************************
MDC Section News
Vol. 9 No. 7 
July 15, 2014
************************


* FIELD DAY 2014
* MDC SECTION-WIDE ECHOLINK NET JULY 18th
* MARYLAND-DC QSO PARTY - IT'S ALMOST HERE!
* MARINE CORPS MARATHON SIGN UP IS READY
* UPCOMING HAMFESTS
* JUNE, 2014 T-MARC REPORT
* MDC SECTION ARES® REPORT
* SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGER'S REPORT
* FINALLY. . .  



==> FIELD DAY 2014

Field Day 2014 is over.  Now it's time for everyone to complete
their paperwork and submit your reports.  You may submit
your entry by one of three ways:

Via the Field Day Web Submission Applet site at 
<www.b4h.net/cabforms/>;

Via e-mail to: <fieldday@arrl.org>; or

Via land postal or delivery service to: Field Day Entries, 
225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.

Entries must be postmarked, e-mailed or submitted by July 29,
2014. Late entries cannot be accepted.

During the Field Day weekend, ASMs Jim Montgomery, WB3KAS, Wanda
Montgomery, KA3AHI and I visited 11 Field Day sites west of the
Chesapeake Bay.  

We started in Garrett County and worked our way east.  We had
supper with the Antietam Radio Association, W3CWC, near 
Hagerstown, visited sites in Frederick County, Montgomery County,
Howard County, St Mary's County (where we had breakfast with the new 
Ft Washington ARC), Washington, DC, Howard County and ended our trek 
with a visit to the Laurel Amateur Radio Club, W3LRC, at 1:30PM on
Sunday.

I wish to thank you all for the hospitality you showed during
our visit. We look forward to seeing folks we missed next year.



==>  MDC SECTION-WIDE ECHOLINK NET JULY 18th

This month's MDC section-wide Echolink net will be held on
Friday, July 18th at 8:00 PM EDT on the Echolink
*WASH_DC* node 6154.

The echolink net is held on the third Friday evening of
every month at 8:00 PM local time.

If you would like to join in on RF, the following
repeaters and IRLPs have linked in for previous Echolink
nets:

- KA2JAI-R operates through the KB3CMA repeater 442.300(+),
  PL=107.2 in Annapolis, MD
- WB3GXW-R, 147.225(+), PL=156.7, located in Calverton, MD
- N3HF-L, 443.45(+), PL=151.4, located near Ocean City, MD
- N3HF-R, 443.45(+), PL=156.7, located near Silver Spring, MD
- W3ICF-R, 146.73(-), PL=141.3, located near Frederick, MD
- K3CAL-R, 146.985(-), PL=156.7, located near Sunderland, MD
- W3SMR, 147.150 MHz(+), PL=114.8, Brandywine, MD
- N3RO-L, 145.545, Simplex, Frederick Co
- W3SMD-L, 147.51 Simplex, N. St Mary's Co
- K3GMR-R 146.61, No PL, Cheverly, MD

Everyone is encouraged to join in and give any updates on
what is going on in your part of the ARRL Maryland-DC
Section.

If you don't have Echolink on your computer, you may
download the free software from: <www.echolink.org>.

As always, we thank John Creel, WB3GXW, for making the
WASH_DC Echolink server and his WB3GXW-R repeater
available for the Echolink nets.


==>  MARYLAND-DC QSO PARTY - IT'S ALMOST HERE!


July is halfway gone.  That means two things:

1.  Summer is zipping by and

2.  The very popular and fun Maryland-DC QSO Party is just around the
corner.  By now you’ve almost recovered from Field Day withdrawal and
are fully rested and are anxious to get back in the fray.  What better
event to get warmed up with than the MDC QSO Party?

This popular QSO Party will take place in two phases on August 9 and
10. 

a.  Phase I – The phase is a 12-hour operating period starts at Noon
(EDT) on Saturday, 9 August and ends at Midnight (EDT).  
b.  Phase II - After a civilized 12-hour break to recharge, Phase II of
the party starts at Noon (EDT) on Sunday, 10 August and ends at 8:00pm
(EDT) for a total of 20 hours operating time.

There are four operating categories:  

•	Club 
•	Standard
•	Mobile 
•	QRP

Endorsements include:  YL, Youth, VHF/UHF Only
Operating modes include:  Phone, CW and Digital.
Bonus points:  25 bonus points may be claimed for a single contact with
club station W3VPR. 
Have questions?  Want to sponsor a plaque?  Contact the AARC at
MDQSOP@w3vpr.org
Bonus points may be claimed for a single contact with W3VPR only. 
Speaking of W3VPR, we will be on the air – check the website for our
operating schedule:   http://mdcqsoparty.w3vpr.org/
For a downloadable copy of the rules, summary sheet, county map, etc.
please visit the AARC MDC QSO Party website: 
http://mdcqsoparty.w3vpr.org/
All logs and Summary Sheets must be received by 9 September.  They can
be sent via e-mail to MDQSOP@w3vpr.org and via snail mail to:  

MDC QSO Party
P.O. Box 308
Davidsonville, MD 21035

Maryland Radio Amateurs:  We look forward to hearing your home or
mobile station on the airwaves the weekend of 9-10 August.  Let’s
make some noise that weekend!  Let everyone know that Maryland is
“radio active”.



==> MARINE CORPS MARATHON SIGN UP IS READY

THE MARINE CORPS MARATHON HAS A NEW HAM SIGN-UP WEBSITE THIS YEAR:

   <http://www.mcmham.org>

We now maintain a database of your information from last year.  "If you
need to make a change, log back into <http://www.mcmham.org> and make
your changes" says Howard Cunningham WD5DB, "no more having to re-enter
everything."

This is also the site where we will place files for you to download.

You will find, at the end of the HAM form, a link to the Marathon
sign-up page.  "You need to continue onto the Marine Corps Marathon
site and fill out their form" Howard explains, adding "until you do
both sites you are not signed up."

If you have problems with the Web site, email Howard, WD5DBC, at:

   Howard Cunningham <howardc@macrollc.com>

Thank you for supporting the Marine Corps Marathon.

Thanks to William Hatfield, W3QX, for this informaton.



==> UPCOMING HAMFESTS

Maryland Hamfest and Computer Fest
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Sponsor: Baltimore Radio Amateur Television Society (BRATS)
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Website: http://bratsatv.org/hamfest
Location: Howard County Fairgrounds
2210 Fairgrounds Road
West Friendship, MD 21794
Talk-In: 147.030+
Contact: Shane Longo, K2GZL
PO Box 5915
Baltimore, MD 21282
Email: hamfest@bratsatv.org

-------------------------------------------------

64rd Annual Berryville Hamfest
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Sponsor: Shenandoah Valley Amateur Radio Club
Website: www.shenvalarc.org/hamfest
Location: Clarke County Ruritan Fairgrounds
Business Route 7
Berryville, VA
Talk-In: 146.820-
Contact: John Cottrell, WD4GEK
989 Black Bear Road
Maurertown, VA 22644
Phone: 540-436-3818
Email: BerryvilleHamfest@gmail.com

-------------------------------------------------

Carroll County Tailgate Fest
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Sponsor: Carroll County Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.qis.net/~k3pzn
Location: Carroll County Agricultural Center
706 Agriculture Center Drive
Westminster, MD 21157
Talk-In: 145.410 (PL 114.8)
Contact: Steve Beckman, N3SB
2145 Bethel Road
Finksburg, MD 21048
Phone: 410-876-1482
Email: n3sb@qis.net

------------------------------------------------

Southern Maryland Tailgate Fest
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Sponsor: St. Mary's County ARA
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Location: Hollywood Volunteer Fire Dept
24801 Three Notch Road
Hollywood, MD 20636
Talk-In: 146.64 (PL 146.2)
Website: www.k3nhk.org
Contact: Ken McNeely, KB3YPY
21837 North Essex Drive
Lexington Park, MD 20653
Phone: 301-862-4105
Email: ken.mcneely@yahoo.com

You may view upcoming hamfests which are nearby in Pennsylvania,
Delaware, Maryland-DC, West Virginia and the Virginia area by
clicking on the ARRL MDC Section web page at:
<http:www.arrl-mdc.net/hamfest.htm>.



==> JUNE, 2014 T-MARC REPORT

T-MARC is The Mid-Atlantic Repeater Council.  T-MARC coordinates
Amateur VHF and UHF repeater operations to keep interference
problems to a minimum. 

The areas of responsibility include the District of Columbia,
Delaware, Maryland, Northern Virginia and the eastern panhandle
of West Virginia.

We are asking that you please distribute the following to members 
of your organization:

The cross-band repeat functionality in many of the VHF/UHF amateur 
radios these days can provide a useful function in a number of
scenarios. However, a number of cross-band repeaters have shown up 
using un-authorized repeater input, un-authorized repeater output, 
or the national simplex calling frequencies (52.525 MHz, 
146.520 MHz, 223.50 MHz, and 446.000 MHz, etc.). 

This practice interferes with repeater operation and mis-uses the 
simplex frequencies.  Also, please remember that proper station 
identification is required per FCC Part 97.119.
 
June, 2014

Applications in Process:

KA4DCS 
   – Received application for move of unpublished 449.xxxx- 
      repeater from Alexandria, Va. to Culpeper, Va. and also a 
      frequency swap of same pair to 444.xxxx+. 
   - Sent Notice of Proposed Coordination to neighboring
      coordination groups. 
   - Awaiting testing.
 
N3UR
   – Received application for coordination for 6 meter pair at
      Syria, Va.
   - Requested pair unavailable. 
   - Sent Notice of Proposed Coordination for alternate pair to
      neighboring coordination groups. 
   - Sent Construction Coordination for 53.2100-.
 
DC Metro ARC 
   – Sent Notice of Proposed Coordination to Area Repeater 
      Coordination Council for move of 145.4300- to a different 
      location in Laurel, Md. 
   - No objection, but DCMARC has decided not to continue with
      move.
 
Calvert Amatuer Radio Club
   – Received confirmation that the remote receive site in Waldorf
      is operational using a UHF link. 
   - Sent Final Coordination.
 
Southern Patuxent ARC 
   – Received application for UHF telemetry link.
   - Sent Construction Coordination.
 
N4PDY
   – Received Application for Coordination for UHF pair in
      Sterling, Va.
   - Suggested SNP pairs since repeater would be low profile.

Other:

Western Pa. Repeater Council
   - Received 1 proposed coordination for 6 meters
   - Received 2 proposed coordinations for 2 meters
   - Received 2 proposed coordinations for 440
 
South East Repeater Association:
   - Received 1 proposed coordination for 220
   - Received 1 proposed coordination for 1.2 GHz 

If you would like to contact T-MARC, you may send an e-mail to the
Board at <tmarc@tmarc.org>.

Our snail-mail address is:
 T-MARC
 P.O. Box 1022
 Savage, Md. 20763-1022



==> MDC SECTION ARES® REPORT

_______________________________________________________
ARRL Section: Maryland-DC   Month:   June   Year: 2014
_______________________________________________________
AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE
Total number of ARES members: 607
Change since last month:   0
Number of DECs/ECs reporting this month: 5
Number of ARES nets active: 5
Number with NTS liaison: 4
Calls of DECs/ECs reporting: KB3FMJ, N3SEO, N3QHC, NI2W, WB3KAS
Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month:   13   
Person hours:  287
Number of public service events this month:  2                        

Person hours:  182
Number of emergency operations this month:  0                       
Person hours:     0
Total number of ARES operations this month: 16           
Total Person hours:    469
 
Comments from around the Section
 
de Section Emergency Coordinator WB3KAS:
  I'd like to thank everyone for taking the time to write their monthly
EC reports.  The number of  submissions are declining and I hope this
not the norm to see in the future.
  Field Day is in the history books.  Your Section Manager, Jim, WI3N,
and his ASM, Wanda, KA3AHI and I toured 11 MDC Section FD sites across
the state and into the District.  We started out at GARR County ARES
and ended at Ft Washington ARC doing FD at the Nanjemory Creek
Observatory.  Know where that is? Neither did we until we got there. 
Great fun all the way around and if we didn't get to your site this
year, there is always next year.
  There is one vacant DEC slot left for the Central Region Section.  If
you are interested, and up to the challenge, please contact me or the
Section Manager, WI3N for more information. Wanda, KA3AHI, and I
continue to schedule visit to as many ARES and club groups as possible.
 We have two presentations I think would be worth your while to hear. 
One on Section Interoperability and the other is the Section Hospital
EmComm Program.  If you have interest in this, and have room on your
meeting agenda for us, please contact me.
======================
de ANAR County N3SEO:
Held FD at Downs Park, Pasadena, MD running 4A
======================
de CALV County N3QHC:
1.  Monday, June 2, RO/Bill/N3XMZ and EC/Dennis/N3QHC attended planning
meeting held in Annapolis for upcoming Cystic Fibrosis Cycle for Life
event scheduled for Sunday, October 19.  CF Director will be giving EC
new routes and locations of new Rest Stops. This will be the 5th year
that ARES has volunteered its services for this important PS event
benefitting children and adults with Cystic Fibrosis.  .
a.  RO and EC continued off-line how Public Service Events benefits
those volunteering their time.  The use of operating Simplex for hours
with no commercial power.  Perhaps using APRS amongst Rest Stops and
SAG vehicles.
2.  Sunday, June 8, Karl/KG1L provided ARES-MAT with PRGE’s MS Cycle
event.  His report is attached to this report.
3.  Last month’s AAR for CRE 5K Family Fun Day is attached.  Thanks
to Kim/K3UGA for the AAR.
4.  Tuesday, June 17 meeting was attended by 5 members.  We discussed
the CF Cycle-for-Life event to be held October 19.  We planned for LGN
Facility Emergency Response Plan.  Shawn/N3AE to add old plan to our
Yahoo Group site.  Les/N3YR said we used directional antenna years ago
at Patuxent HS to EOC b/c HS location is a low area.  Karl/KG1L told
the group how he made a MESH antenna.  Other attendees were Jim/K3UGA
and Dennis/N3QHC.
======================
de GARR County KB3FMJ
Report on Garrett County Emergency Operations VHF equipment set up and
tests. The Garret County Health Department equipment has been installed
and tested. Field Day 2014, antenna build exercise. The Garrett County
ARES (GCARES) monthly meetings will be held at the Southern Garrett
County Rescue Squad board room in Oakland Maryland. The next meeting
will be Monday July 14th  at 7:00 PM.
Our Field Day exercise was held at the Western Maryland 4H Center.
Visiting were ARRL representatives Jim Cross, Jim and Wanda Montgomery.
Also attending was the Garrett County Public Safety and Emergency
Management director John Frank. The GCARES net is currently on hold due
to equipment repairs on the 146.805 repeater
=======================
de PRGE County WB3KAS:
PRGE ARES Web Page: http://www.pgares.org
PRGE ARES Internet Forum: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PG-AresRaces/
Nets: Held four regularly scheduled monthly training VHF nets on
145.23MHz  on Tuesdays at 1930L. The monthly HF Hospital Net is held
the Wednesday following the third Monday of the month on 3820KHz at
1930L.
 
Meetings: Monthly meeting held the 3rd Monday of the month at the Fire
Services Building, 6820 Webster St, Landover Hills, MD at 1930. Eyeball
QSOs at 1900. All are welcome.
 
June 7&8: PRGE ARES provided bike run communications services for the
National Capital Chapter, National Multiple Sclerosis Society Bike MS
“Ride the Riverside” from National Harbor, MD.  Twenty-two Amateur
Radio operators answering the call from surrounding counties, ANAR,
CALV, CHAR and PRGE braved cooler weather to provide a communications
link from rest stops along the bike trail back to the event Command
Center located at the Aloft Hotel at National Harbor.  Saturday had
eight rest stops covering 30, 60 and a 100 mile bike runs across two
county lines provided the challenge for the operators while Sunday had
three stops for the 32 mile run.  Cost avoidance to the MS Society by
providing backup emergency communications via the Amateur Radio
volunteer community versus the commercial sector is on the order of
$21,830.  The equipment used, operator hours spent and travel to and
from the facilities is provided gratis to the Society by the Prince
George’s County Amateur Radio Emergency Service. A special note of
thanks to the Southern Maryland Amateur Radio Club for allowing us the
use of their outstanding repeater coverage on 147.150 (pl 114.8)
located in Brandywine, MD.  Participating radio operators from three
counties:  AB3NA, AB3UC, K3GDM, KA3AHI, KA8YPY, KB3LIB, KB3NJK, KB3QIK,
KB3QIN, KB3QIO, KC3ADH, KC3BHQ, KC3CVO, KG1L, N3JBX, N2JFX, N3XL, N3XKJ,
W3RL, W4ANT, WA3YTK, WB3KAS.
 
June 14:  PRGE ARES EC conducted a one day Winlink 2000 Class for four
Ft Washington ARC (FWARC) Members two District HacDC members.
 
June 21:  PRGE ARES along with FWARC cinducted the ARRL sposored Kid's
Day at Ft Washington National park, Ft Washington, MD.
 
June 28:  Field Day was held at the American Legion Youth Camp,
Clinton, MD
=====================
de WASH County N12W:
The Antietam Radio Association (ARA) held their annual FD exercise at
the Leitersburg, MD Ruritan Park. 33 ARA members and 24 Guests were in
attendance. ARA operated an all band CW station, 80M Phone, 40M Phone,
20M Phone and digital, GOTA, 6M Phone and a satellite station.
Our Section Manager - Jim Cross-, SEC - Jim Montgomery and Wanda
Montgomery attended the event.
TV coverage was provided by WHAG, CH-25 in Hagerstown, MD. As an
estimate approximately $16,000 in equipment along with  61 hours of
operating time. Of the 33 ARA members, 15 are ARES members. I do not
have the total number of contacts for this effort but or score is
comparable with the past three years. We encountered two failed HF
radios and identified several antenna improvements that need to be
implemented next year
=====================
de KA3AHI AEC PRGE Hospital Project:
Next HFHN will be July 23. I'd like to hear more check-ins from our MDC
Section.
 
======================
Signature: Jim Montgomery
Call sign: WB3KAS
Maryland-DC SEC
Email: wb3kas@aol.co



==> SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGER'S REPORT

MDC NTS NETS:

MEPN 1406 W3YVQ QND/30 QNI/341 QTC/127 MINS/917
BTN 1406 KB3MXM QND/29 QNI/306 QTC/25 MINS/492
MDD 1406 AA3SB QND/59 QNI/279 QTC/106 MINS/499
MSN 1406 W8CPG QND/30 QNI/181 QTC/23 MINS/782

PSHR: KK3F 150, W3YVQ 135, KB3LNM 115, W4OTN 109,
AA3SB 100, WB3FTQ 90, W3CB 78, NF8I 71, N3ZOC 27;

TFC: KK3F 2554, WB3FTQ 189, NF8I 168, KB3LNM 123,
AA3SB 107, W4OTN 70, W3YVQ 65, N3HFC 28, W3CB 17,
N3ZOC 7, KC3Y 5

==========

HF propagation degraded slightly during June with
daytime MUFs dipping below 24 MHz many days, and
below 20 MHz some days, mostly due to higher sun
angle, daytime absorption, solar disturbances and/or
reduced sunspot numbers. NTS nationwide nets have
enjoyed generally good evening Cycle 4 conditions but
more difficult Cycle 2 conditions with weaker summertime
signals in the afternoons. Cycle 24 is still quite active,
however, and a large group of sunspots came into view
at the end of the month. FD MF/HF conditions were a
bit more difficult than in 2013.

All MDC ARES(r) jurisdictions are encouraged to use
the Radio-email Layer to communicate with each
other, served agencies, and the stations operating in
the MDC NTS/NTSD affiliated nets. Peer-to-peer Radio-
email connections may also be used for backup.
Stations on MEPN can accept direct and network
connections for Radio-email via HF PacTor, forward
Radio-email nation-wide, and post Radiogram traffic
directly to the NTSD when needed. Outlets in each
ARES(r) jurisdiction are needed for daily Radiogram
and Radio-email traffic, particularly for messaging
welcoming new hams to the Amateur Service. Local
stations are best equipped to deliver such traffic and
welcome the new ham with local information and help.

Remember that the MSN provides CW training daily
for newcomers to the mode, or those wishing to
refresh their skills, daily at 7:30 PM on 3563 kHz.

All of our operations, voice, CW, and digital, are in
need of additional supporting manpower. If you can
operate any of these modes, please consider joining
our MDC net fleet. Becoming familiar with methods and
practices now will pay big dividends should an
emergency communications situation arise in your local
area or over a wider region. All of our operators and
managers will be glad to help you learn the skills and
find out about various types of equipment and/or
software used. This is your pathway to joining the
national ARRL Field Organization EMCOMM team.

Thanks to all the NTS net controls, liaisons, and traffic
handlers for the continuing effort to keep the nets
running and traffic moving. Well done!
---

Thank you for your continued support of MDC integrated
ARES(r)/NTS/NTSD operations.

73, W3YVQ, MDC ASM, STM
w3yvq atsign arrl dot net



==> FINALLY. . . 

Field Day 2014 is over and I again wish to thank SEC Jim
Montgomery, WB3KAS, and ASM Wanda Montgomery, KA3AHI, 
for accompanying me on our about 700 mile journey. We are truly 
privileged to see so many clever arrangements for operating, not 
to mention the really fantastic food!

After Hurricane Aurthur made landfall in North Carolina on 
Independence Day, he turned more to the northeast and missed 
Maryland.

But this reminds me that hurricane season has started and we all 
should keep an eye on the weather in the tropics.

FEMA urges Americans to take the time now to prepare their 
families and businesses for hurricanes and tropical storms before
a disaster strikes. 

You may get started preparing now by learning the hurricane risks in
your area and by downloading the "How to Prepare for a  Hurricane
Guide."  The URL for the "Hurricane Guide" is:
<http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1396459350530-e5eb2cc0c84a4aea8582a90953ea6f2f/How_To_Prepare_Guide_Hurricane.pdf>.
 
Hopefully lots of clubs and individuals will climb aboard the MDC QSO
Party bandwagon and put MDC on the air the second weekend in August.

Please sign up for the major public service event in the area and an
incredible training event for Amateur Radio and many diverse government
and military entities - the Marine Corps Marathon. If you haven't done
it before, there will be an all hands training seminar prior to the
marathon to walk you through everything you will need to know. Take
advantage of the opportunity to learn some new skills.

73, and remember, I am always at your service.

Jim Cross, WI3N
<WI3N@ARRL.ORG>
ARRL MDC Section Manager (SM)