ALERT: FBI Issues Hurricane Scam Warning

In light of Hurricane Irene, the public is reminded to beware of fraudulent e-mails and websites claiming to conduct charitable relief efforts.

Tips On Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contribution Schemes

Recently several natural disasters, including tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes, have devastated lives and property. In the wake of these events that have caused emotional distress and great monetary loss to numerous victims, individuals across the nation often feel a desire to help these victims, frequently through monetary donations.

These disasters prompt individuals with criminal intent to solicit contributions purportedly for a charitable organization or a good cause. Therefore, before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines, to include the following:

• Do not respond to unsolicited (SPAM) e-mail.
• Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as officials soliciting via e-mail for donations.
• Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
• Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
• To ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
• Validate the legitimacy of the organization by directly accessing the recognized charity or aid organization's website rather than following an alleged link to the site.
• Attempt to verify the legitimacy of the non-profit status of the organization by using various Internet-based resources, which also may assist in confirming the actual existence of the organization.
• Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions: providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.

To obtain more information on charitable contribution schemes and other types of online schemes, visit www.LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com.

If you believe you have been a victim of a charity related scheme, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud by telephone at (866) 720-5721, or by fax at (225) 334-4707, or by e-mail at disaster@leo.gov.1 You can also report suspicious e-mail solicitations or fraudulent websites to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.

1 National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) was originally established by the Department of Justice to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or man-made disaster. More than 20 federal agencies, including the FBI, participate in the NCDF, allowing it to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to relief fraud.

Hurricane Irene News Links

Here are some Articles of interest in regards to Hurricane Irene~

IRENE 'WEAKENS A LITTLE'...

'Little change in strength expected' before NC landfall...

HURRICANE WARNING FROM NC TO NYC...

65 MILLION PEOPLE IN PATH...

VIDEO: 8 Swept Off Jetty By Wave...

NYC BRACES FOR UP TO 12" RAIN...

BREAKING: SUBWAYS, BUSES, TRAINS SHUT DOWN AT NOON SATURDAY...

Much of East already 'super-saturated'...

New moon could make flooding worse?

UPDATE: Irene Flight Cancellations Top 1,000...

Hurricane Irene Update (#3)

If Hurricane Irene proceeds as is currently forecast, then most people of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast US States will be exposed to the worse storm conditions of their lifetime. For residents of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast US States now is the time to prepare.
The National Hurricane Center is issuing warnings on category 2 Hurricane Irene. Tropical storm force winds are expected within the southern portion of the warning area along the United States east coast by late today. Hurricane force winds are expected to first reach the hurricane warning area tonight or Saturday morning, and then spread northward in the warning area through Saturday night. The latest five day precipitation forecast confirms the direction predicted in the last HPC forecast of the hurricane's path. The forecast moves a slightly greatest density of rain fall to the south. It shows the heaviest rainfall over eastern North Carolina, eastern Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, far east Pennsylvania, east southeast New York, Vermont, western Connecticut western Massachusetts, New Jersey, and northern New Hampshire with more than 14.8 to 8 inches forecast to fall along the greatest rainfall line. The nine panel Northern Hemisphere GFSx - NH - 500mb Hght/SLP plot and US loop is continues to show a major hurricane moving off the east coast of Florida up towards a North Carolina landfall then moving up the coast, but now diverges from HPC's forecast and shows the storm moving inland at the center of Long Island and then moving towards northern Maine. Currently, Irene has maximum winds of 110 MPH, hurricane force winds of that extend out 90 miles from the center, and tropical force winds of extend out to 290 miles. Irene is expected to produce rainfall accumulations of 6 to 10 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches, from eastern North Carolina into southeastern virgin, eastern Maryland, Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania. New Jersey, southeastern New York, long island, western Connecticut, and western Massachusetts through Monday morning. These rains could cause widespread flooding and life-threatening flash floods. An extremely dangerous storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 6 to 11 feet above ground level in the hurricane warning area in North Carolina, including the Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds. Storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 4 to 8 feet above ground level over southern potions of the Chesapeake Bay, including tributaries, and the eastern shore of the Delmarva Peninsula. Storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 3 to 6 feet above ground level along the Jersey shore. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large, destructive, and life-threatening waves.

Hurricane Irene Update (#2)

Update: NOAA, NHC say Hurricane Irene could become a Category 4 storm by Thursday. People from the Carolinas northward through New England are urged to monitor the progress of the storm.

North Carolina has declared a state of emergency as Hurricane Irene approached the East Coast Thursday. Governors in Virginia, New Jersey, and Maryland also declared states of emergency. Mandatory mass evacuations are being held in vulnerable coastal areas.
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/204009/20110825/hurricane-irene-north-carolina.htm

ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York's governor has declared a state of emergency as Hurricane Irene moves up the Northeast Coast, threatening flooding of low-lying coastal cities and towns this weekend. Thursday, August 25, 2011.
http://www.wptz.com/r/28978509/detail.html

Mark Strait de KD8BIG

Global Disaster Network

KD8BIG Blog

KD8BIG Twitter

KD8BIG Facebook

Hurricane Irene Update ( #1)

If Hurricane Irene proceeds as is currently forecast, then most people of the northeast coast will be exposed to the worse storm conditions of their lifetime. For residents of the eastern US coast now is the time to prepare.
The National Hurricane Center is issuing warnings on category 3 Hurricane Irene. A turn toward the north-northwest is expected today, followed by a turn toward the north by early Friday. On the forecast track, the core of the hurricane will continue to move over the northwestern Bahamas today, and pass well offshore of the east coast of central and north Florida tonight and early Friday.. The five day precipitation forecast shows the greatest density of rain fall over Long Island, southern Connecticut and eastern New Jersey, with more than 10 inches forecast to fall. The nine panel Northern Hemisphere GFSx - NH - 500mb Hght/SLP plot and US loop is now showing a major hurricane moving off the east coast of Florida up towards a North Carolina landfall and moving towards a second Land fall on Long Island. Currently, Irene has maximum winds of 120 MPH, hurricane force winds of that extend out 70 miles from the center, and tropical force winds of extend out to 255 miles. Irene is expected to produce rainfall accumulations of 6 to 12 inches over the Bahamas during the next 36 hours. Rains will be diminishing across the Turks and Caicos Islands with additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches possible, bringing the maximum storm total to 6 to 12 inches. In areas of onshore winds near the center of Irene, an extremely dangerous storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 7 to 11 feet above normal tide levels over the Bahamas. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves.


Florida Division of Emergency Management
Florida: Emergency Information Line: 1-800-342-3557
Georgia EMA/Homeland Security
South Carolina Emergency Management
North Carolina Division of Emergency Management
Virginia Department of Emergency Management
Maryland Emergency Management Agency
Delaware Emergency Management Agency
New Jersey Office of Emergency Management
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency
NYS Division of Homeland Security & Emergency
Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security
State of Rhode Island: Emergency Management Agency
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
Vermont Division of Emergency Management
Homeland Security & Emergency Management, NH
Maine Emergency Management Agency

Hurricane Watch Net; Activated for Irene

The Hurricane Watch Net has activated as rapidly developing Hurricane Irene makes its way through the gulf. The net is active on 14.325, information is available at http://www.hwn.org

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/085712.shtml?5-daynl


Irene could become major hurricane; Bahamas, U.S. at risk

2 P.M.: Hurricane Irene’s winds remained at 80 mph as the core of the storm churned just off the northeastern coast of Hispaniola.

But with little but warm water in its path, the National Hurricane Center expected Irene to continue strengthening over the next few days as it moves through the southeastern and central Bahamas. By Thursday, forecasters say it could be a major Category 3 hurricane with winds of up to 115 mph.

The storm remains a threat to much of the Atlantic coast, from South Florida to the Carolinas.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/22/2369736/hurricane-irene-slams-puerto-rico.html#ixzz1Vmm6RM2F

Telegraph Exhibit & Demonstration

On Saturday, August 27, the Toledo Chapter of the Morse Telegraph Club will be demonstrating telegraphy and exhibiting telegraph instruments at the Michigan Historical Museum at Lansing, Michigan. The event will run from 10-AM to 4-PM. We will have two “land line” telegraph circuits in operation, one of which will be connected to an AP news wire and the other of which will be used to converse with retired railroad and commercial telegraphers throughout the US and Canada.

In addition to the telegraph demonstration, one can stop by to see the special US Civil War sesquicentennial exhibit entitled “Plowshares into Swords.” This exhibit includes a telegraph display developed by members of the Morse Telegraph Club in conjunction with museum staff. One can see Civil War era telegraph instruments, hear actual news bulletins from 150-years ago reproduced on the telegraph sounder, and the children can type in a brief phrase on a computer terminal and hear it reproduced in American Morse Code.

Of course, there’s plenty there for the whole family, including numerous exhibits covering the history of Michigan. More information regarding this event may be found on the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Web Page at:

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7...9234--,00.html

The Morse Telegraph Club, Inc. is an association of retired railroad and commercial telegraphers, radio amateurs, historians, and others with an interest in the history and traditions of telegraphy. Our organization publishes an excellent quarterly journal entitled “Dots and Dashes.” In addition to constructing historically authentic telegraph exhibits for public museums throughout the US and Canada, members regularly demonstrate telegraphy at historical events, steam train excursions and so forth and present talks on the history of telegraphy and telecommunications. More information may be found at:

www.morsetelegraphclub.org

Thank you, and 73!

Contest 8/19-22/11

This Weekends Contest;

QRP Fox Hunt	Aug 19
NCCC Sprint Ladder	Aug 19
SARTG WW RTTY Contest	Aug 20-21
ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest	Aug 20-21
Russian District Award Contest	Aug 20-21
Keyman's Club of Japan Contest	Aug 20-21
CWOps CW Open	Aug 20-21
North American QSO Party, SSB	Aug 20-21
Feld Hell Sprint	Aug 20
SARL Digital Contest	Aug 21
ARRL Rookie Roundup, RTTY	Aug 21
Run for the Bacon QRP Contest	Aug 22

Special Event Station; 8/19-22/11

07/29/2011 | Sub 20 FIFA World Cup
Jul 29-Aug 20, 0000Z-1259Z, 5K3CMJ,
Bogato, COLOMBIA. Columbian Radio Amateurs. All HF Bands All Modes Satellite SSB RTTY CW. QSL. Special Station Sub 20 FIFA World Cup, Copa Mundial de Fútbol Sub-20, Columbia 2011, COLOMBIA. www.qrz.com/db/5k3cmj

08/11/2011 | Iowa State Fair
Aug 11-Aug 21, 1100Z-0300Z, W0ISF,
Des Moines, IA. Madison County DX Club. 14.250 7.250 146.520. QSL. Mark Mease, 2989 Truro Rd, Truro, IA 50257. Will operate at various times throughout the fair. 20,40 and whatever bands are open. Also simplex on grounds 146.520. mmease@netins.net

08/13/2011 | Carnation Days
Aug 20, 1400Z-2100Z, W8LKY,
Alliance, OH. Alliance Amateur Radio Club. 21.250 14.045 7.240 7.045. Certificate. AARC-W8LKY, PO Box 3344, Alliance, OH 44601. www.w8lky.org

08/19/2011 | International Lighthouse Weekend
Aug 19-Aug 22, 0000Z-2359Z, K6A,
San Pedro, CA. US Coast Guard Auxiliary. 14.285 7.290 3.885 1.840. QSL. Jason Gant, W6AUX, PO Box 15937, Long Beach, CA 90815. n6aux@uscgauxiliary.org

08/19/2011 | Red Bull Indianapolis GP
Aug 19-Aug 28, 1500Z-2200Z, W9IMS,
Indianapolis, IN. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Amateur Radio Club. 21.340 14.240 7.240 3.840. Certificate & QSL. W9IMS, PO Box 30954, Indianapolis, IN 46230. SASE for QSL. $4 for certificate. Must work all three races in one year for certificate. www.qrz.com/db/W9IMS

08/19/2011 | 144th Annual Marshfield Fair
Aug 19-Aug 28, 1600Z-0059Z, NN1MF,
Marshfield, MA. Whitman Amateur Radio Club. 18.160 14.260 7.260 3.860 EchoLink: WA1NPO-R. Certificate & QSL. Whitman Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 48, Whitman, MA 02382. Times Are Daily. www.wa1npo.org

08/20/2011 | Anniversary of the "Kelly Little Green Men"
Aug 20, 1400Z-2000Z, W4K,
Hopkinsville, KY. Local Amateur Radio Operators. 21.300 14.260 7.250 3.915. Certificate. Jerry Holt, 7585 Hopkinsville-Mt Zoar Rd, Hopkinsville, KY 42240. Operating from the site that "Little Green Men" invaded the little community of Kelly, KY and terrified the local people on August 21, 1955.

08/20/2011 | 151st Anniversary of the Poney Express Reride
Aug 20, 1400Z-2200Z, W0KY,
Kearney, NE. Midway Amateur Radio Club. 14.270 7.280. Certificate. Midway ARC, PO Box 1231, Kearney, NE 68848. Event rescheduled from June. w0ky.kearney.net

08/20/2011 | Oelwein Railroad Days, Celebration of Chicago Great Western Railroad
Aug 20, 1500Z-2100Z, KC0QNI,
Oelwein, IA. Rural Iowa Amateur Radio Club. 7.285 7.240 3.980 147.345. QSL. Jerry Clark, 18 10th Ave NW, Oelwein, IA 50662. www.ruraliowaares.com

08/20/2011 | MARA 20th Anniversary
Aug 20-Aug 21, 1402Z-1621Z, W8USA,
Grand Rapids, MI. Michigan Amateur Radio Alliance. CW 14.180 7.075 3.550 SSB 14.230 7.230 3.845 145.230 94.8 pl. Certificate & QSL. MARA, PO Box 670, Comstock Park, MI 49321. $2 for certificate. Do not send envelope; we will supply. www.w8usa.org

08/20/2011 | Lost Coast DXpedition to Punta Gorda Lighthouse for International Lighthouse Weekend
Aug 20-Aug 21, 0001Z-2359Z, AF6TS,
Punta Gorda, CA. AF6TS. 21.200-21.450 14.150-14.350 7.125-7.300 3.600-4.000. QSL. Tyrel Carver, PO Box 8134, Eureka, CA 95502. AF6TS will be hosting a DXpedition to Punta Gorda Lighthouse, located along the Lost Coast Trail between Eureka and Shelter Cove in Northern California. af6ts@arrl.net

08/20/2011 | International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend Fire Island Lighthouse Station
Aug 20-Aug 21, 1100Z-1800Z, W2GSB/LT,
Ocean Beach, NY. The Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club. 14.255 14.070 7.175 3.850. Certificate. W2GSB Lighthouse, PO Box 1356, West Babylon, NY 11704. Operating from the historic Fire Island Lighthouse on Fire Island, New York. Come down and relive history as the radio operators talk to other lighthouses around the world using radios and wire antennas just like Marconi did in 1901. SSB CW PSK Satellite. If your in the Long Island area and would like to join in please email us at info@gsbarc.org. www.gsbarc.org

08/20/2011 | Michigan City Lighthouse (#US0079) - International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend
Aug 20-Aug 21, 1224Z-1224Z, W9AB,
Notre Dame, IN. Michiana Amateur Radio Club. 14.225 14.060 7.225 7.040. QSL. W9AB, 3220 E Jefferson Blvd, South Bend, IN 46615. community.michiana.org/marcsite

08/20/2011 | Charlotte-Genesee Light House US-320
Aug 20-Aug 21, 1600Z-2100Z, KU2US/W2COP,
Rochester, NY. KU2US, W2COP. 14.260 7.250. QSL. Ken Villone, PO Box 185, Conesus, NY 14435. Activation of the rare Charlotte-Genesee Light House US-320 on the shores of Lake Ontario and the Genesee River in Rochester, NY. SSB only. Full color QSL card, SASE appreciated. All QSL requests to KU2US at QRZ.com Bio. Direct only.

08/20/2011 | Charlotte-Genesee Light House US-320
Aug 20-Aug 21, 1600Z-2100Z, W2COP/KU2US,
Rochester, NY. KU2US and W2COP. 14.260 7.250. QSL. Ken Villone, PO Box 185, Conesus, NY 14435. Activation of the rare Charlotte-Genesee Light House US-320 on the shores of Lake Ontario and the Genesee River in Rochester, NY. SSB only. Full color QSL card, SASE appreciated. All QSL requests to KU2US at qrz.com bio. Direct only.

08/20/2011 | USS Albacore Historic Park 25th Anniversary
Aug 20, 1500Z-2100Z, W1GGA,
Portsmouth, NH. Albacore Park - Member of Historical Naval Ships Association. 3.895 7.225 14.300 21.325. QSL. Jim Andrews WA1UTO, 161 Sagamore Ave, Portsmouth, NH 03801. The USS Albacore was launched in1952 as a research vessel designed to test the teardrop-shaped hull used in modern day submarines. The vessel is dry docked in the Park and is open for tours. For more information visit www.ussalbacore.org

08/20/2011 | Opening of TWiT Studio
Aug 20-Aug 21, 1300Z-2200Z, W6KB,
Petaluma, CA. Redwood Empire DX Association. 40 20 m phone. QSL. W6TWT, PO Box 1018, Petaluma, CA 94953. Times are daily. twit.tv/hn

08/21/2011 | City of Cedarville Arkansas 13th Year of Incorporation
Aug 21-Aug 28, 1500Z-2359Z, W5C,
Cedarville, AR. W5BUB. 14.240 7.240. QSL. Ewell D. "Bub" Pendergrass, 1106 Country Meadow Ln, Cedarville, AR 72932.

KCRA to Activate Rare Lighthouse Saturday 8/20/11

This was E-Mailed to me

This Saturday (8/20/11) the Kings County Repeater Association will be participating in the annual International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend. The KCRA has once again chosen the rare Norton’s Point lighthouse in Coney Island, Brooklyn to hold this event under ILLW number US0091 and callsign KC2RA. In addition to being a lighthouse, this location was also a former Marconi wireless station and many wireless experiments were held there. If you’re in the neighborhood and would like to stop by you are welcome to do so; However, please use the “Contact Us” form located on our website first to let us know before the event, as the lighthouse is located in the private community of SeaGate.

Operating Plan (weather permitting):
Saturday, August 20^th 2011 from ~9:00 AM until ~7:00 PM (13:00z until 23:00z)
Number of stations: 5 (4, 100w HF, 1 D-Star)

40m – 7.250 SSB (NVIS)
20m – 14.295 SSB, 14.070 PSK31 (1/2w Dipole)
15m – Unknown, Find us! (Vertical)
10m – Unknown, Find us! (Vertical)
6m – Unknown, Find us! (Moxon)
D-Star – 145.67, REF020A, WG2MSK(B) repeater, those on non-trust IRCDDB or non-Dplus systems may call sign route to KC2RA (please indicate you are routing)
Commemorative QSL cards for users making contact via RF (sorry dongle users) are available for a SASE and your card to:

KCRA Lighthouse Event
PO Box 280288
Brooklyn, NY 11228-0288
USA

KD8BIG

Playing radio this afternoon while watching the Detroit Tigers and playing on the computer.
Hope to hear you on 28.400.00 USB.
73

This Weekends Contest & Special Event Stations: 8/12/11-8/15/11

I'm hoping the bands are in great shape for the weekend.
Here is a list of this weekends contest and Special Event Stations.
Good luck, happy DXing~
73 de KD8BIG

This Weekends Contest;

MMMonVHF/DUBUS 144 MHz Meteorscatter Sprint Contest	Aug 12-13
QRP Fox Hunt	Aug 12
NCCC Sprint Ladder	Aug 12
WAE DX Contest, CW	Aug 13-14
Maryland-DC QSO Party	Aug 13-14
SKCC Weekend Sprint	Aug 14

This Weekends Special Event Stations;

08/07/2011 | 95th Anniversary of Lassen Volcanic National Park
Aug 7-Aug 15, 0000Z-0000Z, N6L, Mineral, CA. Area Amateurs. 14.244 10-40 m. QSL. K6LSN, 5921 Cedars Rd, Redding, CA 96001. For Event QSL please send SASE. DX please send SAE w/ 2 US $. lassenbirthday.blogspot.com

08/10/2011 | 54th Annual Northern Illinois Steam Power Show & Threshing Bee
Aug 10-Aug 14, 1300Z-2100Z, W9S, Sycamore, IL. Kishwaukee Amateur Radio Club. 14.268 7.268 7.042 3.988. Certificate. Bob Yurs, W9ICU, 1107 Commercial St, Sycamore, IL 60178. www.kish-club.org

08/11/2011 | Naturist Society Western Gathering 2011
Aug 11-Aug 14, 2000Z-2000Z, NU6DE, Los Gatos, CA. Pacific Area Naturists Amateur Radio Society. 28.465 21.365 14.265 7.265. Certificate & QSL. Jim Campbell, PO Box 232445, Encinitas, CA 92023. Operating hours will be dependent on competing activities during this gathering. www.inaro.com

08/12/2011 | Navajo Code Talkers Day
Aug 12-Aug 14, 1400Z-0000Z, N7C, Window Rock, Navajo Nation, AZ. Navajo Amateur Radio Club. 20 40 m 14.265 7.265. QSL. Herbert Goodluck, N7HG, PO Box 3611, Window Rock, AZ 86515. www.qrz.com/db/n7c

08/13/2011 | Sonoma County Radio Amateurs Mini DX to CM79
Aug 13-Aug 14, 0000Z-1700Z, N6T, Santa Rosa, CA. Sonoma County Radio Amateurs. 144.200 50.120 50.091 14.250. QSL. SCRA, PO Box 116, Santa Rosa, CA 95402. www.sonomacountyradioamateurs.com

08/13/2011 | Carnation Days
Aug 20, 1400Z-2100Z, W8LKY, Alliance, OH. Alliance Amateur Radio Club. 21.250 14.045 7.240 7.045. Certificate. AARC-W8LKY, PO Box 3344, Alliance, OH 44601. www.w8lky.org

08/13/2011 | Super 322 Drive-in/Car show
Aug 13, 1400Z-2000Z, N3QC, Clearfield, PA. Quad-County Amateur Radio Club. 14.250 7.250. Certificate. QCARC, 3319 Allport Cutoff, Morrisdale, PA 16858. qcarc.org

08/13/2011 | US Coast Guard Birthday 1790, Navy Dental Corp Birthday
Aug 13, 1700Z-2359Z, NI6IW, San Diego, CA. USS Midway (CV-41) Museum Radio Operations Room. SSB 14.320 7.250 PSK31 14.070 D-STAR 012C 2 m 70 cm SOCAL rptrs. QSL. USS Midway Museum Radio Room, 910 N Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101-5811. kk6fz@arrl.net

08/13/2011 | Hillsboro Lighthouse
Aug 13, 0800Z-1530Z, W4BUG, Pompano Beach, FL. Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association. 14.285 146.610. QSL. W4BUG, PO Box 773, Pompano Beach, FL 33061-07. QSL with SASE w4bug.org

08/15/2011 | 42nd Anniversary of the 1969 Woodstock Festival
Aug 15-Aug 17, 1700Z-1700Z, W2S, Fishkill, NY. WB2LQF. 14.034 7.034. Certificate. Stan Levandowski , 6 Chatham Ct, Fishkill, NY 12524. This is a single-station, single-operator, QRP CW-only special event commemorating the 42nd anniversary of the 1969 Woodstock Festival that took place on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, NY. For certificate, send 9X12 SASE. wb2lqf@arrl.net

Again, good luck, If I missed a contest, let me know.
Send me a message to my KD8BIG Facebook page, feel free to follow.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/KD8BIG/165613683505542

Mark Austin, KB1GVR

I heard Mark on the bands from time to time. I never had the opertunity to have a QSO with him. Godspeed Mark

KB1GVR, KB1GVR, KB1GVR~
Nothing heard 73

Hello Folks,

The amateur radio space communications community has lost an avid operator, Mark Austin, KB1GVR, of Franklin, Maine. He became a silent key on August 8.

Mark was very prolific in space communications. His photo on QRZ.COM shows him posing at Kennedy Space Center. In 2002, he told me that he was listening to his scanner, I think in 1997, and heard Russian voices coming over the speaker about every hour and 36 minutes. He discovered the voices were from cosmonauts on board the Mir Space Station. He then started recording their SSTV broadcasts and later went out and bought his first computer so he could see the pictures he had previously recorded from the Soviet slow scan TV transmissions. That inspired him to earn his ham ticket so he could talk to the cosmonauts. And talk, he did. Since then, Mark has become well known aboard the space shuttles and International Space Station by many astronauts and cosmonauts.

Not only has Mark talked to them on voice mode, but became extremely proficient at using the space station and satellites to communicate digitally. He even discovered a new way of using one particular satellite to extend communication capability.

Mark had the opportunity to meet some of the spacemen he had befriended on-the-air when he made visits to Mission Control in Houston and to Kennedy Space Center, where he also was thrilled to watch a shuttle launch.

His enthusiasm with space communications inspired many hams to give it a try, including myself. His advice was spot on so that I twice successfully made voice contacts to the space station. I also had fun with Oscar-14 with Mark's tips. If you operated an APRS station in Maine, you would recognize the KB1GVR call sign, as Mark was also an avid APRS fan.

Mark's other pastimes included racing and flying with his brother in his plane where his same determination brought him lots of success, rewards, and joy. The walls of Mark's home were decorated with the many ham radio and racing certificates and awards he had earned. His vast collection of space communications QSL cards is amazing.

Mark was only 50 years old, but in his too-short life, he accomplished a lot. As N1DP said on last night's Washington County ARES Net, Godspeed Mark. We will miss you.

73, Phil Duggan, N1EP

Nevada Hands-free Law Outlaws CB Mobile Usage

I find this disturbing, I hope this law dose not gain traction and spread.
The Nevada legislature passed and the Governor signed Senate Bill 140: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/7...B/SB140_EN.pdf
which was meant to outlaw the use of texting devices and cellular phones without a hands-free device. Unfortunately, this poorly crafted law outlawed CB and other non-licensed services such as MURS and FRS. It also severely restricts Amateur Radio mobile operations. So, if you're traveling through Nevada, do not operate mobile as you can be pulled over and fined pretty heavily after January 2012.

ISS-Perseid Sky Show This Weekend

The Perseid meteor shower peaks this weekend, and the International Space Station is joining the show. Sky watchers in many US towns and cities are favored with ISS flybys on August 12-13 just when Perseid meteor activity is expected to crest under full moonlight.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/09aug_perseids2011/

-------------------------------------------------

The Perseid meteor shower peaks on Friday night August 12 and should produce good meteor scatter contacts on the Amateur Radio 50, 70 and 144 MHz bands.

Although the Moon may reduce the visual impact it won't affect the impact of the shower on radio propagation. The Perseids should still provide an abundance of Meteor trails which will reflect signals in the Amateur 50, 70 and 144 MHz bands allowing distances of up to 2,500 km to be worked.

About Meteor Scatter Propagation
http://www.jt6m.org/meteor-scatter.php

G7IZU Radio Reflection Detection Page
http://www.tvcomm.co.uk/radio/

WSJT Meteor Scatter Software
http://www.physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/

Wired - Perseids
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/08/
perseid-meteor-shower/