2026-01-27 Net Minutes

Check-ins (36)

Echolink challenges tonight (operational by end of net)
- Internet doesn’t seem to be connecting to our local node
- 9999 echo test node works
Broadcastify does seem to be working, though

David Bailey (K5DKB)

Thanks to everyone who made it out to Winter Field Day
Winter decided to show up and kept our numbers lower than they would have normally
I had a great time and enjoyed seeing everyone there!
Thanks especially to those who volunteered to make it happen!

Tom Johnson (KI5ZPG)

Matthew Barry (KG5LYE)

Minutes will be sent out after the net.
I feel really bad I wasn’t able to make it out to Winter Field Day
- Combo of server migration from last week and the ice kept me away
- Sounds like y’all had a great time, though!

Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ)

Bank balance: $13,092.44
62 members so far for 2026
Next license exam 2026-02-21
- Already received email from someone interested
- Will need volunteer examiners for that
This Thursday, 2026-01-29, is the 5th Thursday, which means it’s Kolache Thursday sponsored by our club!
- Join us for Veteran’s Coffee at American Legion Post 159
- Look forward to seeing you there!

Question #260 for conversation: (KE5DFR) Do you use a stealth antennas?

(If interested in submitting a weekly question, email n5zkf@arrl.net)

CEOC visit on Friday, 2026-01-30 09:00
Meet on sidewalk
If you’re late, call on W5BCS repeater and we’ll let you in
Lots of good radio equipment and operating/learning opportunities if you want some practice

Announcements from W5AC
- Josh McMillin (KJ5DAO) and I were able to stop by Winter Field Day on Saturday
  - Weren’t able to stay the whole time, but it was great to see everyone
  - I look forward to Summer when the weather is hopefully more cooperative
- W5AC launching 2 more semester-long projects (info on Discord server if you wish to contribute ideas, etc.)
  1. Building a set of 80 m and 160 m antennas for go-kit
  2. High-performance audio module: speaker, headphone amplifier, filters
Stealth Antenna:
- Fan dipole
  - difficult to tune, but “works equally bad everywhere”
- Talking on what could be technically be a 2 m stealth antenna
  - -30 dB isolation (with TV?)

Brenham Winter Field Day was cancelled because the city turned off the water on Friday
A few of us went solo
I put in 15 hours
- ended up with 350 contacts
- worked 44 of 50 states
- got 52 of 61 ARRL sections
- total of 23K points
Bands were in good shape
- 10 m, 15 m, 20 m, 40 m

Shout-out to Kevin Walton (N4RMF) in North Carolina
- I talked with him on 20 m (and 10 m) during Winter Field Day
- He’s doing well and wishes us the best
- Really misses being here with everyone, and especially being at Winter Field Day
Complements to everyone who assisted with antenna setup
- Safe and efficient!
- Had to leave things up over Sunday
- Yesterday afternoon, a crew showed up at the legion and took everything down
RACES has been activated
- At RELLIS manning equipment during the day
- Tracking a lot of things in this area and region 8
- Today was “Generator Day” - dispatching very large truck-mounted 35-40 KW generators
- Thanks to RACES members who have assisted!
  - Several got to tour the facility and see it in action
  - I’ll be out there again around 09:00

End-fed wire along wood fence
- Able to get to CO and FL
Tried “HOA Buster” - using gutters for antenna
- Couldn’t hear anything on it due to interference
Have a wire up from my roof to back fence now
- not really stealth, but HOA allows it

I still have 10 element 2 m beam antenna for sale
- $20 or best offer to get it out of my apartment
Was hoping to give away a few metal detectors at Winter Field Day
- let me know if interested
Good on QRZ