|
|
The HOTLINE |
|
|
|
|
|
“Traffic Handling” for Field Day |
by Ed Middlebrook, KC5NT |
After the Club’s June meeting, Ed Middlebrook, KC5NT, will conduct a
brief training session on how to generate and pass emergency traffic messages. As
Ed Hynan KC5NI describes later in this issue, the primary role for amateur
radio operators in an emergency is reliable communication of messages of all
sorts. We call the process of sending/receiving messages: “handling traffic.” All
amateur radio operators need to be familiar with this technique, and a real
emergency is not the time to learn! Field Day provides the perfect time to
practice and learn in a relaxed atmosphere.
In addition to the valuable learning experience, our Club will receive bonus points for passing up to ten messages. And your friends or relatives will find that receiving a message via amateur radio is an interesting and novel experience. So, come to our June meeting and let’s learn this important part of the amateur radio experience!
|
President’s Corner |
by Rodney Baden, K5YKC |
|
|
|
Rodney, K5YKC |
HamCom was a great success in Plano this year. During the NTX Forum we had some great discussions about the North Texas Section with Jay Urich, W5GM, our new Section Manager. Bill Swan, K5MWC, our NTX SEC had another great forum on ARES. And David Woolweaver, K5RAV, West Gulf Director, and Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, ARRL Chief Executive Officer, gave a great presentation on Broadband Over Powerline (BPL) and the FCC.
On a sadder note, Charlie Schlieper, N5TD, SK. Several of the HOTARC members went to the visitation on Tuesday, June 16 to convey to Kay Schlieper KB5DC that we would miss Charlie a lot. Kay and he were always a great help to all amateurs in Texas—including HOTARC. Charlie was the DRO (District RACES Officer 61) for our area and helped me get established in the Texas RACES Program. We sent a spray of flowers on behalf of HOTARC.
And finally, on a more positive note, we hope to see each and every one of you at Field Day this weekend. This is a great time to get in a lot of hamming experiences, and renew old friendships. Come on out!
Rodney
Baden, K5YKC
HOTARC President
|
Saturday June 27-28, 2009 Be there or be square! |
|
|
For the Record... |
HOTARC Meeting of Members
May 28, 2009
HOTARC’s May Meeting was called to order by Rodney Baden K5YKC Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 7:04 pm at the Kultgen Automotive Center of the TSTC Waco campus. Wayne Branscum KD5SMC opened the meeting with a prayer.
Present were 19 full members, 3 family member, and 1 visitor: Wallace Lavender WA5QPE of Hewitt.
A motion to approve the Minutes for the April meeting as published in the HOTLINE was recognized from Scott Hamilton K5ZOH with second by Bill Feltenberger KD5UEW. The motion was approved by the members.
A motion to approve the April Treasurer’s Report as published in the HOTLINE was recognized from KD5SMC, with second by K5ZOH. The motion was approved by the members.
|
The Treasurer Reports... |
|
|
|
Heart O’ Texas Amateur Radio Club Beginning Account Balance $ 5,840.86 Income Dues $ 30.00 Interest 0.25 TOTAL Income $ 30.25 Expenses TOTAL Expenses $ 0.00 Ending Account Balance $ 5,871.11 Outstanding (as of 5-23-2009) Submitted by |
Committee Reports:
· ARES: Ed Hynan KC5KNI reported that everyone performed well at the May 21 exercise. FEMA’s website seems to be back in order and a new recommended course IS-317 has been added.
· Trailer: Mike Ross N5MVL reports that the trailer clean-up day was rained out. A motion was made by KD5SMC to approve up to $150 to be spent on trailer purchases, with second by KC5KNI. The motion was approved by the members.
· Repeater: Norris Martin KB5SLI reported that the 145.15 is back on the Channel 25 tower. A motion was made by Mike Ross to approve an additional $250 for the purchase of extra feed line and connectors, with second by KD5UEW. The motion was approved by the members.
· D-Star: David Bush KC5UOZ reported that the W5HAT 440.625 D-Star Repeater is now hooked to an 8kW propane generator for backup power.
· Web page: No News
· ATV: David Bush KC5UOZ reported that the ATV Repeater went down and the power had to be physically reset at the repeater site.
· Education: No News
· Public Relations: Scott Shafer KD5MLY reported that he is working on the PSA’s for Field Day.
· Special Events: James Jud reported that Field Day is coming June 27!
Announcements:
· WA5QPE has a 30 ft telescoping pole if anybody wants it.
· KD5SMC reported that a special opportunity may be coming our way. We could possibly have NASA Astronaut Sandra Magnus KE5FYE coming to speak to us in the near future. Stay Tuned!
Motion to adjourn was recognized from John Chamberlain AC5CV at approximately 8:08 pm.
Submitted by:
Jeremy Neal KE5PRG
HOTARC Secretary
|
by Ed Hynan, KC5KNI |
Communication during a declared communications emergency
is very different from routine day-to-day amateur communications. A communications
emergency exists when a critical communications failure puts the public at
risk. It could be a storm that knocks down telephone lines or radio towers, a
massive increase in the use of a specific communications system that causes it
to become overloaded, or the failure of a key component in a system that has
widespread consequences. Whatever the reason, amateur radio operators are
routinely called in to assist.
We fit into the equation because we are considered communications experts by the agencies we are asked to support. We have the skills, equipment, and frequencies to create emergency communications networks under emergency conditions. We are licensed and pre-authorized for both national and international communications. We have the ability to rapidly enlarge the communications capacity to meet the growing needs of an emergency situation. The skills that we would need are practiced daily—skills used in everyday amateur communications.
As important as what you are, is what you are not. There are limits to your responsibilities as an emergency communicator, and you need to know what they are. You are not a “first responder”—no need for flashing lights and sirens. You really have no authority. The only decision that you can make is whether to participate or not. You cannot do it all. Helping in a pinch is fine, but you are there to facilitate communications. Finally, you are not in charge. You are there to temporarily fulfill the needs of an agency whose communications system is unable to do its job.
Remember—communicating is job #1. While you are proud of your skills, equipment, and systems, it is important to remember that your job is to communicate. If requested to deliver a long list of needed supplies to the headquarters, you should be prepared to use any means required—including the fax machine if it is still working. The job is to get the message through, even if it means using smoke signals. Ham radio may not always be the best way to accomplish the communication. Fax, phone, CB radio, an agency’s radio system, or even a foot messenger may be a faster way to accomplish the task. Remember—communicating is job # 1. Get the message through via amateur radio or any other means.
|
What Field Day Means to Me |
by Jim Jud KA5QKL |
When in high school, I met an elderly man and his wife who quickly became my friends. I would help them around the house, and they in turn would let me go into their “radio room.” Art’s call was W5TD and Marjory, his wife, was KA5SVL. The entire room was filled with tools and manuals, and radios—tops open, with the tubes glowing orange—with voices and Morse Code coming from every one of them. In Art’s younger days, he worked as a radio operator for a big company, sending CW all day long. Inviting me into “the room,” he would dial up a frequency and say “This is where Stan, W5xxx is at.” He would call, and sure enough, Stan would come back and talk. Then Art would move over and let me talk. I actually started getting to know those folks in radio land. After graduating from high school and college, I went to work for a chemical company on the Texas coast. Art gave me a receiver to take with me so I could keep up with the radio traffic. I was thirty-four when I finally took my first Amateur Radio License test. I’m a lot older now, but I still fondly look back on those days. I am sure every ham has a story to tell about one or two people who helped them along.
“Encouraging budding hams” is why Field Day is important. We each have radios, antennas, tuners, computers, and often much more. And sure, it’s fun when friends or family watch us talk or maybe send a little CW. But to let them actually talk on a radio is exciting. Kids can tell their friends, “Yea, I talked to Frank in Washington DC last night on the radio. It was so cool! You mean, we can talk to astronauts on the Space Station?! We can send our own TV pictures? Even when cellphones, I-pods, blackberries and computers do not work, your radio stuff does? WOW!”
Field Day is an excellent time for friends and family to do that! You can help “pass the torch” by showing and helping others experience ham radio. I have invited two family members to Field Day this year—one who’s been coming for the past three years, even taking vacation last year just for Field Day! While people soon forget a mention of ham radio in a news report, they will remember their Field Day experience forever. Please try to participate in Field Day—even if just for a short time—and bring along a friend.
It might be that you can be that person that is remembered fondly by someone as “the one who got me started in amateur radio.”
The HOTLINE is the monthly newsletter of the Heart O’ Texas Amateur Radio Club (HOTARC), Inc., a nonprofit corporation, chartered by the State of Texas and principally located in Waco. It is permissible to use any of the original material contained herein, provided proper credit is given to the source.
Edited and Published by John Chamberlain AC5CV, AC5CV@arrl.net
|
|
|
2009 Board of Directors |
HOTARC 2009 Board of Directors
President: Rodney Baden K5YKC, 857-9760, K5YKC@arrl.net
Vice Pres: Terry Williams KD5KJU, 662-2438, pumpman_rpss@yahoo.com
Secretary: Jeremy Neal KE5PRG, 881-2123, JeremyLeeNeal@gmail.com
Treasurer: Norris Martin KB5SLI, 829-2138, KB5SLI@flash.net
Past-Pres.: Wayne Branscum KD5SMC, 857-3964, wbscum@grandecom.net
Director (2009): Mike Ross N5MVL, 836-1083, N5MVL@juno.com
Director (2010): Ed Hynan KC5KNI, 666-4873, KC5KNI@arrl.net
Director (2011): Ed Middlebrook KC5NT, 826-4053, KC5NT@arrl.net
145.15 MHz (input at –600 kHz, tone 123 Hz)
146.98 MHz (input at –600 kHz, D-Star)
442.875 MHz (input at +5.0 MHz, tone 123 Hz)
ATV: 421.25MHz (Cable 57), input 439.25 MHz (Cable 60)
Next session is scheduled for Saturday June 27, 2009 at about 2 PM. Location: HOTARC’s Field Day site at Hewitt Park, Hewitt, TX. Bring: 1) testing fee of $15 (cash only); 2) a photo ID (two for first-time licensees); and for already licensed amateurs: 3) current license and photocopy of it; and 4) photocopy of any relevant CSCE. Contact: Linda Hynan, AC5QQ at 666-4873 or Linda.Hynan@UTSouthwestern.edu.
Meeting NoticeThe next Meeting of HOTARC Members will be at 7:00 pm on Thursday June 25, 2009 in the Kultgen Automotive Center of the TSTC Waco Campus. Visiting hams, family members, and prospective hams are welcomed! |
Talk to the world without phones or commercial electricity?
Field Day! June 27-28