Please note the following message from Bryce. ARES members are strongly encouraged to complete Level III. This is extremely valuable training.

73,

Steve
AA4AK
Sag EC

The Maine Emergency Communications Course, Level III has been posted to the Maine ARES web site (http://www.maineares.org) and click on Training Opportunities.

This course is the third in this series and is a follow on to Levels I and II. It is the advanced course.

73, Bryce, K1GAX
Maine ARES SEC

John and Michele Briggs
1407 Westgate Drive
Sachse, TX 75048

The schedule for the VHF net for 2010 is being made up. Controlling a Monday night session is an excellent opportunity to gain experience as Net Control on the VHF net, a critical skill for when we have formal drills or real emergencies. If you would like to be added to the rotation, please in the next few days contact K1JJS or W1ZE.

Seasons Greetings from Phippsburg:

Attached is the December issue of Squelch Tales. Feel free to forward it to other hams that are not on the mailing list.

Have a great Holiday Season and 73,

Bruce/W1ZE

For Field Day 2009 KS1R was #1 in Maine for all entries in all classes. Total score was 4754 points
#2 in New England in Class 2F
#7 Nationally in Class 2F (out of 70+ entries, or in the top 10%)

Congratulations to all!

73, Bruce/W1ZE (KS1R trustee)

Congratulations to Bruce, W1ZE. He recently received the Worked All Continents, the VUCC (for working 100 grid squares on 6 meters), and the DXCC awards.

73,

Steve
AA4AK

Happy Independence Day to you all!

Attached is the July issue of the MARA's Squelch Tales newsletter.

73, Bruce/W1ZE

ARRL Maine Section Manager, Bill Woodhead, N1KAT, has appointed Steve, AA4AK, as the official QSL card checker for the Maine Section. Steve can check QSL cards for DXCC, WAS, VUCC and WAC. If you are working toward any of these awards, prepare your paperwork per instructions on the ARRL Web site, and bring your paperwork and cards to Steve. He will check your cards on the spot and forward your paperwork to ARRL. Your hard earned QSL cards never leave your custody. Steve is available to check QSL cards at the Bangor and Andy Hamfests, after Maine QCWA meetings, after MARA meetings, and on other occasions by appointment.

Greetings All:

Attached is the June issue of the Squelch Tales newsletter. Hopefully you will find some parts interesting.

Today, Monday WD1F, K1MNW & W1ZE took down the 2-meter repeater Station Master antenna for maintenance and if needed repair. In the process Donnie (WD1F) lowered down the pigtail jumper that connects the 1-7/8" hard-line to the antenna. They hoisted up a NCG/COMET CA-ABC-22a 2M 2 x 5/8 wave collinear as a temporary antenna while Maintenance was performed on the Stationmaster. While Donnie was installing the Comet antenna, Bill & Bruce tested the pigtail coax jumper and found that it exhibited about 1-megohm resistance between the shield and center conductor. At RF this is like a resistive short hence the SWR in excess of 3:1. A new pigtail jumper was made up using RG-213 vs. the poly-foam original jumper. The Comet antenna seems to have adequate coverage until the Stationmaster goes back up. Stay tuned. A detailed report will be forthcoming at Thursdays meeting.