Category Archives: About

Members as of July 1, 2020

Current Membership roster as of 7/1/2020

President – Mike Cook- KC9DJU

Vice President – Lew Baker – K9LBB

Secretary/Treasure – Jeff Dyer – K9DYR

Activities – Franklin Dudley – W9FND

Trustee – Alan Weber – KC9JWO

Tech Committee Chair – Doug Rose – N9DR

Tech Committee – Ferrin Nice – N9VZL

Tech Committee – Tim Young – KC9GBL

Newsletter Editor/Social Media – Kyle James – KD9LJA

Dale Bales – KV9W

Dave Bendt – KB9NTG

Dick Bickel – WB9AZY

Alan Blackwell – K9YI

Alex Collins – KD9LMC

Michael Corbin – KC9LWK

Rick Corley – N1RJW

Mike Dewey – KC9AOM

Frank Dick – WA9JWL

Tom Ecker – KA9SYP

Kevin Etchison – KB9NTH

Bryan Frank  – W9BLF

Rick Fuller – N9XQX

Tim Galbraith – KB9VE

Tom Hires – AA9ZA

Gerald Hollon – K9GDH

Jerry Johnson – N9RAB

Charlie Jones – K9TZJ

Bill Legg – KB9ECQ

Mark Mace – KD9NAU

Paul Muething KD9NHQ

Dennis Owen – W9DO

Mike Ratican – W9RAT

Steve Riley – WA9CWE

Rick Rogers – KC9LGP

Dewey Rushin – N9DEW

David Sargent – KE9XF

Scott Shepler – KC9RAX

Gary Sherman – W9GNR

Jeffery Sisk – KC9RMO

Raymond Slingerland – K9RLS

Alex Valdez – K9BLK

D. Alan Weber, II – NA9LA

Gary Wigner – KD9NAW

Rick Wisely – W9CGA

Terry Zivney – N4TZ

So, You Want to Become an AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR?

Click “Continue Reading” for a helpful guide from our friends at the Anderson Repeater Club on how to easily become a licensed ham radio operator!! 

Becoming a licensed ham radio operator is not difficult.  The entry-level license, called the Technician Class, is designed in such a way that everyone, young or old, can understand topics that are included in the required test.

GETTING STARTED:

To better understand amateur radio licensing go to:

 www.arrl.org/getting-licensed   

At this site you can learn about the various licenses, take “practice exams” (very useful, almost everyone does it), and find an exam session (our Club offers a Volunteer Examiner session each month).

  • It’s useful to get a “book” to help understand the topics that you will be tested on.  We recommend:

Technician Class FCC License Preparation for Element 2 Technician Class Theory

By Gordon West WB6NOA

ISBN:  978-0-945053-90-3

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This book is available on-line for about $20-$25.  It has all of the questions in the official “question pool” (423 questions).  Don’t panic…..The test is only 35 of those questions.

  • Another good resource is the American Radio Relay League:

(Provides training books and practice for each license class)

ARRL Ham Radio License Manual 4th Edition  (It is organized differently, and is used by many.)

www.arrl.org/shop/Licensing-Education-and-Training/

www.arrl.org/exam-practice

  • If you prefer more of a class environment:

Technician Ham Class September 2018 Chapter 1 Welcome to Amateur Radio W4EEY

A Youtube class taught by hams.  (Based on ARRL Ham Radio License Manual 4th Edition) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BU0WGP0U5Q&list=PLZ_9BZQ8gpzjSuF-nExJHAXhzrf_NnYfH

Testing:

  • An Amateur Radio License that is issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is required to get on the air. 

You must pass the written test at a Volunteer Examiner Test Session.  You must present a picture ID and pay a fee of $15. You will be given a 35 question test that has 4 possible answers for each question.  The test questions are selected from the pool of questions used in the practice exams and in the text book. Most candidates complete the test in 10 to 20 minutes.

Additional Online resources for becoming a Ham Radio Operator:

Dave Casler has a series of videos to support the ARRL training books

www.dcasler.com/ham-radio/

Gordon West Training Resources  

www.w5yi.org

The Ham Whisperer’s Technician Class License Course

www.amateurradio.com/courses/technician/

Ham Universe

This site has a lot of information related to the hobby in addition to getting licensed

www.hamuniverse.com/study.html

No-Nonsense Ham Study Guide

A paragraph format license study technique (free pdf, Kindle, Nook or Audio version)

www.kb6nu.com/study-guides/

Bullet Amateur Radio Society, KY4KY.com

Study material to earn your Technician Class Ham License

www.ky4ky.com/vetesting_materials.htm

 

On-line test preparation sites:

Ham Test Online    www.hamtestonline.com

QRZ.com    www.qrz.com/hamtest/

Ham Exam   www.hamexam.org

HamStudy    www.hamstudy.org

Eham.net     www.eham.net/exam/

Ham Universe    www.hamuniverse.com/hamlicenseexams.html

 

Amateur Radio is a hobby that can be enjoyed by all.  Like any other hobby you can spend a lot of money or very little.  You can spend a lot of time or very little. In fact, one benefit of the hobby is that you can “drop out” for a period of time, and assuming you don’t let your license expire (it lasts for 10 years and you just have to renew it at no cost) you can come back later and get involved again.

 

Our hobby provides many opportunities for social enjoyment, public service, emergency preparation, technical challenges, learning and much more.  There are two active amateur radio clubs in Madison County that meet regularly for friendship, fellowship and learning. We are always anxious to have new hams  join us.

 

Take the plunge into Amateur Radio as a hobby.  You will find it well worth your effort.

 

73,  (that means best regards in ham radio talk)

 

Anderson Repeater Club

Members as of 01/2019

President – Mike Cook- KC9DJU

Vice President – Lew Baker – K9LBB

Secretary/Treasure – Jeff Dyer – K9DYR

Activities – Franklin Dudley – W9FND

Trustee – Alan Weber – KC9JWO

Tech Committee Chair – Doug Rose – N9DR

Newsletter Editor/Social Media – Kyle James – KD9LJA

Dale Bales – KV9W

Dave Bendt – KB9NTG

Mike Brown – K9MI

Michael Corbin – KC9LWK

Rick Corley – N1RJW

Mike Dewey – Kc9AOM

Frank Dick – WA9JWL

Tom Ecker – KA9SYP

Dick Elmore – WA9STB

Kevin Etchison – KB9NTH

Rick Fuller – N9XQX

Tim Galbraith – KB9VE

Tom Hires – AA9ZA

Mike Hoggatt – KD9CDO

Jerry Johnson – N9RAB

Charlie Jones – K9TZJ

Bill Legg – KB9ECQ

Ferrin Nice – N9VZL

Dennis Owen – N9OWN

Steve Riley – WA9CWE

Rick Rogers – KC9LGP

Dewey Rushin – N9DEW

Gary Sherman – W9GNR

Alex Valdez – K9BLK

Rick Wisely – W9CGA

Tim Young – KC9GBL

Terry Zivney – N4TZ

 

 

Welcome

Madison County Amateur Radio Club

Welcome to the Madison County Amateur Radio Club of Central Indiana web site.

We are a club of around 40 members who enjoy a variety of interests in Amateur Radio.

Meetings are held on the first Monday of the Month at 7pm at the Madison County EOC located at 200 Delaware Street; Anderson, Indiana.

We welcome area amateur operators to join our weekly Net at 8pm on Wednesday nights on 145.390 with a pl tone of 151.4.

 

 

Constitution

PREAMBLE

We the undersigned, wishing to secure for ourselves the pleasures and benefits of the association of persons commonly interested in Amateur Radio, do hereby constitute ourselves the Madison County Amateur Radio Club. Inc. and do enact this constitution as our governing law. It shall be our purpose to facilitate the exchange of information and general cooperation between members, to promote radio knowledge, fraternalism, and individual operating efficiency, and to so conduct Club programs and activities as to advance the general interest and welfare of amateur radio in the general community.

ARTICLE I NAME

Section 1.
The name of the corporation shall be the Madison County Amateur Radio Club, Inc.

ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.
All persons interested in Amateur Radio shall be eligible for membership.*

Membership shall be by application or such terms as the Club shall provide in the By-Laws.

* An individual interested in radio techniques solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.

ARTICLE III OFFICERS

Section 1.
The officers of the Club shall be: President, Vice-president, Secretary/Treasurer, Activities Manager, Newsletter Editor, W9VCF Trustee, and Chairman of the Technical Committee, all of whom shall be considered the Board of Directors.

Section 2.
The officers of the Club and two (2) additional members of the Technical Committee shall be elected for a term of one year by a majority of ballots cast.

Section 3.
In case of a vacancy in any office, the successor for the remainder of the year shall be appointed by the Board of Directors.

Section 4.
Officers may be removed on motion by a three-fourths vote of the membership.

ARTICLE IV DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1.
The president shall preside at all meetings of the Club and conduct the same according to the rules adopted. He/She shall enforce due observance of this Constitution and by-laws, decide questions of order, sign all official documents that are adopted by the Club, and none other, and perform all customary duties pertaining to the office of President.

Section 2.
The Vice president shall assume all the duties of the president in the absence of the latter.

Section 3.
The Secretary/Treasurer shall keep a record of the proceedings of all meetings, keep a roll of members, read and answer all correspondence, and read a summary of all communications taken place since the last meeting. In addition, he/she shall keep the Constitution and by-laws of the Club and have the same available for reference at all regularly scheduled meetings as well as any special meetings which may ensue. He/She shall cause all amendments, changes, and additions to be noted thereon, and he/she shall permit consultation there on by any and all members upon his/her request. Furthermore, he/she shall receive and receipt all money paid to the Club. He/She shall keep an accurate account for all money received and expended. He/She shall pay no bills without proper authorization (by the Club or its officers, constituting a business committee). At the end of the year, he/she shall submit to the Club an itemized statement of disbursements and receipts. At the expiration of his/her designed term in office, he/she shall turn over all applicable documentation and equipment in his/her possession belonging to the Club to his/her successor.

Section 4.
The Activities Manager shall organize Club member activities, plan and recommend contests for operating benefit, and advance the general Club interest. He/She shall maintain close liaison with the American Radio Relay League. He/She shall be kept informed by questionnaires or other means of the equipment, normal operating habits, and the type of operation of the Club members to help in the planning of activities. He/She shall encourage new stations in reporting activities to the Club and to the SCM of ARRL. All of these things to make the reputation of the Club and Amateur Radio activities in the community as outstanding as possible. He/She may appoint traffic committees or assistants to aid him/her in specific branches of activity.

Section 5.
The Newsletter Editor shall publish and mail a newsletter each month.

Section 6.
The Trustee shall maintain the W9VCF Club call letters and coordination of the Club’s repeaters.

Section 7.
The Technical Committee shall consist of a Chairman and two (2) elected members. The Chairman has the option of appointing additional members/helpers to the Committee. The Technical Committee shall be responsible for maintaining all Club equipment, and Membership assistance according to Article Vl of the Constitution. The Technical Committee shall be responsible to offer for sale (with Membership approval) all unused or outdated equipment, and recommend to the Membership acquisition of new, state-of-the-art equipment, within reason.

ARTICLE V DUES

Section 1.
The Madison County Amateur Radio Club, by majority vote of those present at any regular meeting, may levy upon the general membership such dues or assessment as shall be deemed necessary for the business of the organization within its objectives as set forth in the Preamble thereof. Non-payment of such dues of assessments for three (3) months shall be cause for expulsion from the Club within the discretion of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VI MEMBERSHIP ASSISTANCE

Section 1.
This Club shall enact appropriate rules to minimize interference in operation between stations of its members. It shall formulate adequate plans for disposition of any cases of interference to other radio services where reported as caused by any amateur station operation in the area of Club jurisdiction The Club, through designated technical committees, interference committees, public relations committees, and operating committees will provide technical advice to members concerning equipment design and operation to assist in frequency observance, clean signals, uniform practice, and absence of spurious radiation from Club member stations. The Club shall also maintain a program to foster and guide public relations in those channels favorable to amateur work.

ARTICLE VII AMENDMENTS

Section 1.
This Constitution or the by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the Club members at a meeting, providing all members have been notified by mail of the intent to amend the Constitution and/or by-laws at a specified meeting. Proposals for amendments shall be submitted in writing at a regular meeting and may not be voted upon until the next regular meeting.

ARTICLE VIII RULES

Section 1.
Robert’s Rules (or Cusings Manual) shall govern proceedings.

Club History

The Madison County Amateur Radio Club Inc. was started in the late 1940’as the Anderson Radio Amateurs Club.The name was changed and the club incorporated in 1952.The club call was W9EJH.  Late in 1976, the club call was changed to W9VCF as a memorial to the late Jack Riley who was president in 1974 and a long time member of the club.Through the years the most active amateurs in Madison County have participated, giving rise to many activities including “Field Day”, “Code and Theory” classes, and the well known “Hidden Transmitter Hunts” of the early 1960’s.
The present Club continues the tradition of maintaining the communications club room and holding “Code and Theory” classes taught by competent instructors. Present club members also hold VE testing on a regular basis.Field Day is a yearly function that is always well attended (Usually in June) and a hamfest/flea market is held in August.The Club usually has a booth at the Ft. Wayne hamfest.Also, a Christmas party has become an annual event where the Most Active Amateur Award is presented.
All Amateurs and interested persons are invited to attend the regular monthly meetings held the first Monday of each month at 7 PM.  A “get-together” is held at the club room on the Thursday before the Monday meeting at 9 AM. It allows those who can’t make Monday night meetings to voice their concerns and comments, but is not a regular meeting.All are welcome.