A license doesn’t make anyone ham. The license merely allows you to become a ham. It takes many years to become a ham. It’s a process, not really an end.
This page and the calendar page are used for notifying members of scheduled Club activities or changes in those activities. It will also notify members of any upcoming item considered of interest to Club members (such as ARRL or FCC fee or regulation changes with links to those items). The page will change frequently as notifications become outdated and are removed. If you have an item you feel should be posted here, or in our “Member’s Corner”, for our members send me an email.
3 June 2025
Our next meeting will be on the 11th of June at the VFW Hall, 1325 Pine St, corner of Pine and Division. (a map can be found here, if you are not familiar with Sandpoint) At our monthly meetings the doors open before 6 PM for set-up, between 6:00 and 6:30PM you can find answers to your questions or just enjoy the fellowship of our members, the meeting starts promptly at 6:30PM.
Next meeting topic: Field Day 2025 presented by Daryl Baird K6KRG
Join us at our next breakfast on July 26, 2025, 9-10:30 am, at Connie’s.
Meeting and breakfast dates for the rest of the year (as I now have them): The meeting dates are pretty static but breakfast dates (at Connies unless otherwise noted) frequently change due to various conflicts. Check here for any changes in schedule.
Meeting Breakfast Meeting Breakfast Meeting Breakfast
Jun – 11 Canceled
Jul – 9 Jul – 26 Aug – 13 Aug – 23 Sept – 10 Sept – 27
Oct – 8 Oct – 25 Nov – 12 Nov – 22 Dec – 10 Dec – 27
Club News – Scatter Shooting
Want to find out about amateur radio, even if you don’t have your license?
Consider joining us at the 2025 BCARC Field Day, Saturday-June 28th. The Field Day event will be held from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Edgemere Grange, 3273 Bandy Rd., Priest River, ID 83856 (Just South of Priest River). From Priest River (miles shown are total from Priest River) from Priest River take Wisconsin St, south to Dufort Rd. (.4 mi); turn left and follow Dufort south to Spirit Lake Cutoff (5.7 mi); turn right and continue south on Spirit Lake Cutoff to Curtis Creek Rd. (10 mi); turn left and follow Curtis Creek Rd. east to Bandy Rd. (11.7 mi); Turn left on Bandy Rd. and follow east to the Grange (12.3 mi). If you have your “handy-talkie” and need directions we will be monitoring 145.600 MHz (simplex) and can talk you in.
The presentation slides of past meetings, that have been made available to me, are now posted in PDF format on the “Monthly Publications” page.
Website:
A new area has been created “Members Corner”. If you have an issue/concern that you feel should be brought to the attention of our members, contact me at our monthly meeting or send me an email. I will need a brief statement with the following: 1) what the issue is, 2) what, if anything, has been done, 3) any supporting documentation, and, 4) any help or assistance required. Please be aware that, if this is a controversial subject, I may refer it to the Board of Directors before placing it on the site. Any updates or follow-up will be posted, when feedback is received from the posting member, within each issues ‘ section.
All Monthly Publications, in PowerPoint format, and the current, as well as 1 year of past copies of the COAX, in PDF format, can be downloaded from this area. The June issue of the COAX can be viewed here.
If you are not a member of groups.io , it is highly recommended that you join the group. BCARC members will have to subscribe to groups.io in order to receive direct communications from the Club. Non members will need to access the Facebook page or this website for links to the monthly presentations (PowerPoint format) and the COAX Newsletter. In addition, the Zoom code to attend meetings using Zoom will only be placed on the groups.io site. When requesting admission please give your name and call sign.
Remember that it is by your dues that we are able to maintain and update our repeaters. By completing a new form each year we are able to verify and maintain accurate records for our membership. Please allow time for processing. A membership application is available here.
Upcoming Events/Activities:
Digital Contest (FT8/FT4) – June 7-8: Amateurs worldwide contact and exchange QSO information with other amateurs using any digital mode (excluding RTTY) that supports the 4-digit Grid Square exchange — attended operation only — on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10 and 6 meter bands (Technicians are limited per FCC Rules to the 10 and 6 meter bands). http://www.arrl.org/arrl-digital-contest
Museum Ships Weekend – June 7-8: Organized by The Battleship New Jersey Amateur Radio Station, there are over 101 ships participating this year. As they state, this is not a contest but a FUN event! https://www.nj2bb.org/museum/
Veterans sponsored local yard sale – June 14th at the Sandpoint VFW Hall; 1525 Pine St. (see map information above); 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Anyone can participate; cost for 8′ table to display your items is $20.00 (1st come,1st serve basis). For more info contact: (208) 263-9613 (leave a message) or Ken @ (208) 301-8152
June VHF Contest – June 14-16: For amateurs in the US and Canada (and their possessions) to work as many amateur stations in as many different 2 degrees x 1 degree Maidenhead grid squares as possible using authorized frequencies above 50 MHz. Stations outside the US & Canada (and their possessions) may only work stations in the US (and its possessions) and Canada. https://www.arrl.org/june-vhf
Inland Empire VHF Radio Amateurs Swap
Meet – June 14: Located at Plante’s Ferry Park, 12320 E. Upriver Drive, Spokane Valley, WA 99213 https://www.arrl.org/hamfests/inland-empire-vhf-radio-amateurs-swap-meet
17th Annual 13 Colonies Event – July 1-7: Try and make contact with special stations in all 13 original colonies. http://www.13colonies.us/