AARC History 1985

1985
On January 3, 1985 an installation dinner was held at the Parole Holiday Inn for the following officers: Pres: Al Jeweler/N3BIN; Vice-Pres: Andrew Smith/WB3GSW; Sec: George Mannion/N3DNP; Treas: Bill Cooke/K3CN and Directors: Ron Nord/N3AKP, Dick Jessup/N3FN and Carl Menchey/N3CVO.  The "Doodle Sockers", a Barbershop Harmony Quartet entertained the group. 

Slow Net Changes Leadership & Ham Arundel News Gets Award
Bill Townsend, due to health reasons, requested to be replaced as chairman of the Maryland Slow Net.  Assistant Chairman Buck Watson/KC3Y took over as chairman. At the February meeting Bill was given life membership for his outstanding work in starting and building up the MSN.  Holly/N3BMB and Di/KA3GWi were surprised and delighted to learn that the Ham Arundel News was selected in the Feb. issue of 73 Magazine as their "Newsletter of the Month".

Novice Class & 10 Meter Net
The ten-week Novice Class, started in February of '85 with Coordinator Carl Menchey/N3CVO, produced twenty-two new novices.  On the club's ten-meter net on Tuesday evenings,  Gordon
Kellenberger/WB3CLG was holding listener's spellbound with his series of historical vignettes about early happenings in the state, especially in the Annapolis area.

Ligntning Strikes (Literally)
TIn May of '85 the 147.105 repeater suffered a direct lightning strike which put it out of commission.  The controller, receiver and preamp were wiped out.  The controller was returned to the manufacturer in California for appraisal.  The Glen Burnie repeater had been taken off line to change the frequency from 145.450 to 147.075.  Harry/N3DE and John/K8JW put that project on hold to ready the backup repeater to take over until the disabled one could be restored to service. The officers of the Maryland Mobileers kindly offered the use of their repeater on 146.805 to AARC members, including permission to run their scheduled 2-meter nets.

More Destruction But Donations Save the Day
A decision was made at the June meeting to solicit donations from users who would like to have the repeater restored. A letter was mailed to all members asking for their help.  Before the Club could even begin to recover from the lightning strike, a freak wind storm in the remnants of Tropical Storm Bob wreaked havoc at the club site.  It tore the club sign from the front of the building, destroyed the Spalding tower and the tri-bander beam and badly damaged the 2-meter antenna.  The replacement expenses mounted further. However, generous club members, and a number of non-members, donated more than $1700 to the "Repeater Disaster Fund". This made restoration of the repeater possible without jeopardizing other club plans.

Field Day 1985
Field Day results: Under the leadership of Coordinator Byron Kabran/KA3CUK, AARC came in 4th in Class 3A-Battery, running low power from batteries charged by solar panels. The highlight of FD was the Novice Station which was operated the full 24-hours.

Public Service Events
Public service events for '85 included: the Marlborough Hunt Club Races at Roedown on Easter Sunday, the first 10-kilometer run across the Bay Bridge on April 14th, the Maryland Saltwater Fishermen's Annual Benefit Bluefish Tournament in May, the Annapolis 10-mile Run in August, the DFRC Bluegrass Festival in September and Chesapeake Appreciation Days. At CA Days club members, in addition to furnishing communications, manned a Special Event Station both days, as well as the Message Center.