Well, I hope everyone had a great holiday season and a wonderful New Years. I spent mine with friends and a minimum of drama. I did like the fireworks downtown. I had a nice time at the CV clubs Christmas party, I saw a few of you there.
A high point in the season was playing Santa.. on the radio. Tom KJ6DZT set up the event at the Palm Springs American Legion Ham station, K6TAL. There was a kids walk-a-thon that day and the Legion parking lot was the start/stop point. Kids were brought into the shack to talk to Santa, via 2 meters simplex. Tom ran the station at the Legion and Dave WB6VGO and I took turns running as remote Santa. It was a real kick having the kids tell us that they’d been good and what they wanted for Christmas. The youngest was a girl just 3 years old. A future Ham in the making.
Hamfest is coming along swimmingly. I think at last count we have about 17 commercial vendors and about 10 civic information booths. This months meeting is on Jan 17th. We will have the usual raffle and business part, but the rest of the meeting will be devoted to Hamfest. If you are not attached to a committee, please show up and sign up. We sure could use your help, even if only for an hour or so. The people running the various portions of the event want to see it as well and I am sure they could use a lunch or nature break.
Remember that it is also time to renew your Desert RATS Dues. You can do it on line using Pay Pal or print out the form and mail it in, or see Annie at the January meeting. How easy is that?
Also, I am working on a field trip to Goldstone Deep Space Tracking Station near Barstow. I am planning it for maybe May, June at the latest, before it gets too hot.
I’m saddened to report that we have a new silent key, former Riverside County Supervisor John Benoit, WA6IAD. He was a strong supporter of Ham radio and will be missed.
See you on the bands. 73
Glenn WB6RLC
