May Bandbits

President’s Message

With April behind us, I want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who helped organize and support our testing session last month. It is always rewarding to see new hams get their start and current operators advance their license class—that growth is the lifeblood of our club. As we head into May, our focus shifts toward the summer season. This is the time to finalize your antenna repairs, optimize your go-kits, and ensure your equipment is ready for the warmer weather.

Looking ahead, our biggest event of the summer is almost upon us: ARRL Field Day, which will take place on June 27–28. We need all hands on deck to plan our setup, station assignments, and operations. Whether you are a veteran contester or a newcomer who wants to see how a “real” field station comes together, please join us at our upcoming meetings to discuss how we can make this year’s Field Day our best one yet.

Finally, I am really looking forward to our May membership meeting, where we will be holding a Go Box Show and Tell. This is a fantastic chance to bring in your portable setups—whether it’s a full EMCOMM station in a hard case, a lightweight POTA bag, or even a simple mobile rig you’ve rigged for emergency power. Seeing how different operators solve the challenges of power, antenna deployment, and organization is always a great way to expand your creativity. Whether your kit is a work in progress or a polished masterpiece, please bring it along and share your ideas with the group. I’ll see you all there!

73,

Rob Zell, N9KRZ
President, PAARC

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Meeting Minutes

Board of Directors – April 7

The Meeting was called to order at 7:00pm via Zoom

Present: N9KRZ- Rob Zell N9PIE- Val Zell KE9CLC- Birdie KDRYH- Ben KD9DBQ- Rob W8WNG- Tom KE9DCS- Ed W9YES- David KC9IH- Casey

Status of treasurer- Birdie will stay on as treasuer

  • last 3 years of treasuer papers
  • Rob and Birdie get put on the club bank account

Birdie volunteered to take on role of VP. VP role not terrible and not a big role – primary function to find topics for memeber meetings every month and help president out

Birdie appointed as VP/Treasuer

Discuss Spotter Training

  • Rob(KD9DBQ) will let us know right away if it gets canceled due to possible severe weather – make sure someone is at the meeting site to let others know, annouce on repeaters and post on Facebook and Discord

Update on the Survey’s top 5 interests:

1.Antenna building
2.POTA
3.DX Hunting

  1. Fied Day
  2. Emergency Communication

Maybe alternate places to have a meetings

  • Peoria Riverfront Museum
  • Lakeview Museum
  • Libraries

Facebook- add president and secretary to post things

Presntations club members want to see:

  • Satellite/EME
    -RTTY
  • Tech License level items, intro things
  • FT8, Fox Hunting
  • Pictures, diagrams, presentation on station/ antenna grounding/ bonding
  • Ed Fong ( professor in California)

What events do you want the club to host?

  • POTA
  • Field trips to NWS, TV stations, etc

Repeater Allstar link – still working on getting it set up

The meeting was adjourned at 8:008 p.m.

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The April 14 membership meeting was devoted to National Weather Service weather spotter training. More than 50 people attended.

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Peoria County ARES

Amateur radio operators use their training, skills, and equipment to provide communications during emergencies, When All Else Fails®.

May 6, ARES Net @ 7:00 PM CDT on W9UVI (147.075)/K9PEO (146.850)/Echolink/Allstar
May 13, ARES Net @ 7:00 PM CDT on W9UVI (147.075)/K9PEO (146.850)/Echolink/Allstar
May 20, ARES Monthly Meeting via Zoom, 7:30 PM

ARES website: http://www.peoriacountyares.org/

Rich Holtman, KD9ANU, Emergency Coordinator for Peoria County ARES
email: [email protected]
Winlink: [email protected]
Cell: 309-256-4272
Hams Over IP Extension 101989

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Sunday Net Logs

4/5
N9KRZ KD9ANU K9LE KD9IBC W8NWG KE9DFF K9HJZ NP2WJ KC9IH KJ5HHT KD9WVP N9NDF KC9YTT N9PIE N9WFT K9RCS KE9DCS KD9RYH KD9YER KE9AOJ W9WAS KD5CT N9PZ NPSSU W9YES KA9FCB WF9E Submitted by KD9DBQ 73

4/12
N9KRZ KD9ANU W9WGN KE9CKM KD9IBC KD3AMF KC3VJQ KC9IH KB9ZWT K9RCS W9FYR KE9BSA W8NWG KE9EMP NP2WJ N9WFT N9NDF KN0WHF KC9YTT KD9AER K4LSW KE9DCS KD9STL KD9RYH N9PIE KD9QQU KD9WVP W9YES KC9GGC W9WAS KI5SQP KD9WRX KE9BPB KE9DFF KB9ATO W9KIR KD9NYN K9XJT KD5CT Submitted by KD9DBQ 73

4/19
N9KRZ K9LE KD9ANU KD9IBC W9WGN KD3AMF K9HJZ KB9ZWT NP2WJ KC3VJQ KC9IH KE9DCS K9XJT K9RCS N9PIE KE9ENP KN0WHF W8NWG KD9STL KD9PXZ KD9AER KD9RYH KD9WVP K9TNT KD9WRX W9YES KT9Y N9GZ KE9DFF W9WAS KD5CT W9KTN KI5SQP K4LSW N9NDF W9KIR KB9ATO KC9VEW N9SL Submitted by KD9DBQ 73

4/26
N9KRZ KD9ANU K9LE W9WGN KD9IBC KD3AMF K9HJZ KC3VJQ KC9IH KD9WVP W9WTF W8NWG AE9DM KE9ENP K9TNT NP2WJ KE9BPB W9KIR K9XE N9PIE KD9AER K9RCS KD9RYH KN0WHF KD9STL KE9ENV KE9DFF W9WAS KD5CT KI5QSP KE9DCS WF9E KB9ATO KC9TCM KD9YER Submitted by KD9DBQ 73


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Newcomer Net Logs

4/2
N9PIE KE9DFF KE9CKM KJ5HPE KN0WHF K9LE KD9ANU N9NDF KD9DBQ W9GLO K9RCS KD5CT KJ5MLZ KE9ENP Submitted by N9KRZ 73

4/9
N9PIE KE9DCS KE9EMP KE9DFF KE9DMW W9WAS KD5CT KE9CKM KE9CLC KN0WHF K9LE KD9DBQ KD9RAO W9YES KD9ANU N9WFT KD9ERS KI5SQP Submitted by N9KRZ 73

4/16
N9PIE KE9ENP KE9DFF KE9CLC KD5CT KE9CKM KC9SYO KN0WHF KE9CZI KD9RYH KD9DBQ N9NDF W9YES K9LE Submitted by N9KRZ 73

4/23
KE9DFF KE9ENP KA9FCB KE9DCS KD5CT KE9CKM W9WAS KD9VHI KD9DBQ KB9RAO W9YES KD9NYN Submitted by N9KRZ 73

4/30
N9PIE KE9ENP KE9DFF KE9FJW KE9DMW KE9CLC W9WAS K9LE N5WLD KD9WVP KI5SQP KD9NYN W9YES Submitted by N9KRZ 73

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May Club Events

May 5 – 7:00 p.m. – Board Meeting – Zoom

May 12 – 7:00 p.m. – Membership Meeting – Show and Tell: Ham Radio Go Box

May 20 – 7:30 p.m. – ARES Meeting – Zoom

May 26 – 7:00 p.m. – Midwest Superfest Meeting – Zoom

NETS:
CLUB NET – Every Sunday at 8:30 p.m., followed by the Elmer Hour
NEWCOMER NET – Every Thursday at 8:00 p.m.
ARES NET – First and Second Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m

All nets meet on the W9UVI Repeater: 147.075 (CTCSS Tone 156.7) linked with the K9PEO Repeater: 146.85 (CTCSS Tone103.5) and on EchoLink Node 706480 or All Star Node 62516.

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