The SELARC "Hamster"

Vol. 46, No. 11 ................................ November 2019

 

The SELARC "Hamster"

*Serving Amateur Radio Since 1974*
Published Monthly by the Southeast Louisiana Amateur Radio Club Inc.
P.O. Box 1324, Hammond LA 70404
Visit our website: www.selarc.org
See 2019-11.pdf for a printer-friendly version of this document
Vol. 46, No. 11 ................................ November 2019
* Club Meeting *

Tuesday, November 12, 7:00 PM
Tangipahoa Parish EOC
Amite City
(114 N Laurel St)
Pre-Meeting Social at Mike's Catfish Inn
1009 West Oak Street, Amite, LA 70422
Talk-in 147.00 (-600) w/107.2 Tone -- Handicap Access

If you would like to become a member of SELARC, please print out and complete the application/renewal form and return it with your check to: P.O. Box 1324, Hammond LA 70404. Thanks!

Special Events, Other Hamfests & VE Sessions
Jackson County Amateur Radio Association Hamfest - November 15 - 16, 2019
MARA Christmas Hamfest - Minden, LA - Dec 21, 2019
SELARC - 39th Annual Hammond Hamfest

Hammond VE Group - ARRL/W5YI tests are scheduled for the last Sunday of each month [with the exception of holiday conflicts] in Room "B" of the North Oaks Medical System Diagnostic Center at 2pm with $15 testing fee. Bring photo ID and any appropriate CSCE. For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Find an Amateur Radio License Exam in Your Area.

AMSAT 50th Anniversary Awards Program for contacts 3/3/19 to 12/31/19

Veterans Day - Nov 11, 2019

In Honor of the Service and Sacrifice of All Veterans!!

A very special "Best Wishes and Thank You" to all of our members, past and present, of the Armed Forces for their service and sacrifice to this great nation! Let's remember them all as we celebrate and give thanks this Thanksgiving in Honor of the Service and Sacrifice of All Veterans !!

Happy Birthday

Birthday Wishes for November go out to - John Mark Robertson K5JMR, Manny WD5BJR, and Tom W5PGS If we missed your birthday, then please let us know.

Get Well Soon —
Best wishes for continued recuperation go to SELARC members Tom Simpson N5HAY and Homer Jones KA5TRT. We look forward to hearing you on the air!

VE Session Results

Congratulations to the following new Technician licensees!
Curt Montgomery - Hammond, La.
Kevin Jenkins - Covington, La.
Ronnie Voorhies - Madisonville, La.

Thank you once again, to all the VEs' who show up to make this possible!!

Multiple Sclerosis 150-mile "Dat's How We Roll" Bike Tour

Over the October 5 & 6 weekend thirty-two amateur radio volunteers from the Southeast LA Amateur Radio Club (SELARC), Southwest MS Amateur Radio Club and southeast LA ARES provided 267 "people-power" hours of public service in support of the annual Multiple Sclerosis bike ride from Hammond (LA) to Percy Quin Park (MS) and back.

The hams used the SELARC VHF repeater and the LWARN UHF repeater system to provide communications assistance to the safety, logistics and medical teams spread over the route on the back-country roads of Louisiana and Mississippi.

The Multiple Sclerosis staff and friends and families of the cyclists, as well as the bikers themselves, were appreciative of the ham radio volunteers and were impressed with the capabilities of amateur radio. The event was a wonderful display of the ham operators' skills and public service capabilities.

Meeting of October 8, 2019 at Options

President Tyrone N5XES called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM and lead in the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a self-introduction/recognition of all present.

It was m/s/passed to accept minutes for the September meeting as published in the "Hamster"

Treasurer Ernie Bush N5NIB gave a financial report. It was m/s/passed to accept the financial report.

Attendance (14): David W5NPV, Tyrone N5XES, Ernie N5NIB, Keith KF5VLX, Butch KG5WQI, Jimmy AG5EJ, Bill KF5YBY, Scott KD5PCK, Bob WB5FBS, Tom Grant W5PGS, Clay KF5EQJ, James K5QNT, Carol KE5GOC, Ralph K5CAV

Correspondence A bill was received from Crown Castle
A new membership application from Corey McCrary W5MMC was voted on and passed.

Committee Reports

Repeater -

(Tyrone N5XES): The 147 and 444.250 repeaters are both on the air.

ARES -

Bob WB5FBS provided an ARES report from Pat who was unable to attend the meeting:
With thanks to all ARES members for helping with the Bike Ride, and,
Enjoy the cooler weather, but the season is not over yet -- keep prepared.

MS Bike Tour
(Bob WB5FBS) The event was successful iwith 32 Ham volunteers and 267 total people-power hours; Bob logged 237 miles, Sccott 260.
We did have some rain with some off and on sprinkling, but were very fortunate with the weather.
The 147 repeater was used at the south end, a Greensburg LWARN UHF repeater in the park, and some direct communications required.

Old Business

SELARC Hammond Hamfest

(Tyrone N5XES): Sell sell prize tickets.
ARRL Has confirmed our Hamfest submission.
Currently vendors are: HamWorld, Sign Man, Macs Computers
We need volunteers for Hamfest duties.

Christmas Party
A discussion was held regarding the Christmas party. it was m/s/passed to have a Christmas party at Options.

Ideas / Participation in Club

There was discussion of potential club participation in community outreach event; suggested by Blake; Scout Jamboree month of October
Possible club display at the: Hammond Farmer's Market - that is a weekly market, but the club might choose a target date

Location for Next Meeting - November meeting will be at the Tangipahoa Parish EOC in Amite; eating place to be determined. It was m/s/passed to Adjourn at 8pm

Looking for Amateur Radio Equipment

Bruce KA5LLJ is seeking a HF radio with built-in tuner, a TS-440 or equivalent,
and a rotator with controller, Contact: tel:+1-985-500-4425

News from ARRL

==> [Oct 31, 2019] In brief...
- Louisiana and Mississippi amateur radio volunteers supported the "Bike MS: Dat's How We Roll" Event.

==> Taking Advantage of Coaxial Cable Capacitance
Jeff Blaine, AC0C, had a bad capacitor in the 15-meter filter section of his 5B4AGN multiband band-pass filter, because as he puts it, "they have been treated terribly over the years." One way to damage a filter is to use power levels at the limit of the filter into a load that presents a high SWR -- especially a high duty cycle mode like RTTY. He didn't have the required small 14 pF capacitor, so he trimmed a piece of RG-58 to the required value - coaxial cable exhibits a certain amount of capacitance per unit length. ...

==> World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 Opens in Egypt
World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19) is under way in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. More than 3,500 delegates from 193 member-states around the world are attending the month-long gathering, sponsored by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which opened on Monday, October 28. WRC-19 delegates will discuss changes to the ITU Radio Regulations. Amateur radio issues are but a small part of the conference agenda. The ITU is characterizing the aim of the conference as forging pathways for future digital communications. ...

==> New Antenna Concept Uses Saltwater and Plastic Instead of Metal Conductor
A new antenna that uses saltwater and plastic instead of metal could make it easier to build VHF and UHF networks, an IEEE Spectrum article asserts ...

==> Pitcairn Island VP6R DXpedition Proving Popular; Injured Operator Evacuated
At mid-week, the Pitcairn Island VP6R DXpedition reported some 35,000 contacts in the log, including what team leader Glenn Johnson, W0GJ, called "a lot of activity" on 12 and 10 meters. VP6R also has been taking advantage of FT8 digital protocol, operating in fox/hound (F/H) mode. The team arrived at the South Pacific island on October 17 and at the home of Andy Christian, where the DXpedition's equipment had been shipped well in advance.
The team is down to 12 operators after one individual fell and suffered several fractures. ...

==> Arizona Club Takes Advantage of Low Bands to Support 100-Mile Endurance Run
The Coconino Amateur Radio Club (CARC) provided safety and coordination communications for the 100-mile Stagecoach Line Run over the September 21 - 22 weekend. This 31-hour endurance run from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon takes place every September. Supporting the event requires planning and commitment. Because of the geographical coverage required, the club's amateur radio support even took advantage of 160 meters, which is not a band typically associated with public service communication. ...

==> ARRL to Launch New On the Air Magazine
ARRL is launching a new magazine, On the Air, in January 2020. To be published on a bimonthly basis, On the Air will offer new and beginner-to-intermediate-level radio amateurs a fresh approach to exploring radio communication. Each issue will include advice and insights on topics from the variety of Amateur Radio interests and activities: radio technology, operating, equipment, project building, and emergency communication. The goal of this new magazine is to be a vital resource in helping new and newer radio amateurs get active and involved in radio communications. ...

==> Report Causes Concern and Confusion in California's Amateur Radio Ranks
By all credible and reliable accounts, the State of California has not turned its back on Amateur Radio as an emergency communication resource, nor have established repeater owners been asked to remove their equipment from state-owned sites unless they pay sizable fees.
The California controversy, inflamed by a viral YouTube video, stemmed from a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) communication telling a repeater owner or group that Amateur Radio equipment would have to be removed from a state-owned site or "vault" if the owner(s) determined the cost was too great to proceed with a formal application to keep it there.
...

==> NASA Spacecraft Launches on Mission to Explore Frontier of Space
NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) spacecraft is in orbit for a first-of-its-kind mission to study a region of space where changes can disrupt communications and satellite orbits, and even increase radiation risks to astronauts...

==> PACTOR Developer SCS Announces Monitoring Software
SCS, the company that created PACTOR, has unveiled software that offers the ability to monitor the content of PACTOR 1, 2, and 3 transmissions over the air. The free PMON software runs under the Linux operating system. A software version to monitor PACTOR 4 is scheduled to become available next year. PMON will offer "thorough observation and documentation of all presently available PACTOR 1, 2, and 3 transmissions," SCS said...

==> FCC Proposes Fining New York Radio Amateur $17,000 for Alleged Deliberate Interference
Harold Guretzky, K6DPZ, of Richmond Hill, New York, is facing a $17,000 FCC fine for allegedly causing intentional interference on a local repeater and preventing other radio amateurs from using it. The FCC issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NAL) on October 3. ...

==> Hawaii Contest Station and Winlink Leveraged for 2019 Simulated Emergency Test
ARES volunteers in Hawaii took the opportunity of the 2019 Simulated Emergency Test (SET) on October 6 (UTC) to test Winlink radio messaging to the US mainland, using the KH6YY (KH6J) contest station on O'ahu...

==> Ohio Sheriff Observes and Participates in ARES Simulated Emergency Test
One public official in Ohio not only observed the ARES Simulated Emergency Test (SET) this month but participated in it with Greene County ARES (GCARES). Greene County Sheriff Gene Fischer, KX8GCS ("Greene County Sheriff"), checked in when the Resource Net Control, Bob Baker, N8ADO, called for volunteers. Although the suggested scenario called for only using simplex, GCARES employed the Xenia Amateur Radio Weather Net (XWARN) repeater to reach out for as many volunteers as possible. Volunteers then switched to a simplex tactical net to communicate with the GCARES Command Center. ...

==> US Coast Guard Airs Proposal to End MF Navigational Telex (NAVTEX) Broadcasts
The US Coast Guard is seeking comments on a proposal that it may stop broadcasting medium-frequency (MF) Navigational Telex (NAVTEX). ...

==> The Weather Channel Cites "Old School Tech" Amateur Radio as Storm Resource Julio Ripoll, WD4R, Amateur Radio Assistant Coordinator of WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) explained Amateur Radio's role during severe weather situations to interviewers from The Weather Channel (TWC). In a September 16 segment headlined, "Using Old School Tech During a Storm," ...

 

--The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League

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Stay Radio active -- See you at the next meeting, Tue, November 12, 2019; 7:00PM at the Tangipahoa Parish EOC, in Amite
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