[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] ARCSHORT FOR MAY 2019

Wed May 1 16:13:00 EDT 2019

ARC-SHORTS

MAY 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 May 10th at NEW Alexandria Emergency Operations Center
(EOC),  The plan is to CAR POOL from 3600 Wheeler to the EOC.  SO - Plan to
arrive at 6:45 PM at our normal meeting place.  ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT,
The CITY requires that we tell them in advanced WHO will be attending, so
PLEASE send an E-MAIL to Monica KC2IAY letting her know you will attend.
The EOC is collocated at the Alexandria Detention Facility (JAIL), so there
is SECURITY.   Monica's E-Mail is  <mailto:monicawilson4 at gmail.com>
monicawilson4 at gmail.com  You need to get your RESERVATION in SOONEST or risk
not being allowed into the property.

Prior to the meeting, many of us, have dinner at Atlantis Restaurant in the
Bradlee shopping center at 5:30 PM or so.  

This month's program is from the guys at the radio museum at Vint Hill
Farms.

April MINUTES (Thanks for Mark Bonanno) 

First of all, the 4/10 Field Day planning session attendee's;

*	KM4GML - Mark Bonanno
*	KM4KLK - William Wilson
*	KM4RDR - Scott Gronodo
*	KC3AOO - Bjorn Jernudd
*	KV3W - Jay Orbin
*	KI4BXU -  Erik Misavage
*	KK4ODQ - Nick Cleverger
*	K5OTZ - Jack Harnicky
*	N8IK - Ian Keith
*	KI4D - Don Lewis*
*	XXXX - Roy XXXX

* - Meeting Chair

Meeting minutes for 4/12 ARC Meeting

Date: 04/12/2019

Time: 1900h

Location: Alexandria Police Station

Presentations:  Jason Hall presents "The Cold War Museum"

Reports

Treasurer: $8,000 in bank.  We paid for the new duplexer

Membership:  57 Paid Members 2019 / 24 Paid Members 2018 - 82 total members

Repeaters:  All good.  The 220 repeater was fixed.

Training/Education: 1/2 way through the class.

Trailer: Was checked all looks good

Net Controls

4/18 - Rich - KA4GFY

4/25 - Ian - N8IK

5/2 - Don - KI4D

5/9 - Mark & Casey - KM4GML & KM4GMQ

50/50 - $48 - KC7TNU

We had a visitor from the recent parade in Old Town.  He recommended that we
discuss with the editor of the local Zebra Press about HAM radio and what it
is and what it can do.

Projects

Zoom Spot - Al - KK4XB

Digital Go Kit - Don - KI4D

Arden Nodes - Larry - KK4CBL

Mark Bonanno

571.303.9647

KM4GML

AREDN MESH in Northern VA.

Ian, N8IK Mark, KG4GML, and Jay KV3W installed a AREDN node at the
Alexandria Hospital and it is up and running.  At this point in time, we
have not run cable to allow a terminal to access the unit in the hospital
but hopefully this will happen shortly. We may experiment with having
another node in the hospital to keep from running hundreds of feet of CAT 5.

Next step is to get locations around the city with HIGH antenna locations.
I will ask our Emergency Management friends for some recommendations.  

Another part of the project will be to set up solar power for these units so
they can function if the power goes out.

The AREDN node for the trailer is working thanks again to Ian, N8IK.  Next
time we work on the trailer we will set it up.

73 Rick

N4ASX

Future Programs

2019

May - EOC TOUR (AT THE NEW EOC) GET YOUR RESERVATION IN!!!!

June - Field Day planning and brief.  

July - 

August - 

September - 

October - 

November - Club Elections - New President and Vice President.

December - Party

At this time, I do not have programs for July, August, September or October.
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

I have been the ARES Emergency Coordinator sense 2004, so 15 years.  Due to
family issues, it is time for me to turn the job over to another club
member.  I will continue to stay on until the end of the year but would like
to find a replacement.  

On April 27th, Reagan National Airport held it's required airport disaster
drill, APEX 19.  The amateur radio effort was led by KC5QCW, Garry who is
the EC for Arlington.  We, Alexandria ARES were asked to cover Alexandria
Hospital.

The following members volunteered:

Rick, N4ASX

Ian N8IK

Wilson KM4KLK

Larry KK4CBL

Harry N4CWP

Ted W9TCE

Lane K4QFS

Jay NW3V

As it was, the hospital did not expect our team, but ONE operator from
Arlington, They also wanted start without letting the staff know.  Next time
we will make sure to talk to the Hospital folks directly, the head of
Security for the shift, did get my e-mail and he had a plan for us.
Feedback was that we did a great job.  Again, thanks to all who
participated.

As we don't have a connection between the antennas and a mobile radio in the
Command Center, we used a mobile to connect to the other hospitals and the
airport.  We used the 440Mhz D-Star repeater for communications around the
hospital and it work VERY WELL.  We did play with DMR as well, D-Star seems
to have a faster turnaround.  We assembled at 0730 were in place by 0800 and
the drill started at 0830.  We were DONE by 1115 and hot wash was done by
1145.

73 Rick

N4ASX

Field Day - Heads Up!

Field Day 2019 which is being held June 22-23 will also be a celebration of
ARC 5th Anniversary.  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.

Don, KI4D is our Field Day chair and we hope to get more folks operating on
Field Day.   Don has scheduled some DIGITAL practice days and has sent out a
schedule.  We may also set up a SSB station and invite new operators to get
some hands on operating prior to field day.

We are looking for tents, tables, chairs and antennas.  If you have
equipment that you can loan to the Field Day effort, let Don know.
<mailto:don.ki4d at gmail.com> don.ki4d at gmail.com   

We have 82 members and hope to be operating 7A or 8A.  To control the
co-site interference, we will set up a few antennas for each band and move
them to the stations working more than one band.

In order to get the maximum number of operators working during the 24 hour
period there will be a VOLUNTEERY sign up for each station.  You can work
with someone else or solo, but we would like to limit operating time to two
hours, so all get a chance to operate.  

If you would like to assist Wilson (KM4KLD) with the food, let Don know!  

We only have TWO more meetings before FIELD DAY.

73 Rick

N4ASX

Hamfests -

The great Hagerstown Hamfest is on Saturday, May 4, 2019 in Boonsboro, MD.
It's sponsored by the Antietam Radio Association.  Here is the link:
<http://w3cwc.org/hamfest> http://w3cwc.org/hamfest

The Maryland FM Association Memorial Day Hamfest is on May 26, 2019.  It's
located at the Howard County Fairgrounds, which is a short drive from
Alexandria.  Here is the link:    <http://www.marylandfm.org/>
http://www.marylandfm.org/ 

The Old Virginia Ham Hamfest in Manassas is on June 15, 2019.  It's in a new
location this year, the Manassas Park Community Center.  It's mostly
indoors, so rain won't be a problem this year.  Here is the link:
<http://manassashamfest.org/> http://manassashamfest.org/

Just in time for those last minute Field Day needs, is the Father's Day
Hamfest in Upperco, MD on June 16, 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://w3ft.com/Fathers%20Day%20Hamfest%202019.pdf>
http://w3ft.com/Fathers%20Day%20Hamfest%202019.pdf

Training -

By the time ARC Shorts hits the email servers, we will have finished the
Spring 2019 class.  We should have several new hams from the class joining
us on the air.  We will have the results in the June ARC Shorts.

Contests -        

*         May 4 and 5 - 7th Call Area QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

*         May 4 and 5 - Indiana QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

*         May 4 and 5 - Delaware QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

*         May 4 and 5 - New England QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

*         May 11 and 12 - Arkansas QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

*         May 25 and 26 - CQ World Wide WPX Contest, CW.  Exchange is RST
and serial number

*         June 1 and 2 - Kentucky QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

*         June 8 and 9 - ARRL June VHF Contest.  Exchange is 4 character
grid square.

*         June 15 and 16 - West Virginia QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and
state

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 allocations.

There are also a couple of other noteworthy activities in June.  June 15 is
Kids Day.  It's an opportunity to expose young people to the magic of ham
radio and allowing them an opportunity to get on the air and talk with other
kids.  

June 22 and 23 is ARRL Field Day.  It's not a contest, but an emergency
preparedness exercise.  We will have more details in ARC Shorts.  

Repeaters - 

The new duplexer for the DMR repeater has been installed and reports are
very favorable.  

N8IK, KV3W and KM4GML installed the ARDEN station at the hospital site and
it is now operational.  If you have ARDEN equipment, look for it and give us
feedback on how well it's working.   

The club repeaters are all up and running.    As always, ham it up and get
on the air.

73, Rich, KA4GFY

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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