In this issue:
-> THE TECHNICAL
COORDINATOR
-> AFFILIATED CLUB
COORDINATOR REPORT
-> THE SECTION EMERGENCY
COORDINATOR
-> THE PUBIC INFORMATION
COORDINATOR
-> THE SECTION TRAFFIC
MANAGER
-> OUT AND ABOUT IN
SOUTHEAST OHIO
-> WHATS HAPPENING IN
SOUTHWEST OHIO
-> CENTRAL OHIO HAPPENINGS
-> THE STATE GOVERNMENT
LIAISON
-> FAR SCHOLARSHIP INVITES
APPLICATIONS
-> FROM THE SCOUTING ASM
-> LET'S TALK
-> THE OFFICIAL OBSERVER
COORDINATOR
-> DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME - MARCH 13
-> WEBSITE STATS
-> SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS
IN OHIO
-> OHIO HAMFEST CALENDAR
****************************************************
THE TECHNICAL COORDINATOR
Jeff Kopcak - TC
Hey Gang,
I was contacted this month by
someone concerned that Fldigi would install a “trojan” on their
The place that Fldigi, Flmsg,
Flrig, and all other applications are now hosted is at a place called SourceForge
(also abbreviated “SF”).
SourceForge is a web service launched in 1999 that
offers tools for developers to manage their projects for free. They host source
code (for those who wanted to read, audit, modify, or learn from raw code), web
pages for the project, mirrors (hosting in multiple locations in case any-one
server is down), bug tracking, and many other features. It was the place for
hosting free and open-source software. A ton of very well-known projects were
(some still are) hosted on SourceForge: Apache Server, GIMP, OpenOffice,
Firefox, Thunderbird, Audacity, Filezilla, Drupal, WordPress, JT65-HF… list
goes on.
Some users were discouraged
by the number of advertisements on the site. Though it is an ad-supported free
service, there weren’t any viable alternatives.
In July 2013, SourceForge
created an optional service available to developers called “DevShare.” Any
developer who participated in the service would knowingly push additional
unwanted programs to anyone downloading their project. This is commonly
referred to as ‘crapware’ encompassing adware, download managers, antivirus
programs, browser toolbars, homepage modifications, search engine replacements,
and the like.
In May 2015, it was reported
that SourceForge seized control of what they considered ‘deprecated or
abandoned’ Windows projects. In taking control, they locked out the developer
and “updated” project downloads to push similar ad-supported content.
This is a problem because the
open-source community is just that, a community. They are made up of
enthusiasts that like developing programs. Much like ham radio, they donate
their time and do it for free. When a company takes the good name of a
well-known project and tarnishes it by installing adware on users’ computers,
this doesn’t go over well with the community. Their business practices
effectively destroyed what was left of SourceForge’s reputation.
The DevShare project started
a movement within the community to find replacements for SourceForge; GitHub
primarily. SF since stated they are not taking control of unmaintained
projects. It was too-little, too-late. Many developers deleted their projects
from SF and moved their content elsewhere. It is up to each developer to make a
decision about their project. I’ve provided links at the end of the article
that go more in-depth for those into tech stories. SourceForge is not the only
site that bundles crapware in downloads. Download sites like CNet’s Download
(dot) com and many other free file hosting services also push ads and unwanted
programs.
Back to Fldigi. The developer
of Fldigi maintained the installer and source files on his own server. Somewhere
near the end of last year, his site was hacked. The decision was made to move
the files from his server over to SourceForge. Likely in an attempt to be more
secure.
This created a problem for
many who are aware of the issues with SourceForge. Unfortunately, it is the
only place where the Fldigi Suite updates and downloads reside. I have
installed many Fldigi updates since the move to SourceForge and have not seen
anything to suggest any unwanted programs are included. The issue is something
to be aware of.
Good security practice
dictates not downloading anything you-yourself didn’t go looking for. If you do
download Fldigi and it is prompting you to install an antivirus program, this
is a huge red flag. Another example: never click anything that says ‘your
plugins, Java, Flash, antivirus, or system… is out of date’ because you weren’t
looking for those updates.
In other news, I would like
to welcome Technical Specialist Eldon - W5UHQ. If that sounds familiar, it’s
because he is the Net Manager for the OHDEN HF digital net. The Ohio Digital
Emergency Net meets Tuesday evenings at 8pm on 3585 using OLIVIA 8/500 at 1
kHz. The purpose is to provide statewide communications to EMA and EOC’s in
Ohio using sound card digital modes. If that wasn’t enough, he brings an
extensive background in communications and electronics to the group. OHDEN net:
http://ohden.org/
I will be at the Mansfield
Hamfest on February 21. I’ve been invited to present during the Digital Forum
at noon. This is assuming the weather is better than it has been the last few
days, hi hi. The Digital Forum will contain a presentation on digital voice by
Duane - K8MDA and I will present passing messages using Fldigi. Hope to meet
you at Mansfield! More: http://hamfest.w8we.org/
Articles on SourceForge:
Thanks for reading and 73... de
Jeff - K8JTK
****************************************************
THE AFFILIATED CLUBS
COORDINATOR
John Myers, KD8MQ - ACC
Hi everyone. None of us needs
to be reminded that it’s still winter. It’s been a good winter to stay in &
play radio. It’s been a busy winter here, and I’ve already begun my to-do list
for warm weather.
As the saying goes, a goal is
nothing more than a dream with a deadline. So here are some suggestions for
some fun club activities that do not revolve around meeting night.
Now don’t get me wrong; I’ve
nothing against meetings. They are necessary to the operation of any
organization. But, they shouldn’t be the only time that your members see each
other, right?
It’s good to get together
outside of meeting night. So, in no particular order, here’s a list of
potential club activities.
*Ohio NVIS Antenna Day (April
23rd) – Take a rig or two out to the field, and play with your best
NVIS antenna design. More information can be found at www.arrl-ohio.org/SEC
*ARRL Field Day (June 25th
/26th) – What can I say? It’s Field Day. Just about every club in
North America participates in this one. The 2016 FD packed is available for
download at www.arrl.org/field-day
*Ohio QSO Party (August 27th)
– Always on the 4th Saturday in August, there’s always a good crowd
for this one. It also makes a great excuse for a club picnic. Not that we need
an excuse. More information at www.ohqp.org
*September 10th –
This one is always the first Saturday after Labor Day. A lot of clubs put
stations on the air for this one. You can set up your station in an Ohio state
Park, and work the world. Or, you can set up anywhere else, and work Ohio State
Parks. Look for more information at ospota.org.
*NPOTA – (All Year) Activate
a National Park Unit (NPU) for the ARRL National Parks On The Air event. The
pile-ups have been outstanding for this one. No matter where you are in the
state, there’s a NPU within driving distance. You can get more information on
NPOTA at www.arrl.org/npota.
*Summits On The Air (SOTA) –
Yes, we have Summits in Ohio that can be activated. A list of summits and other
info can be found at www.sotadata.org.uk.
*US Islands On The Air - Yes,
we have Islands. The list & info can be found at www.usislands.org.
There was an article in the May 2015 issue of QST (pg. 73) on the US Islands awards program.
There was an article in the May 2015 issue of QST (pg. 73) on the US Islands awards program.
*How about putting on a
Special Event Station of your own? They are lots of fun, and a good way to get
your members on the air in a low-pressure environment. Harold Kramer, WJ1B wrote a wonderful column
on it for this month’s QST (pg. 13).
*There’s also club Picnics,
licensing classes, half-day programs, or whatever else your mind can conceive.
So there are some examples of
some “outside of Meeting Night” social events that can help increase your
activity level this year. If you have anything to add, by all means, let me
know.
73 everyone, see you next
month. DE KD8MQ
****************************************************
THE SECTION EMERGENCY
COORDINATOR
Stan Broadway, N8BHL
SEC
Report for February
[Theme
music up: “Who Are You?”]
That’s
right- as the Who famously ask, who are you? I mean by that, who are you when
you perform your duties? I propose
something that may be disturbing to some: you are NOT just a radio operator! Sure,
that’s first on our list…but it’s NOT the only thing on our list! When ARES
members are activated, we come as a resource to our EMA or other served agency
and that resource – you – may be asked to do things that don’t involve a radio.
It might be, “send a fax…” or even more common, “Here- use this MARCS radio for
me!” It might even involve…well…shoving flats of bottled water around.
I’m
here to report with glee that EC for Mahoning County Wes Boyd, W8IZC, and
Trumbull AEC John Orndorff, KA8YTS `get it’. When over 8,000 water customers in
the town of Sebring, Ohio, Mahoning County, discovered that they were about to
live the same situation as Flint, MI, the EMA called in volunteers to help! It
started as a weekday, so only a handful of ARES members showed up but they went
to work on handtrucks, moving and delivering bottled water. Nothing glamorous,
nothing flashy, but help- and help where it was needed. That is our bottom
line!!
First
it was Mahoning County, then surrounding counties were sought out for help.
Those few who were able to lend assistance exemplified what our goal is for the
ARES volunteer: you are there to help your community. If it involves radios, so
much the better.
County
EC’s need to be alert to all opportunities to serve. Mahoning County and Ohio
EMA officials were impressed- and amateur radio gets another gold star for
being a viable help to their efforts! Be creative in your own planning.
Consider a snow (reporting depths and winds from homes spread around the county)
or a flood (water depths, roadways, check on neighbors) even some mechanical
failure of a public resource. It could involve training your members in search
procedures for missing persons, or perhaps FEMA damage assessment. There are a
lot of things you can do- and a lot of training you can work up so people are
qualified to do them. My hat’s off to the crowd in those counties who helped!
You definitely “Get it!”
The
ARES VHF Simplex Contest
Thanks
to everyone who participated in our first annual Ohio ARES VHF contest! We had
great comments, and I think everyone had a lot of fun!
We
had 48 logs submitted from operators or groups. We made 936 contacts on FM
simplex, 45 on “other” (SSB mostly) and 18 digital contacts! There were 11
portable operations and 7 EOC’s were active including The Sarge (no log
submitted, they were on to give out contacts only.) Our stations averaged over
6 counties each with a high of 19 from Phil, N8LRG, in eastern Knox County. Our
stations averaged just under 21 contacts each, ranging from 0 (Sympathy to
Rich, WE8T who would up talking to himself) to a high of 100 from Phil. Must be
nice living on a high hill with big towers! Now we know who our emergency relay
station to the east and north is going to be!
So
here’s the score:
NUMBER
1: Fred Helwig, K8FH, working from Medina County’s MuGrage Park
FM:
28, Other: 1 Digital: 6 QSO bonus: 130 Counties: 8 Portable Op: 100 Total: 2120
NUMBER
2: Phil Humphreys, N8LRG operating from home in eastern Knox County
FM:
100, Other: 4 Digital: 0 QSO bonus: (built into the QSO figure) Counties: 19 Total:
1976
NUMBER
3: Tracey Liston, W8TWL operating portable in Medina
FM:
28, Other: 0 Digital: 0 QSO bonus: 35 Counties: 11 Portable Op: 100 Total: 1793
FOR
NEXT YEAR: We’re already getting in some great ideas. Yes, we do recognize six
meters in the VHF spectrum, and we plan to add 6 to the contest next year. Baby
steps. We’re thinking about specifying frequencies (maybe on a district level?)
so stations know where to look. We’re still open to suggestions about that. We
may want to add a ‘mobile’ category, since there were stations participating
while motoring around. (Not sure how they’ll actually LOG this while driving…) Please let us have your ideas!
COMMENTS:
*I
wish I had had more time to participate--do this again next year!
*This
was a lot of fun! I will have to create a contest module for my logging program
for this in the future. My longest QSO was over 100 mile range. I was able to
get some SSB QSO's in as well. If you have already picked the date for next
year, please let me know.
*Thanks
for sponsoring the contest. Had a great time finding out what my station is
capable of.
*Hope
we can do it again next year.
*Only
made 5 contacts, but it was a lot of fun and I learned a lot
*A
few of us from the West Chester Amateur Radio Association set up a portable 2
meter station at the Voice of America Bethany Relay Station for the Ohio ARES
contest. KD8ZUY, KE8ADV & KE8CVE. We used a 3 element tape measure beam on
an Army 25' portable mast. We ran on a generator at 50 watts FM and managed to
contact 7 counties. Butler, Warren, Hamilton, Ross, Franklin, Champaign &
Shelby. We stuck to the simplex FM frequencies and only made about 25 contacts,
many though we're with EOC's. We look forward to a bigger contest next year.
*Thanks,
couldn’t get started on time and was a couple hours late so maybe I missed
quite a few at the beginning. A little thin but the hunt was fun. Will be doing
it again next year if you have it. I will be looking for your write up on the
event to see how others did and how many were out there.
*Great
Contest. Learned more about my antenna setup and spoke with many other EC’s.
Let’s do it again. Most fun I have had in years.
NVIS
Day
Our
NVIS Antenna Day was so much fun last year – this year, it’s officially
recognized as an ARRL Special Operating Event! NVIS day will be April 23, from
10 until 6. We’re getting inquiries already about NVIS day (from as far away as
Texas…not sure that’s NVIS for us!) Do you have your ideas ready yet? This year
we are launching a new procedure, with the use of “Anchor Stations” in
strategic parts of the state. These stations will be on the air with skilled
technical operators who can give you an accurate signal report. Then, if you change
or adjust antennas, you can call them back and get another accurate report-
giving you a more solid comparison than random contacts. We’re putting that
team together now, and the team at The Sarge is obviously going to be going
full bore on that day. I have reached out to surrounding sections and asked
them to get involved. I’d love to have this as a regional event. We would also
hope to have surrounding state capitol EOC’s on the air (since a large
communication failure would probably mean we’d be handling traffic across the
region.) Marion County ARES is sponsoring our NVIS Day this year, they will be
compiling the results and are already really excited! Hope to hear you on the
air that day! 40 meters will be buzzing!
FEMA
Certificates
Jim
Yoder, our Ohio Section data guru, has reminded me that we need the completed
certificates as INDIVIDUAL jpg FILES, not lumped together like several jpgs in
one file. Attach those with the name, call, and county of the person involved. EC’s
should print your own copies of the members’ certificates to be kept at the EOC
where you can reach them quickly. This is something to get going NOW!
A
New Application
Scott
has adjusted form FSD 156 (available on the arrl-ohio website just where you
find the 212 form.) It shows as ARES Membership Form. There is now a checkbox
that says ”applying for: DEC, EC or ARES membership.” (Before it was EC or
DEC). Having this new checkbox allows
anyone to quickly refer an interested ham to the site and the form for
convenient application. We can then email the form to the proper county EC, who
can make contact and get the interested person involved! Plus, it directs
people to the website for more information! I’m pleased that within the past
week I’ve forwarded at least 6 applications- so people are looking to join! If
you are in a conversation with someone, just direct them to the “arrl-ohio.org”
website for their chance to get involved.
Weather
Training, Sergeant!
Please
take a moment to check the schedule for severe weather training! Here’s
Wilmington:
http://www.weather.gov/iln/spottertrainingschedule
and Cleveland: http://www.weather.gov/cle/SKYWARN_schedule
Don’t
take a pass this year- sure, you’ll hear some of the same old stuff, but
there’s always something new, minor changes to be made to streamline reporting.
It’s worth your time!
73, Stan, N8BHL
****************************************************
THE PUBLIC INFORMATION
COORDINATOR
John Ross, KD8IDJ
2016 Newsletter Contest
T-minus four months and
counting until the deadline for the Ohio Section Newsletter Contest!
The newsletters continue to
roll into my mailbox and they continue to be upbeat, current and professional.
It will be another marathon judging session this July. But, I guarantee you the
judges are ready and anxious to see this year's crop of submissions.
Remember, you need to submit
at least two copies. The deadline is June 30th, 2016. The complete set of rules
is below.
Keep them coming!
The AT&T Amateur
Radio Connection
Over the past two years I've
told you about a special project I'm working on tracing the timelines of
AT&T and Amateur Radio. It's a big project and I've talked to hundreds of
hams across country about their work for Ma Bell. Many of the engineers who
worked for the AT&T were (are still) hams and because of their background
in amateur radio a great deal of the phone company technology came from them.
We been communicating for the
last two years by the usual methods...the telephone, of course, email, snail
mail, and some short hop radio contacts. Recently we've been experimenting with
Echolink and it's been pretty exciting. A current ham operator and AT&T
employee has set up an internet hub that allows us to communicate with our
computers and without radios.
If you would like to listen
in or participate here's the information:
VOIP net on Fla HUB
Allstar node 27892 / Echolink KA4EPS-L , 20 meter net on 14.340, at 21:30 Zulu
/ 16:30 hours ET
Echolink is new to me and I'm
still learning but if you would like to join you'll need an account and
password which is easy to get. You can connect via web transceiver via Allstar
which is actually a better sounding platform / codec. Apply for a login
at www.allstarlink.org and get
your account setup. Takes about a day or two. Then launch web transceiver and
attach to 27892.
Morse Code and DNA
Last week I pulled out a
newspaper article I had saved that announced the official end of Morse code
after 155 years...at least for the government and commercial uses.
It got me thinking about
Samuel Morse and what it was that made me and thousands of other radio
operators become enamored with his code...and why it is still a big part of ham
radio today.
For me, one of the first toys
I received for Christmas 1956 was a plastic Morse code key and sounder. I played
with in until the batteries went dead but I was able to send my last name in
code...ROSS...at a pretty good clip. Little did I know then that my name had
all three of the most important Morse code letters...SOS!
Fast forward ahead about 60
years and I'm learning now that my Great Grandfather was one of the first
telegraph operators who was trained to work for the railroad! He worked at
stations in the small Ohio towns of Malta and Union Furnace. Where he received
his training is still a grey area. With the help of the Wayne County Library
and Historical Society, I'm researching an old Telegraphers School that was
operated in Wooster, Ohio. Across the county in the early 1800's there
were actual schools, colleges of their day, which taught Morse code. The Morse
code courses also came with a side course on penmanship. Apparently decoding
was not good enough if no one could read what the operator was writing down!!
All of this tells us just how
important Morse code was then. It was the fastest growing technology of the day
and has lasted for 172 years. We can only hope the internet has the same
longevity.
While we can pass down hair
and eye color to our future generations is it possible to pass down some Morse
code DNA? Funny question I know, but what causes kids like us to be interested
in technology at an early age? Why do we find amateur radio so important,
exciting and gratifying? If we dig deep enough I'll bet we might be surprised
at the answer.
That's it for this month...
73, John, KD8IDJ
****************************************************
THE SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGER
David Maynard, WA3EZN - STM
Public Service Communications
and Emergency Communications are at the very core of the Amateur Radio Service.
Public Service Communications has been the traditional responsibility of the
Amateur Radio Service since 1913, when Amateurs at the University of Michigan,
and Ohio State University, in conjunction with numerous individual Amateur
operators successfully bridged the communications gap surrounding a large
isolated area left by severe windstorms in the Midwest.
During emergencies when other
methods of communications are down ARRL Radiograms are sent through the
National Traffic System in a well planned and executed effort to communicate
information used to save lives and relay the health and welfare information
about survivors.
Daily throughout the United
States the NTS sends Radiograms to maintain practice for those times when it's
existence and function are critical for communications.
You may download forms and
instructions to familiarize yourself with NTS at the following links.
OHIO SINGLE SIDEBAND NET
"Specializing in the first and last mile of NTS
delivery in Ohio."
Morning session
|
10:30 AM
|
3972.5 KHz
|
every day
|
Afternoon session
|
4:15 PM
|
3972.5 KHz
|
every day
|
Evening session
|
6:45 PM
|
3972.5 KHz
|
every day
|
The Ohio Single Sideband net
is the premier HF traffic net in Ohio. It is a directed HF net that meets three
times a day to handle formal National Traffic System (NTS) messages called
radiograms into, out of, and within the State of Ohio. The NTS is an organized
network of amateur radio operators for the purpose of relaying messages. The
NTS is most useful during emergencies when telecommunications infrastructure
such as cell phone and land line telephone are inoperative. The OSSBN is an
officially recognized NTS net. Handling traffic efficiently and accurately
requires practice. Therefore, the NTS commonly practices with routine messages
such as greetings, congratulations, and license renewal reminders in order to
hone the skills of its operators. We welcome and invite anyone and everyone to
be involved! For more info check out these web sites: http://www.ossbn.org/ www.arrl-ohio.org
IF ONE WAITS TILL A DISASTER
OCCURES AND THEN VOLUNTEERS TO BE TRAINED FOR THE JOB, ONE BECOMES A LIABILITY
NOT AN ASSET, TRAINING AND PREPAREDNESS MUST OCCUR BEFORE IT IS NEEDED.
TRAFFIC NETS YEAR IN REVIEW
2015 AS REPORTED TO THE STM:
OSSBN QNI 16361 QTC
6420 QTR 27118 SESSIONS 1095
BNE QNI 1173 QTC
597 QTR 2837 SESSIONS 299
BNL QNI 1841 QTC
831 QTR 3429 SESSIONS 365
OSN QNI 1878 QTC
353 QTR 6390 SESSIONS 364
QNI NET STATIONS REPORTING IN TO THE NET
QTC HOW MANY RADIOGRAMS PASSED ON THE NET
QTR AMOUNT OF TIME NET WAS IN SESSION
SESSIONS HOW MANY NETS WERE HELD
NWS WILMINGTON 2016 OHIO
SPOTTER TRAINING SCHEDULE
Classes are free and open to
the public, but some may require advanced registration. You do not need
to be a resident of the county in which a class is being held in order to
attend. Each class lasts about 1.5 to 2 hours and is led by a National Weather
Service meteorologist who will discuss techniques and safety for severe weather
spotting. Once you attend a class, you are an officially trained spotter and
can report severe weather to your NWS office. Information is available at: http://www.weather.gov/iln/spottertrainingschedule
Here are briefs on
some of the training sessions – full details of each class are available at: http://www.weather.gov/iln/spottertrainingschedule
March 1 - Hamilton County
Spotter Training - REGISTRATION
REQUIRED! - Deadline: 2/19/2016 - EMA Director Nick Crossley (nick.crossley@hamilton-co.org)
March 2 - Madison County, OH
Spotter Training - EMA Director Roger Roberts (rroberts@co.madison.oh.us); Deputy
Director Debbie Sims (dsims@co.madison.oh.us)
March 5 - Franklin County, OH
Spotter Training - REGISTRATION
REQUIRED!
-
CERT Volunteer Coordinator at EMA Chris Williams (chriswilliams@franklincountyohio.gov)
March 7 - Greene County, OH
Spotter Training - EMA Director Roseanne Anders (randers@co.greene.oh.us)
March 10 - Darke/Preble
Counties, OH Combined Spotter Training - Darke County Emergency Management
Specialist Josh Haney (josh@darkecountyema.org);
Preble County EMA Director Dave Anderson (danderson@prebleema.org)
March 12 - Montgomery County,
OH Spotter Training - daytonskywarn@gmail.com
March 15 - Hardin County, OH
Spotter Training - Pre-register by contacting EMA Director Max Trachsel at the
email address hardinema@hardinsheriff.com
or by phone at 419-674-2276.
March 17 - Miami/Shelby
Counties, OH Combined Spotter Training - Miami County EMA Director Kenny Artz (kartz@miamicountyema.org); Miami County EMA
Deputy Director Art Blackmore (ablackmore@miamicountyema.org);
Shelby County EMA Director Cheri Drinkwine (shelbycountyema@gmail.com)
March 21 - Scioto County, OH
Spotter Training - REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- email scema@sciotowireless.net
or call 740-355-8300 with your name and/or agency
March 23 - Clark County, OH
Spotter Training - Carl Miller (n8nsd@woh.rr.com)
March 24 - Clinton/Fayette/Highland
Counties, OH - Clinton County EMA Director Mike Jones (ccema1@clintonsheriff.com); Fayette
County EMA Director Fulton Terry (fayema@fayette-co-oh.com);
Highland County EMA Director Jim Lyle (jlyle@co.highland.oh.us)
March 29 - Auglaize/Mercer
Counties, OH Combined Spotter Training - Auglaize County EMA Director Troy
Anderson (tanderson@auglaizecounty.org);
Mercer County EMA Director Mike Robbins (EMA@mercercountyohio.org)
March 29 - Logan County, OH
Spotter Training - Logan County EMA at 937-593-5743 or ema.assistant@co.logan.oh.us
March 30 -
Fairfield/Hocking/Pickaway Counties, OH - Fairfield County EMA Director Jon
Kochis (jkochis@co.fairfield.oh.us);
Hocking County EMA Director David Ogg (emadirector@co.hocking.oh.us);
Pickaway County EMA Director Dave Conrad (ema@pickaway.org)
Full details of each class
are available at: http://www.weather.gov/iln/spottertrainingschedule
Know more, do more, and
have more fun with ham radio!
Until next month,
73, David, WA3EZN
****************************************************
OUT AND ABOUT IN SOUTHEAST
OHIO
Lyn Alfman, N8IMW - Assistant
Section Manager (SE)
January went by like a blur
but without much burr! We got Atlanta’s winter temperatures, and got our
snow! Because of that, traveling was a
breeze.
I attended the Zanesville Amateur Radio Club
(ZARC) and Cambridge Amateur Radio Association (CARA) club meetings as well as
the Guernsey County ARES meeting. ZARC’s
new officers officially took over the reins in January. CARA held nominations for 2016 officers. Its election will be at the February meeting
with the new officers taking over the reins in March. Good news--CARA has
finally published its book celebrating its 100th birthday in 2013: A
Century of Radio. Contact me if you are
interested in obtaining a copy.
With elections taking place
in many clubs this time of year, I want to remind those responsible in their
respective ARRL Affiliated Clubs to file their annual reports with ARRL as soon
as possible. If you are not an ARRL
Affiliated Club, you should be. Contact
ACC John Myers, KD8MQ, or visit the ARRL website to find out what paperwork you
need to file. As soon as you become an ARRL Affiliated Club, check into
becoming a Special Service Club—you may already qualify.
I also attended the Sunday
Creek Amateur Radio Federation (SCARF) in Nelsonville where I was
I also attended the TUSCO
hamfest in Strasburg. I joined Section
Manager Scott Yonally, N8SY and ACC John Myers, KD8MQ at the ARRL table. Among others in attendance were District 9
DEC Sonny Alfman, W8FHF; Belmont County EC John Green; and Stark County EC
Terry Russ, N8ATZ.
I look forward to attending
the Mid-Ohio Hamfest (Mansfield) on February 21. It has been a couple of years since I went to
this one. Also, it is never too early to
mark your calendars for the Dayton Hamvention on May 20-22 and the Columbus Hamfest/Ohio
Section Conference (at the NEW Aladdin Shrine Center) on August 6.
’73 Lyn, N8IMW
Remember to be Radio Active!
****************************************************
WHATS HAPPENING IN SOUTHWEST
OHIO
From: Kitty Hevener, W8TDA -
Assistant Section Manager (SW)
I have been going through
computer hell for a while, but think I am finally functionally back. I determined
that I had corrupted files on my computer and the only way to fix them was to
do a clean install of Windows-7. This meant that I had to wipe the hard
drive completely clean and start all over. I had tried everything else to no
avail. So, I put the original recovery disks in that HP had me create, and off I
went. So, while I thought I had Windows-7 installed all along, I actually only
had what is called an OEM version of Windows-7 that HP had provided with the
computer. Many computers today come this way. It’s so they can load extra stuff
into the software that you have no choice but to accept and keep. While my data
files were all backed up, all my programs had to be reinstalled and set-up to
function with my screen reader once again.
Now that I’ve got a computer
once again, Tom, W8WTD and I are now working on trying to figure out the source
of RF interference that appears to be getting into my HF rig. As soon as
I key up on 20 meters, the power supply shuts down. I’ve tried installing a
toroid on the power lines, but it didn’t help fix problem. We are both
stumped, but are continuing to work on problem. I am so blessed to have
him as both a friend and neighbor.
Now, not that I wish any ill
will on anyone, but it really is time for Murphy to move on and leave me
alone!! lol.
I guess to keep the whole
computer story ham radio related I should add this, the main program that would
not work, and ultimately led to the discovery of corrupted files was my N3FJP Amateur
Contact logging and contesting program. Now, it’s all up and working once
again. Finally..
73, Kitty, W8TDA
****************************************************
CENTRAL OHIO HAPPENINGS
From: Fritz Tender, WD8E -
Assistant Section Manager (Central Ohio)
I hope everyone got South
Sandwich and South George Islands in the log. It may be many years before
we have another chance.
I enjoyed attending the
Nelsonville Hamfest where I had the opportunity to catch up on the latest news
with several old friends. The "Fest' seemed a bit smaller than last
year but it did not lack enthusiasm. As usual they did a great job.
Barring any foul weather I
plan to attend the Mansfield Hamfest next week. I hope to see you there.
73, Fritz, WD8E
****************************************************
THE STATE GOVERNMENT
LIAISON
From: Nick Pittner, K8NAP –
SGL
Coming Events
Since we’ve now had a state
antenna law in Ohio for a couple of years it’s no longer “new”. With that in
mind, Scott, our Section Manager, suggested that we undertake a revision to
recognize that fact. It also provides a chance to smooth out a couple of
wrinkles in the earlier version. So, a new, updated version to the 3-fold
antenna law brochure has been prepared and will, hopefully, be available for
display and distribution at your Field Day literature tables. The revised
document is now in the hands of folks in Newington for their blessings. Many
thanks to Scott for patiently re-formatting the document each, and every, time
a new version came to him, with nary a complaint hearable in central Ohio.
Speaking of Field Day, plans
are to once again ask Governor Kasich to sign a Field Day proclamation, so keep
that in mind as you plan for local Field Day publicity. We will let you know
when the Proclamation is signed. I hear he’s a little busy right now.
Also, keep in mind that other
governmental bodies, like county commissioners and city councils, sometimes
adopt resolutions of recognition or proclamation as well. Consider asking them
to follow the lead of Ohio’s Governors and recognize the importance of Field
Day by way of a publicly-adopted proclamation as part of your club’s publicity
efforts.
73, Nick, K8NAP
****************************************************
FAR SCHOLARSHIP INVITES
APPLICATIONS
2016 Scholarship Information
The Foundation for Amateur
Radio, Inc., will be administering a total of 46 scholarships, worth an
aggregate of $71,000 for the coming 2016/2017 academic year. The scholarships
range in value from $500 to $5,000 each.
All applicants must meet the following
minimum requirements:
*Hold a valid US or foreign
amateur radio license,
*Be enrolled, or have been
accepted for enrollment, at an accredited university, college or technical
school.
*Applicants who attend a
school located outside of the United States must provide a brochure describing
the school.
Note that you do not apply
for specific scholarships. Instead your application will be considered for all
of the scholarships for which you are qualified.
In order to be considered for
the Chichester and QCWA scholarships, applicants must obtain the appropriate
recommendations. Instructions for obtaining those recommendations may be found
in the form, itself. These 16 scholarships are worth $23,500 in aggregate.
If you have questions about
the scholarship process, please email them to: farscholarships@gmail.com.
Instructions for the form
The form is self-explanatory.
Note that many of the questions are required. The form will not let you proceed
until you have answered those questions. Please provide as much information as
possible for each of the essay questions. You may work on your answers in an
external program, such as Word, and then paste the answers into the form.
When you click on ‘Submit’ to
send the application, you will find a link that allows you to go back and edit
the form later. PLEASE COPY THIS LINK AND SAVE IT!
Applications must be
submitted by April 15. You may edit the form up until May 7. We realize that
some schools do not announce acceptances until May 1, so we are giving you time
to update your application in order to enter that information
Your application form data
goes directly into an encrypted, password protected PDF file that is available
only to the review committee. Your raw input data is not stored on-line.
****************************************************
FROM THE SCOUTING ASM
Scott Hixon, KC8ITN –
Assistant Section Manager - Scouting
With the cold and snow we’re
experiencing here during mid February, It’s hard to believe that on January 31st
I was wearing short pants and a short-sleeved shirt!
Even though it’s cold enough
outside that we’re keeping the brass monkeys indoors, scouts are still in the
camping mood. No matter what the weathers like, we like to be outside whenever
possible.
Over the next few months,
there are four radio scouting events listed on the K2BSA website’s calendar.
These events are located around the U.S. and range from one-day events to a
6-day long event. Here is a list of the events and dates: February 27, 2016- K2BSA/7 “Freeze
till it Hertz” Green River, WY; March
10-13, 2016- K2BSA/4 “Campout 100” Covington, GA; April 9, 2016- K2BSA/8 Radio and
Electronics Merit Badge Oberlin, OH; May
26-31, 2016- “Mt. Baden-Powell” Glendora, GA.
Whenever a Radio Scouting
event is being put on, the operators are always looking for someone for the
scouts to talk to. This is your time to step up and get back to the basics of
our hobby…making contacts and helping to get others interested in amateur
radio!
Even though it’s winter right
now, it is never too early to start thinking about setting up at a summer camp
near you. Summer camps run weekly from mid-June thru late July. There are
already some hams in Huron County that will be setting up at a summer camp near
Wakeman, Ohio. They will be operating the callsign K2BSA/8 on June 16, 23 and
July 7, 14, and 21. They are in the BSA Heart of Ohio Council. This group
deserves a BIG round of applause for making the commitment to help the next
generation of potential hams!
Scouts are known for “Helping
other people at all times”. If it’s helping someone across the street, doing
service projects for different organizations or helping their community in
times of need (sound familiar, ARES?), scouts are always ready for service.
Let’s say “Thanks” by being there for them! Set something up at a summer camp,
weekend campout or even a demonstration at a weekly meeting and show the scouts
what amateur radio is about.
We all like a little
“friendly” competition. I’ve got one for you. This will be open to everyone in
the Ohio Section. If you are an individual, a ham club or an ARES/RACES group
and you set up ham radio at scouting events, keep track of your hours. The
individual or group with the most hours accumulated at the end of 2016 will be
the winner and receive an award! You will also get the bragging rights and the
warm, fuzzy feeling that comes from giving back to an organization that has
given so much over the last 106 years. This would also be a good time to
operate your portable station and make sure it still works in case you would
ever need it during an emergency (ahem…ARES??).
So get your radio, antenna
and portable power source and hit the woods (or at least a meeting room). Keep
track of your hours and let’s see who can be “King of the Campouts”!
Feel free to contact me if
you have and questions or concerns. Also, if you have a radio scouting event
coming up and would like it publicized, let me know and I can add it to a
future article.
Until next time: Take
care, be careful, and make a difference is someone’s life!
73, Scott Hixon, KC8ITN
****************************************************
LET'S TALK
Scott Yonally, N8SY - Section
Manager
Hey Gang,
Late Breaking NEWS.. There’s now less than 33 days left until
spring arrives!! Think about it, that’s
just a freckle over a month! It appears
that we’ve gotten over the hump and we can now look forward to 90 degree
temperatures with 100 percent humidity days once again. Now, just before spring
actually arrives, we get to set those clocks back one hour. Yes, Daylight
Saving Time begins on March 13th this year. That’s just one week before the
official arrival of spring on March 20th.. Now I wouldn’t want any of you to be
behind, so that’s why I’m reminding you now of these two important dates..
February has been a month for
visiting.. I’ve been really busy attending meetings and a few hamfests.. It
seems like some weeks I’m on the road almost every night. I love it. For those
of you who don’t know, the Ohio Section of the ARRL is the largest Section in
the country. It’s even bigger than a Division or two. So, with that in mind,
it’s only fair to say that Ohio also deserves to have a full time Section
Manager. One that can freely travel all over the state visiting with, and
representing YOU. So, don’t be surprised when I just “pop-in” at your meeting
or function. I really do like traveling and visiting with all of you at your
hamfests, club meetings, picnics and especially breakfasts. It’s fantastic!
Now, switching bands to
another subject..
Last month our Section Emergency
Coordinator (SEC) Stan reported that the ARES program has a goal of seeing that
all of its ARES members have been trained and certified in ICS-100, 200, 700
& 800 by the end of June, 2016. Is this a big leap? Yes, but it is not
without its reasons. (ICS stands for Incident Command System)
Let me explain some things to
you in order for you to better understand “why now..??”
Stan and I belong to the Emergency
Management Association of Ohio (EMAO). Belonging to this organization allows us
much greater access to network with the various Emergency Management Agency
(EMA) Directors here in Ohio, in a setting that non-members just don’t have. As
we’ve observed, each of the EMA Directors seem to have their own requirements for
what they expect in their volunteers, as far as certificated training is
concerned. Some want a lot, and some don’t really have much in requirements at
all. However, that being said, here are some thoughts that I want all of you to
consider about why we want this training now.
1. Just because you start out in a particular
county for a disaster doesn’t mean that you’ll end there. I’ve been to many
scenes where I’ve been moved for one reason or another to many different
locations, and counties. So, where you started from ain’t necessarily where
you’re going to finish up at
2. If you get nothing more than what all of the
acronyms mean out of these classes, at least when someone tells you to go to
the “JIC” you’ll know what it means and not look dumbfounded (a JIC is a Joint
Information Center)
3. As in number 1, if you end up in another
county where more training is required, you’ll at least have it for that EMA
Director’s requirements
4. Your particular EMA Director may not have
applied for a grant, or gotten into a situation where the ICS requirements have
hit him yet, and thus they haven’t seen where they need to have these
requirements for their volunteers. But, I’ll bet if you asked any of them if they
would accept your certificates, they’d have a great big smile on their face and
would agree to keep them on file
Now, I’ve heard that we may lose
a few operators because of this added requirement. I sure hope that’s not true.
Like you, I believe very strongly in our Ohio ARES program, I find it hard to
understand how anyone that spent so much time studying for their Amateur Radio
license can’t seem to find the time to spend on this, if they want to be an
active part of our Ohio ARES. Yes, it’s really that important. Just like
learning Ohm’s Law and some basic algebra that you were forced to learn to get
your license, this is really no different. You are being asked to learn some
basic rules of operation in order for you to be an effective part of the Emergency
Management Agency (EMA) and Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
The ARRL signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) back in
2014 during the ARRL Centennial Celebration. This was when we made it clear to
FEMA that we wanted to play in THEIR sandbox. As such, we need to understand
that since we are in their sandbox, we need to follow their rules. They want us
to have this training in order for us to be of more help to them. It is offered
for FREE, and let’s face it, it can be very useful information when everyone
else is panicking.
I will add this.. At this
time not everyone’s current EMA Director may require this extra training, but
please bear in mind that this EMA Director may not always be the one in charge
either. If the emergency gets big enough the state or even the federal folks
WILL get involved. If you don’t already have the training, you stand a pretty
good chance that you’ll be told that you are of no use to them... And I’m here to tell ya’ that this HAS already
happened in another part of the country!
Now let’s switch bands..
***CLUB LEADERSHIP.. Please,
don’t just blow over this portion.. You need to make sure that your club is
involved with youth groups. Make sure that you have a contact with the local
Boy Scouts / Girl Scouts as well as a teacher or teachers from the middle
schools involved with your club.. Don’t forget, the youth of today will be
taking over this great “hobby” of ours, but not without your support and
willingness to bring them along. These kids are out there, YOU just need to
take the first step forward and approach them on it.
Club Presidents.. Are you
passing along that vital information that needs to go to your successor?? Put a paragraph or two into your by-laws that
state ALL club records are to be reviewed at least once each year, and
definitely when a new president takes over. This will help not only the
president, but the club members as well.
Are you getting those emails
from me? If not, all you have to do is to “Opt-In” to receive them. Heck, just
send me an email n8sy@n8sy.com, I’ll get you
added to the mailing list. There’s a link to do this on the Ohio Section
website, it’s on the bottom left corner.. For your convenience, here’s a direct
link to it:
http://arrl-ohio.org/forwarder/forwarding.html I urge all of
you to make sure that everyone, regardless of whether they are a League member
or not, get signed up for one of these options. You can always “Opt-Out” at any
time if you feel this is not what you were expecting.
Let’s shift bands once
again..
Let’s talk about the Ohio
Section Website.. You can find the Ohio Section Website at:
http://arrl-ohio.org If you don’t have this website set as your
home page, I urge you to do so.
Have you seen the NEWEST
“Handbook Giveaway” drawing on the website yet? It’s there..!! To enter the
drawing all you need to do is fill in a couple of boxes on the form.. (your
name and email). That’s you need to do to be entered into a drawing to win a
2016 ARRL softcover Handbook. There’s nothing else required (Oh.. You do need
to be a resident of Ohio to win..) The winner will be mailed the Handbook at my
cost. This is being offered just to see how many folks are really checking in
on the website. Got the idea? Best of luck to you!!
Ohio's Speaker Bureau.. Need
a speaker for your club meeting? I’m available. Please, feel free to give me a
call. I’ll do my very best to be at your function.
Switching bands once again.. HEY,
there’s another NEW – one question – questionnaire on the Ohio Section Website?
This question is really important for me to know.. I’m asking if you use
Facebook or Twitter. I really want to know if you are using either of these
Social Media outlets so I can better communicate with all of you. It only asks this
one question and it will take all of about 2 seconds for you to answer it, and
you can see how your answer stacks up with others instantly. If you haven’t
done it yet, please do.. I really want to hear from you. 
Are you a member of the
ARRL?? If you aren’t a League member, this is a great opportunity to become
one. Want more information on how to join? Here’s the link: http://www.arrl.org/membership-levels. There’s even a 90 day FREE trial that you can apply
for if you’ve never been a member.. Got questions about being a member or what
the League is all about? Send me an email.. n8sy@arrl.org I’ll be happy
to call or write to you. We can even have coffee if you’d like.. and I’ll buy!!
Switching Bands once more.. Do
you check-in on any of the nets in Ohio? We have a lot of them you know. Nets
are where you get training and the discipline needed when emergencies happen.
Now if your local area doesn’t have a net, you can always check in on one of
the HF nets. There are a number of them around. OSSBN, BNE, BNL and so forth.
Each one of these nets brings something different to the table for learning. Don’t
be shy about checking in. Believe this or not, you’ll actually have FUN doing
it!!
One last spin of the dial..
Well, I’m getting ready to go QRT.. Just one last thought before I do.. Stan, N8BHL and I continue working very hard at getting Amateur Radio to the forefront with the EMA Directors around the state. We are both members of the Emergency Management Association of Ohio (EMAO). We have also been very active with the Ohio Homeland Security / Ohio Department of Public Safety, by belonging and attending the Ohio Public Private Partnership (OP3) meetings and conferences as
well. And, we are both active members in the 
Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) here in Ohio. We both are state credentialed and are able to
credential others within our group when needed. This will be a very big plus
when a disaster does occur. The Ohio Section has a presence like never before
with our state agencies, and we are working very hard at making that presence
grow and prosper for all of YOU.
Don’t be surprised when I
show up at a meeting you’re at!!
73, Scott, N8SY
****************************************************
THE OFFICIAL OBSERVER
COORDINATOR
John Perone, W8RXX
The hard working Ohio OO's
monitored a total of 1206 hours during January, 2016. They sent out 2 Good
Operator Cards & 3 - OO cards for FCC part 97 violations.
I wish to thank all of the
Ohio OO's for their support of this important ARRL program.
73, John, W8RXX
****************************************************
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME..
Hey Gang,
Don't forget on Sunday, March 13 you need to move your clocks ahead 1 hour for Daylight Saving Time..
I'll be sure to remind you again when it gets closer..
****************************************************
WEBSITE STATS – ** arrl-ohio.org
**
January 2016
Pages Hits Bandwidth
111,392 516,977 2.07
GB
****************************************************
SPECIAL EVENTS STATIONS IN
OHIO
03/13/2016 | Lost Hour
Special Event Station
Mar 13, 0000Z-0600Z, W8BAP,
Chillicothe, OH.
Scioto Valley Radio Club .
28.445 14.250 7.250 3.860.
Certificate. Jim Boyce, 604 W
5th St , Chillicothe, OH 45601.
This the 5th annual special
event station celebrating the start of
Daylight savings time.
Certificate with SASE.
03/20/2016 | Western Reserve
Amateur Radio Club 6th Anniversary
Mar 20, 0200Z-1000Z, W8WRC,
New Springfield, OH.
Western Reserve Amateur Radio
Club. 14.310 7.170.
QSL. Western Reserve Amateur
Radio Club,
2050 East South Range Rd,
New Springfield, OH 44443.
****************************************************
OHIO HAMFEST CALENDAR
02/21/2016 | Mansfield Mid
Winter Hamfest <<NEW DATE
Location: Mansfield, OH
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: InterCity Amateur
Radio Club
03/06/2016 | NOARS Winter
Hamfest
Location: Elyria, OH
Sponsor: Northern Ohio
Amateur Radio Society (NOARS)
Website: http://www.noars.net
03/20/2016 | TMRA Hamfest and
Computer Fair
Location: Perrysburg, OH
Sponsor: Toledo Mobile Radio
Association
Website: http://www.tmrahamradio.org
03/26/2016 | MOVARC HAMFEST
Location: Gallipolis, OH
Sponsor: Mid-Ohio Valley
Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.facebook.com/KC8ZAB
****************************************************
eof..