Otschodela Council Amateur Radio Group (OCARG) is dedicated to the enhancement of the Scouting program through amateur radio and to the advancement of amateur radio in Boy Scouting.  Membership is open to any and all Scouters, amateur radio operators, and Scouting and ham clubs with an interest in the Boy Scouts of America, particularly within, but not exclusive of Otschodela Council, BSA, Oneonta, NY. There are no membership dues, no officers, no constitution, no newsletter charges, and no organized meetings. All communications are via email or ham radio. All that's required to join is an interest in Ham-Scouting and an email to the above Sender. OCARG is an FCC-licensed Amateur Radio Club Station with the callsign KZ2BSA.

Copies of the OCARG EAGLE are sent to many interested persons in addition to OCARG members. If you feel that you have received this bulletin in error and no longer wish to receive it, please send a message so stating to the above Sender <k2frd@arrl.net>.

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The online edition of the OCARG EAGLE may be found at:
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The OCARG EAGLE is mailed only via Blind CC to cut down on your header's size and to avoid providing a ready-made list to spammers.

© 2003 by Otschodela Council Amateur Radio Group KZ2BSA
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INDEX For Volume 3 Number 7:

Troop 99 Sidney Tours Rogers Conservation Center
JOTA Special Event Deadline 1 August
Troop 99 Starts Another Tech class
Oneonta Repeater Club Fills Repeater Fund
Yahoo Groups For emergency Communicators
A Quote For All Time
Upcoming VE Sessions

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TROOP 99 SIDNEY TOURS ROGERS CONSERVATION

Connor Hornbeck KC2JJY acts as host operator while technician candidate Tom Haney reads a message for the Troop Remote Base I at the Sidney Fire Hall from Remote Base II
on 1600 ft. hill west of Roger's Environmental, Sherburne.
 

Rogers Environmental Education center at Sherburne hosted Scout Troop 99, Sidney on Jan 18, '03. Educator Mr. Fred Von Mechow gave instruction to 9 Scouts on identification of animal fur, animal tracks and trees. This was of great benefit to Scouts who not only needed the skills for Scout Second and First Class ranks but also to be ready  for competitive events pertaining to these subjects at the upcoming Klondike Derby at Walton Jan 25 and 26. Our sincere thanks to Mr. Von Mechow and his staff at Rogers.

The center also loaned snowshoes to Connor Hornbeck, Troop Field Communications, [amateur radio KC2JJY] for he, assistant Tom Haney and crew to Hike to high ground and set up contact with the rest of the Troop at the Sidney Fire Hall Scout Exposition going on at the same time. A packed trail did not require snowshoes but they were "Prepared" for deep snow. Radio contact was established with Leader KB2EZR and Scout Derrick McHenry KC2JIX, Base Communications, and 4 messages were exchanged; 2 field reports and 2 personal messages.

The troop would like to thank other amateurs K2KN [John Gallagher], K2FRD [Fred Stevens] and K2EZK [Al Mongardi] for checking in and talking with us and with many young Cub Scouts and visitors at the Exposition.

Thanks to the W2RME repeater folks, trustees and caregivers for sharing their machine for the event.

Thanks go also to Joe's Pizza in Sherburne for Vinny's generosity during our Pizza lunch there.

Scouts attending the event were: Tom Haney, Eric Hitt, Connor Hornbeck, guest Jesse Hornbeck, Dillon Ives, Alex King, Alex Latta, Matt Nickell and Corey "Chief" Steffen.

de Jim LeBaron WA2IAX

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JOTA 2003 SPECIAL EVENT DEADLINE 1 AUGUST

Clubs or other organizations planning to conduct a Special Event as part of the 2003 Jamboree On The Air operations should submit announcements to QST not later than 1 August 2003 in order to have the S/E listed in the October QST per instructions in QST. Announcements may be submitted via three methods:  postal mail (forms obtained by <mailto:info@arrl.org>), online at http://www.arrl.org/contests/spevform.html, or to <mailto:events@arrl.org> .

The 46th Annual JOTA logo is not yet available, soooooooo...

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TROOP 99 STARTS ANOTHER TECH CLASS

Candidates, left to right,  front are Skylar Reithofer and Andrew Fritzsch, back are Tom Haney and Jordin Fitzgerald. Other members of the group include Scout Greg Peck of Troop 34, Maureen Reithofer, Pete Fitzgerald and Troop 59 leader Jon Seeley. Scouts have completed about half the training using Gordon West's book "Technician Class".
 

Troop 99, Sidney, NY under the tutelege of Jim LeBaron WA2IAX and Kevin Kiel KB2EZR is conducting another Technician license class at its sponsor's location, the Congregational Church in Sidney. "C-Corps", Jim's nickname for the class consists of five Scouts and, for the first time, three adult leaders.

The Troop committee has been very generous in allowing the corps to be a sub-element of the organization, able to use the Troop name and number in articles such as this and in any future ventures. They have also aided financially by paying for the license manuals.

Another benefactor is Mr. "Tony" Deakin KT2X of Sidney who has donated an Atlas receiver so Scouts may listen to amateur radio in anticipation of receiving their licenses. Other equipment will surely be needed as the Scouts become licensed.

The manual mentions the need for a "Picture I.D. card" in order to register for an examination. For candidates without a driver's license this is a bit of a problem. The best approach found so far is to contact the VE team and request an alternate method. Should the Photo ID still be required, the Delaware County Sheriff's office's Ms. Evelyn Tripp would be the best contact. The card can be processed in one visit. It includes a fingerprint [I would be sure to consult parents first about this] and a photo. I understand that there may be a $5 charge and need for a birth certificate.  Sheriff Tom Mills has been a Scouter and is very "Pro-Scouting".

The Corps is counting down to an April testing date,  providing all are "VE ready".

Jim WA2IAX has conducted many such classes over the years and has been an Elmer for many Scouts. Last year, C-Corps produced Tech licenses for Connor Hornbeck KC2JJY and Derrick McHenry KC2JIX.

de Jim LeBaron WA2IAX and Fred K2FRD

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ONEONTA RADIO CLUB FILLS REPEATER FUND

The Oneonta Amateur Radio Club (OARC) ran a fund drive for its VHF repeater station to cover the growing expenses for tower rental and insurance. The OARC repeater on 146.850 is the Oneonta SKYWARN Hub network repeater and is the OCTEN message traffic net which has seen so much use by ham-Scouters over the years.

Details of the fund drive, conducted as a raffle for a choice of either a mobile VHF rig or an HT may be found at:  http://www.wpe.com/~oarc/Repeater_Fund.htm . The drawing for the winner will be held at the next OARC meeting on 17 March. Winner will be notified by telephone or email. Subscriptions came from individuals in seven area clubs from the five surrounding counties. The OARC has not yet decided whether this will be an annual event.

Information from John Hampel AB2IC

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YAHOO GROUPS FOR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATORS

Yahoo Groups http://groups.yahoo.com/ sponsors email groups for all occasions, but in the spirit of "Be Prepared" in Boy Scouting, emergency communications perhaps offers the greatest contribution to preparedness. There are a number of groups dedicated to emcom, but these groups are the most active and significant:

HamsEF:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HamsEF/ . This group started shortly after the 11 September attacks (hence the name Hams For Enduring Freedom) and has evolved into a think tank for emergency communicators. It recently discussed the recovery of the space shuttle Columbia remains and the amateur radio operators' role.

ARESv:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ARESv/ . The home site for the Amateur Radio Emergency Services. It has recently seen a revival in interest and membership.

RACES:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RACES/ . The home site for the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. This group is currently small and only spottily active, but of interest to emergency communicators at the agency level.

There are a great many state and local ARES and RACES groups. A search for ARES groups http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=ARES will produce a list as will a search for RACES http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=ARES (note:  the latter will also produce many groups for car and animals races). The most active groups for New York State:

NY ARES:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NY_ARES/ . For New York State.

NY RACES:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NY_RACES/ . For New York State.

NY SKYWARN:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NY_SKYWARN/ . For New York State.

There is no cost to join Yahoo Groups since it is an advertiser-supported service, but the ads are infrequent and not particularly intrusive.

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A QUOTE FOR ALL TIME

"Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood."

-Daniel Burnham, Chicago architect. (1864-1912)

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UPCOMING VE SESSIONS

31 march 2003, 7PM, Vestal, NY Public Library, (607)754-7940.

12 April 2003, 1:30PM, Endicott, NY Central Fire Station, (607)797-5777.

19 April 2003, 2PM, Margaretville, NY Telephone Co, (845)586-2324.

28 April 2003, 6PM, Oneonta, NY Tele-Center, (607)746-2777.

28 April 2003, 7PM, Middlebirgh, NY St. Catherine's Church, (518)827-4800.

28 april 2003, 7PM, Vestal, NY Public Library, (607)754-7940.

10 May 2003, 1:30PM, Endicott, NY Central Fire Station, (607)797-5777.

10 May 2003, 10AM, Troy, NY CII Building, RPI Campus, (518)439-7357.

19 May 2003, 7PM, Vestal, NY Public Library, (607)754-7940.

3 June 2003, 6PM, Cooperstown, NY Otsego Co. EOC, (607)746-2777.

14 June 2003, 1:30PM, Endicott, NY Central Fire Station, (607)797-5777.

23 June 2003, 7PM, Middlebirgh, NY St. Catherine's Church, (518)827-4800.

30 June 2003, 7PM, Vestal, NY Public Library, (607)754-7940.

These are the only VE Sessions listed by ARRL for this area. If someone knows of unlisted sessions, please send us an email <Mailto:K2FRD@stny.rr.com>.  More details are in:

 http://www2.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtml

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The OCARG EAGLE is published monthly on or about the 15th. If you feel you have received this newsletter in error, please send an email to <mailto:K2FRD@stny.rr.com>.
Subscriptions are free; there is no spam, no ads.  Each edition is addressed via Blind CC to reduce the size of recipients' headers and to prevent spammers from receiving a ready-made spam list. Copies of the OCARG membership lists are available by application to the subscription address. Subscribe to: <mailto:K2FRD@stny.rr.com>.
Permission is hereby granted to copy, re-publish, and/or quote any part of this newsletter if credit is given to OCARG™ KZ2BSA and W. Frederick Stevens K2FRD.

OCARG's mailing list is NEVER sold nor otherwise made available to spammers.

All email and URL links are hyperlinks and may be directly accessed by double-clicking onto the appropriate link in most emailer clients.

Further information regarding Otschodela Council Amateur Radio Group may be found at:  http://home.stny.rr.com/k2frd/ocarg.htm .

©2003 by OCARG™ KZ2BSA and W. Frederick Stevens K2FRD