Making Things Last
We bought our refrigerator around 28 years ago, a no frills, top freezer, mechanical thermostat Admiral. A simple fridge, with no ice maker or water dispenser, it did its job well, day after day without complaint. Spacious inside, no matter how much we stuffed it, it was rare that the door wouldn’t close. We liked our fridge.
But in the past few years some issues were showing up – it seemed to run a lot, ice would build up on the ceiling in the fridge and then melt and drip on items, and the freezer temperature control was stuck. Fixing it would require accessing the evaporator section, and that was a big job. Was it time to replace it? Thanks to the internet, I’ve known for many years that modern/new refrigerators do not last very long. 5-10 years is about all they’re good for if you’re lucky. Given that, should I try to keep this one going? Yes!
I’ll save you the gory details but after 7+ hours of work, the fridge is happier, there’s no ice building up on the ceiling of the fridge, the freezer air damper control functions, and the fridge is not running as much. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth the effort. Our dependable fridge continues to work day after day, its doors still covered with postcards and small souvenirs from places we’ve visited, pictures of pets we miss, and of course a shopping list.
What Does An Old Fridge Have To Do With Ham Radio?
K6MEP, the Ventura County Amateur Radio Club, exists because of you and what you do for our club. We’ve been around a long time. From our website: “The Ventura County Amateur Radio Club (VCARC), call sign K6MEP, is an ARRL affiliated club that was organized in 1936.” We exist because you are a member of this club, you attend our meetings, participate in our special events (Field Day, picnics, Decemberfest, etc), and volunteer to help with cleanup days. You participate in our nets, help each other out by answering ham radio questions, go to the homes of hams that need help, and represent our club and ham radio to the public. Without your participation and membership, we wouldn’t be here.
October is membership renewal time. Although there is little difference between a member and a non-member (only members get to be officers, vote in November elections, and historically receive a discount on their Decemberfest meal) I hope that you find that we provide value to you and the ham community and we are worthy of your renewal.
Renewals can be made via our ‘Donate’ button on our website at https://k6mep.org/membership/ , or you may pay our treasurer John W6JPG in-person at our club meeting. Finally you may send a check written out to VCARC and mailing it to our club’s address: VCARC PO BOX 2103, Oxnard CA 93034-2103. No matter what method you choose, please make sure you let us know your callsign and that the payment is for your renewal. Cost is still only $20/year.
Thank you for investing in your club.
Upcoming Elections!
November is when we hold our club elections. Any club member in good standing (membership is current) may run for any of our office positions, even President! Only 1 month away, now is the time to consider who you would like to see on the ballot. You may nominate anyone, even yourself, however if it is someone else, please get their okay before throwing their hat into the ring.
What Is Happening In October?
Oct 10, Friday 19:00 Monthly Club Meeting – Grace Lutheran Church Ventura and over Zoom.
Mark AE6GD will give a presentation on antenna tuners. If you want to know how they work and their proper use, don’t miss this meeting! We will have refreshments, a raffle, boxes of stuff, and as you read above, you’ll be able to renew your membership in-person with our treasurer.
Oct 11, Saturday 10:00-11:00am Practical Lessons in Ham Radio – FT8 – Grace Lutheran Church Ventura
The first of hopefully a regular bi-monthly ‘Practical Lesson’ on a particular ham subject. This date’s lesson will be on FT8 – what it is but more importantly how to set it up.
These lessons are different from what would normally be covered in our monthly club meetings. The class size will be small, composed of those that are truly interested in the subject, and you’ll get to practice what you learn afterwards in the Portable Operations and Help event that follows.
Oct 11, Saturday 11:00-14:00 Portable Operations and Help Event – Grace Lutheran Church Pavilion
As usual, the club will provide fire and water – you bring something to cook for yourself if you’d like. Come out and set up a radio and operate! Or if you need help with your rig, an antenna, or you just have ham questions, come out and we’ll get you going. If you’re coming to the FT8 class before this, bring your equipment and let’s get you going on FT8!
See you all at the club meetings!
Dave AI6VX
