With a very successful club auction behind us, and the winter months closing in, we can put our efforts towards taking a critical look at our radio shacks with an eye toward improvements, enhancements, and just plain ergonomics. Function over form and access to those critical components will go a long way toward making our time in front of our equipment more enjoyable.

Welcome to Fall and all the changes that come with it. Loss of daylight, loss of hot temperatures, and the opportunity to get out and enjoy the moderate temperatures with portable operations before the winter winds blow in.

This is the best time of year to inspect your antenna installations before it becomes too difficult to move around outside. With the leaves falling, antenna lines become more visible in the trees and making sure they are secure can prevent failures during the winter months. So get out and inspect your coax and connectors as well.

As summer is slowly coming to a close I hope all of our membership is actively getting out to do Hams in the Park, QRP Night, POTA and other outdoor adventures. Band conditions have been pretty good during this cycle and this is the best time to add those contacts you have been looking for. Fall is also a good time to get outdoors and inspect your antennas, feedlines, and connections to make sure they will withstand Mother Nature’s winter onslaught.

Well, the months seem to be flying by with summer in full swing. Time to think about upcoming events like QRP Night in Skokie and the opening of registration for the Chicago Marathon in October. I have included a message from our past President, Rob Orr to help our members register for this great Event. Our club has always had great participation and I hope all of our new members will consider registering and participating in this year’s event.

June is a very special month for NS9RC. All hands on deck! The preparations for Field Day has arrived. June 24-25 with Friday, June 23rd for setup at Clarkson Park in Northfield, IL. So mark your calendars and set aside time to come out to help us make this the best Field Day ever. We still need people to help setup, tear down, and operate day and night starting on Friday afternoon, with the initial setup of our antenna arrays; with a catered lunch from Portillos to start things off for those that help out.