Greetings! — This is the July 2025 Issue
Volume 05, Issue 07 — Posted July 04, 2025

 July is a fun month.  It starts with Canada Day, then the 13 Colonies Special Event Stations, July 4 Special Event stations, various Civil War anniversary special event stations, Bastille Day, as well as some State QSO Parties (Alabama).  Not to forget the other contests including North American QSO Party RTTY, CQ WW VHF Contest, and Flight of the Bumble Bees.  July is a great month for POTA – Parks On The Air – either as an Activator or as a Hunter.

While outdoors, keep an eye or ear on the weather.  There are a variety of battery powered “weather alert” radios for sale.  But did you know your HT most likely either has the NOAA weather frequencies programmed and easily scannable with a one-touch button.  (Seven VHF FM frequencies between 162.400 MHz and 162.550 MHz FM.  Details below.)  Or, you can save them as memory channels. 

CARC members have a fascinating variety of interests from “old fashioned Morse code”  or phone contacts to a variety of computer sound card data modes to digital (DMR) to cutting edge technologies such as Digital Voice and Meshtastic.

For more information, or if you want  to get onboard and be a part of the CARC Radio Road Show, please see https://www.radioclub-carc.com/touch-base/

 See ‘ya down the log.

Frank KB3PQT

 

 NOAA Weather  VHF FM Frequencies:

162.400 MHz       Baltimore, MD KEC83

162.425 MHz         

162.450 MHz         

162.475 MHz         

162.500 MHz        Hagerstown, MD WXM42

162.525 MHz         

162.550 MHz        Harrisburg, PA  WXL40

 

Greetings! — This is the December 2024 Issue
Volume 04, Issue 12 – Posted November 25, 2024

Here we are.  December 2024
Quite a year this has been!  Do you agree?

Your club and individual member accomplishments include: 

Attained 60 years serving the community and the hobby.

Published 14 How Do I… articles on the club’s Know-How Resources site.

Successfully promoted Parks On The Air (POTA) with 22 member participants.

Held Field Day @Shaffer Park with 23 participants who scored 2,446 points.

Ran a special event station honoring the National Railway Historical Society.

Celebrated our own 60^th anniversary with a special event station.

Served the community by providing communications support for the Dillsburg Farmers Fair Parade Chairperson and Parade Marshals.

Lit approximately 400 Holiday Luminaries at Children’s Lake in Boiling Springs, PA.

Operated weekly 10 meter nets on Wednesday at 8 p.m. local time.

Operated weekly 2 meter FM Simplex Phone nets on Sunday at 7 p.m. local time.

Operated 2 meter digital data nets using analog FM and FLDIGI sound card technology modes to communicate.

 

At the November meeting we elected officers for 2025.

President                               Frank Mellott             KB3PQT

Vice-President                      John Luthy                WA3KCP

Treasurer                               Garry Fasick              K3EYK

Secretary                               Paula Anstine           KC3UVH

Membership Secretary        Richard Johnson     N3EPY

 

Dave Smith W3SOX is the appointed trustee for the club call sign-K3IEC.

 

Not to forget our other Club Leaders and Volunteers:

Doug Stenger                       KC3CPT        Vice-President 2024

Steve Hancock                     N3FWE          Technology Guru, Photographer

Maura Smith-Mitsky            KC3JJH          Historian, Archivist, Holiday Event Planner

Mark Anstine                         KC3UVG       Operations Guru

Paula Anstine                       KC3UVH       Operations Guru

Harry Fasick                          K3EYL           CARC Representative to Farmers Fair Parade

Garry Fasick                          K3EYK           CARC Representative to Boiling Springs Civic                                                                                     Association (Luminary Sponsor)

Doug Stenger                       KC3CPT         Quartermaster

Frank Mellott                         KB3PQT        QSL Manager

R J Harris                               W3HP             Amateur Radio Advocate

Bobbe Rothermel                 WA3BKK       CARC Member since Day 1 in June 1964

Roger Wheeler                     K3SU              CARC Member since Day 1 in June 1964

Doug Stenger                       KC3CPT         Net Control Station for 2 Meter Phone Net

Garry Fasick                          K3EYK           Net Control Station for 10 Meter Phone Net

Valli Hoski                             N8QVT          Net Control Station for Farmers Fair Net

Andrew Forsyth                    AF3I              Net Control Station for 2 Meter Digital Net

 

We saw our club grow to 46 members with a gain of six new members this year. 
That is at least a modern record. 

 

Cumberland Amateur Radio Club members have the skills, and we have the talented people to advance the club along its journey for the next 60 years.

 

What have you done today?

 

For more information, or if you want  to get onboard and be a part of the CARC Radio Road Show,
please see https://www.radioclub-carc.com/touch-base/

 

See ‘ya down the log.
Frank KB3PQT

 

 #####

Greetings! — This is the January 2025 Issue
Volume 05, Issue 01 – Posted December 26, 2024

January.  Time to turn the calendar and launch a new year of service and education.

 

Your 2025 elected officer team is:

      President                                     Frank Mellott             KB3PQT

      Vice-President                            John Luthy                  WA3KCP

      Treasurer                                    Garry Fasick               K3EYK

      Secretary                                     Paula Anstine            KC3UVH

      Membership Secretary             Richard Johnson       N3EPY

 

Dave Smith W3SOX is the appointed trustee for the club call sign-K3IEC.

 

What do we hope to do in 2025?    In no particular order:

• Field Day 2025@Shaffer Park

• Promote portable operation and POTA through on-the-air activities.

• Operate the 10 Meter Phone Net on Wednesdays on 28,400 KHz USB at 8:00 p.m.

• Operate two 2-Meter nets on Sunday:

            A Digital Data net on 146.490 MHz FM Simplex at 6:00 p.m. local, and

            A Phone net on 146.490 MHz FM Simplex at 7:00 p.m. local.

• Assist newly licensed members in learning about the wonderful world of amateur radio.

• Set up and operate a multi-operator, multi-transmitter entry in the Pennsylvania QSO Party on Saturday October 11, 2025

• Provide communications for the Dillsburg Farmer’s Fair parade on Saturday October 18, 2025

• Light the Luminaries at Children’s Lake in Boiling Springs on December 30, 2025.

 

To do this, we need YOU!  Yes, YOU! 

• We need you to attend meetings, either in person or on Zoom.
• We need you to participate in events.
• We need you to not just show up, but help set up. And help tear down. 
• We need you to tell us what you want. Then help make it happen.

 

Let’s have a Sporcle.com moment.   They are big in the business of offering solutions to crossword puzzle clues.

Clue:        An association or organization dedicated to a particular interest or activity.

Answer:  Club.

 

Without people of a common interest, we are nothing.
By mobilizing people having a common interest and we can accomplish a lot.

 

“People of a common interest” refers to a group of individuals who share a similar passion, hobby, or topic of interest, allowing them to connect and engage with one another based on that shared enthusiasm; essentially, a community built around a specific area of shared knowledge or enjoyment.

Did you detect a pattern among the key words mentioned above?

            Interest
            Passion
            Connect
            Engage
            Enthusiasm
            Enjoyment

 

What have you done today?

 

For more information, or if you want  to get onboard and be a part of the CARC Radio Road Show,
please see https://www.radioclub-carc.com/touch-base/

See ‘ya down the log.
Frank KB3PQT

 #####

Greetings! — This is the February 2025 Issue
Volume 05, Issue 02 – Posted February 01, 2025

As I write this, your favorite local groundhog weather prognosticator has not had a chance to announce whether Spring will be early or not.  But no matter what happens, we do not have more than six weeks of Winter left.  The Old Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a wet spring with a warmer than normal April and May. 

February is great time to make your preparations to get outdoors and operate from your favorite park. 

February is also the start of the winter State QSO Party season.  What better way to practice your outdoor skills than to use the same equipment at home?

CARC has some very active and enthusiastic portable operators.

 

What have you done today?

 

For more information, or if you want  to get onboard and be a part of the CARC Radio Road Show,
please see https://www.radioclub-carc.com/touch-base/

See ‘ya down the log.
Frank KB3PQT

 #####

Greetings! — This is the March 2025 Issue
Volume 05, Issue 03 – Posted March 11, 2025

What does CARC mean to you?

If someone comes up to you and sees your spiffy CARC apparel or your CARC tumbler, and asks “What is CARC?”, do you have an elevator speech ready?

This column is inspired by an article about the Grange in the Lancaster Farming.  A Grange officer related that he was at the PA Farm Show.  A family stops by the booth and he gives his spiel about the Grange.  The mother looks at him and says “That’s nice, but what does it mean to you?”

The Grange was old when amateur radio first began.  It has been written off as outdated many times.  But it survives.

If someone asks you “What does CARC mean to you?” or “What does CARC do for you?” do you have a reply? 

What have you done today?

 

For more information, or if you want  to get onboard and be a part of the CARC Radio Road Show,
please see https://www.radioclub-carc.com/touch-base/

See ‘ya down the log.
Frank KB3PQT

 #####

Greetings! — This is the April 2025 Issue
Volume 05, Issue 04 – Posted April 04, 2025

April showers bring May flowers.  April showers can make it hard to get outdoors and operate.  But it is a great time to prepare your gear, get on the air in the various State QSO Parties and other contests, and work POTA – Parks on the Air with those operators located in drier and sunnier climes.

Looking to operate portable but the weather is not so great?  Try Portable on The Porch!  (Or garage, carport, deck, patio).  This can be a great way to test your radio gear without getting far from home.

 

What have you done today?

 

For more information, or if you want  to get onboard and be a part of the CARC Radio Road Show,
please see https://www.radioclub-carc.com/touch-base/

See ‘ya down the log.
Frank KB3PQT

 #####

Greetings! — This is the June 2025 Issue
Volume 05, Issue 06 — Posted June 01, 2025

June!   Dairy Month!   Strawberries!  Radio!  And in 2025, seemingly never ending rain.

Really.  June is an awesome month to play radio.  The 4^th weekend  (June 28-29) is the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Field Day.  Field Day was designed almost 90 years ago to encourage operators to operate in the field.  CARC uses the cabin at Shaffer Park in Carlisle.  CARC will operate as Class 3A using call sign K3IEC.

Want to practice for Field Day?  These contests will help you make contacts and hone your skills.

• Atlantic Canada QSO Party NEW FOR 2025 !                   7^th
• Kentucky QSO Party 7^th-8^th
• SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (WES) 14^th-15^th
• West Virginia QSO Party 14^th
• ARRL VHF Contest June 14^th-15^th
• ARRL Kids Day 21^st
• ARRL Field Day 28^th-29^th
• RAC Canada Day 8 p.m. on the 30^th-July1^st

 

It’s not too late to either get an amateur radio license and get on-the-air for Field Day. 
Or, let your fingers wander to Contact Us — Cumberland Amateur Radio Club for more Field Day info.

For more information, or if you want  to get onboard and be a part of the CARC Radio Road Show,
please see https://www.radioclub-carc.com/touch-base/

 

See ‘ya down the log.
Frank KB3PQT

 #####