committee chairmen on the basis of senility. 
• We sold our house and moved into one of those pandemoniums. 
• The police in Chicago are not here to create disorder but to preserve it. (Mayor Daley during the Democratic Convention) 
• "No milk. Please do not leave milk at No. 14 either as he is dead until further notice."
• Ad in newspaper: ARMAGEDDON...THE EARTH'S LAST WAR...HOW AND WHERE IT WILL BE FOUGHT...At the First Baptist Church.

-- from David, ZL3AI, via packet

Treasurer's Report

As of 3/31/03
 

GENERAL FUND (checking account)
Previous balance     $2,496.03
    Income                1.05
    Ending balance    2,356.74

REPEATER / PACKET FUND (savings account)
Previous balance       $961.83
    Income                3.92
    Expenses              0.00
Ending balance          965.75
 

-- Ed Fitzgerald, N7WW, Treasurer

Equipment for sale

Yaesu FT-890

Yaesu FT-890 all band XCVR absolutely like new in original box, complete, PS, etc., $500. A fellow retiree neighbor acquired the rig 10 yrs ago, his cost $1500. Never licensed, he used it as SWL only. This has to be a rare bargain for some new OARS General licensee or backup rig for the ham with everything. Phone owner direct, Mr. P. Y. Williams, 438-5924, (or me for comment at 438-5921, if you prefer).

-- Jack Barber, W1PRT
 

ICOM IC-3AT

I have an ICOM IC-3AT handheld I bought in 1980 that has never been used. Do you know anyone that might be interested in buying it? I never got into the hobby. I got your address off the web.

-- Phil Dyer, Bellingham

360-739-9900

phildyer@attbi.com
 

OARS Net check-ins

The following 28 stations checked in on the OARS General Information Net on one or more of the dates March 11, 18, or 25:
 

The net meets at 7:30 every Tuesday evening on the 3 linked OARS repeaters: 147.36, 224.46, and 441.40 MHz. All Hams are invited to check in.

Medicine

A distraught patient phoned her doctor's office. Was it true, the woman wanted to know, that the medication the doctor had prescribed was for the rest of her life? She was told that it was.

There was a moment of silence before the woman continued, "I'm wondering, then, just how serious my condition is. This prescription is marked "NO REFILLS.'"

-- from David, ZL3AI, via packet

Iraqi amateur operation reported

The Daily DX <http://www.dailydx.com> this week reported that Jim Dunkerton, KT4CK, of Tennessee, has been active from the Middle East on 15 meters SSB. On April 6, he was giving his location as somewhere in the desert of the Middle East, but the following day, he was identifying as YI/KT4CK and saying he was in the desert of Southern Iraq. The Daily DX says that John Shelton, K1XN, has confirmed that Dunkerton is -- or has been -- with the 101st Airborne, reported by CNN this week as being near Karbala in Central Iraq.

Several stations have reported working or hearing YI/KT4CK between 1400 and 1600 UTC. SV1GRH spotted YI/KT4CK at 1438 UTC on April 7 on 21.3125 MHz, and noted that he was looking for US stations but, The Daily DX quoted SV1GRH as saying that YI/KT4CK was not getting many replies. 

Meanwhile, The Daily DX says Ed Giorgadze, 4L4FN, now is in the Middle East after wrapping up his North Korean (P5) operation. He has been in Turkey, very close to the Turkish/Iraqi border, for the last month and awaits his next UN World Food Program assignment -- which could be inside war-torn Iraq.

-- from the ARRL Letter, Electronic Edition

OARS Directory by Call Suffix

     Name                 Call    Address                    City ST ZIP             Phone

     Curt Danell                  1708 Ann St                Olympia WA 98506        360-951-3848

AGG  Reade Apgar          N7AGG   929 Trosper Rd SW RM 205   Tumwater WA 98512       360-754-0395
AKL  H.J. Motomatsu       WB7AKL  PO Box 206                 Silver Creek WA 98585   360-866-7975
ARY  George Carle         N7ARY   1809 Centerwood Dr SE      Olympia WA 98501        360-943-3536

BNS  Chris Chambers       KA7BNS  908 Narnia Lane NW         Olympia WA 98502        360-866-0800
BON  Phillip Jackson      KA9BON  3539 Yorkshire Dr SE       Olympia WA 98513        360-455-5090

CG   Bill Waesche         KE7CG   PO Box 1190                Rainier WA 98576        360-446-5085
CID  Jeffrey Jackson      W9CID   3539 Yorkshire Dr SE       Olympia WA 98513        360-455-5090
CZM  Jim Elder            KD7CZM  6007 LaVista Ct SW         Olympia WA 98512        360-705-4329
CZN  Gerald Julian        KD7CZN  4417 Clar Mar Ln SE        Olympia WA 98501-4711   360-943-7009

D    Dora Anna Fill       NI5D    3 Fair Oaks Dr             Conway AR 72032         501-327-0337
DFL  Daniel Crane         KB7DFL  4310 Glen Terra Dr. SE     Lacey WA 98503          360-459-1564
DHE  Sharon Campbell      N7DHE   9101-24 Steilacoom Rd.     Olympia WA 98513        360-491-6460
DOY  Rick Damitio         W7DOY   7023 Mullen Rd SE          Olympia WA 98503        360-491-2587

E    Rod Deakin           NR7E    PO Box 8820                Lacey WA 98509
EIE  Leroy Smith          N7EIE   8525 Mahonia Ct SE         Yelm WA 98597-9794      253-686-5106
ET   Ray Chenhall         AA7ET   9038 Waddell Creek Rd SW   Olympia WA 98512        360-902-7378

FEE  Charles Scovill      KC7FEE  6625 Bellevista St NW      Olympia WA 98502        360-866-1961

GAQ  Gard Forester        KF6GAQ  PO Box 8721                Olympia WA 98509        360-438-9860
GE   Jeff Withers         W3GE    6010 193rd Ave SW          Rochester WA 98579      360-273-8614
GGX  Paul Leach           N7GGX   2030 Cardinal Lane         Lacey WA 98503          360-438-5777
GMC  John Moore           N7GMC   2407 Tyndell Circle SW     Tumwater WA 98502       360-357-6234

HA   Bob Keppler          KE7HA   1120 Chestnut SE           Olympia WA 98502        360-943-1368
HCT  Clark Main           N7HCT   5509 Thornbury Dr SE       Lacey WA 98513          360-923-1300
HFS  Dorlene Keppler      N7HFS   1120 Chestnut SE           Olympia WA 98502        360-943-1368
HKI  Gary Ernest          N7HKI   2718 24th Ave. SE          Olympia WA 98501        360-352-2503
HRY  Kenneth Smith        W7HRY   7627 Cooper Point Rd. NW   Olympia WA 98502        360-866-2507
HTX  Lois Cox             KB7HTX  4818 Belwood Dr. NE        Olympia WA 98506        360-357-6256

I    Steve Ward           WC7I    5034 Meridian Rd. NE       Olympia WA 98506        360-456-4249
IC   Bill Fill            KD5IC   3 Fair Oaks Dr             Conway AR 72032         501-327-0337
IIF  Ruth Barber          K1IIF   4316 Chambers Lake Dr. SE  Lacey WA 98503          360-438-5921
IOM  Thomas Christian     W7IOM   5825 Stellar Ln SE         Olympia WA 98513        360-459-3060
ISO  John Kennedy         KD7ISO  PO Box 5556                Lacey WA 98509
IVM  Ben Bennett          N7IVM   1212 Tabitha Ct NW         Olympia WA 98502        360-705-8533

JHJ  Robert Goodnow       N7JHJ   4017 Indian Summer Dr SE   Olympia WA 98513        360-456-2427
JSK  Keith McDonald       N7JSK   10337 Carney Dr. SE        Olympia WA 98501        360-352-2514

KIP  Kip Stilz            K7KIP   4625 Norcross Ct SE        Olympia WA 98501        360-456-4949
KJG  Thom Solberg         N7KJG   3067 60th Ave SE           Olympia WA 98501        360-456-3297
KSK  Bob Brown            KA7KSK  6106 Lemon Rd NE           Olympia WA 98506        360-452-3842

LA   Paul Taylor          KC7LA   3720 Wesley Loop NW        Olympia WA 98502        360-866-0683
LE   George Lanning       KB6LE   4129 Green Cove N.W.       Olympia WA 98502        360-866-2185
LVV  Mark Tyler           KD7LVV  2247 Sapp Rd SW            Tumwater WA 98512       360-352-5990
LWB  Jon Bennett          W7LWB   7132 Hawks Prairie Rd NE   Lacey WA 98516          360-459-0697
LZA  Phil Norris          KD7LZA  205 Shadow Ln NE           Olympia WA 98506        360-491-1873

MBP  Lawrence McKnight    KD7MBP  4931 Delores Dr NE         Olympia WA 98516        360-412-5973
MEA  Dennis Mills         N7MEA   804 Narnia Lane NW         Olympia WA 98502
MHC  Marc Cote            KD7MHC  2105 Wedgewood Dr SE       Olympia WA 98501        360-753-2276
MNM  Marie Chambers       KC7MNM  908 Narnia Lane NW         Olympia WA 98502        360-866-0800
MNM  David Nightingale    KD7MNM  2423 Woodfield Lp SE       Olympia WA 98501        360-491-1280
MNN  Reed Nightingale     KD7MNN  2423 Woodfield Lp SE       Olympia WA 98501        360-491-1280
MRK  Mark Matthies        W7MRK   PO Box 14114               Tumwater WA 98511-4114  360-943-1624
MX   Ken Elfbrandt        AA7MX   918 Corral Lane SE         Tumwater WA 98501       360-357-4447

NE   Rollo Shaw           AB7NE   1809 Sawyer St SE          Olympia WA 98501        360-754-9682
NN   Ron Hill             W7NN    10624 Zephyr Ln SW         Olympia WA 98512        888-357-7779
NV   Don Shields          KJ7NV   1872 Circle LN SE          Lacey WA 98503          360-438-5066

OH   James Elliott        AA7OH   3455 Martin Way #18        Olympia WA 98506        360-456-5571
OQJ  Brett Taylor         KC7OQJ  3720 Wesley Loop NW        Olympia WA 9850         360-866-0683
OSX  Barbara McRoberts    KB7OSX  9101-68 Steilacoom Rd SE   Olympia WA 98513        360-438-2965

PNX  Lisa Withers         KB7PNX  6010 193rd Ave SW          Rochester WA 98579      360-273-8614
PRT  Jack Barber          W1PRT   4316 Chambers Lake Dr. SE  Lacey WA 98503          360-438-5921
PS   Sara Lyon            AB7PS   7734 Nottingham Ct SE      Olympia WA 98503        360-459-9263
PT   David Palmer         AC7PT   2413 Woodfield Lp SE       Olympia WA 98501        360-491-3749
PUC  Al Williams          K7PUC   706 Frederick St NE        Olympia WA 98506        360-753-1328

QHK  Ruth Bolstad         KC7QHK  929 Trosper Rd SW          Tumwater WA 98512-6961  360-754-7433

RAT  Richard Bullard      KD7RAT  2020 Mare Ct SE            Olympia WA 98501        360-357-3249
RHK  Kathleen Moore       KC7RHK  2407 Tyndell Circle SW     Tumwater WA 98502       360-357-6234
ROZ  Duane Braford        WB7ROZ  204 Shadow Ln NE           Olympia WA 98506        360-412-1902

SAY  Allan Jones          W7SAY   2752 Stratford Ln SW #3532 Tumwater WA 98512-6029  360-352-7516
SIX  Fred Baker           W7SIX   224 Satsop Ave             Shelton WA 98584        360-357-2662
SNS  Cheryl Jackson       KD7SNS  3539 Yorkshire Dr SE       Olympia WA 98513        360-455-5090
SQT  William Braford      KD7SQT  2030 Cardinal Lane         Lacey WA 98503          360-438-5777
SS   Lee Chambers         KI7SS   908 Narnia Lane NW         Olympia WA 98502        360-866-0800
SSD  Sharon Kinder        N7SSD   502 S. Edison St.          Olympia WA 98501        360-943-6187
SXW  Jeffery Meader       KD7SXW  PO Box 1288                Yelm WA 98597           360-458-3823

TAG  Ken Dahl             K7TAG   1120 Palomino Ct SE        Tumwater WA 98501-8633  360-534-9357

UJH  Vaunn Litchfield     KD7UJH  PO Box 12450               Olympia WA 98508        360-866-3618
UKX  Tim Nairin           KB7UKX  5629 Sleater Kinney Rd NE  Olympia WA 98506        360-491-4956
USS  D.J. Darby           KD7USS  4839 Sleater Kinney NE     Olympia WA 98506        360-491-1457
UUO  Wallace Music        W7UUO   5305 Stikes Ct. SE         Lacey WA 98503          360-491-0354
UXU  Finch Johnston       KA7UXU  6335 103rd Ave SW          Olympia WA 98512        360-236-1319

VNY  Morgan Chambers      KC7VNY  908 Narnia Lane NW         Olympia WA 98502        360-866-0800

W    Charles Stoddard     NX6W    1737 Judd St NE            Olympia WA 98516
WIC  Isabel Ernest        KA7WIC  2718 24th Ave. SE          Olympia WA 98501        360-352-2503
WW   Ed Fitzgerald        N7WW    5006 Lacey Blvd. SE        Lacey WA 98503          360-491-2289

YD   Robert Lyon          AA7YD   7734 Nottingham Ct SE      Olympia WA 98503        360-459-9263

ZIP  Dick McRoberts       WB9ZIP  9101-68 Steilacoom Rd SE   Olympia WA 98513        360-438-2965
ZTU  Mick Bush            N7ZTU   1003 Surrey Trace Dr. SE   Olympia WA 98501        360-956-3312
ZWN  Kristopher Chambers  KC7ZWN  908 Narnia Lane NW         Olympia WA 98502        360-866-0800