Planning for Field Day 2000 is well under way. A new bonus point category has been added for Field Day 2000. Groups can earn 100 bonus points by setting up a demonstration of a "nontraditional" amateur mode, including APRS, ATV or SSTV. The bonus does not include modes for which regular QSO credit already may be earned (such as AM or FM on phone or packet, PACTOR, AMTOR or PSK-31 on digital). There are no rule changes regarding the special Novice/Tech Plus station.

The Field Day participation pins also will be back this year. "No one could have predicted the tremendous response to the inaugural Field Day 1999 pins," said ARRL Contest Branch Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND. "The pins proved so popular, they are now a regular part of Field Day."

To earn the pin, all you need to do is participate in Field Day. There is no minimum number of contacts to achieve or ARRL sections to work. The pin is for anyone active in helping to make Field Day happen--from the set-up crew and on-the-air operators to the covered-dish organizers and generator crew. Field Day pins are $5 each. Clubs and groups are encouraged to purchase their pins together. The FD 2000 pins are available now. Send orders with payment to Field Day Pin Order, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. Henderson says the Field Day 2000 pin will make a fine addition to any ham's collection, but he recommends ordering as early as possible. The 1999 Field Day pins sold out rapidly. The ARRL website has the 2000 pin artwork – it’s a silhouette of a ham near the top of a tower supporting an HF yagi.

FEB MEETING AT KG0PI’s QTH The Work night at Jim’s shack on Garfield worked out great. We had some snafus, but managed to contact Seattle on PSK31. In addition to giving some hams the chance to witness the digital modes up close and personal, a good time ragchewing was had by all. Jim needs some followup work to complete interfacing the T/R switching etc.

NEXT VE TESTING APRIL 1 We will hold an additional pre-rule change VE test April 1. We have folks studying for 5 and 20 wpm cw, the General written, and other elements. This will again be a morning session at Colby City Hall .

BANDSCAN The effort to get a Kansas "PRB-1 Companion" bill through the legislature this year fell to opposition by the League of Municipalities. Thanks to our Representative Jim K0CVY, Kerry W0ON, the bill’s author, and other KS hams for working on the bill. It’s hoped the bill can work its way through next year. BT Bruce K0BJ has been enjoying 10M contacts with Mike KM9D/mm, currently down in Chile. The two met in ZF land (Cayman Islands) last January; Mike and his grilfriend Jan are hoping to circumnavigate the globe. Mike is also reachable via email thanks to an internet-HF packet "wormhole". BT Jim KG0PI has made it a clean sweep – all Colby Jim hams are proud owners of new 2m rigs. PI’s is a Kenwood TM261A 2m single-bander. Jim is impressed with the performance/price ratio. BT John WA0CAL got a small frequency counter from Radio Shack and is real impressed. The units are on sale right now for $60, and go into the UHF range. So if you are in the market for such, now’s a good time to jump. BT Good news for Armed Forces Day fans. The Dayton Hamvention is still being held on Armed Forces Day, but the entire week leading up to AF Day is Armed Forces Week, and this year the crossband contacts and receiving tests will be held the previous Saturday. BT K0FJ and KB0LGZ were among the city crew that plucked the old decommissioned 50’ Rohn 25 at the souoth end of the airport terminal. Because of past assistance to the city by TARC, we have control over this nice chunk of tower sections.