We’re nearly half way through 2020 and exciting things continue to happen with the San Luis Valley Amateur Radio Association. Our monthly meeting will be held on Saturday June 6th at 10:00AM, via Zoom. If you’re a club member or simply interested in becoming an amateur radio operator, please reach out to any of our club officers or email: SLVHamradio@Gmail.com for more information and to obtain the link for this month’s meeting. We welcome you to join us and learn more about the fascinating world of ham radio.
Starting with this blog, we will begin introducing everyone to our club members. In this blog we introduce Philip Schechter. Phil is our EMCOMM and ARES Coordinator and we’re thankful for his presence and support.
-What are your call letters?
W0OJ; PREVIOUSLY AB0AM, WD0HCB, WA3UTO, WA9CHE, WN9CHE
-What is your current license class?
“Code” Extra.
-When you were first licensed?
1961.
-What do you like most about Amateur Radio?
Ham radio has kept my interest since I began to study for my Novice Class license in 1960. The one thing that transcends all the growth, innovation and history in this incredible hobby is the CRACKLE OF THE AIRWAYS. I feel that it is a personal connection with the nature of the entire earth as I deceive myself that within the first seconds of listening on the HF bands. I know much about the weather of North America, the atmosphere, earth-sun connections, and the MUF (maximum usable frequency) and what the nature of the QSO will be when I get on air. When I started as a Novice there were no repeater systems and we used only radios with vacuum tubes. Everyone needed at least 5 wpm CW (morse code). The technological evolution has been great and in hindsight this has occurred with incredible speed, innovation and brilliance. Just thinking back on 60 years of continuous participation in ham radio brings a sense of awe and deep gratitude and awareness through the direct experience that the crackle of the airways is the same, unchanging and in human timescales somewhat permanent. I don’t think that it would’ve sounded much different even when there weren’t man made noises and certainly no QRM.
-What would you like to do in Amateur Radio, but haven’t done yet?
The list could be endless. To share a few wishes:
- As my shack has gotten to be more complex I’d love to have a period of time when I wasn’t fixing a problem or doing some repair. Just hang out on the air.
- Much more satellite work.
- I want to study to become much more knowledgeable about radio theory and propagation, and to be able to teach in depth from Technician to Extra Class.
- Make my shack more finished and upscale technically in terms of design, space, comfort and function.
- Since I love CW, I want to regain my speed and skills (I am working actively on that now) and add certain keyers to my collection. I want to perfect my fist. Sorry to inform you that is it easy to slip in CW skills as you get older.
- Grow my collection of Collins gear for use on the air.
- Learn to be able to do radio and amplifier design and do home brew projects that are functional on air.
- Maybe pursue DXCC Honor Roll. (I’m pretty close if I chase confirmation QSLs from stations already worked). Knock off some of the rare ones that I haven’t worked.
-Hobbies and interests other than Amateur Radio?
- Fly my model helicopters and drones without too many crashes.
- Martial arts: Hakkoryu Jujutsu (life long martial artist)
- Skiing and rock climbing (at a much lower technical level that when I was younger).
- Reading.
- Motorcycle riding out of the cities.
- Fly Bell helicopters (but I have to win the lottery to keep that up).
-Do you hold an office in the SLVARA? If so, what do you do?
I have a Board position for emergency communications. I’m laughing because I don’t really know what the “title” is. I got the appointment when I got up at a meeting and went to the bathroom. I don’t think it took that much longer than when I was younger (maybe it did) but when I returned it was too late. . . . I was on the Board.
Since I was a critical care general surgeon in my past life I wound up as the Region 6, 7 Regional EC. I couldn’t do it without the support of my good buddy Dave N0KM who is the EC for Region 6, District 1.
I am the worrier in chief for ARES in SARA that if we are asked to serve in a true emergency, that I and our ARES group would able to safely support all or our served agencies. How do you prepare a group of eager volunteers in a brand new club, some who just learned how to turn on a radio, how to work in a pandemic???
Thank you Phil for sharing your insight and history with us. We look forward to bringing you more on our club members in future bogs.
Field Day 2020. Field Day this year is on June 27 and 28. We are tentatively planning on operating from Monte Vista as KØSLV, but have yet to settle on a specific location. This is something we will be discussing in depth during our June meeting and why it’s important that you attend. If we are going to pull this off, it’s time to finalize and execute our plans. If you’ve never experienced the thrill of operating in an environment other than your home QTH, this is your opportunity. There is a wealth of information on the ARRL’s website regarding Field Day and we encourage all of our members, licensed or not, to join us. Please monitor our Facebook Group for more information.
73’s until next time…
Adam Lock
WA2JAL
Secretary, SARA