Sunday, October 28, 2012

Christmas party

The annual Green Bay Mike and Key Club Christmas party will be held on Sat Dec 15th at the American Legion at 1708 N Irwin Ave Green Bay.

Social hour will start at 5 with dinner at 6. Please bring a dish to pass and your own table settings. The club will provide soda, if you require adult beverages you will need to provide that. Please also bring a white elephant gift if you wish to participate in that. feel free to email Kevin with any questions. Hope to see everyone there.






Sunday, August 12, 2012

2012 Antenna Shoot Out

I figured since we hear about this every meeting, here is the official results of this years antenna shoot out. The guy who took second looks awfully familiar.

http://www.3905ccn.com/newsite/files/pdf/shootout-2012.pdf

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Where to hold your mic

Have you ever wondered where to hold your microphone when on the repeater? If you have ever had to adjust your volume when listening to different people talk, then you'll I am sure you'll agree it's worth thinking about.

Most of the manuals I have reviewed say hold the mic at 2 inches.

It's a good practice to never talk directly into the mic, head-on style. Hold it to the side of your mouth, or about 20 degrees turn off axis. This keeps all the air escaping your mouth from making a ("P" percussion), air style popping effect that is highly annoying to listen to.

Never exceed a distance of more than about 8 inches from the microphone. When you exceed about 8 inches, you need to increase mic gain which will inherently increase background noise and room reflection pickup. Not to mention you'll sound considerably softer to anyone on the other end without some sort of mic gain compensation.

For more info: google : repeater etiquette

If your deviation is too high several things can happen. You may get ‘break through’ onto an adjacent channel (‘bleed over’ in CB parlance). If the receiver (in the repeater) has a narrow filter (suitable for a lower deviation) the signal may be ‘chopped up’ with only parts of words being heard. You may also not be able to ‘access’ or ‘bring up’ the repeater (see below).

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Friday, June 29, 2012

K9EAM APRS i-Gate

The club recently installed a dual band antenna for the K9EAM DSTAR repeater at St. Norbert College.  The uhf DSTAR repeater is currently using this antenna and seems to be working rather well.  When we made the decision to install this antenna it was with the intent of using both vhf and uhf at the same time.  To test this an APRS i-Gate was installed.  A diplexer, cables, tnc, and a radio was donated for this project.  The existing power supply and computer for DSTAR were also used.

After fixing an interference issue the i-Gate has been running for a couple weeks and is hearing a lot of stations.  According to the internet site aprs.fi the station is hearing mobile stations out to about 25 miles.  It is also hearing digipeaters from Milwaukee, Sayner, Traverse City MI, Marquette MI, with the furthest one being in Pickford MI at 210 miles away.

Bob, KB8ZXE

   

Friday, June 8, 2012

Field Day 2012

Public Demo of Emergency Communications June 23-24

In the Green Bay area, the Green Bay Mike & Key Club will be demonstrating Amateur Radio at the Sports Complex at 3385 Finger Road from Noon to 9PM on June 23rd and from 9AM to Noon on the 24th.

The public is invited to come and see ham radio’s new capabilities and learn how to get their own FCC radio license before the next disaster strikes.

For more info, see http://www.emergency-radio.org/


For any hams interested in helping set up, we plan to start about 9:30AM on the 23rd. We will break and then go to lunch close by, then come back and begin to operate.

Saturday at 5:30 PM another break for a Pot Luck, dish to pass Dinner... (All welcome but it is a dish to pass event)

Sunday morning (6:30 AM) breakfast at Aurora Cafe' then continue to 1 PM and then close up and head home..








Sunday, April 8, 2012

Upcoming Events

A couple of upcoming events if anyone is interested in helping out;

The first is the MS walk in West De Pere starting at the high school at 9am. This is on April 22. Get hold of KA9BXG if interested in helping with this.

The second is the March of Dimes walk at the Ashwaubenon community center. This is on April 28th, at 8am.

May 12 is the Brat Barn at Festival Foods in De Pere.

June 2nd there will be a Ham Cram and VE Testing session at St. Norbert's College.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

AES Superfest

** Superfest is coming!!

Mark your calendars for the AES Superfest on March 30 (2 - 6 p.m.) and
March 31 (8:30 a.m - 3 p.m.)    Free parking and admission!    PRIZES!!
http://www.aesham.com/superfest.shtml
Special guest will be, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, ARRL Technical Editor.  Joel
is the monthly editor of QST's Doctor is IN column.
Saturday forums include:
*    Moonbounce Basics (8:45 - 9:30)
*    The Doctor is IN (9:45 -- 10:30)
*    Recent Advances in Digital Sound Card Modes (10:45 -- 11:30)
*    NOISE- the SCOURGE of ham radio and how to deal with it (11:45 --
12:30)
*    It's time for thinking OUTSIDE of the shack! (12:45 -- 1:30)
*    The Heil & West SHOW! (1:45 -- 2:45)
Saturday activities:
*    V.E. TESTING (8:30 -- 11:15)
*    QSL CARD CHECKING (DXCC, WAS, WAC, & VUCC)  (8:30 -- noon)
*    2 meter Fox Hunt Challenge (9:30 -- 10: 30)
*    Special Event Station!

Come to the ARRL table and meet Joel and others from ARRL HQ.  Central
Division Director, Dick Isely, W9GIG and I will be there, of course,
with wonderful membership renewal gifts to offer you.  Looking forward
to seeing you there!   

** Milwaukee Radio Amateurs' Club

Milwaukee Radio Amateurs' Club, in continuous operation since January
1917 (and affiliated with ARRL since December 1919) is celebrating its
95th Anniversary.  During Saturday March 31, 2012 at AES Superfest MRAC
will be operating the AES demo radio as a special event station
commemorating the club's anniversary.  The operation will be using the
club call W9RH.
Certificates will be available for contacting the station.  Email will
be the preferred method of certificate delivery.  Frequencies of
operation will be announced as we get closer to the event.  Watch the
club web site www.w9rh.org for more details.

Also as part of the celebration the MRAC meeting immediately prior to
Superfest (Thursday March 29, 2012), will feature Gordon West WB6NOA
(for his fourth appearance at a MRAC meeting) and other guests.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

SK: "Jerry Van", W9VOW


Gerald VanDen Wymelenberg (1916 - 2012)

Gerald Van Den Wymelenberg, "Jerry Van", 95, passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012, with family by his side and with him in prayer. He was born on Aug. 23, 1916, in the Village of Wrightstown, to the late Arnold and Eleanore Van Den Wymelenberg.

On May 4, 1940, he married Marie Hendricks at St. Mary's Catholic Church in De Pere. In 2006, Gerald and Marie celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary prior to Marie's death on Dec. 2, 2006. The Van's have been longtime members of Annunciation Parish where Jerry was an usher and a member of the Finance Committee.

Jerry graduated from St. Norbert High School in 1935. After graduation, he began working with his father at Van's Hardware on Dousman Street in Green Bay. The Van family operated the store until the sale of the business in 1973.

In 1958, Jerry and John Van (his brother) purchased land and built the Downtowner Motel on Washington Street in Green Bay. The late Bernard Garot was also a partner until 1973. In 1993, the business was sold to Jerry's son, Paul. He continued working with his son in the business until 2010, when he became a resident of Renaissance Assisted Living.

Jerry was appointed to the Green Bay Planning Commission from 1964 to 2004. He also served on the Brown County Planning Commission from 1974 to 2001.

Jerry was a founding member of the Ecumenical Foundation, which was formed in 1981. He served as Treasurer for the Newman Center at UW-Green Bay.

Jerry was involved in the banking industry for 23 years serving as a Director for West Bank & Trust, United Bank, Valley Bank and M&I.

He served on the Advisory Board of St. Mary's Hospital for 23 years. Jerry promoted and attended retreats at Monte Alverno Retreat House in Appleton for 37 years. He was a member of the Visitor & Convention Bureau for 25 years. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Since 1935, he was an Amateur Radio operator, with call letters--W9VOW. During the Korean War, he relayed messages for Army personnel to their loved ones in the Green Bay area. He was a Charter Member of Green Bay Mike & Key Club since 1946.

Most important to Jerry's life was his wife, Marie and the wonderful family that they nurtured together. He "lived his love" for God and family. He is survived by four children and their spouses, Rosemary (Wade) Ritchie, Paul (Susan) Van Den Wymelenberg, Jean (Arthur) Wieber, Helen (Kenneth) Fisher; 11 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and one sister, Ruth Merkey.

Jerry was preceded in death by his wife, Marie; infant daughter, Carol Ann; and a great-grandson, Ryan Fischer. He was also preceded in death by a brother-in-law, Bill Merkey; a sister and her husband, Marcella and Al Albertson; a brother and his wife, John and Janet Van Den Wymelenberg; and Marie's brother and his wife, Sylvester and Helen Hendricks.

Friends may call at Blaney Funeral Home, 1521 Shawano Ave., from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012. A Parish Wake service will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Visitation will continue from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 17, 2012, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, corner of Ninth St. and 12th Ave., Green Bay. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the church with Rev. Donald Everts officiating. Rev. Richard Mauthe will present the homily. Burial will be in Fort Howard Memorial Park. To send online condolences, please go to www.BlaneyFuneralHome.com

The Van Den Wymelenberg Family wishes to express their gratitude to Dr. Daniel Lemkuil, Dr. Christopher Wolfram and the staff of Renaissance Assisted Living and Rennes Nursing Home for their special care and support.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

147.120 repeater gets battery backup

The 147.120 wide area repeater located on Scray's Hill now has battery backup. There was discussion at a previous club meeting on this and a motion was made and passed to install a battery. The battery installed is a 90 amp hour agm type telecom battery and should run the repeater for several hours of continuous use during a power outage.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Club Banquet

The Green Bay Mike and Key club will hold their annual banquet on March 9th at the Stadium View on Holmgren way. Social hour will begin at 5 and dinner begins at 6:30. The cost is 15 dollars and this includes chicken or fish. Fish being for the lent people in the group. We need a head count by March 1st so please let John Wolfe(W0LFE)[w0lfe[at]sbcglobal.net] or Dave Catalano(N8KQS)[n8kqs[at]arrl.net] know how many people you will be bringing. Lets see if we can have a little bigger turn out than last year. Any questions feel free to email KB9SNE at KB9SNE@yahoo.com.