Welcome to 2021 and a NEW beginning for TCARA!

First, Let me Apologize for not posting something sooner, Tim N6DLC (our Web Host and IT superstar) and myself have been feverishly working through technical issues on the administrative side of the website. Tim has narrowed it down enough to allow me back into site administration and I will take every opportunity to add to and improve this site as time will allow.

New opportunities even in this pandemic are presenting themselves daily in our Amateur Radio hobby. There are online Ham educational forums and Hamfests being posted regularly, the Ham Radio “Youtubers” are adding content so quickly it is hard to keep up! Beyond that within TCARA and other local clubs we have opportunities for daily connections to our local Ham Radio community.

TCARA hosts a Weekly Net Sunday at 7:00 PM PST on the WA6FZH Repeater 446.400 (103.5) in a conversational roundtable format allowing you to share you thoughts, ask questions and get information about the club and the hobby. As a side note, our sister club hosts a nightly roundtable net on the same repeater at 8:00 PM PST with the exception of using a nightly topical suggestion to start the conversation. Each club allows ANY licensed Ham to participate and focuses on New Hams and Amateurs returning to the hobby.

Along with these “Nets” TCARA has adopted the use of ZOOM.us for hosted Video conferences, A weekly “Zoom at Noon” each Saturday at noon (of course), This has become a fun, Interesting and educational meeting, I know I always have a great laugh and feel very connected “Post Zoom Chat” Zoom also serves to facilitate monthly general membership meeting in Lieu of the Physical meeting at Brackett Field during this Pandemic. I do expect the even after the return of those physical meetings we will maintain a version (Hybrid) of the Zoom connection for folks that are homebound.

As I heard on a newscast just today, Some of the factors for being more susceptible to Covid-19 are Loneliness, Stress, Depression and anxiety. As this Pandemic/Lockdown began I was recovering from a invasive surgery that had me homebound for several weeks. To avoid the doldrums and maintain social connections I convinced the Officers in a local radio club to begin a nightly net that became a form of not only staying connected (while distancing) but checking on each others well being and finding out who had a line on a toilet paper, Hand Sanitizer, bottled water supply!

Please use these resources being provided by YOUR local Ham Radio community and help us build on what has become a thriving, fun, active group of Amateurs. As a member of a re-energized TCARA executive board I know that more than just “Plans” are being made. This TCARA board wants to hear all of your ideas, concerns, complaints and will do our best to listen and acknowledge those ideas. We want to offer Much more to our membership including this informative website, timely and relevant programs, better communication and when it is allowed physical meetings including Kit/antenna/soldering builds, Picnics and partnering with our sister club for “Radio in the Park” and Hospitality hosting at Radio Swap Meets.

I am Hopeful and Confident that things will improve concerning this pandemic and we WILL get back together physically. I Know there is lots of energy to do the things I have mentioned and I personally am looking forward to doing/hosting/attending each of them that I can. I look forward to seeing all of you, Members, Guests and friends on Zoom, on the radio and when it’s allowed in person.

’73 Ken KC6WOK

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