The Hamfest Issue - Huntsville Amateur Radio Club
Transcription
The Hamfest Issue - Huntsville Amateur Radio Club
VOX VOX September—2013 Monthly Newsletter of the Huntsville Amateur Radio Club The Hamfest Issue Thank you members of the Huntsville Amateur Club for your time and effort to make this year’s Hamfest one of the best ever. I honestly think we have the very best, talented and enthusiastic Hamfest Crew that is currently working any hamfest anywhere. We’re blessed indeed to have the Worker resources that we have. Charlie Emerson N4OKL Huntsville Hamfest Director. Below: Jordan KI4HBO wrestles with the decadesold prize ticket Meeting Minutes barrel that will see a welder’s hand Meeting & Officer Info before next year. 2 2 Hamfest Photos & Stories 3-6, 8 Club Calendar 7 New Area ARRL Card Checker 8 Club Calendar 7 W1AW to Activate in all States 9 A Letter from W4OZK 10-11 ARES / RACES Meeting Minutes 12 License & Exam Info 13 Program & Project Managers 13 Hamshack of the Month 14 Local Net Schedule 15 For Sale 16 Page 2 VOX Meeting Minutes by Bertram Mau AH6ES Dan W4BRE checks out an Icom radio in their dealer booth. Not much happened, except the Hamfest. Editor: Actually, Bertram’s right. Every August meeting date was filled with either Hamfest planning, move-in, or talking about the Hamfest. Well, we did have a program about what future programs we’d like to see. More next month. Until then, please enjoy these Hamfest reader contributions. Weblink of the month How NOT to bring down a TH-6DXX antenna & tower! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLQPxRQo17I The Huntsville Amateur Radio Club Club Officers & Info Paul Paelian Tim Williams Bertram Mau Heath Thorson Johnny Winter Jack Hemby Bill Bathgate WB4UEE K4AEE AH6ES KC4HRX KR4F W5WQQ KD8IGK President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Officer at-large Officer at-large Officer at-large Meeting location: Red Cross Building, 1101 Washington St. Huntsville, AL 35801 Meeting time: Every Friday, 7:30 PM (except on major holidays) Mailing address: HARC, PO Box 423, Huntsville, AL 35801 Visitors welcome at all meetings. Club callsign: K4BFT (http://www.qrz.com/db/K4BFT) Website: www.harc.net Mail reflector signup: follow the link below the HARC logo on the home page wb4uee@hotmail.com k4aee@tpwilliams.us ah6es@yahoo.com hthorson@mediacombb.net jcw@hiwaay.net JHemby@knology.net w.bathgate@yahoo.com VOX Page 3 Martin Jue K5FLU MFJ CEO & George KJ4UW Mike K4ADK was kept busy as an ARRL certified QSL card checker. Carl AI4PJ and other VE’s had their hands full during the Hamfest weekend test sessions. Page 4 VOX Forums…. Dr David Hathaway, NASA / Marshall Solar Scientist discusses the solar situation. Fred Lloyd AA7BQ, founder of the popular QRZ website. Rob Sherwood NC0B of Sherwood Engineering talks about his independent lab testing of past & present radios. The good, the bad, and the ugly. VOX Kelly K4VPZ captured this smart-phone image of the APRS radioactivity around the Van Braun Center during Friday afternoon move-in. Page 5 Page 6 VOX Eric Swartz WA6HHQ of Elecraft and Dennis Motschenbacher K7BV of Yaesu share some friendly chat during the Hamfest. Letters It was a great Hamfest and I was there from 9 am to 4 pm with a lunch break at my office to take a load off my feet. Cactus brought a bunch of gear, most of which he sold as well as a Heath Sixer and Twoer for me. Nice to run into so many hams I know, many photos are here. I am sure I missed a lot that were there, but it's a big place and you can't see everyone and everything. I got several new items, a Kenwood HT triband that will work 144, 220 & 440. I have not been able to work 220 before and I hear the repeater works very well here in town. Got a new vertical antenna that I am anxious to try out. It was not very costly at $99 and should work 40-6 meters. Has a big coil at the bottom and taps you change. Sort of like a mobile rig, but for base or portable use. I do want to use it portable. I was interviewed by Ted Randall on his live radio show, which I find out was live on 9930 and 9330 shortwave yesterday and today. You can see details at www.tedrandall.com . I sure had a good time, got all kinds of little adapters I needed and things you can only get reasonably at a hamfest. Got a monster 3 magnet mobile mount for use on my sedan car on the trunk for temporary use taking a trip. Hope I can get it off once it sticks. Enjoy the photos. All have a caption with ID of the person. 73, M.D. WA4DXP Page 7 VOX HARC Calender 1-Sep 2-Sep 3-Sep 4-Sep 5-Sep 9-Sep 10-Sep 11-Sep DX Club Meeting 15-Sep 16-Sep 7-Sep Hamfest Workers Pizza Party N4OKL Labor Day 8-Sep 6-Sep 17-Sep 18-Sep 12-Sep 13-Sep ARES / RACES 6PM Social Night, no program 19-Sep 20-Sep 14-Sep 21-Sep Stealth Antennas on Steroids NM4T 22-Sep 23-Sep 24-Sep 25-Sep 26-Sep 27-Sep 28-Sep Logbook of the World KR4F 29-Sep 30-Sep 1-Oct 2-Oct 3-Oct 4-Oct 5-Oct Hosting an Antenna Party N4BCD 6-Oct 7-Oct 8-Oct 9-Oct DX Club Meeting 13-Oct 14-Oct 15-Oct 16-Oct 10-Oct 11-Oct ARES / RACES 6PM LTSPICE Tom KG4CUY 17-Oct 18-Oct 12-Oct 19-Oct My First QSO Roundtable - KJ4OKJ 20-Oct 21-Oct 22-Oct 23-Oct 24-Oct 25-Oct 26-Oct November Sweepstakes Contest N4KH 27-Oct 28-Oct 29-Oct 30-Oct 31-Oct 1-Nov 2-Nov Digital Modes KD8IGK 3-Nov 4-Nov 5-Nov 6-Nov 7-Nov 8-Nov Important Radio Parameters KR4F 9-Nov Page 8 VOX Letters (continued) Forwarded by Craig Behrens NM4T Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2013 15:45:26 +0000 From: kimbrell@SDF.ORG To: QRP-L@mailman.qth.net Subject: [QRP-L] QRP Gathering: Two Days in Huntsville I just returned from TDiH (Two Days in Huntsville) and I would like to say that it was a blast again! Craig NM4T did a wonderful job of organizing two full days of QRP forums at the Huntsville Hamfest and they were all great and were well attended. Saturday night everyone went up to the park at Monte Sano which is a really great place to go if you are ever in Huntsville. It is in the woods on top of a mountain only a few minutes from the hamfest. Craig had rented a 1930's era cabin which was really cool. There were several rigs set up with Alex Loops out on the grass. BBQ was delivered from Ted's BBQ in Huntsville and it was excellent! Next was the Buildathon coached by Rex, W1REX and Joe K0NEB with a lot of other helpers. The kit was a Tuna Tin Transmitter from QRPME and there were 12 builders. Some of us even built outside at the picnic tables using flashlights and then went into the cabin to solder. All the kits tested good with a local receiver. All the builders were awarded prizes and there was a drawing for several other prizes and all the prizes were really great! TDiH is permanently on my calendar because it is one of the most fun QRP gatherings in the country! Bob Kimbrell W0AO Kansas City, MO kimbrell@sdf.org http://kimbrell.freeshell.org/ SDF Public Access UNIX System - http:// sdf.lonestar.org ——————————————————— Every year at the Huntsville Hamfest, Bill KC0ONR makes lots of pictures and puts them on the web for us to enjoy and download. http:// mcars.us/HuntsvilleHamfest2013/ After your done, you may want to check out his web site. http://atnm.mcars.us/ He has pictures of other hamfest going back to 2007, including Huntsville, on his web site. If you see Bill or hear him on the air, please thank him for taking the pictures. Hope you enjoy, John K4JCH Steve Werner AG4W Appointed ARRL Card Checker Many hams collect QSL cards with the goal of applying for operating awards such as DXCC - worked 100 countries. Those cards can be mailed to ARRL League Headquarters or checked locally by an approved card checker. Steve was recently appointed to the position and is qualified to check 160M cards due to his attainment of DXCC on that band. Special thanks go to Southeastern Division Director Greg Sarratt W4OZK for using his one-nomination privilege per division to select a local candidate. For more info on the program, see: http:// www.arrl.org/dxcc-field-checking VOX Page 9 W1AW to Activate in All States As you all know, the ARRL is planning a big celebration next year to commemorate the ARRL centennial. The League will be sponsoring a year-long operating event, which includes activating W1AW in all states and inhabited territories. The goal is, for each state and territory, to activate W1AW on as many bands as possible and to give QSO's on CW, Phone and digital modes. The League will be issuing operating awards, including a Worked All States award for those who work W1AW/n from all 50 states. Each state and territory is going to be given two (2) one-week periods in which to activate W1AW from that entity. I was contacted by Dave, NN1N, about coordinating the W1AW/4 activities in Alabama. Obviously, it was a "no brainer" to accept that invitation. Now, let me share with you my thoughts on how this should play out... Most of us would dearly love to get at least a small chance to operate under such a storied call sign as W1AW. So I figured the best way to handle this was to turn it into a state-wide operating event. I would like for clubs (especially ARRL affiliated clubs) to volunteer for operating slots during our two (2) oneweek operating periods. My hope is that each club will strive for maximum participation from its members thereby giving as many Alabama hams as possible an opportunity to operate under this historic call sign. I figure we can fill any holes in the schedule with individual Alabama contributors to ensure as little "down time" as possible. Our two (2) one-week periods are the week of the Alabama QSO party and the week of October 15 (the operating periods run from 00:00Z on WED to 23:59Z the following TUES). I spoke with Jim, KC4HW, about the possible impacts to the AQP. We discussed possible solutions, which, since he is the manager of that event, I will leave to him to describe. It is possible for separate groups/individuals to activate W1AW/4 from AL on different bands and/or modes at the same time, so don't feel constrained if your club or station can't support all bands and/or modes...just jump in. I thought the best way to proceed was to get a team together to coordinate the scheduling by mode. To that end, KT4TX agreed to coordinate SSB, KC4HW agreed to coordinate digital, and KY4F (and I) will coordinate CW. I anticipate that we will put up an online calendar to facilitate an easy, rational method for scheduling operating slots. This approach is not intended to constrain interested parties into having to select only one mode, it's just that it appeared we needed to be sensitive to the fact that our Alabama hams may have a preference as to mode, and we want to make it easy for everyone to get into the queue and to have a "go to" person to help them get on the roster. My metric for success is to allow as many Alabama hams as possible to participate. Of course, I'd love it if we turned more QSO's than our brethren from TN, GA or FL, but that's not an overriding goal...maximum participation is the order of the day here. I plan to communicate with the ARRL Section Manager to ensure the widest possible dissemination of this information to ARC's state-wide, but I thought I'd start here first. If you have any other suggestions, I'm all ears... I've already been contacted by Cheryl, AA4YL, on behalf of the Heart of Dixie ARC, W4HOD, with an expression of interest. I'm hoping that other clubs will also take note and want to get on board in this. I think this will be fun, and give each of us interested hams an opportunity of a lifetime to get on the air as W1AW/4. We hope to hear from you in this regard. 73, Rick K4TD Page 10 VOX A Letter from ARRL Southeastern Division Director Greg Sarratt—W4OZK Dear American Radio Relay League Member: It’s hard to believe that my second three-year term as ARRL Director is almost over. I want to thank you for your continued support and confidence. I greatly enjoy my tenure as Director and again ask for your vote to continue my ARRL service. The ARRL will send you election balloting information around October 1st and I ask for you to vote for Greg Sarratt, W4OZK and Jim Millsap, WB4NWS as your ARRL Southeastern Division Representatives. We are your only choice with ARRL experience, which is a critical requirement for these positions in the ARRL Corporation. Serving as Director of the ARRL’s largest Division has been an invaluable experience and important responsibility for me. My travel around the Division and work on several ARRL committees has been a great opportunity for me to help advance amateur radio. I enjoy meeting many fine amateurs all across the Division and learning about your activities, ideas and concerns, which has helped to shape my successful member-driven thinking. The Vice-Director and I attend many hamfests and club meetings and have represented amateur radio at emergency communications events such as, the National Hurricane Conference, ARES meetings, International Association of Emergency Managers Conference and other events. I have served on the ARRL Administrative and Finance Committee, Programs and Services Committee, served as chairman of the Ethics and Elections Committee and Narrowband Committee and served as liaison to the VHF/ UHF Advisory Committee and Emergency Communications Advisory Committee. I am currently a member of the ARRL Programs and Services Committee and liaison to the Emergency Communications Advisory Committee. My service as ARRL Alabama Section Manager for four years and service as Technical Coordinator and Technical Specialist was fulfilling and my work as ARRL Southeastern Division Director has been even more rewarding. This combined service has given me the opportunity to build expertise in many areas; establishing relationships, gain valuable experience working with ARRL headquarters, other ARRL Directors, DX enthusiast, VHF/UHF, disaster relief, public service, education, contesters, hamfests, clubs, operating events, youth members and digital operations. I am an ARRL life member, a second-generation ham and have been active in many areas of amateur radio for over 25 years and pride myself on being an avid emergency communications leader, new technology promoter, competitive contest participant and I encourage a new generation of hams to join our hobby by establishing youth programs and working to ensure their success. Jim Millsap was first licensed as WB4GFA in July of 1967 and started out on six meter AM. Jim enjoys DX and served two terms as President of Cherokee Amateur Radio Society and Public Information Officer since 2002. Jim VOX Page 11 ARRL Letter (continued) served as AEC and EC for Cherokee County ARES, and currently serves as DEC for Metro Atlanta District and he is an ARRL Volunteer Examiner and mentor/instructor. As Vice Director, Jim attended many ham club meetings to promote ARRL membership and speak. Jim implemented and served as Net Manager for the PSK31 Georgia ARES net. Jim also established relationships with Georgia National Guard and Civil Support Team (CST) and supported their joint exercises with Amateur Radio. In addition, Jim serves as an Amateur Radio liaison to the Atlanta Integrated Warning Team (IWT) to provide support to News media and National Weather Service, member of the Atlanta Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) for Disaster Communications and is a Certified AuxComm and COMT instructor. Jim’s qualifications as an ARRL member, experience as ARRL Vice-Director, experience ARRL EC, AEC and DEC, a proven leader in supporting emergency communications, liaison to clubs, DX enthusiasts, and building quality relationships between ARRL staff, served agencies and hams, provide him with the type of quality representation each of you deserve. Because of our vast experience, we represent you on the ARRL Board, and at many ARRL and amateur radio functions. Jim and I are your only choices with ARRL experience and with your continued support during the election and next term as ARRL Southeastern Division Representatives; we plan to continue to represent the entire Southeastern Division through our proven success, performance, integrity, leadership, contributions and experience. We will continue to promote all facets of our great hobby! You ARE amateur radio. Your voice counts. Your vote counts. We are asking for your personal endorsement, support and votes from your clubs and groups. Please call your friends in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and ask them to Re-Elect Greg Sarratt, W4OZK and Jim Millsap, WB4NWS as your ARRL Southeastern Division Representatives! Together we can continue make a positive impact for amateur radio! I would appreciate your vote and support in re -electing us. For more information regarding our candidacy for ARRL Southeastern Division Director and ViceDirector visit our websites at, www.w4ozk.com and https://sites.google.com/site/wb4nws/ . Thank you & 73, Greg Sarratt, W4OZK ARRL Southeastern Division Director Jim Millsap, WB4NWS ARRL Southeastern Division Vice-Director Page 12 VOX Madison County, Alabama ARES Monthly Meeting Minutes August 8, 2013 - Steve Smith KM4CJ Madison County, Alabama ARES Monthly Meeting Minutes August 8, 2013 The meeting was conducted in the Huntsville-Madison County EMA’s EOC. The meeting started with the consumption of pizza. The sign-in log indicates 23 in attendance. Business meeting started at 18:00 central time. Tim – KK5H opened the meeting by welcoming everybody. • • • Tim reminded everyone that the Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is the 1st Saturday in October. Tim encouraged everyone to get ready and plan to participate. At our September meeting, some of our served agencies will be in attendance. This will be a good time to get to know some of them and for them to be acquainted with us. Reminded folks to sign up for the ARES/RACES table at the Huntsville Hamfest. Contact Mike – KG4OZK at kg4ozk@gmail.com if you can help work the table. Reports: CERT – Tom – KI4VFV th • Pancake breakfast fundraiser is planned for Oct 26 at Applebees Special Needs Coordinator – Mike – KF4BOG • Reported the “Weathering the Storm” program held at the Madison County Library was well received. EMA – Scott – W4SSW • Announced the new siren warning system has been installed that allows the EMA to sound sirens within a polygon. They have been busy activating and verifying the backbone is operational. New Business: Tim – KK5H • Get ready for the SET and be thinking of the area or served agency you would be interested in supporting. Program: Tim Cunningham – N8DEU Presented an informative program on Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS). • Meeting Adjourned at 20:00. Respectfully Submitted, Steve – KM4CJ VOX Page 13 License & Exam Info by Joe Henderson N4CB If you’re interested in becoming a licensed amateur radio operator, study guides are available online or in bookstores. You’re welcome to come to any Friday club meeting to ask questions. You don’t need to know Morse Code to attain a license! License exams are at 9AM the first Saturday of every month at the Red Cross Building, 1101 Washington St, Huntsville, AL 35802. The fee is $15 (cash) and you must bring some form of picture ID. Additional session on the 3rd Saturday of the month at Athens EOC at 1PM. Hamfest Exam Stats: I don't have the exact number of total testers but here are the results from the Hamfest. It was in the neighborhood of 74 testers. We had 40 successful testers. The breakout is as follows: Extra = 11. 10 upgraded to Extra and 1 person went from nothing to extra in one sitting. Big congrats to him..!! General = 15. We had 14 upgrade and the one person went from nothing to General. Another big congrats. Technician = 12. 12 happy people went off to buy new UHF/VHF radios...! Address change = 1. Renewal = 1. 73, Joe Henderson N4CB 73, Joe Henderson N4CB Club Program & Project Managers Madison County Emergency Coordinator Tim Holland, KK5H Field Day Chairman Tim Williams, K4AEE Public Information Officer David Stephenson, KJ4OKJ Fundraising Coordinator Tim Williams, K4AEE K4BFT Club Station Trustee Tom Duncan, KG4CUY Picnic/Food Coordinator Peggy Bell, K4EGB Training/Education Coordinator Jack Hemby, W5WQQ VOX Publisher Mark Brown, N4BCD Website Designer Jason Henriksen, KE4ROR Page 14 VOX Hamshack of the Month—Steve Smith KM4CJ Several issues back we showed you Steve’s shack. Here’s what’s on the other ends of some of those feedlines—an attic of VHF & UHF antennas on AZ/EL rotators. VOX Page 15 Local Net Schedule Day Sun Sun Sun Mon Mon Time 8:30AM 8PM 9PM 6:30PM 7:30PM Name Alabama Traffic Net Mike AL Simplex Net NE AL 6m Net Lincoln Co ARES Training AL Emergency Net Z Freq 3.965 146.580 50.150 147.030 147.270 Mon 8PM AL Emergency Net Whiskey 147.090 Mon 8PM MTEARS 443.625 ? Mon 8PM Old Codger's Net 146.910 none Mon Tue 9PM 8PM NE AL 6m Net Eva ARES Training, Morgan Co 50.150 147.000 Tue 8PM Info Net 146.910 none Ragchew none & 444.435 W4YXA SHORT MOUNTAIN REnone PEATER CLUB Tue 9PM NE AL 6m Net Tue 9PM Multi-County Ham Jam (ragchew) Wed Thur 9PM 7PM NE AL 6m Net Limestone Co Training 50.150 145.150 Thur 7PM Digital Net (Madison Co) 443.500 Thur Thur 7:30PM 7:45PM 146.940 145.270 Thur 8PM Madison Co ARES Training Lawrence Co Training North AL, S Mid-TN Skywarn Training Thur 8PM Trader's Net Thur 9PM NE AL 6m Net Thur 9PM Drake State Technical College Net Fri Sat 9PM 9PM NE AL 6m Net NE AL 6m Net Sat 9PM Drake State Technical College Net 10AM 6:30PM 6:30PM 6:00PM 5PM HF Nets Alabama Day Net Alabama Traffic Net Mike Tennessee Phone Net Mississippi Phone Net Georgia Phone Net weekdays weekdays weekdays weekdays weekdays 50.150 146.7 (minus) PL Notes: alternate 7.243 none none Ragchew 114.8 100 Dekalb Co WB4GNA Calhoun County Amateur 131.8 Radio Assoc. none Ragchew 114.8 Shelbyville none Ragchew none Modes: MT63 w/2Khz BW and EZ110.9 PAL for pics. 100 107.2 linked w/ Moulton 146.96 & Section 147.36 147.240 146.910 50.150 444.575 50.150 50.150 444.575 3.965 3.965 3.980 3.862 3.975 W4YXA SHORT MOUNTAIN REPEATER CLUB none W4YXA SHORT MOUNTAIN REPEATER CLUB none Ragchew 100 Simplex link @ 146.58 none Ragchew none Ragchew 100 Simplex link @ 146.58 alternate 7.243 VOX Page 16 For Sale RADIOS FOR SALE COLLINS 75S1 Classic Receiver Filters include 2.1 KHz SSB and 500 Hz CW Asking $450 ICOM 746 PRO HF+6M+2M Solid State Transceiver Programmable DSP IF Filtering with 3 memories Includes CW, SSB, AM, FM, RTTY Very Good mid-line radio that covers most popular modes Product Review QST May 2002 and ARRL.org Asking $1000 KENWOOD TS-180 Solid State HF Transceiver for CW and SSB Includes Cascaded 2.4 KHz SSB Filters and 500 Hz CW Filter VFO-180 Remote VFO PS-30 Power Supply Product Review QST May 1980 and ARRL.org Asking $600 for all 3 units plus optional filters KENWOOD TS-940-SAT HF Transceiver for CW and SSB with Antenna Tuner Includes cascaded 2.4 KHz SSB and 500 Hz CW Filters Product Review QST Feb 1986 and ARRL.org Asking $900 for this classic radio including optional filters & tuner YAESU FT-990 HF Transceiver CW and SSB with Antenna Tuner Includes cascaded SSB Filters and one 500 Hz CW Filter Product Review QST Feb 1986 and ARRL.org Asking $800 for this very good HF Radio including above options Tom N4KG@AOL.com Home 256.233.1402 Cell 256.683.8345 Didn’t sell it at the Hamfest? Didn’t find it at the Hamfest? Not happy with what you bought at Hamfest? Post it here next month. Send your listing to mark.n4bcd (at) yahoo.com Page 17 VOX Editor: Every day the Gigaparts website features a new question as part of a radio raffle. Below are some sample questions. It’s a great (and addictive) diversion. Give it a try! Why should an HF mobile antenna loading coil have a high ratio of reactance to resistance? To swamp out harmonics To maximize losses To minimize losses To minimize the Q What is meant by a "silent key"? A key that is malfunctioning A deceased radio operator An encrypted code Richard Nixon What is the call sign range of Trinidad and Tobago? 9YA-9ZZ A3A-A3Z APA-ASZ ATA-AWZ Who is the Volt (unit of electromotive force) named after? Voltaire Alessandro Volta John Volts Megavolt In the television show "The Munsters", which of the Munsters sometimes operated a ham radio? Lily Herman Grandpa Eddie