Syntogram
Issue 3 October 1997
A note from the Editor
Thanks to everyone that has helped out with the newsletter. I'm always open to new
ideas for the newsletter, so please feel free to submit ideas for format or articles!
Copies of the newsletter can be found in uiuc.org.synton, and as a link off of Synton's web page at <http://www.uiuc.edu/ph/www/synton> in addition to the copy mailed
to the listserv. If you would like to subscribe to the mailing list, please send
email to "listserv@postoffice.cso.uiuc.edu" and in the body write "subscribe synton-l"
(both without the quotes).
A letter from the President
Hello Synton members and friends ...
I hope we've all survived the first few weeks of the semester as summer
gives way to the first hints of autumn. It's been excellent to see so many
turn out for the cook-out at Debbie and Charlie's place, and the recent
cook-out at Al's farm in east county. We enjoyed ourselves ... be sure and
thank Debbie and Al for their hospitality when you see them next.
Nothing made me feel better than to return to Illinois after a job-hunting
trip to California, and discover a whole list of names from folks who had
an "eyeball QSO" with us at Engineer's Night. Wow! This was
record-setting performance, and a hearty "FB" to all who helped pull things
off.
Our Handbook sales efforts continue. Demand is a little slow right now,
but we appreciate Wayne's help in covering the 330C sales desk over Monday,
Wednesday, and Friday lunch. Wayne has just completed his official
Treasurer's workshop, and has an application in for some SORF funding which
will help the club's financial picture. Wayne does so much
behind-the-scenes work, and I hope you'll thank him also for a job well
done next time you see him, and ... please offer to share some of the load
with him if you can spare a lunch hour or two per month.
We have a friend in California! Prof. Shapiro at UC-San Diego has donated
some small shortwave radios: a Grundig Yacht Boy 500, and a Radio Shack
DX-370. The Grundig may need some minor repairs, but the Radio Shack set
performs nicely in 330C Everitt Lab, particularly when hooked to the
outside random-wire antenna. Coupled with the existing Bearcat scanner, we
at least have the makings of a simple scanning station. We're still hoping
for a fancier and full-featured scanner, but the existing gear will enjoy
much use from those who would like to "keep it simple" with fewer knobs and
filters to adjust. I've become a "regular" with Radio Canada's Russian
language broadcasts, and I invite all others to enjoy the world of SWLing.
Tor keeps upping the yield on our PH III antenna farm! A V-beam open to
the east has improved W9YH's HF signal into Europe and the Mediterranean,
and gives us some edge in the contesting world, as Tor will readily attest!
I enjoyed hearing 59+30 reports from New York City and Vermont on 40
meters running about 30 watts the other night! Please make some time to
come check this out, particularly if you remember the old Wright and White
days fighting with a trapped vertical!
Debbie has also spiffed up our web page access! We can now be reached
through the University's Registered Student Organizations page, and through
the Engineering Council page. It is very gratifying to discover that folks
interested in Synton find us frequently through web searches on University
of Illinois pages. This is very inexpensive publicity for us, and I thank
all involved in bringing our webpage to life.
It's hard not to look around 330C and remember our brush with fire in
August. This month, let me emphasize good housekeeping habits. One of my
goals this month is to remove as many combustibles as possible from our
operating areas. We probably don't need as much paper stuff lying around
as we have. Some small precautions ... throwing away unneeded paper, and
stowing needed paper properly ... will go a long way to making our
operations fire safe! Any help you could lend me on this very short-term
project would be greatly appreciated!
Good hamming in October, and I'll look forward to seeing you at our
Wednesday noon meetings in 330C Everitt!
73,
Tim, KM4KS,
Synton ARC President
Club News:
Proposed - change to uiuc.org.synton.
No one contacted me regarding the proposed change, so keep an eye out for uiuc.org.w9yh
to replace uiuc.org.synton
Treasurer's Report:
no report available
Club Activities:
Fox Hunt!
Let's have a fox hunt! If you're not familar with the term, a 'fox hunt' is a hidden
transmitter hunt. Someone (known as the 'fox') hides a transmitter (or with an
HT and spare batteries) and transmits at regular intervals while everyone else tries
to find the 'fox.' The first person to find the fox wins, and gets to be the fox for
the next hunt. Synton fox hunts are traditionally bounded by the following roads:
University, Lincoln, Florida, and 4th. Hunters are allowed to use any kind of direction
finding equipment they wish, but they must travel on foot. Teams are allowed. I'm
planning on Sunday, October 19th at 2pm for the hunt, if you can't make that day
and time, please let me know soon!
Auction!
The Twin Cities Amateur Radio Club be holding their semi-annual Auction on Tuesday,
October 14th. The doors will open at 6, and bidding will start at 7. The Auction
will be at the Urbana Civic Center which is on Water St. in Urbana. The civic center
is the first building south of the County Market on Broadway Ave. (Water St. is the
first street to the East after you pass the railroad tracks coming south from University).
Officer list:
President: Tim Shy (KM4KS)
Vice President: Still Vacant
Treasurer: Wayne Wagner (AA9DY)
Secretary: Debbie Fligor (KA9JYI)
Station Manager: Torsten Clay (N4OGW)
QSL Manager: Chris Bochna (N9RQW)
Public Service Manager: Mark Belding (N9GPA)
Engineering Council Representative: Tim Shy (KM4KS)
Advisor: Prof. Jim Coleman (KA6A)
73
de KA9JYI