[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] ARC SHORTS for MARCH 2019
N4ASX at COX.NET
N4ASX at COX.NET
Wed Feb 27 12:58:38 EST 2019
ARC-SHORTS
March 2019
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 March 8th at 3600 Wheeler Ave (Police Dispatch Center),
at 7PM. Minutes below.
Prior to the meeting, many of us, have dinner at Atlantis Restaurant in the
Bradlee shopping center at 5:30 PM or so.
The program for this meeting is the VA. QSO PARTY. The QSO PARTY is 16-17
March 2019. The program covers the rules and changes for this year. The
Alexandria Radio Club funds too award plaques and we also try to send in
individual logs for a club score.
February MINUTES (Thanks for Mark Bonanno)
Presentations
* N4ASK - HF for Beginners
* GW Parade Notes
Reports
* Membership: 75
* Repeaters: All running, 220 issue will be rebooted
* Training: New class starts 3/12, running until 5/7.
* Trailer: Looks good!
Net Controls
* 2/14 - Ian
* 2/21 - Rich
* 2/28 - Monica
* 3/7 - Rick
New Business
* Duplexers - Motion Passed for $830 to get duplexer. The new
duplexer will improve the performance of our DMR repeater. A new antenna
will be installed when weather permits.
* Field Day - Meet on a Monday night at John Marshal Library or Glory
Days. Put something on reflector. Ian will get Field Day lot.
* Rich will check trailer for GW parade.
* Repeaters
* Richmond guys recommend a new duplexer.
* We can get the new unit from 2 places
* TxRx - $1,042 => 781.50 + $30 shipping
* Taley - $1,042 => 893.45
* Pat Gray worried that something else is the issue, i.e. the antenna.
Rick N4ASX pointed out that an antenna analyzer was used to check out the
coax and the antenna when the DMR repeater was installed and no problems
were found. A new antenna has been donated and will be installed when the
weather is better.
* We have been invited to have a meeting at the EOC
* Need to RSVP 1 week before we go
* Meet at the Police station and caravan over (2003 Mill Road)
* We will not do this the next meeting. Maybe later.
* Ian will reserve Fiona's for next year's holiday party.
Mark Bonanno
571.303.9647
KM4GML
George Washington's Birthday Parade February 18,2019
As we have been doing for many years the club supported the George
Washington's Birthday parade in Alexandria again this year. The club's turn
out this year was better then we've had in a few years.
Our support provides a few functions:
1. Provide the changes to the order of march to the reviewing stand
2. Provide communications along the course to help keep the parade on
time
3. Provide the reviewing stand with position for the start and end of
the parade
4. Provide a ham radio liaison to the police officer in charge of the
event.
To do this we established a comm plan that allowed the Marshal's Liaison
team lead by Harry, N4CWP. Harry's team was to be on 147.315 simplex so
that their traffic would not interfere with or be interfered with by traffic
for the reviewing stand or the APRS start and end operators.
In order not to interfere with the APRS beacons the APRS operators were
given 444.6 Simplex for voice reporting (as a backup) and the reviewing
stand.
Originally, we had planned to use the MVARC 146.655 repeater to cover parade
wide communications. It was easier to move administrative traffic to 444.6.
Moving the order of march file has always been a problem. In the past we
have used 1200 Baud Packet. To send four of five pages on 1200 Packet takes
a few minutes, For the past three years, we tried using 1.2GHz D-Star
digital. This was much faster but setting up a 1.2GHz link with static IP's
seamed to be a painfully complex effort. Last year, we physically ran a
thumb drive with the changes to the reviewing stand from the trailer. THIS
YEAR, we tried the Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN). AREDN is a
2.4 GHZ MESH using amateur only wifi channels. All of the software but the
browser is firm ware in the modified wireless hotspots. With Jeff's help, we
had four units up and running. With this we were able to send the change
file in a fraction of a second from the trailer to the reviewing stand.
The club's volunteers did a great job. I thank the following for a job well
done.
Jack Hranicky K5OTZ Reviewing Stand
Ian Kieth N8IK Reviewing
Stand
Kathryn E Appelman KG5YHE Reviewing Stand
Rich Morani KW4UJ AREDN Relay
Rich Adamy KA4GFY Trailer / NCS
Jeff Porter K9VEG Trailer / AREDN
Larry Walker KK4CBL Police Liaison
Mark Bonanno KM4GML APRS Parade start
Ian Bellamy KM4KLD APRS End of Parade
Harry Jones N4CWP Marshal Lead
William Wilson KM4KLK Marshal Liaison
Chris Barnes / family KN4IJF Marshal Liaison
Phil Bautista KG5UFE Marshal Liaison
Karen Bunn NOCALL Manager, runner,
etc.
Field Day - Heads Up!
One of my suggestions was to have the club set up in one of the local parks
when the weather gets warmer to allow our newer members to operate HF radio
under Field Day conditions.
I would like to suggest that we do our FIRST meeting at 9AM on March 9th.
We can determine a good park at the March 8th meeting. I can bring a Ten
Tec Eagle and a rotatable 20 meter dipole for one station. If someone has a
40 or 75 meter antenna, we can put up easily, I can also bring one of the
club radios. Need a few ELMERS to come out as well to help set up and couch
our new operators.
Thanks to Chief Smedley for sending a letter to the Parks and Recreation
people supporting our use of the park for Field Day.
Ian has agreed to submit the letter and the applications for the park, MANY
THANKS Ian!!!
Don, KI4D is our Field Day chair and we hope to get more folks operating on
Field Day.
73 Rick
N4ASX
HF IN THE PARK
Not sure which park we will use but on March 9th about 10AM we will set up
in a local park to practice HF operation. The purpose it to allow those who
are not familiar with HF operations to come out and get some air time. Let
Rick, N4ASX, know if you plan to attend at the next meeting.
Hamfests -
March 24 is the date for this year's Vienna Wireless Society's Winterfest.
It's a nice hamfest close to home. If you have equipment that needs a new
home, we will have a few tables to sell your excess equipment. One added
bonus this year, Winterfest is not on the same weekend as the VA QSO Party.
Yeah!
It's not too early to start thinking about Hamvention. There is a group of
Alexandria Radio Club members who make the pilgrimage every year to the
largest hamfest in the US. This year's Hamvention takes place on May 17
through May 19, 2019 at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Convention Center
in Xenia, OH.
We have been traveling out on Wednesday before Hamvention to take in the US
Air Force Museum or some of the other museums and some pre-Hamvention
activities in the Dayton area on Thursday.
I have 4 rooms reserved in Fairborn, OH. The cost works out to be about
$110 per person per night for the hotel, about $40 for gas, $22 for the
ticket, around $100 for food and add whatever you bring home from
Hamvention. If you are interested in going, please let me know before April
15 so I can order tickets.
There are many reasons people go to Hamvention. The manufacturers often
bring out new equipment at Hamvention. The flea market is amazing. There
are first class forums on all kinds of ham radio topics. It has been said,
"If you can't find it at Hamvention, you probably don't need it." All kinds
of ham radio related items in one place.
Training -
Our next class is scheduled to run from Tuesday March 12, 2019 through May
7, 2019. If you know of someone who wants to be a ham, send them our way.
We are already getting inquiries about the next class and the class is
filling up. If you know of a future ham, send them our way. I can't help
but think some very positive news items about hams has raised awareness
about what we do.
Contests -
* March 9 and 10 - Oklahoma QSO Party. Exchange is RST and state.
* March 9 and 10 - Idaho QSO Party. Exchange is RST and state.
* March 10 and 11 - Wisconsin QSO Party. Exchange is state.
* March 16 and 17 - Virginia QSO party. Exchange is serial number
and county (or city)
* March 16 and 17 - Louisiana QSO Party. Exchange is RST and state.
* March 24 - North American SSB Sprint. Exchange is Other
station's call, your call, serial number and state.,
* March 30 and 31 - CQ World Wide DX Contest, SSB. Exchange is RS
and serial number.
* April 6 and 7 - Florida State Parks on the Air. Exchange is
state.
* April 6 and 7 - Missouri QSO Party. Exchange is RST and state.
* April 6 and 7 - Mississippi QSO Party. Exchange is RST and state.
* April 13 and 14 - Texas State Parks on the Air. Exchange is RST
and state
* April 13 and 14 - New Mexico QSO Party. Exchange is name and
state.
* April 13 and 14 - Georgia QSO Party. Exchange is RST and state.
* April 13 and 14 - North Dakota QSO Party. Exchange is RST and
state.
Be sure to participate in the VA QSO Party March 16 and 17. Even if you
only have a handheld radio, you CAN participate and help the club's score.
One of the folks from Sterling Park ARC will be talking about the VA QSO
Party at the March meeting.
Don't forget, be sure to send in your log within 7 days after the contest
ends for all ARRL sponsored contests and be sure Alexandria Radio Club is in
the club affiliation box..
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 allocation.
Repeaters -
The new duplexer for the DMR repeater has been ordered and should be
received soon. We will install it as we get to the hospital.
The club repeaters are all up and running. As always, ham it up and get
on the air.
73, Rich, KA4GFY
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 allocation.
The 220 Repeater has a problem with Audio output. The repeater will be
pulled out of service and will be repaired and put back in service as soon
as possible.
The club repeaters are all up and running. As always, ham it up and get
on the air.
73, Rich, KA4GFY
Future Programs
2019
March - VA QSO PARTY
April - Vint Hill Farms (Tentitive)
May - Field Day Planning
June -
July -
August -
September -
October -
November - Club Elections - New President and Vice President.
December - Party
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
ARES
With a club of 72 members, I would like to ask those who are willing to join
ARES. The commitment is only that you are agree to tale a few FEMA on line
classes (abut and hour of your time) and be called upon in the unlikely
event that there is an need for amateur radio support to the City, the
Hospital or Red Cross when there communications systems are overwhelmed.
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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