I hope that you all have our Hamfest on October 9th marked on your calendars. This event raises the funds we need to support our activities such as the DX Node and our portable station and trailer. We also have a lot of fun. Even if you cannot make the actual event (I understand that some hunting seasons open that day) there are plenty of activities you can help with between now and then. On the day of the event, we will need lots of help, including security and ticket sales. We will have special meetings to work on Hamfest at 6:30 before both the social (9/8/99) and business (9/22/99) meetings. In case these early meetings impact your dinner hour, there will be pizza available at cost ($1.50 per slice). We will plan other Hamfest meetings as needed. Remember that this is your club and we need your participation.

Thank you to everyone helping with the Tour de Kitsap bicycle ride on September 4^th. Thanks also to everyone who has helped out at other events this summer. It is hard to believe that summer is pretty much over, but if you missed out this summer, there will be plenty of events to help out with next summer.

At our Holiday dinner we usually try to recognize club members that have significantly contributed to the club over the year. Please let me know if you have anyone that should be recognized. A lot happens behind the scenes, and I do not want to forget anyone.

Our meeting on September 8^th should be very interesting with Les and Sandi Kolb sharing their experience at the South Pole. I hope to see all of you there!

73, Marcie Stilwell, KC7DAT

NKARC members are involved in major projects sponsored by the club. These projects which include the portable station, DX node, and the club trailer were used at the Field Day leading to an event enjoyed by all that participated. The portable station was used by a group of scouts during the JOTA event last Fall resulting in favorable comments in the North Kitsap Herald. This helped to make the community aware of amateur radio. The portable station was installed in the club trailer for Field Day and used by the CW operators to pile up an impressive number of points for the report to ARRL. The DX node provided updated information on propagation and band conditions improving the probability for the maximum number of contacts during the operating period.. The DX node is currently used by operators in Kitsap and Jefferson Counties to stay abreast of propagation conditions and DX stations on the bands. They also use it to communicate with one another using the message system available.

The funds to finance these projects were the proceeds from previous Hamfests. The NKARC Hamfest is the major fund-raiser for the club and has gotten the reputation of being a well run Hamfest and Swap Meet. Many of the vendors and people who rented tables indicated they will return in 1999 because the club takes extra measures to make them welcome. The "Old-Time Ham Station" operated by the Radio Club of Tacoma will return to demonstrate how it was done in the old days when vacuum tubes were used to get the signal out and to warm the shack at the same time.

Planning for the 1999 Hamfest has progressed and the various phases of the event have been defined. A coordinator is needed to keep track of things and report on progress and problems that may arise. Work has already been done on the long-range items. The President’s Hall at the Kitsap Pavilion has been reserved and notices have been sent to the amateur radio publications to be included in the magazine. Arrangements have been made to use the WW7RA repeater for talk-in. Flyers have been passed out at the hamfests in the area. The club is heavily committed to put on a successful Hamfest.

There a number of members who are willing workers but we also needs leaders who are willing to manage this important project. Each and every member must be involved if this year’s Hamfest is going to add to the run of successes from previous years and provide us with the funds to continue supporting these projects and to initiate others.

Many amateur operators rely on the Hamfest to find that "thingamabob" they need to finish that ingenious "whatchamacallit" they have been working on in the garage. One advantage of working on the Hamfest is to get a "preview" of the equipment and material being sold by the vendors and other hams. You may find the item that you need to complete that project at a much reduced price than it would be over the counter…..Or you might find the gear you have been waiting to buy yet could not afford if it were new. There is something for everybody at the only electronic "garage sale" in Kitsap County.

If you find yourself with surplus equipment or hardware, consider the possibility of renting a table and getting some cash for the "stuff" your XYL considers junk. True, she has been after you to clean out the shack and the garage and to dump the "stuff" you haven’t used in the last two years or more. Don’t dump it….sell it. That’s the "thingamabob" somebody is looking for. Reserve a table and help the ecology by not dumping.

On the other hand, you may find a great bargain from a fellow ham or from the vendors. Swap and shop until you drop.

All are welcome to attend this meeting at the Viking Park Clubhouse in Poulsbo, Wednesday September 8^th at 7:30 PM.

 THE FOX'S DEN

An indoor hunting event is planned for the NKARC hamfest on Saturday October 9, 1999. Get your equipment ready to do a little foxhunting while you shop, and maybe win a prize!

Region 2 ARDF Championship Report

On Wednesday the 2m competition was held at Silver Falls State Park east of Salem, Oregon. The course was in a flat valley and up onto the hills on each side. There was a large open area at the start, surrounded by rain forest and 50m/150' trees. Probably the optimum way to run the course was to take advantage of the paved bike path and a few trails, since the transmitters were within 70m/200' of them.

Those competitors who chose to be more creative in their choice of routes typically spent a lot of time communing with the forest plants. Fortunately, here was a large fireplace in the ranch house at the finish for drying socks afterwards.

The Canadians carried the day among the Region 2 competitors, taking first in the Senior Men, and first and second in the Old Timer Men division. I guess they felt right at home in rain and the forest. (And we were using 3 of their transmitters.)

On Thursday the participants set out for the 80m competition, this time at Powell Butte Nature Park in east Portland. The weather was warmer, with broken clouds, but no rain. The start was delayed by the failure of one transmitter and the mis-programming of two others. Eventually we hid the finish beacon about 200m from the finish corridor and told competitors to find it and punch their tickets there as if it had been transmitter #2.

Powell Butte is fairly open and grassy on top, with blackberry thickets and forest on the slopes. We started on the Northeast side, with one transmitter on top, and 3 of them scattered on the West and Southwest sides of the hill. This time the Canadians did not do as well, while the Kazakh team made good on VK3TJN's comment after the Region 3 Championships:

"To the Yanks: You haven't a hope against those Kazaks this August!"

Thursday evening we had a barbecue at Reed, and presented the medals for the two competitions. There were a total of 31 competitors, and everyone got something to take home and show off, in addition to a large stock of stories, some thoughts of how they will do better next time, and some lasting friendships with the other participants from around the country and around the world.

- Dale WB6BYU

If you are interested in taking part in a local hunt, or would like more information about any of the events listed above, contact me in person, by phone, or by e-mail:

Want your newsletter as soon as it comes out of the word processor? Send your e-mail address to : bobtomas@sprintmail.com, and it will be mailed out right after the proof reading. Be sure to tell if you are using an Internet browser or an e-mail only account in order to get the right format. Most e-mail only accounts only accept ASCII text format and we oblige with a text only format for them.

The 42nd annual JOTA (Jamboree On The Air) is coming up and will be upon us before you know it. It is scheduled during the third full weekend in October (0001 16 Oct - 2359 17 Oct)all times local) and allows us to plant the bug in some young hams (to be).

I am looking for anyone who may be part of a troop that will be interested in co-sponsoring this year’s event. Last year I set up at Raab Park in Poulsbo and had a pretty good turn out with 15 scouts participating plus media coverage.

I would like to set up meetings with any interested scout leaders for involvement and participation with their troops (i.e. discussions on radio jargon, modes, propagation, etc). Anyone knowing of interested parties can contact me at (360) 394-2460 or email at kc4lzn@aol.com.

John, KC4LZN, Keyport

NKARC sponsors VE testing at Olympic College, Room T-114, Lincoln Avenue, Bremerton, WA on the fourth Saturday of each month at 9:30 AM. All exams, Novice through Extra, are given. Contact Sue, AB7MD, at 360-697-9379 for more information and/or directions to the test site.

Don’t forget to dispose of those discharged household batteries in a way that helps our environment. This includes alkaline, ni-cad, and regular zinc carbide batteries. Bring them to the meeting., and provisions will be made to transport them to the proper disposal site in Kitsap County.

Lead acid batteries are excluded from this collection. The disposal site on Hansville Road will accept lead acid batteries without a charge

There is a wealth of information and capabilities to anybody that checks in. After you get connected, you can get the latest copy of the club newsletter -- "SOLID COPY"..

Click on the handi-talkie graphic and you’ll get a list of links to other web pages giving you an opportunity to connect to the ARRL, FCC, Packet Radio Home Page, AMSAT and many others. Need the QTH of the station you just had a contact with? The QRZ call sign look-up form is available. The links also give the link to the information on the Evergreen Intertie.

The page master is Charles Scharlau, NZ0I.

An operating event to honor the 130th anniversary of the birth of the ARRL's first president and key founder, Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW, now is under way and continues until September 11. Maxim was born September 2, 1869, so the Hiram Percy Maxim 130th Birthday Celebration--also known as HPM/130--appropriately began September 2. During the event period, eligible amateurs may sign /130, and other stations will attempt to work as many /130 stations as they can.

Those eligible to sign /130 include League members holding ARRL field appointments, ARRL elected volunteers--such as ARRL officers, directors and section managers, past directors and officers, ARRL life members, and ARRL HQ staff, as well as DXCC field reps. Assistant emergency coordinators, awards managers, QSL bureau workers and volunteer examiners may sign /130 if they are ARRL members.

The operating period continues until 2400 UTC Saturday, September 11. All stations signing /130, send RS(T), their appointment, and their name; others send RS(T) and their name.

/130 stations may be contacted on any band or mode for credit. You can work a station once per band and mode. Repeater contacts are valid for credit, but be considerate of other users during busy periods.

Certificates are available for making at least 25 contacts with /130 stations and endorsement increments of 25 up to a maximum of 100. Complete details on the HPM/130 event and a list of ARRL field positions appear in September 1999 QST, page 48. (ARRL Newsletter Vol. 18 No. 35)

Now you can access W1AW Morse code practice via ARRL

From Barker’s Log, July 1999

If you changed your address or call sign, please notify the club secretary to update the roster. This will insure that you will get the latest news via the club newsletter. Either notify Burt at the meeting or drop a card to NKARC at PO Box 2268, Silverdale, WA 98383-2268.

The club has a fine collection of books related to Amateur Radio. The collection available to club members covers a wide variety of topics including packet radio, direction finding, an antennas. Contact Susan, AB7MD, if you’re looking for a book and would like to borrow a copy.

For those of you who may have a need for a logging program I offer software that is suitable for logging 10 meter contacts (or any ham band) which is roughly modeled after the ARRL paper log book. The software is available for no cost or obligation at: http://www.qsl.net/kc7dh

Chuck Kronschnabel-- kc7dh@ckron.com 

Nothing is foolproof to a talented fool.

Support bacteria. They’re the only culture some people have.

I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.

As the sunspot activity increases, the chances for that DX contact go up accordingly. The difficult part of the contact is to get the QSL card confirming that you have made the QSO.

Most contacts will state " to send the card to the bureau." This refers to the ARRL QSL bureau and instructions for that process are contained in copies of QST or the ARRL Operating Manual.

In some cases, the station you have contacted will have a QSL manager and will notify you to send your card to the manager. If the QSL manager is located in the U.S., there is no problem. Send your card and an SASE to the manager’s address and you should get a response in a short time. The response time will depend on how the DX station and the QSL manager communicate the logs with one another. Patience is a great asset for accumulating those DX QSL cards.

If the QSL manager is outside the United States or, if the contact requests a direct mailing, it is not likely that you will have postage for his country so the SASE is not the way to go for the return card. Most operators in the DX countries like our green stamps $1.00 and only about 6 countries need more than one to pay for airmail postage. The second choice is 1 or 2 IRC's (International Reply Coupons). These are available at the Post Office at a cost of $1.05 but the green stamp is the unit of choice.

Be sure to enclose an addressed Airmail envelope back to you. Block the sending envelope from viewing with some dark paper so the green stamp is not seen. Do not put ANY callsign data on the sending envelope, 1/2 ounce is 60 cents now to the world. Mexico and Canada are slightly cheaper

Excerpts from the Propagation report by Tad Cook,:

Beyond the weekend look for solar flux to bottom out around 125 on September 8 or 9, then rise above 140 after the middle of the month, peaking around 220 on September 23 or 24. September 12-16 should have unsettled geomagnetic conditions, with A indices around 15.

August showed a continued upward trend in solar flux. Average flux values for April through August were 117.2, 148.4, 169.8, 165.6 and 170.7.

73 es cul….Bob, N7KTP