Wayne Mikel, KE6DJE

As we go into 1999 I would like to thank all of you for voting for me as President of the SFARC for the final year of the millennium. I hope to do as good a job as did Gary KQ6RT in 1998, the club grew, and added more public service events to the clubs record.

We had a great time at the Annual Christmas Party, with Bill KM6KV and Shannon KD6CMX providing the music for the evening. The grand prize of the six-meter rig went to Shannon KD6CMX, I hope you get good use out of it.

If anybody has ideas or comments, please feel free to call me at 916-645-0565, repeater, or email me at KE6DJE@webtv.net.

I have a request from Roseville Police for three radio operators for the Baker CA. to Las Vegas NV. Race, April 10 & 11 1999. I will be getting more info in the near future, and passing it on at that time. Looking forward to serving you.

DX Report: By KN6MK, Mike Sexton

A3, TONGA. Lee, A35VR (ex-VP2VE, 3D2VA, K3RGD), is now active from the QTH of Paul, A35RK. He has been very busy on 10 meters CW (28025 kHz). He has also been heard on 12 and 30 meters. Lee will be there until February.

A5 - BHUTAN - An announcement was made at the International DX Convention at Visalia that will be of interest to the Deserving. An invitation has been extended to Zorro, JH1AJT by the Kingdom of Bhutan to conduct a return DXpedition to their country. Zorro, who was QRV from there in February 1995, will assemble a team of operators from 6 countries from around the globe. The expected date is early 1999 with propagation being the main factor in the dates. The Midway-Kure DX Foundation (MDXF) will update the DX community as details become available. Bhutan ranks 6th on the 1997ARRL Hot 100 List. Jim Smith, VK9NS also operated from here and is keeping the doors open for activity as well. This could be another opportunity for amateur radio in this difficult region of the DX world.

FT5X, KERGUELEN ISLAND. The "DX News Sheet" reports that Helios, FT5XN, will once again be active in January. QSL via F6PEN.

W - ANTARCTICA ACTIVITY... Sarah, KC4AAD, is active from Siple Dome, Antarctica a few nights a week with her QSL Manager Bob, K4MZU. They can be found on 14270 kHz after 0100z. Sarah's signal is pretty week since she is only running about 100 watts and a dipole. QSL to K4MZU.

YU - SPECIAL EVENT. The General Secretary of Yugoslav Amateur Radio Union, Mr. Srecko Moric, YU1DX, announces that six stations in Yugoslavia will be active to celebrate 800 years of the Hilandar monastery on Mount Athos. Look for the following stations with the special prefixes: 4N800H - Hilandar monastery (HQ station)

YU800G - Gracanica monastery

YT800FG - Monasteries on Fruska Gora

YZ800R - Ravanica monastery

YZ800MO - Ostrog monastery

YU800S - Studenica monastery

A YU-SV team is trying to get a license to work from Mount Athos. Stations are active now until March 31. Activity will be on all modes including RTTY, on all HF and VHF bands. Stations will also be active during contests. QSL YU0SRJ or buro.

S2 - Bob, G3REP will be active (with emphasis on 160m) as S21YP from Bangladesh between 21 Dec. and 31 Jan. QSL to R. E. Parkes, Project Manager Granger Systems, GIDP Project Office, House No. 8, Road 19, Sector 7, P.O. Box 11061, Uttara Model Town, Dhaka 1230, Bangladesh.

T2 - DK1BT, DK7YY, DL2OAP, DL3DXX and DL8OBQ will be active from Funafuti, Tuvalu (OC-015) between 2 and 14 January. The call will be issued upon arrival. They plan to operate on all bands CW and RTTY with some SSB, with two complete stations and an emphasis on the Low bands. QSL via DK7YY.

ZL9 - Campbell Island - Formal announcement of the upcoming DXpedition to Campbell Island was made by the Kermadec DX Association. A full-scale operation is slated for January 1999 by an international team of operators. The team includes, ZL2HU, ZL2AL, ZL2BSJ, ZL2DX, VE3XA, K3VN, EI6FR, N5KO, JH4RHF, GI0NWG and ZL2URN. This team represents a solid core of experienced DXpeditioners and contest operators.

ZL2URN is a New Zealand Dept. of Conservation member assigned to ensure the environmental integrity of the island. The extremely limited accessibility to the island due to its environmental importance, required the highest governmental permission to allow this DXpedition to occur. Team Leader, ZL2HU has secured that permission. The team will depart New Zealand January 5 arriving on Campbell Island January 9 where operations will continue until January 25 under the callsign ZL9CI. Activity will be on CW, SSB and RTTY. Campbell Island ranks #15 on the Hot 100 List.

ZY0, ST. PETER AND ST. PAUL ROCKS. The "NATAL

DX GROUP" has announced that they will be active from

here, January, 1999. There will be four operators: Randy/WX5L, Karl/PS7KM, Tino/PT7AA and another operator yet to be announced. They plan to leave Natal, Brazil, the second week of January, with the operation to commence 4 days later. The operation will last for 12 days, or 2 full weekends. All bands and modes will be utilized, with emphasis on RTTY, 6 meters and low bands (80/160 meters). The normal DX frequencies will be used. The callsigns will be ZY0SP for SSB/RTTY (QSL via PS7KM) and for CW, ZY0SZ (QSL via PT7AA).

CONTESTS:

Hunting LIONS in the Air Jan 9-10

North American QSO Party, CW Jan 9-10

North American QSO Party, Phone Jan 16-17

ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes Jan 23-25

CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW Jan 29-31

UBA Contest, Phone Jan 30-31

New Hampshire QSO Party Feb 6-7

Delaware QSO Party Feb 6-7

North American Sprint, Phone Feb 7

Thanks to the OPDX, The GOLIST, The 59(9) DXReport, DX News Letter, DX News Sheet, for the DX information

Satellite Report, By Greg Dolkas, KO6TH

In addition to launching satellites into outer space, a number of Hams across the country are involved in launching a different kind of "bird". These Hams make use of high altitude weather balloons to loft their science payloads into the sky. There are active groups across the country, and in other countries including Germany, Mexico, and Argentina.

Amsat has a web page of references at: www.amsat.org/amsat/balloons/balloon.htm

The purpose of these flights is to perform experiments in various different areas. Some include scientific experiments in high altitude atmospheric conditions, and a recent mission to observe the Leonids meteor shower. Other missions gather data for student science projects, including on-board temperature and pressure sensors, video cameras, and GPS receivers hooked into APRS for tracking. Amateur packet radio is used for receiving position and telemetry and ATV is uesd for the video downlinks. Consistent with standard Ham practice, these flights include lots of camaraderie, team problem solving, innovation, and often, a roll of Duct Tape.

As one web site puts it: "These are conditions closer to the surface of Mars than to the surface of Earth. In addition, because of the low pressures, air is too thin to refract or scatter sunlight. Consequently, the sky is black rather than blue. What is seen at these altitudes is close to what shuttle astronauts see from orbit." The balloons travel up to altitudes around 90-100,000 feet, and a hundred miles down range before they burst, dropping their radio package back to the earth. Coordination of frequencies, repeaters, and other radio links is essential for control and reception of science data. Once back on the ground it's time for the foxhunters to spring into action, making this a truly multi-discipline activity. 73's,

Greg KO6TH

Board of Directors Transition Meeting

Meeting called to order December 18, 1998 at 1825hrs by the outgoing president Gary KQ6RT. Officers present were Pres. elect Wayne KE6DJE and board member, elect Evan WB6EXQ. A member present was Debbie KF6LXN.

Raffle monies were turned over to Wayne for purchasing raffle prizes for the 1999 year.

Treasurers Report

The Christmas Prize Money we received was $334.00 we spent 330.43. Christmas night we enrolled two new members: 12/11 Ron Spear KF6TUC and 12/11 Bruce McCreary N6JKW. Other new members in Nov and Dec are: 11/13 Chris Wright KF6OGD, 12/7 Keith Albright KD6AQN, 12/7 Wendy Albright KE6ILS, 12/7 Elijah Zachary KF6ELI, Michael Zachary, KF6IDS.

Donations to the Booster club for Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec were: 12/19 Greg Dolkas KO6TH, 12/12 Bill Aston, W6JDT 12/12, Russ Ahlberg, KI6KJ, 11/13 Fred Campbell KE6MJC, Richard Kuepper, WA6RWS, 10/30 David Hund, N6SHD, 10/9, Ed Ahlstrom, KQ6CK, 9/15 Paul Mellinger, NI6P.

For the Sunshine Report: John Tiernan KA6LNC called and said "he doesn't have as much stamina as he used to so he wasn't sure he could make all the meetings in the coming year, but he would try.

All bills are paid, including the P.O. Box and the Insurance for the coming year. All checks and cash have been deposited. If there are any questions call, 624-0978 or E-mail n6shd@jps.net.

KA6LNC John called and said he is doing well, but only weighs 130 lbs.

KA6WUW, Martha is still having chemotherapy and has good and bad days.

KA6WUX, KEN is in a care home recuperating with a blood sugar problem.

From The Desk of W6SUP

SFARC V.E. REPORT

For 1998, the SFARC V.E. Team tested 118 people and gave a total of 162 tests.

The January test dates are as follows:

Pre-Registration is required by calling Bob Metke at 916-783-7610. Fee is $6.45

Thanks to all V.E. Team members for promoting amateur radio, and sharing your talents to the future amateur radio community.

Bob Metke, W6SUP

NEWSLETTER EDITOR

Thank You,

Matthew B. Diridoni, KC6RUO