Post by David (N4DLT) on Oct 1, 2009 18:37:31 GMT -5
ARRL Club Newsletter
September 30, 2009
Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, Editor
IN THIS ISSUE:
+ The Thumb
+ Hamfest Shakeup
The Thumb
Norm Fusaro, W3IZ
Let's consider the thumb for a moment. The thumb's ability to work
with all the fingers on the hand makes it very important to humans.
The opposable thumb separates humans (and primates) from other
animals and is responsible for most human accomplishments. Because
thumbs give us dexterity and allow us to use tools, we have been able
to build many wondrous things. Some of these things are as small and
intricate as a Swiss watch and as grandiose as skyscrapers and
vehicles that allow us to explore beyond our planet. It is
absolutely amazing that if not for the opposable thumb and the human
brain that controls it, pretty much everything in our world would not
be possible.
There is a lot of power in the thumb. Pointed downward a thumb could
send a gladiator to his death. Hung out along a roadway the thumb
can stop a car. Authorities keep subordinates under their thumb to
maintain control. The thumb lets us know when we've done a good job,
calls out baseball players, gives an artist perspective, counts money
and can pacify a crying baby. The thumb also has a sinister side.
We can thumb our nose at people, card cheats use the thumb to deal
from the bottom of the deck or mark cards with a thumbnail, and the
dishonest butcher has been known to place his heavy thumb on the
scale.
For as much as the thumb has done to enhance our lives it seems that
the index finger has been getting a lot of exercise recently. The
index finger is very good at pointing however a pointing finger has
not really accomplished as many positive things as the thumb has.
Sure the index finger may dial a telephone, but without the thumb the
telephone would never have been built. Pointing fingers send people
away, poke-out eyes and blame others for our condition. In every
aspect of our lives we see people pointing the finger of blame rather
than accepting responsibility. A kid fails in school not because the
teacher taught the lesson poorly, but because he failed to study. A
lady scalds herself with hot coffee not because the restaurant did
not label the cup--she was scalded because she put hot coffee in her
lap. People find it easier to point a finger instead of planting
their thumb in their chest and saying "I am the one who will make a
difference." If you ever feel the need to point a finger remember
the thumb and all that is possible because of it. Let's
metaphorically use our opposable thumbs to grip the rope and pull in
the same direction.
Shake Up Your Hamfest.
By Bob Bastone, WC3O radiofreebob@att.net
Have you ever been to a hamfest? I am sure that many of you have and
you know what to expect. A general rule for veteran 'festers is to
get there early to look over the stuff and keep an eye under the
table for those goodies that others miss. Attendees at a hamfest are
an eclectic bunch. There are the newly licensed operators, the soon
to be licensed and the old-timers. Whether it's new gear or back
breaking antiques, a.k.a boat anchors, there is something for
everyone. You could even buy a raffle ticket and hope for the best.
Not much is different with hamfests all over the country but it
doesn't have to be that way. A hamfests is a perfect opportunity to
try something new. Ideas don't have to break the budget but they can
be something that offers the crowd something just for making the trip
to the show.
Here are a few suggestions that we have used at the Skyview Radio
Society's < www.skyviewradio.net/ > events. Feel free to use
them at your club's next event.
Car Show
Our club has been doing this for a few years now. Some have classic
cars, hot rods, bikes or whatever. Leave some preferred parking for
them as incentive to bring their fancy car to your fest. Folks really
enjoy looking over these between looking at that old GE receiver card
and that old, busted, early Palm Pilot with no docking station for
$10.00. Depending on your hamfest situation it doesn't cost you
anything extra to do and people really enjoy it!
Jam Session
Many hams are also pretty good musicians. Why not advertise on your
hamfest fliers for folks to bring their instruments. This has been
great fun every year at our hamfest some time now. Wait until later
in your fest to get started. Promote it on your PA system. Try it,
you'll like it.
Culinary Delights
Do you do your own cooking for your hamfest? Try something different.
Come up with a signature dish and give it a cute hammy name. At our
fest we have the Skyview Burger and the Skyview Dipole Hotdog. Both
are spicy and sloppy. Most folks will break a sweat so much that
when you're done eating them you normally need a shower. Folk love
them! Here is a tip: Don't buy low quality generic food. Get the good
stuff and charge for it. People don't mind paying extra if they feel
they are getting something special for their money. Taste is a very
strong sense and emotion. They will be back to your fest next year,
with friends.
Paparazzi
Take lots of pictures of your event especially pictures of people
having fun. Crop out unnecessary background images and post the
pictures on your club web site soon after the event. It's not as good
as getting you face on the cover of QST but it's nice to see your
smiling mug on a web site.
The hamfest season is just about over here in the northeast so this
is a good time to plan for next year. I hope some of these
suggestions might help your club with its next hamfest. They have
worked well for us. Use your imagination. You know what you have to
work with. The idea is to shake it up. Let's get some young folks
interested and make your fest much more memorable for everybody. Good
luck and I hope that old rusty D-104 you got from that box on the
ground works out for you. I think you got a good deal on it.
Milestones September 2009
10 Years September
*W2
NNJ Hudson Amateur Radio Council
*W8
WV West Virginia State Amateur Radio Club W8WVA
*W0
MN Courage Handi-Ham System Amateur Radio Club W0EQO
50 Years September
*W2
WNY Orleans County Amateur Radio Club WA2DQL
*W3
WPA Somerset County Amateur Radio Club K3SMT
*W6
SDG San Diego DX Club W6PT
*W0
ND Souris Valley Amateur Radio Club K0AJW
75 Years September
*W4
WCF St Petersburg Amateur Radio Club W4GAC
======================================================================
The ARRL CLUB NEWS is published on the first Wednesday of each month by
the American Radio Relay League--The National Association For Amateur
Radio--225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax
860-594-0259; www.arrl.org. Joel Harrison, W5ZN, President.
The ARRL CLUB NEWS is an e-mail digest of news and information of
interest to active members of ARRL Affiliated Clubs.
Material from The ARRL CLUB NEWS may be republished or reproduced in
whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must
be given to The ARRL CLUB NEWS and The American Radio Relay League.
Editorial questions or comments: Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, clubs@arrl.org
Delivery problems (ARRL direct delivery only!): club-el-dlvy@arrl.org
To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your address for e-mail delivery:
ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site,
www.arrl.org/members/. You'll have an opportunity during
registration to sign up for e-mail delivery of the The ARRL CLUB NEWS,
W1AW bulletins, and other material. ARRL members may subscribe to The
ARRL CLUB NEWS by going to the Member Data Page at:
www.arrl.org/members-only/memdata.html?modify=1
Note that you must be logged in to the site to access this page. Scroll
down to the section "Which of the following would you like to receive
automatically via email from ARRL?" Check the box for "ARRL Club News
(monthly news of interest to Amateur Radio clubs)" and you're
all set.
Past issues of The ARRL CLUB NEWS are available at
www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/clubnews/. Issues are posted to
this page after publication.
======================================================================
September 30, 2009
Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, Editor
IN THIS ISSUE:
+ The Thumb
+ Hamfest Shakeup
The Thumb
Norm Fusaro, W3IZ
Let's consider the thumb for a moment. The thumb's ability to work
with all the fingers on the hand makes it very important to humans.
The opposable thumb separates humans (and primates) from other
animals and is responsible for most human accomplishments. Because
thumbs give us dexterity and allow us to use tools, we have been able
to build many wondrous things. Some of these things are as small and
intricate as a Swiss watch and as grandiose as skyscrapers and
vehicles that allow us to explore beyond our planet. It is
absolutely amazing that if not for the opposable thumb and the human
brain that controls it, pretty much everything in our world would not
be possible.
There is a lot of power in the thumb. Pointed downward a thumb could
send a gladiator to his death. Hung out along a roadway the thumb
can stop a car. Authorities keep subordinates under their thumb to
maintain control. The thumb lets us know when we've done a good job,
calls out baseball players, gives an artist perspective, counts money
and can pacify a crying baby. The thumb also has a sinister side.
We can thumb our nose at people, card cheats use the thumb to deal
from the bottom of the deck or mark cards with a thumbnail, and the
dishonest butcher has been known to place his heavy thumb on the
scale.
For as much as the thumb has done to enhance our lives it seems that
the index finger has been getting a lot of exercise recently. The
index finger is very good at pointing however a pointing finger has
not really accomplished as many positive things as the thumb has.
Sure the index finger may dial a telephone, but without the thumb the
telephone would never have been built. Pointing fingers send people
away, poke-out eyes and blame others for our condition. In every
aspect of our lives we see people pointing the finger of blame rather
than accepting responsibility. A kid fails in school not because the
teacher taught the lesson poorly, but because he failed to study. A
lady scalds herself with hot coffee not because the restaurant did
not label the cup--she was scalded because she put hot coffee in her
lap. People find it easier to point a finger instead of planting
their thumb in their chest and saying "I am the one who will make a
difference." If you ever feel the need to point a finger remember
the thumb and all that is possible because of it. Let's
metaphorically use our opposable thumbs to grip the rope and pull in
the same direction.
Shake Up Your Hamfest.
By Bob Bastone, WC3O radiofreebob@att.net
Have you ever been to a hamfest? I am sure that many of you have and
you know what to expect. A general rule for veteran 'festers is to
get there early to look over the stuff and keep an eye under the
table for those goodies that others miss. Attendees at a hamfest are
an eclectic bunch. There are the newly licensed operators, the soon
to be licensed and the old-timers. Whether it's new gear or back
breaking antiques, a.k.a boat anchors, there is something for
everyone. You could even buy a raffle ticket and hope for the best.
Not much is different with hamfests all over the country but it
doesn't have to be that way. A hamfests is a perfect opportunity to
try something new. Ideas don't have to break the budget but they can
be something that offers the crowd something just for making the trip
to the show.
Here are a few suggestions that we have used at the Skyview Radio
Society's < www.skyviewradio.net/ > events. Feel free to use
them at your club's next event.
Car Show
Our club has been doing this for a few years now. Some have classic
cars, hot rods, bikes or whatever. Leave some preferred parking for
them as incentive to bring their fancy car to your fest. Folks really
enjoy looking over these between looking at that old GE receiver card
and that old, busted, early Palm Pilot with no docking station for
$10.00. Depending on your hamfest situation it doesn't cost you
anything extra to do and people really enjoy it!
Jam Session
Many hams are also pretty good musicians. Why not advertise on your
hamfest fliers for folks to bring their instruments. This has been
great fun every year at our hamfest some time now. Wait until later
in your fest to get started. Promote it on your PA system. Try it,
you'll like it.
Culinary Delights
Do you do your own cooking for your hamfest? Try something different.
Come up with a signature dish and give it a cute hammy name. At our
fest we have the Skyview Burger and the Skyview Dipole Hotdog. Both
are spicy and sloppy. Most folks will break a sweat so much that
when you're done eating them you normally need a shower. Folk love
them! Here is a tip: Don't buy low quality generic food. Get the good
stuff and charge for it. People don't mind paying extra if they feel
they are getting something special for their money. Taste is a very
strong sense and emotion. They will be back to your fest next year,
with friends.
Paparazzi
Take lots of pictures of your event especially pictures of people
having fun. Crop out unnecessary background images and post the
pictures on your club web site soon after the event. It's not as good
as getting you face on the cover of QST but it's nice to see your
smiling mug on a web site.
The hamfest season is just about over here in the northeast so this
is a good time to plan for next year. I hope some of these
suggestions might help your club with its next hamfest. They have
worked well for us. Use your imagination. You know what you have to
work with. The idea is to shake it up. Let's get some young folks
interested and make your fest much more memorable for everybody. Good
luck and I hope that old rusty D-104 you got from that box on the
ground works out for you. I think you got a good deal on it.
Milestones September 2009
10 Years September
*W2
NNJ Hudson Amateur Radio Council
*W8
WV West Virginia State Amateur Radio Club W8WVA
*W0
MN Courage Handi-Ham System Amateur Radio Club W0EQO
50 Years September
*W2
WNY Orleans County Amateur Radio Club WA2DQL
*W3
WPA Somerset County Amateur Radio Club K3SMT
*W6
SDG San Diego DX Club W6PT
*W0
ND Souris Valley Amateur Radio Club K0AJW
75 Years September
*W4
WCF St Petersburg Amateur Radio Club W4GAC
======================================================================
The ARRL CLUB NEWS is published on the first Wednesday of each month by
the American Radio Relay League--The National Association For Amateur
Radio--225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax
860-594-0259; www.arrl.org. Joel Harrison, W5ZN, President.
The ARRL CLUB NEWS is an e-mail digest of news and information of
interest to active members of ARRL Affiliated Clubs.
Material from The ARRL CLUB NEWS may be republished or reproduced in
whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must
be given to The ARRL CLUB NEWS and The American Radio Relay League.
Editorial questions or comments: Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, clubs@arrl.org
Delivery problems (ARRL direct delivery only!): club-el-dlvy@arrl.org
To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your address for e-mail delivery:
ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site,
www.arrl.org/members/. You'll have an opportunity during
registration to sign up for e-mail delivery of the The ARRL CLUB NEWS,
W1AW bulletins, and other material. ARRL members may subscribe to The
ARRL CLUB NEWS by going to the Member Data Page at:
www.arrl.org/members-only/memdata.html?modify=1
Note that you must be logged in to the site to access this page. Scroll
down to the section "Which of the following would you like to receive
automatically via email from ARRL?" Check the box for "ARRL Club News
(monthly news of interest to Amateur Radio clubs)" and you're
all set.
Past issues of The ARRL CLUB NEWS are available at
www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/clubnews/. Issues are posted to
this page after publication.
======================================================================