Chester County Amateur Radio Club Minutes

President Ron Means opened the meeting at 7:00 PM at Activities Center of the Henderson Church of Christ.  Old business:  renaming the Club, and re-coordinating the 147.105 under the W4FHU call letter.  Members unanimously voted to change the Club name to the Chester County Amateur Radio Club.  President Means has submitted the change of coordination papers to the Southeast Repeater Association (SERA), to amend the coordination parameters and call sign to W4FHU.   

Louise and Miss Martha provided tonight's refreshments for the meeting.  Ron and Kevin will do refreshments for the next (April 16) meeting.   

The Activities Center of the Henderson Church of Christ is a wonderful place for our Club meetings.  We are so very fortunate to be able to meet here.  Thanks to Barry, and others, and the Church, for allowing our use of the facility. 

Tonight's program, by Vice President Joe Loucka, was a demonstration on the use of Lecher Lines.  Lecher lines, an "old time" method of determining wavelength, frequency ,etc.  The Lecher lines that Joe built emulated 300 ohm transmission line.  Joe demonstrated both 2 meters and 70 cm. bands, to show the difference in the wavelengths of these two bands.  Joe constructed his Lecher lines about ten feet long, adequate for use on 2 meters and 70 cm.  However, Lecher lines could be constructed for about any ham band, but the lengths involved for the MF and HF bands would be LONG!  In the early days of radio, "wavelength" was used in the way we now use frequency.  A carry-over from this terminology is the "80 meter band", the "40 meter band", etc.  By use of Lecher lines, and a monogram like Joe furnished, frequency, etc., can be determined fairly accurately.  Many thanks to Joe for his informative presentation, and for the considerable time and effort to build his Lecher line.  It really helped us to visualize SWR, wavelength, etc.! 

The Chester County Barbecue Festival will be held the first weekend of October, 2009.  Ron has notified Cedar City Sales as to the prospect of another Hamfest here for this weekend.  The Club voted to do this Hamfest for Saturday, October 3, for one day only, at the Henderson Church of Christ Activities Center.  Of course, Friday afternoon, Oct. 2, can be used for set-up.  Again, we are fortunate to be able to use this fine facility for the Hamfest. 

Joe stated that if he is to present next month's (April, 2009), program, he will probably do a demonstration on oscilloscopes and grid-dip meters. 

Next VEC test session is set for April 10, 2009, at 3:00 PM, at the Pinson Church of Christ. 

Meeting adjourned at 8:15 PM. 

Mike Burkhead, K4TC
(acting Sec.)