Posted July 1, 2014

ARRL NC Section Newsletter

June, 2014

Greetings to all Hams across North Carolina from Karl W4CHX, your ARRL NC Section Manager! 

ARRL CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION ACTIVITIES (JULY 17-19) – The 100^th anniversary of the ARRL is being celebrated during 2014 and as reported before, there will be many opportunities to commemorate this milestone.  The W1AW Centennial QSO Party is “on the air” and it consists of two main activities: 1) portable operation of W1AW in each state and most territories; and, 2) The Centennial Points Challenge which is the accumulation of points from qualifying contacts made throughout 2014.  For further information on the W1AW Centennial QSO Party, see http://www.arrl.org/centennial-qso-party

The ARRL National Centennial Convention 2014, will be held from Thursday to Saturday, July 17-19, 2014, in Hartford, CT.  Activities planned for Thursday (7/17) include: all-day training sessions in public service, technology, and radiosport (8:30 AM to 4:30 PM); luncheon with guest speaker, ARRL First Vice President Rick Roderick, K5UR; and, international guest reception.  Contest University, DX University, Public Service Communications Academy, Leadership and Training Tools for Amateur Radio, RFI-101, Amateur Radio Legal Seminar, and Introduction to Amateur Satellites seminars will be held on Thursday (7/17).  Activities planned for Friday and Saturday (7/18-19) include: exhibit hall featuring ARRL program representatives, amateur radio manufacturers, equipment sellers, and indoor flea market; forums and presentations, including a presentation by Nobel Prize winner, Joe Taylor, K1JT, on Saturday (7/19) at noon; amateur radio license examinations; ARRL Centennial Banquet with keynote speaker, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, KK4INZ (Friday night); ARRL Wouff Hong Ceremony (Friday, 10:00 PM); Presidents Breakfast (Saturday morning); and, closing ceremony (Saturday evening).  Tours of ARRL headquarters and W1AW will be available Thursday through Sunday.

Activities and presentations have been organized for young radio amateurs and their friends that will be attending the ARRL National Centennial Convention.  Admission to the Convention is FREE for individuals aged 21 years and younger on Friday and Saturday (July 18-19).  Registration is required; advance registration is recommended.  For more information on the ARRL National Centennial Convention, including the youth activities and presentations, see https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1248082

COMMENTS FROM TIM SLAY, N4IB ABOUT BECOMING AN ARRL-AFFILIATED CLUB – Last month I listed some of the benefits available to the 70 ARRL-affiliated clubs in North Carolina.  This month, I’d like to cover some of the requirements for becoming an ARRL-affiliated club.  For most clubs, at least 51% of your voting members need to be ARRL members.  If you’re starting a school or youth club, then only the club’s faculty advisor or club president needs to be an ARRL member.  You’ll need to complete an application for affiliation and include a roster of club members and other club information, copies of your constitution and by-laws, and a Resolution of Affiliation signed by the club president.  This information will be sent through ARRL HQ to our Roanoke Division Director, Dennis Bodson, W4PWF and our Section Manager, Karl Bowman, W4CHX, then on to the ARRL Executive Committee.  After final approval, your club will be presented with a Charter of Affiliation and begin to receive Affiliated Club benefits.  Your affiliation never expires, but there are requirements to keep your club on the “active” list at headquarters.  I’ll cover these next month.  The ARRL web site has lots of great information to help clubs get started, including a sample constitution and bylaws and an application kit for affiliation.  More information can be found at, www.arrl.org/affiliated-club-resources.  Thanks to Tim N4IB, Assistant Section Manager and Affiliated Club Coordinator for providing this information!

ANOTHER 2014 HAM RADIO CENTENNIAL – The ARRL will not be the only centennial Amateur Radio entity in 2014.  On June 8th, Greensboro, North Carolina, resident Charles Weldon Fields, Sr., W4AJT, celebrated his one hundredth birthday with a party at Guilford County's Hagen-Stone Park.  Several hundred family members, friends and acquaintances – more than a few of them fellow hams, including NC ARRL Section officers – braved rainy weather to share good wishes and good North Carolina barbeque with Weldon.  Fields has been an Amateur Radio operator for 84 years now and is still a regular and reliable presence on the air.  His good friend Roy Smith, N4BYU, said, "I don't know of anyone who has been as active for so long as Weldon.  He still makes it into all the scheduled traffic nets on voice and CW, and the Tar Heel Emergency Net at 7:30 pm."  Fields is a loyal North Carolinian who, according to Smith, "likes to call himself 'A Jolly Tarheel' on the air."  In 2012, Fields was a recipient of the "Order of the Long Leaf Pine," the most prestigious award presented by the Governor of North Carolina to citizens whose careers and contributions to the state have been exceptionally noteworthy.  Thanks to Raymond "Woody" Woodward, K3VSA, ARRL Public Information Coordinator for North Carolina (an ARRL-trained Public Information Officer), for this information!

ARRL FIELD DAY 2014 MESSAGES – Section Manager traffic has been received from the following stations: KF4OCU, W4GOL, W4FD, N4LNR, KA4AEC, K4OO, W4YMI, NC4OC, W4SNC, NC4NH, K4OGB, W4YK, WX4BUY, N4IV, NC4DP, W4BFB, KU4V, W4DXA, and W4CQ.  Thanks to those stations that sent a Section Manager message from their Field Day sites and to the traffic handlers for passing the messages – everyone’s efforts are appreciated greatly!  

Governor Pat Mccrory Proclaims July "Amateur Radio Recognition and Appreciation Month" – Governor Pat McCrory has proclaimed July as "Amateur Radio Recognition and Appreciation Month" in the State of North Carolina, see http://www.governor.state.nc.us/newsroom/proclamation/20140701/amateur-radio-recognition-and-appreciation-month.  This proclamation was noted in the ARRL Letter for June 19, 2014.  Thanks to Raymond “Woody” Woodward, K3VSA for providing this information!

LICENSING CLASSES –

Skyland (NC), Technician licensing class, July 10 to August 21, 2014, sponsored by The Road Show Amateur Radio Club, Inc. 

Raleigh (NC), General licensing class, starting August 2-16, 2014, sponsored by Raleigh Amateur Radio Society.  To find upcoming classes, go to www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-class.  To register a class that your club or organization is sponsoring, go to www.arrl.org/register-a-new-license-class.  Please note that the licensing class sponsored by your club or organization will not be listed on the ARRL website unless you register your class!

MAKER FAIRE NORTH CAROLINA – On Saturday, June 7^th, four amateur radio clubs from the Piedmont region, along with the NC Section, sponsored a booth on amateur radio at Maker Faire North Carolina in Raleigh.  The hams working in the booth introduced amateur radio to the attendees who were interested, like most hams, in technology and do-it-yourself (DIY) projects.  It was hoped that this would result in more individuals becoming interested in amateur radio and obtaining a Technician class license.  This year, at least 5,200 individuals attended Maker Faire North Carolina.  Many attendees stopped by the amateur radio booth, including more than 60 licensed amateur radio operators.  Hands-on exhibits in the booth included a selection of QRP HF and VHF/UHF transceivers; several iambic paddles and oscillator; a software-defined receiver and laptop computer; and, ARRL brochures.  The clubs participating in this year’s event were Alamance Amateur Radio Club, Orange County Radio Amateurs, Raleigh Amateur Radio Society, and Triangle Amateur Television Association.  Thanks to Nathan Adams K4NYA, Karl Bowman W4CHX, John “Mark” Freeze WD4KSE, Raymond Lefrancois KK4OOQ, Tucker McGuire KK4UNZ, Murray Merner K4MHM, Curt Phillips W4CP, Christopher Tate KJ4UBL, Randy Tate KJ4UBM, and Raymond “Woody” Woodward K3VSA for their participation!

MEDIA HITS – The following media hits are included in this month’s newsletter: 

On Marines from Camp Lejeune training with local amateur radio operators, see

http://www.salisburypost.com/article/20140602/SP01/140609942/0/FRONTPAGE.  Thanks to George Huffman KD4MXA, Ralph Wallio W0RPK, and Ralph Brown WB4AQK for providing this media hit!

On the interview of Victor Finegold, KK4IP of Asheville regarding D-Day, see  

http://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2014/06/05/asheville-d-day-veteran-never-leaves/10043065/.  Thanks to Bruce Jewell W4KPA for providing this media hit!

Cliff Ireland, KK4NC reported that the Sampson County Amateur Radio Society, along with Brandon Dunston, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Raleigh, Fire Chief Adon Snyder of the Clinton Fire Department, and a representative from the Sampson County Emergency Management Services were guests on the radio talk show, “We Should Know . . . ”, hosted by J.W. Simmons.  The program was broadcast on WCLN Fun Time Oldies 1170 AM radio on Tuesday, June 17^th, with replays on StarVision Cable and Star TV Channel 16.  The program was also summarized in the Sampson Weekly Newspaper during the week leading up to Field Day.  Thanks to Cliff Ireland KK4NC and Bill Morine N2COP for providing this information!

Janice Hopkins, KJ4JPE reported that Dobie Hoffman, KK4MGK, Vice President, Onslow Amateur Radio Club and herself participated in a live interview about Field Day on WRHT Thunder Country 96.3 FM radio on June 17^th.  The morning talk show host was Raeford Brown, WA4HMR.  Thanks to Janice Hopkins, KJ4JPE, an ARRL-trained Public Information Officer, NC Section, and co-recipient of the NC ARRL PIO of the Year Award for 2013, for providing this information!

In this YouTube video, the Carolina WX Discussion Group talked about amateur radio, including SKYWARN.  Lee Sossamon, KK4GEV, Charlotte Regional SKYWARN AEC and John Crowe, N4LBX, Charlotte Regional SKYWARN NCS, were featured in the video, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxKYFgMRlbM.  Thanks to Chris Gay, N1CRG, Charlotte Regional SKYWARN EC for providing this media hit!

On the Field Day activities of the Alamance Amateur Radio Club, see 

http://www.thetimesnews.com/news/top-news/local-amateur-radio-enthusiasts-gather-for-annual-field-day-1.339318

On the Field Day activities of the Pamlico Amateur Radio Society, see

http://www.newbernsj.com/news/local/racing-honey-bees-and-theater-auditions-on-tap-today-1.339147

On the Field Day activities of three amateur radio clubs in the Wilmington-area, see

http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20140625/ARTICLES/140629759?p=2&tc=pg

On learning about NC Weather at Stormfest 2014 (June 21^st) in Wilmington, see 

http://triadnc.twcnews.com/content/news/708866/learn-about-nc-weather-with-free-event-on-weekend/

On a VLF signal from NC detected across the Atlantic Ocean, see

http://www.eham.net/articles/32561

On the Field Day activities of the Onslow Amateur Radio Club, see http://www.jdnews.com/news/local/ham-radio-club-joins-field-day-from-swansboro-site-1.339306.  Thanks to Stan White, KI4NC for providing this media hit!

Paul Jones, K4VCF reported that the Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society (MARS) Field Day exercise received TV coverage from Time Warner, News 14 in Charlotte. Time Warner, a "news partner" with WBTV News in Charlotte, provided their video to WBTV, which had a :30 voice-over story at 6:00 PM on Saturday during Field Day.  WBTV's on-line news producer asked for photographs from Field Day so the station could run a story on the station's web site.  MARS and the Charlotte Amateur Radio Club, W4CQ, each received a proclamation from the Mecklenburg County Commission Chairman, Trevor Fuller, declaring Saturday, June 28^th, as Amateur Radio Day in Mecklenburg County.  MARS promoted Field Day on its Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/MecklenburgAmateurRadioSociety?ref=br_tf.  Mecklenburg County Commissioner Pat Cotham attended Field Day, took pictures, and posted positive comments about amateur radio on her Facebook page.  Ms. Cotham was invited to Field Day via her Facebook page.  Thanks to Paul Jones, K4VCF, an ARRL-trained Public Information Officer, NC Section, for providing this information!

NTS SECTION TRAFFIC REPORT FOR MAY, 2014 –

QNI (total check-ins): 1,621; Total messages passed: 576.

Station Activity Reports (SARs), total number: K4IWW 297, W2EAG 153, W4DNA 145, WK4WC 123, WB4ZIQ 117, AK4RJ 81, KF4OCU 59, KE4AHC 56, W4TTO 53, KC4PGN 44, WB4Y 42, KK4BVR 36, KJ4JPE 32, W3HL 18, N2RTF 16.  

Public Service Honor Roll (PSHR), total number: KK4BVR 296, KJ4JPE 167, W4DNA 150, WB4ZIQ 140, K4IWW 130, WK4WC 130, AK4RJ 110, W2EAG 110, W4TTO 100, N2RTF 96, KF4OCU 90, WB4Y 88.  Thanks to Dave Roy, W4DNA, Section Traffic Manager, for providing this information!

PUBLIC SERVICE – Please consider checking into the Ham Public Service Net, which meets every Wednesday evening at 7:30 PM EST on the Carolina 440 Link System.  The Ham Public Service Net is a great place to learn about public service events that need your participation or it can be used to solicit help for your upcoming public service activity.  For further information, including the location of a 440 MHz repeater close to you, go to http://rars.org/public-service.  Thanks to John Snellen, AI4RT for providing this information!

SILENT KEYS – No Silent Key reports have been received since the publication of the last NC Section newsletter.  Please note: it is not possible to post information about amateur radio operators that have become Silent Keys without confirmation via printed obituary or similar.

SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS –

July 19: Operation Red Sleigh Christmas in July, 1200Z-2000Z, W4S, Sophia, NC, sponsored by Operation Red Sleigh/Randolph AUXCOMM.  21.300 14.270 7.260 3.950. QSL. Nathan Jackson, 5186 Farlowe Davis Dr, Sophia, NC 27350. k4nwj@triad.rr.com

July 19: Peach Festival, 1400Z-1800Z, NC4MC, Candor, NC, sponsored by Montgomery Amateur Radio Society. 14.250 USB 7.250 LSB 14.030 CW. Certificate. Donald L. Grady, KG4ZRH, 120 Woodline Dr, Troy, NC 27371.  Historic Candor, NC Peach Festival and Parade.

STORMFEST 2014 – Wilmington SKYWARN had a display at Stormfest, an annual June event in the Port City designed to educate the public on how to prepare for hurricanes.  Thanks to Bill Morine, N2COP, Assistant Section Manager, for providing this information!

UPCOMING HAMFESTS –

July 12: 29th Annual Firecracker Hamfest, Rowan Amateur Radio Society, Salisbury, NC, http://www.rowanars.org

July 19: Mid-Summer Swapfest, Cary Amateur Radio Club, Cary, NC, http://www.qsl.net/n4nc

July 26: WCARS Hamfest 2014, Western Carolina Amateur Radio Society, Waynesville, NC, http://wcars.org

August 23: 16th Annual Ole Fashioned CFARS SwapFest, Cape Fear Amateur Radio Society, Fayetteville, NC, http://www.cfarsnc.org/

August 30-31: North Carolina State Convention (58^th Annual Shelby Hamfest), Shelby Amateur Radio Club, Shelby, NC, http://www.shelbyhamfest.org

QUA* –I had a great Field Day (FD) weekend – I hope that you did, too!  As discussed last month, I visited FD sites in western North Carolina.  On Friday (6/27), I departed Raleigh and drove to Murphy, NC.  Along the way, I visited the Alamance ARC and Iredell County ARS FD sites.  On Saturday morning (6/28), accompanied by Larry Ford, K4AEC, we visited the Cherokee County NC ARES and Franklin ARC FD sites.  Thereafter, I visited the Haywood County ARC FD site in Clyde, NC and then drove onward to visit the Blue Ridge ARC (Hendersonville), The Road Show ARC (Asheville), and the Western Carolina ARS (Arden) FD operations.  On Sunday morning (6/29), I drove to West Jefferson to visit the Ashe County ARC FD site followed by a visit to the Lenoir ARC (Lenoir) FD operations.      

Yes, I did a lot of driving – 900 plus miles on my car alone!  But, it was great to see everyone and learn about the clubs!  The hospitality extended to me was appreciated greatly.  The food was great, too!  I was impressed by the various approaches used by each club to make their FD operations more effective.  I took many photos and plan to incorporate those images in future presentations at club meetings and NC Section forums.  It is believed that this information will be of interest to all hams participating in Field Day.       

In closing, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or want to provide input on our Section. I can be reached via email at w4chx@arrl.org or via cell phone.  Thanks for everything you are doing for amateur radio!  73, Karl Bowman, W4CHX, ARRL North Carolina Section Manager, (919) 669-6068 (cell)

*QUA is an international Q signal (prosign) meaning, “Have you news of _____?”  In the absence of a question mark, QUA means, “I have news of ____.”