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•         Autopatch and  IRLP Codes

The club customarily changes the access codes for the autopatch on the 145.220 and 224.000 MHz repeaters, and the IRLP on the 145.340 machine, effective January 1 of each year.  This is done so that these benefits are available only to those amateurs who support the club through membership.  At the moment, however, non-member use of the autopatch and IRLP isn’t a problem.  So, tradition will be broken next year and the codes will not change on January 1, 2005. 

Since the autopatch and IRLP linking are members-only benefits, please do not discuss codes on the air or disclose them to non-members.

The annual RMRL holiday dinner will be held on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.  The location is the Country Buffet restaurant, 301 West Girard Avenue in Englewood.  This is the same restaurant where we have met for the past several years.  It is northwest of the intersection of Broadway and Hampden.  The cost for all you can eat is $9.87 (including tax) for adults, $9.12 (including tax) for seniors. Kids 12 and under are 55 cents per year of age, plus tax.  We will hear from the officers about the state of the club, recognize this year’s volunteers, elect officers for next year, and give away some early Christmas presents (door prizes).  Please plan to attend and enjoy some holiday cheer!

As pretty much everyone knows, this year’s RMRL hamfest was cancelled.  There were three reasons for this decision.  First, the lower level of the building that we usually rent at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds was undergoing renovation and unavailable.  This level is where we conduct the VE testing and ARRL forum.  Since there were no alternate facilities available, we would have had to eliminate these important activities.  Second, Ron, NØMQJ, who has ably coordinated the hamfest for many years, was unavailable because of other commitments, and a replacement coordinator was not found until too late.  Finally, the club is currently in good shape financially and the Board of Directors determined we could go a year without the income derived from the hamfest.

This break is a good opportunity for all members to think about what the club’s hamfest should become in the future.  It’s no secret that attendance at traditional hamfests like ours has been steadily declining for the past several years.  There are several reasons for this, but one is competition from the many on-line facilitities where ham equipment can be bought and sold nowadays.  Reduced attendance goes hand-in-hand with reduced income, of course.  According to a recent issue of BARC’s Bark, the Boulder Amateur Radio Club made just over a thousand dollars from BARCfest this year.  Although that may sound like a lot of money, it really isn’t considering the amount of time and effort involved in planning and running a traditional hamfest.  To put it in another perspective, the RMRL made more than three times that amount from our hamfest ten years ago.

Given this, what should our club’s hamfest look like going forward?  Should we have a hamfest at all?  The hamfest is an important income source for the club, and members enjoy it, so most would probably agree it should continue in some form.  One thought is to simplify the event and keep costs as low as possible.  For example, we could sponsor an outdoor swap during the summer at a parking lot somewhere (no rent, of course).  Sellers would be charged some amount per vehicle and would sell out of their vehicles.  Buyers’ admission would be free.  The club could offer the membership special we’ve had for the past several hamfests and also raffle off some inexpensive door and grand prizes.

This is just one idea – what are yours?  Let the officers know by voicing your opinion!

RMRL members Warren, NØFVG and his XYL Jan, NØLMC left the Denver area a few months ago to relocate in Idaho.  According to Warren, he and Jan will be living on a ranch where they will be riding horses, working on airplanes, fishing, hunting, and relaxing.

It’s difficult to describe how much Warren has done for the RMRL over the years – serving as club president, Sunday night net control operator (yes, the club net was on Sunday nights at one time!), helping with repeater technical support, involvement with the hamfest, acting as repeater trustee, and arranging meeting programs, just to mention a few things.  Warren got involved with the RMRL around 1985 at a time when many long-time club volunteers were moving on for various reasons, and he ended up running the RMRL almost single-handedly for a period of time.  He certainly helped the club through a difficult period and it’s questionable whether the RMRL would be around today if he hadn’t come along when he did.

We certainly wish Warren and Jan the very best in the future!

With Warren, NØFVG leaving the area a new trustee for the club’s 449.125 MHz repeater was needed.  Jim, WØLGF agreed to take the job and you’ve probably heard his callsign on the repeater by now.  Jim is another long-time member and volunteer who the club can always depend on to help out with just about anything.  Thanks Jim, we really appreciate it!