volume 4 6, issue 5 mike & key amateur radio club seattle

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Volume 46, Issue 5 Mike & Key Amateur Radio Club – Seattle May 2018

May Happenings By David Smith, President

It’s almost summer! The Club is busy getting things ready for our annual excursion over the Ft Flagler State Park for Field Day in June. This month’s program after regular Club Meeting will provide details for what will be happening between June 18

th and June 25

th. For

overnight visits, there is either camping at the Wagon Wheel campground or at the Bed & Breakfast in Camp Wilson house. On May 5

th, a group of Club members went to inspect both

the Equipment and Tower Trailers and prepare them for the week. After spending a couple of hours there, trailers are now ready to travel. The generator is in good working condition. The Letter Carriers' “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive — the nation's largest all-volunteer one-day food collection effort — is held annually on the second Saturday in May at most nationwide food banks and is a community outreach effort of the National Association of Letter Carriers. This year, May 12

th, a small group of Club members will meet with

other volunteers at the Salvation Army Renton Rotary Food Bank near the South end of the Renton Airport to sort food donations from postal truck pickup into their food bank warehouse. In the Public Service Pamphlet that the Club makes available at our Annual Flea Market, many Public Service events are listed that require volunteers to make them successful. This includes many of the Seafair events (Kent Cornucopia Days, Torchlight Parade, Des Moines Waterland Festival, etc.). Many Hams make light work! Hoping for a great summer! See you soon.

Celebrate our May Members

By Jim Kiniry KE7JIM, Treasurer

As of May 2018, these folks have been Mike & Key members for the number of years stated. Congratulations to all of you, and thank you for your participation and service.

Happy Anniversary this month!

Each of you makes us who we are.

Name Callsign Num Years

Michael Dinkelman * N7WA 33 Years Eric Snyder * N7DLV 29 Years Calvin D. Doss KC7IYP 22 Years Atsushi Sasaki W7KN 19 Years Mark Huffstutter KB7WAL 14 Years Frank Tate NA7O 14 Years Steve Rehnstrom KE7KRT 11 Years Andrew Lengenfelder W7ATL 9 Years Fran Underwood N7FWZ 8 Years Stephen Marth WB7AAV 6 Years Adam Bruckner KD7UAK 5 Years Neil Addis W7FED 1 Year Tom Gilchrist N7KHU 1 Year Dick Goodall W7UDH 1 Year Marvin Wallace KI7MWZ 1 Year * Life Member, having been with the club 25 years or more

Alligator checks out the Field Day generator

May 2018 K7LED Relay

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Postal Address: Web Site: Send dues to: P.O. Box 4234 www.mikeandkey.org Mike & Key ARC

Renton, WA 98057-4234 P.O. Box 4234 Renton, WA 98057-4234

K7LED Repeaters: Email: Send newsletter submissions to:

146.82 output / 146.22 input info @ mikeandkey.org Michael Dinkelman, Relay Editor

(PL 103.5)Tiger Mountain n7wa @ arrl.net 253-631-3756

224.120 output / 222.520 input Reflector: (PL 103.5)Tiger Mountain http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/mkarc

Club Contacts

President David Smith KB7PSN kb7psn @ yahoo.com 425-235-5095 Vice President David Yarbrough WA7DY [email protected] 425-445-2792 Secretary Michelle Cross WB7AYU [email protected] 206-434-0804 Treasurer Jim Kiniry KE7JIM [email protected] 206-979-5717 Activity Manager Phillip Pia K7PIA [email protected] 253-307-4781 Radio Officer Hal Goodell N7NW n7nw.hal @ comcast.net 253-549-4178

Trustees No. 1 – Steve Cook KD7IQL [email protected] 253-245-6435 No. 2 – Ivy Nelson-Groves WA7IVY [email protected] 206-474-5466 No. 3 – CoB Tim Kane K7ANE [email protected] 206-251-7467 No. 4 – Jim Monson K7JGM [email protected] 206-245-8485 No. 5 – Robin Carter WA7BRI [email protected] 253-858-2008

Committees

VE Testing Scott Robinson AG7T ag7t @ arrl.net 425-788-0452 Membership Ivy Nelson-Groves WA7IVY [email protected] Logo Jim Aigner N7MU jimaigner @ comcast.net 253-630-2752 Club Library ‘Toku’ Okumura AD7JA [email protected] 206-772-2450 Webmaster Committee K7LED [email protected] Public Service Robert Grinnell KD7WNV [email protected] 425-398-1466

Mike & Key Online –The following Club resources are available:

On the Web – The Club's site at www.mikeandkey.orgincludes extensive information about Club activities and events, such as: VE testing, membership, past editions of the Relay and more.

Reflector – The Club's public message board offers an easy and free way to converse with Club members.To sign up, visit: http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/mkarc .

E-Relay – Help the Club save on printing and postage, send Email to the Relay Editor: n7wa @ arrl.net.

http://www.mikeandkey.org/

http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/mkarc

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.mikeandkey.org/

http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/mkarc


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Around The Shack

My Life as a Ham is in the gutter. Why, you may ask? Let me tell you… I thought, “This would be nice to have in my back yard”. A simple 2-element beam shown here. I have a small lot. Only 55’ wide and twice as long. Also, 20 meters seems to be the band for distance across the states (for the WAS award) and for some good DX. And a 20 meter Yagi is only about 33’ wide. That’ll fit! Then comes the sticker shock. $350… $400… $500 and more?!?! Serious? And that’s not including the rotator and tower. Maybe $1500+ later, it would be up. Not to mention all the pizza I’d have to buy for the setup crew. OK, I guess once the royalties from these articles start pouring in, I’ll be able to afford one. For now, I just want some good 20 meter action for a reasonable price. So I started looking at building my own. How hard can it be? A two element beam only has two parts; a reflector and a driven element which is nothing more than a dipole. My junk box has lots of spare parts for this project and so does the big box store. I calculated an antenna for the General Class SSB portion at approx. 14.287 MHz. That makes a ½ λ dipole in the 32 foot territory. So, I fired up the 4Nec2 antenna modeling software and started typing away. A little while later and the dipole was modeled. Now, let’s get a reflector incorporated into

the design and see what happens. Again, a little while later and the 2-element Yagi was born. “Not bad”, I thought, “it’s only about 33 feet wide.” The height may be an issue. An antenna should be at least ¼ λ up. This makes for about 16 ½ feet (5 Meters). I’ll have to think about this one… So, there I am. Standing in my back yard thinking about the how’s and where’s of placing this potential homebrew antenna. As I’m looking around the yard and house, it dawns on me. “My gutter is made out of aluminum!” It measures about 34 ft. wide too. Could this become my reflector? Back to the drawing board to find out. After many iterations on the antenna modeling software, it turns out a 4” thick aluminum reflector that is 34 ft. wide and 10 ft. off the ground seems to do the job quite well. The driven element (DE) turns out to be only 32’ wide (and some change) after optimization is run. Placing the DE out ¼ λ from the reflector (gutter) gave a pretty good gain and elevation pattern as shown here: A 5.2 dBi gain with a 45° angle out and 1.2:1 SWR @ 45 to 50 ohms. I’ll take it as this is better than I have now with my OCF shooting straight up (NVIS). And lucky for

me the back yard faces east towards the upper half of the USA and Lower Canada. After a quick trip to the box store for some 2”x2”x10’ poles ($10 for all 3) and a rummage through my junk box, I put together a 20 meter dipole from #14 house wire I had laying around. The center feed is connecting an SO-239 to each side of the insulator, making a direct feed


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dipole. Once I got the center feed soldered, I measured out each leg of the dipole according to the specs of the model. A little screwing, a little cutting and soldering, a little hammering and the dipole was up. The dipole is now at the same height as my gutter. Measuring out ~15 feet from the gutter - now referred to as “The Reflector” - I hooked up the MFJ antenna analyzer. Running a sweep on the General portion of the 20 meter band, I was quite pleased with the results. A pretty flat 1.2:1 SWR at 50 ohms. First Try! Am I good, or what? (OK, I got lucky) Or, maybe the antenna modeling software gave me accurate information… yeah, let’s go with that. Now the moment of truth. Connecting it to the tuner as Ant2, I dialed in 20 meters on the Rig. The first thing I noticed was the noise was gone. Compared to the OCF with a constant S7+ noise floor, there are days when I have an S0, but typically it is around S3-4. No kidding. How does it tune? Perfect. I don’t even need the tuner for 20 meters on this antenna. This 2-element “Yagi beam” works better than expected. Since I’ve hooked it up in late April, some distant stations I’ve worked include NJ, TN, WV, KS, OH, IL, NH, MD, CT, RI and FL. Seattle to Connecticut on a homemade antenna. Works for me. This experiment is still temporary. The poles are just mounted to a 2’x3’ piece of plywood as a footing. It’s not weather-proof and mostly (according to the YL) not super attractive. I like the temporary right now as I can move the DE in and out to test the antenna models. Moving the DE closer to the gutter - I mean reflector - the SWR goes up and the impedance changes. There is a sweet spot, according to the models. I just need to find the best one and then make it (more) permanent. I hope that ‘sweet’ spot lines up with the tree I have in the back yard. WAS, here I come! 73, Dan - KG7DAB ======== Around The Shack ========

Around The Shack is always looking for more

contributors. Are you a closet Elmer and just don’t know it? Do cool electronic and ham radio stuff around the

shack? If so, please share it! Others really need this, they just don’t know it until you write about it.

Send me an email at [email protected] with an attached

(Word, Text, whatever) document containing your article. Got Pics? Paste them in. Then, I will format the articles you send me and hand them over to our Relay editor, Michael, to post into the Newsletter. Let’s see how many Bylines we can get in next month’s

Around The Shack.

73, Dan - KG7DAB

Training Report Submitted by Daniel Stevens KL7WM

There were two classes in April, a Technician class and a separate General Class. The classes tested together and we now have 40 New Hams and 92 year to date: 30 Technicians, and 15 Generals, and 2 Extras. One student passed all three test and 9 passed both their General test and Technician test. The next class will be in Issaquah on May 12 and 19, 2018. Several classes are being scheduled. We have one new instructor, who will be joining us during the May class. He just passed his Extra, and was very excited. Jack Wolfe, KI7MRU, brought his 12 year old son, Jacob, to the class, and he passed his Technician License test. That is one happy family. CommAcademy in April, was great. SeaPac is on June 1 through 3, 2018. There are some great classes there. They have several Friday workshops too.



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New Tower in Town Steve KD7IQL has been working a tower project for the past couple years. It was a freebie.... but down in California. As such it cost him transportation up north. Since then he has been slowly working the project. It looks close. It was his goal to have on the air by the 7QP. I don't know if he made it but it couldn't have been for lack of trying.

Activity Manager’s Report - May 2018 submitted by Phillip Pia, K7PIA

Hello all! This is Phil K7PIA - your former Secretary - now reporting for duty as your new Activities Manager for the 2018-19 year! I am very excited for this new and exciting opportunity to be able to serve you with fun and interesting programs, and also to present you with a monthly raffle that’s sure to pique your interest (and your dollars too). The May program will be an informational overview of the Club’s annual participation in the ARRL Field Day event, held on the last full weekend of June (23rd and 24th). Be sure to stick around for Ivy Nelson-Groves WA7IVY’s

presentation on what Field Day is all about, how we do it (and other event details), and the ways you can contribute to the Club’s effort at Fort Flagler State Park this year. Come with any and all related questions; let’s make this a great event! Ideas for future presentation topics or speakers are greatly appreciated! Be sure to email me at [email protected] with any suggestions. Thank you.

The State of EMCOMM Jim Monson, K7JGM. King County DEC

I am a little concerned with the current state of EMCOMM in the King County area. Nothing that cannot be addressed and rectified but we need to start with identifying those issues. The Civil Defense school of thought: I really enjoy listening to some of the EMCOMM Radio Operators who have done this for a while talk about “the good ol’ days”. When those in charge of emergency planning at a Government level recognized and appreciated what Amateur Radio Operators provided to an emergency situation. Those planners worked with EMCOMM Teams to get them what they needed- radios, ANTENNAE, a space and sometimes mobile platforms to operate. Sometimes repeaters! After doing the DEC (ARRL ARES District Emergency Coordinator) gig for just over a year I assure you this type of relationship is very rare. There is at least one I know of in King County. Other jurisdictions have the next best thing- the entity in charge of emergency planning is an actual emergency responder. Usually from a Fire Department, this person also knows the value Amateur Radio provides to an emergency situation and is a very strong advocate for EMCOMM. What seems to be happening more and more is the title of emergency planner/manager is being designated as a second title for an employee at City Hall. What I have seen, in most cases, that person has no idea what Amateur Radio is about and what it can do for them. Often our requests for grants to obtain equipment fall between the cracks of the bureaucracy. That is the situation where the EMCOMM Team needs to build a relationship with that person. Help him or her to understand what EMCOMM can do for them. Pick a liaison person from the team to relate with that person. If you have a PIO that would be best. Often the Team Leader has skills needed for keeping the team together



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and providing guidance. This person might not be the right person to work with the City emergency manager/planner because leading an EMCOMM Team is like “herding cats” requiring a different skill set… snicker…

We live in an overly litigious and over regulated society and that spills into our EMCOMM efforts. The days of showing up with your Radio and saying, “I want to help” are over. We can still help but it is a different “dance” we are being asked to do. Not only from the modern emergency planners but from the ARRL/ARES group as well. That dance is based on the Incident Command System or ICS. The ICS system has been around for years but has really been emphasized since Katrina. This is a very effective system for managing incidents- not only for disasters but day to day events as well. At minimum, to become recognized as an EMCOMM operator you must have at least two (2) ICS classes completed 100 and 700. These are online classes and are very easy to complete. You are given proof of completion to add to you EMCOMM operator portfolio. There are many ICS classes to take if you choose but I am not going to go on about those; web search ICS classes for details. I forgot to mention, the classes are free! Another concern is our number of EMCOMM operators are atrophying. We do have a large number of new Hams every month. If you are a new Ham and want to get involved please contact me, [email protected]. If you are new and somehow have the impression that your new radio will be the equivalent of 911, I am afraid you will be disappointed. Your best bet to make a difference to your family and community is to get involved with an EMCOMM team. Every month Lynn, N7CFO sends out a “New Hams List”. I forward that to all the leaders in King County. If you receive this list please use it to reach out to new Hams. Get them involved! In my humble opinion, if you really want to make a difference when the time comes please use these suggestions: - Get involved with an EMCOMM Team. - Take advantage of any and all free training that is made available to you, especially ICS courses. - Find out what digital platform is the standard for the State and County (Winlink BTW) and become proficient in that skill and all modes available.

- Manage your expectations as an EMCOMM operator. Invest in your own equipment and do not expect your Emergency Manager/Planner to provide it. Especially a computer for digital modes. Many EMCOMM Teams have a computer they leave at the ECC. I have noticed during drills those teams are unable to send a digital message because the computer either needs updates or the version of the digital mode is not up to date. You do not need the latest/greatest. An old laptop with Win 7 will suffice. - Find a Digital Elmer to help you get started! If you can use email, you can use Winlink. - Become an “EMCOMM Multi-Function Tool” with the availability to provide backup communication in a number of methods for your Partnered Agency. - Remember, we only pass the traffic. It is not our job to evaluate it. Whether it is a bed count from a hospital to “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, move it up the line. If the traffic becomes troublesome, someone from “Logistics” will be assigned that issue. Your ICS Courses will explain where Logistics fits into that structure. We work for them. Thanks. 73- Jim Monson K7JGM, Dist. 6 DEC

New Special Service Club Banner for the M&K

Membership Committee report submitted by Rita Danielson—KD7CNU

We had a brief meeting in April to discuss the Awards Banquet.We will not be meeting for the months of May, June, July or August. Enjoy your summer. (After that great Banquet, you guys deserve a hiatus - ed)



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2018 Field Day—Fort Flagler State Park submitted by Rita Danielson—KD7CNU (aka Mom)

Well, kids, it’s that time once again to open up the Mike & Key Bed & Breakfast. This year will be a great year. We will have new guests and returning guests. I’m excited for what this year holds. The B & B will open Thursday, June 21st at 2:00 PM. Your room will be ready for you. All you need to do is bring your bedding for a twin bed, clothing for the weekend, food for dinner Thursday, lunch for Saturday and Sunday, and any snack foods you’d like. The only park rules are no smoking in the buildings, no alcoholic beverages, and no animals, unless service animals. These are park rules, not subject to negotiation Check-out is Sunday, June 24th at 11:00 AM I will have sign-up sheets at the May and June general meetings. At the time of reservations I will take a fully refundable deposit of $10.00 per person per night. So, if you have 2 in your party for 3 nights your deposit will be $60.00. Please make your check payable to M&K ARC, not me. I will also take a cash deposit if you so wish. What is the reason for the deposit? The club pays for the number of people staying at Camp Wilson each night. If you tell me you’ll be there and then can’t make it and fail to let me know in time to have someone else stay in your place, the club has to pay for an empty bed. The bed rate is $10.00 a person per night. When you check in, I will gladly give you your deposit back. If you’re not able to make it and don’t let me know before Tuesday, June 19, I will give your deposit to the club treasurer for deposit into the club’s account. There is a nice barbeque grill just outside the main building of Camp Wilson for you to use Thursday evening, if you desire. Breakfast will be provided Friday I will have an assortment of muffins, fruit and coffee. Breakfast will be provided by me Saturday and Sunday. Saturday and Sunday lunch will be provided by you. Friday lunch will be provided for those helping to set up on CW Beach and the Bluff. Dinner Friday and Saturday will be hosted by the club at the Wagon Wheel. We will BBQ burgers and dogs. The club will provide the meat, buns, condiments and beverages. The rest of the meal will be pot luck. Salads, chips, side dishes and desserts are always popular. Refrigeration is available in the B & B, but limited. There is also a nice stove if you’d like to prepare something fresh. Forgot to bring something for dinner? There’s a QFC in Port Hadlock for your shopping pleasure. I will have more information at the general meetings. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. You may e-mail me, [email protected] or call me after 7PM please 425-359-3764, or text to the same number and I’ll reply as soon as I can. I cannot take

personal calls while at work, so please don’t call expecting to talk to me right away during the week. You can leave a voice mail, and I’ll return your call. There is a $10 per day park fee for which the park will provide hang tag passes for your vehicle at no charge to the club. These will be in Camp Wilson. If you have a Discover Pass or a handicap parking placard, you will not need the park pass. The annual Discover Pass is $30. A real deal if you go to State Parks during the year. Just 3 times and it pays for itself. I encourage you to obtain the Discover Pass. If you need the daily pass, please let me know and I’ll make sure we get enough from the Ranger when we check in. If you’re not able to attend the general meetings, but want to stay at the B & B, you may e-mail me, and send me your deposit. Rita Danielson, 9311 11

th Ave W, Everett, WA 98204

When I receive your deposit I will notify you. I am so looking forward to serving you again this year. Another way I can serve the club at Field Day is as the food chair. Sandwich fixings are provided at the bluff and CW Beach during Friday set up. In order to buy enough fixings, I will need to know approximately how many will be helping with the set up. I will be asking for a show of hands at the May general meeting so I can get a count. I will be getting various lunch meats and cheeses, bread, chips and bottled water. Sally Martin-Robinson will have her cookies available I’m sure. p.s. for those who haven't heard, Rachelle had her baby.

MICAH LENOX MOBBS Born 4/25/2018

10 pounds 1 ounce 21 inches long. Very healthy.

Mom and baby doing great! Parents Joshua and Rachelle (KF7QCN) Mobbs

Grandparents Ric (K7RIC) and Rita (KD7CNU) Danielson

The Gator checks out the antenna trailer



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M&K – Countdown to Field Day 2018 submitted by Ivy Nelson Groves WA7IVY, Field Day Chair

Mark your calendars: June 22 – Setup June 23-24 – Field Day Operations and teardown This year’s Field Day will be a great event and everyone is going to have a lot of fun! A note about weather: The only thing that stops setup and tear down are thunderstorms. We’ve had rain, we’ve had sun, we’ve had wind, we’ve had hot, we’ve had cold; and often we’ve have them all on the same weekend. Be prepared for anything. It’s not fun when you’re not comfortable (remember 2012?), so be ready for anything! Every year I check the various Farmer’s Almanacs. It appears they think it will be a good year, but who knows? I would recommend checking the local weather closer to the event to make sure we are prepared for anything. Remember, mornings in the Northwest are always a bit chilly, no matter how hot it will get later in the day. The folks who make things happen: A big thanks to the following folks! As you can see from this list, it takes a lot of people to put on a successful Field Day, and the more the merrier! Your 2018 Field Day Band Chairs are: • Safety Officer: Scott AG7T • 10/80/Digital: Scott AG7T • 15m: Phil K7PIA • 20m: Robert KD7WNV • 40m: Dean N7XS • CW Beach: Michael N7WA • GOTA: George AE7G • VHF: Steve KD7IQL • Equipment: Monica KF7QLX • Information Table: Toku AD7JA • Food Chair: Rita KD7CNU • Wagon Master: Dick WA7NIW • Bed-and-Breakfast/Barracks Mom: Rita KD7CNU • Bonus Points: none currently • FD Vice-Chair: Peter K4PNG (if his schedule permits) We still need an additional trailer driver. I am also looking for a Vice Chair and Equipment Chair for 2019; this year would be an excellent opportunity to learn from Monica and Peter. And I’m looking for a new Field Day Chair within the next 2 years. Your current chair would like a break and if you’re interested, talk to Ivy. Please.

Accommodations There are a couple of choices for members of the club: The Mike & Key Bed & Breakfast™ or the Wagon Wheel. Rita KD7CNU, is in charge of the B&B, completely and without equivocation; that is, you are expected to be on your best behavior and be considerate of your fellow residents. If you haven’t made reservation, contact Rita ASAP! Because we have had problems (in the past) with folks reserving space in the B&B and not showing up, Rita will charge a $10 deposit per night for your stay in the B&B. When you show up, Rita will refund your deposit. For you campers, Dick WA7NIW, is our Wagon Master. Please check in with Dick when you arrive with your tent/RV. We expect everyone to be respectful to your fellow campers. Please remember that you, as club members, are responsible for the conduct of your guests. We want a happy, fun, and safe weekend for everyone! Make sure you have a printout of the reservation or be prepared to pay for a Discover Pass. When driving at the Wagon Wheel or near the B&B, please remember that many members have small children (future hams) who tend to run and play, so we need to keep the speed down! Obey the posted speed limits for Fort Flagler. Watch out for the kids!! Set Up Setup starts promptly at 10 AM this year. This is the where we need as much help as possible. As you veterans know, setup (and tear down) has jobs for all levels of skill and physique. We need help with everything from raising towers to running power cables and setting up tents. The more people we have the faster, better and safer we can get set up. If you’re at setup and don’t have something to do, Ivy WA7IVY, Peter K4PNG or Monica KF7QLX will find something for you to do. Scott AG7T is our Safety Officer, and what he says goes for the entire weekend. Remember to bring your hard hat and closed toed shoes on Friday for setup. It is imperative that all helpers follow directions precisely as the Safety Officer specifies. Safety is our first priority. We will start the signup procedure at the May club meeting. Each of the band chairs will have their own signup sheets and they should be available at the bluff during setup. Mike N7WA will handle CW beach as signups, as he usually does. Friday Night Pot Luck Held at the Wagon Wheel; in case of inclement weather this event will be held at the B&B. Once everything is set up on the Bluff and the Beach, join us at the Potluck for food, friendship, campfires, and stories of Field Days gone by. The club will provide the meat, general


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condiments and sodas. Please bring your favorite side dish or desert to share. Rita KD7CNU (thank you so much for volunteering!) will be cooking and is looking for a few helpers. If we have anything left over, it will be available for Saturday evening’s meal. Remember that you are responsible for feeding yourself for the weekend. After the Potluck Dinner, we will have bonfire at the Wagon Wheel. If everyone brings a little firewood, we have enough for both evenings. Operation on Saturday and Sunday We start operating on Saturday at 1800 UTC – 11am PDT – and continue for 24 consecutive hours. If you haven’t been active on HF bands for the past year, or are

a new Ham, or even a non‐Ham, consider getting on GOTA first to learn/refresh your skills before going on to another station. George AE7G will need plenty of coaches for his operators. Consider taking an hour or two and sign up for GOTA coaching as well. Remember that if you are signing up for a shift at any station, please arrive a little early (10-15 minutes would be ideal) to ensure a smooth transition. If you have any questions at all, please ask the Band Chairs for more information.

Each band chair will have a sign‐in sheet for you to fill in when you report in for a shift as a logger or operator. Please fill this out, and if you are under 18 years of age, provide your age. This will help me tremendously when it comes to time for submitting our points for this year. What to Bring Bug repellent, firewood, Sunscreen, warm clothing, Bug repellent, rain gear, extra blanket, flashlights,

handi‐talkie, Sunscreen, spare batteries (don’t forget extras for your HT too), Bug repellent, food for meals and snacks (you are responsible for your own lunches and breakfasts), ice, Sunscreen, drinks, pot‐luck dish for Friday night, camping gear (if needed), Bug repellent, matches, first aid kit, xyl/om, and the rest of the family, Sunscreen. Did we mention Bug repellent? The State Parks have regulations in place prohibiting spraying of pesticides. So please bring your Bug repellent. And Sunscreen. Tear Down Similar to Setup but reversed. What hasn’t changed is the need for as many people as possible for teardown. Everyone can help and it will be greatly appreciated! Getting to Fort Flagler From the Hood Canal Bridge at the North end of Kitsap Peninsula:

About five miles after crossing the bridge, turn right onto easily missed Highway 19 (Beaver Valley Road). Travel 10 miles to the Chimacum four‐way stop. Turn

right on Chimacum‐Center Road.

At the four‐way stop in Port Hadlock, turn right onto Oak Bay Road. Go about one mile and turn left onto State Route 116. Fort Flagler is at the end of the road, about 10 mi. Parking The park rangers have asked that we please park in the lot at the beginning of the road leading to the bluff. Only the Band Chairs will be allowed to park on the bluff for setup/teardown. Remember, we are guests at this park with a very long and very positive relationship with the Fort. If you have any questions, please ask your friendly local Field Day Chair or the Band Chairs. Pets For many of us, our pets are a part of our family and we want to take them with us when we visit a beautiful place like Fort Flagler. But like the children and the OM/XYL, we have to make sure they behave, and in the case of pets, that means they must be kept on a leash no longer than 8 feet and be under your physical control at all times (Do not tie your pet to a tree or shrub). I will have copies of the Fort Flagler Pet Information and Rules available at the June meeting, and the Wagon Master will have several copies available at Field Day. Miscellaneous We get extra points this year for a social media presence. We will be using the club’s Facebook page and our Twitter account. The Twitter account is @k7led, And the account name to K7LED Special Events. Post to each of these sites as much as you wish! Remember to use the hashtag: #ARRLFieldDay2018. If you don’t know what a hashtag is, ask your grandkids. A few members this year have expressed interest in flying drones during our event. There is extra paperwork that the park requires if you want to do this. Contact Ivy for more information if you are interested. As with most things at our state parks now, there is a cost to this permit and you will be responsible for its payment. Remember also, that our call-in frequency for Field Day will be our repeater frequencies, and for operations at the site during field day itself, we will be using 146.56 MHz Simplex to communicate. Wow, you got all the way through this article. Congratulations! If you have questions, ask them at the May or June general meeting or email me (wa7ivy at live dot com). I hope you see you all at Field Day!!


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Mike & Key ARC General Meeting Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 10:00 am Salvation Army Building, Renton, WA Opening: The meeting was called to order at 10:00 am by the President, Dave Smith KB7PSN. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Members and guests were introduced. In lieu of the question of day, a show of hands survey was conducted regarding club activities. Announcements:

The Mike & Key ARC is affiliated with the ARRL, which members are encouraged to join. Everyone - including visitors - should sign the rosters. Visitors are reminded not to vote on membership matters. Officer Reports: President - Dave Smith KB7PSN: Forms for IRS 501 C3 filing status and the ARRL Special Service Club Application have been submitted. Vice President – David Yarbrough WA7DY: A quorum is present. There are 42 Members and 7 Guests in attendance, 37 of which are ARRL members. - Minutes: Peter Glaskowsky K4PNG moved to accept the minutes as published in the Relay; Ivy Nelson-Groves WA7IVY seconded the motion. The motion passed. - New Membership: We Have 4 applicants present today for membership consideration: Greg Truchot, KI7ETS; Hal Itzkovics, W2KVQ; Jon Ault, KI7LXQ; and Scott Gilyeat, KC7SAG. All were unanimously approved for membership. - Recognition: A 30 year membership certificate was presented to Earl Swiney W7ZH, A 25 year (Lifetime) Plaque to Robert Crooker KB7PEC, and 25 year (lifetime) Plaque to John McKee KI7OT- plaques are being held by awards committee until they can be delivered. Secretary - Michelle Cross WB7AYU: No correspondence received. Updated Club Officers and Member counts to ARRL. Treasurer - Jim Kiniry KE7JIM: One outstanding Swap Meet bill left. Treasurer will not be present next month due to travel. Michelle WB7AYU will receive any incoming dues payments. Activity Manager - Phillip Pia K7PIA: There will be a raffle today. Chairman of the Board - Tim Kane K7ANE: Nothing to Report.

Radio Officer - Hal Goodell N7NW: (absent) Picnic has been scheduled for Aug. 18

th along with the General

Meeting. Editor Reports: Relay Editor – Mike Dinkelman N7WA: Be sure to keep sending in your articles, stories of interest and pictures (you know they’re out there) Website Committee: - Dan KG7DAB: Some cosmetic changes have recently been completed. Committee Reports: Membership – Ivy Nelson-Groves WA7IVY (liaison) / Rita Danielson KD7CNU: Rita gave a great summary of the Banquet held on April 7

TH.

Awards - The Awards committee, Robert KD7WNV and Ivy WA7IVY presented Phil K7PIA, and Dan’s wife Miriam Aalberg for MVP of this year’s Flea Market. Also presented a lifetime Membership award to Richard Bridges. A well deserved appreciation award to Peter K4PNG for his past few years of help to the Club. Field Day MVP awards went to Dawn N7VWH and Curtis N7MWC for their outstanding efforts last June. Facilities and Publicity - Steve Cook KD7IQL (liaison): Currently meeting with Salvation Army staff. Field Day - Ivy Nelson-Groves WA7IVY: There will be a trailer work party at Toku’s residence on May 5

th. Rita

KD7CNU is taking Barracks reservations. See Robert KD7WNV for Field Day merchandise items from ARRL. Order to go in April 30

th.

Dick N7NW, Wagonmaster is taking reservations for the wagon wheel camping area. Education and Training - Robin Carter WA7BRI (liaison): Refer to Daniel KL7WM; Latest classes from Ballard resulted in 40 new Hams. Congratulations! Public Service - Tim Kane K7ANE (liaison) - Robert Grinnell KD7WNV: Many upcoming events are listed in the new booklet. Technical and Special Interest - Jim Monson K7JGM (liaison): No report. VE Exams - Scott Robinson AG7T: There were 12 new hams, upgrades from last testing session. Flea Market - Hal Goodell N7NW/Mike Dinkleman N7WA: Now on Summer Vacation ! Job very well done everyone. Alligator award- Current holder of this prestigious award, Rob KC7FBN is leaving the area so it is being held in


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absentia by the Board until a new recipient can be found (caught). Picnic - Hal Goodell N7NW: Picnic is on tap for the Coulon Park in Renton on Aug. 19

th. This will also be the

site of the August Club Meeting. Old Business: None. Good of the Order: Steve KD7IQL has a Force 12 available for sale. Bill gives a special thanks to VE team for a very professional session. Jim N7MU reminds everyone that the Club Logo can be put on ordered clothing. Rob KC7FBN is looking for a new net control for the Sunday afternoon Friendship Net on 224.12, the K7LED repeater. Closing: The next Mike & Key General Membership meeting is on the third Saturday of the month May 19

th at 10:00 am at

the Salvation Army Building in Renton. Jim K7JGM made a motion to close the meeting and was seconded by Peter K4PNG; the motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at . Attested: Michelle Cross, WB7AYU - Secretary

Postal Food Drive The National Postal Food Drive was held May 12th. You may have received the bags for food donation from your mail carrier. This food is collected at the post office as each carrier arrives and picked by local food banks. The Renton Salvation Army collects food from the Renton Highlands and Fairwood offices. In fact, the two post offices have a competition to see who can collect more food. Down at the food bank, trucks with food start arriving around 1PM. The really big deliveries start after 3PM. I think we were done somewhere a bit after 8PM. As each truck arrives, volunteers swarm the truck to unload it, then start sorting it into milk crates. Cana and jars in one type of crate. Dry goods in another. Stack on pallets, we weigh the food and park in the food bank shelving. We had plenty of volunteers this year from the Mike & Key and the general community. Many thanks to our Mike & Key volunteers. Al KB7THX and Becky Hopwood, Diane KB7DNE, Toku AD7JA, and the youngster Jim K7JGM.

The last actual number I heard was 22,300 lbs but we put in a few more pallets after that so I expect we did over 12 tons of food.

Hopwoods and Diane during a lull in the action

Pallet drivers Food sorting


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May / June 2018

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

13 (May)

220 Repeater Net 3:00pm 224.120

PL103.5

14 15 16

Mike & Key Technical

Net 7:30pm 146.82

17 18 19

10:00–M&K Club Mtg

[Salvation Army- Renton]

12:30- Ham Radio

Exams

Contact: Scott—[email protected]

20


PL103.5

21 22 23


Net

7:30pm 146.82

24 25 26

27


PL103.5

28

29

30


Net

7:30pm 146.82

31 1(June) 2

WA Special

Olympics KC7OLB

Flying Wheels Ride KD7KUS

Big Backyard Run

KD7KUS

3

WA Special

Olympics KC7OLB

4

5 Board Meeting

7:15 PM

Salvation Army

6


Net

7:30pm 146.82

7 8 9

Strawberry Festival

Marysville KG7KU

10


PL103.5

11 12 13


Net

7:30pm 146.82

14

15 16

10:00–M&K Club Mtg

[Salvation Army- Renton]

12:30- Ham Radio

Exams

Contact: Scott—[email protected]

Contacts: Gary KG7KU 235 279 3949 [email protected] Mike K7MHL 206 605 7769 [email protected] John KC7OLB 253 302 7144 [email protected] Alan KD7KUS 425 883 0405 [email protected]


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Mike and Key ARC Board Meeting Tuesday, May 1

st , 2018 at 7:15 pm

Salvation Army Building, Renton, WA Officers Present: President - Dave Smith KB7PSN, Vice President - David Yarbrough WA7DY, Secretary - Michelle Cross WB7AYU, Treasurer - Jim Kiniry KE7JIM, Activities Manager - Phillip Pia K7PIA, Radio Officer - Hal Goodell N7NW Trustees Present: No. 1 - Steve Cook KD7IQL, No. 2 - Ivy Nelson-Groves WA7IVY, No.3 - Tim Kane K7ANE, No. 4 - Jim Monson K7JGM, No. 5 - Robin Carter WA7BRI Visitors : Monica Cook KF7QLX, Daniel Stevens KL7WM Opening: The Chairman of the Board Tim Kane K7ANE called the meeting to order at 7:15 pm, with a quorum being present. Philip K7PIA moved to approve the minutes of Apr 3rd as published, with Ivy WA7IVY seconding; the motion passed. Officer Reports: Chairman of the Board - Tim Kane K7ANE: Upload of all officer changes to web site is accomplished. President - Dave Smith KB7PSN: The upcoming Postal food drive information has been added to the Web pages. Vice President - David Yarbrough WA7DY: 4 new applicants were presented to the board for discussion: Dawson Frank N5DLF Mike Ranta, WB7EPQ, Michael Liljenquist W7SBM, Tom Means W7OXB. The board approved all applicants for membership. Secretary - Michelle Cross WB7AYU: The ARRL annual report was filled with the League on 4/5/18 updating the club officers and member numbers. Treasurer - Jim Kiniry KE7JIM: Donation has been sent to the Salvation Army. Contract deposit has been sent to the Puyallup Fairgrounds. Activities Manager - Phillip Pia K7PIA: Program for May will be dedicated to Field Day 2018 overview Led by Ivy, WA7IVY. A stepper IR program is a possibility for Sept. meeting. Radio Officer - Hal N7NW: Repeaters operating without issues and with weather improving some site maintenance is being planned. Editor Reports: Relay Editor - Mike Dinkelman N7WA: Articles for the Relay are due Friday, May 11

th.

Website Committee – Special Service Club information has been added to web pages. Committee Reports: Education & Training - Robin Carter WA7BRI: Daniel Stevens, KL7WM reported two classes were held in April, a Technician class and a separate General Class. The classes tested together and resulted in 40 new Hams. The next class will be in Issaquah on 5/12 and 5/19, 2018. Membership – Ivy Nelson-Groves WA7IVY: There was a meeting held. Nothing to report. Technical – Jim Monson K7JGM: Nothing to report.


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Public Service - Tim Kane K7ANE: Robert KD7WNV is getting quite a few more booklets printed as our supply is exhausted. Facilities – Steve Cook KD7IQL: Had a meeting with the Salvation Army. Their WiFi is being limited at present time. Field Day - Ivy Nelson-Groves WA7IVY: Working on final preps. A new application (new form) has been sent to State Parks. Flea Market - Mike Dinkelman N7WA: On summer vacation! Picnic - Hal Goodell N7NW: Scheduled for the same location as in years past on August 18

th.

Old Business: Board discussed our reflector presence. It was moved by Phil K7PIA, seconded by Dave KB7PSN to change from Yahoo.com to Group IO.com. Prices for a Bank Safety Deposit are being sought. This repository would be a better fit for title to trailers and master digital files. New Business: Treasurer Jim Kiniry KE7JIM will be unable to be at the General meeting, May 19

th. Michelle WB7AYU

will handle dues payments. Good of the Order: We perhaps may consider the ARRL Club Of The Year nomination as we qualify for many of the categories. Closing:The next Board Meeting will be on Tuesday, June 5th at 7:15 pm at the Salvation Army Building in Renton. Phil K7PIA moved to adjourn the meeting; Dave KB7PSN seconded. Motion passed. There being no further business, the Chairman adjourned the meeting at 20:15 Submitted by : Michelle Cross, WB7AYU - Secretary.


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Fort Flagler Rules: (from their website) Please observe State Park rules so that all park visitors may enjoy their visit. Please note that the following general park rules are not customized for each individual park, so not all rules will apply to all parks (for example, "campsites cannot be held for someone who might arrive later" only applies to parks with campgrounds). Please report disturbances to park rangers; they are trained to help you resolve issues and concerns. Park hours vary depending on weather and season. However, all day use areas close at dusk. Campers may enter parks until 10:00 p.m. Campground check in begins at 2:30 p.m. Check out is at 1 p.m. Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., unless otherwise noted at the park. Engine driven electric generators may be operated only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. Please use the trash cans and dumpsters to help keep parks clean. Recycling is encouraged in all Washington state Parks. In parks with a pack it in/pack it out program, visitors must carry out everything they have brought in. Please do not harm wild plants or animals. Feeding of wildlife is strictly prohibited. Wildlife, plants and all park buildings, signs and tables and other structures are protected; removal or damage of any kind is prohibited. Horses are allowed only in designated parks. Pets are allowed in most state parks, but must be under physical control at all times on a leash no more than eight feet long. Owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pets. Pets are not permitted on designated swimming beaches. Smoking is not allowed inside vacation houses, yurts, cabins or other rustic structures. Glass bottles or metal cans are not allowed on swimming beaches. Alcoholic beverages are permitted only in designated campground and picnic areas. Fireworks are prohibited on all state public lands, including state parks and beaches that front state park lands. All Washington state laws are enforced in Washington state parks. Don't move firewood: Please protect the Pacific Northwest from invasive species by obtaining or purchasing your firewood at or near your camping destination. Firewood can carry insects and diseases that threaten the health of our western forests. You can make a difference by buying and burning your firewood locally. For more information, visit online at www.dontmovefirewood.org or the Washington Invasive Species Council website.

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