In keeping with our goal to continue to provide fun for our members while remaining safe, our next club meeting will be on Monday May 11th at 7 PM via Zoom.  We will have our usual business meeting along with an extended discussion of our Field Day plans.  Following the meeting, Bob WB4SON will give a brief presentation on Learning Morse Code.

Invitations to join the Zoom meeting will be sent out via eMail.  Usually it is no more complicated than clicking on the link within the email to join.  We will have the meeting opened up around 6:30 PM in case you need some time to get things adjusted before the meeting begins at 7 PM.

To avoid chaos, everyone will be muted when they join.  During the meeting, you can unmute yourself to ask a question or use the Chat feature of Zoom — sort of like sending a text message.  If you do use Chat, please send it to everyone (the default “to” choice).

For those of you new to Zoom, here is a link to a short one minute video explaining how you can join a meeting:  https://www.youtube.com/embed/hIkCmbvAHQQ?rel=0&autoplay=1&cc_load_policy=1

While you do NOT need an account with Zoom to participate in our meetings, you may want to setup a free account anyway by going to this link: https://zoom.us/

If you don’t receive an email with the meeting details, please reach out to WB4SON at GMAIL dot COM

NCRC Conducted its regular club meeting via VHF (initially NB1RI network, then moved to W1SYE repeater).  While the initial roll-call took about 15 minutes, the meeting went very smoothly.  Thank you to all who participated on both the radio and Zoom (listen only).

We had a total of 27 members check in via VHF, with 3 guests joining us there.  The Zoom link, intended to be listen only this time, had 14 additional folks attending.  So a total of 44 members participated.

The official meeting began at 19:15 and was closed at 19:39.

Two of the three guests decided to put in member applications!

Thanks to all that participated, to the NB1RI network, and to those that helped with the Zoom audio (Paul K1YBE and Bob WB4SON)

Leveraging our Amateur Radio skills, rest assured we WILL continue to have club meetings, even during this time of “social distancing”.

Our current plan is to hold our April 13th meeting on-air, using the NB1RI (KA1RCI) repeater network (the owners have granted us permission).  Most club members can access the network through the Exeter or Portsmouth node, although other nodes may be more appropriate for those living further away.  Details on the NB1RI Repeater Network can be found here.

The meeting will operate very similar to a traditional VHF net.  Ted W1GRI will be acting as Net Control Station (NCS) and will ask for members to check in beginning at 7 PM.  That process will act as our traditional roll-call.  After check-ins are complete, Ted will announce various agenda items and ask for the person responsible for that item to provide the details on-air, then solicit any discussion as required.

All members (and guest) are encouraged to participate.  Be sure to check your radio programming and charge the batteries before hand.  And do check our w1sye.org website for the latest club information.

Our regular NCRC business meeting will be held at KVH Manufacturing (75 Enterprise DR, Middletown) at 7 PM.  Following a short business meeting, we will be showing a 25 minute video that was presented at the Dayton Hamfest in 2015 on the Navassa Island DXpedition, an event that was more years in the making than the Apollo program.

Don’t forget that 2020 Dues are due.  You can pay by cash or check at Monday’s meeting, or you can pay online by going to the “Pay Dues or Donate” tab on the website.