A Letter from the President - Take Our Survey!

Post date: Jan 17, 2013 4:11:12 AM

January 15, 2013 -

RACK is involved in many amateur radio activities. As it is with any organization it is created and sustained by the activities the membership enjoys together.

RACK is no different. The repeaters listed above are a good example of our broad interests in amateur radio. We have an outstanding RACK Hamfest each year due to those members who work for the good of the club. Don’t forget Field Day is coming again in 2013. We have already reserved the park. Watch the web site for information

RACK is expanding to support the community in new and maintaining already established programs.

The newest program we have undertaken is the RACK Unit1 Communications Van. We are converting a television remote broadcast van into a mobile communications asset for the community and for use by the membership for contesting as well. We have committed to support disaster response in SW VA, E TN, and N GA with amateur radio communications in the event of a loss of communications from a disaster.

One of the ongoing programs we are maintaining is the BSA Jack Goforth “Ham Shack” Trailer. The “Ham Shack” made its annual pilgrimage to BSA Smoky Mountain Council Camp Buck Toms as it has done for the past eleven years, thanks to the dedication of RACK members. Their focus for six weeks each summer is to teach boy scouts about amateur radio and assist them in building a radio receiver and watch their astonished faces when they hear voices coming out of the air around them. The BSA Smoky Mountain Council has acknowledged the need for communications during disasters and has also made the trailer available to be used for disaster communications.

RACK recently supported the Boy Scout council at their Rendezvous. At the Rendezvous we met a Boy Scout leader who leads a Knoxville inner city troop of scouts. In discussions with the leader we discovered their need for the simple things like Boy Scout uniform shirts, trousers, socks, belt, scarf, hats, etc. We would like to support them by providing the needed scout uniform items their families cannot afford. By the way the Boy Scout leader is a Ham! He is a seasoned DXer and we are recruiting him to join RACK. We would like to take the Jack Goforth “Ham Shack” to their meetings and help the interested scouts build a radio receiver just like those made at Camp Buck Toms. Eventually we may Elmer them into passing the FCC Exam and see them construct a “Ham Shack” in their scout room at the church where they meet.

As a member of RACK we want to know what you would like to do as a member. What ideas do you have to promote amateur radio in the area? What present activity will you support? When was the last time you were at a meeting? Put the meeting date on your calendar for each month and make it a priority to be at as many as you can. Check the web site for the meeting topics. You may not be interested in the topic but I have learned something from every program. What is a better thing to do than fellowship with fellow Hams. We have close to eighty members. Our present meeting room would be crammed if we all were there and we’d have to look for a larger room at the church. What a great problem to have. We can do that! Help us to achieve that goal!

Please complete the survey form below and return it to Jim Snyder AJ4NO RACK Secretary. We are sending most out by email and the remainder by USPS. Jims return address is on the envelope. Please send us your email if we don’t have it to save postage in the future.

We look forward to seeing you at the next meeting and working beside you at the activities you mark below. We are open to discussions of activities you may have written in too. Please bring the completed survey form to our next club meeting. If you are unable to attend the meeting, you may return it to us via email or US mail. We look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Joe Meighan,

Joe Meighan,- KB4REC

President,

Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville