From the Desk of AB9ZI - February 2025 Message
The President’s Desk
For the past 2 ½ years, I have been volunteering to work with a teacher at Central School for the afterschool activity of Ham Radio for the 5-8th graders. It’s been a great experience working with the kids who are so bright and catch on to everything we do so quickly. Several students have obtained their HAM licenses (two Extra Class!) along with some of their family members.
The activity this past week was that they created a pair of Morse code sounders using the school’s Snap Electronics Kits and then played Battleship. In case you forgot it, Battleship is a game each team tries to locate and “sink” their opponent’s battle ships by calling out the possible locations on a grid. The students were able to send the locations using Morse code and then Hit or Miss or Sunk in Morse code.
It appears that the move of our 2-Meter repeater is on hold for now. We will be revising that project in the spring. As the process moves forward information will be found on our website.
Speaking of the website, our Communications Director Udo N0LSR and team have done a complete update! Check it out at www.ns9rc.org.
Are you tired of hiding inside from the cold? No, I’m not suggesting some antenna work in this weather. Then plan to come and enjoy the comradery of the other hams in the club over dinner at our Annual Dinner. Be sure to mark your calendar on February 25, 2025, 6:30 PM at Portillo’s in Deerfield, 700 Lake Cook Road, corner of Deer Lake Road. No reservation needed.
It’s never too early to start thinking about Field Day, June 28-29. Our club’s premier event needs volunteers to shadow Don KK9H and Marty WD9GYM, as 2025 will be their last year as event co-chairs. Step up and learn about this great demonstration of ham radio’s ability to communicate “when all fails” contest, err…not a contest.
And remember, our February Meeting is only on Zoom. In March we will resume live meetings at Heller Nature Center, along with Zoom.
73,
Brian AB9ZI