The Mason County Amateur Radio Club will meet Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 8:30 am at the Alpine Way Retirement Apartments in Shelton, Washington. (Coffee provided)   Need directions? Hope everyone had a great time at the Mike & Key Ham fest last month!

VE exams for all license levels are offered the second Saturday of each month at 1000 (10 A.M.) at the PUD building (although this is changing. I’m just not sure when yet.), 307 West Cota Street, Shelton. Click on the link or come to the meeting for directions. For testing you will need the original and a copy of your present license (if you have your ticket already), some form of ID with YOUR picture on it and $15.

Ok, this will look neater for the next post. The NEW LOCATION for the VE exams will be at PUD#3, 2621 Johns Prairie Rd.  Auditorium A, 10 AM  2nd Sat each month.

At the last meeting we elected a new President of the club: Ray-KE7PHU. Lee-W7FBI is now the vice-President (but says he’s too old to start looking for vice now). Jean-AA7JK and Stan-KF7LTT remain in their respective offices. Congratulations all.

As of March 5, US amateurs have new privileges on the 60 meter band. In addition to an increase in effective radiated power from 50 to 100 W, hams can now transmit CW and PSK31 on the following channel-center frequencies:

• Channel 1: 5332.0 kHz
• Channel 2: 5348.0 kHz
• Channel 3: 5358.5 kHz
• Channel 4: 5373.0 kHz
• Channel 5: 5405.0 kHz

Amateurs can also transmit USB voice and PACTOR III on the following suppressed carrier frequencies (the frequencies typically shown on transceiver displays):

• Channel 1: 5330.5 kHz
• Channel 2: 5346.5 kHz
• Channel 3: 5357.0 kHz
• Channel 4: 5371.5 kHz
• Channel 5: 5403.5 kHz

For more information, please see 60 Meter Operations — New Privileges and Recommended Practices, published by the ARRL HF Band Planning Committee. A revised ARRL band chart is also available. Watch for the article “New Privileges on 60 Meters” by ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, in the April 2012 issue of QST.