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GARS Annual Meeting this Saturday, February 28th, 2026

Hello all - The 2026 annual meeting of GARS will take place this Saturday, February 28th, 2025 starting at 11 am . It will be held in the second floor meeting room of the Silver City Town Annex located at the corner of Hudson and 12th Streets across from the Food Basket. If you feel hungry or need some coffee prior to the meeting, you're welcome to stop by Denny's at 9am for our monthly GARS breakfast. Club dues for 2026 are also now due. Payment information can be found at:  https://garsnm.blogspot. com/p/gars-inc.html . Club dues are critical to maintain the operation of the GARS repeater on Black Peak, to cover the cost of repeater insurance, and to pay for the site lease with the USFS. Without adequate funds, we would be unable to maintain the repeater operation, so please renew your club membership or consider joining now. Thanks, Mark Karagas K5MGK GARS Secretary/Treasurer
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De-google an Android Device for Dedicated Comms Use

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I followed this video and PDF guide to remove most of the default Google Android apps from a cheap Moto G for Straight Talk ($29.88 at our local Walmart purchased 11/18/2025). As the host says in the video, I will be using this as a tablet for my ham radio communications and not as a Straight Talk phone. This process allowed me to replace many of the apps with open source apps for enhanced privacy and customization. It took me awhile to complete the process but I did it during a couple of sessions today. It feels great to accomplish such a task and I recommend it for others who would like to take more control of their communications devices. I don't know if I will eventually buy the recommended handheld radio (BTECH UV Pro) as I already have a handheld and a TNC modem device that allows me to use Bluetooth to connect the android with the radio. Warning: high nerd content! Video:  De-google an Android Device for Dedicated Comms Use
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Good Primer on Q Codes

https://www.blogarama.com/technology-blogs/1448360-ham-shack-blog/57121772-understanding-radio-codes-comprehensive-guide
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Ham Radio Basics For Beginners

Various "How To" and Beginner Ham Radio Videos

Learning Ham Radio by N4HNH