[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] FW: ARC SHORTS for FEBRUARY 2017

[Rick Bunn]

Apparently,  the original e-mail did not get out.  Here is an attempt to
cover all.  Sorry for the redundant e-mails and the last minute notice. 
If you do not get this through the Alexandia Radio Club list server please
let us know and we will add you to that list.
73 Rick
_____________________________________________
From: Rick Bunn [mailto:N4ASX at cox.net] 
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2017 6:36 PM
To: alexandriaradioclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net; 'David Miskimens'
<david.a.miskimens at gmail.com>
Subject: ARC SHORTS for FEBRUARY 2017


ARC-SHORTS

February 2017


Club Repeaters: 147.315 (PL 107.2), 444.6 (PL107.2), 224.82 (PL107.2), 53.13
(PL107.2) 927.6 (-25Mhz, PL107.2), and 1282.600 (PL 107.2), DSTAR 145.38Mhz,
442.060, and 1284.600 ALL AR UP AND RUNNING - HAM IT UP! Get on the air!

NEXT CLUB MEETING

Our February meeting is February10th at 7PM at the Police Dispatch Center at
3600 Wheeler Ave.  Just off of Duke St on the south side half a block west
of Quaker Lane.  Dinner at Atlantis Restaurant at about 5:30 prior to the
meeting.  This month's program will be provided by Don, KI4D on antenna
poles.  We will have the Sterling Park Radio club present info on the
upcoming VA QSO PARTY.  We sponsor two awards for the party and many of our
members participate.  .

WASHINGTON"S BIRTHDAY PARADE

On Monday, February 20, 2017...George Washington's Day.
The annual George Washington Birthday Parade is held annually on the third
Monday in February. It winds through a one-mile route along the historic
streets of Old Town on President's Day. It is the oldest and largest, thanks
to thousands of participants. More programs scheduled throughout the
birthday weekend make it the cornerstone of a month of celebratory events
<http://washingtonbirthday.com/events-1> .
WE need volunteers to help with the parade this year.  We will set up the
club trailer at the start of the parade and need about 6 operators using
handhelds to work with the organizers to make sure we get any changes to the
parade order of march to the trailer just as the parade starts.  It's a
short parade so the guys in the trailer will send the changes by either
D-Star of Packet to the Reviewing stand.  Those who work with the parade
marshals are welcome to go up the parade route and meet up at the reviewing
stand.  We meet at the Fire Training Center at 10AM,  Move to the start
point or the reviewing stand No LATER THAN 11 AM ,  Police close the roads
for the parade at 11AM.  Parade starts at 1PM and ends about 2 or 2:30. We
than find a warm place to have a late lunch.
Send Rick, N4ASX at arrl.net <mailto:N4ASX at arrl.net>  an e-mail if you can
volunteer.  If we have two members with APRS handhelds we can provide the
reviewing stand with position info for the start and finish of the parade.
N4ASX has one that he can loan out.
73 Rick
N4ASX


PRESIDENT'S COLUME 

Hello, everybody. Don't forget about our club meeting coming up this Friday
evening at 7. The main program will be about the upcoming Virginia QSO Party
courtesy NQ4K from the Sterling Park club. There will also be some more
discussion about the President's Day parade on Monday the 20th. 

73 DE KI4BXU


ELMER'S CORNER - UHF Connectors

Not sure if I've covered this before and I'm too lazy to look at past
articles but sooner or later you will need to work with connectors that
attach your radio to feedlines and hence to your antennas.  

The most common connector for mobile/base radios is the UHF connector.  The
military designation is the PL-359 and SO-239.  The PL is the Plug or "male"
and the SO is the connector or "female on the radio.  Generally good to 300
plus MHz but begins to get a less efficient above 300 MHz.  There are four
sizes of coax cable that you may want to connect to the PL-259.  The most
common coax.  The most common heavy cable is RG-8 (RG-213 is the mil spec
version) and is the same physical diameter as the LMR-400 and 9913 cables
(low lose for VHF and UHF).  The standard PL-259 is built for this diameter
of cable.  The next is for RG-8X which has the same lose profile as the RG-8
but is much thinner and great for jumpers and for general use when your
running un to a few hundred watts.  You can use the same PL-259 connector
with a UG-175 adapter.  These more common connectors do not need any special
tools.  You cut the jacket, outer brad and insulation to allow the center
conductor to be feed into the center pin and for the brad to be soldered to
the ground side of the connector. For using the adapter, you fold the brad
around the adapter.  The problem with these connectors is applying
sufficient heat to fuse the solder to the brad and the connector WITHOUT
melting the insulation.  Most of the time we never have a problem with the
SO-239 as it will have two tabs.  The second form of these connectors (and
many other types) allow you to use a crimping tool.  The kit with a good
tool will cost about $100 but they really save time and make an excellent
connection when you get the hang of using them.  These crimp-on connectors
use a thin sleeve that goes over the cable then you cut the cable to fit the
connector.  The brad is slipped outside of the connector body and the thin
ring is slip over the brad and crimped in place.  You can solder the center
of the coax to the pin or some can be crimped.  I solder the center pin to
the feedline.  If you're going to do more than a few connectors, I recommend
the crimp type. The connectors are a little cheaper and work well.  The
FOURTH type of cable you may run into is RG-174.  Very thin and used for HTs
or other short runs.  Not very common and I'm not sure how you use the
PL-259/SO239s and this cable.  BUT, if you're looking to make a portable
antenna you may want to look at RG-174. 

Whether you use the conventional solder connectors or the Crimp on
connectors, you find over your ham radio life you will be doing a lot more
of them then you think.  


MEETING MINUTES.

Don did a great job on informing us on the availability of light weight
supports for emergency antennas and in some case a component of a regular
station.  

Lots of us put wire antennas in trees, but you still need to make sure your
wire isn't grounded by that tree.  The various poles can help you support a
wire antenna at a significant height without the foliage problem.

Thanks Don!

Richmond Hamfest
 
A bunch of the club members attended the Richmond Frostfest on February 4th.
Lots of used gear, parts and a source of DMR radios.  Digital Mobile Radio
is an alternative digital voice mode and the radios are mostly made in
China, but they seem to be of decent quality.  Rick, N4ASX purchased one and
of course purchased the programming cable and a spare battery.  Rule one of
new radios, buy your 

Hamfests -
The next hamfest in our area is the Vienna Wireless Society's Winterfest in
Annandale, VA on March 19.   It's a nice hamfest and the best part is, it's
local.  The location is the Annandale campus of Northern Virginia Community
College, just west of I-495 on Route 236.  Talk-in will be on the 146.910
MHz repeater.
It's not too early to start thinking about this year's Hamvention.  As you
probably already know, it has moved from its home of 50+ years to a new
location in Xenia, OH.  Everybody will be getting used to the new layout.
The Hamvention website has a tour of the site and ARRL posted a video tour
provided by DX Engineering from a drone.  It looks like a fairly large
place.
I have 4 rooms at the Holiday Inn Fairborn, same place we were at 2 years
ago.  If you are a QRP enthusiast, this hotel hosts the Four Days in May QRP
event.  The plan is to leave on Wednesday, May 17 in order to visit the US
Air Force Museum on Thursday.  The 4th building was opened last June.  If
you have even a passing interest in aviation, this is a great place.   
  
Training - 

Our next class is scheduled to start March 7 and end May 9.  If you know of
someone who has always wanted to get into ham radio but hasn't been able to
do it on their own, here is their opportunity.  

As always, the exam is always the last class.  We don't believe in making
our students hunt down an exam session after the class.  

The best part is the cost is still $50.  How often can you say a price
hasn't changed for several years?   

Contests -

February 11 and 12 - CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest.  Exchange is RST and serial
number.

February 11 and 12 - New Hampshire QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

February 13 through 17 - ARRL School Club Roundup.  Exchange is RST, class
and state.

February 18 and 19 - ARRL International DX Contest, CW.  Exchange is RST and
state.

February 25 and 26 - South Carolina QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

February 25 and 26 - North American QSO Party, RTTY.  Exchange is name and
state.

February 26 and 27 - North Carolina QSO Party.  Exchange is your name and
state.

March 4 and 5 - - ARRL International DX Contest, SSB.  Exchange is RST and
state.

March 11 and 12 - Oklahoma QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

March 11 and 12 - Idaho QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

March 12 - North American Sprint, RTTY.  Exchange is other station's call,
your call, serial number, your name and state.

March 13 and 13 - Wisconsin QSO Party.  Exchange is your state.

Don't forget the Virginia QSO Party on March 18 and 19.  KI4BXU and KV3W
will be operating W4HFH from Scott County, VA.  That is way down in the
Southwestern tip of VA.  

The Alexandria Radio Club sponsors two plaques for the VA QSO Party.  There
will be more about the VA QSO party at the meeting.


Repeaters - 

The club repeaters are all up and running.  Make 2017 the year you try a new
band.

As always, ham it up and get on the air.
73, 
Rich, KA4GFY

Future Programs

February 10th - Washington Birthday planning - VA QSO PARTY BRIEF
March 10th  -  Practical Packet and APRS 
April 14th  -  Fox Hunting BRING YOUR GEAR to share tech.
May 12th  - CRYSTAL SET RADIO CONTEST (do your research now and set up your
team)
June 9th  - Field Day Planning
July 14th  - City EMS (Tent.)
August 11th  - Other digital radio systems (Need help with system fusion,
P25 and DMR)
September 8th  - 
October 13th  - 
November 10th  -   
December 8th - Annual Christmas / Holiday Party
Possible programs: City EMS and Radio system, D-Star part II, Antenna
Modeling, Contesting HF/VHF,  AMSAT,  AMRAD, RF Interference (power
company), Logging programs,  Dayton follow up, Marine Corps Marathon.

Let me know what you want to hear about.  HELP !!!!  If you have an idea for
a program, please let Rick know and he will try to find someone to provide
the program.  If you known someone you would like to have present a program,
let me know Rick, N4ASX
Social Events

Monday Night Burgers - There is a group that gets together at 6:15 PM on
Mondays at a local burger joint.   Mark up on the 147.315 repeater and join
them for the fun.  Mark up on the repeater about 6PM and join the group.
The location does change!  IF you have a good spot, you might make a
suggestion.

Many years ago, the club visited the National Air and Space Museum.  This
would be a weekend event. Other possible weekend trips include the radio and
electronics museum up near Baltimore.