We start off the month of September with a VE testing session on the evening of the 9th. A few weeks ago John (KO6COW) and his son visited me at work to get an older-model 2 meter radio tested and repaired. Among other things he mentioned his son might be ready to test for his Technician license soon, so I’m looking forward to seeing them there and helping them along the way.  Testing starts at around 7 PM, but the VEs and Elmers will be gathering for a dinner at 5 PM. If you’re planning on coming by to take an exam, why not come and join us for some great food?

Our next club meeting will be on September 13 at 7:30 PM at the Auburn Crossroads Church and on Zoom at zoom.w6ek.org. With the California QSO Party approaching fast, Jim (W6JCZ) will be giving a talk on how to optimize your HF reception. Going beyond the volume and tuning knob, there are many controls and functions on HF transceivers that increase signal intelligibility. Whether you’re looking to score higher in contests or increase your chances of copying a distant station, join us to learn about everything you can do to make your radio sound better!

The club campout at Stampede Reservoir officially starts a week later on the 19th and runs through the 22nd. I’m looking forward to the great pictures and stories that’ll be shared on the website and repeater, and I hope everyone has a fun and safe time throughout.

This month we’ll meet at Wings Grill & Espresso Bar (at the Auburn Airport) for our breakfast on the 28th at 7:30 AM, followed by a radio direction finding exercise. These events are always fun, and they’re essentially a radio hide-and-seek game in which participants arm themselves with receiving equipment to find the hidden transmitter placed in a given area. Our club fox hunts have attracted quite a few members recently, and I always love it when we all gather at the end to talk about what worked and what didn’t this time around.

And finally, here’s something we can all look forward to:

Cooler weather and more opportunities to be comfortable outside. Maybe I’ll catch you activating POTA or just operating portable one of these days.

73 DE W6JCZ

After two exciting months of back-to-back club events, the month of August is rather light with a few things of note.

After a break in July, we will resume VE testing on the evening of the 5th. Following a dinner VEs and Elmers will gather at 7 PM to administer exams for new hams and those looking to upgrade their license. It’s always a good time and I love seeing the candidates get their new amateur radio privileges at the end of the night. More than just an exam session, we answer candidates’ questions before and after the exam to give them a personalized experience.

That same week we will have our club meeting at 7:30 PM on Friday at the Auburn Crossroads Church South Campus Gym and on Zoom. Scott (KM6RFB) will give a talk on internet resources providing situational awareness. With rapidly changing weather and emergency events that can arise at a moment’s notice, come join us and learn about free public resources that you can rely on when disaster strikes.

Our monthly club breakfast will be held at Wings on the 31st. Stick around after the meal for a fox hunt and put your equipment (and skills) to the test in finding the hidden transmitter!

Oh, and one last thing: I’m sure we’re all looking forward to cooler weather ahead, since this summer’s been one of the hottest around with record-breaking heat waves. Keep cool and stay hydrated, and look after your friends and family.

73 DE W6JCZ