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ARRL Maryland-DC Section (MDC)

Section Manager
James E. Cross, WI3N
16013 Dorset Rd
Laurel, MD 20707-5314
301-725-6829
wi3n@arrl.org
Section Links
  • Hamfests
  • Affiliated Clubs
  • Ham Radio Classes

  • Other sections

  • Atlantic Division
  • Assistant Section Manager
    E. Allen Brown, KZ3AB
    8645 Tower Dr
    Laurel, MD 20723-1244
    (301) 490-3188
    kz3ab@arrl.net

    Herman A Niedzielski, K2AVA
    21512 Leitersburg Smithsburg R
    Hagerstown, MD 21742-4936
    (301) 791-5841
    k2ava@arrl.net

    Joseph A Nollmeyer, W3YVQ
    2403 Chetwood Cir
    Timonium, MD 21093-2528
    (410) 252-9073
    w3yvq@arrl.net

    Affiliated Club Coordinator
    Robert E Montagne, K3REM
    13121 Marthas Choice Cir
    Bowie, MD 20720-4702
    (301) 464-4377
    k3rem@arrl.net

    Official Observer Coordinator
    James A Erickson, K3LFO
    3933 London Bridge Rd
    Sykesville, MD 21784-9516
    (410) 549-1041
    k3lfo@arrl.net

    Section Emergency Coordinator
    Steve C Beckman, N3SB
    2145 Bethel Rd
    Finksburg, MD 21048-1120
    (410) 583-4321, (410) 876-1482
    n3sb@arrl.net

    State Government Liaison
    David J Prestel, W8AJR
    10160 Tanfield Ct
    Ellicott City, MD 21042-5808
    (410) 552-2652, (410) 203-9432
    W8AJR@arrl.net

    Section Traffic Manager
    Joseph A Nollmeyer, W3YVQ
    2403 Chetwood Cir
    Timonium, MD 21093-2528
    (410) 252-9073
    w3yvq@arrl.net

    Technical Coordinator
    Robert E Bruninga, WB4APR
    115 Old Farm Ct
    Glen Burnie, MD 21060-7425
    (410) 267-4380, (410) 553-6021
    wb4apr@arrl.net

    Section News

    Monthly Summaries

    Monthly Summary for October 2009

    News last updated: Tue, November 17, 2009 at 6:12 PM ET

    Welcome to the Maryland-DC Section News Page

    ***********************
    MDC Section News
    Vol. 4 No. 11
    November 17, 2009
    ***********************

    IN THIS EDITION:

    * MDC SECTION ECHOLINK/RF NET FRIDAY NOV 20
    * CARROLL COUNTY CLUB BALLOON LAUNCH
    * SPECIAL EVENT STATION FOR AIDS
    * CHANGES TO WINLINK INSTRUCTIONS
    * PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY ARES® HOSPITAL DRILL
    * MONTHLY ARES® REPORT
    * SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGER REPORT
    * FINALLY. . .

    ==> MDC SECTION ECHOLINK/RF NET FRIDAY NOV 20

    Everyone is invited to join in Friday November 20 at 8:00 pm via Echolink on the WASH_DC node 6154 server hosted by John Creel, WB3GXW, or on RF on a local repeater or ILRP node near you.

    It's a time to share what has been going on in the section in clubs, ARES® groups, or other areas of interest in amateur radio.

    If you're local to one of those repeaters/links or have Echolink, please drop by for the net. If you'd like to download the free software and learn more about Echolink, please click: www.echolink.org.

    ==> CARROLL COUNTY CLUB BALLOON LAUNCH

    There's always something neat going on in the MDC Section. Witness the Carroll County High-Altitude Balloon Launch, CarrollSat-1, launched in conjunction with the Mason-Dixon Hamfest in Westminster, Maryland.

    A homebrew PICAXE module to sample temperature and light was sent aloft in a couple Styrofoam cups taped together and a 10 milliwatt garage door opener for a transmitter all attached to a balloon that was a whole one foot in diameter. There was even a technical presentation on the project.

    To see and read about everything that went into the project, please click: simsat.net/carrollsat/.

    ==> SPECIAL EVENT STATION FOR AIDS

    The following is a summary of information posted by Page Pyne, WA3EOP, regarding the upcoming special event station for World AIDS Awareness Day. AIDS is still a threat to men, women and children with 2.5 million people becoming infected during 2008, bringing the total living with HIV to 33.2 million.

    A special amateur radio station will be operating at UNAIDS HQ in Geneva, Switzerland, from December 1-7th, 2009, with the special event callsign 4U1AIDS. They invite people to observe the "World AIDS Day" and demonstrate global HIV awareness.

    International World Aids Day 2009 Amateur Radio Certificate: Those amateur radio stations which have a radio contact with 4U1AIDS on any three amateur radio bands, will awarded a special commemorative certificate World AIDS Day Award.

    Amateur radio stations that have radio contact with 4U1AIDS on five amateur radio bands will be awarded a special commemorative UNAIDS pennant.

    Special QSL card:
    For each radio contact with 4U1AIDS, a special QSL card will be sent.

    QSL information:
    For further information, please get in contact with:
    Andrey Fedorov, UNAIDS, 20 Avenue Appia, CH-1211, Geneva 27, Switzerland.

    WEB sites:
    Official UNAIDS WEB site:
    www.UNAIDS.org.
    Amateur Radio 4U1AIDS WEB site:
    www.DX-World.com/4u1aids.

    ==> CHANGES TO WINLINK INSTRUCTIONS & MDC NTS INFO

    MDC ASM Al Nollmeyer, W3YVQ, has provided updates to Winlink instructions and MDC NTS information. These updates may be viewed on the MDC Section home page, www.arrl-mdc.net/. Look for the blinking !NEW! symbol.

    Assistant Section Manager Al, W3YVQ, is the MDC Section Traffic Manager, STM, and has been a force majeure in establishing the Winlink e-mail over radio as an integral part of our national message handling system.

    ==> PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY ARES® HOSPITAL DRILL

    On October 6, 7:30 PM Prince George's County, Maryland, Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) conducted the fourth and final quarterly Hospital drill for the year 2009.

    Radio operators participated in a "impromptu" drill called for by ARES AEC Wanda Montgomery, KA3AHI, who is assigned responsibility for the County Hospital Project by EC Dan Blasberg, KA8YPY.

    The drill required email messages be sent from the hospitals to "a Shelter" (W3CB at home) where a radio operator would store and forward them to the Health Department. The Health Department would receive them via Telnet on site and forward to AEC Wanda Montgomery, KA3AHI, "HD clients."

    Five of the six Prince George's County hospitals and the county Health Department participated in the drill. Unfortunately unforeseeable events prevented the staffing of Fort Washington Medical Center by the regularly scheduled radios operators, Kenny KB3IIE and Bob W1BJC. Their participation in the drill was missed greatly.

    The Fourth Quarterly Hospital Drill encompassed three components: a 2-m net, a 440 net, and airmail. It involved hospital radio operator teams, a "shelter" and the Internet capable Health Department. The mission was to pass email messages from the hospitals to the shelter to the Health Department with copies of all airmail traffic to AEC KA3AHI representing the served agency.

    Two Meter Net Conducted on 146.61 Repeater. NCS located at Southern Maryland Hospital Center

    Time of net: 7:30 EDT
    Net Control Station: WB3IFS Jesse Southern Maryland Hospital Center (having difficulties holding the 146.61 repeater.)
    Wanda, KA3AHI, AEC - Hospital Project, immediately shifted net control from Southern Maryland to Bowie Health Center.
    Net Control Station: W9WNH Hugh Bowie Health Center (assuming net control from Jesse, WB3IFS.)

    Number of Check-ins: 21

    Checkins listed:

    WI3N Jim SM -- Laurel Hospital
    KA8YPY Dan EC
    KA3AHI Wanda AEC Hospital Project, -- PG Hospital
    WB3KAS Jim AEC Logistics, -- PG Hospital
    N3CK Nick AEC Administration, -- Bowie Health Center
    N3XKJ Jim AEC -- Operations
    WB2IFS Jesse AEC Training, -- Southern MD Hospital
    N3WYG Milford -- Bowie Health Center
    N3USP Glenn -- Bowie Health Center
    W3CB Cliff -- NTS Liaison
    KD3JA Jim -- Doctor's Hospital
    W3WFM Bill -- Health Dept.
    KB3BXT Kenny -- Health Dept.
    KB3NJG Rita -- Doctor's Hospital
    KB3NJW Gregory -- Doctor's Hospital
    KB3IJF Cliff
    N3WSG Jerry -- Beltsville
    KB3NIK Dave -- College Park
    KJ4ACS Dave -- Colesville
    NE3Z Dan/Mobile

    Two meter net closed at 8:22 PM EDT.

    All participants were encouraged to shift to the 440 Linking System.

    The 440 Net Conducted on the 440 Linking System.
    NCS located at Prince George's Hospital Center

    Net Control Station: Jim WB3KAS, Prince George's Hospital began the net at 8:30 PM EDT.
    At 8:45 PM EDT WB3KAS passed Net Control to KA3AHI, Wanda so Jim could send airmail traffic.

    Net Control Station: Wanda KA3AHI Prince George's Hospital (assuming NCS from Jim WB3KAS)

    Number of Check-ins: 14

    Checkins listed:

    W9WNH Hugh -- Bowie Hospital Center
    WI3N Jim -- Laurel Hospital
    N3CK Nick -- Bowie Hospital Center
    N3USP Glenn -- Bowie Hospital Center
    WB3IFS Jesse -- Southern Maryland Medical Center
    W3WFM Bill -- Health Dept.
    N3WYG Milford -- Bowie Hospital Center
    W3CB Cliff -- Home QTH
    KD3JA Jim -- Doctors Hospital
    KB3NJW Gregory -- Doctors Hospital
    NE3Z Dan/Mobile -- AAFB, Camp Springs, Md.
    KJ4ACS Dave -- Colesville, Md.

    Net ended at 9:18 PM EDT

    The purpose of including the 440 Linking System in our training nets was two fold.

    One, it offered a backup system for use should the 146.61 repeater fail and
    Two, it allowed both a phone net and digital communications to be conducted simultaneously.

    Even though the drill was not 100% successful, as planned, it was successful. The Health Department was not able to receive the airmail messages to be forwarded via Telnet due to technical difficulties. Four airmail operators, W3CB Cliff, WB3KAS Jim, KD3JA Jim and N3USP Glenn, demonstrated ARES airmail capabilities by provided numerous emails to the AEC - Hospital Project as a substitute for the Health Department.

    All airmail communications were received by AEC Wanda Montgomery, KA3AHI, from the Shelter site via ka3ahi AT winlink.org on her home computer which in a real emergency would have then been sent to the Health Department clients, thus completing the drill cycle.

    Additional support during the drill was from N3USP who provided several customized, up to date, weather reports via airmail. This was the first time this had been included in a quarterly hospital drill and certainly would be of great value in a real emergency situation.

    The "impromptu" hospital drill not only included ARES members and guests, mobile stations, the hospital team radio operators, but also reflected specialized positions within ARES, i.e., Section Manager Jim WI3N, ARES Emergency Coordinator Dan KA8YPY, NTS Liaison Cliff W3CB, and five AECs Operations, Jim N3XKJ, Logistics Jim WB3KAS, Administration Nick N3CK, Training Jesse WB2IFS and Hospital Project Wanda KA3AHI.

    And, as we all know, it will take each and every one of us in every position, and many more resources and expertise, working together, to meet the demands brought about by a "real incident."

    Yes, there was confusion in this "impromptu" drill. This is to be expected especially during the first two hours of an incident, and should be planned for. No real life incident ever goes by the book. That is why we practice, practice and practice.

    We will do another drill in January 2010.

    ==> MONTHLY ARES REPORT

    Monthly Section Emergency Coordinator Report to ARRL Headquarters

    ARRL Section: Maryland-DC Month: October Year: 2009

    AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE

    Total number of ARES members: 648
    Change since last month: -5

    Number of DECs/ECs reporting this month: 9
    Number of ARES nets active: 34
    Number with NTS liaison: 7

    Calls of DECs/ECs reporting: KB3ENU, N3QHC, K3UEZ, KB3LJB, W3JCT, KB3FMJ, N3SEO, KB3FIO, and N3SB.

    Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month: 15
    Person hours: 174

    Number of public service events this month: 13
    Person hours: 214

    Number of emergency operations this month: 0
    Person hours: 0

    Total number of ARES operations this month: 28
    Total Person hours: 388

    Comments:

    Kent County: On October 3rd, KARS tested five (5) students from the Tech class resulting in four new Techs and one Extra. The Extra student passed all three tests with flying colors. KARS had a drill on October 20th with Heron Point Assisted Living in Chestertown, Md. Four members participated, using our 2 meter repeater and Telpac mode for Winlink to send and receive messages. Held a demo for some of the citizens that live at Heron Point. All went well. The drill was used for 2009 SET. On Saturday, October 17, three KARS members participated in the Boy Scouts Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) at Dover, DE; they utilized a HF station and also demonstrated Echolink, involving the Scout's operating hands-on in the various modes.

    Allegany County: The October 13 ARES net included MT-63 digital tests with acoustic interface from W3YMW at EOC with our first piece of traffic generated by an EM official. We used the W3YMW 146.88 repeater for this test with four stations participating. (fldigi program)

    Wicomico County: Drill: Joint Wicomico County Race/ARES COMMEX Drill October 13, 2009 at Wicomico County EOC. Delmarva Emergency Net: Sundays at 6:30 pm using 3.905 MHz - Primarily stations on the Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware Eastern Shore. Bill Duveneck,KB3KYH, Net Control, Sussex County Emergency Coordinator, Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Local Net: Delmarva Amateur Radio Enhancement Net every Monday night at 9:00 p.m. The DAR Net is sponsored by the Delmarva Amateur Radio Club which is now an ARRL Affiliated group operating a repeater on 146.820 MHz PL 156.7 Hz. American Red Cross October 14 - Lower Shore Chapter of the American Red Cross attended their monthly meeting. Delmarva Amateur Radio Club (DARC) October 28,2009 Attended the monthly meeting of the DARC to update the executive board on the status of Wicomico County RACES/ARES. Coming Events: November 10, 2009: MEMA CommEx, Wicomico RACES/ARES participation starting at 7:00 pm at the Wicomico EOC on Naylor Mill Road. November 11, 2009: Lower Shore Chapter of the American Red Cross monthly meeting.

    Garrett County: Last month member Mark Moynaham (K3EE) held a presentation on DX radio transmissions. The presentation covered many aspects of DX work such as contesting, finding DX stations, and QSL card usage. The Garrett County ARES net is held weekly on Sunday evenings at 8:00 PM, on the Outback Repeater System (primary repeaters 146.805 and 145.33 dup PL 123). All traffic is FM voice. Our monthly meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of the month at 7:00 PM

    Anne Arundel County: Members KA2JAI, KB3KWT, KA3ZPE, N3WOF, N3PPJ, K3TED, KB3CWQ, KB3LDM, N3MAW, N3VAR, N3HU, K3RUP, & N3HKJ supported the Metric Marathon. Members N3SEO, K3TED, WA3TOY, KB3DCA, & KA2JAI supported the Trick-N-Trot event.

    Frederick County: Frederick ARES assisted the Frederick County Health Dept. with their Mass Inoculation 09 Drill as part of the annual county-wide flu clinic operation on Oct. 16. Eight ARES operators provided site to site tactical communications between the Health Dept. HQ and three county high schools. Frederick ARES also used an H1N1 county-wide flu epidemic as the scenario for SET on October 3.

    Carroll County: A meeting was held with the Emergency Management of Carroll Hospital Center to make plans for installation and setup of radio equipment and antennas the CHC has procured. Plans are also being made to activate the CHC equipment during the monthly drills to insure the equipment is operational.

    Signature: /s/Steve Beckman
    Call sign: N3SB
    E-mail - n3sb@qis.net

    ==> SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGER REPORT

    MDC NTS NETS:

    MEPN 0910 W3YVQ QND/31 QNI/350 QTC/74 MINS/723
    MEPN 0910 W3YVQ QND/3 QNI/20 QTC/7 MINS/180 SET 09
    BTN 0910 K3CSX QND/23 QNI/320 QTC/25 MINS/442
    BTN 0910 K3CSX QND/3 QNI/19 QTC/4 MINS/34 SET 09
    BTN 0909 K3CSX QND/30 QNI/297 QTC/43 MINS/483
    BTN 0907 K3CSX QND/31 QNI/303 QTC/47 MINS/550
    BTN 0908 K3CSX QND/31 QNI/253 QTC/33 MINS/420
    BTN 0906 K3CSX QND/30 QNI/271 QTC/51 MINS/547
    MDD 0910 AA3SB QND/62 QNI/353 QTC/159 MINS/717
    MDD 0910 AA3SB QND/6 QNI/6 QTC/3 MINS/31 SET 09
    MSN 0910 W8CPG QND/31 QNI/165 QTC/45 MINS/789

    SET 09 OCT 3 JURISDICTIONS:
    MEPN:
    ALLE, ANAR, BACI, BACO, CARR, CECI, DE, GARR, PRGE, STMA, WASH;
    BTN:
    BACI, BACO, CECI, HARF, MONT.

    PSHR: W3YVQ 160, KK3F 140, W3CB 132, AA3SB 120, KB3LNM 105, WB4FDT 100, K3IN 90, N3ZOC 90, KB3MXM 85, KB3LFG 62; 0909 KB3MXM 80;

    TFC: KK3F 1101, AA3SB 127, WB4FDT 110, W3YVQ 101, KB3LNM 87, K3IN 64, N3ZOC 63, W3CB 44, KB3MXM 30, KC3Y 13, KA3KID 10, KB3LFG 4; 0909 KB3MXM 41.

    ============================================
    NETS:
    WINTER CONDITIONS
    Now that we are back on standard time, the solar minimum is causing loss of 80 meter propagation around 6:15 PM local time or earlier.

    MEPN:
    The MEPN will be called at 5:30 PM beginning Tuesday, NOV 3, with the pre-net at 5 PM, and the net may be called during the pre-net as soon as traffic is posted for handling. We suggest trying to check in as soon as possible, but we will keep the net open until after 6 PM if at all possible for those caught in drive-time.

    The alternate 160 meter frequency of 1920 ± may also be used. We will announce a shift to that band on the regular 3820-3821 frequency, but, if you check in late and hear nothing on 80, check the 1920 kHz ± frequency before going to Echolink.

    The default fallback for failure of both bands will continue to be the Echolink WASH DC conference bridge with traffic passed on WL2K. That bridge is scheduled for use on Tuesdays at 7:20 PM, but we may announce on any given night to move there under extremely poor HF conditions if the bridge is available. Alternatively, traffic may be pushed directly to county Target Stations on WL2K, outbound traffic to W3YVQ.

    MDD:
    Similar propagation issues face NTS Cycle 4 nets. The MDD is working ground wave only on many nights. The alternative, as above, is the MDC NTS Echolink net and pushing traffic directly to outlets, outbound traffic to W3YVQ, via WL2K.

    73, W3YVQ, MDC STM
    w3yvq atsign arrl dot net

    ==> FINALLY. . .

    The MDC Section Staff would like to wish you and yours a safe and highly enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday.

    If you send me a short write up on your JOTA activities and some pictures, ASM Al Brown, KZ3AB, will post them on the ARRL Section webpage, www.arrl.org/sections/MDC.html.

    We look forward to hearing what's going on around the MDC Section on the upcoming Echolink Net.

    73,
    Jim Cross WI3N

    =========================================================
    The MDC Section News is published monthly, 12 times each year, by James E Cross, III, WI3N, ARRL Maryland-DC Section Manager, 16013 Dorset Rd, Laurel, MD 20707; tel 301-725-6829; e-mail WI3N@ARRL.ORG.

    The MDC Section News offers a monthly e-mail digest of essential and general news of interest to amateur radio operators.

    Visit the MDC Section web page, www.arrl-mdc.net, and the ARRL MDC Section News and Alerts web page, www.arrl.org/sections/MDC.html, for the latest MDC Section news, links and updates.

    Material from the MDC Section News may be republished or reproduced, in whole or in part in any form, without additional permission. Credit must be given to the MDC Section News or the original author of submission.
    ========================================================


    Responsibility for content of all posted material above rests exclusively with the item author. ARRL staff assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions, and accuracy of items appearing on this page. All questions and comments should be directed to the item author.

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    Page last modified: 06:12 PM, 17 Nov 2009 ET
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