April 2025 - Maple Grove Radio Club

MGRC Mission Statement

Maple Grove Radio Club provides education to current and future amateur radio operators, with the goal of serving the public. We are a reliable communications resource for events and emergencies in Maple Grove and surrounding communities.

President's Message

This is a reminder that if you have not filled out a new application form to please do so. We are updating everyone’s information as we have had a lot of members move and also upgrade licenses and call signs. Email the membership email or bring a printed copy filled out to club meetings.

ARRL DX SSB Contest

The recent shack event for the ARRL DX SSB contest March 1st through 2nd operating as KØLTC was a resounding success with an impressive turnout. A total of 9 operators participated, including WB9CFN, KFØDZE, NØRUG, KFØRMY, AEØIM, KFØQOL, KØDJD, AAØFG, and WØADL. Demonstrating their skills and enthusiasm, the club managed 148 contacts with 49 DXCC entities across all continents, minus Antarctica. Such contesting provides valuable experience for handling rapid traffic and is excellent practice for net control duties.

-WØADL

I am excited to announce an upcoming event at our shack for the ARRL Ham Radio Open House, which will take place on Friday, April 25th. This nationwide event is part of the celebrations surrounding World Amateur Radio Day on April 18th and marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). We are looking to make this event a memorable one and would love for you to join us. Whether you are an experienced operator or a newcomer to ham radio, your participation will be greatly valued. Please contact me, Aaron Lewis W0ADL@outlook.com, if you are interested in running a session or helping with the arrangements. More info at https://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-ham-radio-open-house-continues-to-grow

-WØADL

Connect with Elmers/Mentors

Additionally, please follow the Maple Grove Radio Club Facebook page for frequent updates on club member activities.

Join Us for a Pre-Meeting HF Operation Session

Aaron WØADL would like to invite all club members to stop by our shack on April 1st between 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM to operate on the HF bands before the club meeting. This is an excellent opportunity, especially for those who have never used their callsign on HF before.

For our Technician class licensees, given the recent amazing band conditions, we should find someone available on the 10-meter band to make contact with you. This session is designed to be fun, supportive, and friendly, making it the perfect environment for both seasoned operators and newcomers.

Come join us and experience the excitement of HF operation. If you have any questions, please direct them to W0ADL@outlook.com.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Monthly Meeting

TALARC The American Legion Amateur Radio Club

Club Calendar of Events

For Sale: Kenwood Transceiver

Kenwood Transceiver model TS-520S.

Kenwood Digital Readout model DG-5.

I bought this from a local ham estate sale. It was in working condition when it was sold, I bought it and dismantled it, cleaned some switches and other miscellaneous internal items. Made some brief electrical/RF tests and looks okay. The digital readout unit is a factory companion to the TS-520S. I paid $150 for this unit and spent some time with it, and it is looking nice, clean, and operational. It comes with the manual and a Kenwood hand microphone, but the microphone was for the newer 8-pin connector, this unit uses the 4-pin connector. Slight connector change will be necessary. For a club member needing a transceiver, I will sell it for what I paid for it.

Thank you,

Gordon Patenaude

WAØWSR

Interesting Media and Links

Peter VK3YE shares his cheap and basic electronics playlist. He talks about what are the various electronic components and how to use them. He has an amazing ham radio channel with tons of great content. I even like to watch his QRP operating videos. It's a fast favorite channel of mine and had to share.

Our friends from across the pond the Radio Society of Great Britain published their 2024 Convention that occurred last October. They are another channel with lots of great content and presentations. I found the conference very interesting because the RSGB seems to be battling some of the same challenges we are as a community.

I was really inspired when Pat Gearty WØYES showed me some the radios that he works on. Made me wish I had the skills to fix up some radio gear. In a similar fashion this channel fixes up equipment, a Yeasu FT-101, and I find it fun to watch and hear him explain what he is doing.

ARRL NEWS

FCC Initiates Broad Inquiry on Rules to Delete or Amend

In a Public Notice titled “In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete,” issued on March 12, 2025, the FCC is soliciting public input on any FCC rules in any service that members of the public believe should be deleted or modified “for the purpose of alleviating unnecessary regulatory burdens.” This is the latest in a series of similar proceedings going back to 1996, when the Communications Act was amended to require the FCC to periodically review its rules.

ARRL, through its Executive Committee and FCC Counsel, is conducting a review of the provisions in Part 97 and other related rules that apply to radio amateurs. ARRL is also soliciting feedback from its members. Rules identified as outmoded, obsolete, or that for other reasons should be repealed or modified, will be included in ARRL’s filing to be submitted no later than the FCC deadline of April 11, 2025. The deadline for filing reply comments is April 28, 2025.

It is expected that the Commission will incorporate suggestions that it decides worthy of its consideration in a future Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that could be issued later this year. There will then be an opportunity for public comment on the specific rules that the Commission proposes for deletion or modification.

A PDF of the FCC Public Notice is available here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-25-219A1.pdf.

76th International DX Convention April 11 – 13 in Visalia, CA

Join DX enthusiasts from around the world as they gather for the 76th International DX Convention in Visalia, California. The popular event runs April 11 – 13, 2025. This ARRL convention will feature several days of exciting programming, forums, and seminars. It is sponsored by the Northern California DX Club.

On Friday, April 11, a full-day track of the Next Generation DXing Program will feature the latest in how DXpedition leaders are planning missions, using innovative technologies like Radio In a Box (RIB), providing data links in extreme and remote conditions, and building teams to deliver incredible numbers of contacts with hams around the world.

ARRL representatives will be on hand for the event, and to document some of the seminars on video for the ARRLHQ YouTube channel and the ARRL Learning Center. ARRL Southwestern Division Vice Director Ned Stearns, AA7A, is among the co-chairs who have organized the convention. There will be on-site DXCC card checking. An exhibit hall will let attendees visit with manufacturers and retailers of amateur radio gear. Other exciting learning opportunities include a Contest Academy and DX Academy.

More information about the event, including registration and accommodations, can be found at www.dxconvention.com. Preregistration rates are valid until April 3, 2025.

ARRL Ham Radio Open House Continues to Grow

Dozens of amateur radio clubs have made plans to host an ARRL Ham Radio Open House in April. The nationwide event is centered around World Amateur Radio Day on April 18. 2025 is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).

While we’ve been using radio for well over 100 years, amateur radio operators continue to be on the cutting edge of innovation in electrical engineering. Modern weak signal modes, digital modulation schemes, and software defined radios show that ham radio is a vibrant and modern hobby. For many students, it also provides a pathway toward being the technology innovators of the future.

ARRL Ham Radio Open House is a time to show our communities how modern and innovative amateur radio is, and to welcome them to be a part of it. ARRL, HamSCI, and SciStarter are encouraging clubs to have visitors to their sites participate in hands-on activities that can count toward the nationwide goal of documenting 1 million acts of science in April – which is Citizen Science Month.

The ARRL Public Relations Committee held a live webinar on March 19 to help clubs form and promote their ARRL Ham Radio Open House. A recording of the event can be seen on the ARRLHQ YouTube channel.

The publicity kit is also available at this link. Find an open house (or list yours) at www.arrl.org/open-house. Learn more at www.arrl.org/world-amateur-radio-day.

Upcoming State, Section, and Division Conventions

• March 29 | Central Dakota Amateur Radio Club Hamfest, hosting the ARRL North Dakota State Convention, Bismarck, North Dakota

• April 5 | RARSfest, hosting the ARRL North Carolina State Convention, Raleigh, North Carolina

• April 11 - 12 | Green Country Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Oklahoma State Convention, Claremore, Oklahoma

• April 25 - 27 | Big Bear HamEscape, hosting the ARRL Orange Section Convention, Big Bear Lake, California

• April 26 | Delmarva Amateur Radio and Electronics Expo, hosting the ARRL Delaware State Convention, Georgetown, Delaware

• April 26 | Spokane Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Washington State Convention, Spokane Valley, Washington

• May 4 | Warminster Amateur Radio Club – Annual Hamfest, hosting the ARRL Eastern Pennsylvania Section Convention, Bristol, Pennsylvania

• May 10 | Lincoln Amateur Radio Club, hosting the ARRL Nebraska State Convention, Lincoln, Nebraska

• May 16 - 18 | Dayton Hamvention®, Xenia, Ohio

• May 30 - June 1 | SEA-PAC, hosting the ARRL Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside, Oregon

Board Members