DARC February 2025 Meeting Reminder

Greetings! Today is Groundhog Day! Punxutawny Phil, the weather-forecasting rodent from Pennsylvania, has decreed that there will be six more weeks of Winter. And since he historically is accurate 38% of the time, I guess we know what that means!

He’s at least as accurate as the local weather prognosticators or the network weather “gurus”.

Spring will be here when it gets here. Like every year. We just have to live with whatever weathwe conditions we get in the meantime.

Regardless of whether Winter or Spring weather occurs, the regular monthly meeting of the Decatur Amateur Radio Club will occur on its regular schedule. We will gather in the basement auditorium of the Morgan County Courthouse at 6:30 on Tuesday, February 4th. Please come early! The building is always locked, and we have to have someone stationed to open the door. Once the meeting starts, the door attendant usually comes downstairs to the meeting, and you’ll get to enjoy whatever variety of night air shows up in the parking lot.

We’ll probably be talking about our efforts for the Winter Field Day event at the end of January. We had a good turnout and a tremendous time and (hopefully) a phenomenal score like last year’s Field Day event in June. We’re also talking more with EMA about our partnership and making response plans for this year’s tornado season (among other potential emergencies).

The meeting should be streamed on Microsoft Teams. If you are unable to attend, log into the meeting on your computer and participate anyway!

Here is the online information:


  • Title:   DARC
  • When:   Occurs the first Tuesday of every month . . . from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM.
  • Organizer:   EMA Operator <MCCEMA@morgancounty-al.gov>
  • Description:  DARC monthly members meeting.

Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting: 
<https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZDlmMjIxMTAtY2VmZC00ZjVjLThhMzMtNmRhYzVhOGIzNDBh%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%222d5e12da-b7d0-4d9a-bcf4-099f1b50984b%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%221660d6c4-034c-4150-9149-03cb174c170b%22%7d>

Learn more:
<https://aka.ms/JoinTeamsMeeting>

Meeting options:
<https://teams.microsoft.com/meetingOptions/?organizerId=1660d6c4-034c-4150-9149-03cb174c170b&tenantId=2d5e12da-b7d0-4d9a-bcf4-099f1b50984b&threadId=19_meeting_ZDlmMjIxMTAtY2VmZC00ZjVjLThhMzMtNmRhYzVhOGIzNDBh@thread.v2&messageId=0&language=en-US>


If you have issues, please contact me at this email address or contact club president Thomas Garner KN4MDE at his address (his callsign @ outlook.com).

Please continue to spread the word to fellow hams or those who are wanting to take a test for a new or upgraded license that the Decatur club is still giving license tests every month on the first Saturday of each month. The testing sessions will be held in the Decatur Public Library on 6th Avenue NE (Highway 31) at 1:00. Please bring ID (especially your FRN, which is required on the license application) and your $15 fee. And, most importantly, PLEASE send an email to DecaturHamTest@w4atd.org so we can have the testing materials prepared and available for you. March 1st is our next scheduled testing date. PLEASE NOTE: WE ALWAYS NEED VOLUNTEER EXAMINERS TO HELP WITH THE TESTING PROGRAM! If you want to help in some way (Extra class license is normally required), please let us know! And if you send an email and do not get a timely response, please let the secretary know.

Remember also that the roster of current club members is now online at www.HamClubOnline.com. Set up your free account and if you have paid your dues (and the Secretary has updated the database) you should see that you’re associated with the DARC. If there’s an issue, let us know.

Speaking of membership, have you paid your dues for 2025 yet? It’s only $20.00 for the year. If you have family members who would also qualify for membership, they are only $5.00 each. See one of the officers at the meeting or mail your dues to DARC, PO Box 9, Decatur, AL  35602-0009.

See you on Tuesday evening, February 4th, 2025, at the Morgan County Courthouse at 6:30! Don’t be late!

Richard Matthews

Author: KB4CAY

Ham since 1981. Secretary of Decatur Amateur Radio Club since 2001. I like digital modes and listening to local repeaters.