Dear Fellow Hams,

My friends around the country all speak of wildflowers in bloom and many species of birds in the midst of courtship. I reply we still have 28" of snow at our snow stick (4/14) and the robins have finally returned. I have seen some pussy willow catkins. A few bare spots are beginning to show on our south facing bank behind the house. Hundreds of robins were crowded onto the large bare spots on lawns down near the St. John on Maundy Thursday. 

My trusty HTX-202 which failed during the start of the Can Am races, was quickly repaired to work at the St. Francis checkpoint, then failed when I was in Wallagrass calling in the last three 250 mile teams. N1CHF returned it to a working state, but I lost trust in it. It has been replaced by a Yaesu VX-5R. It is a fraction of the size and weight of the 202 and can do ever so much more! It is really a miraculous little rig. The only trouble was that I could not seem to get the VFO and MR buttons to work as they should.

After consultations with Ham Radio Outlet and N1CHF, who has the same radio, I was ready to send the new rig back. Then I thought I would get Stan to try the buttons. No problem!

Steve and I exchanged radios.  N1CHF and N1CGV had no trouble with mine and I had trouble with N1CHF's!!!!! I may be be the first person ever to need button pushing instruction! What an honor!  It takes a brisk touch, not a hard slow push.  Problem solved!! A lot of laughter generated.

NOTE WELL:
At our April meeting it was decided to change our meeting day to the first Tuesday of every month. See the minutes on page 2 for the reasons.
                                                       N1UYA, Gale

Address comments, questions, or suggestions to: 
Gale Flagg  R.F.D.#3  Box 250
Fort Kent,  ME 04743 
Phone: 207-834-6670
E-mail: galeflagg@sjv.net

Next Meeting: Monday, May 8, 6:30 PM UMFK Grindle Conference Room - More Field Day Plans & ARRL Video--Journey to Peter I

Called to Order:  18:42 by N1UYA
In Attendance:   N7GLR, KA7VNR,  N1PMS, N1CGV, N1UYA, N1CHF

Secretary's Minutes: N1PMS made a motion to dispense with reading of the minutes. N1CGV seconded. Passed.

Treasurer's Report: March bal.: $280.61. + Interest $.47 + $12.00 Dues, + $8.00 Donation, - $44.00 gifts and card. New balance: $257.08.

N1PMS made a motion to accept the treasurer's report. N1CGV seconded. Passed.

(Note: Dues are due from most members at this time. Check Membership list on   www.qsl.net/n1chf or contact N1UYA or N1CHF   for expiration date.)

Old Business: 
Rocky Mountain: Batteries are fine, voltages good, and temperatures rising.  It is still necessary to press any single tone to activate the repeater and each time after the ID.
 

Proposed Member: AH8T, Ricky Martin, will be especially invited to the next meeting so we can meet him and he us. 

Duplexer:  The new duplexer for Rocky Mountain was displayed by N1CHF. Its six cavities eliminate the need for 2 antennas. N1CHF has tuned the transmit cavities but is having a problem tuning the receive cavities. He will try to find information about them.

New Business: 
New Meeting Day:  Weather Spotter course will be given 7 PM at Fort Fire Station, Monday May 7. That made us think of Tuesday as a meeting day, especially because there seem to be two or three holidays that fall on Monday. The First Tuesday of the month will be tried on trial basis, starting Tuesday May 8. 

Class: N7GLR will advertise a class for the first radio license to see if there is enough interest to hold a class in Madawaska.

Field Day:  Sites discussed: Riverside Park, Hospital, Crocker Beach.

Program: ARRL Video---South Sandwich Island Dxpedition

Next meeting: TUESDAY. May 8,  6:30 Grindle Conference Room
Adjourned: 19:59
Submitted by: N1UYA

The exciting video seen at the April meeting was "VP8SSI --- South Sandwich Island Saga". Eight men from several states, Japan, and Finland started on March 7, 1992, met  in England, and flew to the Falkland Islands. 100 crates of equipment were stowed on the scientific ship, the Abel J from Alaska. They left for South Sandwich on March 14, starting in calm water.  Snow and high waves accompanied them past huge icebergs.

Five miles from South Sandwich a stench greeted them, caused by one million penguins molting on the island and thousands of fur seals. They lived with the smell for two weeks.

All those crates of equipment had to be transferred from the Abel J to the island by zodiacs, and then carted up the beach with the help of a wheeled cart. The first team was capsized by a huge wave.

Six tents were set up, along with a multi element beam antenna. Fur seals had to be chased way from the tents. The men had to be alert for charges from the seals whenever they were out of the tents.

Soon the calm was shattered by gusts of wind to 70 mph. The men spent the first night with their backs against the tents to keep them from collapsing. When they lay down to rest, the tents collapsed over them.

Blinding snowstorms and winds gusting to 132 mph made operating conditions difficult. The wind howled around the tents, the penguins gave loud calls. Headphones were definitely needed and used.

After four days they had 3 1/2 tents left. They knew it would take a rescue ship at least four days to reach them. It took two days to shovel out the accumulation of fur seal habitation in the one small emergency rescue hut. Ultimately they moved into that.

Despite the operating conditions in this smelly" hell on earth," they managed to have some laughing good times. They made 40,000 contacts SSB, CW, and RTTY.

 At the end of 14 days they welcomed the Abel J and a trip to South Georgia Island for 6,000 CW contacts in 48 hours

Their future plans? Peter I Island. We'll see it at the May meeting. 
                                   N1UYA

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Heil BM-10 microphone boom set   $35.
MFJ 451X  keyer  $35 Contact Charles Zafonte N1FRX  834-6273
RADIO SHACK-HTX212-- 2 meter Mobile.  $75.00
PYRAMID-- 10 Amp Power Supply.  $30.00 Contact N1YQU 455-820

What's that again?: collected by Richard Lederer:
* Homeless people  die younger and more often than the general population. *Same Day Dry Cleaning--All Garments ready in 48 hours. * Please Type or Print Legibly.  * 55 percent of young people looking for their first job are unemployed. * They're going to like it whether they like it or not. * This event should not go unforgotten.