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Holiday Party

Once again it is time to hold our Holiday Party after a long absence due to the threat of covid. The Holiday Party is a wonderful time for SARC members to have an evening out with our friends, wives or someone you know who is interested in becoming a ham radio operator. We can expect an evening of good conversation, great food, and much laughter in a relaxed atmosphere. Please mark you calendar for Saturday, January 21st to reserve this date for the SARC gathering. All club members are encouraged to attend and enjoy an evening of fun. This event takes the place of the January club meeting.

The Lucky Monk is providing a private room for SARC and the club has again graciously agreed to supply the appetizers. The meals and drinks will be the responsibility of those attending with the Lucky Monk providing some excellent menu choices. The party will start at 6:00PM.

SARC will use this opportunity to announce the Bill Smeed (K9IIM) construction project award and also name the Member of the Year.

This is one event you do not want to miss as the club really comes together and presents the opportunity to talk and meet with other club members. Everyone has the opportunity to sit down and get to know people they may have met on the air waves but never met in person. At the last Holiday Party many folks attended alone and had a great time talking with others who had the same interests.

Location

RSVP

Contact John KD9KSH via email (Member Roster) or this form to reserve your spot.

Events RHG Articles

General Class License Course Offered Starting January

Twelve classes starting Saturday, January 14, through Saturday, April 1 • 10:30am – 12:30pm Hoffman Estates Branch Library – Meeting Room

If you have a Technician Class license and are looking to expand your Amateur Radio experience, this course will prepare you for taking the mid-level Amateur Radio General Class license test. In addition to the privileges allowed a Technician Class license, the General Class license allows you to operate on a wide range of HF bands, as well as frequencies up into the Gigahertz.

This program is presented at no charge in partnership with the Library and the Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club.
To register, go to https://www.schaumburglibrary.org/events?id=7518667

People of all abilities are welcome at the Schaumburg Township District Library. To request accommodations, call the Library at (847) 923-3347. Find out more about our accessibility services.

RHG Articles

A Club Challenge: Making Ham Radio Antennas out of Things that Aren’t Antennas

Club members have access to our private message board SARC-All. From time to time interesting discussions get highlighted here on our web site for the benefit of the Ham community.

Pierre K9EYE suggested the following based on a YouTube video.

Here is a Club challenge  and a possible event to other clubs.
Subject: Making Ham Radio Antennas out of Things that Aren’t Antennas

Burt AB9CV had a few ideas

  • Long power extension cords work ok [and are] easily extended with another cord or more.
  • Trees were used by our troops during the Vietnam era.
  • Salt water works also as it is conductive.
  • There is always rain gutters.

Have fun!

Donald K9CLF then added a few more ideas

Back in the days of real copper phone lines coming into the home on overhead drops and lines on telephone poles, one side of the phone line (either Tip or Ring) made a pretty good receiving antenna for crystal radios and other receivers. Neither side of the line was grounded to maintain a balanced audio circuit back to the telephone central office. -48VDC existed across the Tip and Ring conductors, but one only used one conductor for the antenna.

If the phone was hardwired to the wall and properly grounded (before modular connectors) with the yellow wire, the metal telephone dial finger stop was grounded to an earth ground and made a good crystal radio ground point.