[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] ARC SHORTS November 2019

Mon Nov 4 14:30:00 EST 2019

Forgot the PDF and to CONGRATULATE Ted and Roy for their joining QCWA.

25 YEARS!

From: n4asx at cox.net <n4asx at cox.net> 
Sent: Monday, November 4, 2019 2:29 PM
To: (AlexandriaRadioClub at mailman.qth.net)
<AlexandriaRadioClub at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: ARC SHORTS November 2019

ARC-SHORTS

NOVEMBER 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 November 8th. We meet at 3600 Wheeler Ave in Alexandria
at 7PM and the meeting ends, more or less, at 9PM.   Many members get
together at Atlantis Restaurant in the Bradlee shopping center at 5PM for
dinner prior to the meeting.  The Bradlee shopping center is on the south
side of RT. 7 just east of 395, 3600 Wheeler is off Duke Street about 1
block west of Quaker Lane.  Informal talk in on the 147.315 repeater.

The nominating committee has come up with the following candidates.
Remember that anyone who would like to run for a position can be nominated
at the meeting.

Present candidate list:

President - Lewis Donovan (Don) K4ID 

Vice President - Mark Bonanno KM4GML

Treasurer - Richard Morani KW4UJ

Secretary - William H Wilson KM4KLK

In addition, we need to set up the Field Day committee

Chairperson

Food Lead

Band Leaders

Generators and structures

This is a BIG club with over 80 members.  It only works if all participate
and all speak up.

73 Rick

NOVEMBER MEETING Program 

Our program was provided by Mike Washville - Cold War Technology and You -
Mike is a volunteer at the Cold War Museum and also one of the folks who has
kept our repeaters up and running.  Mike is also an Honorary Life Member of
the club.  

We also must prepare for the December Party at Glory Days, and we need to
elect next year's officers.  

Meeting minutes for Octoberr 2019 ARC Meeting

Date: 10/11/19

Time: 1900h

Location: Alexandria Police Dispatch Center

As we hope to make use of the Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN)
mesh network systems at the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM), and many of our
members have been playing with this system over the last year.

Ian, N8IK, who has been doing a great deal of research on how to covert
commercial units to the AREDN MESH mode and into updating the firmware for
these units gave a great presentation on AREDN and how to set these units
up.  Several members brought their units and they were set up around the
room to create a mesh network.  Ian was able to forward MESHCHAT and Iperf
onto several units.  

Additionally, he demonstrated a dual band (2.4 and 5 GHz) router that
allowed those with cell phones to pick up the 5GHz router and see the AREDN
units.  

We hope to get relay nodes for AREDN up around the city and connected to the
City's EOC and other key points so that if the internet goes DOWN we can
provide a networks for emergency management.

73 Rick

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/

Training -

Our Fall, 2019 class started on October 8 with 13 students.  Everyone is
very enthusiastic and willing to learn.  They ask great questions and share
ideas with each other.  What a great class.  I expect everybody will pass
with flying colors.  Don't forgert the exam on Dec 10.   If you are
currently a Technician or General and have always wanted to upgrade, here is
your chance.  

If you are like many of us and studying on your own doesn't always produce
the results you want, feel free to come to class anyway.  You can work on
your material and we will be glad to help you reach your goal.  It does
work.  One of our instructors did just that. 

Contests -           

*	Nov 10 - North American SSB Sprint.  Exchange is other station's
call, your call, serial number, your name and state.
*	Nov 16 to 18 - ARRL Sweepstakes, SSB.  Exchange is the other
station's call, serial number, precedence, your call, check (year first
licensed) and section.
*	CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW.  Exchange is RST and CQ zone.  We are
in zone 5.
*	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.

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. 

I am still looking for a permanent place to install the Motorola MTR-2000
repeater for coverage in Old Town.  Once we find a place to put it, I can
apply to TMARC for a UHF repeater pair.  TMARC has opened up another 1 MHz
between 441.000 and 442.000 MHz.    

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

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. 

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 eye's 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 - Club Elections - New President and Vice President.

December - Party

2020

January - Mike Washville (Tentative) on Cold War tech in use today.

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

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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