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Club Announcements
04/20/2024
Upcoming License Testing
Friday, May 17, 2024 @ 5:30 PM
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette
04/04/2024
Campout in Placer County on Fri May 31st, Sat June 1st & Sun June 2nd
03/16/2024
Upcoming License Testing
Friday, April 19, 2024 @ 5:30 PM
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette
03/6/2024
Upcoming License Testing
Friday, March 15, 2024 @ 5:30 PM
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette
02/17/2024
Upcoming License Testing
with Technician Class students
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 @ 7:00 PM
Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church
1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton
02/12/2024 COVID-19
The MDARC Officers, Board of Directors and Staff continue our commitment to protect the health of our members and guests during this COVID-19 pandemic.
It is our hope that members and guests have received a vaccination, and the appropriate booster. It is my belief that having the vaccination can significantly reduce the chance of infection by the virus and can lessen the severity of the disease and associated hospitalization. It is also an important way that we can protect each other from infection.
While we do not currently require attendees at our in-person monthly meetings and licensing classes to wear a mask or show proof of vaccination, we understand that wearing a mask may help some people to feel more comfortable. We agree that it is an acceptable method for prevention and encourage those who wish to wear a mask to do so.
Currently for those who have tested positive from the COVID virus, there are different sets of guidelines recommended by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) based on symptoms and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) based on number of days following a negative COVID test result.
I am not endorsing one set of guidelines over another and believe each member must make their own choice in this matter. I have posted the links to both guidelines in order so you can review them.
CDC.gov: If You Are Sick or Caring for Someone
CDPH.CA.gov: COVID-19 Isolation Guidance
73
Larry, KK6QPE
2024 MDARC President
02/12/2024
Special Event for All Hams
Thurs, Feb 29
Leap Day Net Fun
02/02/2024
real time weather
02/02/2024
Join/Renew your Membership for 2024
01/27/2024
Winter Field Day
Martinez, Benicia or Delta activities
Jan 27 & 28
01/25/2024
Winter Field Day
Join Martinez or Benicia clubs
Jan 27 & 28
01/21/2024
Upcoming License Testing
Friday, February 16, 2024 @ 5:30 PM
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette
01/08/2024
Congratulations to Award winners
Ham of the Year Larry Loomer KI6LNB,
Kilroy Key John Kearney KM6ZJT,
Appreciation Award Ed Morales KJ6KYT and
Appreciation Award John Primus AF6RJ.
12/19/2023
Upcoming License Testing
Friday, January 19, 2024 @ 5:30 PM
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette
12/7/2023
Holiday Banquet
Sunday, December 10th, 2023; 6:00 PM
Zio Fraedo's in Pleasant Hill
Registration closed Thursday, Nov 30
11/18/2023
Upcoming License Testing
Friday, December 15, 2023 @ 5:00 PM
Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church
1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton
11/04/2023
Upcoming License Testing
Friday, November 17, 2023 @ 5:30 PM
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette
11/03/2023
Holiday Banquet
Sunday, December 10th, 2023; 6:00 PM
Zio Fraedo's in Pleasant Hill
Register by Thursday, Nov 30
10/26/2023
Upcoming License Testing
Saturday, November 4, 2023; 8:00 AM
Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church
1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton
10/12/2023
Join/Renew your Membership for 2024
by Dec 31st to be included in the Club Directory.
10/01/2023
SAVE THE DATE!
MDARC HOLIDAY BANQUET
Sunday, December 10th, 2023; 6:00 PM
Zio Fraedo's in Pleasant Hill
Details to come.
05/14/2023
We now have two Auxiliary Classes available for registration.
Why Does Ham Radio Work
"When all else fails"?
by Kristen McIntyre, K6WX, ARRL Pacific Division Director
and
Phones, Fires, and Failures
by Alan Thompson, W6WNU
Sign up on our Class Details page.
02/21/2023
Our General Class and Amateur Extra Class license courses are now OPEN For Registration!
Sign up on our Class Details page.
02/11/2023
Our meeting room has moved!!
We're now meeting upstairs, in room OAK View 3, down the hall from the Sanctuary. So park in the Upper Parking Lot from now on.
Testing has also moved upstairs. Ask anyone when you arrive.
01/23/2023
Upcoming License Testing
Friday, February 17, 2023; 5:30 PM
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette
12/17/2022
Upcoming License Testing
Friday, January 21, 2023; 5:30 PM
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette
12/02/2022
MDARC HOLIDAY BANQUET
Sunday, December 4th, 2022; 5:00 PM
Zio Fraedo's in Pleasant Hill
Get details on our
Holiday Banquet page.
12/02/2022
Upcoming License Testing
Saturday, December 17, 2022; 2:00 PM
Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church
1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton
12/02/2022
licensed for six months or less?
QRZ Jumpstart offer is valid through
at least Dec 31
10/30/2022
MDARC HOLIDAY BANQUET
Sunday, December 4th, 2022; 5:00 PM
Zio Fraedo's in Pleasant Hill
Registration is Open!
Get details and register on our Holiday Banquet page.
10/17/2022
SAVE THE DATE!
MDARC HOLIDAY BANQUET
Sunday, December 4th, 2022; 5:00 PM
Zio Fraedo's in Pleasant Hill
Details to come.
09/06/2022
Upcoming Auxiliary Classes:
Tuesday, October 4, 2022, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
VHF and UHF Antennas
By Ed Fong, WB6IQN
Tuesday, October 11, 2022, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Summits on the Air (SOTA)
By Rex Vokey, KE6MT
08/31/2022
September, 2022 Board Meeting Postponed
The next Board of Directors meeting with be postponed one week to September 12th, due to the Labor Day holiday.
07/30/2022
August, 2022 Board Meeting Canceled
The MDARC Board of Directors meeting, scheduled for August 1, 2022, has been cancelled, per an announcement by President Ed Morales on Saturday, July 30.
06/29/2022
Updated home page: removed Field Day 2022 logo and removed outdated events
05/31/2022
New (Old) Carrier
Thanks to our Outreach Coordinator, Dick Wade, WM6G, we've found another Carrier newsletter to add to our history section. This one is the Carrier for April, 1970 and is the only one we have between 1960 and 1977. Have a look at it from our Carrier page.
05/14/2022
General Class License Testing May 31, 2022, 7:00 PM Odd Fellows Pacheco Lodge 4349 Cowell Road Concord, CA 94518
General Class Get-On-The-Air (GOTA) Saturday, June 25, 2022; 9:00-10:30 AM Olympic High School 2730 Salvio St Concord, CA 94519
Field Day is June 25-26 at Olympic High School 2730 Salvio St Concord, CA 94519
Em Comm Mutual Aid in a Digital World by Dan Goldstein, KJ6KEU Tuesday, June 28, 2022, 7:00 - 9:00 PM Odd Fellows Pacheco Lodge Concord, CA 94518
Introduction to Winlink by John Trinterud, K9ONR Tuesday, July 5, 2022, 7:00 - 9:00 PM Odd Fellows Pacheco Lodge 4349 Cowell Road Concord, CA 94518
Level 1: Technician License Course-2022-B Tuesday, July 19 - September 6, 2022 (8 sessions) via Zoom and in person Odd Fellows Pacheco Lodge Concord, CA 94518
05/12/2022:
A new abstract has been added to our Speaker announcement for this month. See it our Speakers Page.
02/27/2022: COVID-19
The MDARC Officers, Board of Directors and Staff continue our commitment to protect the health of our members and guests during this COVID-19 pandemic.
It is our hope that members and guests have received a vaccination, and the appropriate booster. It is my belief that having the vaccination can significantly reduce the chance of infection by the virus, and can lessen the severity of the disease and associated hospitalization. It is also an important way that we can protect each other from infection.
MDARC meetings follow the latest health guidelines from the Contra Costa County Health Officer and encourage the members of MDARC to do the same in their interactions with others. While we do not currently require attendees at our monthly meetings and licensing classes to wear a mask or show proof of vaccination, we encourage that masks be worn. In addition, the owners/managers of locations we use for meetings and other events may have separate mask requirements that we need to adhere to while using them.
I would like to thank the MDARC family for their cooperation and dedication which we navigate our way through this pandemic.
73
Ed KJ6KYT
MDARC President
For details of the CCC Order please use this link:
Health Orders | Coronavirus (cchealth.org)
01/19/2022:
The date and location of the license test session following this Spring's Technician Class course has been posted to the Class Details page, along with the location of the second GOTA class.
12/22/2021:
COVID-19 Remaining Steadfast
The MDARC Board and Staff continue in our commitment to promote the health of our members and guests during this Covid-19 pandemic, especially now with the widespread Omicron and Delta variants.
We agree with the public health recommendations to get vaccinated and get the booster because that has been found to be the most effective safeguard for prevention of the disease or at the very least, mild symptoms if infection does occur.
We conduct our meetings following the latest health guidelines from the County Health Officer and encourage the members of MDARC to do the same in their interactions with others.
For details of the CCC Order please use this link:
Health Orders | Coronavirus (cchealth.org)
12/17/2021:
Congratulations to our 2021 award recipients! this year's Ham of the Year award went to Rich Lueck, K6REL; and the Kilroy Key was awarded to Patrick Miller, KK6DBX.
12/10/2021:
Some recent changes to our website:* First- Our newest page is about Azimuthal Maps, located in the Operating Aids section. Any ham that does DX needs an azimuthal map to best target their signal to the desired contact. This page explains what they are and provides one centered on the Bay Area.* Next- We now have a search field; allowing us to find any text string on the website. This should reduce the drudgery of finding something you know is there, but can’t remember where. Just look in the upper right corner of any page and click on the magnifying glass icon. That will pop open a small window to enter your search term.* Finally, something we had (sort of) but lost when we converted to the “new” Google website format a few months ago. If you look in the address field of your browser on any page, notice that it no longer says something like “https://sites.google.com/some_page…” Now it provides the actual MDARC.org URL to that page. For example, the URL for the page in my first item above is https://www.mdarc.org/operating-aids/azimuthal-map. And that address can be copied and pasted into an email, another browser tab, etc. and, when clicked, will take you directly to that page.
11/27/2021:
We have a new page on the web site, discussing Azimuthal Maps. Anyone that does DX needs one of these. Check it out.
09/19/2021:
At the MDARC General Meeting Friday evening, it was announced that our normally-cancelled December meeting will be held after all on our usual 3rd Friday, Dec 17, since the usual Holiday Banquet was cancelled (see the 09/13/2021 announcement below). See our Club Meetings and Speakers pages for details.
09/19/2021:
At the MDARC General Meeting Friday evening, it was announced that our November General Meeting will be held in the church's Sanctuary rather than our usual room. So park in the upper parking lot in November.
09/18/2021:
The Pacificon Committee has updated the COVID-19 statement on their website and added a COVID Action Plan page showing how the mandates of the Contra Coast Health Services will be enacted. Please look it over before coming to Pacificon.
09/13/2021:
The MDARC Board of Directors voted this evening to cancel this year's annual Holiday Banquet, due to COVID concerns. We're all very disappointed, but are hopeful that we'll be able return to normal operations in 2022.
08/15/2021: COVID-19 Revisited
All of us thought as the citizenry became vaccinated that we would soon be looking at the Covid pandemic in the rear-view mirror of our lives. How quickly things can take an abrupt change! The Delta variant of this virus, coupled with the reluctance by too many to get vaccinated, has caused a rebound of the number of new cases and unfortunately, deaths.
As expected, the Contra Costa County Health Department has acted accordingly with their Order dated 08/02/21 to help stem the transmission of this virus from both the unvaccinated and alarmingly to some of the vaccinated by requiring wearing masks in indoor public settings.
Therefore, MDARC will expect all participants in meetings and events sponsored by our club to follow Contra Costa County’s Order until such time it is modified or rescinded by the County.
For details of the CCC Order please use this link:
Health Orders | Coronavirus (cchealth.org)
06/19/2021
We're targeting our July 16 meeting to return to live, in-person gatherings at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Lafayette. The goal is to have a hybrid meeting; both in-person and on Zoom, So plan on joining us for an eye-ball QSO. But if you can't, Zoom will still be there.
Our Board meetings will continue to be Zoom only for at least the rest of this year.
06/17/2021 COVID-19 Final Note
The much-anticipated June 15th announcement is now behind us, but what does it mean for MDARC and you? I believe this quote from the Contra Costa Health Services website helps us look into the future:
“As of June 15, 2021, the state has moved Beyond the Blueprint for a Safer Economy and eliminated the color-coded tier system for counties. This means there are far fewer restrictions on business and social activity, although things still aren't exactly like they were before the pandemic. There are no longer capacity limits on businesses, although masking will still be required in many situations and settings.”
Looking at the details on the CCHS website, I notice the following:
No restrictions on capacity limitations for indoor and outdoor setting.
Except for “mega events” of 5000 or more people.
No restrictions with regards to physical distancing.
I invite you to review the CCHS website to get more details, but it seems to me that MDARC members are free to gather in-person and be mask-less if they so choose. On this latter point, it is okay to wear a mask if you wish.
Beyond the Blueprint | Coronavirus (cchealth.org)
Vaccinated? I hope so, but if not, and you are not medically cautioned not to be vaccinated, then I encourage you to get it. This would benefit you, your friends and family, including your “MDARC family.”
05/27/2021 COVID-19 Note:
Like many of you, the Board of Directors is also looking forward to Governor Newsom’s announcement on June 15 followed by announcements from the Health Departments from our local counties. But the evidence for return to normal…or nearly so…seems to be rapidly approaching.
If you have not yet received the vaccine, I want to encourage you to do so. Doing so will not only be of great benefit to you but will also be beneficial to the health of your fellow ham enthusiasts when we are free to again meet in person.
Please continue to check this website for the latest news regarding continuation of in-person meetings and training courses.
On behalf of the MDARC Board and all members, please stay safe and hang in there until this is behind us.
05/07/2021
The page describing Obtaining an FCC Registration Number (FRN) has been updated with the new requirements, which are effective May 20, 2021.
04/30/2021
We have a new page on the website. This one explains just what Peak Envelope Power means, in the context of the FCC's definition. Have a look.
04/12/2021
Our website has two new pages.
A number of the frequency bands allocated to amateur radio operators by the FCC are dedicated only to us. But we must share several other bands, or segments of bands, with other services. The new page, Secondary Status of Amateur Radio Frequency Allocations, summarizes which bands and band segments are secondary, and to whom. Check it out.
Also, the FCC's regulations require that "A station within 1600 m (1 mile) of an FCC monitoring facility must protect that facility from harmful interference." But finding out just where those monitoring facilities are requires the ability to find your way around the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. Not always an easy task. So we've done the work for you. See our FCC Monitoring Station Locations page.
03/11/2021
A Getting-on-the-Air (GOTA) class for new Technician Class licensees will be held on Zoom tomorrow evening 03/12/2021, starting at 7:00 PM. This one will include discussions, demonstrations and Q&A on choosing and using your first radio.
A follow-up GOTA class will be held in-person this Saturday morning, 03/13/2021, where you will be able to look at and practice using various radios. The session will be at the Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church on Kirker Pass Road, just east of Clayton Road. Because this is an in-person class, it will be held in two separate sessions, with a limit of 10 attendees per session. You must schedule a time slot in one of the sessions in advance. If there's enough demand, two more sessions will be held the following Saturday, 03/20/2021.
For Zoom access information to the first class or to sign up for one of the in-person sessions, contact Larry Loomer, KI6LNB, at ki6lnb@arrl.net
02/12/2021 COVID-19 Note
Our Club is aware that vaccines are becoming available and we encourage our members to take advantage of the opportunity to receive these. We encourage members and guests to continue following the health order requirements from the various Counties by wearing face coverings, washing our hands, and abiding by in-person restrictions based on the County tier.
Until we receive the “All Clear” from the County for meeting in person, we will continue holding meetings using Zoom which we have found to be very effective for conduction Club business and continuing camaraderie.
Take advantage of the many Nets on our W6CX repeater.
As we all work through these times, please bookmark these websites and for more information .
Link to Contra Costa Health Services
Link to the Alameda County Public Health Department
Link to the Solano County Public Health Department
http://www.solanocounty.com/depts/ph/default.asp
On behalf of the MDARC Board and all members, please stay safe.
12/08/2020:
A recording of Bob Heil's presentation to our Club at our Holiday Celebration is now available. See the link below his description on our Speakers page.
11/20/2020: COVID-19 Note
MDARC Members and leadership are very aware of the risks during this COVID-19 pandemic and we will continue to follow the health order requirements from the various Counties by continuing to social distance, wear face coverings, wash our hands, and avoid large gatherings. Although limited in many ways, we are still an active amateur radio club and continue to hold ongoing Club meetings via Zoom teleconferencing of the Board of Directors, General Membership, Committees, as well as offering licensing courses. Of course the “airwaves” are still there for us to enjoy and the MDARC nets, as well as other nets, provide members to stay connected.
We believe the “light is at the end of the tunnel” (and that it is not a train!) and expect a gradual return to “normal” during 2021.
As we all work through these times, please bookmark these websites and for more information .
Link to Contra Costa Health Services
Link to the Alameda County Public Health Department
Link to the Solano County Public Health Department
http://www.solanocounty.com/depts/ph/default.asp
On behalf of the MDARC Board and all members, please stay safe.
10/12/2020:
Bob Heil to speak at our Holiday Get-Together!
Bob Heil, K9EID is set to kick off our holiday Zoom event beginning at 16:00 local time on December 6th. Note the early start, to accommodate Bob's time zone. Mark your calendar now.
10/12/2020:
The list of candidates for our upcoming election has been updated. See it on the home page, right-hand column.
10/06/2020:
At last night's meeting, the MDARC Board approved a plan to hold a holiday celebration, even though it will not be the traditional in-person Banquet. It will be on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020. See our Holiday Banquet page for more information.
09/29/2020:
Search this website!
In case you've wondered why there is no search box on our website, it's because of restrictions Google places on it's location. But you can still search for any text string on our site. Just enter into your browser's address field or your favorite search engine the following (without the quotes):
"site:www.mdarc.org yourtextstring"
replacing "yourtextstring" with the text you're searching for.
For example, if you want to find the word "license", enter:
site:www.mdarc.org license
You can search the Pacificon web site in a similar manner.
09/21/2020 COVID-19 Note
MDARC has taken a conservative approach during this COVID-19 pandemic by following the County’s public health guidelines. This has meant replacing our usual in-person meetings with virtual meetings which have been embraced by our members and a big success in keeping our ham radio community together. Members are invited to attend our monthly Board Meetings and both members and guests are encouraged to join our monthly virtual General Meetings. Two great opportunities to “see and hear” one another. Check out this website for dates and times.
As we all work through these times, please check these websites for more information .
Link to Contra Costa Health Services
Link to the Alameda County Public Health Department
Link to the Solano County Public Health Department
http://www.solanocounty.com/depts/ph/default.asp
Stay safe.
09/18/2020:
MDARC elections are coming up! See the right column of the home page for a list of candidates. If you're interested in running for the Board, or know someone who may be, contact one of the Election Committee shown.
08/22/2020 COVID-19 Note
Unfortunately the COVID-19 pandemic is still with us, but fortunately MDARC members are reminding each other to take recommended precautions and stay informed with the latest state and county guidance for public safety. Even as we have refrained from our once-were-normal person-to-person meetings, we are still going strong using easily accessible teleconferencing software. Check out our website for our Board Meetings where attendance is available to all club members. Our General Membership Meetings are preceded by a pre-meeting special interest topic followed by a short business meeting and a speaker. Check this website for more information . Guests are certainly welcome to join us.
Link to Contra Costa Health Services: www.coronavirus.cchealth.org
Link to the Alameda County Public Health Department: http://www.acphd.org/
Link to the Solano County Public Health Department: http://www.solanocounty.com/depts/ph/default.asp
Stay safe.
07/18/20 COVID-19 Note
It is no news that we are definitely not yet ”out of the woods” for this COVID-19 pandemic. MDARC is reminding its members to stay informed with the latest state and county health guidance that provides common sense guidelines for avoiding infection to our members and their families. This link helps us to stay current with these guidelines. Please refer to it often.
As MDARC follows these guidelines, it shows that we are committed in doing what we can to keep our members safe. This has meant curtailing events that in the past we had taken for granted, however, many of those in-person meetings are now being conducted using various teleconferencing platforms. This includes our monthly General Membership Meeting with a shortened business meeting agenda and offering some great speakers.
Stay safe.
07/15/2020:
Our General Class license upgrade course will begin Tuesday, Aug. 4. It will be completely online, via Zoom. If you're thinking of upgrading, go to our Class Details page and register right away.
07/03/2020:
GETTING-ON-THE-AIR ANNOUNCEMENT
There will be a Getting-on-the-Air (GOTA) class for the recent candidates of the Concord license testing sessions, and for any other hams that would like to get started in using their amateur handheld radios.
The classes will be held on the Zoom format on Friday, July 17, at 6:00 PM, and in-person, with masks and social distancing, on July 18, at 6:00 PM.
Please contact Larry Loomer, KI6LNB, at <ki6lnb@arrl.net> for further information and to reserve a spot in the classes.
06/22/20: COVID-19 Note
Many of the shelter-in-place directives have been lifted or mitigated to allow for limited public social interaction, but the risk remains and even more so for those in our hobby who are on the upside of 65 years old.
MDARC will continue to act in accordance with the governor and Contra Costa County Executive and Health Orders and we will be taking a conservative approach as restrictions are lifted. So even though we can now take a “peek” to the outside world, we still need to be mindful that our “normal” today is not what it used to be.
Therefore, as is prudent and common sense, please continue to observe all the health recommendations to prevent the spread of this virus, not only to yourself, but to your family and friends as well.Check out this link for the latest information regarding the lifting of shelter-in-place restrictions.
06/20/2020:
The video recording of Friday evening’s Club meeting and presentation is now available on MDARC’s YouTube channel, at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHaML_B0SBM.
It’s also available on the Club’s web site Speaker’s page, under the description of the presentation.
06/19/2020:
The Field Day page has been updated with the latest information about how it will work this year. Take a look and get ready!
05/23/20 COVID-19 Note
Looks like we are still in the shelter-in-place phase of the Executive Order, but with some lifting of restrictions. Yes, certainly we are still in this for the long haul, but there is light at the end of the tunnel and we will get through this tunnel as we continue to follow the governor’s Order and the health officials for Contra Costa and neighboring counties. MDARC’s Board is committed to adhering to the current regulations and routinely reviews the provisions indicated on the Contra Costa Health Service website. Please take the time to review this website so you are aware of what we can and cannot do, and what actions to take when in public.
Please mark your calendar for our General Membership Meeting on June 19th and plan to join us for our virtual business meeting and speaker.
Speaking of speakers: you will not want to miss hearing Alan Thompson’s W61WN presentation: Phones, Fires, and Radios For The Rest of Us.
And if you heard him at Pacificon last year, you will want to hear it again with even more information and slides.
New to Zoom meetings: Not to worry because we have all the information you need in this website, so please take a look at the “Communicating With You” and “Zoom Guidelines” articles by clicking on the link to the left of this COVID-19 Note. You are also encouraged to join the email reflector on Groups.io because that is currently the only way of sending you an invitation to join a Zoom meeting. There is a link in “Communicating With You” that explains how easy it is to join, but if you need help, please contact Mike N6JGA who would be happy to assist you.
Prefer not to use the video options in the Zoom meeting? That’s fine and you can join us by just using the audio.
As is prudent and common sense, please continue to observe all the health recommendations to prevent the spread of this virus, not only to yourself, but to your family and friends as well.
05/21/2020
The abstract and biographies for our June meeting presentation are now on our Speakers page. Take a look.
Remember that this will be a Zoom videoconference meeting only, and the access information will be sent out via our Groups.io forum. So if you're not a member of the forum, join now.
04/22/20 COVID-19 Note
It is certainly not new news to our members that we are still adhering to the guidelines required by Executive Order N-33-20 as well as those required by Contra Costa County. Like you, the members of the Board are wondering when this will “all be over” and like you, we are waiting for direction from the state and county’s public health officials.
Even during this time of sheltering in place, the Board and some committees continue to meet using the Zoom video conferencing software and at least 43 members got together virtually for our General Membership Meeting on April 17. This was a positive and heartfelt time to see our friends, conduct club business, and share during our open forum. By the way, some preferred to join the meeting without video which is perfectly okay and they could still share using their device’s built-in microphone.
This was so successful that we are planning to continue this virtual format for the May 15th meeting and sincerely hope that even more members will participate.
I encourage each member to read the information in “Communicating With You” and “Zoom Guidelines” by clicking on the link to the left of this COVID-19 Note. You are also encouraged to join the email reflector on Groups.io because that is currently the only way of sending you an invitation to join a Zoom meeting. There is a link in “Communicating With You” that explains how easy it is to join, but if you need help, please contact Mike N6JGA who would be happy to assist you.
As is prudent and common sense, please continue to observe all the health recommendations to prevent the spread of this virus, not only to yourself, but to your family and friends as well.
04/13/2020
Our Annual Auction is canceled, but we've not giving up! We're hosting a Virtual Get-Together on our normal meeting night; this Friday, April 17 at 7:00 on the Zoom videoconferencing system. See our Speakers page for details.
04/07/2020
Did you know there are 13 ways the Club has for communicating with you, our members and the ham community at large? Yes, 13. See our new Communicating With You page for the list.
04/01/2020
Our Pacificon 2020 web site is Live!
Attendee registration will open in early May; and we have much to add as we get closer to this event. So check it out now and come back for updates. See it at www.pacificon.org.
03/26/20 COVID-19 Note
The Board promised our members that we would keep you informed about the Club’s future meetings as we learned more about our ability to “gather.” Currently, pursuant to Executive Order N-33-20 and its requirement for citizens to shelter-in-place, it has become very evident that MDARC should not hold any face-to-face meetings where we are in harm’s way by either catching or spreading the COVID-19 virus. That being said, all such face-to-face meetings have been cancelled until the rescinding or lessening of the gubernatorial executive order. In which case the membership will be notified via multiple methods that such meetings can resume. Be on the alert for notification on this webpage, club email, club Facebook page, and W6CX announcements.
The Board will continue to conduct virtual Board meetings using the Zoom video conferencing software and prior to the next Board Meeting on 04/06/20, the membership will receive instructions for use via our Groups.io email. Members who so choose can participate in the audio only option and not have to install a webcam.
As is prudent and common sense, please continue to observe all the health recommendations to prevent the spread of this virus, not only to yourself, but to your family and friends as well.
03/12/2019: COVID-19 Note
Certainly by now we are all aware of the continuing international advance of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the recommendations by local, county and federal agencies to minimize contagion by limiting gathering in large groups.
The MDARC Board met in special session last Monday (03/09/20) to review the Club’s stance on meeting cancellations. Although the majority voted to continue with our Club meetings, it became clear with developments during these last few days, that it would be prudent for MDARC to cancel all Club meetings for the remainder of March. This will include the General Membership meeting on March 20th, 2020, the two VHF/UHF GOTA sessions (March 12 & 19), and (most likely) Session One of the General Class License Course (March 26).
You should consider that all future MDARC meetings will remain cancelled, including those in April, until the Board has met to re-evaluate the situation and sent an email announcement. Therefore, please watch for future emails. If you are not yet a member of MDARC's email distribution group, send an email to MDARC+subscribe@groups.io, which will automatically request membership, to receive future messages.
Updates will also be posted to this web site. If you have any questions, please send them to info@mdarc.org.
10/16/2019
Remember, our Club meeting this month will be held this Friday night, at Pacificon in San Ramon. It will not be at our usual location in Lafayette. See our Club Meetings page for the full year's schedule. And see our Speakers page to see what the presentation is about.
Also, there will be no license testing Friday, but we will have extended testing sessions at Pacificon on Saturday and Sunday. See you there.
October 5, 2019
To accommodate a need by our long-term Banquet host, Zio Fraedo's; our Banquet date for this year has been changed from Sunday, December 8, 2019 to Saturday, December 7, 2019. See our Banquet page for details on the evening and remember to update your calendar with the new date.
July 7, 2019
Two more pages have been added to our web page. Our Club's two vehicles, a van and a trailer, now have their own pages, and the main Vehicles page has been revised. Have a look, starting at our Vehicles page.
July 5, 2019
Our web site has a new page; Latitude, Longitude, UTM. It's a summary description of two major geographic coordinate systems often useful for hams. Check it out.
June 19, 2019
Field Day is this weekend! We'll be at Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek again this year. Come on down! See our Field Day page for details.
June 7, 2019
Our June speaker has now been announced. Ed Muns, W0YK, will give us a good education on the new protocol, FT8. See our Speakers Page for details.
04/10/2019
The Pacificon web site and registration is now Open! Get your registrations in and see what happening this year. More details will be added as we have them, so check back occasionally.
04/06/2019
We now have our Speaker for the May Club meeting. Marcel Stieber, AI6MS will tell us about "ARKnet - Wireless Emergency Intranet". We'll post details on our Speakers Page shortly after the Auction, April 26.
03/28/2019
The annual MDARC Campout has been scheduled. Capacity is limited, so sign up early. See the Campout-2019 page for details.
03/15/2019
The Club's bylaws were amended by a vote of the membership to allow voting electronically. See the amended bylaws on the Bylaws page.
02/28/2019
Several new pages have been added to the web site over the last several weeks., as well as updates to others. Here's the list of new pages.
* About Us > History of the Club > Charter Members
* About Us > History of the Club > Honorary and Lifetime Members
* About Us > History of the Club > History Summary
* About Us > Store
* About Us > Official Documents > Articles of Incorporation
* Resources > Basics
* Resources > Equipment > Dipole Length Calculations
* Resources > Equipment > Dipole Tuning
* Resources > Equipment > HF Equipment
* Resources > Getting Started in Ham Radio > 4A. Getting On The Air
* Resources > Getting Started in Ham Radio > 4B. Getting on the Air with HF
* Resources > Regulations > Spectrum
12/26/2018
We hope all of you had a Merry Christmas, and wish you a Happy New Year.
A couple of notes about upcoming meetings. Our next meeting, January 18, 2019, will be upstairs, in the sanctuary; as our normal room is being used by another group.
Also, the April Auction will be a week later than usual, on April 26, 2019; as our normal 3rd Friday is Good Friday this year.
12/01/2018
We've added another new web page to our Getting Started in Ham Radio series. this one is called Getting On the Air, and provides a lot of good information for everyone, but especially new hams.
11/24/2018
We have a new page on the web site, providing "a few of the most fundamental concepts that all amateur radio operators should have seared into their brains." Have a quick review on our Fundamentals for Amateur Radio Operators page.
11/18/2018
Registration is open for our 2019 license training courses. We're teaching two Technician Class and one General Class course next year. The first course starts Jan. 10. See the details and register for one or more on our Class Details page.
11/16/2018
Congratulations to our 2019 Board of Directors! After the close of balloting tonight, the following were declared the winners:
President - Larry Bradley, KK6QPE*
Vice-President - Ed Morales, KJ6KYT*
Secretary - Larry Loomer, KI6LNB
Treasurer - Cathi Walton, K3CJW*
Emergency Coordinator - Ron Bunch, K4FEK*
Directors:
Dave Piersall, N6ORB Year 1 of 2
Mike Warren, W6MEW Year 1 of 2
They will join these incumbent Directors, who were not part of this year's election:
John Primus, AF6RJ* Year 2 of 2
Trevor Hall, WA6JAU* Year 2 of 2
[Those with an asterisk (*) following their call signs are incumbents.]
11/04/2018
Be sure to register for our annual HOLIDAY BANQUET, to be held Sunday, Dec. 2. See our Holiday Banquet page for details.
11/04/2018
The abstract and bio for the speaker at this month's Club meeting was delayed for awhile, but is now on our Speakers page. Have a look and we'll see you at the meeting.
10/29/2018
The Auxiliary Class tentatively planned for this Thursday, Nov. 1, will not occur. You may remove that from your calendar and go on a pub crawl instead.
09/16/2018
We've added a web new page to our Getting Started in Amateur Radio section under Resources. It's called Upgrading Your License. Take a look.
09/05/2018
A new Digital Systems sub-section has been added to the Activities section of our web site. It gives brief explanations of most of the more popular types of digital communications, both voice and data; with links for more information. Check it out!
08/07/2018
The Palo Alto Amateur Radio Association (PAARA) is hosting a tour of the SS Red Oak Victory ship; and MDARC is invited! So mark your calendar for Nov. 10 and check this page for details.
07/09/2018
The California Radio Historical Society is hosting Radio Day by the Bay 2018; its annual auction and action day; on July 21st at its home in Alameda. It's a major fundraiser, with special events of many sorts scheduled. See the CHRS web site for details and plan to be there.
06/16/2018
Our July speaker information is now available on the Speakers page. It looks to be a fascinating presentation. Have a look.
06/09/2018
Remember that Field Day is coming up in just two weeks! Join us at Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek for MDARC's annual Field Day, June 23-24. See our Field Day web page for details.
06/08/2018
For those of you that went on the annual Camp-out; or wish you did; here's a link to a YouTube video of the highlights of that weekend:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sffdhNcIqgo
05/28/2018
We have new Auxiliary Classes coming up this summer. Check them out ans sign up on the Auxiliary Classes-2018 and Red Cross Disaster Communications pages.
05/10/2018
Check out a new section of our web site, called Getting Started in Amateur Radio. It has lots of information for the new (and not-so-new) ham.
04/20/2018
The Pacificon web site is live and registrations are open! Sign up now, save some coin and avoid the rush.
04/02/2018
49th ANNIVERSARY CAMPOUT PARTY 2018!
Presented by the Knights of the Megahertz & MDARC. It's coming up June 1-3. A bunch of us go every year. See http://www.knightsmhz.org/camp2018.htm for details.
03/31/2018
Know someone that wants to get their Technician License? Can't wait until Pacificon? Both the Benicia and USS Hornet clubs are hosting one-day sessions next month. As it happens, both are on May 5. See these flyers for details:
* Bencia Amateur Radio Club flyer
03/11/2018
Now, you can Stream our 2 meter W6CX analog repeater from the comfort of your own computer, smartphone, or tablet. Check it our and listen in.
11/15/20107
If you attended Pacificon 2017, please take our Pacificon Survey, to help us make Pacificon 2018 even better. Thankx!
11/09/2017
Reservations for our annual Holiday Banquet are now available! See our Banquet web page to reserve your spot. See you there!
11/09/2017
Membership renewal for 2018 had begun! See our Membership page to renew or change your information for the directory.
11/07/20107
A new sub-section has been added to the About Us section of this web site. Called "Official Documents", it contains copies of our Bylaws, Operational Polices and other documents. Check it out.
10/14/2017
In response to the Northern California fires, some response groups may be using our 2 meter repeater, and possibly other systems, as part of their communications services. Note that fire-related traffic has priority over all other non-emergency traffic until our systems are no longer needed for this emergency. Please understand the urgency for these services and yield the channel when needed for fire-related traffic.
05/08/2017
We've added a new page to the web site, describing our Club's committees. Check it out and let us know how you'd like to help. See the Committees page.
03/31/2017
The 48th Anniversary Campout Party, organized by Knights of the Megahertz & MDARC, will be on June 2nd-4th this year. They'll be at the Sugar Pine Dam Recreation Area in the Forbes Creek area. They're
limited to 50 people at this site so get your reservations in early. See the Campout Party web page for full details and to register.
02/20/2017
Our web site has a new page on Radio Operating Procedures. A great reference for new hams and a good review for veterans. Check it out.
02/18/2017
The PowerPoint slides from yesterday's presentation on DMR by Tim Barrett, K6BIV, is now available from a link at the end of his description and biography on our Speaker's page.
02/12/2017
We had planned to have Chris Wilson from Yaesu talk to us at the February meeting to give us a System Fusion Demonstration. Unfortunately, Chris is no longer with Yaesu and is unavailable. No worries! Our own Tim Barret, K6BIV, will be here to answer the question "So You Got a DMR Radio, Now What?" See our Speakers page.
02/06/2017
Have you seen something called an "IP rating" in the specs of your new radio or cell phone? Wonder what it means? Check out our new web page on IP Codes, in the Resources section under Equipment.
01/10/2017
We're kicking off the year at our January 20 meeting with a wonderful presentation by a true expert in the area. Michelle Paquette, AA6MP, will teach us the Basic Antenna Principles we need to know. See the details on our Speakers page.
11/02/2016
Remember to SAVE THE DATE. Our annual Holiday Banquet will be on December 2nd at Zio Fraedo’s, 611 Gregory Ln., Pleasant Hill. More details soon.
10/22/2016
Earlier this month, MDARC became the proud owner of an electronic News Gathering (ENG) van, donated to us by KGO-TV in San Francisco. Check it out on our Vehicles page.
08/08/2016
We now have a wonderful Pacificon 2016 Introductory Video, prepared by none other than Randy Hall, K7AGE, famous for his hundreds of ham-related videos and his YouTube channel.Take a look at it.
08/02/2016
The first ad for Pacificon 2016 is in the August edition of QST, page 148. A beautiful full-pager. Check it out!
07/26/2016
Our August meeting will have a "Don't Miss" presentation for anyone interested in passing traffic, especially during emergencies. See our Speakers page for details.
07/18/2016
Wednesday, July 20, is the Round Table Pizza fundraiser for MDARC. See our Fundraiser page for details.
07/02/2016
Our web site's Technical Resources section has a new page, on Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System (NBEMS), which uses the Fldigi software. Check it out.
06/27/2016
Our Field Day this year turned out to be very good, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the Field Day Chair, Larry Loomer, KI6LNB; and the head chef, Misa Siemons, KJ6BUE. The bands didn't open up very well for us, but we had a number of people come by to chat and operate.
If you weren't there Saturday, you missed a great dinner, with tri-tip, baked potatoes, salad, the works. Diana Sage brought some outstanding brownies and strawberry shortcake.Also, the Walnut Creek CERT held a display and demonstration session in an adjacent room with a very good turnout.
Looks like we'll be doing this again.
05/17/2016
A new page has been added to the Resources section of our web site, in the Technical category. It describes the Decibel and how it's used. See the Decibels page.
05/13/2016
The club is having a Fundraiser at Round Table Pizza in Pleasant Hill on July 20. See the Round Table Fundraiser page for details.
05/09/2016
The Pacificon 2016 brochure is now available for distribution. Download a copy from our Brochure page.
05/06/2016
The 47th Anniversary Camp-out Party, sponsored by the San Francisco Amateur Radio Club & Mount Diablo Amateur Radio Club, will be June 3-5. A great get-together with a long tradition.
See http://www.sfarc.org/camp2016.htm for details and to register.
05/05/2016
Our speaker for the May meeting has been announced! See the details on our Speakers page.
04/08/2016
We now have detailed instructions on our web site for obtaining an official copy of your ham license, thanks to John Primus, AF6RJ. See the License Copy Acquisition page. Thankx, John!
03/10/2016
The Keynote Speaker for Pacificon's Banquet has been confirmed. New ARRL CEO and Secretary Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, will be here with a great presentation. See the Banquet page for details.
03/04/2016
Public Service events for 2016 are now on our web site. Check them out and sign up on our Public Service page.
02/15/2016
The PACIFICON 2016 web site is live! Check it out at http://sites.google.com/a/mdarc.org/pacificon2016. The conference registration section isn't ready yet, but will be soon. Keep checking back, as we will be updating the site frequently.
02/10/2016
We're swapping our agenda at the General Meeting this month. The speaker will address us first, at 7:30pm, followed by the business meeting, rather than our usual other-way-around. So be sure to get there on time!
02/10/2016
Our D-Star system is now sharing the antenna up on the tower with our 2-meter system, higher than ever. If you're a D-Star user, give it a try and see how the reception has improved.
02/07/2016
A Glossary for Amateur Radio has been added to the Resources section of our web site. Check it out.
02/07/2016
The PACIFICON committee meeting for February has been cancelled. We'll see you in March.
02/07/2016
The Board meeting was postponed a week. It's tomorrow night. Y'all come! See our Club Meetings page for the location & details.
02/06/2016
General Class upgrade course starts in March! See Classes-2016 for details.