Northern Virginia FM Association Meeting on Jan 21, 2016
Ross Amico
Northern Virginia FM Association
New Year Message
Dear Members, New Members, and Prospective Members
Welcome to the New Year 2016.
I am pleased to announce our Annual General Meeting on January 21, 2016 at 7:30 pm at the Junior Achievement Finance Park, 4099 Pickett Road, Fairfax, VA 22032-1266. This meeting will feature a hands on presentation by Bruce Freund of the new Yaesu DR-1X repeater in both analog and digital C4FM modes, and hands on examination of the physical internals of the repeater. NVFMA currently has DR-1Xs on the air on 146.91 and 448.825 MHz, and has three more DR-1Xs for use on other VHF and UHF frequencies, as well as possible use as link repeaters. All Radio Amateurs are welcome to join us!
53.61, 146.79, 146.91, 224.1, 447.025, and 448.825 repeaters are on the air for analog FM. In addition, 146.91 has the capability of C4FM digital input with analog FM output. 144.39 and 145.73 digi- repeaters are operational, along with the D-Star stack at 145.34, 448.035, and 1254.2. This puts the NVFMA in the unique position of operating more repeaters than any other amateur radio group in Northern Virginia, providing the local Amateur community the opportunity to operate on all of these analog and digital options.
I especially want to congratulate new Hams from the CERT and First Responders communities who successfully completed the Technician License classes. NVFMA repeaters can play a key role in public service by providing wide area emergency communications and support communications for events, drills, and training, as they already do for ARES and CERT. The NVFMA Board of Directors would like to welcome all of you to the Amateur Radio fraternity by offering a complimentary membership to the NVFMA for the remainder of the membership year (from now until June 30, 2016). Just fill out the membership form found on the NVFMA.ORG website and mail it to the address provided there. We currently have two empty positions on the Board of Directors, and would welcome any new members to fill these. Of special interest would be a Director with IT experience to be responsible for operation of the D-Star stack.
NVFMA is facing personnel and financing challenges to maintain the large pool of repeaters and to help identify and establish a new site or sites to replace the station in the Massey Building in Fairfax, which will become unavailable during 2016. For this reason, we solicit support and assistance from all Amateurs in the Northern Virginia area.
Best wishes for the New Year! And I look forward to seeing you at the General Meeting on the 21st!
73,
Evan Alford
KQ4CI