ARRL Field Day 2018 plans for SEKARC

THIS WEEKEND is 2018 Field Day and SEKARC is making plans for a busy and fun weekend! We will be operating again from the Big Brutus site and using multiple antennas attached to the tower from the Crawford County Emergency Management office! Special thanks to Jason the county manager.

Operating FD times are 1800 UTC Saturday and running through 1800 UTC Sunday. Or 1pm Sat until 1pm Sunday.  We will have several radios setup and available from the SEKARC inventory including the GoBox FT-891 and other ICOM and Yaesu radios. We hope to be doing all modes as we are making arrangements for Greg WI4T and anyone to operate CW, we will also have SSB, PSK31, FM and FT8. This is the first year for FT8 to be included in FD so that will be interesting. Anyone that wants to help make some contacts please come on out!

You really shouldn't need to bring your own radio and antenna out but you can. We will arrange the bands and modes for everyone out there. We will be operating as a 2AKS or Two Alpha Kansas station. There will be plenty of operating time to share! For SSB it is always nice to have two operating that station. One on radio and one logging. SO if you come out and we hope everyone does it should be a blast!! If you want to camp, we do have 3 spots reserved and there is plenty of room for tents as well. I gotta tell you, you cannot beat the night sky at Brutus on a clear summer evening.

Here is a link to a detailed list of equipment, radios, antennas, modes, PCs, logging and more. We can talk more about the food (did someone offer to make pancakes Sunday morning?) the setup and how you can help at the coffee QSO Wednesday 9am at Otto's Cafe. If you want to see what we have documented so far click the link below. Pretty impressive setup for a FREE club that charges NO DUES. Well done group...
Google Doc Field Day 2018 <click here>

Friday late afternoon/evening
meet Jason at Brutus to set up trailer.
Set up some equipment setup depending on weather and the crew on hand.

Saturday morning
Finish setup
1pm Field Day begins

Sunday
Operate until 4pm (weather permitting)
Trailer will be picked up when complete.

If you cannot make it to our Field Day station..... here is a map of most FD stations put out by the ARRL!
ARRL Field Day Locator

New SEKARC Facebook Group

Many in SEKARC are using Facebook so a few years ago I created a page for SEKARC on Facebook. Today I moved that over to be a Facebook Group. Where members can post, interact and have another way to stay in touch with members and friends of the SEKARC. If you have a Facebook account look us up and join!

CLICK HERE --- SEKARC Group on Facebook

Hamvention Yaesu Fusion Presentation

Here is the presentation by the Yaesu rep at the Xenia Hamvention last weekend. There is some news here including the ability for more radios with firmware upgrades to be set up as NODES.  

Kansas Mining SE#4 Big Brutus Miners Reunion

FYI - SEKARC SE #4 Kansas Mining Special Event Series info 

Big Brutus brings back the miners
Source: By Jesse Brown / The Morning Sun
Posted Jun 6, 2015 at 3:29 PM
Updated Jun 6, 2015 at 3:29 PM
 
WEST MINERAL — Big Brutus, now retired and memorialized, still has an ability to bring back the past with miners who once worked with the giant of Southeast Kansas.

“This mine closed down, a lot of the strip mining was closed down and retired miners got together after they made this Big Brutus Museum here and annually we get together,” said Jimmie Lovell, who also serves on the museum board. “We have a man that cooks all of our fish for us and we get together and visit. It’s something we do every year and we look forward to it. We’ve had as high as 150 people (come before).”

The Miner’s Day Reunion brought back the miners of the past, along with their families which have grown since their days of retirement, as they congregated over a fish fry recollecting the early days with Big Brutus.

Lovell said the coal miners were like an extended family to each other and that of the 40 years and eight days he worked as a coal miner, he said there wasn’t one day he could remember when he didn’t want to go to work.

“Coal miners were all friendly people,” Lovell said. “Everybody helped everybody, very few people that got mad, they got over it. They’re just a different breed of people. They thought a lot of each other.” He added had the mines not shut down, he probably would have worked longer, instead of retiring at the age of 60.

Gege Sachetta is another retired coal miner who returns every year to participate in the Miner’s Day Reunion, after having worked for the company for 45 years. He shares Lovell’s sentiments about the enjoyment they got from working at Big Brutus.

“I enjoyed the first day of work and I hated to retire,” Sachetta said.

Lovell said the reunion brings back miners who now live in Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas and even Illinois.

“Sometimes, there will be one or two that slip in from Colorado,” Lovell added.

Lovell said at one time, Big Brutus has 135 miners working there, and out of those 135 miners, their families keep coming back in the shadow of Big Brutus to remember what once was.

SE Kansas Mining History Special Event #3

The third of seven Special Events honoring mining history in SE Kansas will be held Saturday 19th and Sunday the 20th. Remembering the many mining camps that sprung up all over this part of the state we are setting up near one at Big Brutus. We will meet for breakfast by 9am at Hardee's in Pittsburg then head to Brutus. 

Click the mining banner above or the image below for additional information.....

Approximately 10am until TBD Both Days
20m USB, PSK31
40m LSB, PSK31
And other modes/bands

Mine Explosion That Haunts Kansans

Keeping with our Mining History Special Events. I found this story. Never heard of this until we started this event. This is a fascinating story on SE Kansas mining history and needs to be remembered. Please take a few minutes and read this bit of history.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY ----> KS-mine-explosion-1888

Kansans know well how bloody history can get, especially the farther you look into the past. History has shaped us to be the state we are today, but this event in particular was unforeseen and devastating. We might not have been alive to witness this tragedy first hand, but we’ll remember it as part of Kansas’ history. Have you ever heard of the mine explosion in Pittsburg, Kansas?

Doctor Is In Podcast - Kit Building

Another great Podcast from the ARRL. Amateur Radio kits are not only still popular, they are highly rewarding. The Doctor offers his tips for kit buying and building. Check it out !!

The Amateur CODE

From ARRL....

The Radio Amateur is

CONSIDERATE...He/[She] never knowingly operates in such a way as to lessen the pleasure of others.

LOYAL...He/[She] offers loyalty, encouragement and support to other amateurs, local clubs, the IARU Radio Society in his/[her] country, through which Amateur Radio in his/[her] country is represented nationally and internationally.

PROGRESSIVE...He/[She] keeps his/[her] station up to date.  It is well-built and efficient.  His/[Her] operating practice is above reproach.

FRIENDLY...He/[She] operates slowly and patiently when requested; offers friendly advice and counsel to beginners; kind assistance, cooperation and consideration for the interests of others. These are the marks of the amateur spirit.

BALANCED...Radio is a hobby, never interfering with duties owed to family, job, school or community.

PATRIOTIC...His/[Her] station and skills are always ready for service to country and community.

- adapted from the original Amateur's Code, written by Paul M. Segal, W9EEA, in 1928