Minden Amateur Radio Association was begun in 1991 with about 20 members and now has members from all over north Louisiana and the surrounding areas. We have a very active club, holding monthly meetings as well as other activities, notably our annual Hamfest and Field Day. The club is ARRL affiliated and holds Special Service Club status. We sponsor the repeater that is the hub of the North LA Link System. As inscribed on our logo, a club dedicated to Public Service through Communications.

North Louisiana Link System

We sponsor the hub repeater, N5RD, located in Bryceland for the link system. Our own member, Bill Sullivan, trustee for both N5RD-147.300 and KB5PKW-145.430, maintains the repeaters. Skywarn and other emergency communications that may arise may use the link as need dictates.

Meetings

Our monthly meetings are held on the third Saturday of every month at the Exacta Inn, located in Minden just north of I-20 at the Minden/Sibley exit. The meeting time 12:15pm, but we usually gather to have lunch earlier (11:15 - 11:30am). We welcome all - members, guests, amateurs, and those who are merely interested in the hobby. Please come join us.

Public Service

MARA is designated as a Special Service Club. We participate in many events during the year. These have included Mardi Gras parades, walk-a-thons, bike-a-thons, the Caney Lake Triathlon as well as Skywarn when the need arises. We are also availble for any communication needs of north Louisiana.

Skywarn (K5SHV)

Operation out of Shreveport uses 146.670 as the primary repeater. If weather to the east dictates warnings being issued, the North Louisiana Link System is used.

 

Packet DX Cluster

Northwest Louisiana Dx Society
The call for the cluster is K5TL, located in Doyline, LA, and owned and operated by Troy, W5AU. It may currently be accessed via telnet at "DXC.K5TL.COM" using any standard telnet client. Please feel free to use it as much as you would like. It also makes a good local mail drop. Mark the mail as LOCAL and it stays on the K5TL box. If you mark it ALL it will propagate world wide.

The help manual is located here:
http://www.ab5k.net/ArcDocsVer6/UserManual/ArcIntroduction.htm

A nice, multi-featured, MS Windows based dx cluster program is on the website here.

At present there is no RF Packet Link for it, but if there is enough activity and requests for RF, that would be a future possibility. This cluster has been operational for over 5 years, and is QRV 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


ARRL Louisiana Section Events and Info
more info...

Jun 7-8, 2013 Plano Hamcom - Plano, TX
more info...

Jun 22-23, 2013 ARRL Field Day
more info...


New: 60m Rules   more info...

Note: The hub repeater, N5RD, 147.300, will now have PL 186.2, encoding only, due to interference.

Note: The ARCOS repeater, 146.670, is now toned with PL 186.2.


VE Test Schedule
9:00am
Christus Schumpert Hospital
Classroom #1
1 St. Mary's Place
Shreveport, LA

Jun 15, 2013
Aug 17, 2013
Oct 19, 2013
Dec (at Hamfest, Minden, LA)


Note: Check out Rick's for parts in our links.