The Ogemaw Arenac Amateur Radio Society

an ARRL affiliate presents

PETOSKEY or REED CITY SWAP?:

Due to both being at the same time and on the same day, I was still pretty much undecided as to which I would attend or if I would go to either of them, since both were billed as “Trunk Sales” which usually means “very small” with “very little” to look at and not a whole lot of people. I was pretty much waiting to hear from the other guys as to whether they planned to ride along or not, before making my decision and this was on Thursday morning.

One particular “Trunk Sale” I attended a few years ago, there were four vendors, one of which was a wire and power supply salesman. To say he was irate, was putting it very mildly. It was a rather cold day in a wide open parking lot and he had traveled a long way to get there, only to find three open trunks and no crowd. One trunk had a radio, the second had some antique radio parts, the third had a radio and some computer equipment. So much for the vendors!

I did not stay very long. There wasn’t much to see and there were not very many people to even talk to. I chatted with the guy who had the radio and computer stuff and one of the guys who was running the swap. I saw one person from our club and maybe a dozen people including the vendors while I was there. For all of this I had traveled over forty miles. Fortunately gas was much cheaper back then.

Would either Petoskey or Reed City be any better? Petoskey, about 125 miles away, is an established swap, which I have seen when it was both up and down. Due to the up and down thing, they decided to make it a trunk swap this year. Reed City, about 90 miles away, is brand new this year.

Well, the coin stood on edge and just spun around in a circle, so we just headed down the road and found ourselves in Reed City. We were nicely surprised to find 7 vehicles opened up with a very nice assortment of items for sale, such as a couple of tuners, a couple of HF radios, an HF amp, and some bricks for 10, 6, and 2M, a couple of VHF antennas, one top tower section, and many other used items such as mics, meters and even a couple of “vintage“ lap tops. There was also some brand new Siamese power wire and Anderson power pole connectors.

There were a couple of really nice deals if they happened to be what you were looking for, such as a nice Yaesu desk mic which did find its way off the table while I was watching and a complete Kenwood TS-940 station, including the radio, desk mic, speaker, and monitor for $725. I probably should have jumped on it, but then I would have three of them and I just don’t need three of the very same model since I can’t seem to keep the two I have up and running.

Hopefully Petoskey and Reed City will sort out a schedule for next year which will permit us to go to both swaps. We’ll just have to wait and see.

I asked N8NJA Bill about the best eatery in the area and was told I would pass right by it on my way out of town. We stopped in to have a nice breakfast and found they also had a bakery which had the biggest rolls I have ever seen. For take out, they would pack “one” roll in an eight inch cake box, which made for a tight fit. These rolls were also three inches tall. We did not see anyone eating one, nor did any of us try one on for size, but maybe another time.

OGEMAW COUNTY FAIR:

Check your calendar! Check your schedule! Make the fair a priority this year!

Today is the 1^st of August, Wednesday is the Club Meeting, and the fair is coming up in two weeks! KD8CLM Al will be at the meeting with his clipboard in hand and wanting to know which shift on which day and how many days you will be at the fair to work the O.A.A.R.S. booth.

This is a club project to help inform the area about amateur radio, who we are, what we can do, and to bring new people into the hobby through the licensing classes we offer.

Days at the fair run from 10AM to 10PM and are divided into three shifts. This way a shift only lasts four hours, is that too much for any one of us to do? If enough people signed up, no one would have to work more than one shift in the whole week.

1. In 1936, Escanaba, Michigan harvested and processed 100,000 sq. ft. of birds eye maple to be used in the English Luxury Liner, the Queen Mary.
2. You don't need an amplifier to work DX on the HF bands? With the sunspot activity finally starting to improve, pretty soon you will be able to work around the world on 5 watts or less. Your hundred watts into a dipole will be more than you need! Sure wish it was that way all the time! 3. Rogers City, Michigan boasts the world's largest limestone quarry. 4. After reporting hearing audio along with a regular PSK 31 signal, a Connecticut OO corresponded with the PSK station asking about the unique situation. The station in Mississippi responded by saying that in checking his equipment, he found he had accidentally left on the audio input so when he transmitted, any audio in his shack was sent along with the digital signal. It was a menu selected function so it was easily overlooked. 5. In 1911, there were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads? ***********************************************************************

FREE ADVICE from the “Unknown Pen” **Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a Rain dance.** **When choosing what to carry, remember the bigger the bore, the quicker and greater the intimidation.** ************************************************************************COMING SWAPS: AUGUST

Saturday 6^th UP Hamfest Bay de Noc Community College Escanaba

Sunday 14^th Lapeer Swap & Shop Lapeer County Center Bldg. Lapeer

Sunday 21^st Seaway Trunk Swap Vantage Point, 5 Water St. Port Huron

Saturday 27^th SARA I/O Swap Baker College Welcome Center Owosso

Wednesday 3^rd 7:00 PM O.A.A.R.S. Meeting Mills Townhall Skidway Lake

Wednesday 10^th 7:00 PM Electronics Class Mills Townhall Skidway Lake

Wednesday 17^th 6:30 PM Registration - 7 PM Testing Mills Townhall Skidway Lake

FOR SALE: HF Antennas, Time yet to plant before bad weather sets in! 3 HF Mono-banders, all with full size elements and no traps. (#1) Telrex 10m523, 14.2 Db gain, 10 meter-5 element-23'boom (3" diameter) elements 23' approx. (12' ea side of boom). (#2) HyGain 204ba, 6 DB gain, 20 meter 4 element 16' boom, elements 36'6" (18' ea side of boom), (#3) HyGain 402ba, 5 DB gain, 40 meter 16' boom 46' elements (23' ea side of boom). (#4) HyGain TH3, 3 element conventional trapped beam for 10-15-20meters, 5.8 Db gain, 16' boom, elements 27' (13'6" ea side of boom). (#5) Signal Antenna Systems SA LP35as-1, Log Periodic 35-150mhz 8 Db gain, covers 6 meters to 2 meters, 16'+ long and 6'6" wide, more elements than a porcupine. Has additional waveguides on 7 of the main elements. (#6& #7) GAP Titan DX and Hustler 5btv Verticals, 10-80meters. (#8+) Cushcraft 11 element 2meter beams, one horizontal stacking kit. $150 or r.o. on HF antennas, $50ea on 2m beams. Will trade for late model HF radios, but: "Cash is Best" Louie AB8YO 989.513.0823 Thanks (Have other stuff also, 10-15-20 HyQuad that needs rebuild, etc

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FOR SALE: 6 element Hy-Gain Tribander with box of extra trap caps $85. Call Bob KE8FX at 989-390-9018. If no answer please leave your name and number.

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FOR SALE: For sale: Aluminum self supporting tower six sections tall, Six element vertical and horizontal beam. Contact Dick at 989-389-3362.
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FOR SALE: Donner Digital Interface for ICOM $40, ICOM PS-125 power supply No marks. $150, ICOM 746pro amp keying interface plug $10, ICOM 746pro interface cable for remote tuning of MFJ-998 auto tuner $15, Heil mic connector 8 pin for ICOM 746pro $20, Dust cover fits over 746 and PS125 one piece black vinyl cloth lined $20. Contact wd8cjn@arrl.net

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FOR SALE: Motorola Micor 2M repeater and cabinet, “NO” controller, checked out at 100 watts, $700 OBO. Contact Jeff WD8DX at 989-390-1133 or wd8dx1@gmail.com

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WANTED: ICOM HF Radio; IC-706 (any flavor), IC-718, IC-746, or will consider what's available. If you have any other brands, drop me a note anyway. Call Louie AB8YO at 989-631-5915

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WANTED: I’m thinking about hitting the C.W. again. Made a few qso’s with the hand key and am thinking about going to a keyer. Never tried one, but am interested in giving it a go. Anybody with one to sell, send an e-mail to: jalexander@cap.gov John W8GZF

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FOR SALE: Astron RS-35M power supply in excellent condition $80.00, Radio Shack HTX-202 with external speaker, boomset, battery pack for 6AA's, big rubber duck 7db gain and owners manual $75.00, PRO-92 trunking scanner 29 mhz to 960.000 Mhz non digital with power supply/charger and Manual $50.00. I’m now going with online programs for ham radio, echolink, Ivisit, Skype, and hamsphere, and need money for personal reasons. Call Pat N8ZZF at 989-422-2426 also good on QRZ.Com.
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FOR SALE: Yaesu FT-990 in great condition, has been opened up, have received great audio reports, comes with desk mic, hand mic, external speaker, boxes, and manuals, asking $1000 OBO. Call Jeff at 989-345-0031.

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FOR SALE: Kenwood TS-520SE with D-104 mic. Make an offer to N8IFY Chris.

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FOR SALE: (Sale, trade, make offer?) (1) Heathkit HM-102 SWR meter--$25 (2) Turner +2 desk mic--$30 (3) Calrad DM-17 desk mic--$20 (4) D-104 Silver Eagle--$80 (5) Kenwood MC-60 base--$10 Call George N8RBS at 654-2728.