Montana's Ham Radio Forum

Greetings !
Seems like no one has posted here recently, but that doesn't mean we're not ACTIVE.
Here are a number of things going on with GFAARC. Follow the links below or check back here for more information as it becomes available. As Always, this is YOUR CLUB. If you would like to have us consider something you're thinking of, come to a meeting (or board of directors meeting) and "PITCH" your idea / concept. Hope to see you involved in one or more the the following events.

WALTER BREUNING SPECIAL EVENT STATION - W7B. 0000 GMT 30 April 2011 to 0000 GMT 14 April 2011. Commemorating and honoring the "Oldest Man in the World". There is a special section on this forum to coordinate operating times / modes / locations, etc. PLEASE visit that forum section and note your operating schedule(s).
http://www.w7eca.org/w7b.htm

FOX / BUNNY HUNTING SEASON IS OPEN ! A group of hams is rekindling the transmitter hunting fire after a long winter's nap. Plans are still a bit up in the air, but rumor has it the hunts will be in the evening on the 2nd Monday of each month. (perhaps more frequently if the bug bites enough people) Watch the Forum and the Website for more information as it becomes available.

GFAARC FIELD DAY ! June 25-26 2011 We'll be in the Southwest corner of the Wal-Mart parking lot again this year. Set up will commence the morning of FRIDAY June 24th, with Tear down taking place IMMEDIATELY after the event closes at NOON on Sunday. Sunspots and propagation is becoming more and more favorable, so 10 meters may be very HOT HOT HOT ! (along with other bands too) Come on out and join in the fun. It doesn't matter your License Class (level) or even if you have a license yet or not. You can come and operate, as there will be hams on hand to show you how. Hope to see you there.

Although not a club activity specifically, another thing we are heavily involved in is the Glacier-Waterton HAMFEST ! July 15,16 & 17 Get your Hamfest & Campground reservations completed and mailed in PRONTO ! More information, including registration forms can be had by visiting the HAMFEST website: http://www.gwhamfest.org

I'm sure there are other happenings that I've forgotten or ones that may just "POP-UP" with short notice. Check back here for the latest, or visit the club's website: http://www.w7eca.org

Can anyone post the actual date/time/location of JOTA? I'd like to participate and I have some contacts to spread the word.

Oh, and I found a potential patch from the Boy Scouts site.

Blair,

The 54th annual Jamboree-on-the-air (JOTA) will be on 15 & 16 October 2011. There is a web site: http://scout.org/en/information_events/events/jota

There will also be more detailed information available on the ARRL web site as the date approaches.

The basic information (frequencies and times) tends to be the same every year. If a google search for "Jamboree on the air 2011" fails to produce any detailed information, check for last year's report.

By the way, the annual date in October was picked because of lack of world-wide contests that weekend. The frequencies were selected to avoid the few contests that might be also taking place. Contest organizers were asked to cooperate with the Scouts to minimize conflicts. Scouts seeking contacts should call "CQ JOTA" on the published "Scout frequencies" or +/- a few kHz. By agreement, the contesters should avoid using the "Scout frequencies" for contest calls.

JOTA often is the first time scouts have seen Amateur Radio and therefore get a chance to see what "ham" radio is all about. It allows us to answer the question, "What do you do when the cell phones stop working and all other means of communications fail?"

GFAARC will probably set up our JOTA operation at our current meeting location, since the West Gate Mall will not be available. We will have more details as October approaches.

73 de

Bruce, KA2ODP