Radio Happenings for the End of Winter 2026

 

                           

                           THE GREEN BAY MIKE & KEY CLUB

  If we did not know before, we now know what a Blizzard looks like.. New stories that start with "Back during the blizzard of '26 ... "  Actually, it helped provide the time to sit back and turn on the radio shack and work the Wisconsin QSO Party... 

    Did you get on and give it a try? I did .. had a hiccup to start .. for some reason the WI QSO Log did not want to open on my PC.. I knew it was one revision old... so I tried to upgrade it .. but that did not work because the original was before 2021 (at least that what popped up on the screen) It might not have been because was running windows 7  ??  After a bunch of  uninstalls and deletes and upgrade downloads, it finally works.. just in time...  

      I started out on 40 meters where the waterfall was full on my 7300... so as I started to pick the stations up, everything  smoothed out.. after two hours I could not find a new call sign to call.. But I did enjoy  the chat with our own AB9GK, Gene on 7258. He brings out the real enjoyment of operating the radio. It is not just an exchange of call signs and counties. He asks how you are doing , what are you operating with or where are you operating from..     Thanks for being out there Gene..  

    Well, I switched over to 20 meters where I did well last year.. .. but not this year.. had a lot of Oklahoma QSO parties and POTA stations.. well I should not say "a lot" ..  But I did enjoy the time on the radio even knowing I was not in the line for any awards... Sent in my report to the host Club.. Even if you did not have a big score, turn in your log,, together we can have a good count for our GBM&K Club;

    One event that I really enjoyed was one station said. "Wow there sure is a lot of Brown County stations calling in.. you must have a great club to get that many participating !!!.""  

     As we make plans for warmer days there are few coming up faster than we may think ... 

    March 21.. First day of Spring !! 

    March 30..  Possible transferring of the .360 Repeater .. off the air.. 

    March 31     Non paid members become in the arrears .. 

    April  19,      Fox Hunt  on the 147.120 repeater 

  Just so you know that the dues payment policy has changed slightly...You can pay for the coming year in Oct through March. If you are not paid up by then, the whole payment still is due. And you will be removed from the active list and email.  There is not a partial year payment.  If you make a payment between April 1st and September 30th, you will be paying for that year and not the following year... 

  There will be VE testing again at the Hamfest at the end of May.... IF you know of someone  that would like to have some help with passing the Tech Level of the License.. Our In House Professor of the Ham Cram will be holding another session prior to that .. More information coming and it would help if they read the instructions on what is needed to register for the Cram..... 

     Thanks to everyone for their patience of not  using the .120 repeater last Saturday while the ARES group held a Simulated Emergency Test other wise know as a S.E.T. ..The event went well.. IF you are interested in being a part of the ARES group. feel free to contact Bill Duveneck, KB3KYH .. 

      

      Just a reminder that the contest for making a Kit or a "home brew" project will conclude in August.. so there is time to begin one or the other ... For kits, just have to mention STEM projects and up pops a pile of places to get some..  for home brew, I went to electronic projects and got this website with Ideas..  https://www.etechnophiles.com/100-electronics-projects-ideas/  If you need resistors, I have a bunch but not variable type.. 

     Speaking of building projects, the club will have an antenna building event when it gets warmer.. We have a number of insulators for the ends of a wire dipole antenna as well as the center connection with the SO 239 already  in place.. you would just need the wire.. Wire is not as inexpensive as it used to be.. but even the small wire used as the "invisible dog fence" or galvanized chicken wire works ....But you need a few feet more for when you tune  the antenna( Just in case)  ...   stay tuned. . 

     Mike, thanks for the information about the Promotion of one of our Club members from Chief Engineer to General Manager/CEO of Voice of The Master Radio Network. ... Congratulations to Brett Gibson, KTØT

            Stay Radio Active ... 

                                       Ben Franklin said " Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late" ... 

Radio Happenings for the week of March 8th, 2026

 

      How long does it take you to adapt to the time change?  or were you late for anything before you realized that you were supposed to set the clock ahead?   Well, don't feel alone... it takes me a while to get my body to change especially  with the light difference.. which is the biggest effect on us ... 

      Seeing that the coming week events were described pretty much last newsletter, I will not do it for all the events this week.. (check the website) (oops this is the website) 

      Calendar:

       Wednesday , 03/11... Siren Test Net.. 11:45 check in Siren sounds at noon... 147.120 VHF  List attached below

       Thursday    ,  03/12    6:30 Tech Talk ... CW      7 PM Club Meeting .. Updates on most of what is coming up ... 

       Saturday,      03/14    Starting around 9AM, the ARES group will be conducting an Simulated Emergency Test (SET) . The participants will be using the 147.120 repeater. Please know that this is a DRILL and that it is a Directed Net and those participating have already been advised . The events that they will simulate may seem real .. Please refrain from joining in . This will end on or about noon .. 

         Sunday ,   03/15     Please join in the Wisconsin QSO Party starting at 1PM until 8PM .. when filling out your Log Submission, please put the Green Bay Mike & Key Club as your Club.. Points will be given to individuals as well as participating Clubs. The QSO party is on the Agenda for the Club Meeting on Thursday... 

         Tuesday ,   03/17...  CQ Tuesday .. (why is the beer green?) OH it is also St. Patrick's Day  

         .~~   Monday  03/30   The .360 Repeater, Fusion may go off the air. They will be going to the new site near Champion.. Mid April start up.    

         Thanks to Paul KBØP, for taking the Trustee position for the K9EAM Repeater and thanks to Mel K9GB for his years as Trustee and the use of his call sign.. 

RYAN PARK        BIG SOCCER COMPLEX    SMALL BUILDING ON RIGHT IS WHERE WE WILL BE             

        

 

 food to pass.... donations $ to defray rental.. dress for the weather to help with antennas going up and down ... 

 

Radio Happenings March 3, 2026

 

  Happy  March !! Coming in like a Lamb this year. At least in our area. Good example is  this coming week... 

  So what is happening?  Well, starting this coming Sunday the 8th, about 2AM .. is when we move our clocks ahead an hour to usher in Daylight Savings Time...  so we can go to work earlier and not have the sun in our eyes .. 😎

   The Siren Test Net will be on the 11th at the usual time of 11:45 but we found out that we are not sure of when the sirens will sound it should be at Noon.. .. they have been a little late the past couple of weeks.. the list will be going out on Sunday. 

  

   The next day (12th)  will be the GBM&K Club meeting there will be a Tech Talk at 6:30.. It will be about CW or sending of Morse Code .. some history and and how to get into it ...

    The Club meeting will have more information about the events coming up and how you can be involved.. Hopefully. 

  ***  Here is one on Sunday the 15th.. Wisconsin QSO Party.. You can operate from home and if you have room, invite some new folks to help operate and show the fun of operating on HF ..What to do .. go online to https://mail.warac.org/wqp/wqp.htm. A couple of us have rented a heated building( with indoor plumbing)  in Ryan Park which is just into Kewaunee County and will be setting up to operate from there.   You are welcome to come and join in from 12 to 7pm ...  Go east on Hwy 29 until you come to County B... then turn North .. keep gong North (do not turn on Cty F) (You are going to RYAN Park) you will come to Cty C. There  is a WAUN radio tower ... the park is across the road.  A nice wooded area right in the back of the park building where the antennas will go... hope you come and give a hand with that as well... feel free to bring some eatables .... There will be at least two HF radios there.. You will hear more about this at the Club meeting... 

     CQ Tuesday will be on St. Patrick's Day March 17th.. A good time for Key Lime Pie for lunch...               

 

**To let you know that the .360 Repeater, Fusion will be off the air on or around the 30th of March.. This is to facilitate the moving it to the Champion Tower which should come up on the air in mid April   Hear more at the meeting... 

    Looking for a little something to help the Club?.. We have been getting QSL Cards for the K9EAM call sign that goes back quite a few years .. they have been coming in as EQSL emails... Need a QSL Manager/Director ... Interested, notify a Board Member. 

    Dues Reminder !! 

    CLUB HamFest in Green Bay May 30th.. plan now to lend a hand.. it helps when it comes to maintaining our Repeaters and other equipment you use... 

     Connie sent a nice note thanking everyone that participated in the Zoom meeting with the members of the Apollo 13 Control Center. (cannot find it to send along) there were 51 participants which is a nice showing... Thanks .. for that and setting up another Multi Club Picnic again at Bay Shore Park In May.... 

Happenings Update 2.15. 2026

 

   Yes here it is Friday the 13th.. As I look at the calendar it becomes a blur  Valentines Day.. Presidents Day, then Fat Tuesday ( eat Paczki Day) , then Ash Wednesday .. And then we have to squeeze in some radio stuff before Easter in 40 some days.. 

            Here is an event which is interesting .. Remember Apollo 13 mission? Want to hear from some that were in the control room during the events that took place then?  Here is some info..  There is an attachment to this email that was sent to Bill KB3KYH from Connie KE9ALV. As you look through it please note a couple of things..

 One, there is a link to a great documentary "Mission Control Unsung Heroes of Apollo"  https://www.youtube/watch?v=GVDTSfyFTTY  (note: this link did not work for me but used  ( https://tubitv.com/movies/517547/mission-control-the-unsung-heroes-of-apollo ) refresh  your memory  of the Mission. 

 ***But be sure to read the attachment and note the February 21st at 10AM Zoom meeting with Connie and three of the members of Mission Control.. also any questions need to go through Connie prior to the Zoom meeting. The zoom link is in the attached letter.. 

Thanks Connie.. 

     It was agreed to have another "Maker" contest. Between now and August, make a homebrew device or a kit . In August bring in your "device" and demonstrate it .. There will be two categories.. Kit or Homebrew. Awards in each categories .. so get out the soldering iron...     We did this a couple of years ago and we saw a lot of talent in both groups..         

    A month from now we will be setting up for the Wisconsin QSO Party.. Hopefully you will be also.  March 15th  from 1PM to 8PM. Surprisingly it did not fall on the same weekend as the time change as in the past .. Also, the big contest will not be on so contacts should be easier (?) .. Don't have a HF rig? or are a tech? ask a member with a higher level license and use the Club Shack.... be sure to ask first.. remember you cannot  use the Club Callsign with out first making arrangements --  only one group can use it .  

     DUES ... There is a number of folks that have yet to pay their dues for 2026, Some say they are not sure if they paid or not so please check to be sure.. 

     Want some update Ham Information .. here is a great online magazine .. East Coast Reflector V25   https://eastcoastreflector.com/magazine_vol25

       Parts for the new location of the .360 repeater have been ordered .. The time line is flagged for mid April to be on the air.. 

         Wishing you all a great weekend and don't forget Valentines Day ... Stay Radio Active