Greetings! Today is “Cinco de Mayo”, May 5th, where Americans celebrate a minor military victory by the Mexican army in 1862. The Mexicans usually shrug it off and laugh at us.
The victory I want right now is over these ugly green, red-eyed insects that have suddenly hatched and are beginning to make a lot of noise and leave a lot of dead relatives around. Was 13 years not long enough long for these cicadas to be dormant? Wouldn’t another decade or two feel much better?
Well, obviously May has arrived on schedule with its variety of holidays, weather events, and issues. Some interesting things have come up as well, and the club needs to talk and to plan.
The Decatur Amateur Radio Club will hold its monthly meeting for May in the basement auditorium of the Morgan County Courthouse in Decatur on Tuesday evening, May 7th. We plan to start this meeting at 6:30 like we began doing last year, so don’t be late! Please come to the lower entrance off of Lee Street, and be early! The building stays locked, and we must keep someone at the door to admit members and visitors.
Field Day is coming in a few short weeks (June 22nd and 23rd), and we need to start planning and preparing now. Come throw out your ideas, volunteer to help in some way, and let’s make this event memorable.
We have been contacted by someone at the Marshall Space Flight Center about possibly being involved in an ARISS contact between the International Space Station and a local school. We need to discuss this since the current application window closes in 2 weeks. Other opportunities may come later, and this discussion can help us be prepared.
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>
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 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. June 1st is our next scheduled testing date. PLEASE NOTE: WE DESPERATELY 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.
Have you paid your dues for 2024? 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, May 7th, 2024, at the Morgan County Courthouse at 6:30! Don’t be late!
