Greetings! Do you remember the old saying about April showers bringing May flowers? If it’s true, then we should be seeing some spectacular blooms coming along this month! My yard is completely soaked!
The regular meeting of the Decatur Amateur Radio Club is sprouting out this week as well (see what I did there?). We will hold our monthly meeting for May on Tuesday evening, May 2nd, at 7:30pm in the basement auditorium of the Morgan County Courthouse in Decatur. Please arrive early at the lower entrance off of Lee Street. The building is secure and we must keep someone stationed at the door to let visitors in.
The meeting will 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 7:30 PM to 9:00 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>
If you have issues, please contact me at this email address or contact the club president Thomas Garner KN4MDE at his address (his callsign @ outlook.com).
We have two things to look forward to in this meeting. Firstly, we will be voting on an amendment to the club by-laws to remove the “7:30pm” meeting time and replacing it with wording that gives the officers leeway in setting a meeting place and time for the monthly meetings, as long as the meetings occur at least once per month. If you have paid your dues and are a current member, please come and express yourself in this matter of club business.
Secondly, David Matherly of VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters) will present information about his organization. The Morgan County CERT is part of this group and has suggested that the club consider affiliating also. Come listen and get some food for thought about disaster relief preparedness.
Speaking of disasters and weather, please participate in the ARES/Skywarn training net on Tuesday evenings on the 147.00 repeater at 7:00. Of course the training net is suspended during the club meetings, but every other Tuesday it’s held so that we can be familiar with and ready for emergency communications. We’ve already seen the need for preparedness this year, and we still have a month of the severe weather season to go. This time.
Please spread the word to fellow hams or those who are wanting to take the test that the Decatur club is now scheduling license testing 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. May 6th and June 3rd are our next scheduled testing dates. And if you are a Volunteer Examiner or want to help in some way, please let us know!
Also, one more reminder to please remember to pay your dues for 2023. It’s only $20.00 for the year. If you have family members who would 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.
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.
See you on Tuesday evening!
