The Repeater (electronic version)
Newsletter of the Arkansas River Valley Amateur Radio Foundation
Russellville, Arkansas
August, 1999



Officers:
     
President: Nick Kennedy,  WA5BDU                               
Vice-President - Margaret Alexander,  KC5MCS                       
Secretary-Treasurer - Charles Hall,  KC5CVG

ARVARF Board:
John Evans, WB5BHS
Dick Koski, W5VUB
Tom Hughes KC5VRI
Les Hendrickson KD5DKL
Dennis Schaefer W5RZ


Newsletter staff
Dennis Schaefer W5RZ
Melissa Schaefer KI5QJ
John Evans WB5BHS
Jonathan Setcer KC5BRY
Charlotte Stockton KC5CKQ

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
AUGUST

14 - VE Test Session, 9:00 a.m. ANO training center

17 - ARVARF meeting, Ryan's, Meeting at 7:00, those who want to eat, come
at 6:00.

24 - RACES meeting, 911 building.  7:00 p.m.

Every Saturday  at 0700-0800 - breakfast meeting at Perkins Restaurant.

ARVARF Net - Every Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. on 146.82 (except club meeting night)

PACKET'S BACK!

At one time, we had over 30 active packet users in the local area.  Our
local BBS received almost 100 messages per day, and it stayed busy with
locals reading ARRL bulletins, recipes, For Sale ads, political arguments,
etc.  Packet was even used for personal mail, much like e-mail.  If you
knew someone's "home" BBS, you could address the message to the callsign at
that BBS, and a nationwide system of nodes and BBS's might get it to the
other station in a few days. 

This all came to a screeching halt when the internet came to town.  Now we
had real e-mail and the web.  Many TNC's were put in the closet.  The
network fell into disrepair.  

In spite of all this, packet is still useful.  Public service
communications is a natural.  Phone service may be interrupted in a
disaster, so we can't send internet mail to State ADEM (Formerly OES).
Although the original digital mode (CW) is probably the very best for
handling traffic, and voice will carry much of the load, packet has a
place.  The previous ARES/RACES packet system is Arkansas was very
complicated and often failed to accomplish the mission.  Several people are
trying to re-build this system, but make it simple and reliable.  Kevin
Manzer, AC5DK, of Mountain Home, is the new State ARES/RACES packet
coordinator.  He is working closely with State RACES Officer Mike Nettles,
KB5WBH, of Paragould. 

The State ADEM has finally provided good facilities for W5AUU, the station
at its Conway Hq.  An entire mobile home is dedicated to the W5AUU
operation.  The W5AUU BBS is now operating dependably and currently has
ports on 145.01, 147.495, and 50.615.  Our NEBO (145.01) and POPECO
(147.495) nodes on Mt. Nebo connect W5AUU to Western and Northwest
Arkansas.  Without these nodes, much of this part of the state is cut off.
Charles, KF5JH, has done a lot of work on these 2-meter nodes and they are
nearly back to full operation.  

Adding 6 meters to the node "stack" allows more redundancy along with the
possiblity of longer distances.  At one time, State ADEM had a weekly net
in which each county was contacted direct on 6 meter AM from Conway.     

At the August meeting, I plan to propose that the club support adding
6-meter capability to our system.   As with the other nodes, it would use
equipment furnished both by ARVARF and Pope County.  There are TNC's, power
supplies, and coax already available.  The club used to have a 6-meter J
pole antenna in the courthouse attic.  If we can't find it, we could easily
build a copper J-pole or buy a commercial GP for about $35.00.  The radio
would be a GE Master II, crystalled and tuned on 50.615.  It would cost
about $150.00 including shipping.   There may be other costs for lightning
protection, etc.   

See if you can find that TNC at the bottom of the closet.  It probably
still works.  Packet is not what it used to be, but maybe it is better in
some ways.  I don't miss the thousands of recipes and political messages at
all.  We have some packet experts in the club, but I am definitely not one
of them.  However, if you have any questions about the 6 meter node or any
other packet activity, I would be glad to help you find the answers.

73,    Dennis   W5RZ 

PRESIDENT'S CORNER

Every month our editor issues a deadline ultimatum and I turn to the
keyboard and write whatever I'm thinking about at the moment. At this
moment though, it's hard to think of anything but the heat. Still, the
Arkansas heat hasn't completely erased the memory of my recent vacation,
starting with the Flagstaff hamfest.

I never thought I'd turn into a hamfest junkie, but it looks like I'm
headed that way. Ft. Tuthill (Flagstaff) was especially enjoyable to me
because of the big QRP sideshow. As some of you know, I'm currently
intrigued by the QRP thing. Superficially, it refers operation at the zero
to five watt level. But beyond that, it seems to me that there's a
mini-renaissance going on in this corner of ham radio involving QRP
operation, building stuff (from scratch or kits) and CW. Oh, and a lot of
the guys are into hiking and back-packing (with their tiny rigs), and
competitive activities like QRP DXing and contesting figure in too. Not
every QRPer is into all of these things, but most are involved a couple of
them.

It occurs to me that these enthusiastic little sub-cultures in ham radio
are a good thing. But stepping back and seeing the big picture, I realize
that there are a lot more of them than I could ever name or be involved in.
Groups pushing the boundaries of ham digital communication. Groups
organized and trained to assist in emergencies. Early morning 75 meter
nets. Compulsive, driven contesters and DX chasers. And the list goes on
and on. All part of the rich diversity of ham radio. So if the hobby should
seem a little stale to you at the moment, take a look around, see what you
haven't tried that looks good and jump right in!

73 and see you at the August meeting. I hope by the time you're reading
this it's a little cooler.

Nick, WA5BDU

FRANK HOTARD, W5BLP, SILENT KEY

Frank Hotard, W5BLP, passed away on August 3, 1999.  Frank was a life
member of ARVARF and is remembered as an "Elmer" by many river valley hams.
 He was a ham for over 50 years.

 Frank was a former ARES Emergency Coordinator for Pope County, an active
member of MARS and the Gulf Coast Hurricane Network.  His accomplishments
were not limited to ham radio.  In WWII he received 5 Bronze Stars and the
Purple Heart.  He served as state coordinator for the 55-Alive program.

Frank is survived by his wife of 60 years, Ethel (N5ZRS).  Frank will be
very much missed by hams in the River Valley and beyond.

JULY MINUTES

Meeting called to order at 7:00 PM 20 July 1999 by Nick Kennedy.   Nick
reviewed field day.  Ben reported that he had talked to Cliff Satterfield
by radio. Test Session 2nd Saturday in August which is the 14th.  Minutes
approved as  printed in newsletter.  Financial reports, quarterly and
annually, approved.
A committee will be appointed by Nick to study about storage for club
equipment.  Adjourned at 7:10 PM.
Program presented by Dennis Schaefer on packing enough items for a 3-day
emergency trip, including clothing, radio equipment 2-160 meters, personal
items, packet, computer, and antenna.  All of this was put in one case, one
vest, in pockets and on the belt.

Secretary, Charles Hall KC5CVG

IS YOUR COMPUTER Y2K READY?

THINK YOU'RE COMPUTER IS READY FOR Y2K? Think again. Here is one more
little thing that is easy to miss, but easy to fix. You must change your
year from 2 digit to 4 digit.

What to do-How to do it:
Click on "Start".
Choose "Settings".
Click on "Control Panel".
Double click on the "Regional Settings" icon.
Click on the "Date" tab at the top of the page.
Where it says, "Short Date Sample", look and see if it shows a "two digit"
year. Of course it does- That's the default setting forWindows 95, Windows
98 and, Yes Mr. Evans, even NT. This date RIGHT HERE is the date that feeds
application software and WILL NOT rollover to 2000. It will roll over to 00.

Click on the button across from "Short Date Style"and select the option
that shows, mm/dd/yyyy. (Be sure your selection has four Y's showing, not
two) Then click on "Apply" and then click on"OK" at the bottom. Easy enough
to fix. However, every single installation of
Windows worldwide is defaulted to fail Y2K rollover.

How many people know about it? How many people know to change that? What
will be the effect? In the eve of the new Millineum, why did Microsoft
program the default to fail?  Who knows. Maybe it is part of the Bill Gates
Conspiracy to take over the world.

73, KC5BRY@setcer.com

UPCOMING HAMFESTS

The Queen Wilhelmina Hamfest will be held on  Friday, Sept. 10th and
Saturday, Sept 11, 1999.   70 Flea Market spaces are $10.00 under the tent
and $5.00 outside the tent.   Friday night at 6:00pm, under the tent,
hamburgers and hot dogs  and Banquet, Saturday night at 6:30pm  (Joel
Harrison, W5ZN, speaker).  Talk-in frequency is 145.27, 100hz tone offset.
For information, contact Ray Lively, W5LDC, Hamfest Chairman at
raysoft@intrastar.net or Charlotte Lee at blee@ipa.net,  Tom Merideth at
k5mea@bsen.com, Larry Rogers n5brd@prodigy.com, Or Jack Hand cactus1@cei.net.


The CAREN "All-Arkansas Hamfest" will be Saturday, Sept 18th, 9:00 a.m. at
the North Little Rock Community Center.  Talk-in is 146.94 and 444.200.
Admission is $5.00 (11 and under free).  Flea market tables are $20.00
each.  There will be VE testing, and grand prizes including an HF radio and
a dual-band mobile.  For information, contact Scott Derden, 501-834-1881 or
sderden@flash.net