Message from Dick – KE0VT – Field Day Coordinator
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Field Day set up begins at 8:00am on Saturday, take down begins at noon on Sunday. There are plenty of operating spots still open on both 20 and 40M at the club stations, need loggers as well. We will have radios on 6, 10,15, 20 and 40M. If YOU are into satellite work we are allowed one contact on FM satellite for 100 extra points and if you will be there to do that let me know. Operators of 6, 10 and 15 need ops too!

Looks like probable rain on Saturday. We will have a tent to duck into. Rain is predicted Sunday but most likely will happen after we are shut down..

Last call for social pot luck, let me know for sure by noon on Thursday if you will be participating. Of course you are welcome to just come to the social if that is all you wish to do. We will have brats, sausages and hot dogs with fixin’s. We need other items.

If you are participating in Field Day from home be sure to list Longmont Amateur Radio Club on your log info so we can get credit for points and send me a copy of the log to Dick Paige, 4832 Silverleaf Ave., Firestone, CO 80504-5732. I will need your info by 7/10/22.

If you have kids or grandkids we can have up to 5 (under 18 years old) that make a contact for extra points. More can participate but only 5 will give us 100 extra points.

I would like to have volunteers for talk in on Saturday and Sunday mornings on our repeaters. You can do it from the Fairgrounds or from home. Call me if you wish to do this, 720-220-1931.

We will be using the club call, W0ENO. A reminder that you must operate on your own licensed frequencies, Generals, Advanced and Extra. Technicians too but if there is a higher class licensee they will be the control operator and using their privileges. Any unlicensed participants must not contact any DX stations except Canada, that is 3rd party and is illegal. The US has 3rd party agreements with other countries but I do not know which ones so play it smart and safe and just not allow 3rd party contacts.

It appears that conditions may be very good so let’s have a lot of fun this weekend!

73

Dick Paige, coordinator
KE0VT

An ARRL VE Exam Session will be held on Saturday, April 25th, at 10 am. It will be at the Professional Building, 350 Terry Street, Longmont, on the 2nd floor in the Onyx Room.

As it is an ARRL test session, a $15 fee applies to take the exam(s). You can take all levels of the exam, but to retake any of the same exam, another $15 fee applies.

For more information, go to the Licensing/Testing link under the Education tab, or click on this direct link: https://w0eno.org/licensing-testing/.

The size of the room is limited, so it’s advised that you pre-register, but walk-ins are welcome as well.

Please use the Contact Form to notify our VEs of your intent to attend the session.  Include your phone number so we can notify you of any last-minute changes or weather cancellations of the exam session.

The Longmont Amateur Radio Club is holding two FREE License Exam Sessions TOMORROW, SUNDAY, MAY 15th. There are still seats available in both sessions!

The first one is at 9:00 am, and the second one is at 10:30 am, at the Professional Building, 350 Terry Street, zip 80501.

You may bring your tablet or laptop on which to take this exam, or you may take it on paper as well.

Pre-registration is preferred at hamstudy.org/sessions; walk-ins are allowed as well.

New Net Starting!

A revived 6 meter net, the “Donald Duck” net is starting on Mondays at 6:30 pm local time at 50.160 Mhz.

Check-ins and discussions of interest to 6M enthusiasts are the main topics.

Dick Paige, KE0VT, will be the net control.

Mondays that are holidays there will be no net, unless someone else wishes to conduct the net in my stead. Volunteers accepted!

The net will begin today, Monday, May 2nd. Hams with new or renewed interest in working 6 meters are encouraged to participate.

Hope to see YOU on “The Magic Band”!
Dick Paige KE0VT

LARC is sponsoring an ARRL VE Exam Session on Saturday, April 23rd, at 10 am.

It will be held at the Professional Building at 350 Terry Street, Longmont, on the second floor in the Onyx room. As this is an ARRL exam session, a $15 fee will be charged.

Please use the Contact Form to notify our VEs of your intent to attend the session.  Include your phone number so we can notify you of any last-minute changes and/or weather cancellations for the exam session. Walk-ins are allowed as well, but pre-registered candidates get first seating priority.

Go to https://w0eno.org/licensing-testing/ for more information.

After a log hiatus due to COVID restrictions, the Longmont Amateur Radio Club held a Hamfest at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in beautiful Longmont, Colorado. I walked around and shot video including a few great talks I attended given by our esteemed club members. For more information on our great ham radio club, visit https://w0eno.org #hamradio #icom #yaesu #alinco #hamfest #larc

73,

Raman, KV0N

Fox Hunt May 27, 2023 – Save the Date

The next Fox Hunt will be Saturday, May 27th at 9AM until 12PM. – Meet at Golden Ponds Parking Lot
The Fox will be located somewhere in Golden Ponds Park at and will be transmitting on 146.565 MHz!

2651 3rd Avenue
Longmont, CO 80503

Team up with a friend(s). Get your equipment ready and come out for a couple hours of friendly competition as to who is the first to find the hidden 2 meter transmitter. 

Those of you who participated in the recent “Tape Measure Yagi” building event have the primary antenna needed to participate. 

I participated in the hunt on March 26 It was the 1^st I have been in in a long time. I learned a lot. With tongue in cheek, I am reminded on 2 old sayings. The old cowboy saying “don’t bring a knife to a gun fight” and the Boy Scout slogan “Be Prepared”. 

There are 2 stages to a Fox Hunt. 1) Go in the right direction when you are miles away” and 2) lower the signal strength when you get close.

Your 3 (or 4 or 5…) element portable Yagi will get you going in the right direction- sort-of. The front to side ratio on a yagi is high, but the front to back ratio is not a lot. So, you may end up going 180 degrees in the wrong direction. If you want, work with a team in a 2^nd car, starting at the opposite end of the area and triangulate.

When you get close, the signal becomes so strong that your s-meter is pegged no matter how you point your yagi. One of the good features of FM is that the audio doesn’t change much with signal strength. For Fox Hunts, that good feature is a bad feature. 

So, when you get close, you want to make the signal weaker so that your yagi is more likely to point you in the right direction. An attenuator (like https://www.qrpkits.com/attenuator.html ) will help you go the last mile or so

When you get within 100 yards of the fox, your Yagi will be of little use. And, even your stock “rubber ducky” will receive too much signal. You will want to switch to a tiny stub antenna – an inch or 2 of wire. 

For those who really want to win, for the long distance step try https://www.iz3mez.it/wp-content/library/appunti/Double-Ducky%20Direction%20Finder.pdf . For the final 100 yards, try http://www.utaharc.org/rptr/wdr_fsm1.html 

See you at the hunt! More specific info to come soon!

For more information on the hunt contact Ed (WA7EM) at ejmohrman@yahoo.com