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It’s time again for the N8PUG Food Drive because there is never a time for hunger. We need your help to collect food items. Your donation of non-perishable food items will be accepted at the December club holiday extravaganza – dinner.

There are families that need our help to keep food on their tables. The N8PUG Food Drive can help fill a small part of this need but only with your help. Check your emergency food stocks for items that are nearing their expiration dates. This way you can refresh your food stocks and donate still usable items. Rotation of food stocks is an important aspect of household emergency planning. Please only bring as much as you can spare.

The club food drive was originally organized by late club member James Orlowski, N8PUG (1960 – 2009). Known to every club member as Jim, he was a man of action in preventing hunger in our community. Jim, a man of little means, always donated more food than any other club member. We lost a dear friend in his passing but we honor his memory by helping feed those around us that are in need.

The N8PUG Food Drive benefits Project Starburst through the collection of non-perishable food items. Annually, BRAARC member collect and donate many food items during the club’s annual holiday celebration.

Happy Hamming!

The BRAARC repeater trustee KD8GGD submitted MARC Technical Data Sheet update information for the three club KB8QOI repeaters.  See the Mecosta County repeater directory by clicking here.  The Michigan Area Repeater Council coordinates frequency pair assignments for Michigan area repeaters and requires periodic updates to the repeater information by the trustees.

Simply put, coordination is a process used as part of Spectrum Management. Spectrum management is the real, behind-the-scenes job of all coordination organizations. Spectrum management is the act of attempting to achieve the most efficient and effective use of available frequencies allocated for a specific usage. The monetary value of Amateur Radio Service frequency allocations is in the billions of dollars. The importance of maximizing effective usage of our allowed spectrum is becoming more important every year. Powerful commercial interests seek to take more and more of our allocations all the time, and if we do not use our spectrum effectively and efficiently, we will lose it.  -R. Bruce Winchell – N8UT, MARC Coordinator, June, 2003

Happy Hamming!

The BRAARC Technical and Emergency Communication Committees teamed up to activate a new APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) digipeater station.  Dig out your APRS gear and starting sending those position reports to help define the operating range of this new station.

Happy Hamming

Click here to see K8FSU APRS activity

Click here to learn more about APRS

Kenwood TM-D700 setup instructions

The meeting location for 2019 will continue to be the Mecosta-Osceola Central Dispatch Conference Room in Paris, Michigan. http://mcd911.org/

All are welcome and encouraged to attend the meetings.

440 antenna installed August 2019

The repairs to the 440 repeater are complete as of August 2019.  The Technical Committee of K8OE, WA8AEN and KD8DIB kept their eye on the prize and were able to complete the antenna and coax replacement this summer.  The repeater is working much better now.  Join the nets and hear for yourself.  We are looking for all reports to establish the effective coverage of the new equipment.

Happy Hamming!
KD8DIB