Introduction

Bob Burleson, KG7QJ, is editor of the Arizona Desert AireWaves (ADAW) column for the Center for Amateur Radio Learning (CARL), the club that maintains and runs the amateur radio exhibit at the Arizona Science Center in downtown Phoenix under the call sign of W7ASC.

You may contact Bob if you are interested in volunteering your time for a few hours of one day per week helping man the station's ham shack.  His contact info is at the end of the news column below.

Arizona Science Center

Center for Amateur Radio Learning

February 2008 W7ASC Column

The W7ASC annual meeting was Saturday January 26th at the AZ Science Center. About 28 volunteers attended. We had the usual "Minutes of the Last Meeting", "Treasure's Report", and "Indicators". Rick KA9KZB gave a report on the Ham Shack improvements from the Tech committee and up-to-date information on the Ham Shack move. We will be closing down the W7ASC Shack early May and moving the present equipment and computers to storage. The Science Center will be reconstructing both the 2nd and 3rd floors over the next 2 1/2 months (May through July). As of now we will be rebuilding the New Shack on the 3rd floor and should have it ready for training the "Summer" volunteers by July 5th with the "Grand Opening" for the public about July 15th. Rick is planning a Field Day event (June 28-29) on the outside balcony, 3rd level. More on that as plans develop.

• We plan to have the W7ASC Shack 'Open' at all times. Equipment will be visible, but not accessible
• We plan to have a main server to handle all of the computer needs so that all radios can be controlled and available at each demonstration point with interactive demos available to the guests at all times.
• We want to demo Ham Radio for the next Ten Years in a professional looking Ham Station. "No more wire coat-hanger antennas!"

The new Board of Directors for 2008 was selected. The board will meet in Q1 2008 to select the President, Secretary, Vice President, and Treasurer. Slate of directors:

• Burleson, Bob KG7QJ
• Checketts, Rick KA0KZB
• Foster, Larry KC0JON
• Moretti, Skip K7OAH
• O'Neal, John KC7KML
• Stickney, George W7BXW
• Waddoups, Ray KE7FUM
• Zinder, David W7PMD

The Ham of the Year award was presented to Jean Jolkovski W4CIH. He had almost 300 hours for 2007! The HRO $50 door prize was won by Roger Buel W9NCQ, and the Kenwood TS735 went to John Ekiss AA6HA. Science Center Memberships were presented to those volunteers with over 100 hours and passes to those with over 50 hours.

The next Tech License class starts Saturday February 23rd at MCC. We have 11 students so far... it was 12 but one dropped out to get into skate-boarding because "Ham Radio was too expensive". I guess he didn't look into the cost of some of those power boards!? Oh, well.

We are still looking for more W7ASC volunteers. We have a presentation on the W7ASC shack and operation, including the new layout. If you would like to have a presentation at your club please contact me (see below). Spread the word at your Ham Club. Call 480-961-1109 and volunteer now. A Volunteer sign-up page is available at www.w7asc.org

--Regards, Bob Burleson KG7QJ
kg7qj@cox.net 480-961-1109