SYNTOGRAM -- Sep, 2000


Synton Web Site
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Joint Synton/Twin Cities ARC 2-meter net Thursdays at 9 p.m. local 146.76 MHz (-600 kHz transmit offset) Champaign repeater.
Synton members and University-community hams especially encouraged to join the net.

Please advise Tim, KM4KS, shy@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 to campus for another academic year. I hope the summer brought you the three "Rs" … rest, recreation and lots of radio!

This academic year begins with challenges for the club. But embedded in these challenges are excellent opportunities to bring about some real improvements that will make the club more accessible, more responsive, and -- with luck -- more fun for all.

I am very pleased to see how well we have all adjusted to our smaller, less fancy facility. Our move from Physics House III has produced an unexpected benefit: we have managed to reduce our inventory of outdated, never-used or non-working equipment. This has eliminated much of the clutter and made for much more efficient use of space. In addition, the sale of some of the surplus equipment has brought some needed dollars into the Synton treasury. Thanks to Debbie, N9DN, and Jeremy, WG9T, for handling the equipment sale at the recent Peoria hamfest.

Thanks also to members who brought the Synton story to Engineer’s Night September 18th, particularly Debbie, and Alijeet, KB9UBQ. This has historically been an excellent way to expose the club and amateur radio to incoming Engineering College students, and a few who’ve been around for awhile as well. Should a few of these new faces show up for future club events, please be sure to make them welcome in the spirit of our 75-year tradition on campus.

We have a few near-term goals to achieve in the next few weeks. We will be transporting the remainder of our surplus equipment and tower sections to an off-campus storage site, installing our VHF/UHF vertical on the roof of Everitt Lab, and checking out our HF antenna capability to ensure we’re getting the most out of that. These three goals are all "one evening" projects and a good chance for us to get together. Please keep an eye on our newsgroup and mailing list for details.

Let’s work hard to make sure this academic year is a safe one for the club. In a few weeks, we will notice heaters turned on instead of air conditioning, and all the things piled around a turned-off heater might now become possible fire hazards. Check the heaters in your shack to be sure that flammables are well clear and that heat flow is not obstructed by equipment or furniture.

Again -- welcome back -- and I’ll look forward to seeing you around the shack or around the bands.

73 Tim, KM4KS
Synton ARC President



SYNTON NEWS

Equipment Move -- We’ll be renting a truck to pick up what’s left of our surplus equipment along with tower sections and moving them to the University’s Aeronomy Research Site off campus. This should be a very short job… please watch for announcements on both the mailing list and newsgroup.

330D Keys -- An access list for members indicating interest in the club this year has been forwarded to faculty advisor Prof. Jim, KA6A for forwarding to Everitt Lab’s Ms. Rody Negangard in Room 159. Please check out both a room key and a magnetic outdoor key should you wish. Please contact Tim, KM4KS, <shy@uiuc.edu> should you have any problem checking out keys.

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, October 15, 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).


...AND ON THE BACK BURNER...

Handbook Sales -- Anyone need a 1999 Handbook? At a good price? Two are still available in Room 330D EL.


SYNTON CALENDAR

Sept. 27 -- Club Meeting, 330D Everitt Lab, noon

Oct. 4 -- Club Meeting, 330D Everitt Lab, noon

Oct. 11 -- Club Meeting, 330D Everitt Lab, noon

Oct. 15 -- ARRL license examination session, Fire Service Institute Bldg, 1 p.m.

Oct. 18 -- Club Meeting, 330D Everitt Lab, noon



TREASURER'S REPORT

Checking $106.16
Savings $325.92
Voucher $462.38
===========================
TOTAL $894.54

[treas. Note. There is a discrepancy between what I think is in the voucher account and what the University thinks is in there. I need to meet with the accountant and see why we disagree. The University thinks we have about $100, not $462.]


OFFICER LIST

President: Tim Shy (KM4KS)
Vice President: -- Vacant --
Treasurer: Debbie Fligor (N9DN)
Secretary: -- Vacant --
Station Manager: -- Vacant --
QSL Manager: -- Vacant --
Public Service Manager: -- Vacant --
Engineering Council Representative: Tim Shy (KM4KS)
Advisor: Prof. Jim Coleman (KA6A)