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The HOTLINE
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by John Chamberlain, AC5CV |
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Van Jones |
HOTARC participated in the first of its kind event for Waco this month by providing radio communications support for the Texas Mission of Mercy (TMOM) event, sponsored by the Texas Dental Association Smiles Foundation. The usual type of special event for HOTARC is a fund-raising event with walkers and runners, or a competition with bikers or swimmers. But the TMOM event provided free dental care to about 1000 central Texas area residents, over a span of two consecutive days, courtesy of a whole slew of volunteers and supporting agencies. HOTARC’s role was to help coordinate the management of all those patients and volunteers via radio communications between several key locations.
To better explain the big picture for this impressive event, we have invited the Waco TMOM Community Volunteer Co Chair, Van Jones of the Meals & Wheels Senior Ministry, to speak at the August HOTARC meeting. Van, along with several helpers, was able to successfully manage over 1000 patients and several hundred volunteers who descended on the campus of McLennan County College for this two-day event. How did he do it? He’s agreed to come and share some of his secrets and experiences at our August meeting. Come and find out!
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President’s Corner |
by John Chamberlain, AC5CV |
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If you have any students in your household, they know that summertime is over. But somebody forgot to tell the weatherman, because summertime weather is definitely not over in central Texas! Whew!! My electric bill is soaring along with the thermometer readings! But, enough of my whining… I hope that since it’s too hot to do any serious yard work these days, you’re finding some time to get on the air, or work on those radio projects on your WANT-TO-DO list. J
We had a great chance to do something a little different with the recent TMOM event. Come to the meeting this month and we’ll have a recap and lively discussion. Since we’re told it will be a few years before this event returns to Waco, we’ll have some time to digest this year’s TMOM, and prepare for the next TMOM.
But one of our most demanding events is just on the horizon: the Waco Wild West Century Bike Ride (WWWC). Give Jim KA5QKL a shout today to volunteer for this very big event for HOTARC.
John
AC5CV
HOTARC President
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For the Record... |
HOTARC
Meeting of Members
July 22, 2010
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The Treasurer Reports... |
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Heart
O’ Texas Amateur Radio Club Beginning Account Balance $ 6,457.34 Income Ham-Com ad thanks $25.00 Interest 0.27 TOTAL Income $ 25.27 Expenses Generator gas 25.00 TOTAL Expenses $ 25.00 Ending Account Balance $ 6,457.61 Uncleared
activity (as of 8/15/2010) Submitted
by |
HOTARC’s July Meeting was called to order by John Chamberlain AC5CV on Thursday, July 22, 2010 at 7:02 pm at the TSTC Waco Kultgen Automotive Center of the campus. Wayne Branscum KD5SMC opened the meeting with a prayer.
Present were 16 full members and 2 family members and 1 guest, Roland Richter WA5IEX of Woodway.
A motion to approve the Minutes for the June meeting as published in the HOTLINE was recognized from Mark Plough AC5DE, with second by KD5SMC. The motion was approved by the members.
A motion to approve the June Treasurer’s Report as published in the HOTLINE was recognized from Ed Middlebrook KC5NT, with second by Rodney Baden K5YKC. The motion was approved by the members.
Committee Reports:
· ARES: K5YKC reported that the ARES cards should be sent out soon. There are a few spots available for some people to go to a 3-Day COML (Communications Unit Leader) class, which trains emergency responders to serve as radio communications unit leaders during all-hazards emergency operations. The prerequisites to take this course are ICS-100, ICS-200, IS-700, IS-800b (all available online) and ICS-300 (must attend in person).
· Trailer: N5MVL reported that that our tri band antenna needs the U-bolts replaced. K5YKC is going to look at the Kenwood radios and see what repairs need to be made. The secondary generator would not start at Field Day so it may need a new fuel filter.
· Repeater: K5YKC reported that we might have a grounding or power supply problem on the 145.15 repeater.
· D-Star: No News
· Web page: No News
· ATV: David Bush reported that the ATV camera needs to come down for repairs. It will take several people to go up there and take it down due to safety and weight. Larry Bush has offered to work on it once it is on the ground.
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Roland Richter, WA5IEX |
· Education: Upcoming COML class. (See notes for ARES above.)
· Public Relations: AC5CV reported that we are in need of a Public Relations committee.
· Special Events: KA5QKL reported more volunteers are needed for the upcoming TMOM event on August 13-14.
New Business:
· New family membership application was accepted from W5CLB Sherry Baden.
Motion to adjourn was recognized from K5YKC at approximately 8:05 pm.
Tonight’s presentations included a report by KC5NT on our Field Day performance results and the “joys of operating CW” by Roland Richter WA5IEX.
Submitted by:
Jeremy Neal KE5PRG, HOTARC Secretary
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by Ed Hynan, KC5KNI |
FEMA COURSES
While not required by ARRL to qualify for ARES membership, completion of the four primary courses listed below is a requirement of supported agencies to participate in disaster response. Current buzz words heard on many nets and in conversations between amateur radio operators include NIMS, ICS, and NRP. These are the acronyms for courses offered by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
Are volunteers required to be NIMS (National Incident Management
System) compliant? The short answer
is, Yes. In a response
scenario that extends beyond local government, there needs to be common
terminology and doctrine that everyone can follow so that personnel and
resources are feathered in a seamless manner. This is especially true for radio
communications. Radio operators need to understand what is being said and asked
of them during an incident so that they can convey this information effectively
and efficiently.
FEMA courses are FREE. The three courses available online are described below. Course descriptions are taken from the FEMA web site. Updated versions of the course are denoted with a lower case letter. If you have previously completed one of the older versions of the course (no lower case letter), you do not have to retake the course. Once you complete a course, forward your certificate or a copy of the successful completion e-mail you receive to me (KC5KNI@arrl.net) in order to receive credit for course completion.
IS-700a - National Incident Management System (NIMS)
This course introduces NIMS and takes approximately three hours to complete. It explains the purpose, principles, key components and benefits of NIMS. The course also contains “Planning Activity” screens giving you an opportunity to complete some planning tasks during this course. The planning activity screens are printable so that you can use them after you complete the course.
IS-100a - Introduction to Incident Command System (ICS)
Introduces the Incident Command System (ICS) and provides the foundation for higher level ICS training. This course describes the history, features and principles, and organizational structure of the Incident Command System. It also explains the relationship between ICS and the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
IS-200a - ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
ICS 200 is designed to enable personnel to operate efficiently during an incident or event within the Incident Command System (ICS). ICS-200 provides training on and resources for personnel who are likely to assume a supervisory position within the ICS.
IS-800b - National Response Plan (NRP), An Introduction
This course introduces you to the NRP, including the concept of operations upon which the plan is built, roles and responsibilities of the key players, and the organizational structures used to manage these resources. The NRP provides a framework to ensure that we can all work together when our Nation is threatened.
Also recommended:
IS-271 – Anticipating Hazardous Weather and Community Risk
NOTE: This course is on a non-federal government website operated by the Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education,and Training (COMET).
As an emergency communicator involved in weather nets, you play a special role in anticipating and preparing for hazardous weather. This course will help you meet this challenge more effectively by enhancing your ability to recognize potentially hazardous weather and flooding situations and how they may affect your community, familiarizing you with National Weather Service (NWS) products so that you understand how to use and interpret forecasts, and encouraging you to develop a partnership with the NWS well in advance of a threat.
What Does All This Mean To McLennan County A.R.E.S.?
We have added “Training Course Completed” to the back of the current ARES ID Cards. ARES Members will be asked to provide copies of these certificates when updating their data.
While non-completion of the courses will not prevent you from becoming a member of ARES, not completing the courses may have an impact on your access to specific areas during an emergency. So again: you are strongly encouraged to complete the above courses—as soon as possible: before the need for ARES support arrives.
In addition, completion of the ARRL Emergency Communications Courses is also highly recommended.
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Scenes from the 2010 Waco TMOM (photos by KA5QKL) |
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Hints and Kinks: Loop and Hook Skyhook |
Given by Randy Quinton, WQ7Q, |
Here’s an idea for a quick emergency antenna, adapted from the August ARRL Letter. —Editor
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An emergency wire antenna can greatly extend the performance of a handheld transceiver or QRP rig on a camping trip or EmComm setup. The best attachment point from which to hang the antenna always seems just out of reach. Here’s a simple wire hook made from a coat hanger that makes it easy to hang and retrieve the antenna. Using about 18 inches of coat-hanger wire, bend a hook to match the attachment point. Below the hook, form a loop to which the antenna support line is tied. Below the loop, bend a downward pointing V-shaped pin with a little elbow on the side to prevent the pin from slipping completely inside the lifting tube (see Figure 1). The hook is lifted by a tube, or tube section attached to a pole. Keeping a little tension on the antenna support line keeps the pin in the tube until the hook has been positioned. The antenna is retrieved by reversing the process (see Figure 2). Randy says he keeps a loop and a short section of PVC pipe with tape around in his emergency kit, using it to turn a broom or branch into a lifting pole to reach that temporary, but just-out-of-reach, antenna support. Of course, remember to never hang an antenna on electrical wires or anyplace near power lines. |
Figure 1: A wire coat hanger bent into this hook and loop shape makes raising that EmComm or Field Day antenna much easier. Drop the V into the end of an extension tube, attach your antenna wire to the loop, and hang the hook onto a high support, like a tree branch. |
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Figure 2: Keeping tension on the support line holds the hook in place while you lift the hook into position. |
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Better than Your Rubber Duckie |
Adapted from multiple
sources |
Want to squeeze more performance out of your 2 meter HT? The quickest solution to is replace that little rubber duck antenna. An inexpensive and very portable choice is known as the J-Pole. You can build your own in a few minutes for a few dollars of readily available materials and get dramatically better signal reports from your basic HT.
Technically-speaking, the J-Pole is an end-fed, halfwave antenna with a quarterwave matching section that will allow you to feed it with 50-ohm coax. Since it is a halfwave antenna, it is not dependent on a ground or radials for proper performance, as is the case for the basic quarter-wave magmount. Best of all, it yields about 3 db of gain!
To build a J-pole for the 2-meter band, you’ll need:
- A 60-inch piece of flat TV twin-lead. Use the inexpensive, plastic Radio Shack twin-lead—not the more expensive foam-filled type.
- About 3 to 6 feet of lightweight coax cable (e.g., RG-174/U). (More than 6-feet starts to be too lossy.)
- Ferrite bead, type 43 material (optional - see below)
- BNC connector (or other connector for your HT)
To build it (refer to Figure 3):
- First, strip back about 1/2 inch from one end of the twin-lead. Twist and solder the two wires together, with as little overlap as possible. This will be the bottom of the antenna.
- Next, measure up 1-1/4 inches from the bottom and carefully remove about 1/8-inch of insulation from both wires. Be careful not to cut the wires. This is where you’ll attach the coax.
Figure 3. J-pole from 300-ohm twin-lead (not to scale)
- Now, strip your coax and solder the center conductor and braid as shown in Figure 3. Note: The ferrite bead (type 43 material) can be placed over the outside of the coax near the feedpoint to choke any RF wanting to travel back to your radio along the outer braid. Alternately, you can wind the coax into a coil of about 5 inches in diameter with 4 turns to create a suitable RF choke.]
- Measure exactly 15-1/4 inches up from the point where the coax braid is attached and make a 1/4-inch notch. This time, you do want to cut through the wire. This forms the 1/4 wave matching section that allows you to use 50-ohm coax.
- Use a couple layers of heat-shrink tubing to hold the coax to the twin-lead, and also provide strain relief and insulate the solder joints and exposed notch.
- Lastly, measure up from the bottom of the antenna and cut it to an overall length of exactly 54 inches.
To facilitate hanging, punch a small hole near the top of the twin-lead. Use any type of non-conductive string or fishing line through the hole for hanging. An SWR check is recommended just to be sure your connections are sound.)
You can roll up this antenna and tuck it away in a suitcase or go-kit and be ready for instant 3 db gain from your HT in your hotel room or camp site!
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
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2010 Board of
Directors |
HOTARC 2010 Board of Directors
President: John Chamberlain, 855-7731, AC5CV@arrl.net
Vice Pres: Rodney Baden K5YKC, 857-9760, K5YKC@arrl.net
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 (2010): Ed Hynan KC5KNI, 666-4873, KC5KNI@arrl.net
Director (2011): Ed Middlebrook KC5NT, 826-4053, KC5NT@arrl.net
Director (2012): Clint Anderson AE5CA, 855-5080, AE5CA@grid-em11.com
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 October 16, 2010, 10:00 AM. Location: Baylor’s Rogers Engineering and Computer Science Bldg (#70 on the map), Room 109. 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 August 26 in the Kultgen Automotive Center of the TSTC Waco Campus. Visiting hams, family members, and prospective hams are welcomed! |
WWWC: Volunteer today!