February, 2012

 

 The following Amateur Radio Operators became a Silent Key: Robert Russell, WA9YZK; Don Pamachena, K9DOP; Ron Hensel, K9ZE. Our condolences go out to the family. They will be missed by all.

 

 

SECTION MANAGER NEWS

 

 From time to time, I receive emails telling me of a problem that someone has encountered or even as they put it, “my pet peeve”, that they want me to know about.

One problem that has come up is vulgar language on the bands. We all know that the FCC rules plainly state that it is not to be used, but more and more it is being reported that even the F-word is now used on HF, especially 80 meters late at night. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my little ones to hear that language.

The repeated kerchunking of repeaters or interfering with someone using a frequency is another hot issue that seems to have grown in the past few years.

Problems as these should be written down and reported to the FCC or you can contact the Official Observer Coordinator, David Berry, N9QP as n9qp@arrl.net and he will take your information and have the OOs look into it, for them to collect the evidence needed to send into the FCC.

Another item that concerns HF Amateurs is the tuning up on a DX station’s listening frequency. This is not so much an enforcement issue as it is a lack of knowledge issue. The Elmer program needs to be enhanced by all Amateurs to teach the newer Hams how to operate on HF, as it is quite different than being on VHF/UHF.

A simple Elmer lesson on the fact that they are listening there and you need to be tuned up for the frequency you are going to transmit on would eliminate a lot of the new Hams tuning up on the receiving frequency.

Yelling at someone on the band is just as bad, because then all you are doing is creating more interference by transmitting over the DX station. We have enough “Band Cops” now as it is.

Here in 2012, when we hold a class or get a member in our club that upgrades, let’s teach them how to use the HF bands and chase DX or Ragchew. Instruct them on how to tune up their radio for the antenna that is not resonance and that by all means, we do not tune up on the DX receiving frequency.

 

 

OFFICIAL OBSERVER PROGRAM REPORT FOR JANUARY 2012

 

David Berry, N9QP Indiana section OOC reported the Official Observer Program for January 2012 had 348 total hours of observation, and issued 1 advisories and 6 Good Ops report.

 

 

 

INDIANA ARES ACTIVITY FOR JANUARY 2012

                                               

NUMBER OF LOCAL ARES NETS ACTIVE: 49                                                            

NUMBER OF TEAMS WITH NTS LIAISON: 26                                                 

                                                                     

TOTAL NUMBER OF NET SESSIONS, DRILLS/TESTS THIS MONTH: 201

TOTAL PERSON-HOURS REPORTED: 1324                                                      

                                                                       

PUBLIC SERVICE EVENTS REPORTED:  16                                                                 

TOTAL PSE PERSON-HOURS REPORTED: 487.50                                                       

                                                                       

EMERGENCY NETS REPORTED: 6                                                                     

TOTAL EMERGENCY PERSON-HOURS REPORTED: 43                                                                                                                                            

TOTAL NUMBER OF ARES OPERATIONS THIS MONTH: 223                                              

TOTAL PERSON-HOURS REPORTED: 1854.5                                                                                                   

TOTAL NUMBER INDIANA SECTION ARES HF NETS: 5                                                      

QNI: 82                                                                      

 

                                   

SEC COMMENTS

 

I’m slowly working my way around the state with phone interviews of all ARES appointees. This has taken longer than I originally expected since I estimated 15 minute discussions would allow me to get to know each appointee. None have lasted less than 20 minutes and some have been 2 hour marathon discussions, but all have been very informative. I will talk to each DEC, EC, and OES before this process is finished. Please have patience if I haven’t called you yet.

Some appointees have claimed problems with their callsign@arrl.net address not forwarding email to their preferred account. You need to make certain to update your membership settings on the ARRL.Org website when you change preferred email addresses. If you are having trouble with the ARRL e-mail forwarding service and your e-mail is correct on their website, then contact Katie Glass at e-mail kglass@arrl.org and let her know that your arrl.net e-mail forwarding is not working.

I have to give credit to Allen County ARES member Gary Gruesbeck KB9TUI for bringing an excellent online video to my attention. The video can be found on YouTube and is titled, “2011 DCC – Digital Modes for EmComm – FCC” (Do a web search for the title, the link is extremely long). Curt Bartholomew, N3GQ serves as Senior Administrator with the Operations & Emergency Management Division in the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau at the FCC. He spoke about digital modes and the role of amateur radio in emergency communications at the ARRL/TAPR conference last year. It’s interesting to hear his perspective as a licensed ham for 41 years that has served in several professional communications positions. He makes at least three points that should resonate for ARES members;

1) Amateur Radio is a hobby, but it is our role in emergency communications that protects our frequency spectrum allocation,

2)  Providing digital mode capabilities will keep amateur radio a relevant tool for served agencies

3) One undisciplined know-it-all operator among our team can ruin an otherwise favorable impression of amateur radio’s capabilities to served agencies.

 If you have the means, I strongly recommend that all EC’s play this video at your next team meeting and discuss how your team would answer some of the preparedness questions that Mr. Bartholomew poses.

 

Thanks for all your efforts in the service of your communities and Indiana ARES.

 

Joseph Lawrence, K9RFZ

ARRL Indiana Section Emergency Coordinator

 

 

SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGER SUMMARY - JANUARY 2012

PUBLIC SERVICE HONOR ROLL (PSHR)  –  JANUARY 2012:   NA9L  97,   N9WLW  110,   

W9BGJ  90, W9LW  100, W9MBT  90,   W9WXN  148,   WA5LOU  120,   WB9FHP  191,   WB9YBI  290.

 This is  OUTSTANDING, FOLKS!  Everyone take a look at page 104 in your February 2012 QST Magazine, for the monthly published results. 

The Public Service Honor Roll (PSHR) recognizes the efforts of those Amateur Radio Operators who are active in Public Service and qualifies with 70 points each month, in several areas of their Public Service.

The PSHR Group total is 1236, with 9 stations reporting!  See all the numbers in our full report on this web page:  http://www.inarrl.org/stmreport.pdf.  For further information on the PSHR Program, go to http://www.arrl.org/public-service-honor-roll

 BRASS POUNDERS LEAGUE (BPL) – JANUARY 2012:   WB9FHP  1574,  W9WXN  501.  This is GREAT work gentlemen.

 The Brass Pounders League is open to all amateurs in the US, Canada and US possessions.   For further information on the Brass Pounders League and how to count traffic, go to 
http://www.arrl.org/chapter-ten-counting-net-traffic

OFFICAL RELAY STATION (ORS) RESULTS – JANUARY 2012:  Our ORS Group and our Section Activity Report (SAR) stations totalled out at 2771 pieces of traffic handled, with 15 ORS stations, and 2 others providing a SAR, this month.  You continue to be OUTSTANDING!

 Our ORS & SAR reporting station numbers are totalled from messages they originate, receive, send, and deliver.  See all the numbers in our full report here:  http://www.inarrl.org/stmreport.pdf

 SECTION & LOCAL NETS FOR January 2012:   35 nets reporting 310 sessions, 4334 check-ins, and 391 messages handled.  WOW!  Our nets are hard at work.  This is GREAT stuff, Folks!  OUTSTANDING!

 Check out the full report, at  http://www.inarrl.org/stmreport.pdf,  to see how your particular net is doing. 

 We are off to a great start, Folks!  2012 is going to have an Indiana Section that shines brighter than ever.  All we have to do is continue on the same path, ensure we all handle lots of traffic, and continue to learn and improve! 

 We will continue to shout out loud:

 “WE ARE ACTIVE!”

 73 all!

Lou Everett, Sr., WA5LOU

Section Traffic Manager

 

 

INDIANA SECTION TECHNICAL SPECIALISTS REPORT FOR JANUARY 2012

 

Mark, N9OZ reported that all the technical specialists reported in this month detailing their activities.

 

Roger, N9QCL reported, “Saturday January 28, 2012 around 20:05 Z, I drove to South Whitley to investigate the reported HF interference problem. I spent a couple hours driving around the town of South Whitley using my Kenwood TS-480HX with my Tarheel 2 screwdriver antenna and found the strongest signals were at the corner of Market Street and State Street (SR 5), on the South west side of this area is the new Fire station and to the north are a couple houses. The GPS locations for strongest signals S-9 signal @ N41.08648 W85.62798 and just under an S9 signal @ 41.08621 W85.62811. The signals seemed to be the strongest in a frequency range from 4.2000 MHz to 4.430 MHz. Other areas of town there was either no signal or a very low lever signal. Assumption is that there is something within either the fire station or the first or second house to the north of that intersection is where the interference signal is being generated. To investigate further we will need to have a portable HF receiver and permission to go onto the personal property.”

 

 

 

GENERAL LICENSE CLASS

 

The Michiana Amateur Radio Club is now taking reservations for the General Class to start in April.  If you want to upgrade please let us know so we can order enough workbooks. The registration fee is $40 which includes the study material and testing fee.  Bring your check made out to MARC in the amount of $40, or pay by cash at the 7:30 P.M. March 30th club meeting at the South Bend Red Cross.

 

The class schedule is as follows:

 

Opening session Saturday April 21st at 9 AM till noon at the South Bend Red Cross.  The next class will be every Saturday thereafter.  April 28th, May 5th, 12, 19th and the final session May 26th with the examination.

 

Please contact Dan Caesar at 574-255-4455 if you intend to register. 

 

 

 

 

Until next month,

73

John Poindexter, W3ML

ARRL Indiana Section Manager

The Section website is located at http://www.inarrl.org