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The HOTLINE
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by Scott Hamilton, K5ZOH |
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Over the past several weeks, Scott K5ZOH has been getting to know his new FlexRadio 1500. At the September HOTARC meeting, Scott will demonstrate this Software Defined Radio (SDR) and answer some questions about its use. As described by the vendor’s web page:
The FLEX-1500 is a low-cost, low-wattage SDR that will allow ham radio operators the ability to experience the incredible capabilities, and just plain fun, of operating a software defined radio without breaking the budget.
Yes, this will be a real big swing from our earlier meeting discussion about loading vacuum tube finals to get them in resonance! Wow! Our hobby continues to change with the new technological developments. Come see one of the new things, you won’t believe the filters in the receiver.
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President’s Corner |
by Scott Hamilton, K5ZOH |
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A big pat on the back to the club for a fine job with the WWWC Bike Ride! It seems to have gone off well, and Jim (KA5QKL) and all those who helped with the organization deserve a special thanks from the club.
Fall weather (hopefully cooler!) may be on the way so we might think about any needed antenna work and other outdoor activities before winter arrives. So, it might be a good time for some discussions about understanding the characteristics of various types of antennas, perhaps even how to build them. If you would like to stir up such a discussion, let’s talk about it at our meeting. And next month’s meeting (October) will be Homebrew night—always a lot of fun! For the September meeting, however, I am excited to share about my new rig. See above.
Hope to see you on Thursday.
73, Scott K5ZOH
HOTARC President
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General Class License Prep |
by Clint Anderson, AE5CA |
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Attention All Technician License Holders! You asked for help preparing for the General License exam...here it is! Saturday October 8 and 15, we’ll hold a test-preparation meeting from 9 to 4 (both days). The course cost will be $30. This will include the Gordon West General Class License study book, a pre-test/study guide, and lunch for both days. Pre-registration is required. Please register as soon as possible to make sure we have adequate materials on hand and to give you a chance to study before the first class meeting. To sign up contact Clint Anderson AE5CA or 254-855-5080. |
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For the Record... |
HOTARC
Meeting of Members
August 25, 2011
HOTARC’s August Meeting was called to order by Scott Hamilton on Thursday August 25th 2011 at 7:01 pm at the Salvation Army Center in Waco. Wayne Branscum KD5SMC opened the meeting with a prayer.
Present were 16 full members, 1 associate member, 2 family members, and 1 guest: Mike Hancock KF5MCP of Woodway.
A motion to approve the Minutes for the July meeting as published in the HOTLINE was recognized from Rodney Baden K5YKC with second by Larry Carlson KC5JWD. The motion was approved by the members.
A motion to approve the July Treasurer’s Report as published in the HOTLINE was recognized from Wayne Branscum KD5SMC with second by Dave Cranfill KI4UJS. The motion was approved by the members.
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The Treasurer Reports... |
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Heart
O’ Texas Amateur Radio Club Beginning Account Balance $ 7,173.99 Income Dues $ 105.00 Interest 0.06 TOTAL Income $ 105.06 Expenses
Field Day gasoline $ 10.63 Generator fuel-line fittings 11.38 PayPal fees 2.55 TOTAL Expenses $ 24.56 Ending Account Balance $ 7,254.49 Uncleared
activity (as of 9/18/2011) Submitted
by |
Committee Reports:
· ARES: Ed Hynan KC5KNI had nothing new to report.
· Trailer: Larry Carlson reported on two candidate generators he found. The first is a Generac 6.5KW that costs between $3,700-$3,800 and uses 1 gal/hr at 50% power. The second is an Onan and is $5,299 and uses 0.7 gal/hr at 50% power. The Onan weighs 237 lb and the Generac is around 400 lb.
· Repeater: Norris Martin KB5SLI reported no changes.
· D-Star: No News
· Web page: John Chamberlain AC5CV reported that the Event page has been updated and our hotarc.org domain name has been renewed. Rodney Baden K5YKC made a motion, with second by Jim Jud KA5QKL to send Paul Chamberlain $70 as a gratuity for taking care of our website for us. The members approved the motion.
· ATV: David Bush KC5UOZ reported the HSMM-Mesh project is coming along. The 180ft tower has been delivered to Larry Bush’s new workshop and will support the HSMM-Mesh antenna. The Slow-Scan Net is on Tuesdays between 9:00PM and 10:00PM on the 147.24 repeater. Anyone interested is welcome to join the Net and see what slow-scan is all about. Don’t be afraid to ask for help during the Net if something is not working just right.
· Education: Clint Anderson AE5CA reported that the General class would be on October 8th and 15th. If you need a book please contact Clint.
· Public Relations: No News
· Special Events: Jim Jud reported that the Waco Wild West Century bicycle tour is coming up on September 17th.
New Business:
· A motion to make Mike Ross N5MVL a HOTARC Lifetime Member was made by John Chamberlain AC5CV with second by Ed Hynan KC5KNI. The motion was approved by the members.
· New Application for Membership was received from Michael Hancock KF5MCP. He holds a General License and is an ARRL member. A motion was made by Jim Jud KA5QKL with second by Keith Schoenfield W5TTL to accept Mike as a new member. The motion was approved by the members.
Motion to adjourn was recognized from Norris Martin KB5SLI at approximately 7:48 pm.
Tonight’s presentation was from Jim Jud KA5QKL on the assignments and positions needed on the upcoming Waco Wild West Century bicycle tour.
Submitted
by:
Jeremy Neal KE5PRG
HOTARC Secretary
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Your Role |
by Ed Hynan, KC5KNI |
During routine
day-to-day amateur communications, you are free to enjoy one another’s conversation,
experiment with different communication strategies, and even make decisions to
help fellow citizens and friends. However, during an emergency, we must realize
that our role as an emergency communicator has different boundaries. We often experience this “tension”
during our special events, when we see a problem and know exactly how it should
be solved. That’s a good time to practice restraint and remind ourselves that
our primary role is to provide communications—whether it is a special event
like a bike ride or a severe weather event with a massive communications failure.
It is tempting to respond with our heart and want to help make decisions, or
worse, assume responsibility and jump in to the decision-making process without
being invited. Don’t do it! Remind yourself that your role is a
communicator—helping to get the messages through to assist those whose
job it IS to solve the problems and make the decisions. (Of
course, when life or property is at stake and a decision needs to be made on
the spot, you should respond as any responsible citizen would, yet always aware
of your own safety.)
During emergencies 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. To that end, we practice with our equipment and our skills every
time we get on the air, whether it be routine rag-chewing or special event Nets
or weekly training Nets.
So, to be an effective team player in ARES, 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 those limits.
- 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 as a communicator.
- 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 meet the needs of an agency whose communications system is unable to do its job—whether it be for a few days, a few hours, or even a few minutes.
Remember—as an
amateur radio operator, communicating is job #1. While you are
proud of your skills, equipment, and systems, remember: your job is to communicate.
So, if you are asked to deliver a long list of needed supplies to headquarters,
whatever method is fastest and most efficient: use it. Are you wise enough to
realize that your 2-meter ham radio may not always be the best way to get the
message through? Fax, phone, CB radio, an agency’s radio system, or even a foot-messenger
might work best! We say it again—communicating is job # 1. So, when
called upon to communicate, get the message through: via amateur radio or any
other suitable means. Doing so will confirm your value as an emergency
communicator team player.
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Bravo! WWWC—Job Well Done! |
by John Chamberlain, AC5CV |
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As Scott K5ZOH, noted earlier, a big “thank you” is due to all who participated in the communications support for this year’s Wild West Century Bike Ride. Everyone came together and did an outstanding job of keeping Net Control informed of progress and difficulties of riders, rest stops, and SAG vehicles.
We had a good experience with the new course, revised from the pattern of previous years. Personally, I was able to see the 100-mile course for the first time from the vantage of the sheriff’s car leading the pack of about a dozen “macho men” who blew past every rest stop except one (and even that pause lasted all of about 2 minutes!). Wow! Those guys were impressive! The leader rode the 100-mile course in about 4.5 hours!
Thanks to those who served with their radios and cars in various capacities: Clint Anderson AE5CA, Rodney Baden K5YKC, Wayne Branscum KD5SMC, Dell Bredemeyer KE5MZS, Larry Carlson KC5JWD, John Chamberlain AC5CV, Bill Cox W5JRM, Dave Cranfill KI4UJS, Bill Feltenberger KD5UEW, Jim Finch AE5WP, Scott Hamilton K5ZOH, Mike Hancock N5TCC, Ed Hynan KC5KNI, Norris Martin KB5SLI, Mark Plough AC5DE, Ralph Ratta K9RWR, Brian Schoenefeld KC9TOK, Elizabeth Schoenefeld KC9TOL, Keith Schoenefeld W5TTL, and Terry Williams KD5KJU, and especially Jim Jud KA5QKL.
APRS tracking worked great, with a special thanks to 1) Larry Bush W5NCD, who provided us with a platform for our dedicated digipeater on his 400-foot tower for the day, 2) Clint AE5CA for providing the “igate” to get our packets up to the Internet, and 3) Keith W5TTL who provided an internet connection via his cell phone (allowing Net Control to have real-time Google mapping of our tracks via aprs-fi maps).
Also, thank to McLennan County Emergency Management’s Frank Patterson, for help with printing a really large map of the courses and rest stops. Mounted on a huge 4×8-ft board, Net Control was able to point to actual street names and rest stops around the course.
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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2011 Board of
Directors |
HOTARC 2011 Board of Directors
President: Scott Hamilton K5ZOH, 717-0755, DrPSHamilton@gmail.com
Vice Pres: Clint Anderson AE5CA, 855-5080, AE5CA@grid-em11.com
Secretary: Jeremy Neal KE5PRG, 881-2123, JeremyLeeNeal@gmail.com
Treasurer: Norris Martin KB5SLI, 829-2138, KB5SLI@flash.net
Past-Pres.: John Chamberlain, 855-7731, AC5CV@arrl.net
Director (2011): Larry Carlson KC5JWD, 662-4106, LMCarlson1@att.net
Director (2012): Rodney Baden K5YKC, 857-9760, RBaden@hot.rr.com
Director (2013): Larry Bush W5NCD, 848-5155, LBW5NCD@gmail.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 will be Saturday October 29, 10:00 AM. Location: Baylor’s Rogers Engineering and Computer Science Bldg (#70 on the map), meet in Room 207. 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 September 22 at the Salvation Army Church on the I-35 southbound service road in Waco (near 12th Street). Meetings generally last about 75 minutes consisting of fellowship, general Club business, and an interesting program. Visiting hams, family members, and prospective hams are welcomed! |
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