In this issue:
-> SKYWARN TRAINING
-> THE TECHNICAL
COORDINATOR
-> AFFILIATED CLUB
COORDINATOR REPORT
-> THE SECTION EMERGENCY
COORDINATOR
-> THE PUBLIC INFORMATION
COORDINATOR
-> THE SECTION TRAFFIC
MANAGER
-> OUT AND ABOUT
-> FROM THE EDUCATIONAL
OUTREACH ASM
-> ARES TRAINING UPDATE
-> LET'S TALK
-> THE OFFICIAL OBSERVER
COORDINATOR
-> SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS
IN OHIO
-> OHIO HAMFEST CALENDAR
-> MY FINAL
****************************************************
SKYWARN TRAINING – WHERE CAN I GET IT..
Hey Gang, it’s time to start
thinking of either renewing, or obtaining your Skywarn training for 2017. Do
you know where the training is being made available?
Here’s are links to all 5 weather
offices that cover Ohio. Depending on where you live will depend on which
weather office you’ll want to look at. It’s your choice as to which area you
want to go to, but just be sure to get that training in!
You can also find these links
on the Ohio Section ARES webpage under Skywarn too
Hey speaking of getting that
all so important weather information... Did you know that all the National
Weather Service Bulletins for Ohio are posted on the Ohio Section Website? They
are, here’s a link to that page.. http://arrl-ohio.org/nws.html
This page lists all weather
bulletins that effect Ohio and are posted directly by the National Weather
Service.
****************************************************
THE TECHNICAL COORDINATOR
Jeff Kopcak – TC
Hey gang,
Since the last couple months
have been feature articles, this month will be odds-n-ends.
Maker Spaces & Faires
I got positive comments on
last month’s article about Makerspaces and Maker Faires. I hope it gave clubs and groups ideas to get
younger makers into our hobby. Not only
did the January edition of QST have the article on Maker Faires but it was the
focus of ARRL CEO Tom Gallagher - NY2RF’s note in April. I’m happy to say these types of things are on
the radar of the League and they’re focusing efforts on this new generation of
Ham Radio operators. According to Tom,
the ARRL plans to be at the three national maker events this year.
AllStar
I learned the creator of
AllStar Link, Jim Dixon - WB6NIL, passed away at the end of last year. Jim is the creator of “app_rpt” which allowed
the open source PBX system, Asterisk, to function as a repeater controller. In doing so, created one of the most
impressive and versatile solutions for VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) in
ham radio. Having played around with
AllStar on my own node, nodes can be linked together directly through the
public Internet, private network, point-to-point network, or really any
combination of methods. Hubs are systems
with greater bandwidth allowing for multiple simultaneous connections – like
“reflectors” on IRLP or “conferences” on Echolink. One of my buddies who spoke with Jim
commented that he was the smartest, nicest guy you’d meet and [he] would be
doing well if he retained even half of what they talked about. Jim will be missed but the AllStar project
will live on. AllStar Link: https://allstarlink.org/, Raspberry Pi
& BeagleBone image: https://hamvoip.org/
Fldigi & Flmsg
W1HKJ and the contributors to
the Fldigi project have been busy (http://www.w1hkj.com/). A new major release of Fldigi was made
available at the end of March. This
brings both Fldigi & Flmsg up to version 4.0.1. Technical Specialist Bob – K8MD messaged me
about the update. My response: ‘crap, I
just updated the screen shots from the previous changes the weekend before’
(3.22.x). I was hoping there were no new
changes. Of course there were! Now my newly updated instructions are dated
again! Those instructions were getting
stale because of significant program option changes since I made them available
about two years ago. They are on my site
(up to Fldigi v3.23.21 and Flmsg 4.0.1) at http://www.k8jtk.org/2015/04/16/getting-started-with-fldigi-including-flmsg-and-flwrap/. Written for the LEARA Digital Net, they do
focus on NBEMS operation.
Check them out and do some
practice nets. From experience, it’s
best if ALL participating stations
are using the same program versions.
There are fewer issues with forms because newer forms are included in
later Flmsg versions that were not in earlier ones and everyone can be on the
same page when going through settings.
Over that same weekend, I
wrote up tutorials and hacks you can do with Flmsg. We’ve all been there. You missed receiving part of an Flmsg message
because of being off frequency (radio or waterfall), in the wrong mode, or not
paying attention. The issue is quickly
corrected and most of the message is still received. However, Fldigi doesn’t know what to do with
the form because some of the headers are missing. When headers are missed, Fldigi can’t open
the form because the message won’t checksum.
The checksum is used to verify the entire message was received. I wrote up a tutorial how to recover a partially
missed message: http://www.k8jtk.org/2017/03/25/recovering-a-partially-received-flmsg-message/.
The last is more of an Flmsg
hack. When an Flmsg form is received,
NBEMS standard is to have the ‘open in browser’ option enabled. As expected, this will open the received form
in the default browser. Many don’t
realize that any web programming code (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) sent as part of
the form will be interpreted by the browser.
This means you can send clickable links, link to an image, redirect to
websites, and change background colors.
Just about anything that can be done on a webpage can be sent as part of
an Flmsg form and rendered when opened in the browser. Find out how at http://www.k8jtk.org/2017/03/25/flmsg-forms-rendered-as-web-pages/. Standard squid disclaimer for both: this is
for fun and not NBEMS compliant.
OpenSpot
If you have an OpenSpot
hotspot, there was a major firmware update for the device in February and
subsequent update in March to bring the current version to 108. The changelog has – in the neighborhood of –
80 (yes, eighty) fixes and enhancements.
Previously, I wasn’t using this device to run the Ham Nation D-STAR
After Show net. However, since they
added a nice web interface with call log and export feature, it’s now my device
for running the net. If you’re looking
for a ham radio digital mode hotspot, check out the SharkRF OpenSpot: https://www.sharkrf.com/products/openspot/
One of the SharkRF connector
options is their own IP Connector Protocol Server (https://github.com/sharkrf/srf-ip-conn-srv). The Connector Server is used to create a
network of OpenSpot devices and it can be implemented in other
hardware/software as it is open source.
Like AllStar, it can accept public internet connections, run on a
private network, or mesh network. I
haven’t tried but it may even compile and run on a Raspberry Pi.
The Connector Server repeats
any digital transmission sent to it. All
modes can even be simultaneously connected.
D-STAR connected clients will only hear D-STAR transmissions because
there is no transcoding of D-STAR data streams.
DMR and Fusion streams can be transcoded. DMR streams are transmitted to modems set to
DMR and converted by the OpenSpot to Fusion for Fusion modems. Similarly, a Fusion stream is transmitted to
modems sent to Fusion and converted to DMR for DMR modems.
I’ve setup a Connector Server
that is open and there to mess around with.
In the OpenSpot configuration:
* In Connectors: under Edit Connector, select
“SharkRF IP Connector Client.”
* Click “Switch to selected.”
* Once changed, enter your TX/RX frequencies.
* Server address: srf-ip-conn-srv.k8jtk.org
* Port number is in ‘Advanced mode’ but is the
default, 65100.
* ID, use your CCS7 DMR ID.
* No password.
* Enter your Callsign.
* Click “Save.”
* In the Modem options, select the desired
mode.
The dashboard is: http://srf-ip-conn-srv.k8jtk.org/. The server will remain online if it continues
to see use. Otherwise, it could disappear
at any time without use :)
Ham Nation 300 (#HamNation300)
Last but certainly not least,
yours truly has been on the planning committee for the Ham Nation 300th
special event. Ham Nation is an audio
and video podcast recorded live and available at https://twit.tv/shows/ham-nation. The program records at 9:00 p.m. eastern
time every Wednesday evening. Following
each episode are the “after show nets” which are round tables discussing the
show or ham radio. These nets include:
20m, 40m, D-STAR, DMR, and Echolink.
After each 100 episodes, a
special event is planned to commemorate another 100 episodes. In the past, these have been geared around
HF. The show is not only for the
General/Extra class licensees and not everyone has the ability or desire to
operate HF. This year’s festivities have
something for everyone including the chance to make digital contacts for the
special event and a summer long challenge.
Ham Nation 300th
special event runs the week following Dayton, May 24-31, 2017. Full details can be found on any of the 1x1
special event callsigns on QRZ or at https://www.hamnationdstar.net/2017/04/05/ham-nation-300-special-event/. Please join in and help make this event
successful. Follow it on social media: https://twitter.com/hashtag/hamnation300
and https://www.facebook.com/HNonTwit.
That's about it for this
month.
Thanks for reading and
73… de Jeff – K8JTK
****************************************************
THE AFFILIATED CLUBS COORDINATOR
John Myers, KD8MQ - ACC
Hi everyone, welcome to
springtime <Crossing fingers>. As I’m writing this on the 10th,
the week ahead looks much better than the snow that we all woke up to just a
few days ago.
I spent Saturday morning at
the Cuyahoga Falls Hamfest. I was happy to see a great turnout this time. I’ve
heard that Hamfests are dying, and some I’ve been to on the last couple years
do seem to be on the decline. But, Cuyahoga Falls appears to be bucking that
trend.
I got to see a lot of friends
there this year; one was Ken, KA8OAD. Ken is the Summit County EC, and has been
keeping busy with DMR. He’s been doing club programs about this mode; most
recently at the PCARS group (Portage County ARS).
I ran into Ken at the
Silvercreek meeting about a month ago and was telling me about a project that
he and Rick, N8NOQ had completed. I’ll let Ken tell you about that.
“The University of Akron had
an analog UHF repeater system that was barely used. I purchased a new UHF DMR
repeater and with the help of Rick Nemer (N8NOQ), we replaced the clubs UHF
analog machine with the new UHF DMR repeater. Rick then purchased some of the
“inexpensive” Tytera MD-380 DMR HT’s for the students to use with the new
repeater. Having new digital technology at their disposal and the ability to
contact other operators around the country, and around the world for that
matter, on nothing more than a low power, inexpensive HT helped the students get
excited about using this “new” technology and now the repeater is seeing
increased use both by the students as well as the local amateur radio community
here in Akron. “ – Ken, KA8OAD
The MD-380 that Ken mentions
can be had for a little over a hundred bucks at Universal. Granted,
“inexpensive” depends upon your budget, but it’s a heck of a deal.
One of my favorite things at
a Hamfest is wandering around talking to folks. You never know just who you’ll
run into. At Cuyahoga Falls, I saw Dave, KD8NZF, and his wife, Nancy, KD8QNY. I
didn’t get to stop and talk to them, as they were on their way out for an
appointment. But, I received some E-mails from Dave recently.
If you read my column last
month, you saw that the Red Cross “Lake to River” chapter was doing a special
event to celebrate Red Cross Month. Dave was one of the team that brought that
together.
He told me that on one of the
days that the station was running, they had a visit from a local Girl Scout
troop. As luck would have it, they happened across Jim, K1GND in Rhode Island
while the girls were there, and Dave put them on the air with Jim. Of course,
Jim being the gracious Elmer that he is, talked to not one or two of the girls,
but every one of them. You can bet they left with a positive impression of
Amateur Radio that day!
Lastly, I’d like to
congratulate the Massillon ARC for reaching their 90th Year. Since
this this is their anniversary year, they are building a replica of a 1927
Amateur station. Watch for more from Massillon as well.
With that, I’ll say 73.
DE KD8MQ
***************************************************
THE SECTION EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
Stan Broadway, N8BHL
Ohio Conference
If you missed the Ohio ARES
Conference, you missed something! The
room was full, the speakers were knowledgeable and interesting, and the stage
was set for ARES to continue to build on the success we’ve had. Many thanks to our presenters for their
time, and knowledge:
* Matt Curtin, KD8TTE (ARESMAT and the changing face of traffic in
amateur radio)
* Bryan Hoffman, KC8EGV (A new mode for Ohio?
Winlink)
* Dick Miller, Field Operations Manager,
MARCS, and Steven Garwood, Infrastructure Spec. III,
MARCS (What’s on the other side of the
MARCS radio?)
* Sean Miller, KD8RBM, Delaware County HS/EMA
Director, President Ohio EMA Director’s
Association (How
can we work together?)
I think it would be fun for
everyone to examine the potential of Winlink as a viable communications tool in
Ohio. It has a lot of potential, and it’s a proven mode.
We did talk about training
and NIMS during the conference. I slipped a cog in my presentation about
getting credentialed…I’m sorry to introduce confusion. We are this year setting the standard that
every ARES member needs to have completed the four NIMS courses. We’re doing a *
great * job in getting to that goal, I thank you very much for taking this to
heart.
NVIS DAY
Our next fun event is April
22, Ohio ARES NVIS Day! The concept is
the same: see how many stations we can contact in Ohio and neighboring states,
and determine which antenna works the best for you in close-range
communication. Obviously a key component
of that is the ability to reach The Sarge at Ohio EOC from your location. We will be emailing log and antenna forms to
each EC, and they will be available on the ARRL-Ohio website for any interested
people or groups. You do NOT have to be an official ARES group to participate,
we want this to be a fun operating event for all amateurs.
Because the band conditions
are, shall we say questionable, we are adding additional bands to our operating
event: 160 and 60 meters. So you have
your choice: 160,80, 60, 40 meters are all up for consideration. We will have anchor stations for comparative
reports.
Keep things going!
We all have an individual
responsibility to make good our commitment to ARES. You wouldn’t sign up for a basketball team
without being willing to practice. Likewise, we all have the responsibility to
practice our radio art, and that involves attending meetings, participating in
drills and public service events, and staying trained in weather and other
emergencies. We got an early start on severe weather in Ohio this year. Please stay in the habit of turning on your
radio to listen to a Skywarn net near you any time there is a watch or
warning.
Remember the necessities of a
directed net:
Net control decided who talks when.
Rule 1: Listen- you’ll hear much of what you
want to know by listening.
Rule 2: refer to rule 1.
* When you have something, or are checking in,
say your callsign and WAIT to be recognized!
* Make sure you say your call at the end of
your message, to keep legal. NCS should allow for that.
* Be ready to talk about our great hobby to a
friend! Share the fun!
73, Stan, N8BHL
****************************************************
THE PUBLIC INFORMATION COORDINATOR
John Ross, KD8IDJ
2017 Ohio Section
Newsletter Contest
In case you’re counting…or
wondering…about the deadline for the 2017 Newsletter Contest…it’s just
two and a half months away!
Remember, to be included, we
need two copies of your club’s newsletter by June 30th or notification when
your web page is updated.
I’m printing and organizing
the newsletters now but please keep sending them. The judges will pick two to
review for each club.
I know I’ve said this before
but each year it just keeps getting better. What I’ve seen so far this year is
outstanding and I know the judges will be impressed.
If you have any questions,
please call or email me anytime.
DMR
With the help of our Section
Manager Scott Yonally, I am finally up and running on DMR…Digital Mobile Radio.
Believe me it’s an exciting new “mode” and pretty inexpensive to get started.
A couple of hours after my
radio was programmed I was able to check into a nationwide net with my handheld
radio all from the comfort of our four seasons room!
The audio quality was great
and the operating procedures are really no different than any analog contract.
Trying, or experimenting,
with new and different ways to communicate is what amateur radio is all about.
We have been the test bed for most all forms of radio communications that have
used is the past and are still in use today. DMR should be no different. I
would venture to say we are ahead of the curve right now for DMR.
There is more info about DMR
on this website and I hope you take some time to dig in.
FirstNet
A big announcement about week
ago came from AT&T ( my employer) that, finally, a nationwide
communication system would be built exclusively for first
responders…FirstNet
This is a big deal. The whole
concept began right after 911. Communications during that crisis were, to say
the least, difficult. Many repeaters were on top of the World Trade Center
buildings. The internet of the day was mainly dialup and our cell phone
weren’t as smart, or as well connected, as what they are today.
Here are some quick points
about FIRSTNET and why it’s important:
* 70,000 emergency personnel need
communications everyday
* Over 10,000 networks are currently in use
* FirstNet will provide 20 MHz of secure
spectrum that will link all first responders with voice,
data, and video
* Rural villages and townships will benefit by
having instant access to nationwide help
* Total cost for FirstNet is $46.5 billion
dollars.
The actual build-out of
FirstNet will start later this year.
A lot more information about
this project can be found on the internet at:
PIO NET
And while we’re on the
subject of nets, I was reminded that about two years ago I wanted to have
statewide PIO Net.
Well, logistics got in the
way but now, maybe, I can start to put together the PIO Net.
I’m open for ideas but my
first thought is trying to use DMR. I know not every area has DMR but I’ll
do some research to see where we are covered…or don’t have coverage… and put
together a plan.
There may come a time when
it’s necessary to have all of the PIO’s involved in an emergency. It would good
for us to start now to make that work. A net would also give us a great
platform the talk about what we do, how we do it and pass along any
“frustrations” we have about media coverage.
So, light me up…let me know
what you think!
That’s it for this
month…remember the Dayton HAMFEST is just about a month away. I’ll be at the
Ohio Section booth inside the ARRL area. Stop by and say hello.
73,
John, KD8IDJ
****************************************************
THE SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGER
David Maynard, WA3EZN - STM
News from the Ohio Single
Sideband Net says that we had an election of the leadership of the net. Mike Hayward KC8WH has been reelected to be
the net manager. Dave Krutsch KD8MSZ
will be the Assistant Net Manager pending later deployment. Ted Morris NC8V was
elected to the Advisory Board for a three-year term to serve with Dick Fletcher
N8CJS and Stan Sutton KD8KBX.
I would like to take this
time to thank these men and all the members who check into the OSSBN and the
local traffic nets for their support of the nets and handling traffic so
efficiently. You can check into the Ohio Single Sideband Net on 3.9725 starting
at 10:30 AM, 4:15 PM and 6:45 PM daily More information and useful links can be
found on the OSSBN website www.ossbn.org.
While on the subject check
into some of these Ohio HF traffic nets:
HF CW NETS NET TIMES FREQUENCY NET
MANAGERS
Buckeye Early 6:45 PM 3.580 WB8YLO
Buckeye Late 10:00 PM 3.590 WB9LBI
Ohio Slow Net 6:00 PM 3.53535 W8OLO
Now to the Ohio State
Conference Dayton Hamvention. The general focus for many hams next month is the
Dayton Hamvention. The Ohio State Conference
will be held at the Hamvention® this year.
This is the largest
Hamvention in the county and draws participants from all over the world. Unless
you have been living under a rock you should know by now about the changes to
the 2017 Dayton Hamvention. This year
the Hamvention will not be at held at the Hara Arena location.
The Hamvention has been moved
to the Green County Fairgrounds located at 120 Fairgrounds Road, Xenia Ohio
45385. Hamvention will be held May 19,
20 and 21, 2017 at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center opening at 9
am each day. For more information check these websites:
Hamvention 2017 website: http://hamvention.org/
The Official Greene County
Fairgrounds website with map: 120
Fairgrounds Road, Xenia, OH 45385
There will be many commercial
vendors and hundreds of individual selling equipment and supplies in the flee market. Inside the buildings you will also
find a presence of the ARRL with many individuals from headquarters at their
booth. There will also be many
presentations, forums and VE testing during this three-day event. There is just too much going on the cover it
all adequately in this forum. For more information go to the link above.
The next big ham event after
Dayton will be Field Day the last full weekend in June. It is not too early to
be thinking and planning for this event.
If you have a favorite location for Field Day, you need to have it
reserved NOW! I hope to have more about field day next month.
Now some information on
personal protection. Tornadoes, fires
and carbon monoxide are three of the things that are important for you to
consider when thinking about your personal and family safety.
One of the easiest and most
effective ways to protect yourself and your family from fire is to install
smoke alarms in your home. Smoke alarms can warn you of a fire when you are
asleep, busy or in a different part of the house from where the fire is. They
provide you extra warning time when you are awake, and they will wake you if a
fire occurs while you are asleep. Smoke
alarms are inexpensive. Battery-operated residential smoke alarms are available
for less than $10. Alkaline batteries that can last for a year are available
for a few dollars. Some alarms are now available with long-life lithium
batteries. These alarms, which typically sell for about $20, have lithium
batteries that can last for up to ten years.
Carbon monoxide (CO) has been
called the "silent" and "invisible killer" because it's a
scentless, colorless, and tasteless toxic gas. It's the number one cause of death
due to poisoning in America. Any time you burn something—like gasoline, natural
gas, wood, oil, propane, or charcoal—carbon monoxide is released into the air.
In outdoor spaces, this usually isn't a health hazard because there is enough
area to dissipate and particles never amount to a toxic level. The danger comes
when carbon monoxide is released in a contained area like your home, RV, or
garage. It can be released with car
exhaust or a leaky furnace flue. A gas
or charcoal grill should never be used inside a house, garage or other
structure.
You won't know from taste,
smell, or sight that carbon monoxide is poisoning you, but your body will. If
you have carbon monoxide poisoning, you may feel dizzy, become nauseous or
throw up, develop a headache, get confused, and/or pass out. Death can be
prevented by having a carbon monoxide detector.
If you do not have a smoke
detector and a carbon monoxide detector on each floor of your home, you run a
safety risk. The detectors are not
expensive and are easy to install. If
you contact your fire department you may be able to get installation
assistance.
Another important safety
device is a NOAA weather alert radio. NWR transmitters broadcast on one of
seven VHF frequencies from 162.400 MHz to 162.550 MHz. The broadcasts cannot be
heard on a simple AM/FM radio receiver. There are many receiver options,
however, ranging from handheld portable units that just pick up Weather Radio
broadcasts, to desktop and console models which receive Weather Radio as well
as other broadcasts.
SAME, or Specific Alert
Message Encoding allows you to specify the particular area for which you wish
to receive alerts. Most warnings and watches broadcast over NOAA Weather Radio
are county-based or independent city-based (parish-based in Louisiana),
although in a few areas of the country the alerts are issued for portions of
counties. Since most NWR transmitters are broadcasting for a number of
counties, SAME receivers will respond only to alerts issued for the area (or
areas) you have selected. This minimizes the number of “false alarms” for
events which might be a few counties away from where you live.
Since power outages often
occur during storms, having a receiver with battery backup can be crucial.
However, unless you have a portable unit which you will use away from other
power sources, an AC power connection is recommended to preserve battery life.
For more information on weather radio use visit the NOAA weather radio website:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/info/nwrrcvr.html
As to why you should have a
weather radio available here are a few facts.
We have already had tornadoes this year in Ohio. Our friends to the west and south have had
multiple outbreaks of damaging storms and tornadoes. It would behoove us all to prepare now for
what could be an active storm season here in Ohio.
Tornadoes develop from severe
thunderstorms. They are usually preceded by very heavy rain and/or large hail.
A thunderstorm accompanied by hail indicates that the storm has large amounts
of energy and may be severe. In general, the larger the hailstones, the more
potential there is for damaging winds and/or tornadoes.
Peak tornado season in Ohio
is generally April through July, and they usually occur between 2 pm and 10 pm.
Tornadoes have also happened in Ohio in the months of January and December so
it is apparent that they can happen at any time of the year in Ohio.
Ohio has already held its
tornado awareness drill and many areas have had or have scheduled their weather
spotters classes. For those that need
reminding of the dangers of sever weather and tornadoes I bring you some
valuable information.
Another good source of useful
information during severe weather is you area Skywarn VHF radio net. Ask other operators in your area for the
frequency that is used in you area. Many
of the Skywarn nets are held on your local two-meter repeater.
That all for is month,
73,
David WA3EZN
****************************************************
OUT AND ABOUT
Lyn Alfman, N8IMW - Assistant
Section Manager
I attended two Cambridge Amateur Radio Association (CARA), two Guernsey
County ARES (GCARES), and one Belle Valley American Legion Amateur Radio Club
meetings. I gave a brief talk to GCARES
on the duties and obligations of a PIO for the County and/or ARES during a
disaster as well as everyday duties of an amateur radio club PIO.
The February 25 CARA and GCARES meetings were postponed until March 4,
so members could take advantage of State of Ohio Department of Public Safety
Emergency Management Agency Individual Assistance Damage Assessment 2-hour
workshop offered at the Muskingum County EMA.
CARA had 12 members (including me) attended a SKYWARN training session
on March 8.
I published the CARA Communicator
newsletter and placed a monthly safety tip article in the local newspaper for
the Guernsey and Noble Counties Long Term Recovery Committee (GNCLTRC). And as
the GNCLTRC PIO, I attended its quarterly meeting along with the Guernsey
County Emergency Coordinator Dick Wayt, WD8SDH.
Remember to be “Radio Active”!
’73 Lyn, N8IMW
****************************************************
FROM THE EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH ASM
Anthony Luscre, K8ZT
Educational Outreach
This
month I have a project for you. It is something you can build. It is easy and
cheap. But there is one catch— I want you to give it away to a young person or
teacher! Even better yet build it with them. I would also encourage your
local Amateur Radio Club take this own as a club project.
The
project- The Clothespin Key.
Even
though proficiency with Morse Code is no longer required for getting an Amateur
Radio license, young students often find code a fun activity. Fancy Code Keys
can run in the hundreds of dollars and even a cheap plastic based “bargain” key
is $12 to $20 each and I want you to give it away! So enter the Clothespin Key
costing less than $2.00
The Clothespin Key was designed with price and durability in mind. In addition, it can allow the young person to assemble their own key.
Here's a picture of the original prototype
Here's a pictorial diagram
I
have prepared a complete detailed list of steps, with pictures, on how to build
the key. For purposes of brevity and to not fill up this month’s Section News
here is a link to the complete project - tiny.cc/c-key
To
go along with the key here are a few links for online resources on Morse
Code- www.ztlearn.com/radio-kids (look in the left column
for the Morse info, but please feel free to browse the whole page when you have
time), oh and by the way share the page with youngster you give the key to!
73, Anthony, K8ZT
****************************************************
ARES TRAINING UPDATE
Jim Yoder, W8ERW/5
ARES Training Update
We are now at last feeling
the warmer weather of spring and I am enjoying that a bunch. As many of you may know, I left Ohio for
Texas late in 2015. Hopefully I will be
back here in the great state of Ohio in time to take in the Dayton Hamvention
in Xenia this year. I have been looking
at real estate here in Fremont for the last month or so and as soon as I find
the place I want, I will finish moving and with any luck, start putting my station
and equipment back together. Texas, at
least in the HOA area I have been in, is just is not conducive to any HF
activity. The noise floor is awful and
those HOA restrictions make it nearly impossible to erect a decent antenna for
HF work. I am also anxious to return to
my roots and the many relationships that I left behind in Ohio. Ohio and the Ohio Section make a wonderful
combination to return to and all of you make that possible.
I am also pleased to report
your ARES training efforts are showing outstanding results and the numbers have
continued to grow daily. We are now are
over 700 members who have reported their NIMS courses and others to the
database. Over 500 of those have
completed all of the required courses.
The total number of classes reported is now over 4,700. These are outstanding results and as I
continue daily the logging of your training, I am amazed by the dedication and
effort this represents. Keep up the good
work. You are making Ohio look like the
biggest and the best ARRL Section.
Upkeep of the ARES Training
Database is a frequent activity. Not
only are the daily addition of members and training, but call sign changes and
license upgrades are also being entered as I receive them. Each entry is verified with QRZ and I record
an email address if one is available as well.
As you may imagine, although your call is unique, names not always
are. QRZ helps insure I get the right
information. It does help a great deal
when name, county and call are included when you send your training
documents.
There are approximately 20 of
you who have completed 3 out of the 4 required NIMS courses and close to 30 who
have reported 2 of the 4 courses. Now I
will admit to being among these almost done it folks and I will finish
up mine as soon as I get settled back in Ohio.
So, let’s all get busy and get all 4 required NIMS courses completed and
entered into the database. We have been
fortunate for a long time now and have not had a widespread and devastating
weather event. Other things are possible
also and when something does happen, we must be prepared to respond. NIMS training will be required and it will
give you the knowledge to provide communications support in the most effective
manner. NIMS provides the structure and
organization that insure everyone knows what to do and how. Past experiences show how important this
becomes when the disaster overwhelms us.
Again, I want to say Thank
you for your effort. Training and being
prepared is a lot of work and is never finished. The dedication of Ohio Amateurs through ARES
is a significant part of what we as Hams can and often do to support our
communities. I am fortunate to be able
to see all of this grow and it is a real pleasure to be able to do so. Thanks to each of you.
As always, your questions and
concerns are welcome. Drop me an email
at any time, w8erw@arrl.net.
73 and Thank you,
Jim W8ERW
****************************************************
LET'S TALK
Scott Yonally, N8SY - Section
Manager
Hey Gang,
Have you seen that the NEWEST
“Handbook Giveaway” drawing on the website yet? 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 2017 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!!
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, gets 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.
On that same subject, there’s
another NEW – one question – questionnaire on the Ohio Section Website! This
question is really important for me to know. It will only take 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 going to Dayton this
year? Just wanted you to know that if you do look for the Ohio Section Booth
within the ARRL Field Services Section in building 2. I’ll have the NEW Ohio
Section Banner on display and we’re going to celebrate too.. Since the Special
Dayton Giveaway was such a huge success last year, we’re going to repeat it.. I
have a number of ARRL Gift Certificates, Handbooks and a few other items that
we will be giving away. All that you have to do is stop by our booth and sign
up! That’s it.. The winners will be announce on Monday, May 22nd and
the prizes will be shipped out then. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone and
good luck to all of 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@n8sy.com I’ll be happy to call or write to you. We can
even meet and have coffee if you’d like, and I’ll buy!!
I’m sure all of you have
heard me say that I’m always available for you, whether you’re an ARRL member
or not. It’s true, and you can feel free to write or call me anytime. If you
have any questions, concerns, or would just like to sit and chat awhile over a
cup of coffee or something cold to drink, feel free to call or write me
That’s going to do it for
this month. I hope to see you all at your hamfests, club meetings or on the
air!
73, Scott, N8SY
****************************************************
THE OFFICIAL OBSERVER COORDINATOR
John Perone, W8RXX
Here are the March numbers.
Total Hours 1332 monitored
1 - Good OO card sent
0 - OO cards sent
73, John, W8RXX
****************************************************
SPECIAL EVENTS STATIONS
04/22/2017 | 5th Annual Earth
Day Celebration
Apr 22, 1400Z-2000Z, W8PRC,
Parma, OH.
Parma Radio Club. 14.245
7.195.
QSL. W8PRC, 7811 Dogwood
Lane,
Cleveland, OH 44130.
Contact us to celebrate Earth
Day.
We'll be operating solely on
power from Ol' Sol.
****************************************************
OHIO HAMFEST CALENDAR
04/29/2017 | Jackson County Amateur Radio Club Hamfest
Location: Jackson, OH
Sponsor: Jackson County
Amateur Radio Club
04/30/2017 | Athens Hamfest
Location: Athens, OH
Sponsor: Athens County
Amateur Radio Association
05/19/2017 | Ohio State Convention (2017 Dayton
Hamvention)
Location: Xenia, OH
Sponsor: Dayton Amateur Radio
Association
We now have a complete
listing of hamfests in Ohio on the website. Go to: http://arrl-ohio.org/hamfests.html to see
everything that is currently scheduled, including the Great Lakes Division
Convention!
****************************************************
A final – final.. For those of you who haven’t filed your taxes
yet.. Tax Day falls on April 18, 2017.
That's the deadline for filing taxes on income earned in 2016. Usually, April
15 is the day taxes are due, but in 2017, that falls on a Saturday. And on
Monday, the District of Columbia celebrates Emancipation Day, which is normally
April 16, but that's a Sunday. Emancipation Day affects taxes the same way
federal holidays do. Therefore, the tax deadline is pushed out to the following
Tuesday, April 18, giving taxpayers three extra days to file their returns.
A little history if you
please..
Today is April 14th and 1865
US President Abraham Lincoln is shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater in
Washington.
Today is also.. Lookup at the
Sky Day, International Moment of Laughter Day and Reach as High as You Can
Day.. Now, on that note... Amateur Radio
is exciting and a lot of FUN. It’s also a learning experience for everyone!
Share your enjoyment and learning experiences with those just coming into
Amateur Radio!!
eof..
