[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] ARCSHORTS JULY 2022

Tue Jul 5 10:36:47 EDT 2022

ARC-SHORTS

July 2022

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 Meeting

Our next ZOOM meeting will be Friday JULY 8th at 7PM.  A ZOOM meeting invite
will be sent out soon.  See the President's Corner for details on the next
meeting.  This meeting will be both IN PERSON and via ZOOM.

Last Meeting

Carol Myers, KN4LLL - Club Secretary 

Date:               June 10, 2022

Time:               1900 hours

Location:        Hybrid Meeting: Via Zoom & In-Person at APD Community Room,
Wheeler Lane

Presentation

*	Topic: Field Day Preparations/Discussion
*	Presenter: Sean Gallagher, K4KBK

Reports

Secretary:  Carol KN4LL

*	Briefed May 13, 2022 meeting minutes

Treasurer:  Don KI4D

*	Current Balance = $10,708.18

Membership: Richard KW4UJ

*	93 paid; 9 Lifetime; Total of 102 members

Projects: Richard KW4UJ/Don KI4D

*	ARES/RACES:  No report 
*	History Project:  Planned meeting did not happen; will be
rescheduled 

Repeaters: Rich KA4GFY

*	Plan for GMRS Repeater to be installed at analog site when 2 Meter
repeater is replaced; will use a mount from an abandoned tenant
*	All repeaters are up and running; no issues reported
*	AREDN Project - No report

Education/Training:  Rich KA4GFY

*	Plan to offer a class in the fall via Zoom so that 2 classes can run
simultaneously

Trailer:  Rich KA4GFY

*	Trailer is at Rick's house for refurbishing doors; various upgrades
are planned inside and out

Webmaster:  Richard KW4UJ

*	Survived a recent attack due to good security measures

Old Business  

Storage Trailer search:  Don KI4D

*	Need a new strategy on storage trailer purchase

Discord Server:  Jason WA6MPR

*	Send Jason a request for access:  WA6MPR at gmail.com

New Business

*	Distributed certificates to participants of VA VSO party

Net Control

*	16 June:  KA4GFY
*	23 June:  KI4BXU
*	30 June:  WA6MPR
*	07 July:   KI4D

Announcements

*	50/50 raffle won by Sean K4KBK who donated winnings back to the club
*	Field Day merchandise available for purchase during the meeting and
at Field Day
*	Next month's meeting will be a hybrid in-person/online

ADJOURNMENT:  2100 hours

Attendance (20)

Name

Call Sign

Position

Richard

KW4UJ

President

Sean

K4KBK

Vice President

Don

KI4D

Treasurer

Rich

KA4GFY

Training Coordinator

Carol

KN4LLL

Secretary

Robert

KO4ZIK

Ted

W9TCE

Jason

WA6MPR

Bryan

WD4ADF

Louis

KO4QVB

Ryan

KO4EBY

Jay

KR3W

Wilson

KM4KLK

Jack

KE7VQV

Harry 

N4CWP

Via Zoom

Andy

WV8AA

Via Zoom

Brian

KE4WGI

Via Zoom

Corey

KN4YZY

Via Zoom

Erik

KI4BXU

Via Zoom

Todd

KO4IJH

Via Zoom

Presidents Corner

Richard, KW4UJ

ARES

The biggest ARES event of the year, HOPEFULLY, is Field Day.  The club's
Field Day was a great success.  While contacts were down, conditions were
not good for anyone, so we will see what happens when the scores are
published.

I think our primary goals were all accomplished:

1 - Get more of our club members out and participating.  

YES! WE DID, Nice to see new members participating.  Want to thank Alex
KO4ZCM for joining the club and jumping in to make contacts. Ryan and Jason
both did a great job as well as many others.

2 - Special thanks to our Chef Wilson KM4KLK.  He worked for 24 hours plus
to feed the crowd and the food was first class.

3 - In years past we had not had much luck with OSCARs. BUT this year Joe,
KT3I bought out a station that would be the envy of any ham shack and made 9
satellite contacts on many different birds.  Very impressive.

4 - Every time I looked around all the stations were in operation.  Thanks
to the band captains and operators for keeping us going.

5 - We had so many of our members doing great things that we will recognize
them at the December party.  

Field Day is both a contest and an emergency exercise.  Without it we would
not be prepared for a REAL emergency!  It is also a chance for us to show
what we can do for our community.

Part of this year's FD exercise was to activate the Alexandria EOC.  Bob
Crumley and I went up to the EOC and checked all the modes and radios.  All
looks good. 

CLUB TRAILER

The club comm trailer had a bit of work done to it prior to field day, but
we still have a few things to do to keep it in good shape.

When the weather gets cooler (maybe September) we will make some changes

1 - Add a coating to the roof to keep the rain and snow out.

2 - Fix the solar panels on the roof

3 - Add a ground bus to all of the radios

4 - Add the Tarheel II antenna mount for HF

5 - Add a 440MHz repeater antenna and 900MHz antenna

6 - Improve storage for cables and other items

7 - Look for two newer laptops 

8 - As laptops no longer have RS-232 ports add USB adapters.

I'm sure there are other items.

STORAGE.

We need to find a place to store our gear that is safe and provides access.
A second trailer or a storage container are both considerations.  The issue
is a LOCATION for either solution.

MARINE CORPS MARATHON

Looks like the MCM will be on this year as COVID becomes less of a risk.
This is THE BIGGEST public service event of the year for Amateur Radio.  It
is also the most public.  You many do not see amateur radio on the news but
those who run the race and those federal, state and local agencies that
support the race DO SEE US.  They need about 135 volunteers, and you can
volunteer for positions on the racecourse and all you need is a 2-meter HT
or mobile.  This includes mile markers, water stops, food stops.   If you
want to shadow someone, there are zone commanders, medical personnel etc.
If you have digital gear and D-Star voice, there are 10 Aid Stations where
we need to pass medical patient traffic.  

DATE: October 30th.  

How to volunteer:  Go first to  <http://www.marinemarathon.com/>
WWW.MarineMarathon.com

Go to the HAM RADIO signup and enter the information.

NEXT: go to the MCMHAMS website and fill in more details.  If you have a
particular spot you want to work, limitations on what you can do, need to
leave the course before the end of the race.  This is the site that you get
to enter that information.  This is also where they ask you about your
vehicle, equipment, and experience.  The leadership committee will make
assignments about three weeks prior to the MCM and let you know.  Due to
security concerns, you will need to check in on Race Day prior to 5AM (this
may change) at a particular location.  You will get your course pass, your
ham radio credentials, a vest and lunch. As all the ham radio folks are
volunteers, be patient.  DO NOT ASK THEM TO PROGRAM YOUR RADIO.  The
frequency plan will be sent with your assignment.  Should you volunteer, and
if for any reason you cannot make it on race day, PLEASE call the point of
contact and advise them.  NO SHOWS reflect BADLY on our hobby, our club and
make it difficult to cover critical assignments.

Call Rick, N4ASX, if you have any questions on the MCM.

REPLACEMENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

For the last 5 years I have been retired and hoped to spend more time with
ARES and club activities, BUT other things have taken priority.  I spend
about 4 months a year in Florida making sure my mother-in-law is doing well.
This time away from Alexandria makes my continuing to act as the Alexandria
ARES Emergency Coordinator.  Alexandria needs an EC that is available and
trained.  

I will step down as EC after almost 20 years effective December 31, 2022. To
be the EC one needs to have been an active ARES volunteer and earned LEVEL
III in the Task Book.  This can be down by anyone in the time remaining.  I
will be submitting my resignation to the Section Emergency Coordinator 

Another issue is ARCSHORTS.  Again with 1/3 of my time in Florida, I have
missed a few meetings and someone who is more in touch day to day needs to
take over the newsletter. Again, I intend to pass the ARCSHORTS duties to
someone at the beginning of next year.

73 Rick

N4ASX

ELMER'S INPUTS

The importance of SAFETY.   Field Day being in a public park presented us
with some safety issues.  Generators, possible adverse weather, antennas,
and feedlines that are easy to snag or trip on and people who have no idea
what we are doing wondering into all of the wires we need to operate.   At
some point in the evening, some of us must have sounded less then friendly
with regard to kids and others wondering through the site.  But, we would
have had far more trouble if someone had been hurt, or received and RF burn.
Thanks to all for being vigilant.

Activities and Events - Rich KA4GFY

Hamfests -

The Shenandoah Valley Amateur Radio Club's Berryville Hamfest is on August 7
at the Clarke County Fairgrounds.   It's right off Rte 7 in Berryville.  The
Ruritans chicken and beef barbeque is well worth the trip.  Talk-in on the
SVARC 146.820 MHz repeater (PL 146.2 Hz).  Here is the link:
<https://berryvillehamfest.com/> https://berryvillehamfest.com/   

The Tidewater Hamfest and Swapmeet is August 16 at the Ambassador Club of
Portsmouth, 364 Peninsula Avenue in Portsmouth.  Talk-in is on the 146.850
MHz repeater (PL 100 Hz).  Here is the link:
<http://virginiabeachhamfest.com/> http://virginiabeachhamfest.com/

Training -

Our next Technician and General classes are scheduled to start about October
4 and end December 6, 2022.  Some of our visitors at Field Day expressed
interest in becoming hams themselves and I have been receiving a few
inquiries about our next class.  If you know of anyone who has always wanted
to become a ham, but hasn't known how, send them our way. If you are a
Technician looking to upgrade or know a Technician looking to upgrade, let
us know.  We have been teaching both classes via Zoom and it is working very
well.

Contests - 

I will have the details of our Field Day score at the meeting.

*         July 9 and 10 - IARU HF World Championship.  Exchange is RST and
ITU zone.  We are in ITU zone 8.

*         July 16 and 17 - North American QSO Party, RTTY.  Exchange is name
and state. 

*         July 16 and 17 - CQ Worldwide VHF Contest.   6 and 2 meters.
Exchange is 4-character grid square.

*         July 30 and 31 - Tennessee State Parks on the Air.  Exchange is
state.

*         August 6 and 7 - North American QSO Party - CW.  Exchange is name
and state.

*         August 6 and 7 - ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest.  Exchange
is 6-character grid square.

*         August 13 - Kentucky State Parks on the Air.  Exchange is state.

*         August 13 and 14 - Exchange is entry class and state (most of us
operating from home will be a "standard" station).

*         August 20 and 21 - North American QSO Party - SSB.  Exchange is
name and state.

*         August 27 through 29.  Hawaii QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and
state.

*         August 27 and 28 - Kansas QSO Party.  Exchange is RST and state.

Every Sunday evening at 8 PM local time, the K1USN Radio Club sponsors the
"Slow Speed "Contest."  The exchange is similar to a QSO.  See the rules
here:  <http://www.k1usn.com/sst.html> http://www.k1usn.com/sst.html.

Every Tuesday at 0000 (8 PM EDT Monday for us) is the Worldwide Sideband
Activity Contest.  Exchange is RS and age group (OM, YL, Youth YL or Youth).
Here are the rules:  <https://wwsac.com/rules.html>
https://wwsac.com/rules.html

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.   

Speaking of state QSO parties, there is now a state QSO party challenge.
You can start accumulating multipliers by submitting a log in any state or
provincial QSO party to 3830scores.com QSOParty Groups.io.forum and State
QSOParty.com. 

Repeaters -

The club repeaters are all up and running.  The DSTAR repeaters are seeing a
lot of activity.  We have been linking the 2-meter repeater to Reflector
062C for Virginia and Maryland communications, and the 70cm Reflector 030C,
for long-range communications and the 23cm voice repeater to Reflector 025B,
the Northern Virginia local reflector or 001C, the world-wide reflector.  If
you want to link to another reflector, be sure to unlink the repeater first
and then link to the reflector of your choice.  All we ask is you unlink the
reflector you were listening on when you are finished listening.   

Earlier this month, the 70cm repeater went offline for unknown reasons.  A
trip to the repeater was all that was needed and N8IK was able to re-boot
the repeater and it was working normally.

The DMR side is working normally with access to the DMR servers.  If you are
new to DMR, DMRVA has codeplugs for some of the more common DMR radios on
their website.  Their website is   <http://www.dmrva.org/>
http://www.dmrva.org/   DMRVA 

I recently purchased an Alinco DJ-5XT handheld for analog and DMR use.  So
far, it is performing very well.  I will do a quick review in a later ARC
Shorts.

The Alexandria Radio Club has one of the only 23 cm analog repeaters in the
area.  Give it a try on your IC-9700.    

We have resumed (semi-regularly) the follow-on net on one of the other
repeaters after the Thursday net on the 2-meter analog repeater.    

Ian, N8IK, has started a Wednesday night DSTAR net on the 145.380 MHz
repeater at 8 PM.  The Wednesday night net is starting to pick up some
momentum.  We link the repeater to Reflector 62B at net time so members and
former members outside the local area can join in.  Some time ago, I asked
the folks who maintain the lists of DSTAR reflectors to create a Virginia
perma-link reflector.  Many other states have them.  Be sure to put
Reflector 62B in your DSTAR programming.  

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

73, Rich, KA4GFY

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