Agenda - LIMARC, the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club

Transcription

Serving The Amateur Radio Community Since 1965
April, 2012
Volume XLVII, No. 4
Next meeting to be held:
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
8:00 PM at Levittown Hall
Agenda
6 Meter Operations
Presented by
Ken Neubeck WB2AMU
Pre-meeting 6:30
George Tranos N2GA, Propagation Questions In The License Question Pool
The LIMARC JAMMER
Photo Page 6
Save The Date!!
June 3rd - Outdoor Hamfest at Briarcliffe College
June 10th - LIMARC Family Picnic at Bethpage State Park
June 23rd and 24th - Field Day
Welcome 2 the Voice of Limarc
The LOG - April, 2012 Page 2
President’s Message
April, 2012
Amateur radio is a unique hobby. In the age of text messaging and e-mails, with all the abbreviated words
and acronyms (LOL, CU, etc), communication in amateur radio still uses a full range of words from the
English language. Radio operators really have meaningful conversations in which there is often an exchange
of valuable ideas and information. These types of exchanges give the participants the opportunity to hear
other views, respond to them, perhaps re-think one’s own ideas, and sometimes seek to solidify the foundations of your own ideas. I am not sure that any other hobby can even come close to achieving this level of
communication.
We have many hams who support this club and never use the repeaters. Some do it in support of the public
service that we do provide. Many others have expressed their pleasure at the topics and quality of discussion
that goes on each day. Still others enjoy the daily banter of a long list of Damon Runyon-esque characters.
The ability to communicate, to understand and be understood is a wonderful experience.
It is also that ability that has traditionally made amateur radio operators an important part of civilians participating in public service events and emergency situations. With amateur radio operators lining the routes of
various marathons and other public events, and setting up various nets to handle emergency traffic, it is a
testament to our ability to communicate.
Accepting that we are good at communicating, many of you should take that skill and make it available to
ARES, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. You can make a valuable contribution to your community by
joining. Every amateur radio operator is welcome, and more importantly, needed. That ability to communicate sets you apart. Make the best use of it.
73
Richie, K2KNB
President, LIMARC
LIMARC March 7, 2011
Board Meeting Minutes
Officers Present:
President - Richie K2KNB, Vice President - Jay KC2YSK, Secretary – Ken
WB2KWC, Treasurer – Jerry WB2ZEX
Directors Present: Bob W2OSR, Al W2QZ, Harry KC2FYJ, Joe KC2ZB, George WB2IKT
Guests Present: Lou NY2H, Jim W2KFV, Bernie K2YO, George WB2HPI
The meeting was called to order at 7:38pm.
Motion by Bob W2OSR seconded by Joe KC2BZB to accept the minutes of the February board meeting, accepted unanimously.
President’s Report:
Jamming: We have 3 or 4 people interfering with our repeaters. We are lucky to have a group of 12-14 volunteers who have been going out gathering information on the interference. Here is a summary of what we
have found thus far:
1 – It is difficult to find a moving target
2 – We have tentatively identified one individual as a source of the interference and are waiting for this jammer to make an error to confirm the identity
The 111th police precinct is involved because our equipment is co-located at a site with police, fire and other
emergency services equipment. We will hopefully have the fixed station identified shortly and need the support of our members to listen on the input and report what they hear (or do not hear). Thank you to all of
those who have been helping in this effort.
Repeater update: We have committed to buy Master 3 repeaters. The current repeaters have a glitch where
the final amplifiers keep burning out. Access to the Glen Oaks site is limited so we need to place our most
reliable repeater there.
Hamfest: The March 4th Hamfest was a great success. We even needed to place some tables on the stage raising our capacity from 72 to 90 tables. Our new Hamfest chairmen John KD2AKX and Dave AK1NS did a
tremendous job. The 600+ attendees and our vendors were all satisfied with the Hamfest. Thank you to all the
LIMARC members who helped with running the Hamfest.
We discussed a special lifetime membership for those aged 75 or greater. This discussion was tabled until the
April board meeting. This will allow us time to create a definition of the requirements and dues. As always,
membership input is welcome.
Vice President: Jay KC2YSK says that the March meeting will be devoted to membership; we will be serving pizza at the meeting.
Treasurer: Jerry WB2ZEX reports that the gross income from the Hamfest was $4,333,00 minus expenses
for a net of $3,865.00. The checking account is at $19,661.63, memorial funds are $5,579.16 for a total of
$25,240.69.
(Continued on page 4)
(Continued from page 3)
Membership: Jerry WB2ZEX reports that we are at 347 members for 2012. Jerry passed around a list of the
2011 members that did not renew for 2012. Jerry reported that there are 4 people that have been LIMARC
members for 40 years: Ken WB2ART, Bruce W2NYP, Rick K2RB and Charlie WA2YII.
Motion by Harry KC2FYJ seconded by WB2ZEX to grant complimentary membership to Steve Mendelsohn
W2ML. Approved unanimously.
Public Service: Jim W2KFV reports that we need 35-40 volunteers for the LI Marathon on May 6. Please
contact W2KFV@ARRL.NET. North Shore/LIJ is installing ham stations and doing emergency communications training before the hurricane season.
Technical Committee: Bernie K2YO reports that the technical committee is busy with jamming issues.
There is a need to re-organize the equipment at the Glen Oaks site. This will impact repeater availability
while in progress.
VE: Al W2QZ reports that of the 15 people who took exams at the March 4 Hamfest 13 passed. The face of
a 12 year old who passed the test lit up when he received the news. One YL who took the Extra test got a
perfect score on the test. The next VE session is March 10. There was a discussion of crediting the cost of
the exam toward LIMARC membership for newly licensed hams to attract new members.
Motion by Harry KC2FYJ seconded by Jay KC2YSK to give a $15 certificate toward LIMARC dues to anyone becoming a ham at a LIMARC VE session. The certificate will be good for 1 year from the test. Approved unanimously.
Field Day: Field Day 2012 is June 23-24. We will be running class 4A, the Rosemary Kennedy site has been
confirmed.
Bowling: We had 26 attendees (24 bowlers) at the bowling party. Thank you to Jeff N2ION for organizing
the event.
Al W2QZ reported that the 24 hour operation of W2VL has caused few problems. Al thanked Jerry
WB2ZEX and Bernie K2YO for enabling him to get recordings of the activity.
Good and Welfare: Bob W2OSR reports that Leo W2MNB is now in a nursing home. The mother of Neal
W2NDG has passed away.
A motion was made by Bob W2OSR, seconded by George WB2IKT to adjourn the meeting at 9:55pm.
Passed unanimously.
Votes/Actions:
1 - Complimentary LIMARC membership given to Steve Mendelsohn W2ML.
2 - $15 credit toward LIMARC membership for those obtaining their first license at LIMARC VE session.
Respectfully submitted;
Ken Gunther WB2KWC
LIMARC Secretary
LIMARC General Meeting Minutes
March 14, 2012
As this was the membership meeting, we all socialized with old and new friends over pizza and soda starting
at 7:15 PM
The business portion of the meeting began at 8pm with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Motion by Bob W2OSR, seconded by Rick K2RB to accept the minutes of the last meeting. Approved
unanimously.
President’s message:
First time attendees at a LIMARC meeting were Vince KD2VNI, Joe KC2TGZ, John KC2TEL, Larry
KC2ZZI, Gil KC2YFR, Ben KC2YSM and Michelle KC2VOQ.
Jamming is a serious problem. Do not talk to the jammers. Many people are looking to identify the culprits. Please be tolerant while this process is happening. You may hear certain club members talking to the
jammer. This is to keep them on the air while searchers are tracking the jamming signal.
Thank you to our Technical Committee (Andy WA2CDL, Eric KE2EJ, Bernie K2YO, Lou NY2H and Bob
W2OSR) for the great job you are doing.
Vice President: Jay KC2YSK noted that tonight’s scheduled speaker was called away on business and will
be rescheduled. Upcoming meeting presentations:
April – Ken Neubeck WB2AMU will give a presentation on 6 meter operations – reminder that this meeting will be on April 4 because of a conflict with the Passover holiday. The pre-meeting presentation will be
by George N2GA about the propagation questions in the license question pool.
May – Hal K6DPZ will talk about his 2 meter AM “dinosaur” repeater
June – Andy KB2AZG will talk about Field Day
Secretary: Ken WB2KWC read a letter from the Nassau University Medical Center thanking us for the gift
of toys collected at our December meeting and distributed to children at the hospital.
Treasurer: Jerry WB2ZEX reported that we have $19,626.53 in the checking account, $5,579.16 in the memorial funds for a total of $25,305.69.
Membership: Jerry WB2ZEX reported that we have 355 members for 2012.
Scholarship Winners: Diane K2DO announced the winners of the Helen Reed essay contest. 1st place is
Ben KC2WLM, 2nd place is Michelle KC2VOQ. Ben thanked Tim N2RDB and Robin KC2SYM for mentoring him in emergency communications.
Awards: John KC2TDL and Jessie W2EEO were given “Outstanding Young Radio Operator” plaques.
REMINDER
LIMARC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. As such, all monetary donations are tax deductible,
and donations of equipment are deductible either to the amount that the club might sell the item for, or the
fair market value. As we move forward in trying to provide assistance to schools wishing to set up amateur
radio programs, please consider us for your donations.
Membership awards:
25 years: Dave KD2OY, Ed N2GSL, Gerry KB2DPD, Howard W2HIS, Dave KA2YRY. Steve KA2YHY
and Mortimer W2OTS
35 years: Fred K2LDC and Alice WB2IJY.
40 Years: Bruce W2NYP, Charlie WA2YII, Rick K2RB and Ken WB2ART.
Hamfest: The Hamfest was very successful, we had over 600 attendees and netted close to $4,000.00
Public Service: Jim W2KFV reports assistance is needed for the 5k run on May 5, the full/half marathon
and 10k run on May 6 and Ocean to Sound Relay on September 23. To sign up please go to
www.nassauares.net or Email Jim W2KFV@AOL.COM. People forget how vital communication is until it
is lost in an emergency.
Technical Committee: Andy WA2CDL reports that the technical committee is working on resolving intermittent link issues.
VE: Al W2QZ reported that there were two sessions in March. We had 16 candidates at the Hamfest test
session: 13 new licenses/upgrades and 1 grandfather upgrade. At the regular test session on 3/10, of the 7
people tested, we had 5 new licenses and 2 upgrades.
Field Day: Andy KB2AZG is looking for volunteers for Field Day (June 23-24, 2012). Last year we were
able to reduce our footprint despite the fact that we had more stations. Andy showed us the partially completed triplexer which will allow 3 stations to share one tri-band antenna. We especially need people to help
with the Field Day takedown on Sunday afternoon.
School Club Roundup: Lew N2RQ has received 50 entries. Go to www.arrl.org/soapbox to read/leave
comments.
Budget: Jerry WB2ZEX presented the new budget. Motion by Jay KC2YSK, seconded by Diane K2DO to
accept the budget. Approved
Bylaws: Second vote on the membership committee to review applications to make sure that they are complete and then notify the board and present to the membership for approval. Motion by Bob W2OSR seconded by Harry KC2FYJ, approved.
First vote on amendments to make School Club Roundup and Education standing committees and change
the fiscal year to January through December. Motion by Harry KC2FYJ seconded by Jerry WB2ZEX. Approved.
Motion by Bob W2OSR seconded by Harry KC2FYJ to adjourn the meeting at 9:30pm. Approved unanimously.
Respectfully submitted;
Ken Gunther WB2KWC
LIMARC Secretary
Photos From The March General Membership Meeting
KC2WLM
KC2VOQ
K2DO
K2DO
K2RB
KD2OY WB2ZEX
K2KNB
WB2IJY K2KNB K2LDC WA2YII
KC2TDL
W2CYK
W2EEO K2KNB
Photos by KC2YSK
A PRIMER FOR THE WELL GROUNDED AMATEUR
Grounding. We have all heard the term and most of us have "grounded" one piece of equipment or another,
but....as the song says, "what's it all about, Alfie"?
Grounding is one of those topics that is very simple in principle, but seems to get mangled in the execution
more often than not. It is also a topic that engenders fervent discussion, rivaling those on lightning protection
(a topic for another time). While space limitations preclude an exhaustive treatise on this topic, the following
is offered as a way to entice one to delve further into the world of grounding and bonding.
The two key points are "WHY" and "HOW". There are three major reasons for grounding; Safety, performance and code compliance (no, not Mr. Morse's language, but the language of standards, building codes and,
ultimately, the local Authority Having Jurisdiction, the "AHJ"...who, much as the infamous Boss Hogg, has
the "POWER").
SAFETY-Requirements for grounding address concerns for safety related to electric shock and fire. The typical human represents a resistor of approximately 500 to 1,500 ohms. A 60Hz current of approximately 100
milliamperes is typically sufficient to cause fibrillation, leading to death. Assuming all are familiar with
Ohm's law, since we have the current and the resistance, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to determine that we
are surrounded by potentially (no pun) lethal voltages. The good news? Electricity will generally take the
easiest path. By providing a low impedance path to ground, we minimize the amount of current that will flow
through our bodies, should we contact equipment which has become energized when it should not have.
While 100 milliamperes is sufficient to electrocute us (and, yes, electrocution occurs only once in one's lifetime) it is FAR from enough to cause the typical circuit breaker to operate. By providing an intentional path
to ground for errant currents, we increase the likelihood that sufficient current will flow through the fault to
trip a protective device.
The other safety concern is fire. Lightning strikes can contain a large amount of energy, delivered in a short
time. If a lightning strike tries to follow a wood frame house to ground, the path is a relatively high resistance. The I2R heating generated is sufficient to ignite many building materials. This sometimes occurs in
attic spaces, where the flames may not be noticed until a major fire develops. Most amateur radio operators
already have lightning rods ("air terminals" or, per the 2011 National Electrical Code, "Strike Termination
Device"), some with single vertical elements, often with a vertical element and 3 or more horizontal ones.
Unfortunately, many of these air terminals lack a reliable ground electrode system and ground electrode conductor. Towers and masts should have a dedicated ground electrode system and ground electrode conductor
for lightning protection. This system, in turn is "bonded" to the electric service ground (the electric service
ground may not be used for the lightning protection ground).
Performance-Electrical equipment operates better when the voltage supply is stable. By installing a proper
electric service ground, we provide that stability and minimize voltage excursions during transient events.
While most hams go to great lengths to install "ground systems" for antennas, many neglect the power
ground, which is more important. While, again due to limited space, we can't treat RF grounding in depth in
this article, keep in mind that your antenna ground, one way or another, is going to be (or should be)
"bonded" to the service ground. That means that it WILL share some of the ground fault current when a fault
or lightning strike occurs. That 22 AWG telephone wire that you used for the radials for the 43 foot vertical
will quickly become "ex-radials" when carrying fault current.
Code Compliance-Code compliance is important for a number of reasons. If you comply with the existing
electrical code, you will at least have a (barely) adequate grounding system (building codes specify the mini(Continued on page 12)
mum acceptable requirements). If you have made major changes to you domicile, in order to obtain a certificate of occupancy (CO) compliance with the local codes will be required. Should you suffer a catastrophic fire loss, the chances are that your insurance carrier will be concerned if your installation was in compliance with all required codes. Most state and local codes are based on or incorporate by reference, the National Electrical Code (NFPA-70). New York State presently requires compliance with the 2008 edition of
the NEC. Some local authorities on Long Island have already adopted the 2011 NEC and it is felt that adoption by New York State will occur much quicker than past updates.
The NEC (published by the National Fire Protection Association) covers all aspects of electrical construction. It is NOT a design guide, but specifies certain minimum acceptable construction methods and materials. The primary Articles of interest to hams, as far as grounding and bonding are concerned are Article 250
and Article 810.
Article 250 provides general requirements for grounding and bonding for all electrical installations. The
references to "grounding and bonding" are not about a group of electricians heading for the local bar after a
day of installing ground rods. "Grounding" is providing a connection to earth (ground). "Bonding" is the
connection of two or more devices, conductors, pieces of equipment and the like. Bonding, in and of itself,
does NOT necessarily provide "grounding". It is but one piece of a "system" that will result in a properly
grounded installation. Article 810 provides specific requirements for Radio and Television equipment, specifically noting requirements for amateur radio installations.
Protection against Surges and Lightning Strikes- The two basic requirements to protect against surges and
lightning strikes are; Put impedance in its path to inhibit it and provide a reliable, low impedance path to
ground to direct it.
Electrical faults and lightning strikes are fast rise-time, large magnitude currents (it is not impossible in
many homes to see a short circuit capability on branch circuits of 10,000 amps; lighting strikes are orders of
magnitude greater), thus any sharp bend in a conductor or coiled cable will inhibit its flow. While grounding and bonding conductors should always exhibit minimal bends for this reason, it is helpful to introduce
loops in coax where it enters the structure, to provide impedance to fault current flow, in combination with
properly grounded arc gaps, gas tubes or connections to coax shields just prior to the "choke" formed by
these loops or devices.
Keep in mind that your electric service and your antenna cables are not the only paths for surges to travel.
Cable TV, Telco (unless 100 percent dielectric fiber), satellite and/or dedicated data lines also provide a
path. All of these services must be "bonded" together using an "intersystem bonding termination". This ensures that no matter which service may see a surge, all "grounds" will rise and fall (in potential) at the same
time, preventing potential differences within equipment or adjacent equipment.
All of the effort expended to ground and bond these systems will be for naught if we do not provide an adequate ground electrode system and ground electrode conductor. Ground electrodes can be rods, pipes,
plates, encased rebar (not epoxy coated) and, in some cases, building steel. In all cases the materials used
must be "listed" for the intended use. That is, a connector used to terminate a ground electrode conductor to
the ground rod must be tested and marked for that purpose. The importance of a solid, proper termination
cannot be emphasized enough. Using a hose clamp to attach a conductor to a tower leg is NOT code compliant; soldering flat copper conductors to copper bus bars is NOT code compliant; using a pipe clamp to
terminate a conductor on a ground rod is NOT code compliant. Keep in mind that, since NEC Article 810
DOES include amateur towers and specifies requirements for bonding a tower ground to the building
ground, proper conductors and terminations must be used (sized in accordance with the code). Terminations
which will be underground must be suitable for direct earth contact (if you are using 8 foot ground rods the
termination will be buried, as 8 feet of ground rod/earth contact is require).
As stated earlier, an in-depth study of grounding and bonding would take many more columns than this one.
Should there be more interest, we may follow up with specific articles on particular areas of grounding. The
best way to get a start is to read the NEC, Articles 250 and 810 (if you go to the NFPA website www.nfpa.org - you can access a read-only version of the current and some past NFPA Standards, including
NFPA-70..you have to sign up for a no charge account... it is cheaper than buying the book for $100...and
we know that hams are frugal)
In summary the following key points should be kept in mind:
• Provide adequate ground electrode system(s). Bond all systems together.
• Bond all entering services
• Keep all ground and bonding conductors as short and straight as possible, changes of direction
should be accomplished with gentle bends [for larger conductors this can be a bear....but then that
would be gentle Ben :-)]
• Use coax cable loops, where possible at entry points to impede spikes
• Provide reliable, low impedance path to ground just prior to the loops
• Use deeper, rather than more ground rods; If using multiple rods, space a minimum of 6 ft (per
NEC), preferably twice the rods length.
• Bond ground electrode system to water service (if not already connected), upstream of the meter,
within 5 feet of entry into the structure.
• Do NOT use gas service piping as a ground electrode (it is prohibited); DO bond gas piping per NYS
and utility requirements if likely to become electrically energized. (If gas piping is black pipe, connection to utilization equipment provided with an equipment grounding conductor (green wire) is
adequate. If Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST) is used for the gas piping, the bonding connection MUST be made just downstream of the meter, on a minimum 6 inch long section of black
pipe. The bonding connection may NOT be made to the CSST itself or to the fitting on the tubing.
• Do test GFCI receptacles and circuit breakers regularly. They have a significant failure rate. New
devices are fail-safe. When protective circuitry fails, they will trip and lock out (sometimes only after
the "test" feature is utilized).
• The grounded branch circuit conductor (the "neutral") is NOT the same as the equipment grounding
conductor (the "green wire"). The Neutral and the Ground are bonded ONLY at the electric service
(or where the ground is established). All panels fed from the main panel require separate ground and
neutral bars.
• When old two blade receptacles (two wire, no ground) need replacement replace with GFCI receptacles, and apply the "not grounded" sticker to the face. You will not have a ground, but you will have
ground fault protection.
Remember, some localities allow the homeowner to perform certain electrical work, as long as it is inspected by a third party inspector or municipal personnel; other localities do not permit any electrical work
to be performed by other than a licensed electrician. Know your local codes. Stay safe.
73
Don
WB2BEZ
LIMARC Membership Report
April 2012
Please welcome the following new/returning members:
Kevin Corrigan KD2AEX
Harvey Baron N2DYE
Morgan Weld AC2IC
Donald Rumph N2LDY
Branson Sparks AB3LY
Charles Edelen KA2PUX
Joseph Capobianco KC2TZG
Albert De Filippo KB2YAO
Upgrades/Changes: (*)
Frank Laricchia KD2BBD – upgraded to General
Michael Lane KG4FWQ – changed his callsign to W2PPK
William Dave Akins AK1NS – upgraded to Amateur Extra
Julia Gatti N2PPL – upgraded to Amateur Extra
William Kawka KC2SYL - upgraded to General
(*) This data as well as address changes, email changes will appear in the 2012 LIMARC Roster.
Please send all updates to Jerry Abrams WB2ZEX at membership@limarc.org (or WB2ZEX@limarc.org).
73
Jerry, WB2ZEX
Membership Chairman
Good and Welfare
Our condolences to Neil Goldstein, W2NDG, on the passing of his mother, Beverly.
We also extend our condolences to the family of Marv Fricklas, W2FGD, 40 year LIMARC member and long-time
VE examiner. We will miss Marv.
Rick Bressler, K2RB
Chairman, Good and Welfare
The LIMARC REFLECTOR
The LIMARC Reflector is a group organized within Yahoo groups. The Reflector is open to LIMARC members only, and is a
place where you can communicate easily with other members of LIMARC. Meeting notices, general information, articles of interest, items for sale or items needed, requests for assistance, as well as your comments and your suggestions, are all welcome.
As a club committed to communication, the Reflector offers the best and fastest means by which to pass along information to
you. It is much faster than sending individual e-mails, and can best be described as a modern day telephone chain call. We all feel
burdened by the enormous amount of e-mail which we receive, but there are times when there is specific information that you
would want to know immediately, particularly as it concerns areas such as good and welfare.
For further information on joining the LIMARCINC reflector, please visit: www.limarc.org/reflector
Product Review
Baofeng UV-3R Mark 2
I ordered the Baufeng UV-3R Mark 2 (Dual Display, dual band antenna) from Amazon and received it overnight . I’ts
also available for less from half a dozen distributors on eBay as well as from Wouxun.us.
This is the 3rd HT that I’ve had in the past 2 years and the second one I’m keeping. I started with a Quansheng 5 watt
Dual Bander TG-UV2 which was a good radio except it did not do DTMF. I replaced that with a Wouxun KG-UV2D –
which has been my go to HT until now. The 2 Watt Dual Band Baufeng UV-3R at 3.5 “ by 2” by .9” fits in my shirt/
jacket/pants pocket and goes with me everywhere – walking the dogs, walking around at work – it’s size makes it
much more likely to be grabbed and taken than the normal size Wouxsun. It’s not the be all and end all of HT’s but at
$45 it’s a great 2nd HT.
Now for the good:
• Small size, exceptional battery life, charge time is short – mine came with a USB charging cable so I actually
can charge it from my computer and use an external USB battery pack I own.
• It has very good audio quality both transmit and receive.
• Easily programmable via their free software or CHIRP http://chirp.danplanet.com/.
• Split CTCSS/DCS for XMIT/RECEIVE. Menus that make sense.
• Top location can be either VFO or Memory - Dual watch feature lets it scan 2 different repeaters/bands and if
it has activity on a band, you can just hit the PTT and transmit on that band ( with the Wouxsun you do have to
switch to that position in order to transmit)
• and of course, the built in Flashlight & FM broadcast receiver.
Not so good:
• The upper display band is UHF only on VFO mode and the lower is VHF only and is only VFO mode. However
you can write to memory from either U or V position – so if you are programming by hand, you can do all your
2 meter settings on the bottom and all the 440’s on the top. You can only recall memory to the top line UHF or
VHF.
• It does not have a dedicated volume control – many complaints about the limited volume settings.
• It also has a menu driven squelch.
• The manual leaves a lot to be desired – FAQ booklet from the users group on Yahoo is a better manual.
• The desktop charger is worthless- it will charge a “spare” battery but lacks the intelligence to shut off – depends on batteries chip, but makes a nice stand for the radio. The battery CAN be charged in the charger, but
you have to take the battery out of the radio, plug the charger cord into the charger and put the battery into the
charger. Or, leave the battery in the radio and plug the charger barrel into the radio.
I take this little gem everywhere. I like how it disappears in my hand, but is loud enough to be heard over traffic noise.
Receive audio is clean. Transmitted audio is reported to be very clean and loud (watch out! The mic is REAL “hot” back about six inches will do nicely). The wide coverage makes it possible to use it on FRS/GMRS/MURS/Business
(but I'd NEVER do that).
The speaker/mic is junk and it got tossed as soon as I tried it. Likewise, the belt clip. Radio fits in pocket anyway.
Warning – the charger uses reverse polarity (minus inside the tip) so be careful as to what chargers you use.
If you get the USB cable charger like I got, then you can use any USB charger to charge it as long as you use
the included cable.
The menu-driven operation and the location/function of the side and front buttons make this radio a bit "clunky" to program and operate, but using the USB cable is fast and easy. After about a week of using it, I am able to operate it
without looking.
The rig is easily disassembled. Mine had some dirt behind the LCD faceplate. 2 screws and the metal chassis comes
out and I was able to get rid of the dirt. (Nice touch - the speaker connectors are springs so there is no danger of ripping those usually thin wires
After 3 weeks, I haven't noticed any problems with the radio all the side buttons, and the front buttons still work fine.
The included neck-strap is a nice added extra bonus.
With all the features and low price, this radio is a solid addition to my operations. I can take this one as a backup while
I carry my Wouxun KG-UV3D (or even by itself). Sometimes I actually forget it's in my pocket.
Here is a link to the FAQ on the radio:
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/
wCZRT5qVQEjbA8rwSGCL_kyc6KK1qHXmzdc9a2OXoA22Jzcu1p9O3oT2gZP46YMZ2L5ir5X-n5ClR8TNIN1-O0IFAzd-IqfUp8/FAQ/UV-3R_FAQ_2012-01-27.pdf
The following is a break-out of the different versions of the UV-3R which have been released:
a. UV-3R mark 1 had a single line display and you had 2 seperate antennas - one for 2 meter, one for 440.
b. UV-3R mark 2 has the dual band display, single antenna for both bands and an expanded menu.
Both of these had "dumb desktop chargers " that will charge an external 2nd battery but rely on the battery IC to stop
the charge and male SMA antenna connections on the radio body
c.
UV-3R Plus - slightly larger case, it now uses the typical Kenwood earphone/mic plug for computer access
and communication and the charger is a real drop in charger, you don't have to plug it in to the radio any
more.
d. UV-5R Dual band, larger and 4 watts out.
Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes. But for the price, I can flat-out buy one for them and call it an early Christmas. ;)
Jay Marcucci
KC2YSK
Proposed By-Laws Changes To Be Voted On For The Second Time At
The April Meeting
Change #1 - ADD 2 Standing Committees:
ARTICLE XIII 1.
Add:
J. Education Committee
K. School Club Roundup Committee
Change #2 Change Fiscal Year to match Calendar Year
Article XIII 8.
Current:
An operating budget, for the fiscal year beginning April 1st and ending the following March 31st, based on generally
accepted accounting practices, shall be presented in writing to the membership by the executive board, for approval at
the March meeting. This budget shall have.....
Amended to:
An operating budget, for the fiscal year beginning JANUARY 1st and ending the following DECEMBER 31st, based
on generally accepted accounting practices, shall be presented in writing to the membership by the executive board,
for approval at the NOVEMBER meeting. This budget shall have.....
Change #3 Change Fiscal Year to match Calendar Year - second part
Article XIII 9
Current
A capital budget, for the fiscal year beginning April 1st and ending the following March 31st, based on generally accepted accounting practices, shall be presented in writing to the membership by the executive board for approval at
the March meeting. This budget shall have been previously presented to the membership together with the operating
budget in the LIMARC Log....
Amended to:
A capital budget, for the fiscal year beginning JANUARY 1st and ending the following DECEMBER 31st, based on
generally accepted accounting practices, shall be presented in writing to the membership by the executive board for
approval at the NOVEMBER meeting. This budget shall have been previously presented to the membership together
with the operating budget in the LIMARC Log....
If You Hear Something, Tell Someone
Those of you who use the repeaters on a regular basis are all too aware of the fact that there are certain individuals who have nothing better to do with their time than to interfere with people on the repeater. An organized effort is underway to locate and identify these individuals. YOU CAN HELP. If you hear malicious
interference on any of the LIMARC repeaters, please hit the reverse (HM/RV) button on your radio and see
if you are able to hear them on the input. Please email your findings to rfi@LIMARC.ORG. Indicate
whether you heard them on the input or not. Please include the time of day, the repeater, your location and
type of antenna (if you have a beam, include the heading). Thank you for your cooperation.
The End of an ERA? –
Major Downsizing of Two Hamfests!
This month I will be reviewing the Trenton Computer Festival. Although not exactly a Hamfest, it had been the site of the Atlantic or Southern New Jersey ARRL Convention in the past.
First, a brief history. While attending the Lawrence Township Hamfest in the late 70’s, someone
mentioned that there was a flea market at Trenton State College, (within 5 miles) going on at the
same time. Thus I discovered the Trenton Computer Festival, (TCF), and have been attending it
just about every year since then. The TCF was a two day event, with a flea market featuring new
and used computer and amateur radio equipment with new computer vendors inside. It also has
HRU type seminars and computer club tables. It used to be held during the middle of April, but
when the Dayton Hamvention moved from the last week in April to the third week in May, the TCF
moved to the last weekend in April. In those early years, the flea market took up one of the parking areas, and the commercial vendors were in the hallways of the Student Union Building
During the 80’s the TCF became so large, that it outgrew Trenton State College. One time
they had us parking in the NJ DMV parking lot about one mile away and we had to board chartered buses to and from the College. In either the late 80’s or early 90’s the TCF moved slightly
closer to NYC to Mercer Community College. Parking was in a park about a mile from the college.
Buses picked you up from where you parked, but only returned you to the major isles in the field
and you had to search for your car upon your return.
Either in the late 90’s or early 2000’s, Ken Gordon Productions (one of the three computer
show organizers in the area) took over the show and moved it to the NJ Expo Center in Raritan NJ
(right over the Outerbridge). The two day flea market filled the entire area in front of the building,
and regular parking was on the streets in the industrial area near the building. Additional parking
was available at fields that were long walks or had free bus transportation. The entire inside was
for the commercial vendors, and I’m not sure how many computer related seminars were held then
(due to the lack of small rooms in the building).
A few years ago, Ken Gordon retired, and the TCF decided to “move back to their roots”,
returning back to Trenton State College, which was now called the College of New Jersey. Once
again the outdoor flea market took up about ¾ of the designated parking area (one year it was
moved to a back area, where it was supposed to be put in an underground garage when the forecast was for heavy rain on Sunday ((it rained, and the flea market, I was told was deserted)). Except for that year, commercial vendors were in the gym about 3 blocks away from the flea market,
and the seminars were in another building. In the last few years, the cost of a flea market spot
was about $40, so you did not get the vendors selling only a few items.
This year, the TCF was held on Saturday (only) March 10th. There would only be an indoor
flea market. The advanced tickets and the same day tickets (more about that later) were the same
price, $10. Each year the TCF was advertised as opening at 10 AM, but (only listed in fine print in
recent years), the flea market always opened 1 hour earlier (gets you the best parking, especially
when you could park near Mercer Comm. College in those days). Arriving about 10 AM, this
year, there were only a handful of cars in the parking lot that I parked in. Actually, they were using other parking lots (not listed on the flier) that were closer. Some of the TCF signs led to the
building they used last year which was closed. After we asked, we found the right building. After
paying the admission fee, I was handed the red “hello” type sticker we had used at the LIMARC
Hamfest for the helpers, no TCF wristbands as in the previous years. The flea market and commercial vendors were in 5 different rooms (roomettes would probably be a better word for four of
them). Three of them were near each other at the end of a corridor, one in the middle of the corridor, and one near the main entrance. Only one room was about the size of a typical classroom,
the other rooms were laboratory rooms with specialized equipment taking up the sides of the
room, or the back half of the room. The seminars were held in the classroom settings. Probably
only about 30 vendors (flea market and new equipment) in the entire place. Yes, there were
vendors selling ham radio equipment, and many of the vendors I’ve seen at the various Hamfests in the New Jersey area.
I was told that since they lost so much money last year, they had to reduce the event to
one building and one day, there appeared to be no paid help, and only volunteers from the various computer clubs. I only made 2 purchases: a null modem and double female RS 232 connector for packet radio, and three 36 gig SCSI hard drives at $5 each. Will I go again next year?
Probably, but it was a disappointment from what I was expecting.
Next month: The Timonium Hamfest, which used to be a two day event with a building
featuring commercial vendors, manufacturers like Kenwood, Yaesu, and Icom, as well as smaller
commercial vendors and an indoor flea market in a huge building called the Cow Palace. The
outdoor flea market section is being reduced to one day and just one building with all events taking place in the Cow Palace on Saturday March 31st.
73
Jerry
WB2ZEX
LIMARC will be holding its annual Field Day at the Rosemary Kennedy BOCES Center
in Wantagh.
Volunteers are needed for setup, teardown and everything in-between. Contact Andy
KB2AZG Field Day chairman at KB2AZG@limarc.org to volunteer.
All Nassau A.R.E.S. Members
Nassau County A.R.E.S. meets on the fourth
Thursday of the month. All are welcome to
attend! ARES meetings are
held at the Senior Activities
Center in Eisenhower Park.
To see the calendar, go to WWW.NCARES.NET
New Island Graphics
Tennis Racket Re-Stringing
Tee Shirts- Printed and Blanks
Team Uniforms and Supplies
Richie- K2KNB
516-694-4937
www.newislandgraphics.com
VE Testing Schedule for 2012
LIMARC VE Test Sessions are held on the second Saturday of every odd
numbered month at the Levittown Hall, Levittown Parkway, Hicksville, NY.
Please remember to bring two pieces of identification (one with a photo),
your original license and a copy of it, any original Certificates of
Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE's) and copies of them.
Also remember to bring the proper fee in check made out to ARRL VEC or
exact change (NOTE: the 2012 fee remains at $15.00). The LIMARC VE
Team will supply the FCC Form 605. For further information, contact
Al W2QZ at (516) 623-6449 or Jim W2KFV at (516) 997-6023.
May 12, July 14, September 8, and November 10.
All sessions begin at 9am
For further info check our website: www.limarc.org
2012 Meeting Schedule
All general meetings are held at: Levittown Hall 201 Levittown Parkway, Hicksville, NY.
Meetings start at 8:00PM.
All Board meetings are held at the Levittown Library 1 Bluegrass Ln, Levittown, NY.
Meetings start at 7:30PM.
Rich Levow, WA2NLL, Editor of The LOG,
LIMARC
PO Box 392
Levittown, New York 11756-0392
WA2NLL@LIMARC.org
Published monthly, except July and August
LIMARC Officers
Directors
President
Richard Cetron K2KNB
(516) 694-4937
Stephen Greenbaum WB2KDG
(718) 898-5599
Vice-President
Jay Marcucci
KC2YSK
(631) 243-0685
Joe Schierer
KC2BZB
(516) 812-1854
Secretary
Ken Gunther
WB2KWC (631) 531-1152
Al Bender
W2QZ
(516) 623-6449
Treasurer
Jerry Abrams
WB2ZEX
(718) 531-7795
Robert Batchelor
W2OSR
(516) 671-4083
Past President
Rick Bressler
K2RB
(516) 526-6975
Harry Gross
KC2FYJ
(516) 248-6455
George Sullivan
WB2IKT
(516) 796-5015
Email for officers and board members can be sent to their callsign @limarc.org. In addition, all can be reached at limarc@limarc.org
Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club, Inc., its
Officers, Directors or Committee Chairpersons. Byline authors grant express permission to LIMARC to print articles in this or any
issue of The LOG. Byline authors also grant express permission for the use and/or reprinting of these articles, in part or in full, in
other publications with credit to the original author and to The LIMARC LOG. All material is copyright ©2012. Do not copy or
reproduce any of this material without the written permission of LIMARC.
Rich Levow, WA2NLL, Editor
From The Editor
Please send all items for entry into the LOG to WA2NLL@limarc.org. I will be glad to accommodate all appropriate
requests. If you miss a deadline (the deadline is the 15th of the month) I would be glad to place your item in the LOG
next month, space permitting.
Thanks, and 73,
Rich WA2NLL - Editor, The LOG

Agenda - LIMARC, the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club

Transcription

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