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| President's Corner - September 2024
On September 5th, the ARRL advised us that they renewed the Special Service Club designation for SFTARC. This special designation is for "a club that exists to go above and beyond for their communities" and "are the leaders in their Amateur Radio communities." We do this by providing yearly license training classes, providing promotion and publicity for Amateur Radio through our website, newsletters, and technical projects (Tech Night, etc.), as well as sponsoring operating activities (Field Day, KS QSO Party, etc.) and special events (Tallgrass On The Prairie, etc.). A number of our members are regularly involved with public service organizations (ARES, ECS/RACES, SATERN, CERT and KCHeart), and also volunteer their time providing radio communication at public runs and bike rides, etc. I encourage you to not only take part in these activities, but also consider taking on a primary role in either club activities or in public service, as you will find how rewarding they can be. | Author | G. McCarville (WBØCNK) | | Publishing date | Friday, 13 September 2024 |
| Meeting Notes - September 2024
MEETING TO ORDER:
President George, WBØCNK, called to order the September 2024 business meeting of the SFTARC at 8:00 AM CDT. A total of 21 members attended, 16 joining in person at the Gardner Perkins and 5 joining via Zoom. There were 2 guests.
SECRETARY-TREASURER REPORT:
Marty, KEØPEZ, reported the bank account balance and expenditures and receipts since the August meeting. Jason, KFØISL, reported that the club now has 80 members.
Ham Gear of Joe Krout, KRØUT
Joe has moved from KU Med to Hoeger House (on the Univ. of Kans. Health Service, Olathe Medical Campus). After this meeting, volunteers from SFTARC and JCRAC will move some of Joe's ham equipment from his home to the Ensor Park and Museum to be stored until the JCRAC auction on Oct. 12.
Repeater Update [Jim – KØNK]
Jim gave a status Update. The 440 repeater is now operating as KSØKS under a construction permit, which is good for 6 months. The antenna needs to be moved outside. Joe suggested putting this repeater on the south tower at Ensor. This possibility has pros and cons. The Gardner repeater experienced some malicious interference.
Pony Express POTA/QSO-Party Operation Aug 25th [Jim – KØNK]
Fred, KFØIKQ, and Jim, operating an HF station, made 8 contacts. Fred made his first HF QSO. They talked to a lot of people who attending the event.
Kansas QSO Party Aug 24th & 25th [Marty KEØPEZ]
SFTARC member Eric Santon, WØEAS, operated WØE on CW and SSB, making 302 and 198 QSO's, respectively. With a multiplier of 57, he earned 74,214 total points, 3rd place so far. Larry, KDØRIU, contributed 262 FT8 QSO's for WØE.
Multiple operators teamed up to produce a total of 683 QSO's for KSØKS, 230 on CW and 435 on sideband. The total score was 85745 points. Greg, KIØKK, made 150 FT8 QSO's.
Tech Night Schedule [Jeff - KSØJD]
This month's Tech Night will be held on September 26. President George encouraged club members to step up and do a presentation. Jeff, KSØJD, and Jim, ACØKN, volunteered to do short 10 minute presentations.
Mo-Kan Council Presentation [Howard-NØAZ, Jim-KØNK, George -WBØCNK]
President George shared highlights of the Amelia Earhart Hanger Museum Presentation that took place on Sat, Aug. 17th. Radios from the 1930s were on display. The speakers gave a good account of the incident, including some of its ambiguous aspects. This museum, located in Atchison, KS, is very interesting and well worth visiting.
Christmas Party [Jim – KØNK]
The annual party will be held at the Gardner Senior Center Saturday, Dec 21, 6 – 8:30 PM. BBQ, water, and tea will be provided by Smokey Hill BBQ. Everyone please bring a pot luck dish. A sign-up sheet will be available soon. The building will be open at 5 PM for set up.
2025 SFTARC Ham Radio Classes [Jim – KØNK]
Marty moved to authorize the club to spend $500 preparing for the 2025 SFTARC Ham Class for the General license, which will run for 8 weeks in January and February. Joe seconded the motion. The vote to approve the motion was unanimous. We will use the ARRL manual, which is good until 2027. Marty will order 6 books for teachers.
Equipment for sale
Three club members have equipment for sale. Joe, KRØUT, will sell equipment at the Ensor Auction. The family of Rob Maberry SK, KE5BR, is selling Rob's gear. A list of available items was sent to SFTARC members, who can send an offer to Rob's email for any items they have an interest in. Mike Lane has items for sale at Shulman Auction & Realty, LLC.
Note: see the "Equipment for Sale" list in the Newsletter or "About US/For Sale" menu item on sftar.org web site for details.
Club Officer Elections [George - WBØCNK]
Officers for the coming year, 2024-2025, will be elected at the SFTARC Annual Business Meeting on November 9th. The offices are a) President, b) Vice President, c) Secretary, and d) Treasurer. Please nominate individuals for these offices.
OTHER BUSINESS:
President George expressed "get well quick" messages to three club members who have been ill recently.
ADJOURN:
President George called for a motion to adjourn. It passed unanimously at 8:58 AM.
| Author | M. Peters (KEØPEZ) | | Publishing date | Wednesday, 18 September 2024 |
| The 103-Degree Telegraph Office It was hot on Sunday, August 25th, at the Hollenberg Pony Express Festival near Hanover, KS--103°F hot to be precise. However, festival visitors still got to witness a working “Telegraph Office” in the form of a ham radio HF station operating the under a shade tree and using the callsign of KØASA. This Telegraph-Office display was just one of many displays at the festival depicting life in early America.
 The Hollenberg Pony Express Station is the only Pony Express station in the nation that has been preserved and left on its original foundation. KFØIKQ photo.
 Jim uses a bow and arrow to launch a thin rope over the tree for the far-end support for the EFHW antenna. KFØIKQ photo.
KØASA is the callsign of the Crown Amateur Radio Association (CARA), which is made up of Honeywell retirees. This year the SFTARC assisted the CARA with bringing this amateur radio display to the public. Festival visitors not only got to see communications taking place in the Morse code, but also got a history lesson in early communications in America. They learned that the early wire-line telegraph actually gave birth to the legendary Pony Express. The primary purpose of the Pony Express was to bridge a 2000-mile gap in the telegraph line. In 1860, that gap existed between approximately the Kansas-Missouri boarder and the west coast of the United States.
In order to give visitors a hands-on experience with the Morse code, the front counter on the Telegraph-Office display contained a history of Morse-code-sending devices, ranging from a straight key and sounder through an electronic iambic keyer, and finally onto a WWII pseudo-replica of a spy radio.
 The Telegraph Office's Front-Counter display allowed Fred and Jim to demonstrate to visitors the many ways of sending the Morse code.
Assisted by informational posters on the side of the Telegraph Office display, SFTARC member Fred Warren, KFØIKQ, and SFTARC and CARA member Jim Andera, KØNK, were able to present an overview of the Morse code and the important role the Morse code played in the history of America. That opened the door for an introduction to the exciting world of amateur radio and the emergency-communications capabilities it offers. And some of the young visitors were given an Archie comic book with a ham-radio theme.
The station consisted of a Kenwood TS-50 transceiver, powered by a 100Ah LiFePO4 battery and operating into a 40m end-fed half-wave wire antenna. Operating as part of the KS QSO Party, only a limited number of contacts were made, with the telegraph operators giving priority to talking to the visitors. With the hot weather, the visitor count was noticeably below normal. Fortunately, there was enough wind and shade to provide the visitors and exhibitors with some relief from the heat.
 Operating the Kenwood TS-50 in SSB mode, Fred made the first QSO of the day, which was also his first HF QSO.
Our interaction with the visitors and the many “Thank-you” remarks we get is what makes the effort to set up and operate the Telegraph Office worthwhile. The CARA has sponsored this display since 2000 and is appreciative of the SFTARC’s support.
 Jim and Fred took turns talking to visitors and explaining the Morse code and amateur radio. KFØIKQ photo.
| Author | J. Andera (KØNK) | | Publishing date | Thursday, 12 September 2024 |
| KC MESH Antenna Back in Place
With the aid of a very special piece of equipment made available for the project by the City of Olathe, a replacement antenna for a KC Mesh Network was installed atop the three-legged 80-foot tower at Ensor Park and Museum the morning of Wednesday, September 4.
The task of properly positioning the new antenna and securing it in place fell to City of Olathe employee Toby Blue, who is pictured here as he tackles the job at hand on a lovely late summer day. Toby used a CMC 83HD+ Arbor Pro provided by the city to slowly but surely get to the top of the tower.
As three members of the Santa Fe Trail Amateur Radio Club, Marty Peters, KEØPEZ, Howard Cripe, NØAZ, and Rick Nichols, watched Toby skillfully work from a bucket at the end of a boom, another ham, Bill Gery, KA2FNK, occupied a chair in the Ensor home's Radio Room and patiently listened for that "sweet sound," if you will, that told him that connectivity had been achieved. And in due time it was.
| Author | Rick Nichols | | Publishing date | Wednesday, 18 September 2024 |
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| Equipment for Sale(Click on article title to view full text) |
KE0CIS (Michael Lane) Equipment for SaleDue to health issues, Mike is liquidating his Ham radio station. Prior to requesting that David Schulman make this equipment available via an upcoming auction, Mike is making this... | Publishing date | Thursday, 19 September 2024 |
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KE5BR Equipment for SaleLong-time SFTARC member, Rob Maberry, KE5BR, became a Silent Key in May. Much of his radio equipment is for sale and listed below. If interested in any of this gear,... | Publishing date | Wednesday, 18 September 2024 |
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| Trail Bytes
| Tech Night - Cybersecurity Safety The featured presenter for the October 2024 Tech Night was Tom Brittain - KFØNPE. Tom's presentation was on Information Security. October is Cyber Security Month. The presentation addressed general practices,... | Publishing date | Friday, 1 November 2024 |
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