The summer months are approaching, so take advantage of the numerous club activities (most of which will be outdoors) that various club members have arranged. Enjoy the company of members while you search for bargains at Hambash on April 20th.   At the Tallgrass on the Prairie POTA Event on April 27th, learn about portable stations, battery supplies, and antennas, all while experiencing the largest expanse of tallgrass prairie left in the world.   Be sure, especially, to tell your friends and neighbors to experience Ensorfest, which will have events for the entire family on May 11th.   Then, later in June (June 22nd and 23rd), the club will gather for Field Day, filled with casual visits and more opportunities to learn about portable stations.   

     We've just formed a new fund-raising committee to gather the best ideas, and all members are not only welcome but encouraged to contact one of the officers with their suggestions. 

 MEETING TO ORDER:

    President George, WBØCNK, called to order the April 2024  business meeting of the SFTARC at about 7:45 AM CDT.  A total of 24 members attended, 19 joining in person at the Gardner Perkins and 5 joining via Zoom. There were no guests.

SECRETARY-TREASURER REPORT: 

    Marty, KEØPEZ, was unable to attend, so the financial report was read by President George WBØCNK. There were no major expenditures this past month. The club now has 69 members in good standing.

OTHER BUSINESS:

ENSORFEST

     George read Marty's written update on the 2024 Ensorfest. There will be a variety of vehicles on display, possibly including Corvettes, bluegrass music, food truck, BioBlitz, quilts, 1911 Cushman engine, corn-shelling machine, tree cookies, and other activities. The Ensor farmhouse will be open for tours.

Repeater Update

     Jim KØNK reported that the City of Olathe has indicated their intent to provide a repeater site for the club. The club is continuing to look into the cost of doing an installation. Jim provided some brief early ideas of what a cost effective installation may involve.

     It is clear that the club needs to raise funds to support the operation of club repeaters. George recommended that a committee of volunteers and appointees be created  to find the best ideas. Joe Krout moved to create such a committee; Bob Shaumeyer seconded the motion. After discussion, the Club approved the motion. Joe Krout, Tom WA2IVD, VP Larry KDØRIU, and Jeff KSØJD volunteered to serve on the committee, and George will arrange initial meetings in the next weeks which can include Zoom meetings. The Repeater Funding Committee is planning to meet shortly on Zoom.

     Joe Krout moved to waive the club membership fee for Jim Andera and Steve Rainey. After a suggestion by Jim ACØKN, Joe amended his motion to also waive membership fees for the three repeater owners in order to recognize their significant contributions to the club.

     George restated the motion as "The club shall provide extended club membership for Jim KØNK, Steve WDØDPB, the 3 Trustees Danny WAØFMZ, Duke WØQQ and Rob KE5BR for the life of the repeaters." Del Sawyer and Jim Cessna seconded the motion simultaneously. After brief discussion, a majority voted to approve the motion; there were no Nay votes. 

Tech Night Program

     Howard NØAZ will present the April program on the Ensor Park and Museum.

2024 Ham Classes

     Jim Andera indicated the CW class had transitioned to Thursday Zoom Sessions run by Instructors Jim and George with 2 or 3 students and Jim Cessna joining. These sessions will continue for a number of weeks. (He reminded the club that on Thursdays they use the Tech Night Zoom link at 7PM and end the session just prior to the start of the Tech Night program at 7:30PM.)

TALLGRASS POTA EVENT

     The date of this operating event is April 27. Jim displayed a nice certificate the club received from Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve from last year's event and provided details for this year including who had signed up so far, the travel departure location and time. The car groups can form at the departure location with others traveling independently as well as later departures. Jim provided a description of the stations / modes and equipment that will be set up.

Ararat Shrine HAMbash

     This annual event will take place on April 20, starting at 8 AM. Joe has purchased 8 tables for use by the organizations he is affiliated with. Please bring anything you would like to sell (table space will be shared among those with something to sell). Please take a turn manning the tables.

HAMVENTION

     Joe Krout, KRØUT, said four people have signed up for the 5-day trip (Joe, George, Jim, Howard). They leave on May 15 and arrive home on May 19. They have rooms reserved in a townhouse. Others are welcome to caravan along, and overnight arrangements can be made with hotels in the area if needed.

APPRECIATION

     The club gave a round of applause after George recognized these members for their contributions and service to the club:

     Jim K0NK has led the Repeater Committee through the years, vigilantly searching for a new site, and, with Steve Rainey's help, finding an opportunity at the City of Olathe. Jim has also made his own Gardner 2M repeater available for club use      Steve Rainey has provided key assistance as the club has sought a new repeater site. He has decades of public-service leadership for large community events and is highly regarded by public officials.

     Repeater Trustees Danny KA0FMZ, Duke W0QQ, and Rob KE5BR have generously provided their repeaters as a service to the club, and they provide continuing support in the search for a new repeater site.

 KS QSO Party

     The 2024 event will be very similar to those of past years. It is one of the best QSO parties in the country. If possible, please go to the Sawyer Antenna Facility in Edgerton to help operate that station. Del moved to send $200 to Bob Harder to support the event; second by Bob Shaumeter. Motion passed. 

ADJOURN:

     President George adjourned the meeting at about 9:00 AM.

Experience the fun of participating in a mini-DXpedition.

• Destination: The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, 100 miles SW of Olathe near Strong City.
• When: Saturday, April 27th.

     The plan is to depart Gardner at 6 am and arrive at the Tallgrass around 10 am. We will return to Johnson County in the late afternoon.

    Most of the crew will travel by carpool/caravan, with a breakfast stop on the way down and an ice-cream stop on the return. Participants are welcome to drive by themselves if that works better into individual schedules.

     This event has become a tradition with the SFTARC. The park staff welcomes us, park visitors are often intrigued by us and many SFTARC members consider this event a highlight of the year. It can be a fun event to bring the family to.  There is a historic house, a modern visitors center and miles of hiking trails—complete with bison sharing the trail.

     If you want to take part in activating the Tallgrass for this POTA event, please contact Jim Andera, K0NK, at k0nk@arrl.net. Most of the coordination for this event will be done by email in the weeks and days prior to the event, with some planning taking place at the Saturday morning breakfasts.

     Every year, just like clockwork, the SFTARC has brough a little bit of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve to the rest of the amateur radio world.  At the same time, we have brought the amateur radio into the public view. Those efforts have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.  As proof, the National Park Service has presented the SFTARC with a Volunteers-In-Parks Certificate to recognize our club's efforts for our May 2023 operation from the Tallgrass.

     Some years the KS0KS call sign is used from the Tallgrass as a Special Event Station, with times and frequencies published in QST Magazine

     Other years, the KS0KS call sign has been used as a POTA (Parks on the air) activation. (K-3673 is the POTA designator for the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve.)  Either way, there is something special about operating from the nearly 11,000-acre preserve. It is also fun to be able to demonstrate amateur radio to the curious visitors. And as icing on the cake, the NPS gets to count our time as volunteer hours--a plus for the NPS.

 The students that were able to attend the last class received Certificates of Completion. L-R are Howard, NØAZ; Jason, KFØISL; Joe, KRØUT; Del, KØDDS; Rex, KFØJIR; and Tom, KFØNPE.

     Technically speaking, the SFTARC’s 2024 Morse Code classes were completed on Saturday, February 24^th.  In reality--the learning of the Morse code never stops.

Jim, KØNK, demonstrated an on-the-air QSO for the students at the final class.

 

     Three instructors, Jim, KØNK; Gil, WAØYCY; and Geoge, WBØCNK coached students on both sending and receiving skills. Instructors took turns sending Morse code with a straight key to the students. In some classes, students and instructors broke up into small groups to practice sending to each other. A code practice program by F6DQM, called CW_Player, was the primary tool used for home study by the students. A significant part of the instruction involved discussing and demonstrating operating practices that are often unique to CW operation. Straight keys and CPOs were made available to the students who needed them, thanks to the generosity and efforts of Joe, KR0UT and George, WBØCNK.

     To help students move forward after the final formal class, the SFTARC is holding weekly Zoom-based CW nets on Thursday evenings.  Additionally, students were provided with information on the W1AW code practice transmissions as well as a similar ARRL webpage and frequencies used by the Straight Key Century Club (SKCC) where slower code operating can often be found.

     We are again thankful to the Salvation Army in Olathe for providing a classroom and to the SFTARC for sponsoring the 2024 classes.  Dah dah di di dit      di di di dah dah.

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