ARC-SHORTS
January 2013
Rick Bunn N4ASX – Editor
Club Repeaters: 53.13 (PL107.2) (DFM), 147.315 (PL 107.2), (224.82(PL107.2), 444.6 (107.2) ; 927.6 (-25Mhz, 107.2 PL) and 1282.600 (PL 107.2) (DFM) ; DSTAR 145.38Mhz, 442.060, 1284.600 ; (DFM is Down for Maintenance)
News letter and meeting announcement for the Alexandria Radio Club.
Club repeaters: Detailed info can be found at www.w4hfh.org
Club Net: 147.315 (-600Khz, PL107.2) on Thursday’s at 8 PM local time
Club Meetings: Second Friday of each month at 7PM at 3600 Wheeler Ave. (Police Dispatch Center) Dinner before the meeting at Atlantis Restaurant in the Bradlee shopping center between Rt 7 and Seminary Rd. at 5:30 or so.
Minutes of Regular Meeting –
Minutes from the 12/14/2012 Meeting/Party
Conducting: Marshall KI4MWP
Treasurer’s Report: We have money
Secretary’s Report: Nothing to report
Education: Rich KA4GFY
15 tests given, resulting in 12 Techs and 3 Generals; 10 already interested in the next class; HRO was very helpful finding the manuals.
Repeaters: Rich KA4GFY
70cm down again (crappy controller per Tim KT4MV); E-mail from TMARC questions about our repeater availability, hopefully we can restore them to service before they ask for the allocations back; 6m duplexer for $500? Complete 6m repeater for $3k, place in PA sells 6m repeater for $1k (less duplexer); Rich is working on the 23cm repeater.
D-STAR: Nothing to report
Net Controls:
12/20/2012 Tom KJ4FUU
12/27/2012 Rich KA4GFY
01/03/2013 Harry N4CWP
01/10/2012 Don KI4D
Next Meeting — January 11, 2012
Normally, our January meeting is a business meeting. We discuss the coming years, budget, programs, events, hear from our new officers, appoint committee chairs for budget, audit, membership, programs etc. We might discuss activities like fox hunting, hamfests, outreach programs. In addition, this year we will have a program. Our own Eric Parker KG4DZA will give us a run down on how trunked radio systems work.
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
I was asked to provide some notes from the incoming president, and I can sum up my goals for the coming year in one sentence: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I want the club to continue its program of educating the public, both in what amateur radio is and does, and in teaching prospective hams what they need to know to get their tickets and what to do when they get them. I want to continue to have field days that focus on fun, safety, and learning, with scoring points as the bottom of the priority list. I want to have enlightening programs and continued good participation and attendance from our members.
I am not the be-all and end-all of ideas for this club, and will appreciate any ideas that anyone cares to put forward. And contrary to rumors, I do not intend to mandate that everyone operate QRP. However, I would like to investigate ways to get more members involved in CW, especially the new members, if it can be done in a non-intimidating manner. I don’t want to push it, but make resources available to people who might be interested.
73,
Tom Kirby KJ4FUU
Training –
The latest class session concluded on December 11 with nearly all the original participants taking the exam. There were 15 people who came in without a license, took an exam that evening and every one of them walked out earning a new license. The breakout was 12 new Technicians and 3 new Generals. Congratulations to all on a job well done! Listen for the new calls on the air.
Here are our new licenses:
Jeffery C Groves KK4NMN
Charles B Watson KK4NMO
Tomas A Dundzila KK4NMP
Ryan R Klee KK4NMQ
Shannon N Klee KK4NMR
Timothy McGhee KK4NMS
Sara K Drake KK4NMT
Adam D Jorjorian KK4NMU
James A Ruggieri KK4NMV
Matthew Summers KK4NMW
Jeanne L Gregor KB3ZTE
Ian P Weston KB3ZTF
David C Toth KB3ZTG
Christopher E Mann KB3ZTH
Marie D Popiolek KK6BKG
Before this class ended, we were already getting inquiries about the next class. Our next Technician class is starting February 26 and ends May 7. The cost is still $50, which includes the book, test fee and class materials.
73,
Rich, KA4GFY
Hamfests –
January 27, 2013 – Maryland Mobileers Post Holiday Hamfest in Odenton, MD. Its held at the Odenton fire station on Route 175. Its an easy drive up I-95. Talk in on the 146.805 repeater (PL 107.2).
February 2, 2013 – Richmond Frostfest. Located at the Richmond Raceway Complex in Richmond. About 2 hours down I-95. This is a good hamfest for carpools. Sponsored by the Richmond Amateur Telecommunications Society. Talk in on the 146.88 repeater (PL 74.4)
February 24 – Winterfest. Located at the Annandale campus of Northern VA Community College. Sponsored by Vienna Wireless Society. Talk in the 146.91 repeater. NOTE: Harry, N4CWP has arranged for the club to have THREE tables. If you have gear you want to sell, this is the time to do it. We want to have good representation.
Contests –
Jan 5 and 6 – ARRL RTTY Roundup. Exchange is the RST and your state.
Jan 6 – Kids Day. Not really a contest, but an opportunity to introduce kids to ham radio.
Jan 12 and 13 – CW portion of the North American QSO Party. Exchange is your name and state.
Jan 19 and 20 – Phone portion of the North American QSO Party. Exchange is your name and state.
Jan 19 through 21 – ARRL January VHF Contest. Both phone and CW. Exchange is your grid square (most of in the Alexandria area are FM18).
Feb 2 – Vermont QSO Party. Exchange is RST and state.
Feb 2 – Minnesota QSO Party. Exchange is your name and state.
Feb 2 and 3 – British Columbia QSO Party. Exchange is RST and state.
Feb 2 and 3 – Delaware QSO Party. Exchange is RST and state.
Feb 3 – CW Portion of North American Sprint. Exchange is both callsigns, a serial number and your state.
ARES
The city’s EMS management wants to provide some of us with training on how the EMS is run in an emergency. My guess is that we could have between 6 and 10 members attend. If you’re interested talk to Rick, N4ASX.
Rick will have back ground check forms at the January meeting. Even if you have filled one out in the past, I would like to get all renewed for this year.
The next Public Service Event will be the George Washington’s Birthday 10K run on February 17th and the Parade on February 18th (Monday). We hope to support as we have in the past with D-Star at the Reviewing Stand and at Parade Start and we will also need hardy souls to work with the Marshals. Let Rick, N4ASX, know if you can support either or both of these events.
Elmer’s Corner
The club with Rich’s, KA4GFY’s leadership just completed one of our largest classes and one of our most successful regarding licenses granted. Because we only have about 20 hours to cover a great deal of material, a lot of basic ham knowledge is left out as it does not get covered in the FCC rules or in the technology. I hope to help our new hams by providing answers to newbie questions in a regular column. So, that I don’t run away in open loop mode, please let me know what questions you have. If I cannot answer the question, I will find an expert who can.
Let’s start with the first on the air contact. Most of us are a little microphone shy. It’s a safe bet that your first radio will be a 2 meter (144-148Mhz) FM radio. It may be a handheld or a mobile unit. I would suggest that regardless of what you have and we will talk about buying radios, hamfests, basic antennas in later issues, that you start by checking into the club’s weekly nets. Listen first to how others check in and then check in. Let the NET CONTROL STATION know after your check in that you are new to the hobby, where you are and what type of radio you are using. The Net Control Station (NCS) will go down the list of check ins and ask for comments. Remember this is G-RATED and that many non-hams listen on scanners. Don’t say anything you would not say in a crowded room with people you don’t know. When it’s your turn, the NCS will call you and you then can tell us about what you have, where you are and what your interests are. It’s also good to have a pad of paper with you as the NCS or others will share news and items of interest to the club and ham radio in general. Listen to the others in the net and don’t be afraid to ask questions. We go through the list twice so that all have a chance to respond or bring up other topics. There is no hard and fast rule. If you want to talk to someone in the net, you can ask that they stick around after the net for a conversation. Checking into a net like ours is like swimming in the shallow water. Later when you’re more comfortable, you can check into other nets or look for conversations.
When you’re on a repeater, listen first, manners are important. If there is a conversation in progress and you want to add your two cents, drop your call sign between transmissions and wait to be invited in. Most hams are happy to meet new hams and converse. Some however may want to finish a conversation with a friend and drop out.
73 Rick N4ASX
Amateur Social Activities
Monday Night Half Price Burgers – There is a group that gets together at Shooter McGee’s (Duke and Paxton Streets) on Monday evenings at 6:30 PM. A good burger and soft drink runs about $9.00.