Publisher WO1N

Volume No. 6 Issue No. 9 Meetings: 7:30 PM, First Wednesday, Billerica, Ma.

Nov. 2011

Captain’s Cabin Jerry, K0TV I just looked at my last November column from 2007. I wrote that one just after the CQWW SSB weekend but this one is getting out just a little earlier than the one four years ago. I expect this will be Ken’s last newsletter and I think we all owe him a debt of gratitude for the wonderful job he has done getting the newsletter out at the last minute with sometimes no input from me (my bad) and last minute stuff from other officers. Thank you very much for the efforts over the years Ken. You’ve done a wonderful job despite many obstacles. Right now I’m in the middle of getting the station all ready for the contest this weekend and It’s been a grind. Because any station is constantly getting upgrades The absolute scariest Halloween I think we’ve all been and changes the wiring behind the radios through! N1IW Photo tends to get a bit unruly. It is a good idea to take everything apart every few years and neaten everything up. I’ve just completed that task and I’m now putting the equipment back on the operating positions and adding some new automation. I’m looking forward to the upcoming contest season with the newly configured station. NEAR-Fest X is now in the books and it was another wonderful weekend. Everyone had a great time despite the rain and wind. One of my crock pots took a pretty hard spill and now has some new battle scars. Mike finally sold that amp he’s been bringing up there for several years. All it took was for him to put some tubes and chimneys (seriously used) into the holes and he had a buyer.

What’s Inside

Antenna Modeling with NEC2 The Austin Report 2 Secretary’s Report 3 VE Session 4 Treasurer’s Report 5 BOD 5 October Section News 5 November Section News 7 Q Codes for Old10 Old-Timers

My FT-1000MP is still on the block. It’s a great rig with several options and mods that has been a great rig we’ve been using here for a number of years on 40 meters. Once that is gone, I’m adding another K3. So far the K3 has been a fantastic rig. Best RX I’ve ever seen. To top it off, made in the USA by Elecraft and also by me (it’s a no solder kit). I put mine together with all the options in about 9 hours. I had a lot of fun putting it together. Unless I can find a good used radio, I’ll do it again for the second rig.

Next Meeting: Nov. 2nd – Library Meeting Room 7:00 PM Start!

November Operating Opportunities ARRL Sweepstakes CW, 5 - 7 Nov. WAE DX RTTY 12 - 13 Nov. ARRL Sweepstakes SSB, 19 - 21 Nov. CQWW International DX, CW 26 – 27 Nov. Source: WA7BNM Contest Calendar www.hornucopia.com/contestcal Coming up later in the month is the CQWW CW weekend with many BARS members manning the K1TTT super station in Peru, MA. There have been some recent changes out at K1TTT so this year could be significantly different for those who go out there. We’re going to have fun at K0TV also. Come get your feet wet with CW contesting at either station. Contact me if you’re interested in operating here at K0TV. You don’t have to copy 40 WPM to get your feet wet. Beginners are welcome. I’m not sure who’s running the effort out at K1TTT this year. Probably the best club contact is K1TWF. Coming up we will have elections in November. A Yankee Swap and dinner at Rick’s is on tap for the Christmas/Hanukah party/meeting in December. No re-gifting please! See you at the meeting, Jerry, K0TV

Antenna Modeling with NEC Peter, K1SUB Rik, AB1KW, will be giving a presentation on antenna modeling with NEC, using the program xnec2c. This presentation covers the NEC basics and should be applicable to anyone who wants to start modeling antennas with any NEC program.

The Austin Report Lisa, N1ICE Greetings from Austin, TX. We celebrated 90 days of temperatures over 100 this summer, something I hope I never do again. We stayed in for summer as folks up north do in the winter...but I had just come off winter so been indoors too much. Temperatures are wonderful now...and should hold for a long time. My bones are good and thawed out by now. Wally and I are now members of the Austin Amateur Radio Club. It is a very healthy and active club. We have meetings the first Monday of the month and breakfast at 7 am every Clandestine Photo of a Recent Austin Area Ham Club Meeting. Saturday. These are held at the N1ICE Waterloo Icehouse Cafe here in Austin. We are still struggling to make friends...as folks down here are not quite as friendly as the BARS group was to us 14 years ago when we arrived, but they are real nice. Anyone who says Northerners are not so friendly is mistaken. Originally, Wally found you guys on the repeater and well, the rest is history. BARS became our family and honestly we miss you all very much.

Club WebSite URL: http://www.w1hh.org Club Mail Reflector: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/W1HH/

Club Badges: http://www.themainestore.com/ham__radio.htm Scroll down and look for BARS!

November Operating Opportunities ARRL Sweepstakes CW, 5 - 7 Nov. WAE DX RTTY 12 - 13 Nov. ARRL Sweepstakes SSB, 19 - 21 Nov. CQWW International DX, CW 26 – 27 Nov. Source: WA7BNM Contest Calendar www.hornucopia.com/contestcal The repeaters here are quiet a lot. I lost my D700 (as I think the heat killed it), but Wally was kind enough to hook up an Alinco. I do miss the friendly chats to and from work. There are a lot of smart guys here. Some are the founders of Flex Radio, if you know what that is. The club has a lot of older folks in it so we see a lot of white hair, but also has some younger people. One new ham is part of a band that travels the world. He plays guitar and his wife is an amazing singer. I have heard her on Youtube, and hope we see them live soon. At the meeting last night, a woman showed up that wanted to get a license. She was retired Army and was now doing civilian work for the military in Iraq. She is interested in doing ARES work. I am sending Ken some photos of the group that came to the meeting so you can see what a healthy crowd it is. The meetings are run well and talk about all the area activities. One guy does a space weather piece and talks about how that affects using the radio. Most of the usual stuff, new business, old business, reports etc. Austin seems to be a melting pot of folks from all over. Life in Texas is good. Housing is so cheap. Prices are about the same for food and everything else. I believe Power is cheaper. We have no state income tax. We stopped watering our grass to water our house. YES! Our house! You see, when it gets as dry as it is here, the ground shrinks and cracks open. Fences fall over when the wind blows. If you fail to water your foundation (most are slabs with no basements), your foundation could become compromised. I thought I was getting a place to garden, but Austin has two short growing seasons with summer in the middle. Even the birds mostly went away. A typical Austin summer sees only five or so days over 100 degrees, so you know the area is suffering. One thing I do not understand is that Austin is much smaller population wise than Boston and yet there is ten times the shopping here. We have grocery stores on nearly every corner and a Home Depot and Lowes too. We have tons of restaurants to choose from. It is a bit overwhelming. I am still learning my way around all these roads. Thank God for the GPS. Wally got the HF radio up and working. I need to get on and use it. I have not hooked up yet with a contest club...that could take some more time. We have been very busy with my son and daughter's family and that includes four kids under 7. We have enjoyed having all them in our lives. Wally and I were lucky to find two very good jobs before we got here. We plan to try to come back each fall to go to NearFest and see all of you and to enjoy the leaves...I can honestly say not a day goes by that I do not think of the great friends we have had from BARS these last 14 years. It really did make a difference to us nomads. Home for us has to be wherever we are, since we have moved so much. I have not really seen any rain since I left New England, but as I write this in early October, there are whispers of rain this weekend. I never thought I would want rain this much but I do, so when you get tired of it there, do send some our way. Please keep in touch! 73 from Austin!!

Secretary’s Report Erik, KE1V BARS Regular Meeting Notes: 10/5/11 Humbly Submitted by: KE1V Attendee Count: ~18 Meeting Topic: “Tesla Coils” 7:05 Convene Question of the day: “Are you planning on going to Near-Fest?” Vast majority of people are going! ~7:20 Presentation “Tesla Coils” by Gary

Club WebSite URL: http://www.w1hh.org Club Mail Reflector: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/W1HH/

Club Badges: http://www.themainestore.com/ham__radio.htm Scroll down and look for BARS!

November Operating Opportunities ARRL Sweepstakes CW, 5 - 7 Nov. WAE DX RTTY 12 - 13 Nov. ARRL Sweepstakes SSB, 19 - 21 Nov. CQWW International DX, CW 26 – 27 Nov. Source: WA7BNM Contest Calendar www.hornucopia.com/contestcal • • • • • •

A rather cool presentation on the principles behind Tesla coils (not Tefla Coils nor Telsa Coils as Peter was saying). The presenter gave a neat demo of his small coil. Background: Gary was a hobbyist for very long time and slid into playing around with Tesla coils some time ago. Using oil burner coils is a oft used method for getting the key component☺ Gary has moderated a discussion forum on the web Before getting into this he was an avid SWLer. Notable quote “Not only will this kill you but it will hurt the whole time you’re dying”

Dues: • Proposal 1: To reduce dues to $10. Motion carried 9 for, 2 opposed. • Proposal 2: Suspend dues for those who attended a BARS meeting in person during any of the October, November or December meetings. Motion failed (2 for, 7 opposed) • Proposal 3: Suspend dues for all for the year 2012: Motion carried (8 for, 3 opposed) • It was noted that with the passing of Proposal 3, candidate members must still fill out the membership form and agree to operate by the bylaws for the club. Misc: • FCC Database still has High Street. Jerry and Mike will get off their duffs and get the update done. • W1HH QSL Cards: Ken and Jerry have a stack of needed responses. Mike will look into getting the cards made up. A vote was held to allocate up to $100 to get 1k cards printed up. Motion carried (unanimous) New Business: • The screen is still at the Masonic Hall. Jerry will get it out of there with N1HTS’ support. • The slate was announced: o W01N President o K1SUB Newsletter and VP o K0TV Ex Officio o KE1V Secretary o N1IW Board o N1ALO Board • Secretaries and Treasurers reports were approved by voice vote. • BARS is coordinating with Scott at the Pelham FD to have a exam class done before the summer. 6 people will take the class. It will be done on five Thursday night sessions. Downloaded curriculum will be used. KE1V attests that the above actually happened within a reasonable but subjective degree of accuracy. Some artistic license (especially reordering of events) may have happened while transcribing to contribute to overall communication and humor.

VE Session Bruce, W1LUS Not available.

Club WebSite URL: http://www.w1hh.org Club Mail Reflector: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/W1HH/

Club Badges: http://www.themainestore.com/ham__radio.htm Scroll down and look for BARS!

November Operating Opportunities ARRL Sweepstakes CW, 5 - 7 Nov. WAE DX RTTY 12 - 13 Nov. ARRL Sweepstakes SSB, 19 - 21 Nov. CQWW International DX, CW 26 – 27 Nov. Source: WA7BNM Contest Calendar www.hornucopia.com/contestcal

Treasurer’s Report Bruce, W1LUS Not available.

BOD Ken, WO1N The October session of the Billerica Amateur Radio Society Board of Directors was held at the Glenview restaurant on Wednesday, October 19th, 2011. Members Jerry, K0TV, Mike N1IW, Peter K1SUB and Ken, WO1N were in attendance. The meeting was called to order at 19:40 local. New business: • • •

The November speaker was discussed. The subject will be antenna modeling. The December meeting will be a Yankee Swap and buffet. Ken to reserve Rick’s Chung King restaurant. The membership application needs some mild updates. Ken to draft.

Old Business: • •

Jerry and Mike will another valiant effort to update the clubs ULS listing. Mike will pull the trigger on the W1HH QSL cards

Having no further discussion items, the meeting was adjourned at 20:03. At which point an excellent, reasonably priced dinner was enjoyed by all.

October Section News Phil, K9HI (Ed. Note: Past events announcements deleted) The season – along with the weather – is a'changin'. And with those changes, many amateurs shift the focus of their activities to on-air operating. There are a lot of fun-filled contests coming up on the fall schedule. Consider spending a few hours operating in the School Club Roundup (Oct. 17-21), or the ARRL November CW and Phone Sweepstakes (Nov. 5-7 and Nov. 19-21, respectively). You don't have to try and win. Just getting on will get the juices flowing, and possibly net you some new states or countries for that WAS or DXCC award. And although they are not ARRL-sponsored contests, the CQWW SSB (Oct. 29-30) and CW (Nov. 26-27) weekend events are hugely popular. Ten meters has been opening up almost daily. How about the 10-10 International Sprint on Oct. 10? Or, the 10-10 Int'l. Fall Contest on Oct. 15-16. There are also many state QSO Parties to choose from. A complete schedule of on-air activities is available at . Never operated in a contest before? With the increased sunspot activity, there's never been a better time to get started. Need help? There are plenty of contesters and other operators who will lend a hand Club WebSite URL: http://www.w1hh.org Club Mail Reflector: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/W1HH/

Club Badges: http://www.themainestore.com/ham__radio.htm Scroll down and look for BARS!

November Operating Opportunities ARRL Sweepstakes CW, 5 - 7 Nov. WAE DX RTTY 12 - 13 Nov. ARRL Sweepstakes SSB, 19 - 21 Nov. CQWW International DX, CW 26 – 27 Nov. Source: WA7BNM Contest Calendar www.hornucopia.com/contestcal to first-timers. Your local ARRL-affiliated club is a good place to start. Also, the Yankee Clipper Contest Club at is always willing to mentor the newly minted ham as well as the rusty old-timer. EMA Technical Coordinator Eric Falkof, K1NUN presented on Sept. 15 to the Quannapowitt RA in Reading on stealth antennas. Eric will give a repeat performance on 10/5 to members of the Cape Ann ARA in Gloucester. N1CPE recently stepped down as MA State RACES Communications Officer. Former EMA SM Mike Neilsen, W1MPN has agreed to take over the job on an interim basis. Amateurs across the state extend their sincere appreciation to Mike for volunteering, and to Tom for his years of dedication in this important role. SEMARA members mourn the loss of Silent Key Joe Hampson, W1JFI of Fairhaven. Rainfall amounts of between 2-6 inches resulted in unexpected, significant flash floods to the North Shore on Oct. 4. States of emergency were declared in Peabody, Swampscott, Salem, Lynn, Marblehead, and Beverley. SKYWARN self-activated on the 145.47 Danvers repeater and the NEW-ENG Echolink/IRLP system. ARES/SKYWARN volunteers provided valuable reports of flooding, rainfall totals, and hail and wind damage to the NWS in Taunton. MA amateurs were involved with the highly successful 2011 QCWA National Convention Sept. 9-11 in Warwick, RI. The husband/wife team of WA1ENO & WB1ARU of Hanover ably assisted Convention Chair WB6VVA of Bolton. Saturday presentations included: a stellar presentation on high-altitude balloon experimentation by Rochester Institute of Technology students KB1LQC & KB1LQD of Chelmsford; the Courage Center Handiham Program by this Section Manager; and others. Dignitaries in attendance at the Convention included: New England Division Director Tom Frenaye, K1KI; ARRL President Kaye Craigie, N3KN; New England Wireless & Steam Museum Founder and Director Robert Merriam, W1NTE; and former Special Counsel for the Spectrum Enforcement Division of the FCC's Enforcement Bureau, Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH. EMA PIC Bob Salow, WA1IDA spoke at the Clay Center ARC in Brookline on Oct. 4 about public service operation. Best wishes to Boston ARC former prez KB1P. Tom and his XYL are retiring and moving to NC. NA1I has been appointed BARC's new club president. KE1V's "A Non DXpedition to Iceland" was warmly received by the Billerica ARS membership at its September meeting. Harvard Wireless Club recently sought and obtained as its new campus sponsor the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Have you ever wondered what the various digital modes sound like? KB1MGI posts this link containing various audio samples: . The Bristol Co. RA crew operated during the MA week portion of the QRPARCI 50-year celebration on-air event as K6JSS/1. Thanks, WB1HGA.

Club WebSite URL: http://www.w1hh.org Club Mail Reflector: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/W1HH/

Club Badges: http://www.themainestore.com/ham__radio.htm Scroll down and look for BARS!

November Operating Opportunities ARRL Sweepstakes CW, 5 - 7 Nov. WAE DX RTTY 12 - 13 Nov. ARRL Sweepstakes SSB, 19 - 21 Nov. CQWW International DX, CW 26 – 27 Nov. Source: WA7BNM Contest Calendar www.hornucopia.com/contestcal The recent Minuteman Repeater Association meeting in Westborough featured EMA SEC Rob Macedo, KD1CY talking about SKYWARN and severe weather. Nashoba Valley ARC heard a presentation in September by N1HXA, inventor of the Hex-Beam antenna. At the October meeting, NVARC members will sort QSLs on behalf of the W1 QSL bureau. W1MAW posted this very funny "Family Guy" YouTube video where Stewie gives Brian a walkie-talkie then gives him a hard time when he doesn't follow protocol: . WF1V presented recently to the Wellesley ARS at its Sept. meeting on modern HF transceivers. Wellesley ARS members N1ZCE and NT1L were prominently featured on the cover of September 2011 QST while operating at the Boston Marathon Net Control at the Dexter School in Brookline. Barnstable ARC members held a foxhunt on Sept. 16 in Dennis. Nominations are now open for the George Hart Distinguished Service Award to honor an ARRL member whose service to the ARRL's Field Organization is of the most exemplary nature. Selection criteria include: Operating record with the National Traffic System; or participation within the Amateur Radio Emergency Service; or Station appointments and/or leadership positions held within the Field Organization. For more information, see .

November Section News Phil, K9HI First it was tornadoes. Then a hurricane called Irene. Then there was flooding. And now… this. Massachusetts, along with much of the northeastern U.S. is still reeling from the historic Oct. 30th Nor'easter that stuck the region, bringing with it widespread tree and wind damage. Portions of Central and Western Massachusetts received measurable amounts of snow of up to two feet or more. Over a half-million people were left without power. ARES®/RACES/MARS and EmComm personal were on standby in case Amateur Radio communications were called upon. SKYWARN gathered reports from observers for the National Weather Service. At this writing, only a single shelter in Eastern MA has requested assistance, but ARES leadership continue to monitor the situation closely in case more support is needed. Murphy was working overtime, as the Halloween storm severely impacted contestants in the CQWW SSB contest Oct. 29-30. Many stations could only operate for a portion of the contest period due to power outages. And those lucky enough to have generators were forced to go barefoot. Antennas came down left and right, and those that didn't loaded erratically due to snow load. The storm delayed Halloween Trick or Treat in Westford, but couldn't cancel it completely. PART of Westford will once again be providing the Pumpkin Patrol service to the Town on the rescheduled date on Nov. 6 from 5-7 PM. Hams wishing to help are encouraged to contact . K1NR is polling Algonquin ARC members to see if there's interest in a group purchase of Honda generators. He has several takers so far.

Club WebSite URL: http://www.w1hh.org Club Mail Reflector: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/W1HH/

Club Badges: http://www.themainestore.com/ham__radio.htm Scroll down and look for BARS!

November Operating Opportunities ARRL Sweepstakes CW, 5 - 7 Nov. WAE DX RTTY 12 - 13 Nov. ARRL Sweepstakes SSB, 19 - 21 Nov. CQWW International DX, CW 26 – 27 Nov. Source: WA7BNM Contest Calendar www.hornucopia.com/contestcal Members of the Taunton SKYWARN ARC (WX1BOX) attended the recent Southern New England Weather Conference on Oct. 22 at Meditech in Canton. Co-sponsored by the National Weather Service and the Blue Hills Observatory, the Conference "has provided a place for weather enthusiasts and professionals to gather and share their knowledge and expertise regarding topics such as winter weather forecasting, severe weather, hurricanes, advances in the science of meteorology, and emergency preparedness, as well as numerous other topics." Thanks, TACG News The ARRL Foundation awarded a $200 grant to the Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association towards the purchase of equipment to support CAARA's ongoing weekly Morse code classes. Details at . EMA SEC Rob Macedo, KD1CY spoke at the Framingham ARA October meeting about SKYWARN and EmComm during the Springfield tornados and Hurricane Irene. Framingham ARA mourns the loss of Silent Key Bill Smith, KE1GF of Hopkinton. Carol, K1CSF presented a show-and-tell on vintage computers along with an intro to networking at the October Pilgrim ARC meeting in Provincetown. This SM, along with SEC KD1CY completed an ARES® survey in October to provide input for the ARRL's Emergency Communications Advisory Committee. Shortwave broadcast station WBCQ in Monticello, Maine vacated 7.415 MHz on Oct. 24 per FCC order. It has QSYed to 7.490 MHz. WBCQ also broadcasts on 5.11, 9.33 and 15.42 MHz. Thanks, KC1MA. Boston news outlets reported that a tower worker fell 1,000 feet to his death on Oct. 16 from the American Radio Systems Tower (formerly known as FM-128) next to Rt. 128 in Newton. Let this be a wake up call to all amateur tower climbers: safety first! Don't EVER take chances with your equipment. Be mindful of where those power lines are located relative to your tower/antennas. Never work alone. And always, ALWAYS be sure that you have at least one strap around your tower at all times. KA1EWN and KB1KA worked extra hard to help with antenna assembly work for the Sturdy Memorial Hospital ARC's repeater. Other club members contributed to the effort too, according to SMHARC's K2TGX. Dennis Foley (SWL) and Paul Foley, N1KQR gave one of their "Tube Talks" at the Whitman ARC's October meeting. EMA ACC Bo Budinger, WA1QYM presented on "Growing Your Club" to members of the Boston ARC in Brookline in October. Bo will give a repeat performance to the folks at the Whitman ARC on Nov. 2. Members of the Framingham Amateur Radio Association demonstrated Amateur Radio to a Wellesley Cub Scout troop. Cub Master Jeff Piazza paid the FARA crew a nice complement: "Thank you for a great evening for the boys. As you can appreciate, keeping a group of boys this age engaged and not bouncing off the walls can be a significant challenge, but this was not an issue with last night's event. Clearly you were doing something right!" Yankee Clipper Contest Club conducted a recent "Contest University" in Andover. "Professors" K1DG, K5ZD, and K1RX were on hand to present tips, tricks, and techniques for maximizing contest performance. Club WebSite URL: http://www.w1hh.org Club Mail Reflector: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/W1HH/

Club Badges: http://www.themainestore.com/ham__radio.htm Scroll down and look for BARS!

November Operating Opportunities ARRL Sweepstakes CW, 5 - 7 Nov. WAE DX RTTY 12 - 13 Nov. ARRL Sweepstakes SSB, 19 - 21 Nov. CQWW International DX, CW 26 – 27 Nov. Source: WA7BNM Contest Calendar www.hornucopia.com/contestcal WB1HGA saw this humorous video of a functional Lego Morse code paddle on YouTube: . North Shore amateurs provided communications support on Oct. 23 for the Yukan Run Marathon in Rockport and Gloucester. Amateurs assisted with communications at the Bay State Marathon on Oct. 16th in Lowell, according to KA8SCP. The first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System will take place at 2 PM ET Nov. 9, 2011. The purpose of the test is to assess the reliability and effectiveness of the system in alerting the public. A hearty "welcome back" to Tom Walsh, K1TW. After a five-year hiatus, Tom has returned home to Eastern MA from the Santa Clara Valley section. Colonial Wireless Assoc. members heard a presentation on ionospheric sounding and propagation by David Kitrosser at CWA's October meeting. Whitman ARC members will once again operate a special event station from the Plimoth Plantation Nov. 25-27. Look for them on Echolink, IRLP and 14.260, 18.160, 28.460 and 7.260 MHz. Members of the Eastern MA ARRL staff will meet on Nov. 14 in Hopkinton for their final quarterly meeting of 2011. The Genesis ARS will conduct a General license class and VE session in November, 2011. See for more info. WB1HGA reports that "HF has been hopping like the old days." Ron worked T32C (Christmas I.) with only 3 watts on CW! Nashoba Valley ARC Nov. 28 meeting will feature talks by K1DG on the World Radiosport Team Championship, followed by EMA OOC K1EP on the Amateur Auxiliary/OO Program. KB1LXI reports that Taunton Emergency Management Agency received a grant for an amphibious vehicle. The craft has eight wheels, carries six people and/or equipment. They're possibly getting and outboard motor, too.

Club WebSite URL: http://www.w1hh.org Club Mail Reflector: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/W1HH/

Club Badges: http://www.themainestore.com/ham__radio.htm Scroll down and look for BARS!

November Operating Opportunities ARRL Sweepstakes CW, 5 - 7 Nov. WAE DX RTTY 12 - 13 Nov. ARRL Sweepstakes SSB, 19 - 21 Nov. CQWW International DX, CW 26 – 27 Nov. Source: WA7BNM Contest Calendar www.hornucopia.com/contestcal

Q Codes for Old-Timers Jim, N1HTS QAR - Is your arthritis acting up today? My arthritis is acting up today. QBP - How many bypasses (or stints) do you have? I have ___ bypasses (or stints). QDF - Does (or did) your ICD (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator) zap you when you key down? My ICD zaps (zapped) me when I key down. QDN - Are you wearing dentures? I am wearing dentures. QGC - How many grandchildren do you have (or do you have a new grandchild)? I have ___ grandchildren (or I have a new grandchild). QGM - Are you operating golf cart mobile? I am operating golf cart mobile. QID - What kind of incontinent diapers do you use? I use ___ diapers for incontinence. QJR - How many joint replacements have you had? I have had ___ joint replacements. QLO - Do you know what LOL (or IMHO, ROFL, etc.) stands for? ___ stands for ___. QLW - Do you watch Lawrence Welk reruns? I watch Lawrence Welk reruns. QMD - Who is your geriatric physician? My geriatric physician is ___ . QOT - Are you an Old Timer and were you licensed before no-code licensing? I am an Old Timer and I was licensed before no-code licensing. QPA - What is your PSA level (or have you had your PSA level checked)? My PSA level is ___ . QPG - Was that QRM or did you just pass gas? No, that was QRM. QPJ - Do you drink prune juice? I drink prune juice. QPM - Did you just pull a muscle? I think I just pulled a muscle. QPP - Do you need to take a bio-break? I need to take a bio-break. QRX - What medications are you taking? I am taking the following medications ____ . QSS - Have you gotten your social security check? I have received my social security check. QVC - Do you know how to program your VCR? I can program my VCR. QWH - Do you think Betty White is hot? I think Betty White is hot. And of course, my favorite QSH - Do you have a sense of humor? I have a sense of humor.

Courtesy of OK1RR via W4WR

Club WebSite URL: http://www.w1hh.org Club Mail Reflector: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/W1HH/

Club Badges: http://www.themainestore.com/ham__radio.htm Scroll down and look for BARS!

BARS Club QRN Meeting Place Directions

Saturday Morning Breakfast

From the South

The BARS group gets together every Saturday morning, 8 AM Please join us. Locations vary so check the w1hh.org web page.

Rte 3 North to Concord Road (exit 27); take a right at the end of the exit ramp, you are now on Concord Road; straight across at the next set of lights (Middlesex Turnpike on the right); the road twists and turns, and just after the funeral home on the right, Concord Road will take a sharp turn to the left. Follow Concord Rd to the lights at the rotary at Billerica Center. The meeting is usually at some hall somewhere in or near the center as we have been trying new venues lately.

From the North: Rt 3 South to Concord Road (exit 27); take a right at the end of the ramp and follow the instructions as above.

ARRL Renewals Join the ARRL and/or renew your membership through the club treasurer. You save the cost of the postage and the club gets a couple of dollars.

BARS Officers Contact Information President

K0TV [email protected] Vice-President K1SUB [email protected] Secretary KE1V [email protected] Treasurer W1LUS [email protected] Newsletter WO1N [email protected] Webmaster N1IW [email protected]

Jerry Muller Peter Speen Erik Kramer Bruce Anderson Ken Caruso Mike Bernock

BARS Membership Application Name_________________________________________ Call _______________________ License Class_______________________________ ARRL Member?___________________ Address____________________________________________________________________________________________ City____________________________________________________________State_________ZipCode______________ HomePhone___________________________________WorkPhone_________________________________________ Email: ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Delivery method is E-Mail only, please keep your E-Mail address current with the club. Membership renewal is on a yearly basis, January thru December. Yearly memberships are due in January for the year. Membership applications submitted between July and October should include an additional $0 to cover the current year and the following year (up to 18 months for $0 for single memberships). The Billerica Amateur Radio Society reserves the right to accept or reject new memberships or renewals. Members agree to abide by the club constitution and bylaws. Check One: Single membership: $0 ___ Family membership: $0 ___ Family Member Name(s)_____________________ Callsign:___________________ Junior Membership: Free ___ _____________________ ___________________ (under 18 years with 1 paid household member) _____________________ ___________________ Payment methods: 1. By a check/mail payable to the Billerica Amateur Radio Society. Send to: Billerica Amateur Radio Society Office Use: PO BOX 832 Treasurer Received: __________________ Nutting Lake, Ma. 01865 Membership: __________________ 2. Via PayPal at [email protected] 3. At a meeting. See Bruce W1LUS.

Club WebSite URL: http://www.w1hh.org Club Mail Reflector: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/W1HH/

Club Badges: http://www.themainestore.com/ham__radio.htm Scroll down and look for BARS!

BARS Calendar November Nov. 2 Nov. 9 Nov. 16 Nov. 25

Regular Club Meeting, Library VE Session BOD Mtg, TBA Newsletter input due

December Dec. 7 Dec. 14 Dec. 20 Dec. 30

Regular Club Meeting VE Session BOD Mtg, TBA Newsletter input due

Antenna Modeling

This newsletter is a publication of the Billerica Amateur Radio Society. The newsletter is produced by a staff of overworked volunteers, monthly (except July and August). Articles may be reproduced as long as credit is given to the author. Articles may be submitted to the Editor at any time for publication as space permits. The Billerica Amateur Radio Society meets on the first Wednesday of every month except July and August. Members are active in all aspects of Amateur Radio and SW Listening. Scanner enthusiasts are welcome. Meetings are held at locations in and around Billerica town center. The Billerica Amateur Radio Society is an ARRL affiliated club.

Our Address: Billerica Amateur Radio Society PO Box 832 Nutting Lake, MA 01865

Near-Fest Fall 2011 Memories

Club WebSite URL: http://www.w1hh.org Club Mail Reflector: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/W1HH/

Club Badges: http://www.themainestore.com/ham__radio.htm Scroll down and look for BARS!