5^th Annual ARRL Southern New Jersey
Section Convention

45^th Annual GCARC Hamfest

Sunday, September 10, 2023

**** Rain or Shine ****

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The Club Would Like To Thank Everyone Who Attended Our Hamfest. Despite The Weather, We Had Another Successful Hamfest. We Would Also Like To Thank The Club Members Who Volunteered To Work At The Hamfest. Without Those Dedicated Volunteers, Our Hamfest Would Not Take Place.
See You All Next Year, Sunday, September 8, 2024!​

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2023 Hamfest Highlights

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2023 Hamfest Program Forums

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2023 Hamfest Door Prize Winners

2023 Hamfest Door Prize Winners
Company	Donation	Winner
GCARC Grand Prize	$200.00	Nuno Carvalho, N1SJ
ARRL : www.arrl.org	$50.00 Gift Certificate	Bruce Lordi, N2XP
ARRL : www.arrl.org	$50.00 Gift Certificate	Not Recorded
ARRL : www.arrl.org	$25.00 Gift Certificate	Alexander Persichino, WA2BMB
ARRL : www.arrl.org	$25.00 Gift Certificate	Stephen Salgaller, WA3ZGT
ARRL : www.arrl.org	ARRL Operating Manual	Nancy Wick, KA2YNH
Arrow Antennas : www.arrowantennas.com	Arrow II Model 146/437-10WBP Hand-Held Portable Satellite Antenna	Ronald Adams, WB2YZS
Comet Antenna (NCG Company) : www.cometantenna.com	(3) Pilsner Glasses	Ralph Hawes Jr, KE2AZL
Bioenno Power : www.bioennopower.com	BLF-1220A : 20 Amp LiFePO4 Battery With Charger	Phil Nunzio, WA3RGY
Bioenno Power : www.bioennopower.com	BLF-1220A : 20 Amp LiFePO4 Battery With Charger	Jack Gordon, WA2RHJ
Bioenno Power : www.bioennopower.com	BLF-1220A : 20 Amp LiFePO4 Battery With Charger	Edward Scheidts, KC2QFB
Bioenno Power : www.bioennopower.com	BLF-1215A : 15 Amp LiFePO4 Battery With Charger	Charlie Olinda, N2SRQ
Bioenno Power : www.bioennopower.com	BLF-1212A : 12 Amp LiFePO4 Battery With Charger	Herb Keaton, N2GEW
Bioenno Power : www.bioennopower.com	BLF-1212A : 12 Amp LiFePO4 Battery With Charger	Ronnie Miller Jr, W2PIG
Craig "Buck" K4IA Books : www.easywayhambooks.com	Pass Your Amateur Radio Technician Class Test	Hand Giveaway
Craig "Buck" K4IA Books : www.easywayhambooks.com	Pass Your Amateur Radio General Class Test	Robert Halpin, WA2RJH
Craig "Buck" K4IA Books : www.easywayhambooks.com	Pass Your Amateur Radio Amateur Extra Class Test & How To Chase, Work, & Confirm DX	Ernie Mercado, NJ2E
Craig "Buck" K4IA Books : www.easywayhambooks.com	How To Get On HF, The Easy Way	Hand Giveaway
SDRPlay : www.sdrplay.com	SDRPlay RSP1A Receiver Gift Certificate	Peter Volpa, N2REA
SDRPlay : www.sdrplay.com	$50 Gift Certificate	Randy Dorman Jr, KB3IFH
MFJ Enterprises : www.mfjenterprises.com	MFJ-261 Dummy Load & MFJ 108B Clock	Del Davis, K2DOD
MFJ Enterprises : www.mfjenterprises.com	MFJ-1716 HT Antenna & MFJ 108B Clock	Robert Castellini, N2IEC
Signal Stuff : www.signalstuff.com	HT Antenna Gift Certificate	Dave Paster, AC2IQ
Signal Stuff : www.signalstuff.com	HT Antenna Gift Certificate	Anthony Giardina, WE2D
Signal Stuff : www.signalstuff.com	HT Antenna Gift Certificate	Doug Dersch, KD2VQA
Signal Stuff : www.signalstuff.com	HT Antenna Gift Certificate	On Hand
Signal Stuff : www.signalstuff.com	HT Antenna Gift Certificate	On Hand
A Special Thank You To All Who Donated These Prizes See You Next Year! : Sunday, September 8, 2024

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GCARC 2023 Hamfest Special Event Station Log Ops : Mark Gottlieb, KK2L
Date	Time	Call	Band	Freq	Mode	Grid²	Location	Comments
09/10/2023	13:58	N4WYE	20M	14.200	SSB	EM73tx	Marietta, GA	Lee Johnson III
Gloucester County Amateur Radio Club - September 10, 2023

*** Intermittent Storm Conditions ***
Every time Mark tried to set up, it started raining again!
Alas, only one contact!

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Forum Schedule For The 2023 Hamfest
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0800 Hours
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Jim Wright, N2GXJ : 160M Wire Loop?

Our HF radios are often capable of operating on more ham bands than we ever get to use, mostly due to various practical antenna constraints. What are we missing? Particularly that medium frequency band; that one below HF. You know the one - the 160-meter band. That band most of us have only read about. But there's also those other bands too, we find ourselves with radios supporting that we rarely get a chance to operate on, like 17 meters. We often see spots for good DX listed on 17-meters, but have no ability to get there.

​How frustrating! Come on out to hear about our adventure and find out what went well, and what didn't, along with some 20/20 hindsight.

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0900 Hours
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Carol Richards, N2MM : HF Propagation

What are the characteristics of Solar Cycle 25; where it is presently and where it is expected in the next few years. Starting with propagation basics, the terms Solar Index Flux, Solar Noise, the A index, and K indices are described. Followed by a brief description of the factors which affect radio propagation is presented along with a historical basis of past solar cycles and how they might influence the present solar cycle.

​And finally, a discussion of geomagnetic storms as predictors of propagation as they pertain to Amateur Radio operators.

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Bob Famiglio, K3RF

Marty Pittinger, KB3MXM

Tom Preiser, N2XW

1000 Hours : Bob Famiglio, K3RF : ARRL Update
 
Annual Summary of the ARRL Activities and Current Issues :

• Bob Famiglio, K3RF : ARRL Atlantic Division Director
• Marty Pittinger, KB3MXM : ARRL Atlantic Division Vice Director
• Tom Preiser, N2XW : ARRL Southern New Jersey Section Manager

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1100 Hours

Chris Prioli, AD2CS : Soldering Done Right

​We will look into the fine art of soldering as it applies to Amateur Radio :

• Through-hole
• Surface-mount
• Desoldering
• Component removal for both leaded and lead-free solder

​While not a complete course by any stretch of the imagination, this session will nonetheless make the attendee feel more confident when it comes to those routine soldering tasks faced by the Ham in his or her own shack.

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There will be a VE session at the September 10, 2023 Hamfest. It will be held at the W2MMD Clubhouse at 9 AM. All candidates will be required to have a FCC Registration Number (FRN) and a valid email address.
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How To Get An FCC Registration Number (FRN)

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Hamfest Contact : Sheldon Parker, K2MEN
​sheldonparker <at> comcast <dot> net

Gloucester County 4-H Fairgrounds
​235 Bridgeton Pike (Route 77), Mullica Hill, NJ 08062

GPS Heading : 39.715572°, -75.211944°

Gloucester County 4-H Fairgrounds

W2MMD Clubhouse