Amateur Radio Field Day 2012

Since 1933 amateur radio clubs and groups have gathered to challenge themselves and other operators around the country and world in this annual contest of technical abilities, emergency communications, points, and bragging rights. The third Friday and Saturday of June is when this contest takes place. For this 24 hour period, hams across the world leave the comfort of their families and lock themselves in their “ham shacks” and campsites for a day of relentless contacts and working the bugs out of communication systems.

The following link is the youtube video of the Linn County Amateur Radio Emergency Services group field day event.
http://youtu.be/Z5DyYyTKE1A

    This year, Amateur Radio Field Day took place on the 22^nd and 23^{rd of} June. Two local groups, the Peak Radio Association, (W7PRA), and the Linn County Amateur Radio Emergency Service group, (L.C.A.R.E.S), (W7AEP), battled it out in this event sponsored by the International Amateur Radio Union, (IARU) and the American Radio Relay League, (ARRL). The Peak Radio Association, which is headquartered in Corvallis, held their event just outside Monroe, Oregon.

Members of the Peak Radio Association monitor frequencies

W7PRA boasted four stations, including digital and high frequency, (HF) all while using battery, solar and generator power. They worked with at least four flat-side directional, several long wire and vertical antennas. The club was thoroughly energized by the event, and a good time was had by all.

The banner for the LCARES group

The LCARES group is headquartered in Albany, but had their event at Cheadle Lake Park in Lebanon, Oregon. The rain dampened the spirits of the club members a little but the shelters and antennas went up nonetheless. The group set up two different stations. One that operated on voice HF frequency bands and one that operated on digital HF frequency bands. All the power used by the transmitters was supplied by an alternator attached to an exercise bike. Everyone there had a wonderful day, despite the wet weather.

Roy, KE7WZ, working an HF band

The comradery and fellowship of these contests that are surrounded by ham radio are outstanding. No matter the weather, it is always fun to be a part of ham radio field day events. To be a part of next year’s events, next spring go to arrl.org for information on the closest Amateur Radio Field Day event. And remember, when all else fails, ham radio works.

http://youtu.be/varHL752Odk

The Santiam Restaurant

The Santiam Restaurant is a student-run, fine dinning eating establishment on the campus of Linn-Benton Community College. This is no average eatery, the chefs-in-training are very serious about their career and the wait staff are very devout to the excellence to the service.

Instructor Scott Hurrley reads from a recipe book.

Preparing the next meal

An instructor demonstrates a dish preparation

Jessica Jerrett(far left), Shea Henthorn, Molly Ward(far right), and the rest of the dinning staff make plans for the days meal.

A table by the window prepared for high class dinning.

Ansel Adams

           Making Black and White Photography Cool: Ansel Adams

Through history mankind has been replicating images that mean something through paintings or photography. Whether it’s the majestic beauty of a snow covered mountain, or the sad reality of a homeless mother on the street corner giving her starving children the last scraps of spoiled food, images can be a very powerful thing. Photographers have captured the image of war, death, homeless, personal tragedy, joy, excitement, and most any other human emotion. However, with all the famous photographers in the world only one came to mind.

Since I spent most of my youth in Alaska, I grew up having a deep respect and love for nature. I recall having the love for a mountain, the fondness for trees, admiring the beauty of the rainbow, and the respect for the wildlife.  Ansel Adams also had a love of nature; moreover, he captured that respect and love with black and white photography.

Ansel Eston Adams was born in San Francisco in 1902 on Febuary 20. He was a difficult and rebellious student. By the age of 12, his farther stopped trying to make him attend and pulled him out of school. Adams, however, proved to be autodidact and became a gifted, self-taught musician.

In 1916 he got his first camera, Kodak Box Brownie, and began taking photo during a visit to Yosemite Nation Park. In 1917 and 1918 he even worked part time at a photo finishing business. He became employed by Yosemite Nation Park in 1919 as a custodian and led weekly expeditions around the park. He looked at his snap shots of the landscape and his “visual diary”. A 61/2*81/2-inch Korona view camera was then used for his galleries. He spent an afternoon on his most famous piece, Monolith, the Face of Half Dome, Yosemite National Park.

The more photos, the more he became involved with the park and the land and became a staunch conservationist. From 1934 to 1971 he became the director of the Sierra Club. In 1940 he helped to form the curatorial department devoted to photography at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

In 1980 Adams was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Ansel Adams died as the most important landscape photographer of the 20th century on April 22, 1984, in Carmel, California

LBCC 3rd Annual Liberty Tree Fair

The original plan for the Liberty Tree Fair was to be in the court yard on a sunny day complete with Old Glory and our own “Liberty Tree”. Perhaps that was part of the problem on Thursday when the weather did not cooperate and just a few organization appeared in Takena Hall.

Photo from therealrevo.com

The original Liberty Tree is where the patriots of the American Revolution met to plan their strategy for dealing with the British tyranny. The LBCC democracy club, Democracy in Action, hosted the fair in the spirit of the Liberty Tree. This is the third year the club has hosted the event.

The Democracy Club invited any and all political, civil and community parties and groups in the area to make an appearance and spread the word of their views and ideologies to students and the general public. Exercising our 1^st Amendment rights of freedom of speech is the key to our democratic republic.

Hannah DeVyldere

A few of the groups that made the appearance was Hannah DeVyldere with Oregon2012.org. They were collecting signatures to put on the ballot a measure to make it illegal to use public money for abortions. Hannah noticed that even people who are pro-choice signed the petition in their understanding that not everyone is for abortions, and the public shouldn’t have to pay for it.

All photos by Dale Hummel

 A representative from Americans for Prosperity was there. He was explaining that the group is non-partisan with conservative values. Jim Clausen, the representative, suggested visiting www. AmericansforPosperity.org for more information

The Republican and Democratic Party sat nearly across from each other and seemed to be “fishing” as potential supporters walked by. Josh Carper of the Linn County Democrats provided some lively and challenging debates.

A couple of representatives from the Occupy movement had positioned themselves at the event. Unfortunately, they didn’t seem to be in much of a mood to debate or discuss their views when confronted by people with opposing views and opinions.

At the north end of Takena Hall was a table with a prize wheel. An individual would spin the wheel and answer a question about our rights and the Amendments to the Constitution. Anyone who spun the wheel, correct answer or not, won a small prize. A correct answer would earn a pen or key chain. Three correct answers would earn a t-shirt.

Even though the 3rd Annual Liberty Tree Fair at Takena Hall wasn’t quite the success it was meant to be, it was successful nonetheless. For more on Democracy in Action, the LBCC democracy club, please contact Dr. Robert Harrison by email. harrisr@linnbenton.edu, and don’t forget to exercise your 1^st Amendment rights.

Action; Civil War Reenactment

To honor the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, several re enactment groups "fought it out" on May 19th and 20th at Cheadle Lake in Lebanon. Among the groups in battle were the 116th Pennsylvania reenactment group, the 19th Indiana volunteer infantry the Texas 4th, and numerous other from Virginia, Maryland, and New York.
If you would like to participate in reenactments like these, no matter what side you want to be on, please visit www.nwcwc.org

The Confederate artillery sets off a volley

The Union artillery burst puts a hole in a Confederate infantry line

The Confederate Calvary does it's best to hold off the Yankees

After some advancement, the Union line fires off a volley at more Rebs

The Confederate line lets the Yankees know they mean business.

A young Union soldier does his job to help support the camp between battles

A man in the civilian camp does some leather work.

Musicians in the Confederate camp pass the time with some delightful music

Dr. Harrison, while on duty in the 19th Indiana infantry, wavein' his hat "hello".

 Union soldiers of the 116th Pennsylvania infantry advance forward

Members of the 116th Pennsylvania infantry shoot a Confederate soldier

A Sergent from the 116th Pennsylvania infantry gives comfort to a dieing Confederate officer

The photographer documenting his recent work.

Free shot; The Peak Radio Asscociation

The Peak Radio Association is an amateur radio club based in Corvallis, Oregon, however, its members are from all over Western Oregon. The following is from their May 2012 meeting.

Close up

Two Very High Frequency(VHF) antennas that were used on Marys Peak. They were damaged during the  winter storms of 2011/'12  

"Distant" shot
Members of the Peak Radio Association at their May 2012 meeting. The group is discussing their plans for the Field Day event.

Medium Shot

Chris Novara, K7TVL of the Peak Radio Association, tunes a VHF filter for optimal performance.

Neighborhood Photos

Environmental Portrait

Police Officer Sgt. J.Drum preparing for a shift and ready for duty.

Landmark

The Ellsworth Street. Bridge over the Willamette River in Albany

News/Feature

The roadside memorial for Catherine McLaughlin and her toddler son, Aiden. The two perished last January. during the flood of Periwinkle Creek in Albany at the corner of Geary and Queen Street.

Week 5 Assingment

Getting ready for lunch

Preparing food

Serving costumers

Profile/Mug: Bill Post

Bill Post

Bill Post in his natural state. Bill has been in radio for more than 30 years and has been the host of The Bill Post Radio Show on KYKN radio in Salem, Oregon for over three years.

Silence!!

From The Personal Files

Ed to Shred performing at the Dixie Creek Saloon in Tangent in 2011

 DeeDee Jonrowe at the 2007 Iditarod

Moon Over Anchorage. January 2006

WWII "ReEnactors" during the 2010 Veteren's Day Parade