ARRL SACRAMENTO VALLEY SECTION NEWS April, 2013
From Jim Linden, N7JIL, our Modoc County ARES Emergency Coordinator: We have “A lot of new ham activity going on in Modoc County. We’ve had good attendance in our monthly ARES meetings every third Thursday. Next month we'll be discussing using ham radio in the ICS environment. We've set up two new Echolink simplex links and plan to add another soon to cover the rest of our county. The local hams have been assisting our rural health clinics select equipment and install ham radio stations in their facilities. Since Modoc County is on the Oregon border, we are invited to check into an Oregon EOC SET exercise April 27th. We are running PSA ads on local radio and in the newspaper and now have several new hams in the county. MERC is hosting a VE session for all license classes in Alturas on June 15th. So there has been quite a bit of activity for our new ARES group, which we named the Modoc Emergency Radio Club(MERC)/KK6DJX.” Jim, N7JIL, can be contacted at: (530) 640-3175 or n7jil@arrl.net
YUBA SUTTER AMATEUR RADIO CLUB Valley Ham News reports:
“Many thanks goes out to those local hams who volunteered their time and effort for the MS Walk that happened on Saturday morning, April 20, 2013 in downtown Yuba City. From the reports this editor has, everything went smooth except for a few bumps and scrapes due to a fall from a participant on the walk. For more detailed information, contact Mr. Lonnie Moore, KI6ZYY as he was the organizer of the radio communications for the hams.
Also, many thanks goes out to all that donated their time, effort and radio expertise for the 28th Annual Bike Around The Buttes. The radio emergency ham support was organized by Russell Decker. Also at net control was Clara Ansley, N6VRH. The hams provided support at each of the five rest stops plus 13 SAG positions. Participants included Debbie, KI6ROW; Eleanor, KI6CSO; Michael, AG6IP; Lou, KG6FCT; Shari, K6AVW; Paul, N6XVL; Chris, KJ6VCG; Josh Wahl; Andy, KJ6IYM; Ted, KN6TED; Lee, KC6MCI; Steve, K6TAZ; Curtis, KF6VFP; Cal, KI6NY; Manna, KA6ETB; Stan, KN7ZYZ; Steven, KJ6QEA; LeRoy, KJ6DKM and Udell; Edwin, K9KUV; Rick, K6ISP; Kevin, KJ6TXZ; Bill, WA6OHP; and Sean, K6SCM. YSARC and other hams have been involved with providing emergency communications for the Bike Around The Buttes for around 25 years. They took on the task after the local CB’ers could not provide the necessary communications needed for an event like this. There was even one year, before the ‘century’ ride was added, that the hams operated on a simplex frequency for the entire event. Since the “century” ride was added, all radio communications have used the 146.085 MHz repeater (WD6AXM) up on the Sutter Buttes. This event uses many ham radio members that not only live in the Yuba Sutter area, but other adjacent counties as well. There was only one bike accident who required outside medical attention this year. Other than that, most of the issues were flat tires, equipment malfunctions and just plain fatigue!! The Bike event started around 6:30am and lasted until after 5:00pm. All proceeds benefited the Yuba Sutter Children’s Type I Diabetes Support Group. It was calculated that our volunteers logged over 1,500 miles for this event!” Thanks to Russ, KB6YAF, YSARC Newsletter editor for this article. The Yuba Sutter ARC VE Team will conduct an all classes exam on 4 May at 715 King Ave. in Yuba City. The session begins at 9 AM. Present licensees needing to test for a higher license are reminded to bring a copy of the present license, as well as the original license, and two forms of identification. One of the ID forms must be a picture ID.
The Carmichael HamZams are held every third Saturday of the month at the Carmichael Elks Lodge. Exams start at 7 AM and go through 8:30 AM for all classes of license. The cost is $15, and you must have picture ID, and a copy of your license if you are upgrading. The Carmichael Elks Lodge is located on the NW corner of Hackberry and Cypress, at 5631 Cypress Avenue. If you have any questions call me, John Dyer, KJ6JD at 916 927 4201. Thanks to John, KJ6JD, for this item.
Bob, WB6VYH, is our HF awards card checker for WAS and VUCC. If you need your cards verified for ARRL awards, contact Bob at 4wortmans@comcast.net . He does not count cards for DXCC.
From Kelley, KS6Z, our Section Emergency Coordinator: “We are also planning a Field Day Event on Saturday, June 22, from 11 AM to 4 PM at the LDS church back parking lot to demonstrate EmComm capabilities during disasters. We will have a GOTA Station, "Fox Hunt", and Pot Luck lunch with a give-away drawing at 1 PM for those Amateurs present of an ICOM V80 Sport two meter handheld.” News item courtesy of Kelley Shelley, KS6Z, ARRL Sacramento Valley Section Emergency Coordinator, KS6Z@ARRL.NET
Jon, K1NV, our Sierra County Emergency Coordinator reports: “April has been a good month, weather-wise, but the antenna work planned for "nicer weather" had to be set aside due to a trip to Wisconsin and a bout with illness. As I write, the weather is still cooperating so I am ready to hoist some new wire in May. The six meter beam will be refurbished and reinstalled on a new, taller mast (with a real rotator instead of a pipe wrench) just in time for the E-season.
Bench projects have taken what time I have had following acquisition of a couple of BC-779 Super Pro receivers and a Swan SW-500CX. I finished building a Ten-Tec 1253 regenerative receiver and also constructed an interesting ultrasonic receiver from the Crystal Set Society.
A small MEPT (beacon) transmitter was constructed and programmed for QRSS modes on the 30 meter band. It emits around 200 milliwatts into a 140-foot long wire and I have it set up to send my call and grid square in slow speed CW with 9-second dots and 18-second dashes in a small segment around 10,140 MHz. As monitored on remote receivers accessible on the internet, I have seen my signal in Florida, Nevada, British Columbia, and Alaska when the propagation has been right. The remote receivers are located all over the world and a QRSS computer program called ARGO is generally used to display the passband in 10-minute sequences. More information can be found by searching for "MEPT; scrubbers; grabbers" on the internet. It's an interesting project and shows what can be done with low power and simple communications systems.” Thanks to Jon, K1NV.
From Amador County, our Section Public Information Coordinator, John Stettler, KI6DWP, reports: “The Amador County Amateur Radio Club was active with bicycle activities this month. April started with the 50K/100K Party Pardee ride. This event occurs every year and draws in the neighborhood of 1,200 riders from all around the greater Northern California area. We provided communication services and using our batch of trackers on the SAG wagons we were able to more accurately locate and deploy our mobile resources. In addition we provided communication for the rest stops. The event was great practice and the best news was there there were no serious problems. Then, two weeks later, we worked, in conjunction with the Calaveras Amateur Radio Society, the bike ride out of Murphys. It was also a 50K/100K ride and brought about 300 riders to support Feeney Park in Murphys, which is a community supported park. Again a great time was had by all and there were no significant problems. We are looking forward to Field Day, but have encountered a problem with location. At this time an out of the area group has plans to use our preferred site and we are in the process of nailing down an alternate site. We have been in conversation with the Sheriff's Office about re-instating ACS/RACES status and it looks like there has been some recent movement on that issue. We have also been getting together as an ARES group so one way or the other we will be available and trained to provide emergency communication service. One of our members has designed a simple "go box" that others are using as a template for their own portable resource. Two other members worked out an inexpensive three element Yagi for 2M which several members have purchased and have already put to use as their rest stop antenna for the recent bike rides. 73, John, KI6DWP.
Received from Dick Flanagan K7VC. Any one that can help the Boy Scouts in Northern Nevada and Eastern California as a Counselor for a Radio Merit Badge please contact Mr. Stankus direct. [mailto:adolph@stankus.com]
We hear from Jim, W7XZ, of the Oroville Amateur Radio Society, OARS: OARS (http://w6af.org) held its monthly meeting on 12 April. Among the agenda items was providing communications support for the upcoming Feather Fiesta Days Parade on 11 May, the morning after that monthly meeting. The program was devoted to wire antenna construction, and served as prelude to a scheduled antenna construction workshop to follow the monthly breakfast.
The OARS monthly breakfast on Saturday, 27 April, had 17 in attendance. Immediately following the breakfast was the antenna construction workshop announced at the meeting, held about a quarter mile from Cassidy's at the cogeneration plant, President Gary's (KF6EWO) work habitat. The workshop provided a learning experience for a number of the participants, and produced at least two dipoles, one for 10 meters.
The OARS May meeting will be held on 10 May, 7 pm, at St Paul's Parish Hall in Oroville. Communication support for the parade the following morning is expected to top the agenda items. Field Day is also expected to be discussed at length, and a cookout at the site is in the works for this year's event.
Yolo Amateur Radio Society has some public service events upcoming: Cache Creek Ridge Ride
Cache Creek Ridge Ride Information
Area amateurs provide communication support for this horse event that includes 3 endurance rides (50, 35, & 25 miles) and 2 ride-and-tie rides (25 & 15 miles). The event takes place in the Cache Creek Natural Area, near the junction of State Routes 16 & 20.
Operations begin before 6:00 a.m. and conclude when the event ends, around 6:00 p.m.
Want to help? Contact Rick Littlefield N6KLB, pilotham@aol.com
and next will be: Saturday May 18
Davis Double Century
Radio Information Page
Davis Bike Club Ride Information
Operations begin about 5:00 a.m. and usually run until about 1:00 a.m. Sunday. Net control set up is usually done the night before.
200 miles in one day! YARS and other radio clubs provide support for this bike ride that starts and ends in Davis, via Clear Lake. Net Control, 10 Rest Stops, and lots of SAGs and Patrols. Want to help? Contact Dave Nishikawa KC6YFG, dhnishik@dcn.or This news from the YARS website, at: http://www.yars.org/index.html
If you can read the YARS website, you might also enjoy the ARCA, or Amateur Radio Club of Anderson website at: http://www.qsl.net/arca/ ARCA's next club meeting is Thursday, May 9, at 7:30 pm. The meeting location is available from the website.
Dr. Carol Milazzo, KP4MD/6, President, River City ARCS, reports on RCARCS for April:
“Our April 2 meeting treated us to John KJ6JD's presentation on Nikola Tesla and hands-on electricity demonstration, John KI6ZWW on Sacramento ARES, and Mike NM3S' Tri-band HF trap vertical antenna.
“Our April 27 Spring Family Picnic Lew Howard Park, Folsom was an unqualified success! Thanks to Kevin KI6KIU and Ken KE6RMN who set up the barbecue, and all who attended and brought side dishes! Earl K6GPB, Kevin KI6KIU and myself KP4MD activated the N6NA club call with a 5 watt station and a 3 foot magnetic loop antenna in the QRP To The Field contest. We contacted Summits on the Air Station NSØTA atop Mount Herman, Colorado! Watch video clips of this and our April meeting on www.youtube.com/RiverCityARCS
“Join us at our meeting on Tuesday, May 7, 7:30 pm at the Sacramento County Corp. Yard at 5026 Don Julio Blvd as KSPX Chief Engineer Brent Bradley KJ6PEH takes us on a virtual inside tour of the Channel 29 television broadcast facility, and Ed Siegner WA6QYO discusses using Analog meters to measure voltage and current. Great company, programs and refreshments! See you there!”
https://plus.google.com/photos/114457533000757442881/albums/5871710432333783089?banner=pwa is a link to eight nice pictures of the RCARCS Spring Picnic.
Joe, W7RKN, pointed us to a great ham radio history link involving K7UGA's famous mobile station. http://www.angelfire.com/ny2/hamradio/gallery006.html
Michael, K6BUK, reports for Western Placer ARC: “The WPARC May meeting will feature a demo of the new Elecraft KX3. This new radio puts the world in the palm of your hand despite its diminutive size. It covers all the ham bands from 160 - 6 meters, operates in all modes, and has DSP-based features usually found only in larger radios. We will also cover some information on Field Day. The meeting will be on May 21 at 7:00 PM at the Pizza Roundup in Lincoln.
George KG6LSB from the Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club is coordinating the Tour de Cure on Saturday May 4th this year. This is George's first year leading this event and it would be great if members of our club would volunteer to help out. George has been a strong supporter of most of the rides we have worked since our first ride and we need to show our appreciation. You can volunteer by calling George at 530.888.0860 or by email at kg6lsb@arrl.net. Please volunteer!
A big WPARC event is coming up - the Tour de Lincoln bike ride. Roger K6OU tells me we have enough volunteers for the event which is on Saturday, May 11. We will provide SAG wagons and rest stop communications. Roger covered a lot of information about the ride at the April meeting.
Speaking of Roger, he went to the DX Convention in Visalia last weekend and bought a fist full of drawing tickets. He had to leave before the final drawing and didn't think he won anything. A couple of days later the big brown truck brought him a box with a new Icom 718 in it. Roger has the radio up for sale at $700 which is lower than the list price. Email him at rbrunnquell@yahoo.com if you are interested in it. It is new in the box.
On Saturday June 1st there will be a HamCram class for Tech licenses. It is an all day class with the license tests at 5:00 PM. The tests are open to any class level so if you want to upgrade this will be the place. The location will be in the Sutter Roseville hospital and the person with all the information about the class is Dennis KI6HHA. You can email him at ki6hha@aol.com for more information. Also, there is information at WPARC.US.
Another big date that is coming up is Field Day 2013. Come to the meeting May to find out the details about the plans for this year. We will be located at Gary's (WA6IKE) QTH at 1,400 feet above the valley floor and it is a great location to work some hot DX from all over north America. Roger and a crew of the usual suspects he has convinced to help out have done a lot of work at the Field Day site and have made some significant progress. They have strung a cable between two trees and I think the twin delta loops will go up this year. No more crash and burn! They also poured concrete for Gary's tower (wouldn't you like to say "they poured concrete for MY tower") and it will be up soon. The site at Gary's is very large and gives us room to sprawl out with plenty of room for all different sorts of antennas. Plan on being there for this event! I also heard that there is going to be a shoot out - with potato launchers. First the Feds have to check out the potato launchers to make sure they are not assault potato launchers, then they want a serial number on each potato so they can trace it in case it is used in the BATFs "Fast & Furious" program. Ham Radio Swap Sacramento Hamfest - Sunday May 19, at Natomas High School off Truxel & I-80. http://www.k6is.org/
Our friends at the Yuba Sutter ARC are sponsoring a HamFest. We have some information from Larry KE6LAW:
"You and your members are cordially invited to the Yuba Sutter Amateur Radio Club's Hamfest which is to be held Saturday June 1, 2013. If you want to register in advance you can send reservations along with vendor fees to: Yuba Sutter Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 1169, Yuba City, CA 95992-9169. You can also view the information at our web site by going to http://www.ysarc.org."
They also sent us a flier and if you would like an electronic copy email me and I will send you one. This is their first event and it would be nice for us to send a contingent to Yuba City for support. Our clubs have worked well together since we started out and we need to work to keep a good relationship between us. I am planning to go and am looking for people to carpool with. It goes from 0700 hrs to noon.
Steve N6HTV has set up a web site for selling your radio. If you are interested in selling something contact him. Here is the link:
http://www.sotoole.com/n6htv/forsale/
Don't forget to set aside Saturday, September 7th for the WPARC Hamfest at McBean Park in Lincoln. Email Katy at entertainangels@surewest.net to sign up to volunteer. This is a very important event for our club and we all need to work to make it a success. We will have much more information as we get closer to the date.
Another event that is in the planning stages is the Lincoln Air Festival. It will be on Saturday September 21st and we have been asked to participate. Our role is not defined yet and we may be helping with traffic or crowd control or something completely different. Harvey KD6LND is the club chair for the event. We will send out more information as soon as it is available.”
Field Day is the FOURTH FULL WEEKEND IN JUNE, NOT THE FIFTH.
The Carmichael HamZams are held every third Saturday of the month at the Carmichael Elks Lodge. Exams start at 7 AM and go through 8:30 AM for all classes of license. The cost is $15, and you must have picture ID, and a copy of your license if you are upgrading. The Carmichael Elks Lodge is located on the NW corner of Hackberry and Cypress, at 5631 Cypress Avenue. If you have any questions call me, John Dyer, KJ6JD at 916 927 4201. Thanks to John, KJ6JD, for this item.
Redding ARRL VE Team: 'Our next scheduled VE exam is on Saturday May 18th. See www.reddingve.com for more information. Also, members of the Redding ARRL VE Team have been working on upgrading the amateur radio station at the Redding BloodSource facility. The station there now has HF capabilities and a dedicated http://www.reddingve.com/ VHF packet station in addition to the VHF/UHF station that was there originally. Thanks to those Team members who helped on this project.
Sierra Foothills ARC: SFARC holds VE Exams at 8 am, the first Saturday, monthly. Walk-in, sit down and pass your test! Info at: http://w6ek.org/veexams.html With Field Day being June 22-23 this year, the club will again be at the Nyack exit off I 80. Beside the usual stations (see w6ek.org for Field Day photos) we will again have our GOTA station up front and visible to the public. The club's T-shirt design is complete and we are taking orders from members. Some interesting Field Day related PR events are being planned. Also, check the club web site for the new club calendar listing. Thanks to Carl, WF6J.
The Citrus Heights VE Team announces: The next Technician HAM-CRAM session and Up Grade Exam session will be May 18 at Fire Station #32, 8890 Roediger Lane, Fair Oaks, CA. This is at the intersection of Hazel and Roediger Lane, about on half mile south of Madison Ave. The HAM-CRAM session for the Technician license will begin at 9:15 AM and exams will be given starting at 1:15 PM for all classes of Amateur Radio licenses. Note: We do no do HAM-CRAMS for the General or Extra Class licenses.
We require a photo ID for all applicants who take exams for any class of amateur license. If you are upgrading, you must also bring a copy of your current license or CSCE form to the exam session to be filed with the paperwork going to the FCC. To participate in a HAM-CRAM or VE examination please contact Joe Cardoza, KA6ROM, by e-mail at: cardozas@comcast.net to register, or obtain information about the session. News item courtesy of Joe Cardoza, KA6ROM.
Ham Radio Swap Reno Ham Swap May 4th Reno, NV http://renohamswap.com/
and... Ham Radio Swap Sacramento Hamfest - Sunday May 19, at Natomas High School off Truxel & I-80. http://www.k6is.org/
YUBA SUTTER ARC SWAPMEET, June 1, 7 A.M. to Noon, at the American Legion Post at 5377 Feather River Blvd., in Oliverhurst. Breakfast is available on site. Sellers $10, buyers free.
LINKS OF INTEREST http://www.arrl.org/groups/view/sacramento-valley Bookmark this one to get back to this page.
A friend sent me the following link. http://www.tubebooks.org/technical_books_online.htm It leads to many (!) vacuum tube and related books that can be downloaded. I thought you might be interested or like to pass it on. Item courtesy of Iden, K6JHQ, in Nevada County.
Douglas County Amateur Radio Team (DCART) members held their weekly Monday night nets and their monthly meeting (the fourth Monday this time) at our Douglas County 911 Dispatch. We reviewed operations at our ham radio station there. The mobile dispatch unit, known as Unit 900, was also available for us the review our ham radio set up there. We ran a small packet radio test. The Tahoe Amateur Radio Association member representative is attending planning meetings for the annual Alpine County "Death Ride" event to be held in July. Our DCART participating members are receiving regular updates. The Alpine County Sheriff's Office is also keeping us advised of plans to have Dispatch in the same office as always for this event. Our May DCART meeting will be held the third Monday only this time the meeting place is Fire Station 6 on Johnson Lane. News courtesy of Sheila, ka7ajq, ARES Alpine County Emergency Coordinator.
