131 results for author: Scott Toth


September GARA Meeting – Piedmont NTS

At the beginning of last month's meeting we had a short presentation by Kenny Grabarczyk, KK4HAO about a new National Traffic System net that he is trying to establish in the Triad.  Since there was a good bit of interest in this topic, and since we didn't have time to go through all of the details, Kenny has offered to return this month to provide more insights into the net and show us how it will work.  This is your opportunity to learn about NTS, ask questions, and find a way to become involved.  I hope to see you all there on Monday, September 25!

Qorvo Amateur Radio Club Freegate this Saturday!

FreeGate 2017 is happening THIS SATURDAY, September 23, 2017.  Put it on your schedule to be there! FreeGate will be held in the back parking lot at the Qorvo headquarters at 7628 Thorndike Road in Greensboro.  For more information, visit http://kd4rf.org.

August GARA Meeting – Pre-Shelby Sale!

This month's meeting will have a lot of things to offer and you're going to want to be there.  First off, GARA will have many items on hand that have been donated to the club for fundraising purposes and will be selling them at the meeting.  Anything that isn't sold will be taken to the Shelby Hamfest and sold there, so this is your chance to get some great deals on some good gear.  Much of the gear that will be on hand is test or computer equipment, but we will also have a full list of stuff that GARA has for sale. Second, we're going to have a short announcement from Kenny Grabarczyk, KK4HAO about his desire to start up an NTS traffic net in ...

July GARA Meeting- Time to Learn CW!

Well, now that another Field Day has passed and we're moving into the summer heat, it's time to get back to business and meet in the cool, refreshing air conditioning at Cooper's Ale House on Monday, July 24.  If you're like me (i.e., not proficient in Morse Code), there's probably a mystique surrounding CW and using Morse Code in amateur radio despite the things you've read and heard.  Even if you're an old pro, this month's presentation will be a treat that will bring a lot of good information.  Our very own Chris Thompson, K4HC, will be speaking to the club about Morse Code, how to learn it, how to operate using it, and many other topics ...

April GARA Meeting: Tell us about your HT, with bonus raffle!

A few weeks ago, a number of hams volunteered to help with the Odyssey of the Mind event at NC A&T by providing communications between event officials and staff.  While I was preparing my gear for the day, I had a thought about our upcoming meeting because I had a hard time deciding which HT to bring, which headset to use (I needed one that would be comfortable to use for the entire day), how long the battery would last, or if I had a spare.  I figured that if I was having those questions, others must be too.  It also occurred to me that it might serve our newer members better to have a meeting topic that is dedicated to our experiences with ...

Watch the March GARA Meeting Live

If you're not able to attend this month's GARA meeting in person, you'll still be able to view it right here.  Check out the player above, and assuming everything works properly, you'll be able to see the meeting beginning at 7:15pm EST.  See you then!

GARA Gear

GARA is making items like shirts, mugs, tote bags, etc. that bear the club logo available via SpreadShirt- an online custom printing shop.  These items will help you show your support and encourage camaraderie among our members.  Many of the products can even be customized with your own call sign!  And besides, when you purchase one of these items, 20% of the purchase price goes directly  to support GARA.  To take advantage of this opportunity, point your browser to https://shop.spreadshirt.com/gara/ and show everyone how much fun ham radio, alongside GARA, can be!  We will add new items periodically, so check back often to see what else ...

March GARA Meeting: Guilford County Auxcomm

You won't want to miss this month's GARA meeting.  Greensboro is blessed to be home to Guilford County Auxcomm (formerly ARES), a great group of people who train, prepare, and stand by to assist with emergency communications at a moment's notice.  Jim Waynick N4JLW, the Guilford County Emergency Coordinator, will be presenting on Auxcomm activities, preparations, and achievements, and let us know how we can become involved to serve our community in times of need.  Be sure to set aside the time to meet at Cooper's Ale House this coming Monday.

February GARA Meeting: Echolink

Put February's meeting on your calendar now as you won't want to miss it.  GARA's own Tom Bertolino, KB1P will be teaching us how to setup and use Echolink, the global repeater linking system that lets hams communicate even when their radios aren't nearby.  GARA has its own Echolink node (currently named "K2CPR-R" in Echolink) that will let you use the W4GSO 145.150 repeater via your computer or smart phone, so understanding the system will help you to keep in touch even when you're away.  As an added bonus, the K2CPR-R Echolink node works with both analog and Fusion/C4FM transmissions, so you can join in digital conversations even if you don't ...

Join GARA for the North Carolina QSO Party

GARA will be participating in the North Carolina QSO Party on Sunday, 2/26. We will be using the Club Call Sign, W4GSO. Operating with two transmitters, we are going to compete in the category “Club In-State.” GARA is also an award sponsor for NCQP. Everyone in the club is invited to attend and participate in operating on the air, with plenty of opportunities for new operators to get on the air and learn the ropes of contesting. We will meet at Strandberg Engineering, located at 1302 N. OHenry Blvd. in Greensboro, on Sunday, 2/26 at 8 AM. The contest runs from 10 AM to 8 PM. We apologize for the late announcement but the logistics were ...