Monday, September 30, 2013
National Wildlife Refuge Special Event
The week of October 12 - 19, will see the National Wildlife Refuge Week
annual Special Event on the air activity taking place across the US.
This event started in Michigan 6 years ago and is now nationally
coordinated. See the national coordination site for abundant tips and
checklists for having a successful event: http://www.nwrweek-radio.info/ Some
refuges have public activities going on, and this is also a chance to
meet refuge visitors and chat up amateur radio, too.
October Sky - The Rocket Boys Festival
OCTOBER SKY - THE ROCKET
BOYS FESTIVAL
The "October Sky : Rocket Boys Festival" takes place October 4th to the 6th in Beckley, West Virginia. And as a part of the celebration the Black Diamond Amateur Radio Club will be operating a special event station on October 5th with the call W8R. Frequencies to be listening on are 7.280 and 14.280 MHz. +/- 3.Khz.
More is on the web at http://rocketboysfestival.com/
The "October Sky : Rocket Boys Festival" takes place October 4th to the 6th in Beckley, West Virginia. And as a part of the celebration the Black Diamond Amateur Radio Club will be operating a special event station on October 5th with the call W8R. Frequencies to be listening on are 7.280 and 14.280 MHz. +/- 3.Khz.
More is on the web at http://rocketboysfestival.com/
Friday, September 20, 2013
New EmComm Guidebook drom DHS
A very informative guidebook authored by Ross
Merlin, WA2WDT, and titled NIFOG is
described as a great go-to compendium of
radio frequencies, channels, and other
tidbits if information that can be essential
in times of an emergency.
The guide is authored by Merlin who works in the Department of Homeland Security Office of Emergency Communications. He authored the guidebook for the agency and says that it contains page after page of frequency information, operating procedures, formulas, and rules and regulations from both the FCC and the NTIA. Specific subject material includes frequency and channel data for Fire, EMS, Police, and Law Enforcement as well as Mutual Aid channels in VHF, UHF, 700 MHz, and others. Also included is communications information for marine, aviation, NOAA weather, MURS, GMRS, FRS, and just about any radio you might encounter in an emergency.
Te guidebook is available in printed and downloadable formats. The primary Website where downloads copies are available is publicsafetytools.info. Copies printed on waterproof paper, are reportedly available free of charge from the Department of Homeland Security. Please contact NIFOG@HQ.DHS.GOV for details.
The guide is authored by Merlin who works in the Department of Homeland Security Office of Emergency Communications. He authored the guidebook for the agency and says that it contains page after page of frequency information, operating procedures, formulas, and rules and regulations from both the FCC and the NTIA. Specific subject material includes frequency and channel data for Fire, EMS, Police, and Law Enforcement as well as Mutual Aid channels in VHF, UHF, 700 MHz, and others. Also included is communications information for marine, aviation, NOAA weather, MURS, GMRS, FRS, and just about any radio you might encounter in an emergency.
Te guidebook is available in printed and downloadable formats. The primary Website where downloads copies are available is publicsafetytools.info. Copies printed on waterproof paper, are reportedly available free of charge from the Department of Homeland Security. Please contact NIFOG@HQ.DHS.GOV for details.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Amateur Radio Responds to Colorado Floods
Ham radio was once again a first responder as
a week of torrential rainfall brought
destruction to parts of Colorado. Many of
these were the same areas that were damaged
by a series of wind-driven wildfires earlier
this year and back in 2012. At least seven
people have been confirmed as killed by
deadly flooding and efforts to locate more
than 1,000 missing people continue.
Some of the worst flooding followed the path of the High Park and Waldo Canyon fires. The 2013 Waldo Canyon fire was the worst in the state's history burning more than 18,000 acres near Colorado Springs and destroying more than 300 homes.
Jack Ciaccia, WM0G is the ARRL Colorado Section Manager. He says that as the flood waters began arriving on Thursday, August 12th, ham radio operators were ready:
Ciaccia” “The hams in the local ARES groups reported to the regional and local county emergency operations centers and manned their positions. Plus the state Emergency Operations Center in Centennial Colorado was opened and staffed by senior ARES personnel”
The unprecedented storms dealt a heavy blow to both utilities and communications. News reports say that many cellular telephone towers have either fallen, were washed away or are simply without power. This in turn cut off wireless and broadband communications to several communities. Also destroyed have been powerlines and some landline-based telephone service. This has left ham radio as the mainstay of communications into and out of these areas.
Ciaccia: “The next thing to happen was we started hearing of evacuation centers being opened kind of spontaneously because a large building in a dry area was the only criteria. And as fast as we could we needed to get communications to them because in many of the mountain areas where these evacuation centers were there was no other means of communications”
As the operation progressed, some hams were assigned to monitor the Boulder County ARES Repeater as well as the two Mountain Emergency Radio Network Repeaters located in high altitude communities. The latter turned out to be true life savers. Again, WM0G:
Ciaccia: “We were fortunate to have some hams located in some of the remote areas which is (the result) of another project that we had created in the past year since the fires called the Mountain Emergency Radio Network. This is a small network of repeaters that the ARES hams have trained upward of 60 mountain residents and who have gotten their licenses. We then repurposed a bunch of VHF radios – both handy talkies and mobiles for them to utilize these repeaters.
“And just tonight we were told by the Fire Chief in one of those remote communities that had it not have been for that MERM repeater system that there probably would have been a lot more deaths because people were able to communicate with each other as to what was happening, where the destruction was and how to get out.”
On Monday the 16th the ARES groups received new marching orders. In addition to search assistance, evacuations, shelter communications and logistics another role has been added. That of disaster assessment:
Ciaccia: “Disaster assessment teams from the Red Cross and from the counties will be mobilizing and we have been asked to provide hams, radios and also video cameras to record video of the disaster areas. So we will be taking on that assignment as well.”
According to Ciaccia so far some 200 ham radio volunteers have been deployed in and around the various flood-stricken counties with some providing communication where no other means existed or still exists. News reports say that at the height of the flooding that the towns of Estes Park, Lyons and Jamestown were relying on ham radio as their only contact with the outside world.
source (ARNewsline)
Some of the worst flooding followed the path of the High Park and Waldo Canyon fires. The 2013 Waldo Canyon fire was the worst in the state's history burning more than 18,000 acres near Colorado Springs and destroying more than 300 homes.
Jack Ciaccia, WM0G is the ARRL Colorado Section Manager. He says that as the flood waters began arriving on Thursday, August 12th, ham radio operators were ready:
Ciaccia” “The hams in the local ARES groups reported to the regional and local county emergency operations centers and manned their positions. Plus the state Emergency Operations Center in Centennial Colorado was opened and staffed by senior ARES personnel”
The unprecedented storms dealt a heavy blow to both utilities and communications. News reports say that many cellular telephone towers have either fallen, were washed away or are simply without power. This in turn cut off wireless and broadband communications to several communities. Also destroyed have been powerlines and some landline-based telephone service. This has left ham radio as the mainstay of communications into and out of these areas.
Ciaccia: “The next thing to happen was we started hearing of evacuation centers being opened kind of spontaneously because a large building in a dry area was the only criteria. And as fast as we could we needed to get communications to them because in many of the mountain areas where these evacuation centers were there was no other means of communications”
As the operation progressed, some hams were assigned to monitor the Boulder County ARES Repeater as well as the two Mountain Emergency Radio Network Repeaters located in high altitude communities. The latter turned out to be true life savers. Again, WM0G:
Ciaccia: “We were fortunate to have some hams located in some of the remote areas which is (the result) of another project that we had created in the past year since the fires called the Mountain Emergency Radio Network. This is a small network of repeaters that the ARES hams have trained upward of 60 mountain residents and who have gotten their licenses. We then repurposed a bunch of VHF radios – both handy talkies and mobiles for them to utilize these repeaters.
“And just tonight we were told by the Fire Chief in one of those remote communities that had it not have been for that MERM repeater system that there probably would have been a lot more deaths because people were able to communicate with each other as to what was happening, where the destruction was and how to get out.”
On Monday the 16th the ARES groups received new marching orders. In addition to search assistance, evacuations, shelter communications and logistics another role has been added. That of disaster assessment:
Ciaccia: “Disaster assessment teams from the Red Cross and from the counties will be mobilizing and we have been asked to provide hams, radios and also video cameras to record video of the disaster areas. So we will be taking on that assignment as well.”
According to Ciaccia so far some 200 ham radio volunteers have been deployed in and around the various flood-stricken counties with some providing communication where no other means existed or still exists. News reports say that at the height of the flooding that the towns of Estes Park, Lyons and Jamestown were relying on ham radio as their only contact with the outside world.
source (ARNewsline)
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Choke Balun (HomeBrew)
The balun described here is a sleeve balun, the ferrite cores are salvaged from the video leads from computer monitor leads courtesy of those friendly folk down at the local Council recycling center and were available just for the asking and is used to feed a trap dipole.
The other parts needed are :-
11.810" length of 0.7874" PVC conduit,
12 ferrite cores salvaged from computer monitor video leads,
15.75 UR213 cable,
3/4 PVC terminal box,
PVC tape,
PL259 plug,
Fibreglass resin,
Eyelet and brass termination bolts.
---------------------------------------------------------
1) Solder PL259 plug on one end and Strip insulation from coax as the hole in the ferrite is too fractionally too small then cover with single layer of PVC insulating tape for good fit.
2) Feed the 12 ferrite sleeves over the coax.
3) Trim tails to length and apply several layers of PVC tape over ferrite so it is a tight when the PVC conduit is fitted.
4) Fit hardware to attach aerial. note electrical connections are separate to give good connection. Tape up all joints to prevent leakage of resin.
5)Fill with resin and remove tape when hardened.
6) Completed balun note solder connecting shorting of supporting loop. Completed balun has been tested to 400W as part a 48 hour contest with no problems reported.
The other parts needed are :-
11.810" length of 0.7874" PVC conduit,
12 ferrite cores salvaged from computer monitor video leads,
15.75 UR213 cable,
3/4 PVC terminal box,
PVC tape,
PL259 plug,
Fibreglass resin,
Eyelet and brass termination bolts.
---------------------------------------------------------
1) Solder PL259 plug on one end and Strip insulation from coax as the hole in the ferrite is too fractionally too small then cover with single layer of PVC insulating tape for good fit.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Sun Mysteriously Goes All Quiet Just When Its Activity Should Be Highest:
Almost every measure of solar activity flatlined over the weekend.
The event, though not unprecedented, is odd considering that our local
star has just passed what is supposed to be the peak of its solar cycle,
when activity is at its highest.
“It really underscores this solar cycle playing out as being pretty benign,” said Robert Rutledge, lead of the forecast office at the NOAA/National Weather Service Space Weather Prediction Center. “This has been by any measure a really pretty quiet cycle, and I think we shouldn’t expect the second half to be any different.”
To Read More; Click Here
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/09/sun-all-quiet/
“It really underscores this solar cycle playing out as being pretty benign,” said Robert Rutledge, lead of the forecast office at the NOAA/National Weather Service Space Weather Prediction Center. “This has been by any measure a really pretty quiet cycle, and I think we shouldn’t expect the second half to be any different.”
To Read More; Click Here
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/09/sun-all-quiet/
Monday, September 16, 2013
Amateur Radio Provides Critical Communication in Colorado Flooding Response
ZCZC AG21
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 21 ARLB021
>From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT September 16, 2013
To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB021
ARLB021 Amateur Radio Provides Critical Communication in Colorado Flooding Response
More than five dozen Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) volunteers have deployed in and around flood-stricken counties of Colorado, providing critical communication for Red Cross shelters and state and local emergency operation centers. Recent heavy rains have caused veritable mountainside tsunamis that have caused rivers and streams to overflow their banks, ravaged roads and property and displaced an undetermined number of residents. At least three people are known to have died. ARRL Colorado Section Manager Jack Ciaccia, WM0G, says that with power cut off to affected communities and many cell telephone towers along the Big Thompson River toppled by the flooding, ham radio is providing medical and health-and-welfare traffic between evacuation centers and the EOCs.
"Every EOC is being staffed by ARES people," Ciaccia told ARRL. "Almost every evacuation center has an ARES communicator, doing either voice or packet communications between EOCs and shelters."
The isolated towns of Estes Park, Lyons, and Jamestown were or still are relying solely on ham radio for contact with the outside. Jamestown has since been evacuated. "Everybody was huddled into the high school there," Ciaccia told ARRL. He was in contact with the mayor there and trying to get the community needed resources as soon as possible. Hams in Estes Park have been working out of the EOC in the Town Hall, which is on high ground. "There's no place to go. Everything's flooded," Ciaccia said. "The only ham in Lyons was working out of an evacuation center at the local elementary school." He said the National Guard has been relocating some evacuees, as the shelter has become overcrowded.
On Saturday, September 14, US Congressman Cory Gardner (R-4) visited the state emergency operation center to express his appreciation to the Amateur Radio operators responding to the historic flooding disaster. Rep Gardner asked Colorado Section Emergency Coordinator Robert Wareham, N0ESQ, to extend his thanks to all ARES members staffing positions in the field as well.
Boulder County has deployed miniature drone aircraft carrying Amateur TV cameras to survey the affected, more remote regions, for now to spot individuals who may need to be rescued. "We're still in a search-and-rescue mode," Ciaccia said, "not really in a damage-assessment mode."
Ciaccia said the drones - a fixed-wing aircraft and a hybrid gas/electric-powered helicopter - have been transmitting ATV video via UHF to the ground and simultaneously recording the video on a memory stick. The helicopter can remain in the air for more than 5 hours at a clip, recording images for officials at the EOC to evaluate. Ciaccia said Boulder County Emergency Coordinator Al Bishop, K0ARK, owns Reference Technology, the company providing the drones.
Ciaccia said that during the past year the Boulder County ARES team created the Mountain Emergency Radio Network (MERN) on its own time and money and put up two repeaters - one at Allenspark and another in Gold Hill. "The intent was to start educating people in the mountain regions to become hams," Ciaccia said. Some 65 individuals have gotten their licenses, and the team provided each with a radio. "Those radios and those people - they became the eyes and ears for their communities," Ciaccia explained.
As power was lost, the only remaining means of communication were the two repeaters operating on propane-powered generators. "The system worked," Ciaccia added, "and we were able to utilize it for emergency communication purposes." Those communities have since been evacuated.
News media accounts citing the state Office of Emergency Management say 19 Colorado counties remain under a high threat of flooding. These include Boulder, Arapahoe, Weld, Park, Jefferson, Larimer, Clear Creek, Adams, Douglas, Broomfield, Gilpin, Denver, Logan, Morgan, Washington, El Paso, Teller, Pueblo and Elbert.
State authorities are warning residents in the hard-hit counties to stay off the road. Interstate 25 from the Wyoming line to Denver has been closed, along with part of Interstate 70.
NNNN
/EX
Source: W1AW Bulletin via the ARRL.
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 21 ARLB021
>From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT September 16, 2013
To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB021
ARLB021 Amateur Radio Provides Critical Communication in Colorado Flooding Response
More than five dozen Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) volunteers have deployed in and around flood-stricken counties of Colorado, providing critical communication for Red Cross shelters and state and local emergency operation centers. Recent heavy rains have caused veritable mountainside tsunamis that have caused rivers and streams to overflow their banks, ravaged roads and property and displaced an undetermined number of residents. At least three people are known to have died. ARRL Colorado Section Manager Jack Ciaccia, WM0G, says that with power cut off to affected communities and many cell telephone towers along the Big Thompson River toppled by the flooding, ham radio is providing medical and health-and-welfare traffic between evacuation centers and the EOCs.
"Every EOC is being staffed by ARES people," Ciaccia told ARRL. "Almost every evacuation center has an ARES communicator, doing either voice or packet communications between EOCs and shelters."
The isolated towns of Estes Park, Lyons, and Jamestown were or still are relying solely on ham radio for contact with the outside. Jamestown has since been evacuated. "Everybody was huddled into the high school there," Ciaccia told ARRL. He was in contact with the mayor there and trying to get the community needed resources as soon as possible. Hams in Estes Park have been working out of the EOC in the Town Hall, which is on high ground. "There's no place to go. Everything's flooded," Ciaccia said. "The only ham in Lyons was working out of an evacuation center at the local elementary school." He said the National Guard has been relocating some evacuees, as the shelter has become overcrowded.
On Saturday, September 14, US Congressman Cory Gardner (R-4) visited the state emergency operation center to express his appreciation to the Amateur Radio operators responding to the historic flooding disaster. Rep Gardner asked Colorado Section Emergency Coordinator Robert Wareham, N0ESQ, to extend his thanks to all ARES members staffing positions in the field as well.
Boulder County has deployed miniature drone aircraft carrying Amateur TV cameras to survey the affected, more remote regions, for now to spot individuals who may need to be rescued. "We're still in a search-and-rescue mode," Ciaccia said, "not really in a damage-assessment mode."
Ciaccia said the drones - a fixed-wing aircraft and a hybrid gas/electric-powered helicopter - have been transmitting ATV video via UHF to the ground and simultaneously recording the video on a memory stick. The helicopter can remain in the air for more than 5 hours at a clip, recording images for officials at the EOC to evaluate. Ciaccia said Boulder County Emergency Coordinator Al Bishop, K0ARK, owns Reference Technology, the company providing the drones.
Ciaccia said that during the past year the Boulder County ARES team created the Mountain Emergency Radio Network (MERN) on its own time and money and put up two repeaters - one at Allenspark and another in Gold Hill. "The intent was to start educating people in the mountain regions to become hams," Ciaccia said. Some 65 individuals have gotten their licenses, and the team provided each with a radio. "Those radios and those people - they became the eyes and ears for their communities," Ciaccia explained.
As power was lost, the only remaining means of communication were the two repeaters operating on propane-powered generators. "The system worked," Ciaccia added, "and we were able to utilize it for emergency communication purposes." Those communities have since been evacuated.
News media accounts citing the state Office of Emergency Management say 19 Colorado counties remain under a high threat of flooding. These include Boulder, Arapahoe, Weld, Park, Jefferson, Larimer, Clear Creek, Adams, Douglas, Broomfield, Gilpin, Denver, Logan, Morgan, Washington, El Paso, Teller, Pueblo and Elbert.
State authorities are warning residents in the hard-hit counties to stay off the road. Interstate 25 from the Wyoming line to Denver has been closed, along with part of Interstate 70.
NNNN
/EX
Source: W1AW Bulletin via the ARRL.
Michigan Simulated Emergency Test (SET)
The annual Simulated Emergency Test will take place on Saturday, October
5. The details of the exercise are being closely held at this time, but
will be revealed as the exercise unfolds. A few things that will be
tested will be message handling capabilities via various modes,
including VHF and HF digital as well as interaction with the State
Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) via various methods. This is an
excellent time to contact your county Emergency Coordinator (EC) to find
out how you can assist and participate in this event which is designed
to identify strengths and weaknesses of our communication systems. You
can locate your county EC and his or her contact information here: http://ares-mi.org/ECcontact.php
Monday, September 2, 2013
QScope.org : Free online statistics and charts application for logs
I am glad to introduce you to QScope.org.
http://www.qscope.org/
QScope.org is an online application that provides statistics and charts from HAM Radio logs.
Registration and access to the website are free.
While some features are designed with contesting in mind, most of the statistics will be useful for DXers and DXpeditions.
You just import your ADIF 2 or Cabrillo logs into QScope database and then browse the statistic and charts pages. The application allows for exporting your results in PDF and to share the web links to the charts you produced with your friends.
QScope permit you to create as many containers as you want and import as many logs as you need into them, so you can classified or aggregate the data the way you want.
QScope offers informations like* :
- Number of QSOs, Operating Time
- Unique callsigns worked, unique DXCCs entities, CQ and ITU Zones
- Average and Maximum QSO Rates over periods of 10, 30 and 60 minutes
- Activity Map showing which band, mode, operating position was more productive during a contest
- Charts with number of QSOs per unique callsign, band, mode or operator
- Charts with number of Points per unique callsign, band, mode or operator
- Charts with number of QSOs per CQ and ITU Zones
- Charts showing hour by hour, the Number of QSOs and Points, Number of new CQ and new ITU Zones worked, Number of new DXCC entities and new Prefixes worked
- Charts with Operating Time per band, mode or operator with parameter for pause duration
- Charts showing minute by minute how much was your QSO Rate for your whole log, per operator or per band, with parameter for the sample duration from 5 minutes to 60 minutes
- Charts with Maximum QSO Rates per band, mode or operator with parameter for the sample duration from 5 minutes to 60 minutes
* Note that the informations you can display depend on the data available in your logfile. ADIF logs containing more details than Cabrillo.
The beauty of a web application (have I said cloud computing?) is that more features and statistics can be easily added on the go and will benefit all users without need to download and install any new software. Of course improvements suggestions are welcome.
73,
Yan - XV4Y.
---
Yannick DEVOS - XV4Y
http://xv4y.radioclub.asia/
http://www.qscope.org/
QScope.org is an online application that provides statistics and charts from HAM Radio logs.
Registration and access to the website are free.
While some features are designed with contesting in mind, most of the statistics will be useful for DXers and DXpeditions.
You just import your ADIF 2 or Cabrillo logs into QScope database and then browse the statistic and charts pages. The application allows for exporting your results in PDF and to share the web links to the charts you produced with your friends.
QScope permit you to create as many containers as you want and import as many logs as you need into them, so you can classified or aggregate the data the way you want.
QScope offers informations like* :
- Number of QSOs, Operating Time
- Unique callsigns worked, unique DXCCs entities, CQ and ITU Zones
- Average and Maximum QSO Rates over periods of 10, 30 and 60 minutes
- Activity Map showing which band, mode, operating position was more productive during a contest
- Charts with number of QSOs per unique callsign, band, mode or operator
- Charts with number of Points per unique callsign, band, mode or operator
- Charts with number of QSOs per CQ and ITU Zones
- Charts showing hour by hour, the Number of QSOs and Points, Number of new CQ and new ITU Zones worked, Number of new DXCC entities and new Prefixes worked
- Charts with Operating Time per band, mode or operator with parameter for pause duration
- Charts showing minute by minute how much was your QSO Rate for your whole log, per operator or per band, with parameter for the sample duration from 5 minutes to 60 minutes
- Charts with Maximum QSO Rates per band, mode or operator with parameter for the sample duration from 5 minutes to 60 minutes
* Note that the informations you can display depend on the data available in your logfile. ADIF logs containing more details than Cabrillo.
The beauty of a web application (have I said cloud computing?) is that more features and statistics can be easily added on the go and will benefit all users without need to download and install any new software. Of course improvements suggestions are welcome.
73,
Yan - XV4Y.
---
Yannick DEVOS - XV4Y
http://xv4y.radioclub.asia/
Sunday, September 1, 2013
EmComm East Conference to Feature ARRL COO WJ1B
ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, a Boston Marathon finish-line volunteer at the time the bombs exploded, will discuss his experience at EmComm East, an ARRL-sanctioned Amateur Radio emergency communication conference, September 29 in Rochester, New York.
The conference is aimed at radio amateurs involved in emergency, disaster response and recovery communications. Participants can attend training sessions on technical topics, learn from served agencies, and interact with other operators from around the region.
Most presentation slots have been filled, but a few openings remain. If interested, contactinfo@emcommeast.org EmComm East or visit the conference websitehttp://www.emcommeast.org. -- Thanks to Jeff Wigal, WY7Q, via The ARES-E Letter
The conference is aimed at radio amateurs involved in emergency, disaster response and recovery communications. Participants can attend training sessions on technical topics, learn from served agencies, and interact with other operators from around the region.
Most presentation slots have been filled, but a few openings remain. If interested, contactinfo@emcommeast.org EmComm East or visit the conference websitehttp://www.emcommeast.org. -- Thanks to Jeff Wigal, WY7Q, via The ARES-E Letter
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