Have you been wishing for more time to get to know your fellow AARC members? Would you like an opportunity to socialize at a time and place other than at the clubhouse meetings? Then you will want to plan to come to the inaugural meeting of the AARC "Radio Brunch" on Saturday, 5 May 2012, at 9:00 a.m. We plan to meet at the Old Country Buffet in Annapolis, located at 81 Forest Plaza. The first ones to show up should reserve a table or two, and make sure that the other members find you when they arrive. This is obviously a new undertaking for the club, and we will be evaluating it to determine if the time and the place are OK, so we hope you can turn up and help us develop this into a regular event. See you there, and bring your spouse and family! ---Chuck K3ACT

Dana's family, and especially his wife Vee, has requested that we post this invitation to the AARC membership to attend Dana's memorial service on this Saturday, 17 March at 2:00pm at the St Martins Episcopal Church, 375 Benfield Rd, Severna Park. A reception will be held in the parish hall following the service to which all are invited.
--Chuck K3ACT

To all members of AARC: An election will be held at the next regular club meeting, 1 March 2012, to select a club president for the remainder of 2012, and to also elect other officers to whatever board positions that may become vacant. As explained at last night's meeting, I (K3ACT) have been concerned about the club president vacancy, and have decided to allow my name to be put forward for that position, provided that we could find a candidate for the vice presidency who would agree to run for president in 2013. This provision will solve the problem we have had for the last two years when there were no candidates for the presidency. And Jim Goldsberry (KB3NQY) has agreed to these terms. So this is how the election will work: First, my name will be put in nomination for the presidency, and the chair will entertain other nominations. If someone else also runs, and they win the election, then all board positions will have been filled. If I win the election, then the vice presidency will become vacant, and we will immediately hold an election for that position, and Jim Goldsberry's name will be placed in nomination. If someone else is also nominated and wins, then there will be no further board vacancies. But if Jim wins, then his current director position will become vacant, and we will immediately hold an election to fill that position. At present, I know of no members who are willing to run for a director position. If you are willing to run, please contact Nominating committee chairman Tony Young (WA3YLO tonyy3@verizon.net) as soon as possible and let him know so that he can place your name in nomination on 1 March, assuming that this election becomes necessary.

Please recall that one of the privileges of active membership in AARC is to vote, and if you have not yet paid your dues for 2012, you will become inactive as of 29 February, and will not be eligible to vote in this election. We are looking forward to having many members attend the next meeting so that we can finalize our leadership team for the year, and move the club on to a successful year of radio-activity! See you there!

If you want to be a Ham, here's your chance! Classes will begin on 17 March to lead to testing for the Technician's license. The announcement below will soon be released to local media. Please help spread the word among your friends and acquaintances who might be interested! Thanks. --K3ACT

Anne Arundel Radio Club will be offering a free class to prepare interested persons to become licensed Ham radio operators. This class is intended for persons who are not presently licensed, and will prepare the student to take the licensing test to receive a Technician license. The class will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, 17 March 2012, and will be held each Saturday (5 sessions) until and including 14 April. The classes will last for 3 hours each Saturday, and exams will be held following the last class at 1PM on April 14. All classes and the exam, which will also be free, will be held at the Anne Arundel Radio Club clubhouse located at 3789 Queen Anne Bridge Rd, Davidsonville, MD, 21035. The only cost for the student will be $25 for the official ARRL Ham Radio License Manual, which will be the course textbook. For further information, contact Rick Creager at kk4gv@w3vpr.org.

Students who successfully complete the class and pass the exam will receive a hand-held radio courtesy of LDG Electronics! (while supplies last)

On Tuesday, 27 December 2011, our remarkable Holly, N3MB, queen of the morning "Holly Net" on 147.105, went to the hospital for surgery. I am glad to report that I talked with her this afternoon (Thursday, 29 Dec.)and she is home from the hospital and recovering well. When I asked her what she would like to report about her surgery, she said "Well, I'm just glad it is over." Well Holly, we are too, and we wish you the speediest and best of recoveries.