We just had the September NARS Board of Director's meeting and we discussed the annual NARS Banquet, Net Manager, SIRE event assistance and nominations for 1997 c lub officers.

How 'bout this, it is already time to reserve the banquet location.

O.J. WA1YIA has been coordinating the NARS nets. His job duties have changed and he is unable to continue this function. The club needs someone to carry on with coordinating. How about YOU! This does not involve handling the nets, but making sure someone is assigned to net control (Pretty important position, huh?).

NARS has once again agreed to provide help and radio assistance to the SIRE event . This group has a day set aside to give handicapped individuals horse rides and raise funds to continue the rides throughout the year. I am told this improves their muscle tone and is a great boost to them. Please see Jim Sutherland N5SBP, or me, if you are interested. I have a sign-up list and need about 16 people. This is a very self-satisfying event and I am looking for HELP (I don't want to h og all the fun.).

The BIG EVENT is October 12, 1996. The Gulf Coast Ham Convention's BIG day is finally here. NARS will again have flea market tables for members to buy or sell t heir goodies. NARS will charge a commission of 5% of sale or a Maximum of $5.00. We are getting four tables this year. So, dust off that potential money maker and/or trade for a newer boat anchor. Just drop on by to say hey, meet someone o r just hang out. We will be monitoring 146.66 simplex for anyone lost on the pre mises.

The nominating committee chairman has been appointed and he will be approaching m embers to be next year's officers. If you would like to run for a position on th e Board, have your name submitted at the October general membership meeting. Ele ctions will be held at the November general membership meeting. Boy Howdy, it is hard for me to believe that it already September.

At September's meeting the speaker was Bill Gary K8CSG. I think he gave a very g ood presentation on DX'ing. He has spurred my interest in DX and I am looking fo rward to the peak of the sun spot cycle.

This month's meeting topic is a presentation by John Allen KC5JRS about the recen t Balloon Launch and return with Lifting Body, equipped with a video camera. Ham radio has sure come a long way from spark gap transmitters, to ATV from a balloon. I am waiting with baited breath to see y'all there.

The NARS web page address is http://www.flash.net/~nars

To The Edge Of Space And Back

Come join us at the next monthly membership meeting Friday evening, October 17 at 7:30. John Allen KC5JRS will speak about the South Texas Balloon Launch Team. The team is made up from members of HATV (Houston Amateur Television), AMSAT, NARS, ECHO and BVARC. Launch sites used by the team include a local facility and a national facility located in Palestine, Texas, which is used for NASA launches.

Balloons are used to carry instruments and other equipment to an altitude of up t o 100,000 feet. Amateur Television (ATV), Global Positioning System (GPS) and packet radio units are included to record the event. Packet information received o n the ground includes altitude, latitude, longitude and other data. Multiple fre quency beacons are also transmitted to help in tracking balloon position. The te am travels up to sixty miles to retrieve the balloon after descent from the local launch site.

John will show two short video clips of recent flights, one from the local facili ty and one from the Palestine facility. He will also have information handouts. Don't miss this chance to see a top notch program.

Rick Aikman KI5ME has designed a new banner for the newsletter. It needs a few refinements and should be available for use next month. I think you all will be pleasantly surprised.

Speaking of surprise, Harry Gage N5WIZ related a rumor to me that I was going to resign as newsletter editor. Hmmm... well, not anytime soon. But, whoever is responsible, call me and maybe we can work out a "changing of the guard" in the future. I enjoy doing this job, but I am willing to give someone else a chance if they are willing to take the reins.

Not for thee the joys of family,
or the siren call of sex.
Your vocation, you've decided,
is to chase the rare DX. . .

DX News September 1 saw a solar flux index of 76, with an A index of 12 -- not a very auspicious beginning. During the next twelve hours, the A index declined and a respectable opening into Europe ensued. After a nice opening into Europe during Sept . 7-8, the SFI dropped to 68. At mid-month the SFI was still in the high 60's with an A-index in the 10-12 range. By Sept. 21, the SFI at 69 and the A index at 29 spelled trouble for DXers. Despite these poor numbers, there was a bit of an opening into Europe and a nighttime shot at a few stations in the Pacific. Late that week an opening into Africa appeared, which offered a few choice DX spots when the A index fell to 9 for a few hours before returning to 22. Saturday, Sept . 28, saw a nice 15-meter opening into Namibia and other parts of the globe. The Scandinavian Contest on the last weekend of the month enjoyed reasonable band conditions.

DX Worked: C21NJ (Nauru); LX1IQ (Luxembourg); 5Z4RL (Kenya); Z31FK (Macedonia); LY1FW (Lithuania); LZ5VI, LZ3WF & LZ2HM (Bulgaria); SV1DKR (Greece); MW0AGE/p (Wa les); 9H1EL (Malta); HAM9SU (Hungary); D2FIB (Angola); VR6DB (Pitcairn Island); 5 H3JB (Tanzania); 9K2HN (Kuwait); T30EG (Kiribati); VK6ACY (W. Australia); VP5JM ( Turks & Caicos Is.); D2EV (Angola); TZ6VV (Mali); TY1RY (Benin); 9G1YR (Ghana); Z D7DP (St. Helena Is.); V51CM (Namibia); JW8GV (Svalbard Island), Z22JE (Zimbabwe) .

DX HEARD: DU6BG (Philippines); VK6LC (W. Australia); 4X1AO (Israel); 9A1EZA (Croa tia); T70A (San Marino); XZ2BH (Burma w/ Martti Laine); 9J2SZ (Zambia); HZ1AB (Sa udi Arabia); FT5WF (Crozet Island); P29TL (Papua New Guinea); 5A1A (Libya).

KM5AO began the month by working C21NJ (Nauru) for a new country, as well as a KG 4 in Guantanamo Bay. W5VHN added 5A1A (Libya) for another new country. O.J., WA 1YIA, has become a collector of contacts with Dominica lately. He has been heard complaining(?) of all the J79 callsigns he encounters on the bands. O.J. also worked Ethiopia (9E) on 20m CW late in September. WA5YVT worked TY1RY (Benin).

There was a nice opportunity for folks to work Tunisia during mid-September. Two German operators used 3V8BB for operation in conjunction with the Worked All Eur ope (WAE) contest. They also promised to QSL all contacts with their operation. Tunisia has long been difficult to work and to get confirmed. During the last y ear or two 3V8BB has become available to visiting operators for contacts with thi s semi-rare DXCC country.

Another country in this category is becoming available via EA4BB who has a one-ye ar assignment in Zaire (9Q). He will be using a Kenwood TS50 transceiver, and di poles and delta loops for antennas. QSL via the home call.

Bill Denton WA5WDX is happily exploring the bells and whistles on his new rig, a Yaesu FT990. His XYL Marian KB5SGV keeps searching for the knobs on her new radi o, also, but has been overheard professing that it more nearly resembles a brown corrugated carton.

The fellows heading for St. Paul Island (CY9) continue to be troubled by foul weather. They had planned to depart for the island on September 18 but have been delayed by weather conditions. They will eventually get there and should have a fairly complete operation.

Tonga is hosting an American operator, Paul Kidd, A35RK. Paul is operating from Nuku'alofa on 40-15 meters. By the end of September he will be relocated to a rented house 20 steps from the beach on Lifuka Island and should have a Force 12 beam in the air. The A35 QSL Bureau is in considerable disarray, according to Paul . One problem involves a large number of cards for bootlegged A35 callsigns and how to deal with them. They can be returned to senders via the bureau system, but even this costs money. Paul says "Life is good, the fishing is good, and the people of Tonga are super."

The strange callsigns beginning with M which are being heard on the bands are not rare DX. They are simply a sign that ham radio is growing in the United Kingdom, also. With the G-prefix callsigns exhausted, new licenses are being issued with M-prefixes.

Some Indian Ocean islands will be on the air in October and November. EA2KL and EA3ELM plan to operate from Mauritius and from Rodriguez Islands during the Oct. 31-Nov. 5 time frame. Following those operations they plan to operate from Reuni on Island Nov. 6-12. Reunion is not particular difficult, and Mauritius is only slightly more difficult to work. Rodriguez is something else -- no indigent hams and rarely visited by DXpeditions. Older DXers may remember the interesting days when Darlene operated from there in 1971.

The Sept. 20 meeting of NARS featured DX as its topic. K8CSG presented a discuss ion of some elements of DXing and showed a videotape of the DXpedition to Peter I Island in 1994. This DXpedition to the then-#1 country on the most-wanted list cost nearly a quarter-million dollars, made some 60,000 QSOs, and was completed successfully in spite of weather conditions and the desolation of the island. Nine amateurs from four countries performed the feat, accompanied by one unlicensed gentleman from Europe who came along to cook for the rest. Two years in the plan ning phase, the DXpedition ranks as one of the most difficult ever but also one o f the most successful. K0IR, a medical doctor from Minnesota, lead the team in i ts massive efforts to provide Peter I Island to DXers worldwide. K8CSG

On September 21st several NARS members worked the Montana CW QRP Field Contest. They paired up in several teams and operated at the QTH of Mike Hance KB5YVT. Recent postings on the packet contest reflector show the team of OJ Quarles WA1YIA and Bill Denton WA5DWX in the lead for points in this national contest. Most contacts were made on 20 meters and some important multipliers were obtained late in the day on 40 meters. Congratulations for a fine effort and well deserved result.

Bill Stietenroth K5ZTY has applied for a new club call sign in the Vanity Call Sign gate 2. He submitted a list of available call signs including several one by two's that are pretty neat. The FCC is using the lottery approach to issuing the se new calls; after all applications are received, a computer will do the random selections. Let's all hope we get a good one for club contesting. Whatever we end up with, we can all thank Bill for ridding us of the rather ineffective KC5OGI .

Honorary NARS Member Has Recipe For Success

Watching Janine handle all the requests for breakfast recently I was suddenly struck with the idea that there might be a human interest story here that NARS members and their spouses (xyl's) would enjoy for a refreshing change of pace. After all here is a young woman (and mother) taking food orders, dishing out those orders - all with accuracy and aplomb, and good naturedly trading wisecrack for wisecrack with our wild bunch - and everybody loving every minute of it. I sensed there was another side to Janine that people would also enjoy knowing. How right I was.

Photo - Keith - WD5DXL

Janine was born in Beaver Falls, Pa. in 1962 as Janine Weir (Scotch-Irish ancestr y). She attended Beaver Falls High School and was graduated in May 1980. Beaver Falls is the hometown also of Joe Namath who used to work at the same plant as one of Janine's uncles - Joe was a messenger there. Janine's husband, Larry Simser, was born in New Market, England. They've been married 13 years, and have two children - Rhiannon, 12 years old and in 7th grade - Joshua, 7 years old in lst grade. Both go to school in the Spring school district and are doing well.

Janine came to Houston 14 years ago at the urging of friends while still single. Within a year she had met and married her husband, Larry, who is a Courier for Texas Executive Couriers in Houston. They have been very contented here and have no plans for going anywhere else. Janine says she has no desire for any more winters like she experienced in Pennsylvania. Janine is working toward a career as a Bio-chemist. She would like to work in the environmental field as a consultant . She is currently attending North Harris County College as a sophomore with - get this - a 4.0 average so far!

What drives Janine is that she must maintain a high average to qualify for her goal of attending Rice University on a scholarship and grant. Because of their busy schedules, Larry and Janine make as much time as is available to play softball, basketball, volley ball and tennis with their kids. They also do some camping and fishing in the Huntsville, Lake Livingston and Galveston areas. Whew! - they' ve tired me out already.

What Janine is doing represents the American way - preparing herself educationall y for the future and working and studying hard in the present. The Declaration of independence says something to the effect (paraphrased) that the Creator (not m an or law) has endowed us with among other things the right to pursue happiness. Of course there's no guarantee we'll catch it - nobody can guarantee you that - but if you study hard, work hard - you'll have the best chance to climb the ladder of success - and hopefully catch happiness. Of course luck plays a role too - but that applies to everything we do. This is an ethic that hasn't changed in over 200 years of American history.

We think Janine will be a success in whatever she plans to do - she'll make a gre at biochemist. Her family appears to represent a high standard in young American family values - today - right here in our own backyard so to speak.

Janine - now that we've turned your head a little with such glowing prose, and while you're still doing such a good job waitressing - may I please have another ha lf cup of coffee? And hold the sausage on the short stack.

Low Budget Antennas

My first low budget antenna is a simple ground plane antenna and since 2m and 70cm FM are the most popular we'll start there.

I have three designs which comprise area and they vary in pricing that won't bust your wallet.

The common component is a Radio Shack SO-239 chassis mount female connector. This fits a PL-259 UHF male cable connector. You can use N type chassis and cable connectors for UHF if you please.

Antenna #1: You'll need some brass brazing rod. Nothing really thick, just big enough to fit into the chassis mount center pin for soldering. Why brass? It sol ders easy. You can use copper solid wire also. However, the brass is a bit more stiff.

File down the mounting holes so that the brass undercoating is exposed. Cut the brass or copper to 5% over a quarter wave:

[(246/fMHz) + ((246/fMHz)*.05)] = ground plane elements

Cut four pieces and solder them to the chassis mount mounting holes so that they are perpendicular to the frame of the connector:

Using a pair of needle nose pliers, at the solder joint, just below the chassis connector, bend the ground plane elements out to between 45 and 50 degrees.

Now cut the driven element to the same length and solder into the center pin. Attach your coax. Set up this tuning example:

Antenna --- coax --- SWR meter --- rig

Use low power. You can attach the antenna with a hose clamp to a broom handle for tuning via the coax connection. Go to the low end of your rig and transmit. Note the SWR reading. Do the same at the mid point of the band and the high end.

If the reading is better low than high it's too long and needs to be trimmed. That should be the case. Cut the top tip down a tad bit at a time and re-measure the SWR until the center of the band or your desired portion is as low as it can be. If it starts to go back up in SWR stop. Remember that in 70cm FM the input is mostly at the upper end of the band for repeaters. Thus the SWR should be best on the transmit, not the receive.

Repeater is 443.1 MHz. Your transmit frequency is 448.1 MHz so why tune to the repeater frequency? If you are going to operate at 446 MHz, then tune the antenna there.

If the SWR is better High than Low, it's too short; thus re-cut a new longer element, remove the first one and solder the new one in place. Repeat procedure. If it's a 'right on' SWR, leave it.

Mounting is a breeze with the hose clamp and vertical whatever like a rod, broom handle, angle iron, your choice ... Clamp between the coax connector and the 'whatever' you choose and then clamp the whatever to the tower or tower arm:

Cost: About $3 for the Chassis mount connector, Brazing rod comes in 3' lengths and your need three for 2m and two for 70cm. About $.50 each. And a hose clamp ab out $.75. OW! that hurt my wallet! ;-) How long do they last? I have two up n ow for nine years!

Antenna #2: This one is made from a tin funnel, a small piece of copper wire or brass brazing rod and an SO-239 chassis mount connector.

Now, one must realize that tin funnels do not come in 2m size so this design is for 70cm FM.

Cut the narrow end off the tin funnel so that the chassis connector's threads will just fit into the hole of the funnel. Once this is completed make four short slices into the newly made hole area so that the corners of the chassis mount connector can wedge into place. Prepare the surface of the SO-239 by removing the outer coating so that the brass is exposed and solder tin these areas. Wedge the chassis connector in place. Bend the extra tin over the chassis connector's mounting edge and solder. Insert the quarter wave driven element into the center pin, cut and tune as explained in part one.

Mounting is right off the tin funnel with a small piece of [your choice]:

Coax goes up the middle like a discone.

NOTE: Paint the unit since tin will rust. Use a non-conductive paint.

Cost: Tin funnel $1-$2, piece of brass brazing rod $Scrounge, SO-239 around $3.

Antenna #3: Similar to antenna #2, brass brazing rods or solid copper wire can be soldered to the funnel and a longer driven element can be added for 1.25 and 2m.

Show Your Shack: Bill Gary - K8CSG

This month's shack features that of Bill Gary K8CSG. All equipment is Kenwood unless otherwise specified.

HF:

TS940S transceiver (main)
TS930S transceiver (backup)
VFO230 (auxVFO for TS 830)
SB220 amplifier 1 KW

TM241 two meter transceiver
TM733 2-meter 70-centimeter transceiver for packet MFJ 1278B packet TNC

Astron 12VDC power supply
HAM-M rotator control for beam
Heathkit HM-2140 wattmeter and SWR meter MFJ 784B DSP filter
MFJ 432 Voice Keyer

Cushcraft A3 Tribander, R5 Vertical, Ringo Ranger

Amateur Extra License, ARRL DXCC Honor Roll, ARRL Life Member

Photo - Keith - WD5DXL

Photo - Keith - WD5DXL

Photo - Keith - WD5DXL

Photo - Keith - WD5DXL

Photo - Keith - WD5DXL