Tour de Frederick 2023

The Tour de Frederick 2023 bicycle extravaganza is on for June 10 and we’ll need volunteer amateur radio operators to ride in Support and Gear (SAG) vehicles, staff rest stops and assist at Net Control.  This is a great opportunity to get out and use our service in support of the local community.  If you can help, please go here to sign up:  https://forms.gle/eP7bTdyxHiBbnhsM6

Please let me know if you have questions – you can email me at my address found on qrz.com

73!
Mike Forrence K3MMM

 

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April Club Meeting

Come one, come all to the April Frederick Amateur Radio Club meeting on Monday April 17th at 7pm.  We meet at the Independent Hose Company Social Hall at 310 Baughmans Lane in Frederick.  The entrance is at the rear of the building.  In our continuing series of presentations, Sandy KB3EOF will discuss software antenna modeling.  Please join us in person or via Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85487265741?pwd=VFErODAzeUVVVVkwQytLN2NrbVJrZz09

Club meetings are a great way to meet other local ham operators.  Meetings are open to anyone who is interested – we encourage visitors to stop in.

 

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FARC Parks on the Air (POTA) activation

The Frederick Amateur Radio Club will be hosting a Parks on the Air (POTA) club activation on Saturday April 8th, beginning at 10am. Please join us at one of these locations:

  • Gathland State Park
    Kerri KB3WAV/Ray KC3RW
  • Catoctin Mountain Park (Chestnut Picnic Area on Park Central Rd)
    Mike K3MMM/Justin AB3E
    ** Due to “increased security”, Chestnut Picnic Area is only accessible from the west, as Park Central Rd is temporarily closed from Thurmont Vista to Camp Greentop.  From MD 77, turn north on Foxville-Deerfield Rd, right on Monahan Rd, right on Park Central Rd. **
  • Gambrill State Park (near the Tea Room at High Knob)
    Sandy KB3EOF

Since we’ll be activating as a club, no registration is required to participate (but you could register at www.pota.app, if you want). We will be using the N3ITA/K3KMA/N3UHD 440 linked repeaters to communicate between sites and for talk-in.  ALL are welcome to join us at one of the parks – no amateur license is required.

If you can’t join us, please consider “hunting” (aka “chasing”) us – go to www.pota.app and look for our K3ERM spots – tune in and try to work us. ** NOTE that POTA does not allow duplicate spots, so we’ll use K3ERM/G for Gathland, K3ERM/C for Catoctin and K3ERM/L for Gambrill.  The /identifiers are for spotting only – any logs should only show the call sign. ** Also listen on the linked repeaters for possible simplex VHF/UHF operation. Questions?  Contact Justin AB3E via email found on qrz.com. We look forward to seeing you there!

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March club meeting

Come one, come all to the March 2023 club meeting on Monday March 20th at 7pm.  Members of the community, particularly those with an interest in amateur radio, are always welcome.  We meet in Independent Hose Company social hall, located in the rear of the fire company.  Address is 310 Baughmans Lane Frederick.  We’ll have a presentation by Dave, N3LSB: How to get there from here: characterizing your antenna reach. Please join us either in person (preferred) or via zoom here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85487265741?pwd=VFErODAzeUVVVVkwQytLN2NrbVJrZz09

Note regarding zoom: Your zoom-installed application MAY indicate you need version 5.10.3 or newer and only allow exit… The only way I was able to get it going was to uninstall my previous zoom version using the Windows control panel and then re-install the newer zoom version.

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