SYNTOGRAM -- January, 2001
Synton Web Site
Synton news group
Joint Synton/Twin Cities ARC 2-meter net meets Thursdays at 9 p.m. local on the 146.76 MHz (-600 kHz transmit offset) Champaign repeater. Synton members and University-community hams are especially encouraged to join the net.
Please advise Tim, KM4KS, shy@atmos.uiuc.edu, if you are receiving duplicates of this newsletter, or would like to be added to our e-mailing list.
PRESIDENT'S LETTER
Hi Syntonians!
Welcome back! I hope the winter holiday was a good one for your loved ones and you, and that the spring semester is off to a reasonably good start.
I was extremely pleased with the strong turnout for our first meeting of the year on Wednesday, January 17th, and it was most gratifying to see some new faces and hear some new ideas on how things might go for us as we begin 2001. I hope you can make it to our "welcome back" pizza party at Papa Del's on Tuesday, January 23rd. This should make up for our postponed holiday party, which got lost in the final exam scheduling back in December. Check out our "Synton Calendar" below for details.
I was also delighted to see Synton members on both sides of the table at the local ARRL Exam Session on January 21st. Congratulations to all who upgraded or picked up additional elements, and welcome to the world of your new privileges.
Sean, KX9X, wrote recently with news of a neat 2-meter band contest on Monday night, February 5th, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time (CST). This is a great way to get a flavor for contesting with modest equipment and without having to stay up all night! Sean has put together an excellent web site at http://hobbes.ncsa.uiuc.edu/sean/tcarc.html with lots of good information about the contest. Synton members -- of course! -- are encouraged to participate. Check it out!
A final word on safety -- the ground is your friend! Make good use of electrical grounds in your shack. Grounded equipment is safer equipment. You may also notice improved operation, as stray RF has someplace to go other than the chassis or cabinet. But the real benefit of a good ground is that the equipment will not electrocute you and remove you from this excellent, worthwhile and enjoyable hobby. Check out the sections on grounding in any of several ARRL publications, and take time to install a ground that does the job.
Have a great start to the semester! See you around the shack or around the bands.
73 Tim, KM4KS
Synton ARC President
SYNTON NEWS
Holiday Party -- has been temporarily renamed! Calling it our "welcome back" party, we’ll meet on Tuesday, January 23, 2001 at 1:30 p.m. at Papa Del’s, 206 E. Green St., Champaign (between Second and Third Streets).
License Examinations -- Next chance to test locally will be with the Twin Cities Amateur Radio Club (TCARC). They will be holding ARRL-VEC license examinations on Sunday, March 18, 2001, 1 p.m., at the Fire Service Institute Building. Please bring picture identification, and both the original and a copy of your license and certificates of successful completion (CSCE), as well as the $10 test fee.
...AND ON THE BACK BURNER...
Handbook Sales -- Anyone need a 1999 Handbook? At a good price? Two are still available in Room 330D EL.
Net Control? -- Anyone interested in representing Synton as net control for the Thursday night 2-meter net. The job is a lot of fun, and a good way to meet many of the local hams. Tell Tim, KM4KS <shy@atmos.uiuc.edu> if you’re interested in learning more.
SYNTON CALENDAR
Jan 23 -- "Welcome Back" special meeting, Papa Del’s Pizza, 206 E. Green Street, Champaign, 1:30 p.m.
Jan 31 -- Club Meeting, 330D Everitt Lab, noon.
Jan 31 -- Engineering Council General Meeting, 7 p.m., Grainger Library Commons
Feb 5 -- Twin Cities Amateur Radio Club (TCARC) 2 Meter FM Challenge contest, 8-9 p.m. CST. Simplex band segments. See http://hobbes.ncsa.uiuc.edu/tcarc.html for details
Feb 7 -- Club Meeting, 330D Everitt Lab, noon
Feb 14 -- Club Meeting, 330D Everitt Lab, noon
Feb 21 -- Club Meeting, 330D Everitt Lab, noon
Feb 21 -- Engineering Council General Meeting, 7 p.m., Grainger Library Commons
TREASURER'S REPORT
Checking 106.16
Savings 325.91
Voucher 462.38
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TOTAL 894.45
OFFICER LIST
President: Sid Cammeresi (KB9YPJ)
Vice President: Greg Koenig (KA9YNI)
Treasurer: Debbie Fligor (N9DN)
Secretary: -- Vacant --
Station Manager: Ryan (KF9T)
QSL Manager: -- Vacant --
Public Service Manager: -- Vacant --
Engineering Council Representative: Bala (W9/VU3GWL)
Advisor: Prof. Jim Coleman (KA6A)