GPS (global positioning system) units are fast becoming a way of life.  Many auto manufacturers are now offering "OnStar" (see last month's editorial!) and the price of small handheld units are now competively priced in the $100-$150 range.  In addition, the Motorola cellphone, Model V-60X, has a built-in GPS (call 911 and you can be pinpointed to within 300 yards)...much better than the older "nearest tower" concept which could be up to 10 miles distant!
     New Car-Jacking                         Scheme! Our Mailing address is:  Lenoir Amateur Radio Club,  P.O. Box 3276, Lenoir, NC, 28645. ARRL Affiliation Membership dues for the Lenoir ARC are currently $15. for the year... with a Family Membership at $25.00.  Associate member dues are $10.00...but carries no voting rights. Membership dues for those joining after July 1st  are prorated. ( The club's Constitution and Bylaws requires members be dropped if dues are not paid by March 31st of any given year)
No new visitors were present and there were no new members to join the club at the April 2006 meeting. Please note! Speaking of Addresses... The LARC now has a brand-new web domain identity - thanks to Gary, KD4YTU!  He has secured for us the domain address of Lenoir-ARC.org (and .net) .  Gary will set up a number of email addresses using this domain and later will host our very own website on his server free of charge!  Add ti onally, this newsletter will be available on the website for viewing and/or printing simply by clicking on one of the several "tabs".  Work will begin shortly on the design and implementation of the new website!! The editor reserves the right to edit and/or paraphrase articles or "news" submitted for inclusion into the LARC newsletter due to time, content, and/or space constraints.  No political and/or religious viewpoints please!   Submit articles, etc.,  to Jim, N4EUX, at n4eux@arrl.net    tnx! GPS      Our Newsletter
Our Mailing address is:  Lenoir Amateur Radio Club,  P.O. Box 3276, Lenoir, NC, 28645. Website Address... Our official website address is http://www.lenoir-arc.org  Be  careful when typing it in to your address window of your browser...that's a hyphen (some refer to it as a dash) between "lenoir" and "arc" - not an underscore! Membership
Jim N4EUX The Newsletter undergoes constant changes...with columns coming/going,  in an attempt to bring you a newsy, easy-to-read format and platform to keep you, the reader, aware of the club's activities. Experimental typefonts, colors, and presentations are made on a regular basis to enhance that goal.
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Want to see changes in the Newsletter? Your suggestions for new topics and/or columns are both encouraged & welcomed. Let the editor know!!!
Pg 2 FIELD DAY 2006 is June 24th & 25th.  Get your gear checked out early!
The Catawba Valley Hamfest was another success!  Thanks to all who were able to help. It's great to see our members get more involved with the Hamfest.  The cookout on Friday night was great!  Food and fellowship was shared by the participating club's members and their families as well as the vendors and their families.  This is a great time to meet members from the other clubs in the area and get to know the vendors personally.  I have been helping for 3 years and it has been an eye opening experience.  It takes a lot of work to pull off a hamfest and the Board of Directors and committee members have worked well together to run a near flawless event. But we need help!  Some have been doing this for 9 years and need a break. Please consider serving as a committee member next year.  73's Tom, ka4hkk
The LARC Newsletter has been published each month (except during the club's "hibernation" period) since October 1986!   Zowie!! The Constitution & By-Laws Committee, having performed its intended purpose of recommending a proposed amendment/revision to that document, was dissolved on a motion after the document was ratified by a majority vote.

The Disaster Mobile Unit Trailer Committee had no news to report, altho plans to move the trailer's  present location from behind EMS to the Hudson Fire Department was discussed.
As usual, I look forward to the annual Catawba Valley Hamfest and enjoyed it this year.  However, I am dismayed at the fact that there is a growing trend to have the main prize drawing at 1 PM at many hamfests...and the CV Hamfest was no exception.  The drawing for the main prize is a signal to hamfest-goers and dealers alike to dismantle and go home!  It seems to me that reverting back  to 3PM (or even 2PM) of this important d rawing would be to everyone's advantage.  The shopper has more time to shop and dealers have more time to sell.  Pity those that don't come to the 'fest until noon or later!  They h ave to feel like they have been short-changed! The main argument for a 1PM drawing is to allow the dealers to dismantle so they can travel to, and setup at, a Sunday hamfest. They need to set their priorities! Back Next