Thanks everybody who volunteered at the Osseo Lions Roar Parade. The Lions appreciate how smoothly their parade goes when we are there. And we have fun doing it. Also, thanks to everybody who helped with the Twin Cities Marathon.
We’ve taken the next step with the TALARC partnership with the Chester Bird Post of The American Legion. Tim, Craig, and I signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The Post has been very welcoming of us. When we are finally safe to meet in person, this is going to be a great place. The MOU is worded so that it should help us apply for grant money to improve the emergency communications facilities at the post, and we will be helping build that.
Speaking of facilities at the Post, we have been building the start of a station. It’s just a shed, not even a shack, but it’s a start. We have 3 VHF/UHF antennas on the roof of the Post, and a long-wire hanging from the trees. We could use a lot more help to finish this. Contact Tim Arimond, me, or any TALARC member if you’d like to get in on the action.
Starting Monday October 4th, we’ll be teaching a General License Preparation Class. It’s mostly on Zoom, but we’ll have some in-person classes at the Post. If you’d like to upgrade to General, or if you’d like to help teach, contact Gordy and me by emailing registration@mnyarc.org.
The AERO classes are starting up again, with AERO 101 on October 9th. Our most important public service is Emergency Communications, and this course teaches the basics of this. If you haven’t taken this class, or need a refresher, now is your chance. Be sure to take the online FEMA classes ICS-100 and ICS-700, these are prerequisites. Just google “ICS 100” to find it. Email georgecpower@gmail.com to register or get more information.
The current surge of Covid seems to be easing off a little. Even though we all wish we were done with Covid, it’s quite clear Covid is not done with us. I think we might be able to start meeting in person in a month or two, even if some of us are going to be attending by Zoom. I’ll need some A/V nerds to help me set that up right. I don’t want the Zoom audience to feel like they are second-class citizens.
That’s all I have this month.
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Benton Jackson, K0BHJ
