[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] ARC SHORTS for December 2019 and January 2020

Sun Dec 1 13:22:42 EST 2019

ARC-SHORTS

December 2019 / January 2020

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.

:  DMR IS UP AND RUNNING 442.4125 +5Mhz Color Code 1.

            PLEASE USE OUR REPEATERS.

NEXT CLUB MEETING

Our next meeting is December 13th and it is the Annual Holiday Party.  The
party will be at Glory Day's Restaurant about 6PM. (I THINK) Check into the
Thursday Evening Net at 8PM to get final Details.  I'm sure Ian, N8IK will
send out more details on our mailing list.  Parking is free.  The restaurant
is located in the Alexandria Commons shopping center - 3141 Duke St,
Alexandria, VA 22314

November Meeting 

We had a great program on Cold War technology transfer to our every day use.
Mike Washville did a masterful job of tracking the progress from World War
II encryption to modern spread spectrum communications that are embedded in
our computer communications and our cell phone technology.   Hope we can get
a group together to visit the Cold War museum soon.

We also held out annual election of officers.  As I recall, there were no
nominations from the floor and the following were elected.

President - Lewis Donovan (Don) K4ID 

Vice President - Mark Bonanno KM4GML

Treasurer - Richard Morani KW4UJ

Secretary - William H Wilson KM4KLK

FIELD DAY RESULTS

Alexandria RC W4HFH (+KC2IAY) 862 2 70 4,598 VA 

We were 10th out of 19 7A stations.   After 4PM those running the digital
station shut down one of the two stations reducing our FT-8 effort.  We also
had some mutual interference on 40 meters due to poor conditions on other
bands.   Not a bad effort.  Our goal has always been for our members to have
a good time and toss in a little HF education in the process.

Hamfests -

The next hamfest in our area is the SantaFest in Cheltenham, MD on December
7, 2019.  It's sponsored by Prince Georges County ARES and The American
Legion.  Here is the link:  <http://www.pgares.org/> http://www.pgares.org/

Looking ahead to next year, is the Post Holiday Hamfest,in Odenton, MD,
sponsored by the Maryland Mobileers on January 26.  The location is the
Odenton Fire Station right off i-95 and Route 175.  Talk-in is on the
146.805 MHz repeater (PL 107.2 Hz).   Here is the link:
<https://sites.google.com/site/marylandmobileers/hamfests-1/hamfest-2>
https://sites.google.com/site/marylandmobileers/hamfests-1/hamfest-2

The following weekend on February 1, 2020 in Richmond, VA is the Frostfest,
sponsored by the Richmond Amateur Telecommunications Society.  It's located
at the Richmond Raceway Complex (formerly the VA State Fairgrounds) in
Richmond.  It's easy to get to and the Alexandria Radio Club makes it a
social event with a breakfast meeting in Fredericksburg and a caravan to the
hamfest.  More details as we get closer.  Here is the link:
<http://frostfest.com/wp/> http://frostfest.com/wp/

Training -

Our Fall, 2019 class is winding down with the exam on December 10.  We don't
have the results this month because press time was too early, but we will
have the results next month.  

Our next class is scheduled to start on March 10 and end May 5, 2020.  We
are already getting inquiries about the next class.  If you know somebody
who has always wanted to become a ham, send them our way.  

We have a very successful program.  Nearly all of our students pass the exam
with 90% or better and we do not teach the test, we teach the material.   

Contests -        

Contests - 

*	Dec 6 to 8 - ARRL 160-meter contest.  Exchange is RST and ARRL/RAC
section.
*	Dec 7 and 8 - FT8 Roundup.  Exchange is RST and state.
*	Dec 14 and 15 - ARRL 10-meter contest.  Exchange is RST and state.
*	Dec 22 - ARRL Rookie Roundup, CW.  Exchange is Name, 2-digit year
first licensed and state.
*	Jan 4 and 5 - ARRL RTTY Roundup.  Exchange is RST and state.
*	Jan 11 and 12 - North American QSO Party - CW.  Exchange is name and
state. 
*	Jan 18 and 19 - North American QSO Party - SSB.  Exchange is name
and state.
*	Jan 18 and 19 - ARRL January VHF Contest.  50 MHz and up.  Exchange
is 4-character grid square.  

Don't forget, be sure to send in your log within 7 days after the contest
ends for all ARRL sponsored contests.  ARRL now uses a web application for
contest log submissions.  Here is the link:
<http://contest-log-submission.arrl.org/>
http://contest-log-submission.arrl.org/  Be sure to convert your file to
Cabrillo format before submitting.  Most logging programs support the
Cabrillo format.

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.  If the contest asks for a club affiliation, the
Alexandria Radio Club is on the list of contest clubs.  Contesting is one
way we show that we are using our frequency allocations. 

Contests may not be your thing, but contests are a great way to show outside
interests we do use our valuable spectrum.  By showing we use our spectrum,
other services will have a hard time proving that we don't use our spectrum
and it's up for re-allocation to someone else.  

Contests can also be a great way to become introduced to HF communications.
While it can be intense, pick the contest and jump in.  Most contests have a
limited exchange so it is usually easy to get what the other station needs.

State QSO parties are a great introduction to contesting.  Most are low-key
and the exchange is limited.   

Don't forget, be sure to send in your log within 7 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. 

Repeaters -

The club repeaters are all up and running.    We will have to resume the
follow-on net on one of the other repeaters after the Thursday net on the 2
meter analog repeater. 

The DSTAR and DMR repeaters continue to get a lot of use.  

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

73, Rich, KA4GFY

ARES

Short reminder, ANYONE can be an ARES volunteer, Training is primarily the
FEMA on-line IS-100,200,700 and 800 classes about 30 minutes each and the
ARRL ARES class which is optional.  You can volunteer without these classes.
Training for members also includes our weekly nets and public service
events.  If you wish to volunteer send an E-Mail to Rick, N4ASX
<mailto:N4ASX at arrl.net> N4ASX at arrl.net

ARRL has a new set of requirements for ARES training.  You may have received
an e-mail from the STATE ARES organization which announces the new training
program and asks you to use the ARRL / ARES Standardized Training Plan /
ARES Emergency Communicators Individual Task Book.  I will send this
document out to all members of the club on our list along with a volunteer
form.   One new item is that we are to retake some of these classes every
two years.  All of this is optional, but I would like to ask that every two
years (say in January) our ARES volunteers update their training and send
the EC a copy of your ARES Emergency Coordinator Individual Task Book with
supporting docs.

One last Item - I will stay on for a few more months as ARES EC, but I am
ACTIVLY looking for a replacement person to become the Emergency Coordinator
(EC).   It would be good if that person has experience with ARES, has taken
IS100,200,700 and 800 as well as the ARRL ARES class.  This all can be done
after you volunteer.  The EC leads the Alexandria ARES, supporting the City,
Alexandria Hospital and Alexandria Red Cross.  The EC is also the interface
to neighboring ARES organizations and answers to the District EC, WD5DBC,
Howard.  If you have the time and are interested call me. 

CONGRATULATIONS to Mark, KI4GML for completing the Fairfax Police Education
Program and to Wilson, KM4KLK for completing the Fairfax Fire Department
education program.  Hope to hear more about these programs at our January
meeting.

73 Rick

N4ASX

ARES emergency coordinator.

44th Marine Corps Marathon

Well, It rained like mad, but the 44th MCM is now done.  For me this was my
34th MCM.  The leadership group did a good job of getting the amateur radio
support organized.  Always some ways to make it better.  Those inputs should
be entered into the  <http://www.mcmham.org> www.mcmham.org website under
volunteer, After Action inputs.

This event takes upwards of 135 ham radio operators and it's always good
when the operators are not OJT.  

Because of the rain, there were more injuries, so ham radio support became
much more important.  Hams are the eyes and ears on the course.  They also
provide digital communications for the Aid Stations.  This is done by D-STAR
high speed digital on 1.2GHz using the ICOM ID-1 radios but I understand
that this mode can be used with the new ICOM 9700.  Back up for the D-Star
digital is 9600 baud packet.  This year I had problems with the log on, but
the RF connection was solid.  A new addition this year was Amateur Radio
Emergency Data Network (AREDN).  Apparently, it was a partial success and
may need some refinement to link to the medical database.

Several other club members participated.  Many thanks.  This is a very
public event and our support is very well received.  

William KM4KLK was out in the rain at MM17.5 and noted that it was a wet day
for him.  

He provided the following pictures:

Future Programs

2019

November - Elections and planning for 2020

October - AREDN show and tell - Demo - BRING YOUR AREDN node and laptop.

November - Mike Washville on Cold War tech in use today. Club Elections 

December - Party

2020

January - New officer's - Organizational Planning for 2020.  Chairmanships,
Committees, Budget, Projects, etc.

February - Washington's Birthday planning - Mark (Tentative) on Lenix 

March -

April -

May - Field Day planning and preparation meeting

June - 

July - 

August - 

September -

October -

November - Elections

December - Party

At this time, I do not have a lot of programs for next year.  YOU DON'T NEED
TO PRESENT; just suggest a topic you would like 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

ALEXANDRIA RADIO CLUB WEEKLY NET

The club has a weekly net on the 147.315 (PL 107.2) repeater at 8 PM local
time for about one hour.  Out of a club of 80 members, the turn out for our
weekly net is about 10 to 12.  Maybe it because we have not publicized the
net.  

Jack, KC7VOU is our net control manager.  He keeps track of who checks in
and who volunteers for net control.

The purpose of our net is to practice net operations, share information of
interest to the club, ARES and amateur radio in general.  

Those who have ID-51As on loan for ARES use need to check in with these
radios once a month and participate in one ARES or public service activity
each year.

The net starts with check ins: first short time (those who can only stay for
a short time), portables and mobile stations, then regular stations.  Once
we have check ins, The Net Control Station (NCS) will go through the list of
check ins and get the first round of comments.  During the net, the NCS will
ask for late check ins and add them to the list.  At the bottom of the list,
the NCS will go back to the top of the list for additional comments.  This
gives all a chance to react to the other comments.  At the end of the second
round, the NCS will ask for any additional comments, questions or late check
ins.

If there is time or interest the NCS may suggest that a second net be held
on one of our other repeaters.  We can go D-STAR, DMR, 6 Meters, 1.25
Meters, 70cm, 900Hz or 1.2Ghz.  

Jack is now keeping a record of check ins and we will have some recognition
for those who check in the most, and for our most active NCS volunteers.

Thanks Jack,

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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