APPOINTED POSITIONS FOR MONTANA SECTION

As of this morning, we have two openings for volunteer positions here in Montana.

The first one is Technical coordinator (TC) for the entire section. Bill, K7MT has served in this job for some years now and is planning on focusing his efforts into the AMSAT area of our hobby. The TC needs to be conversant with the technology we use and be ready to help and support new and older hams alike with information to help solve problems simple and complex. Thanks to Bill for all his efforts

In addition, we now need a Net Manager for the Montana Traffic Net to replace Jack Brooks, KD7HWV. Position requires administration of net reports over the month and reporting to the SM at the end of the period. Job requires net attendance as often as possible. Our thanks to Jack for his support of MTN and the changes he's made to improve the net.

Please contact me if you are interested in either position.

73 Doug, K7YD-SM, MT

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HELP THE HARC BUDGET

If you received this newsletter via hardcopy mail and would like to help us save mailing costs by downloading it or reading it from the internet, please drop any of the officers a note. Thanks.

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AND NOW PRESENTING

As mentioned earlier, Elmer, WG7E, handed out a list at the last meeting, are you interested?

Use of repeaters- How to connect / link with others, Echo link, phone patch

Home rigs- Some of the most popular features, important components, vendors

Mobile rigs- HF rigs, VHF rigs, UHF rigs, features and components, related antennas, vendors

Base Antennas- recommended models, manufacturers, vendors

Contesting- How to get started, what to do, rules and etiquette

QSL cards- Vendors, what to include, how to collect, explain “by the bureau”

Keeping a log- What to include, vendors for books, styles of log books

RACES certification- Web site to get started, what levels of certification

Equipment for shack- Amplifiers, tuners, watt meter, antenna switch, interfaces for RTTY, PACKET, etc.

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A HISTORY LESSON FROM A FORMER AND “NEW’ MEMBER

During the past month, I received an e-mail from a former / “new” member of the Hellgate ARC. His question was simple, and was easily answered. During a quick e-mail exchange with Vick, K7VK, a potential article (one year old) arrived on my computer. Enjoy! -ed.

“I was president of the club for part of one term during my last year in graduate school at UM. I know that I resigned my office in July or August of 1974 when I left Missoula to take a job in Texas. I have been trying to get back to Missoula ever since, and I may succeed this summer having recently retired. In my time in Missoula in the early 1970's, I was the young whipper-snapper looking in awe at the retired guys in the club and wishing that I had such discretionary time to devote to my hobby.

So, I suppose that I was elected sometime in the fall of 1973 and served until mid-1974 when I moved.

I see that your Field Day site will be at Ft. Missoula this year. In 1974, Ken Gordon, W7EKB, Woodrow Wilson (Woody) Davey, W7CJB, Milburn (Mil) Parker, W7NEG, and I set up along the diagonal road west of the historic entrance to Ft. Missoula at South Avenue and Reserve Street.

At the time, I lived just a couple of blocks north of there on North Avenue West. Ken lived a few blocks east on Eaton. Mil lived just west of Russell on Kensington, which was a sleepy little street in those days with lots of mobile homes, of which one was his. His shack was a small 20 year old (at the time) trailer on the back of the lot where his modern mobile home was parked. Woody lived "all the way across town" south of the university. The historic entrance to Ft. Missoula was still open in those days. Except for the fire station and the hospital, not much was on the grounds except the old fort buildings. We made a few contacts, as I recall, during Saturday afternoon and called it quits at dinner time.

A couple of years later, after I had made my first escape from Houston, I was living in Moscow, ID, and I joined the club for Field Day when it set up at a park on the west side. I think that it was along Spurgin Road. I drove along Spurgin Road one day last spring, and it did not look very familiar after 30 years.

My son, Robb, KD5RXS, is now a student at UM and is working this summer at the Forest Service fire lab in Missoula. I have suggested that he try to connect with the Hellgate club for Field Day….

I am looking forward to reconnecting with the Hellgate club when I get relocated to Missoula later this summer or early fall.

Best regards, and I hope you have a good Field Day experience,

Bob Lankston, WA7TZP”

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THE 2007 RIVERBANK RUN

On April 28th the Hellgate Amateur Radio Club (HARC) continued it's support of the YMCA by providing emergency communications for the 35th annual Riverbank Run. The races consisted of 10K, 5K, and 1 Mile races, with a Trifecta in which some runners ran in all three races.

In support of these events HARC provided the emergency communications and traffic support as well as race desired 1st through 4th place runner number identification. The YMCA reported that the race participants totaled about 6000.

Thanks to Eric, NZ7S for the use of his repeater and the following HARC personnel for their support in this annual event, as well as the Wilma Hotel office for allowing us on the roof for a bird's eye view of the situation:

Bob Black, K7BA Frank, W7PAQ Bill, W4YMA Greg, NL7WB Bob Henderson, N7MSU

Lewis, AC7UZ Liz Myers, WG7E Elmer Myers, WG7P Larry, K7GIS Jerry, N7GE (on the roof)

and myself, Dennis, W7DHB (also on the roof).

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GREAT NEWS!

We have a donation from Randy Streck (KD7ABQ) today, besides his cash donation a month and a half ago, of a laptop computer for the club. It is a Dell Latitude D610 (just like the one that I have) with Windows XP Pro on it and inside it has a Pentium III, one ghz processor. It has a DVD/CDRW drive along with a floppy drive and a cable. It has a wireless connection inside so if we ever get to a wireless spot, all we will need is a wireless card to use the internet. This is a great addition to the club coffers since it was an idea of mine to present to the club, that the club gets one, along with a new HF rig, to help with logging contacts during our special events such as Skywarn and Field Day.

Thanks from the Hellgate ARC,

President Jerry Ehli, N7GE,

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Ahh, the Good Old Days!

From the ARRL April 12, 2007, Propagation Bulletin # 15

Kerry Webster, WB7AKE of Tacoma, Washington writes about another experience from 1958: ''My dad worked in a gas station in Centralia, Washington. One day he was chatting with the local cop, leaning in the window of the squad car, when the police officer picked up his microphone to check in with his dispatcher. To his surprise, the voice that came back was a strange woman with a southern accent, wanting him to go to 'Peachtree Street.' Turns out the dispatcher was in Georgia. I remember the cop cars of those days, with their long whip antennas, so I'm guessing they were on the old 40 MHz low VHF band. The incident made a great impression on me, and shortly afterward I got my first S-38 and started listening for this cool stuff myself.''

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LOGGING THOSE AMATEUR RADIO CONTACTS,

Your Personal Diary

By the early 1980s, required amateur radio station logging (writing down all of your transmissions) had been discontinued by the FCC. But should you still keep a “radio log” of your radio operations? Many of us suggest, “yes”. Some hams actually have thousands of radio contacts logged into logbooks dating back to when they first flipped on the transmit switch of their stations. There are good reasons for a complete logbook of your station transmissions.

· With a memory like mine, you may need a logbook to recall contacts/callsigns & names.

· Contests and some Awards require a log of “stations worked” for entry (ARRL, CQ, Worked All Hellgate, and others).

· Interference complaints may be resolved (were you really on the radio when your neighbors TV went dead?).

· It’s a good way to keep track of band openings (six-meters actually does open).

· Logbooks provide a record for confirming contacts for QSL cards.

Paper logs were about the only logging method years ago for amateurs.

DATE

FREQ

MODE

POWER

TIME

STATION

WORKED

REPORT

RECEIVED

REPORT

SENT

TIME

OFF

COMMENTS QSL

S R

Today however, it is quite common for hams to use computer-logging programs. Folks use DX4WIN, WriteLog and many others. There are even hams logging on Excel spreadsheets. A new advent to logging is the internet system linking your log entries to others. Check this out on the ARRL website, Logbook of the World (LoTW).

Radio logging can be an important necessity, time consuming or just plain fun (your choice). Like a personal diary, logbooks can also provide a way to reminisce about those ‘contacts of old’ and for those of us with slipping memories, had long forgotten, or other cases, what you heard, but could not contact (bummer).

Need a paper logbook? Check-out the ARRL store or their publications locally at Northwest Distributors, 125 E Main. Occasionally radio manufacturers have free logbooks (for example, Kenwood). Or, you can create your own, computer-generated or hand-drawn. My first logbook (WN7DEO) is a three-ring binder with vertical lines drawn on the pages to highlight the log entries.

I hope that you have many log entries & 73,

K7VK, Vick

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ARRL CONTEST RATE SHEET(s)

April 4 and April 18, 2007

Along with award qualifications comes word of a postage increase from Neil W3ZQI. "US Postal rates are going up May 14 -
(http://tinyurl.com/22uo6k) and QSL card seekers are urged to begin including the higher rate of US postage in their SASEs now to
accommodate the queues of QSL managers. $.01 and $.02 stamps are currently available while the US "Forever" stamp is due in April."

George N8RBS notes that his club (http://dale.pages.web.com/id6.html) includes future contest schedules, bands, exchanges, etc as a regular feature in the club newsletter. "Will this help ease the newcomers into HF? Will any of them get hot on the trail in contesting? We don't know for sure, but without knowing what is available to them, and how to get involved, they probably would not. We're just hoping to show the way. If we can help get them through their first contact on the air and through their first contest without getting into trouble then we have accomplished our mission - to be a little bit better operator, have a lot more fun with radio, and hopefully make a contester or two along the way."

Tatsuro JA5BJC, owner of one of the biggest Japanese Multi/Multi stations, passed away on the morning of April 1. Tatsuro's station
was a beacon from Japan on all bands featuring top JA contesters. If the band was open to JA, then JA5BJC was in the log. His signal will be sorely missed. Another well-known JA contest and DX operator, Masa AH0K/JR2GMC died on 26 March. Masa had been very active as a key member of JA2YKA in 1980's then with KH0AM in 1990. Masa was also a member of the JIDX Contest Committee. (Thanks, Tack JE1CKA)

At three minutes and four seconds after 2 AM on the 6th of May this year, the time and date will be 02:03:04 05/06/07. This won't happen again for 1000 years! How many sunspot cycles is that, anyway? (Thanks, Phil W7PDZ)

Every ham needs a Robotic Beer Can Launcher (http://brkout.org/8h2) don't you think? Why, there are all sorts of useful purposes to
which something like this could be put. (Thanks, Trey N5KO)

One very valuable directive that I read long ago in a contest column by a forgotten author (sorry!) was to take breaks when you're tired. Not long naps, just 5 to 10 minutes of walking around outside or taking a shower. Anything to get your brain refocused, "...even if the whole band is calling!" If you're slogging away, drowsy, nodding off, then your accuracy is probably going to be terrible. Do yourself a favor and freshen up - you won't regret it!

In many areas, rocks or even bedrock make digging a hole for a tower base mighty tough. Joe WD0M shows us on his Web site
(http://home.centurytel.net/WD0M) how to turn lemons into lemonade with a little drilling and epoxy. Click "Tower Project" in the "Ham Radio" menu on the home page.
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THANKS TO THE MEMBERS AND CONTRIBUTORS FOR YOUR SUPPORT

OF THE HARC AND AMATEUR RADIO

Members as of 2007-04-19
*AC7UZ*	Lewis Ball	KE7FAH	Allyson Nelson	N7STI	Frank Davis	*KD5RXS*	Robb Lankston
*K7BA*	Bob Black	*KE7IZG*	Michael Leary	*N7STM*	Jerry Willis	*N7MSU*	Bob Henderson
K7GIS	Larry Stipe	*KE7JQC*	Liz Myers	*N7TAE*	Wayne Van Meter	*WA7TZP*	Bob Lankston
*K7IMZ*	Gerry Nelson	*KE7JQD*	Elmer Myers, Jr	*N7UVQ*	Janet Davis	*KD7BIG*	Bill McGuire
*K7PX*	Steve Schlang	*KE7LJH*	Bryan Gillispie	*N7VGY*	Martin Merwin	*N7PAS*	Paul Shuey
*K7VK*	Vick Applegate	*KE7LZH*	Jack Piippo	*N7WKR*	Mike Boxell	*WA7W*	Morris Campbell
*K8MEU*	Joseph Mata	*KE7NO*	Craig Nelson	*NL7WB*	Greg Lee	*KD7HP*	Wilmajean French
*KA7OGK*	Mitch Stachowsky	*KE7WR*	Kevin Goffe	*NZ7S*	Eric Sedgwick	*N7RZW*	Myron Boucher
*KB3MQQ*	Dennis Shaffer	*KJ7NL*	Walter Bradford	*W4YMA*	Bill Farrell	*WB7OTC*	Bruce McCloskey
*KC0AJD*	Kathy Brummit	*KK7UV*	Steve Flood	*W7DHB*	Dennis Barthel	*KD7KE*	Dave Haverfield
*KC5WRA*	Donna Pecastaing	*N0AUB*	Ed Nesselroad	*W7KNT*	John Vugteveen	*KC7UZJ*	Jack Randolph
*KC7DPF*	Todd Clark Family	*N0XPO*	Jim Brummit	*W7OHH*	Dick Lindborg	*W7XY*	Donnie Fort
*KC7RBC*	Jackie Harrington	*N7FMW*	Ruth Scott	*W7PAQ*	Frank Kisselback	*N7GE*	Jerry Ehli
	Generous Contributors - 2007
*AC7CK*	Michael Garrison	KC7LAH	Ray McLaughlin	N7RZW	Myron Boucha	*KB7SRO*	James Sylvester
*K7PGS*	Ralph Pebbles	*KC7YGG*	Colin Shissler	*N7VGY*	Martin Merwin	*KK7ON*	George Hummel
*K7PGY*	David Gasvoda	*KD7ABQ*	Randy Streck	*N7ZMH*	Henry Butzel
*KA7OGK*	Mitch Stachowsky	*KD7BMZ*	Dave Farra	*W0AY*	Laurence Jones
*KA7VSL*	Paul Blomgren	*KD7CCA*	KC LaFlesch	*WA7PDC*	Pat Connell

A complete list of HARC members and contributors is kept up-to-date on the HARC website, membership. http://www.users.qwest.net/~k7vk/HARC-members.htm

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PRESIDENT RECOGNIZES RADIO AMATEUR'S DEDICATION TO VOLUNTEER SERVICE

The ARRL Letter, Vol. 26, No. 15, April 13, 2007

President George W. Bush has honored ARRL member Randy Hatfield, AG6RH, of Victorville, California, with the President's Volunteer Service Award. A volunteer with the City of Victorville Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Emergency Communication Service, Hatfield met briefly with the president April 4 to receive the award. President Bush honors local volunteers as he travels throughout the United States. When a call came from the White House, Hatfield at first thought he was the victim of an April Fool's Day prank by ECS Coordinator Robert Barton, W7OES, who nominated Hatfield for the award a few days earlier.

"Friday, March 30, I was contacted by a woman saying she was calling from the White House, and I was interviewed over the phone," Hatfield recounted. "I thought Robert was pulling a very elaborate joke!"

A year earlier, Hatfield had volunteered to help Barton rebuild the ham radio communication group for ECS. "He didn't really know me that well but decided to give me a shot," Hatfield said of Barton. "I told him I would do everything I could to assist him in getting ECS going. My condition was that I not be made a leader of anything. I was to remain in the background." Barton, in turn, believed Hatfield should be recognized for his successful efforts.

On April 1, Hatfield got another call from the same White House staff member telling him he'd won a Presidential Service Award. "I was nice to her and played along but knew this was a prank," he says. Nonetheless, he went to the airport meeting place at the appointed hour on April 4 and learned it was for real.

Hatfield greeted the president as he disembarked from Air Force One. President Bush shook Hatfield's hand and presented him with an award pin. Then, they chatted for a few minutes while photos were taken. He'll receive the official award document and a signed photo of their meeting in a couple of weeks.

"I'm supposed to be the behind-the-scenes guy," protested Hatfield, who has logged more than 500 hours of volunteer service over the past 12 months.

The award recognizes his volunteer work with CERT, a Citizen Corps program that trains volunteers in basic response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue and disaster preparedness. In his volunteer work with ECS, which uses Amateur Radio volunteers to assist city and county personnel in the event of a disaster or emergency, Hatfield has taught ham radio classes to community members. Over the years, Hatfield estimates, he's helped some 350 individuals to get their ham radio tickets.

Hatfield says he and his wife have been active with the Victorville CERT and ECS for a little more than a year. The couple had been involved in CERT previously when they lived in Marysville, Washington.

In his nomination letter, Barton praised Hatfield for inspiring others by example to also volunteer their time and receive CERT and Amateur Radio training.

"His classes provide hands on and practical applications to the materials taught," Barton said. "Randy has made service to his community a priority in life by volunteering his time and talents," Barton concluded. "He is always there when needed to provide support and resources to accomplish any task requested."

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DXING ON 60 METERS HAS A DOWNSIDE, ARRL ADVISES

From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT April 5, 2007
To all radio amateurs

The ARRL is expressing concern that negative consequences could result from chasing DX on 60 meters. Some DXpeditions have announced plans to operate on Amateur Radio's only channelized band, where amateur operations hold secondary status to fixed service operations, including some US government stations. ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, says that while it's legal for DXpeditions to operate on the 5-MHz band provided the licensing administration extends privileges there, DX pileups on 60 meters pose the potential for real and unique problems.

''US amateurs are limited to five channels on 60 meters, USB only, maximum effective radiated power (ERP) of 50 W, audio bandwidth not exceeding 2.8 kHz, and not all of the channels are useable because of ongoing fixed service operation,'' Sumner points out. Upon request of a primary service user, Sumner says, it's ''absolutely imperative'' that hams be prepared to relinquish any 60-meter channel immediately. This means constantly monitoring the transmitting channel. Hams also must not exceed the radiated power limit, he stressed.

Not all countries authorize amateur operation on 60 meters. Transmitting on a 5 MHz frequency without authorization not only
breaks the law but jeopardizes the operator's continued participation in the ARRL DXCC program. Five MHz cards submitted for
DXCC may not be accepted for credit without evidence the operation was authorized.

Sumner emphasized that causing harmful interference to fixed and mobile service stations could jeopardize even the existing, limited
privileges as well as the chances of increasing those privileges on a domestic basis, plus any possibility of obtaining an international
allocation on 60 meters.

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If there is something YOU would like to see, or that you feel is overdone, please let me know. This is the Hellgate Amateur Radio Club newsletter, not mine! If you have something (even a simple one-liner) please write to me at our address or e-mail me (Craig, KE7NO) at twincreek@blackfoot.net. Sorry this one was so late. Remember 7QP this first Saturday!

W7PX

HELP THE HARC BUDGET

If you received this newsletter via hardcopy mail and would like to help us save mailing costs by downloading it or reading it from the internet, please drop any of the officers a note. Thanks.

LOGGING THOSE AMATEUR RADIO CONTACTS,

Your Personal Diary

THANKS TO THE MEMBERS AND CONTRIBUTORS FOR YOUR SUPPORT

OF THE HARC AND AMATEUR RADIO

KE7FAH

N7STI

K7GIS

Generous Contributors - 2007

KC7LAH

N7RZW