FYI -

The Straits Area Amateur Radio Club is hosting their annual Radio Swap
fund raiser on Saturday October 25, 2009 from 8am-12noon at the
Petoskey High School Cafeteria.

The SAARC serves the northern portion of Michigan's Lower Peninsula
and the southeastern portion of the Upper Peninsula. They are
dedicated to providing Northern Michigan with reliable emergency
communications as well as supporting local community events.
The Straights Area Amateur Radio Club was founded in 1950 by a small
group of Ham Radio Operators that met at the Pellston Airport. The
membership has increased to upwards of 100 covering an area of an 80
mile radius of Petoskey, with members ranging in ages from 10-80 plus
enjoying the hobby.

SAARC has utilized their communications trailer with a portable tower
for several civic events, annual field day exercises, and is available
for disaster relief work as needed. Straits Area Amateur Radio Club
has furnished communications for the St. Ignace snowmobile Enduro,
Mackinaw City Dog Sled Races, the Mackinaw City & Harbor Springs Bike
Tours, Top O'Michigan Outboard Boat Races, the 24 hour Wolverine
Equestrian Enduro in Petoskey, and the Harbor Springs Swim in Little
Traverse Bay and recently SAARC provided communications for the
volunteers that brought the Vietnam Veterans Wall to Petoskey.

"The "Swap" is a great time for licensed Amateur Radio operators
(commonly known as HAMS) to network together, exchange stories,
provide educational opportunities about the hobby and sell electronic
equipment to raise money for SAARC Amateur Radio Club equipment
maintenance, " said President Jack Felton.

In addition, the SAARC as a service to the Amateur Radio community
provides testing for "hams" who wish to upgrade their licenses or for
newcomers to the hobby who want to get their first Amateur Radio license.

For more information contact President Jack Felton at 231-881-0125 or
jfelton@... or visit the Straits Area Amateur Radio
Club website www.w8gqn.org.