CURRENT NET ANNOUNCEMENTS

By Don McLain/KB8RAD (Wednesday, September 5, 2012)

CMARC MEETING

The next monthly meeting of the “Central Michigan Amateur Radio Club” will be on Friday, September 14^th at 7:30pm in the Salvation Army building, located at 701 W. Jolly Road in Lansing. Our program is yet to be determined, but as always, we are certain to have a great time, so come on out and join us! For more information, you can check out our Club website at www.centralmiarc.com or just get a hold of our Club contact Don McLain/KB8RAD at (517) 694-0812 or KB8RAD@arrl.net.

VE EXAMS

The next testing session of the “Ingham County VE Group” will be on Saturday, September 8^th at the Ingham County Sheriff's Office in Mason. The exams will be given in the Sgt. Paul Cole Training Room and registration starts at 11:00am. Walk-ins are always welcome! If you need assistance you can check out the CMARC website at www.centralmiarc.com to find travel directions and what to bring, or you can just get a hold of VE Team Contact Person Don McLain/KB8RAD at (517) 694-0812 or KB8RAD@arrl.net

ARPSC MEETING

The next monthly meeting of the “Lansing Area/Ingham County Amateur Radio Public Service Corps” will be on Monday, September 17^th at 7pm. This time we'll be meeting at Lansing Fire Station #8, on the corner of Marshall Street and Grand River Avenue in Lansing. Remember, membership in the ARPSC is NOT required for attendance at any of our meetings, so please join us—and bring along a friend! For more information, check out our website at www.lansingarpsc.com/.

RAD’s COFFEE BREAK

Looking for something FUN to do on a Saturday night with your fellow Hams and their families? Well, “RAD's Coffee Break” is the place to be! It's a “family friendly”, Ham Radio-related get-together that’s fun for EVERYBODY. “RAD's” has met EVERY Saturday night without fail for FIVE YEARS (since June 30, 2007) and has seen as many as 55 in attendance!! Guests begin arriving around 7pm at Denny's Restaurant, 7330 W. Saginaw Highway on the West side of Lansing. It's just down the road from the Lansing Mall (out by Horrock's Farm Market), and you can easily get there by taking I-96 Exit 93B. An all-night commitment is NOT required—you can come and go as you please—and you DON'T have to belong to a particular Club to join in on the fun, either. As Don, KB8 “RAD” likes to say, “If you’re a HAM, related to a HAM, wanna be a HAM, or just like to eat HAM...EVERYONE'S welcome at RAD's Coffee Break!!”

LCDRA MEETING

The next quarterly meeting of the Lansing Civil Defense Repeater Association is on Thursday, October 18^th at 7:00pm and will be held at Lansing Fire Station #8 on the corner of Marshall Street and Grand River Avenue in Lansing. If you want to get the latest information about our local repeaters “straight from the horse’s mouth”, come on out and join us for this next meeting—you’ll be glad you did! For more information check out: www.lcdra.net

HAMFESTS

Saturday, September 8, 2012 - GRAHamfest

Location: Wyoming, MI
Sponsor: Grand Rapids Amateur Radio Association
Website:www.grahamfest.org

Sunday, September 9, 2012 - Findlay Hamfest
Location: Findlay, OH
Sponsor: Findlay Radio Club
Website: http://w8ft.org

Sunday, September 16, 2012 - Adrian Hamfest

Location: Adrian, MI
Sponsor: Adrian Amateur Radio Club
Website:www.w8tqe.com/hamfest.htm

Sunday, October 7, 2012 - USECA’s 27^th Annual Hamfest

Location: Madison Heights, MI
Sponsor: Utica Shelby Emergency Communication Association

Website: www.usecaarc.com

Saturday, October 13, 2012 - Muskegon Color Tour Hamfest

Location: Muskegon, MI
Sponsor: Muskegon County Emergency Communication Services (MCECS)

Website: www.mcecs.net/

Sunday, October 21, 2012 - Kalamazoo Hamfest

Location: Kalamazoo, MI
Sponsor: Kalamazoo Amateur Radio Club & Southwest Michigan Amateur Radio Team
Website:www.KalamazooHamfest.Com

Saturday, November 17 & Sunday, November 18, 2012 - Fort Wayne Hamfest & Computer Expo/Indiana ARRL State Convention
Location: Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Sponsor: Allen County Amateur Radio Technical Society
Website: www.fortwaynehamfest.com

Sunday, December 2, 2012 - LCARC Amateur Radio Swap/Hamfest

Location: Harrison Township, MI
Sponsor: L'Anse Creuse Amateur Radio Club
Website:www.n8lc.org

THE BREAKFAST CLUB NET

“The Breakfast Club Net” meets EVERY weekday morning from 7am to around 12:00 Noon on the 145.39 repeater (PL 100 Hz), with Net Coordinator Don McLain/KB8RAD. This Net has been around now for well over TWO AND A HALF YEARS (since September 24, 2009) and usually averages around 90+ check-ins per morning, but the NEW all-time record is 113 people in one morning’s Net (and that’s NOT counting rechecks)!! So, if YOU are getting bored with just listening to Broadcast Radio during the morning commute, come and see what all the commotion’s about—join Don and the rest of the gang every weekday morning on “The Breakfast Club Net”! They’ll not only wake you up—they’ll put a smile on your face, too! And thanks to Daniel Burk/NE8K, EchoLink is now available each morning, so it’s never been easier to check in and join the fun! Whether you’re somewhere throughout the United States (or world), or right here in the mid-Michigan area, you can now check in from your computer or cellphone at your convenience, so stop by in the morning and say, “Hello!” While you’re at it, why not join “The Breakfast Club Net” Facebook Group!! We are already 187 members strong and would love to count YOU among us!!

WEEKLY NETS

(1.) The “Central Michigan Slow Scan TV Net” meets every Sunday evening from 7:00- 8:30pm (Winter hours) on the 145.39 repeater (PL 100 Hz), with Net Coordinator Carl Canfield/K8YHH. EVERYONE is welcome to join in and have fun learning and using this interesting and useful mode of communication. Other digital modes will be explored from time to time. For more information, call Carl at: (517) 755-6627. Also, you can click on www.ab8zl.com during the Net to see the photos being sent.

(2.) The “Lansing Area/Ingham County Amateur Radio Public Service Corps Training Net” meets every Monday night at 7pm on the 145.39 repeater (PL 100 Hz), except for the 3^rd Monday, which is meeting night. Volunteer Net Control Operators are needed each week, as well as someone to provide Training, so if you are an ARPSC member and wish to sign up, contact Net Coordinator Don McLain/KB8RAD at (517) 694-0812.

(3.) The “Ladies Tea Time Net” meets every Tuesday night at 7pm on the 145.39 repeater (PL 100 Hz), with Net Coordinator Julie McLain/KB8ZXR. Everyone is welcome to check in—even all you guys!! This Net’s been around now since July 3, 2007 so let’s keep in going and growing!!

(4.) The “Quarter Century Wireless Association Net” also meets every Tuesday night but at 8pm and on the 146.70 repeater (PL 107.2 Hz), with Net Coordinator Don Tillitson/WB8NUS. Be sure to stop by after Julie’s Net and say “Hello!”

(5.) The “Mid-Michigan Information Net” meets every Wednesday night at 7:00pm on the 145.39 repeater (PL 100 Hz), with Net Coordinator Don McLain/KB8RAD. This Net has been around now since November 11, 2009 and is still growing!! Be sure to join Don for a time of FUN, FELLOWSHIP, and helpful INFORMATION!!

(6.) And finally, the “Michigan Radio Amateur Youth Net” (or MRAY) meets every Thursday night at 7pm on the 145.39 repeater (PL 100 Hz), with Net Coordinator Matt Miller/KD8OOS. Although the Net specifically targets the Youth (who are the future of Ham Radio), ADULTS are welcome to check in, too!! Also, Third-Party check-ins are encouraged to join the Net as a way of introducing young people to the Hobby. In addition, EchoLink is available by searching under “KD8MJJ-R” or “MRAY”, but the Net can now also be found on the *DODROPIN* Conference Server! So, EVERYONE be sure to check into the MRAY Net and show your support for our young people!!