[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] ARC SHORT FOR MAY 2018

Fri May 4 18:35:04 EDT 2018

 ARC-SHORTS

May 2018

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 
ARE UP AND RUNNING - HAM IT UP! Get on the air!
SPECIAL NOTE:  DMR IS UP AND RUNNING 442.4125 +5Mhz Color Code 1.

NEXT CLUB MEETING

Our next meetings MAY 11th program will be the Rick Bunn N4ASX.  Rick will
give a short course in WINLINK 2000 and WINLINK RMS.   WINLINK 2K is a
system that allows e-mail to be sent either via internet or via radio, both
VHF and HF.   VHF traffic is sent via packet using one of a few programs,
with the most popular is WINLINK RMS (RMS Express).  In our area all you
need is a 1200 baud TNC a 2 meter radio and a terminal with the software.
WINLINK RMS is free, but a donation to help with the network is requested.
If you have a Kenwood ARPS radio you already have a packet TNC and radio.

Rick would also like to review the ARDEN MESH NET idea and find out if
others are interested

 Our meeting is held on the 2nd Friday of each month at the Alexandria
Police Dispatch Center at 3600-Wheeler Ave.   Just off Duke Street just east
of Quaker Lane.  Meeting starts at 7PM and ends at 9PM.  

Many of our members have dinner at Atlantis Restaurant in the Bradlee
Shopping Center on the south side of Rt 7 just east of 395 most arrive
around 5:30. Our program presenters are invited to join us. 

LAST MEETING 

Our February program our program will be provided by Gary Sessums KC5QCW who
gave us a brief on the ARRL's support to Porto Rico.   ARRL asked for 50
volunteers and had thousands of volunteers.  Of those volunteers ARRL sent
22 operators who were supplemented by local amateur radio operators.  One of
the important take aways was the need to be flexible and not all of what you
may be asked to do may be beyond operation of amateur radio equipment.  More
important is the integration of amateur radio into the broader
communications systems.  

Meeting Minutes

The meeting started at 7PM with Gary Sessums presentation on ARRL's support
to Porto Rico after the hurricanes.  

The business meeting followed with some discussions on Field Day and other
topics.  
Dayton and other events are coming soon.

President's Corner
I will be unable to attend May's monthly meeting, and Don, KI4D will run the
meeting.  I look forward to seeing all of you at June's meeting and at Field
Day.
73 and stay safe,
Monica, KC2IAY

Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network AREDN
A few months ago, we had a briefing on AREDN and how it was used as part of
the Marine Corps Marathon as a test.  The most important elements were the
commercial components are inexpensive and can be had without sorting through
which routers are usable and which are not.  The costs are in the $200 range
when the dust settles.  The second is that there are WIFI channels reserved
for amateur use.   The city is interested in a commercial MESH system and I
will be talking to their rep soon.  
If we are interested, it might be important to find out how many members are
interested in getting the equipment and what we need to set up nodes to
allow for the network to cover our area.  
I figure that AREDN will be at HAMVENTION, so I will investigate what is
needed or if the system is turn key.  We may be able to do a group buy.   I
sent the club program to the list.
Let's talk about this at the next meeting.
73 Rick 
N4ASX (ARES EC)

Future Programs

May 11, 2018 -  WINLINK 2K, Rick Bunn N4ASX
June 8, 2018- Dayton Hamvention, Bob Anderson program, Field Day Prep
meeting, Post HAMVENTION reports. 
July 13, 2018 -  Post Field Day.  
August 10, ,2018 -
September 14,2018  --  City Emergency Service and ARES 
October 12, 2018 - Planning for 2019, Nominations, budget etc.
November 9, 2018 -- Elections
December 14,2018 - Annual Holiday Party.   (Fiona's ??)

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 know someone you would like to have present a program,
let me know Rick, N4ASX

Hamfests -

The Maryland FM Association's Memorial Day Hamfest is May 27, 2018.  It's
held at the Howard County Fairgrounds, just off MD Route 32, on Route 144 in
West Friendship, MD.  Talk-in on the MFMA repeaters, 146.760, 224.760 and
444.000 MHz (all PL 107.2 Hz).  Here is the link:
http://www.marylandfm.org/Hamfest.htm.

The Olde Virginia Hams Hamfest in Manassas coming up on June 3, 2018.  It's
a short drive out to the Prince William County Fairgrounds on Route 234.
Talk-in will be on the OVH 146.970 MHz repeater (PL 100.0 Hz).  Here is the
link:  http://manassashamfest.org/manassashamfest_002.htm

Later in June and just in time for those last-minute Field Day needs, is the
Father's Day Hamfest in Upperco, MD on June 17, 2018.  It's sponsored by the
Baltimore Amateur Radio Club.  The location is the Arcadia Volunteer Fire
Company Carnival Grounds in Upperco.  Talk-in will be on the Baltimore ARC's
146.670 MHz repeater (PL 107.2 Hz).  Here is the link:
http://www.w3ft.com/BARC%202018%20Hamfest.pdf

Training -

We do not have the results of the most recent class in this edition of ARC
Shorts because the deadline was before the exam.  We will have the results
next month.  Plans are underway for the next class starting in early October
2018.  
Contests -

*	May 5 and 6 - 7th call area QSO Party Exchange is RST and state.
*	May 5 and 6 - Indiana QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.
*	May 5 and 6 - Delaware QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.
*	May 5 and 6 - New England QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.
*	May 12 - Arkansas QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.  
*	MARS / Amateur Radio Cross Band test.(see input below)
*	June 2 and 3 - Kentucky QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.
*	June 9 thru 11 - ARRL June VHF Contest.  50 MHz and up.  Exchange is
4 character grid square.
*	June 16 and 17 - West Virginia QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and
state.

Don't forget, be sure to send in your log within 5 days after the contest
ends for all ARRL sponsored contests.
REMEMBER to support the CLUB'S score for contests by providing Ian N8IK your
info (Name, Call sign and Grid Square location) and submit your scores for
the contests you play in.  Contesting is one way we show that we are using
our frequency allocations.
While not a contest, don't forget the Armed Forces Day Crossband Test on May
12, 2018.  It's our chance to communicate with MARS stations located at
military facilities in the US.  KI4D sent out information via email and the
ARRL webpage has details and a link for information.
Repeaters - 
In addition to the regular Thursday night net on the 147.315 repeater, there
was a proposal in the February ARC Shorts to do a follow - on net on other
ARC repeaters.  The rotation would include other analog repeaters as well as
the digital repeaters.  This will not only provide a little activity on the
other repeaters but will also help everybody with the year-long Worked All
ARC Members contest.  Each new band and mode counts as another contact.     
The club repeaters are all up and running.    As always, ham it up and get
on the air.
73, Rich, KA4GFY
2018 MARS CROSSBAND Exercise.

ANNUAL ARMED FORCES DAY CROSSBAND TEST 
(12 May 2018) 

The Army Military Auxiliary Radio System will host this year's Armed Forces
Day Crossband Test, scheduled for May 12, 2018.  This annual event is open
to all radio operators, and will not impact any public or private
communications. For more than 50 years, military and amateur stations have
taken part in this event, which is only an exercise scenario, designed to
include hobbyist and government radio operators alike.

The AFD Crossband Test is a unique opportunity to test two-way
communications between military communicators and radio stations in the
Amateur Radio Service (ARS), as authorized in 47 CFR 97.111.  these tests
provide opportunities and challenges for radio operators to demonstrate
individual technical skills in a tightly-controlled exercise scenario that
does not impact any public or private communications. 

Military stations will transmit on selected military frequencies and will
announce the specific ARS frequencies monitored.  All times are ZULU (Z),
and all frequencies are Upper Side Band (USB) unless otherwise noted.  The
frequencies used for the test will not impact any public or private
communications, and will not stray outside the confines of the exercise.

The following stations will be making two way radiotelephone contacts with
stations in the ARS between the time periods listed on the frequencies
listed in Kilohertz below.    

AAZ / FT HUACHUCA, AZ   1500Z - 2359Z 5,330.5   14,438.5 18,211.0 
AAC / BARROW ARMY RESERVE CENTER, KY   1300Z - 0100Z 5,346.5 7,542.0
13,963.5   20,920.0  
ABH / SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HI   1600Z - 2300Z 5,357.0 14,438.5 18,272.0
20,997.0  
ABM1 / CAMP ZAMA, JAPAN 1500Z - 0100Z 14,487.0 20,994 
ADB / CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA 1500Z - 0100Z 14,487.0 20,994

WAR / PENTAGON WASHINGTON, DC   1200Z - 2400Z 5,357.0 13,963.5 18,211.0
24,760.0 USB + CW
WUG-2 / ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, TN 1300Z - 0200Z 5,403.5 13,910.5 18,293.0
20,973.5            USB + CW 
AIR / ANDREWS AFB 1200Z - 2400Z 4,517.0   7,305.0   15,807.0 20,740.0 
AGA2SY / HANCOCK FIELD, NY 1200Z - 2400Z 4,575.0   7,540.0   13,993.0    
AGA5SC / SCOTT AFB, IL  1600Z - 2300Z 3,308.0 4,872.0 7,545.0    
AGA9TR / TRAVIS AFB, CA  1600Z - 0100Z 5,346.5   7,329.0   13,996.0 14,411.0

 AFM4AF / NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY MID-SOUTH MILLINTON, TN   1200Z - 0300Z
7,375.5   13,498.0    
NMC1 / COAST GUARD ISLAND, ALAMEDA, CA 1700Z - 2359Z   7,542.0   15,740.5
22,924.5    
NIIW / USS MIDWAY CV-41 SAN DIEGO, CA 1400Z - 0400Z 4,013.5   5371.5 7,493.5
14,383.5 18,211.0   
NWKJ / USS YORKTOWN CV-10 CHARLESTON, SC  1200Z - 2200Z 4,000.0   7,360.0
14,663.5   
NEPM / USS IOWA BB 61 LOS ANGELES, CA 1500Z - 2359Z 4,043.5   6,903.5
14,463.5 18,293.0 
NWVC / LST-325 EVANSVILLE, IN 1200Z - 0400Z 4,007.0   6,913.0    9988.5
13,974.0   
NSS / US NAVAL ACADEMY ANNAPOLIS, MD 1300Z - 0200Z 4,038.5   5330.5 7,533.5
9,447.0        14,487.0        17,545.0 USB + CW 

An AFD test message will be transmitted utilizing the Military Standard
(MIL-STD) Serial PSK waveform (M110) followed by MIL-STD Wide Shift FSK (850
Hz RTTY) as described in MIL-STD 188-110A/B. 

Technical information regarding these waveforms is provided at: 
http://www.n2ckh.com/MARS_ALE_FORUM/MSDMT.html.

The AFD test message will also be sent at 0300Z in Continuous Wave (CW) mode
(refer to the far right column in the table below). The message will be
transmitted on the following frequencies in Kilohertz and at the listed
times:  

Frequency 
(kHz) 
1400Z 1420Z 1440Z 1500Z 1900Z 1920Z 1940Z 2000Z 2200Z 2220Z 2240Z 2300Z
0300Z (CW) 5,346.5 NWVC
7,540.0  13,506.5 AGA2SY WAR ACC AAZ     ADB    
17,443.0 ACC AGA2SY WAR AAZ     AGA2SY    

For those who wish to document their contacts with a QSL card, go to
http://www.usarmymars.org/events and complete the request form. 

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 suggest it to
the group.

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