THE LIVE WIRE

        If you receive QST you may have already read the KIDS DAY article in the January issue. If this is the case please bear with me while I recap what KIDS DAY is for the members who do not receive QST. The Kids Day operating event is intended to encourage activity by younger people using amateur radio. The goal is to give unlicensed young people some hands-on experience on the air, so they might develop an interest in pursuing a license in the future. It is also intended to give hams a chance to share their station with their children. (grandchildren, nieces, nephews, etc..)
        Kids Day’s are 1800 to 2400 UTC on January 2nd and June 19th. These dates and times are set up to give children a greater opportunity to speak with other children, but anytime is a good time to get a young person on the air. Kids day stations will be exchanging: Name, age, location, and favorite color. Stations will be calling "CQ KIDS DAY" and suggested frequencies are 14.270 - 14.300 and 28.375 - 28.400. If you would like to report your logs and comments you may do so via the internet to ( kids@contesting.com .) You may review these postings on the internet at http://www.contesting.com./kids/. For more information turn to page 46 of the January 1999 QST.
        Now I would like to climb on my soap box for a moment and say it is imperative that in the very least you attempt to block out sometime to dedicate to making a few contacts with Kids Day stations. Per QST the average age of amateur radio operators is 50 years of age. This average continues to increase because there are not enough young persons being licensed. Amateur radio is a great hobby, more importantly it is a national resource. In decades past amateur radio operators were called upon heavily to aid in national matters such as war and disasters. With newer technologies such as global satellite phones we are not called on as heavily but we are still here and prepared to aid as many amateurs are doing right now in the devastating path hurricane Mitch left in Central America. I will not compile a dismal list of the devastation that mother nature or another force could deal to the Upstate. Just trust that should an unfortunate disaster effect the Upstate your neighbors are going to appreciate that 40 meter radiator on your vehicle!
        If the current trends continues eventually there will not be enough amateurs to warrant the frequency space we treasure. What will you do this year to ensure amateur radio is available for the next generation? Will you make your station accessible to spark an interest, and pave the road to a future for amateur radio? Take an active part in offering to show off your station, otherwise I am sure the next generation will be content playing their SEGA or banging away at the keyboard with anonymous persons over the internet.

        With the New Year the Live Wire will take a little different look. Not because it needed one, only because I am not sure what fonts to use! HI HI. My wife Teri (KF4WVD) and I would like to express our appreciation to Carlisle Rogers WA4ULE for doing such a fine job as editor of the Live Wire in 1998. We hope that we can produce a publication near the quality the BRARS members became accustomed to in 1998.

        The live wire needs you! I urge each of you to tell us what you want in a newsletter. This newsletter is for YOU the members of BRARS. If you would like to make a comment, have an article published, post an item for sale or trade, or post an announcement. Please contact Marty or Teri Hawkins.
Here are a few means of reaching us:

Hi, as most of you know I’m N2PTW (Joyce) wife of K4NK (Les) the ARRL Section Manager for South Carolina. We go around to all the hamfest and set up a table of free materials plus this year I started selling pins, patches, and decals. So if anyone needs them that can not get to a hamfest please let me know at Les’s e-mail ( K4NK@AOL.COM ) and I will send them out to you.

Happy New Year to everyone and catch you in next months newsletter.

Cooking with Ham’s

This month’s recipe from Joyce Shattuck (N2PTW)

A one dish supper.

1 lb. Hamburger (Ground Chuck)
4 Medium potatoes sliced
1 Onion sliced
Jar of spaghetti sauce
Salt & pepper
Grated chedder cheese

Bake in a greased casserole dish. Put layer of meat, potatoes, carrots, onions, spaghetti sauce and top each layer with salt and pepper and cheese. Makes 2 layers. Cover and bake at 250F for 1 & ½ to 2 hours until done. Serve with Italian bread.

"We are not going to stand for the Amateur Service to be further degraded or destroyed by them," he said.

Hollingsworth says the warning letters will continue, but now he's taking aim at the hard-core scofflaws within the Amateur Radio community. "We have now let everyone out there know we're back," he said. Continued violations will "guarantee" license revocations, fines, or--in extreme cases--equipment seizures.

"Church is out now," he said. "We mean business and we're strapped in and ready to ride." Hollingsworth said Amateur Radio rulebreakers "continue these violations at their own risk."

From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT   December 22, 1998
To all radio amateurs
ARRL Seeks 1998 Instructor of the Year nominees

The ARRL is seeking nominees for the 1998 Instructor of the Year award. The ARRL promotes 4 awards each year to those people who have helped others obtain the dream of becoming a ham radio operator. These people donate countless hours to introducing others to ham radio. You or your club can be instrumental in obtaining the recognition that these people deserve.

        For nomination forms, send an email message to jwolfgang@arrl.org In the subject line write ''nomination form.'' The form is also available via the ARRL Web page. The URL is http://www.arrl.org/ead/award. Fill out this simple form and send or email it to your ARRL Section Manager by January 31, 1999. A list of ARRL Section Managers can be found on page 12 of the January issue of QST.

Applicants are placed in one of four categories and judged by a group of Educational Advisors.
Winners will receive a plaque and be featured in the ARRL Letter and the Educational Activities Newsletter. Winners will also be announced in QST.

Ring in the New year with the ARRL Straight Key Night. 
This is not a contest.... think of it as an On-Air social event!
December 31st 7pm EST to Jan 1^st 7pm EST
More information is listed in the December QST.

* Greenwood Hamfest January 9, 1999

For more information contact: Frank Kolar, WA9FWO (864) 229 5639

...........................................................................................................................

* Winston-Salem Hamfest January 23, 1999

8AM - 1PM sponsored by the Forsyth Amateur Radio Club

Location: Dixie Classic Fairgrounds

Gate 5 on Deacon Blvd.

For more information contact: Tom Gallagher, N4IOZ (336)723-7388 n4ioz@ibm.net ...........................................................................................................................

* North Charleston February 6, 1999

8:30AM - 4PM sponsored by the Charleston Amateur Radio Society

Location: Stall High School Gym

7749 Pine Hurst Street

For more information contact: Ed, KE2D (843)871-4368 or

Doc, W4MUR (843)884-5614 efrank@charleston.net

A recent Live Wire article regarding the Distributed Capacity Coaxial Dipole prompted Dan Donovan, KF4VIS to send this information:

The Distributed Capacity Coaxial Dipole is also known as "The Bazooka" The WireMan sells special coaxial cable and insulators to make a Bazooka. The WireMan, Inc is located in Northern Greenville County. The address is: 261 Pittman Road, Landrum, S.C. 29356 & Ph (800)727-9473 or (864)895-4195

Also Dan suggest a low cost substitute for a tower. He recently acquired a 25 foot salt treated telephone pole. Dan sent photos of the completed installation. Drop by the BRARS web page to see a photo of Dan’s vertical achieving some altitude! If you think a salt treated telephone pole is just what Santa couldn’t fit in his sleigh for you. You can contact Mr. Hayden McDowell at United Wood Treating Co. He has 35 foot poles for around $68 or you can pick a pole from the cull pile for only 1.60 a foot. Address United Wood Treating, P.O. Box 248, Whitmire, S.C. 29178. Phone is (803)694-3668.

Minutes of the 12/07/98 BRARS Club Meeting

• Meeting was called to order by President Buddy, KA4END, with introductions of members and guests.
• No applications were submitted for membership approval at the December 7, 1998 meeting .
• Treasurer, Carroll Smith presented the treasurers report
• Elections were conducted. The officers and Board members for 1999 are as follows:

Those going off of the board:

VE1BMI, Bill MACINTOSH, Past President

KD4VXP, Mitchell HAWKINS, Vice President

WA4WYE, Carroll SMITH, Treasurer

WA4EFT, Jeff BORKE, Director

• Door Prize won by KE4KQN, Joe Parker
• Two Members were selected by volunteering then drawing, to assist with audit of the 1998 club finances:
• K4SUG, Ray Allison, and W4RGW, Bob Watson
• Meeting adjourned.
• Food and Fellowship followed!!!
• EVERYONE PLEASE NOTE: Beginning with the January 4, 1999 meeting, the meeting place will change to the American Red Cross Building on Grove Rd, near the Hospital complex. The meetings will be held in the Disaster Services Communication room.

Applications that will be submitted for Membership Approval at the January 4, 1999 meeting:

Submit any comments on above applications in writing to:

Attention: Board of Directors, BRARS, Inc, P.O. Box 6751, Greenville, SC 29606-6751

Next meeting January 4, 1999 at the American Red Cross Building on Grove Rd.

REMINDER:

It’s renewal time again. Dues are due 1 January with a grace period till February 28.

Make checks to "BRARS, Inc." and send to:

Also..... Send corrections of Address, Name, Call, or phone number changes to attention of the Secretary.

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  The Livewire Editor is Teri Hawkins, KF4WVD and this webpage is maintained by Jonathan Nalley, KE4ZVU who is a member of the 

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©1998 Blue Ridge Amateur Radio Society, Inc.