F  E  E  D  -  P  O  I  N  T

The Official Newsletter of the St. John Valley Amateur Radio Association

March,2010Vol. 20 No.3
Letter From Our President


After more spring-like weather, winter is returning again. It is snowing hard today (March 23) and it looks like temperatures will be near zero at the end of the week with more snow. Yesterday it was a sunny 50F and I skied up to the tower. Everything looks fine up there.

Stan has made certificates of appreciation for the Can-Am radio operators. I have signed them. We will laminate them and get them mailed out or delivered soon.

I greatly appreciate the effort of the hams who helped with the communications. They did a fine job. Those helping are listed on page 3.






K1XI would like to add a higher wattage solar panel and more batteries to Rocky Mountain. With three checkpoints using Rocky Mountain, the well charged batteries we have now could not keep the repeater going for the whole race. If improvements are made to 146.640 perhaps we can get back to just two checkpoints using Rocky Mountain.

Our Annual Meeting will be elections and pizza. I need to know how many are coming, so we can decide the location. The meeting will be Tuesday, April 13th. PLEASE LET ME KNOW SOON.



Gale Flagg
108 Franklin School Rd
Fort Kent, Maine 04743
Phone: 207-834-6670
E-mail: galeflagg@sjv.net


Annual Meeting: Tuesday, April 13th, 6:00 PM Pizza Night
Schedule of Coming Events
DateEventPlaceContactSponsorTimeFreq
SUNNetNBVE1PINIRG2000145.130
MONNetFort KentN1FGSJVARA1900146.64
MONNetPresque IsleWA1YNZAARA2000146.73
Page 2Feed-Point, March 2010
Report of March 16th, 2010 SJVARA Meeting


Start Time: 18:07
Members present: N1FG, W1TCP, KB1OWW, KB1TBI, N1FRX, and N1EVO.

Treasurer's Report: N1FRX:
Old Balance:3363.99
Savings Account$3309.91
Interest on Savings:$1.65
Checking Account$54.08
New Balance:$3365.64

Motion to Approve: N1EVO, Seconded by: W1TCP, Passed
Old Business:
1. Rocky Mt.: Voltage 13.78 on March 26. K1XI would like all the paper work from the Rocky Mountain repeater cabinet before he comes up. We need to find someone to go up there and get the papers.

2. 146.640 Repeater: Still has static at the end of transmissions. A crew (our good friends from the south: AAIXD and K1XI) are coming up this summer to work on the tower and 146.640 and Rocky Mountain. The feed-line on 146.640 may be the problem. It was discussed that a loop below the connection at the top would protect the connection.


New Business:

1. Can-Am Race Report: Communications were in general good. The biggest problem was the forestry radio at central. At times they were unable to hear S & R. AA1XD says the problem is with the antenna. He and K1XI are going to replace the antenna if permission is granted.
2. Nominations for officers:N1FRX made a motion to keep the current slate of officers. N1EVO made a motion to amend the motion so that the slate of officers can be changed by further nominations at the annual meeting. Seconded by W1TCP. Passed.
3. April Meeting: Pizza? Those present were in favor of pizza. It was decided to order from Al's.
4. Dues Collected from those present and KA1SJV and K1FTK, who made a special trip to pay their dues but did not stay for the meeting.
Other: N1FRX urged us to vote at the Town Meeting
N1EVO said he could reserve rooms for the work crew this summer if they could come the end of June.

Program: ARRL Video:Phase 3D Integration Lab;Fuji2 Satellite for Amatuer Radio. We saw some extremely complex wiring in the Phase 3D section and some excited workers when signals were good. In the Fuji 2 we saw how an amateur satellite was built and launched.

Annual Meeting: Tuesday, April 13th, 6:00 PM Place to be announced
Submitted by N1FG

In Case You Are Interested
Happy Birthday
The March QST shows the K4M team of the October 2009 DXpedition to the Midway Atoll putting up one of the low band verticals on the beach. Yellow flags adorn the wires to keep birds from flying into them. The Midway Atoll is a National Wildlife Refuge.
Marty Bernstein 4-12 Wilburn Scott 4-25
Charles Ames 4-29
Page 3Feed-Point, March, 2010
Many Thanks to Can-Am Hams
  • GENE GIDDINGS Net Control----Day (FK) AA1XD
  • SALLY GIDDINGS Net Control---DAY (FK) KB1JDN
  • BILL AKINS Net Control—Day (FK)60 Mile Checkpoint NT1N
  • CATHIE HINDS NET CONTOL–Day (FK), 60 Mile Checkpoint KB1MHH
  • DAVE BERRY Net control----Night (FK), 60 mile Checkpoint KB1EBE
  • DAVE GAREY Net Control----Night (FK) KB1CLC
  • PETER COTE 30 Mile Checkpoint with XYL K1ACO
  • STEPHEN LAGUEUX—start, 10th MT KB1HBD
  • MARTY BAKER Start and 10th MT K1MJB
  • LYNN DOW Portage N1WRY

  • DWAYNE DOW Portage N1WRX
  • LEE TRASK Rocky Brook W1LWT
  • DREW NORTHUP Rocky Brook N1XIM
  • RANDY LEWIS Maibec K1XI
  • GRETCHEN LEWIS Maibec N1HBY
  • JONATHAN HINSON Lookout at Maibec KB1PCQ
  • JOSEPH DESPRES Allagash KB1OWW
  • TED COOLIDGE Allagash KB1SAX
  • PETER PELLETIER In town W1TCP
  • GALE FLAGG Coordinator--- Where needed N1FG
  • CARL PELLETIER N1EVO Thanks for the antenna help at Two Rivers and the lodge.

  • For Sale

    14-element two meter beam mounted on a 10' tower section with rotor. Best offer over $100.00 N1FG at 834-6670
    A Bit of Humor
    "Working as a pediatric nurse, I had the difficult assignment of giving immunization shots to children. One day I entered the examining room to give four-year-old Lizzie her needle. 'No, no, no!' she screamed. 'Lizzie,' scolded her mother, 'that's not polite behavior.' With that, the girl yelled even louder, 'No, thank you! No, thank you!"

    F E E D - P O I N T            March, 2010

    Published by the St. John Valley Amateur Radio Association
    and distributed free to members and friends of Amateur Radio.
    President: Gale Flagg N1FG
    Vice President: Gil Daigle, N1JHD
    Secretary: Sandra Daigle, N1QMC
    Treasurer: Charles Zafonte, N1FRX
    Public Information: Charles Ames, N7GLR
    Technical Advisor: Carl Pelletier, N1EVO and June Despres, KB1OWW
    Editor/Publisher/Printer
    Gale Flagg - N1FG / Stan Flagg 834-6670
    Associate Editor/Web Edition
    Charles Ames N7GLR
    Membership Information (Annual Dues):
    Regular Membership $ 12
    Associate Membership $ 6
    Articles may be submitted by anyone with a good idea, and may be re-printed
    only in their entirety and with credit going to this newsletter.




    FEED-POINT
    108 FRANKLIN SCHOOL RD
    FORT KENT ME 04743