SATURN, HERE WE COME!

by Merv MacMedan, N6NO

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory Amateur Radio Club Station, W6VIO, will be on the air in a "commemorative mode" to celebrate the encounter of the Voyager I spacecraft with the planet Saturn in November. As noteworthy pictures of Saturn are received, they will be reformatted for amateur slow-scan TV and transmitted during the operation. The multi-position station will be operated as frequently as the availability of operators permits. As a minimum, look for W6VIO from November 1, l980 through November 16, l980, between l930 and 2l3O GMT, and 0030 and 0430 GMT daily on l1235, 21340 or 28689 kHz (+/- 5 kHz) SSB. Additional activity, including CW and VHF operations, is planned on the weekends. Listen for announcements of other SSB, CW and VHF operations and their frequencies every 1015 minutes on the above frequencies.

The Club is noted for its past commemorative operations, which included WB6JPL (Apollo 15), WS6MVM (Mariner Venus-Mercury), N6V (Viking - Mars) and W6VIO (Voyager Jupiter encounters). As always, extra-special color photo QSL cards are planned, the last few of which have become collector's items of historical interest because of the planetary pictures shown. QSL requests with complete log information should be sent with an SASE, please, to W6VIO, JPL Amateur Radio Club, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91103.

The above information has been circulated to various ham magazines to publicize our upcoming commemorative operation. We need volunteer operators and MUST have them for the advertised schedule above. After those times are filled, we want as many operators for other times as possible. I will have sign-up forms in next month's newsletter. You are all encouraged to take a shift, even if only one. An orientation and training class will be held for all operators prior to the start of the operating period. We'll be counting on you!

Volunteers Needed for Antenna Installation

To prepare for the upcoming W6VIO commemorative operation for Voyager Saturn encounter between Nov. 1 and Nov. 16, several new antennas must be installed. Specific help is needed to achieve each of the following tasks. By dividing the work up everybody can get in on the fun - so hurry - don't be left out!

1) Installation of a Butternut trap vertical on the water tank.
2) Installation of a Butternut trap vertical on the ground near the 40 meter beam telephone pole.
3) Fabrication of a mount on the side of the telephone pole to permit installation of a 20 foot tower top section which can be tilted over for installation and maintenance.
4) Design of a rotator remote control system for use at the telephone pole which is 1000 feet from the station. This is a real design challenge - who's going to be the hero?

Pick your task and give Jim Lumsden, WA6MYJ, a call at ext. 6726. There is a lot of work to do and not much time remaining. I hope that many members will pitch in and make this next commemorative a real club effort.

George Morris, W6ABW
JPLARC President

Bike Race Support Needed

Sunday, 21 September, l980 will mark the 4th running of the Annual JPL Bike Club Angeles Crest Century Bike Race. The JPL Amateur Radio Club will support the event with communications through the club's 220 MHz portable repeater. Volunteers are needed to assist in communications at the start and finish lines, in the pace car, and at strategic points along the route (JPL to Dawson Saddle and back). Stan Brokl, N2YQ, is organizing the effort and will welcome your support for all or part of the event. To volunteer, call Stan at x2765 or leave a message at x6291. - W6ABW

Minutes of the JPLARC Board Meeting

by Jim Lumsden, WA6MYJ

A meeting of the JPLARC Board was held on August 23, 1980. Present were W6ABW, K6GPK, N6AVW, WA6MYJ, K6GHJ, W6EJJ, N6MP, WB6TXG, N2YQ and WB6EMO. The treasurer's report was submitted and explained. Areas of increased income were discussed. The consensus was to let the funds accrue to permit some carryover into 1981.

WA6MYJ presented a status report on equipment procurement. The verticals and antenna relays have been received. The KLM triband beam has been ordered. The Kenwood TS-l20 is still in negotiation. Discussion was held regarding purchase of the new Kenwood TS-l30 instead.

The consensus was that the TS-l30 features were not beneficial to the intended use of the rig. Only the CW filter wide/narrow switch was considered a plus and it was not worth the added expense and delivery uncertainty.

The proposed club logo contest was discussed. Proposed rules and prizes will be put into a package by Stan Sander for Board consideration.

The meeting was adjourned at 2000Z.

Lockheed Hamfest Cancelled for 1981

It is with sadness that we note that the annual LERC ARC Convention will not be presented in 1981.

According to the Club's bulletin, the decision to cancel next year's affair was made at the July 18 Executive Board meeting after a preliminary survey of potential vendors yielded a poor response. This event has been held annually in Burbank for many years. Let's hope this year wasn't the last for this historic production.

Did You Know....

Nash Williams, W6HCD, is the trustee of the Caltech Amateur Radio Club? The Caltech club, which has a well-equipped Collins S-Line station, has been using the call sign W6UE for many years. Lately, activity in the club has declined and no one noticed that the license was about to expire. After a nip-and-tuck race to get the proper forms to renew W6UE, Nash finally made it! Since no new club calls are being issued, W6UE was in danger of being lost forever. Nash, is this what you would term a "close call"? -N6NO

To All LA County RACES Members:

You can check in the 1st Monday of each month between 11:45 and 12:45 through the club station. You can get credit for both your individual participation and for the club station, WC6ABD 12 X-ray.

George Morris will have the trailer open during this period for anyone to operate from JPL for check-in purposes.

Check-in is on the 2M County Common (145.30) frequency using the simplex mode.

THE W5YI REPORT - A twice a month insider newsletter for the ham radio and personal computer hobbyist that exists totally on donations and SASE (Self-addressed-stamped-envelopes). For your free sample copy, send SASE to: THE W5YI REPORT; PO Box 10101; Dallas, TX 75207.

HAM SHACK OF THE MONTH - Jay Holladay, W6EJJ, at the control panel of the tracking receivers for the Infrared Astronomy Satellite control center at the Rutherford and Appleton Laboratories, Chilton, England. (N6MP photo)

"You say you put the Field Day logs where.... ?"

WANTED

220 MHz Handy-Talky with crystals for club repeater. Contact Jack Goldberg, WA6ULW, at 249-8459 or ext. 6004.


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