The Columbia Amateur Radio Club

We’re once again looking for folks to work one of the biggest cycling events of the year. The Tour de Cure has moved its start/finish and we have new routes to check and then cover on the day of the event. W4RWL, Ronnie will be coordinating route surveys as the finalized maps/cue sheets become available.

Here are the specifics we know at this time:

1. Pre-program 146.715 pl 91.5 (this is not certain but will know in a week or so)
2. Start/Finish at Robert Mills House downtown Columbia
3. Pre-event meeting at 6:30am, corner of Pickens/Blanding at the SCHEART trailer
4. 8 rest stops
5. 4 routes
6. LOTS of Sweeps and SAGs

This is an all day event. You will need to be prepared with your own drinks, snacks, chairs, bug spray, etc. Because we’re out all day, there just typically isn’t much left from lunch by the time everyone gets back in. Folks working rest stops may be asked to bring a field rig and antenna based on assigned position.

We can guarantee a few things:

• You WILL have fun! We always have a great group of hams working the event.
• You WILL learn something new! We always learn something when you’re working an event.
• You WILL be tired when you get home!!!

Please let our event coordinator Tammy, N4TAL, know if you are available to work this event. (E-mail, n4tal@w4cae.com)

The Columbia Amateur Radio Club will participate in the 2014 Mini Maker Faire at Edventure on Saturday, June 14, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.Volunteers should contact our event coordinator Tammy, N4TAL, if they wish to participate (e-mail: n4tal@w4cae.com).

Last year CARC supported the very first Mini Maker Faire and took the opportunity to demonstrate amateur technology such as kit radios and home-brewed antennas. Participants also had the opportunity to learn Morse code, design their own QSL cards, and craft Morse code bracelets.

Volunteers should be prepared to work with kids (and adults) of all ages! More details will be available later. In the meantime, check out this video prepared by Edventure to get a taste of the variety of activities covered at the event.

• View a video and our photo gallery from last year.

We call it our Spring Net Participation Challenge because the more you participate on the Columbia Amateur Radio Club’s (CARC) 2-meter Nets, the more chances you have of winning one of three Vertex Standard 5-watt 2-meter portable radios with AC chargers.

The radios will be awarded from three separate drawing pools. The contest is designed to promote education and interaction between newly licensed hams and seasoned veterans. The contest runs from the first day of spring (3/20/14) through the first day of May (5/01/14). Drawings for the prizes will be conducted at the regular monthly meeting of the CARC on May 5, 2014. Get your name in the hat once with each point that you earn in one or all of the three separate drawings by participating as follows:

Sunday/Wednesday 2m (147.330) Net drawing:

• Earn one point by checking in
• Earn one point by staying and giving comments, plus your comments will receive one bonus point if you have been a licensed ham for less than one year.

Thursday New Ham 2m (147.330) Net drawing:

• Earn one point by checking in
• Earn one point by staying and giving comments, plus your comments will receive one bonus point if you have been a licensed ham for more than one year.

Back-to-Back (Wednesday/Thursday) bonus drawing:

• If you check into and stay for comments on the Wednesday and Thursday nets in the same week you will automatically earn 3 points in this bonus drawing, regardless of how long you may have had your license.

Additional rules:

• All licensed hams are invited to participate, you do not have to be a CARC member to be eligible to win.
• To increase everyone’s chances for winning a prize, winning names picked in one drawing will automatically become ineligible for the other two drawings, assuring three separate winners.
• CARC assumes no liability or warranty for the prizes awarded.
• Winners do not have to be present at the drawing to win a prize.