Radio Association of Erie QUARAE

JANUARY 2008
VOLUME 8 Issue 1

RAE HOLIDAY PARTY SET FOR FRIDAY JANUARY 11th

Enjoy great food and friendship at the annual Radio Association of Erie Holiday Party which will be held on Friday January 11th at the Zem Zem Shrine at W. 38th and Zuck Roads. Social Hour will start at 6 pm with dinner at 6:30 pm. The cost for the buffet dinner is $15.00 per person.


The menu will consist of: Sausage with peppers and onions, Rigatoni with meat, Breaded Chicken, Garden Salad, Relish Tray, Green Beans, Scalloped Potato, Rolls and Butter, Cake and Coffee and Tea.

For reservations contact Neil Shea N3ZNP at (814) 474-2346 or via e-mail at twosheas@velocity.net

The deadline for Reservations is Sunday January 6th.
Just a reminder, no shows will be responsible for the cost of their dinner!

Just a Reminder….

There is no Radio Association of Erie Meeting this month at the Red Cross due to the holiday party!

Upcoming Classes

Beginning Thursday, Jan. 3, 6 to 8 PM at the Erie Red Cross Chapter House. Mondays and Thursdays thru January and February, depending upon weather and other commitments. If you wish to join us and need a book, let me know and I'll save you the shipping cost.

RTT RCO/RCS
We are currently lining up Instructors for a January class. Stay tuned for updates as they are available!

Again, Happy Holidays to everyone!

Dan Miller, K3UFG
dmiller@erieredcross.org
(814) 434-0798 (Nextel)
(814) 464-3664 (C)
(814) 823-8250 (Pager)
EchoLink #44648

Attention No-Code Technicians!

It has been about a year since CW has been eliminated.

There are 3 local nets on 10 meter phone that you can get on each week.

Wednesday - Erie Novice Tech Net
8:30 pm on 28.400 USB

Sunday- Ashtabula County ARC
8:00 pm on 28.350 USB

Tuesday-Radio Amateur of Corry

8:00 pm on 28.330 USB

It’s Membership Renewal Time!

It’s that time of year to renew your membership with the Radio Association of Erie. The Membership dues for 2008 are still the same as is 2007.

Full Membership is only $15.00 with Full Voting Privileges

Associate Membership is $11.50 with all Privileges except Voting

2nd Family Member is 50% off--Immediate Family, No QuaRAE(Same privileges as Full Family Member)

New Ham membership is First Year No Charge-- All Privileges Except Voting
Life Membership is $225.00 - Full Privileges

Full Time Student membership is $8.00 with all Privileges Except Voting

In 2007, The Radio Association of Erie has
• Assisted in providing emergency communications at various community events such as Walk America and the Hamot Sports Medicine Triathlon in Edinboro
• Held various activities at our clubhouse on Wagner Road in McKean such as Monthly Club Meetings, Field Day, PA QSO Party, and other activities;
• Completed the move of the 146.61 repeater to the St. Vincent's Hospital location and completed major upgrades to the 146.82 repeater;
•And the list goes on and on! If you have been a member and have read the QUARAE or visited our website at www.raerie.org, you will have knowledge of our numerous activities.

If you can attend the RAE Holiday Party, please if possible bring in your dues payment for 2008. If you are unable to attend, please mail in your membership dues along with the form located at: http://www.w3gv.org/memform.pdf
to:
Radio Association of Erie
PO Box 844
Erie, PA 16512.

Just a reminder about RAE repeaters-

Just a reminder about RAE repeaters-

If you are experiencing problems using the 146.61 or 146.82 repeaters, or need a control operator to take care of a repeater controller issues such as controlling malicious interference or reset issues, please feel free to contact one of these one of these RAE Control ops:

Steve Lajohn N3SRD -- e-mail: slajohn@neo.rr.com
Lee Williams N3APP -- e-mail: n3app@neo.rr.com
Jeremy Lobaugh KB3BAM -- e-mail: kb3bam@arrl.net
Matt Fuller KB3CAT -- e-mail mfuller@verizon.net
Ron Seyboldt WB3DOM -- e-mail: wb3dom@aol.com
Bob Fuller N3LBI -- e-mail: n3lbi@roadrunner.com
John Lis N3NKV -- e-mail: n3nkv@roadrunner.com -- Phone 825-5565 -- AOL IM: MRJOHNLIS

Computers for the Clubhouse

The RAE is looking for 3 newer computers for the clubhouse that can run Windows XP and have USB. Our present systems are not capable of being upgraded to Windows XP. Windows XP is needed to operate some of the newer software and ham radio applications. At the present time, we are not in need of monitors. If you would like to donate your old used Windows XP machine, please contact John Lis N3NKV at 825-5565 or via e-mail jjlis@roadrunner.com. We would like to have them ready for contesting season

Skywarn News

Erie County Skywarn would like to welcome their to new coordinator Brian Zentis KA3JVX and Assistant coordinator Don Erbin KB3CAA!

Happy Holidays From the RAE

Happy Holidays from the Radio Association of Erie

********************************************** The new toy on every hams Christmas List

Club Meeting This Thursday!

Just a Reminder … RAE Meeting this Thursday!The Radio Association of Erie meeting will be held on Thursday December 6th at 7 PM at the American Red Cross located at 4961 Pittsburgh Avenue off of West Grandview Blvd. For Directions, Please Visit www.erieredcross.org

Program for the evening: Video – The Ham Band

If a meeting is cancelled due to the weather, please be sure to listen to 61 for the special tail message about the meeting cancellation and check the listserv.

Happy Party 2008

The Annual RAE Holiday Party will be held on Friday January 11th at the Zem Zem Shrine at W. 38th and Zuck Roads at 6:30 PM. The tentative cost for the the buffet dinner is $15.00 per person. The menu will be listed online soon! For reservations contact Neil Shea N3ZNP at (814) 474-2346 or via e-mail at twosheas@velocity.net

Meeting Minutes

Radio Association of Erie
General Membership Meeting Minutes
November 1, 2007

The meeting was called to order by KE3V at 7:00 pm.

Board Members represent included KE3V, N3NKV, and N3ZNP.
Not Present: KD3D, AD4UL, K3LD, KB3BAM, KB3CAT, KB3JSN

Bill Edgar, ARRL Atlantic Division Director, had a presentation for the group.

KE3V called the meeting back to order at 7:51 pm.

Secretary’s Report: N3NKV asked for a motion to accept the minutes as printed in the QUARAE. Motion made by N3LBI. Seconded by KB3JZL. Motion Carried

Treasurer’s Report: None

Board Meeting Report:
N3NKV gave the board of director’s meeting report. Topics discussed included: Holiday Party, Computer Problems that occurred during PA QSO Party at Clubhouse, Bylaws, Elections, repeater Letter to St Vincent’s, Repeaterisms, Repeater ID’s, 440 repeater, Insurance, Equipment Inventory, property and supplies committee.

Repeaters: 440 repeater: WB3IGK mentioned he has the 440 repeater at his house. It is up and ready useable with the exception of a controller. He said that he has the antenna. N3BXL fixed the part that was broken. WB3IGK mentioned that he would donate the electricity and the space on his tower for the antenna. He mentioned that the repeater is already wired for an RC-100 Controller which is manufactured by Micro Computer Concepts. The cost for a new controller would be roughly $150+/-. N3NKV mentioned that the club had one at one time on 82 but was not sure of the status of it.

WX3E reported that there are presently some problems on the 440 receive up at the Union City 70 linking hub.

Bylaws: N3NKV made a motion that the following revision be made to the Section G Part 15 of the bylaws under Repeater Committee:
Repeater Committee: The Repeater Committee shall operate, maintain and improve the repeaters owned by the RAE. The Chairman of the Committee must be an Active Member. The Chairman or an appointed assistant will handle all frequency coordination issues, may appoint assistants with board approval, may appoint control operators with board approval, may make expenditures up to a $300.00 per year with the approval of 3 board members provided
such expenditures are for the repair of the repeaters. The station trustee shall serve on this committee.

Clubhouse: N3ZNP reported that KB3JZL got some steel donated from the Presque Isle Yacht Club for our stair project. Gene will weld it up himself. The only costs involved to the club maybe a little bit of lumber, cement, and hardware to attach the stairs to the building. Gene has all of the welding equipment. The clubhouse has been winterized. There is still a decent amount of oil left as per N3ZNP.

ARES/RACES: Nothing

Skywarn: KB3NAT reported that there will be a tower climb up at the Summit Township Building to take down the Skywarn Backbone Repeater Link.

Old Business:
Holiday Party: N3ZNP reported that the party will be held on Friday January 11th at 6:30 pm. The Shrine Club will not need a count until that day. Cut off day for reservations will be January 11 which is the Sunday prior to the party. The event will be prepay. The menu for the buffet will be announced via the listserve and QUARAE. We will need a minimum of 20 people to get the room for free.

A motion was made by KB3NAT to award N3APP a certificate and pay for dinner for him and him a guest at the holiday party for all the work he has done on the repeaters. Seconded by K3GJK. Motion Carried.

New Business:

Elections of Vice-President: The Election for the Vice-President of the Radio Association of Erie for 2007 took place. The winner of the election was N3ZNP.

50/50: Winner- N3LBI- $9.50

Motion to Adjourn at 9:00 pm made by N3DBC Seconded by N3LBI

Respectfully Submitted by,

John J. Lis
Radio Association of Erie
Secretary

From the Membership Chairman

Dear Amateur Radio Operator,

It’s time again for the Radio Association of Erie to ask you to support the premier amateur radio club of Northwestern Pennsylvania. For 2008, we have decided to continue to keep our dues at a special low price for you. For 2008, full membership is only $15.00. During 2007, the Radio Association of Erie has been very active in furthering and promoting Amateur Radio.

The Radio Association of Erie has:
• Assisted in providing emergency communications at various community events such as Walk America and the Hamot Sports Medicine Triathlon in Edinboro
• Held various activities at our clubhouse on Wagner Road in McKean such as Monthly Club Meetings, Field Day, PA QSO Party, and other activities;
• Completed the move of the 146.61 repeater to the St. Vincent's Hospital location and completed major upgrades to the 146.82 repeater;
•And the list goes on and on! If you have been a member and have read the QUARAE or visited our website at www.raerie.org, you will have knowledge of our numerous activities.

If not we ask you to join and share in our enjoyment and participation in Ham Radio. If already a member, please rejoin!By helping the RAE, you will also help non-hams know about the hobby and assist in preserving the amateur frequencies for all to use and enjoy. The important public service factor also needs to be reinforced. Please don’t delay, please complete the attached RAE Membership Form and mail it to me with your check with whatever level of membership you wish. If you have any questions, please call me at 449-2309 or e-mail me at kd3dfrank@hotmail.com or contact any club officer. We need you now!

73 from the members and officers,
Frank Graziano, KD3D
RAE Membership Chairman

Click Here for Membership Form!

Radio Association Officers for 2008

President: Kevin McKenna KE3V
Vice President: Neil Shea N3ZNP
Secretary: John Lis N3NKV
Treasurer: Frank Graziano KD3D
Board of Directors:
Matt Fuller KB3CAT
Frank Henry KB3NAT
Jeremy Lobaugh KB3BAM
Dianne Miller K3LD
Doug Sweet AD4UL

Erie County Snowfall Website

Wondering what the weekly Snowfall was around the County?
Visit the Erie County Snowfall Website located at:
http://eriecountypasnowfall.raerie.org

Classes

TECHNICIAN CLASSES
We were down to 1 student at the last class. If you know anyone who is genuinely interested in this class, please have them contact me directly. Help spread the word.

EXTRA CLASS
Begins Thursday, Jan. 3, 6 to 8 PM at the Erie Red Cross Chapter House. Mondays and Thursdays thru January and February, depending upon weather and other commitments. If you wish to join us and need a book, let me know and I'll save you the shipping cost.

RTT RCO/RCS
We are currently lining up Instructors for a January class. Stay tuned for updates as they are available!

Again, Happy Holidays to everyone!

Dan Miller, K3UFG
dmiller@erieredcross.org
(814) 796-4603 (H)
(814) 434-0798 (Nextel)
(814) 464-3664 (C)
(814) 823-8250 (Pager)
EchoLink #44648

MOTOROLA TO ACQUIRE CONTROLLING INTEREST IN PARENT COMP ANY OF YAESU

Motorola issued a press release earlier this week stating that its subsidiary, Motorola USA, will “launch a tender offer to acquire a controlling interest in Vertex Standard Co., Ltd.” Vertex Standard is the parent company of Yaesu. Upon successful completion of the tender offer and subsequent restructuring process, Motorola will own 80 percent of Vertex Standard; Tokogiken, a privately held Japanese company, controlled by current President and CEO of Vertex Standard Jun Hasegawa will retain 20 percent, forming a joint venture. The total purchase price for 80 percent of the outstanding shares on a fully diluted basis will be approximately 12.3 billion yen (approximately US $108 million). The bid will start November 6 and end on December 26. If the bid succeeds, shares of Vertex would be delisted from the Jasdaq Securities Exchange in Japan. According to Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV, Yaesu’s Executive Vice President for Amateur Radio Sales in North America, “I thought that the happiest and proudest day of my 45-plus years in Amateur Radio was when I was offered the opportunity to lead the Yaesu North American sales effort; however, being able to now announce this news to my fellow Amateur Radio operators takes over as the top life thrill for me! I am certain the good fortune that put me in this leadership chair at Yaesu now promises opportunities for me to do more for the technological future of Amateur Radio than I ever dreamed possible. I do not pretend to know the full extent of the positive impact this Motorola/Vertex Standard business arrangement will have on Amateur Radio—I just know it is going to be terrific for all of us who love Amateur Radio for its public service and entertainment value, as well as its potential for us to make lifelong friendships in our neighborhoods and around the world.”

Saying that hams should not expect to see a line of Motorola Amateur Radio products, Motschenbacher said he sees the joint venture between Motorola and Vertex Standard “as a very good thing for Amateur Radio in general and Yaesu customers in particular. I hope our loyal customers will readily see this business venture for what it is, an opportunity to make a solid 50-plus year old Yaesu company even stronger and more formidable than is already the case. There is absolutely no reason to have the slightest concern about equipment warranties and the continuation of support for our products. I am really excited to see what the joint engineering capabilities of these two huge communications companies will bring in the way of new technology advancement for the Amateur Radio service.”

Motorola said that the joint venture “will develop and sell Vertex Standard branded products and develop select Motorola branded products. The Motorola brand will continue to focus on higher featured, higher tier products and continue to utilize existing Motorola distribution channels. Vertex Standard’s strength in the Amateur, Marine and Airband (Avionics) segments will also provide Motorola with access to new business opportunities. In addition, Vertex Standard’s solutions are highly complementary with Motorola’s products and will add greater depth and breadth to Motorola’s Government and Public Safety business.”

According to Hasegawa, “The joint venture will give Vertex Standard access to Motorola’s global distribution channels, presenting considerable opportunities for Vertex Standard to drive growth. We also expect to reduce costs, as we will benefit from Motorola’s global scale and resources. With Motorola, Vertex Standard will be stronger and better positioned to deliver new and innovative 2-way radio solutions for professionals and consumers around the world.” Motschenbacher said, “There is a unique aspect of business that comes with Amateur Radio. It’s not just about a radio. It’s the relationship between the ham, the radio itself and the company that makes that radio. This relationship in Amateur Radio is far different than it is, say, between a buyer of a HDTV, the TV and the TV manufacturer. The relationship in Amateur Radio is far more personal and ‘bonding,’ per se. I am certain that we will do our utmost to ensure that Motorola understands this delicate bond. Since Motorola is leaving the day-to-day management of Yaesu in the hands of my boss, Jun Hasegawa, President of Vertex Standard, we can expect our longtime relationship with hams to remain intact.” Calling the joint venture “a good thing,” Motschenbacher said, “Before working in the business side of Amateur Radio, my old business partner and I purchased a number of small companies in our line of business. More often than not, we found that bringing these new acquisitions into our existing family of companies added more to the overall success of the total group than expected. Therefore, I believe that this joint venture is not just a 1 + 1=2 equation—I am positive that the outcome for our Amateur Radio customers is going to feel more like 1+1= 3 and that’s a good thing!”

-ARRL NEWSLINE