************************
MDC Section News
Vol. 9 No. 2
February 13, 2014
************************

*  MDC SECTION-WIDE ECHOLINK NET FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15th
*  UPCOMING HAMFESTS
*  TWO NEW ARRL VIDEOs ON LINE
*  UPCOMING AMATEUR RADIO CLASSES
*  SKYWARN CLASSES
*  PACKET NET HELP NEEDED
*  JANUARY, 2014 T-MARC NEWS
*  MDC AFFILIATED CLUB COORDINATOR (ACC) REPORT
*  MDC SECTION ARES® REPORT
*  SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGER'S REPORT
*  FINALLY



==>  MDC SECTION-WIDE ECHOLINK NET FEBRUARY 15th

This month's MDC section-wide Echolink net will be held on Friday,
February 14th at 8:00 PM EDT on the Echolink *WASH_DC* node 6154.

If you would like to join in on RF, the following repeaters/IRLP 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
software, free-of-charge, from: <http://www.echolink.org>.

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

==> UPCOMING HAMFESTS

You may view upcoming hamfests in the Pennsylvania, Delaware,
Maryland-DC, West Virginia and Virginia area by clicking on the ARRL
MDC Section web page at:
<http:www.arrl-mdc.net/hamfest.htm>.
    -----
Winterfest
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Sponsor: Vienna Wireless Society
Location: Northern Virginia Community College - Annandale Campus
8333 Little River Turnpike
Annandale, VA 22003
Website: <http://www.viennawireless.org/winterfest.php>
Talk-In: 146.91- (no PL tone)
Public Contact: Jack Welch, AI4SV
3925 Wilcoxson Drive Fairfax, VA 22031
Phone: 314-266-8426
Email: <dhakajack@gmail.com>
    -----
Greater Baltimore Hamboree and the Regional Emergency Preparedness
Expo
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Location: Maryland State Fairgrounds
2200 York Road
Timonium, MD
Website: <http://www.gbhc.org/>
Sponsor: Baltimore Amateur Radio Club
Talk-In: 147.67
Public Contact: Sharon Dobson, K3DUH
PO Box 120
Reisterstown, MD 21136
Phone: 443-590-1444
Email: <w3ft67@yahoo.com>
    -----
'Great' Hagerstown Hamfest
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Sponsor: Antietam Radio Association
Location: Washington County Ag Center
7313 Sharpsburg Pike
Boonsboro, MD
Website: <w3cwc.org>
Talk-In: 147.090+ 100.0Hz CTCSS
Hamfest Chairman: Herman Niedzielski, K2AVA
21512 Leitersburg-Smithsburg Road
Hagerstown, MD 21742
Phone: 301-791-5841
Email: <k2ava@myactv.net>
    -----
Memorial Day Hamfest
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Sponsor: Maryland FM Association
Location: Howard County Fairgrounds
2210 Fairgrounds Road
West Friendship, MD 21794
Website: <http://www.marylandfm.org/Hamfest.htm>
Talk-In: 146.16/76 (PL 107.2)
Public Contact: John Elgin, WA3MNN
518 Copley Lane
Silver Spring, MD 20904
Phone: 301-641-5313
Email: <marylandfm@verizon.net>

Click on: <www.arrl-mdc.net/hamfest.htm> and mark your calenders!

==> TWO NEW ARRL VIDEOs ON LINE

There are two new ARRL videos that you may want to view and show at
your upcoming club meetings or classes.

The first is "Discovering Amateur Radio."  It runs for about 32 minutes
and shows the many possibilities for learning, safety and security, and
helping others throughout our world.

The video includes a brief history of communications technology and
then moves into the many exciting opportunities that the world of ham
radio has to offer today.

The link is:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivUMIADFSDw&feature=youtu.be>.

The second video entitled "ARRL AT 100: A Century of Ham Radio," gives
a brief history of amateur radio and promotes the American Radio Relay
League.  The link is:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JerSTUDqI7s&feature=youtu.be>.

==> UPCOMING AMATEUR RADIO CLASSES

The following are four Technician classes and one General class
starting soon in various parts of the MDC Section. If you know someone
who is thinking of obtaining an Amateur Radio license, please direct
them to one of these classes. Clubs, please let your members know.

The classes below are listed on the Maryland-DC Section web page,
<http://www.arrl-mdc.net> and is in the "Quick Clicks Bar" marked
"Upcoming Ham Radio Classes."

The direct link is <http://www.arrl-mdc.net/Classes.htm>.

===================

The Montgomery College Chapter of the IEEE and Montgomery Amateur Radio
Club are planning a public free Technician Class licensing class on six
successive Saturdays starting March 1, 2014.

Location:
Science Center, fourth floor, room 424
Montgomery College
51 Mannakee Street
Rockville, MD 20850
dates:  Saturdays, March 1, 2014 to April 5, 2014
time:   9 AM to 12 Noon
fee:    Free (zero, nada, null)
instructor:     David Bern, W2LNX, and friends
suggested book: The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual Revised 2nd Edition
(Book and CD-ROM), ISBN: 978-0872590977
class registration and further information: David Bern, W2LNX
education@marcclub.org

===================

CARA, the Columbia Amateur Radio Association, will be conducting a two
day license class on the weekend of March 8 and 9. Classes begin at
8:00 and end at 4:30 on both days. There will be a one hour break for
lunch each day.

Location:
The course will be given at the Howard Community College club station,
W3HCC in Columbia, MD. To reach the campus, take Rt. 29 to Broken Land
Parkway, west. Take Broken Land to the first light, which is Hickory
Ridge Road. Take Hickory Ridge to the campus entrance, which will be on
your right. The station is located in a trailer building, which will be
the first structure on your right after the campus athletic and fitness
center.
The link below provides a map of the entrance to the college and of the
station location. Parking is available in the surface lot across from
the station, or in the nearby parking garage.

There is no charge for the course and course materials will be
provided.

For further information, contact Steve Buzckowski, KB3RRJ, at
kb3rrj@gmail.com

Map:
<https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwGFyopxqmdKbldqNGxadDZlQ1U/edit?usp=sharing>

===================

Location:  Hagerstown Md.
Start/End Dates: 03/07/2014 - 03/09/2014
Times: Friday 7 PM,
       Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM,
       Sunday 9 AM to 5 PM
Number of Sessions: 3
Class level: Technician
Morse code offered: No
Pre register required: Yes
Fee: $35.00
Pre Study required: Yes
Class Type: Weekend/Fri Evening, Sat all day, Sunday all day
Exam offered: Yes
Sponsoring Club/Organization: Antietam Radio Association
Instructor: KD3JK
Contact: Robert Long KD3JK
Phone: (301) 745-4932
Email: <rjlong61@myactv.net>
Location: Washington County Sheriff's Office,
Patrol Division
500 Western Maryland Parkway
Hagerstown, MD 21740
Additional Information: Contact KD3JK at:
   <rjlong61@myactv.net>  for full details.

===================

Davidsonville, Md.
Start/End Dates: 03/08/2014 - 04/12/2014
Times: 9 AM to Noon
Number of Sessions: 6
Class level: Technician
Morse code offered: No
Pre register required: No
Fee: $0.00
Pre Study required: No
Class Type: Traditional
Exam offered: Yes
Sponsoring Club/Organization: Anne Arundel Radio Club
Instructor: KK4GV
Contact: Rick Creager KK4GV
Phone: (301) 855-2278
Email: <kk4gv@arrl.net>
Location: Davidson Family Recreation Center
3789 Queen Anne Bridge Road
Davidsonville, MD 21035

===================

Davidsonville, Md.
Start/End Dates: 04/26/2014 - 06/14/2014
Times: 9 AM to Noon
# of Sessions: 6
Class level: General
Morse code offered: No
Pre register required: No
Fee: $0.00
Pre Study required: No
Class Type: Traditional
Exam offered: Yes
Sponsoring Club/Organization: Anne Arundel Radio Club
Instructor: KK4GV
Contact: Rick Creager KK4GV
Phone: (301) 855-2278
Email: <kk4gv@arrl.net>
Location: Davidson Family Recreation Center
3789 Queen Anne Bridge Road
Davidsonville, MD 21035

You may view upcoming amateur radio classes in your area by clicking
on:
<http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-class>
and searching in your area.



==>  SKYWARN CLASSES

There are two Skywarn classes coming up.

One is at the University of Maryland at College Park on Saturday, Mar
1, 2014 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM.  Register at
<http://www.atmos.umd.edu/~gcm/events/6/skywarn-basics1/>
<http://www.atmos.umd.edu/%7Egcm/events/6/skywarn-basics1/>.

The second is at the Prince Georges County Fire Services Building,
6820 Webster Street, Landover Hills, Maryland 20784 on Thursday,

March 13, 2014 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (EDT).

Register at:
<http://www.eventbrite.com/e/skywarn-basics-i-tickets-10469890725>.

Thanks to Tom Horn, W3TDH, for the information.


==>  PACKET NET HELP NEEDED

The Frederick County EC, Jeff Fishman, KB3FIO, asks:

I am looking into establishing a monthly packet net here in Frederick
County. We would probably use AX 25 basic protocol and point-to-point
to start, and work up to more advanced modes in the near future.

The idea is to get our Emcomm folks some practice for passing digital
traffic between Red Cross shelters, hospitals, EOC, etc., in
emergencies.

If you have experience in VHF packet nets, please let me know how you
recommend establishing and running this type of thing.

Thanks.

Jeff Fishman, KB3FIO
<MDC-EC@mailman.qth.net>

==> JANUARY, 2014 T-MARC NEWS

January 2014
Applications in Process:

Southern Patuxent ARC – Received request to change location for UHF
link hub repeater from Sunderland, Md. to Prince Frederick, Md.

Sent Notice of Proposed Coordination to neighboring coordination groups.

Sent revised coordination.

***Note: Dec. 2013 monthly report incorrectly had this to Calvert
ARC***

AE4ML – Received application for move of 224.9000- from Spotsylvania
to Madison, Va. Sent Notice of Proposed Coordination to neighboring
coordination groups.

Sent Construction Coordination for move of 224.9000.

AE4ML – Received request for control frequency for 442.5750+.

Sent revised coordination to include control freq.

King George Amateur Radio Operators – Received application for minor
ERP increase on 448.4750-. Sent revised coordination.

N3MIR – Received updated minor technical parameter changes for
224.6000-.

Sent revised coordination.

K3WS – Received Certificate of Operational Status for 447.6750- in
Wash., D.C

Sent Final Coordination.

Bull Rn Mtn. ARA – Received application for 6 meter repeater in
Haymarket, Va.
                Sent Notice of Proposed Coordination to neighboring
coordination groups.
                Sent coordination for 53.4900-.

KB3MEC – Received notification of CTCSS change for 224.000 in Newark,
Del.
                Sent notice of change to Area Repeater Coordination
Council. Sent revised coordination.

Alexandria Radio Club – Sent revised coordination for 53.1300-

K3RIC – Received Application for Coordination for a narrow-band 2
meter pair in
                Salisbury, Md. Sent Notice of Proposed Coordination to
neighboring  coordination groups.

N3JDR – Received Application for Coordination for move of 447.1250-
to Hagerstown, Md. Sent Notice of Proposed Coordination to neighboring
                coordination groups.

Kent Island ARC – Received request to change sponsorship to Queen
Anne’s
                County RACES for 146.9400- and 448.2250- at
Centerville, Md.

On Air Status Requests sent to:
147.0300+     KE4JSV            Luray, Va.
224.2200-     N3HXT              Winchester, Va.
224.3600-     KE4JSV            Luray, Va.
923.2500      MACS               Rockville, Md.
Lnk/Ctrl        W7UH
Lnk               W1ZFB
Lnk/Ctrl        Sussex ARA
Lnk               Somerset ARES
Lnk/Ctrl        Carroll County ARC
Lnk              N3EJT
Lnk/Ctrl        Md. Mobileers ARC
Ctrl               N3ITA
Lnk              Goddard ARC
Ctrl              Arlington Radio Public Srvc Club
Ctrl              Aero ARC
Ctrl              Antietam Radio Assoc
Ctrl              NIHRAC
Ctrl              NERA
Ctrl              Cecil Co. DES
Ctrl              WA4TSC
Ctrl              KC3VO
Lnk/Ctrl      BRATS
Lnk/Ctrl      KB8NUF
Lnk/Ctrl      Columbia ARA

Coordinations Withdrawn / Cancelled:
923.2500      MACS                Rockville, Md.
Lnk           Somerset ARES
Ctrl           N3ITA
Lnk           W1ZFB
Ctrl           Cecil Co. DES
Ctrl           Columbia ARA
Ctrl           Arlington Radio Public Srvc Club
Ctrl           NERA
Lnk           BRATS

Other:
Western Pa. Repeater Council Notice of Proposed Coordinations:
              1 – 6 meters
              4 – 2 Meters
              2 -- 440

T-MARC
The Mid-Atlantic Repeater Council
www.tmarc.org

==> MDC SECTION ARES® REPORT

__________________________________________________________
ARRL Section: Maryland-DC    Month:   January  Year: 2014
__________________________________________________________
AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE
Total number of ARES members: 604
Change since last month:   -1
Number of DECs/ECs reporting this month: 5
Number of ARES nets active: 6
Number with NTS liaison: 5
Calls of DECs/ECs reporting: KB3KOW, WB0EGR, WB3KAS, NI2W, W3JCT
Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month: 9  Person
hours: 93
Number of public service events this month:  3  Person hours:  3
Number of emergency operations this month:  0   Person hours:  0
Total number of ARES operations this month: 12   Total Person hours: 96
Comments from around the Section:
======================
de Section Emergency Coordinator WB3KAS

I'd like to thank everyone for taking the time to submit their monthly
EC reports. The number of submissions are declining and I hope this not
the norm to see in the future. Perhaps it's been the nasty weather we
have been having this season. Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on
Gobbler's Knob as did Sir Walter Wally in Raleigh and and ya'll know
what that means. . .MORE TIME IN THE SHACK, that's what that means!
We
hope to see a few more reports in the coming months.  If nothing to
report, just let all of the readers learn of your meeting times and
place as well as the repeater(s) you use.

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 CHAS County KB3KOW

01 Jan the CHAS EC, KB3KOW, conducted a packet chat session training
with KE3GG, N3YWZ, KB3UYZ and AA3WS.

31 Jan. CHAS EC and PGC EC dispatched for tech support to the
KA3AHI-10
Winlink
Node at PRGE ARES EOC in Collington.
======================
de HARF County WB0EGR

We have scheduled two Emergency Communicator classes at the request of
those who could not attend the weekend classes held during third and
fourth quarter 2014.
These classes are open to all interested in providing
supplemental/backup and emergency
commutations to supported facilities and agencies within their
jurisdiction.
Registration for the February 20, 2014 Emergency Communicator course,
scheduled from 1830
through 2130 hours, closes at 2400 hours on February 18, 2013. This
Class will be held in
Towson at the Region III ACS center. Directions will be sent to
registered personnel on February 18th,
2014. Registration for the February 22, 2014 Emergency Communicator
course, scheduled from 0830 through 1300 hours, closes at 2400 hours on
February 20, 2013. This Class will be held in Forest Hill, MD at the
Harford County EOC. Directions will be sent to registered personnel on
February 20th, 2014.  To register for the class go to
<http://bacoacs.info/html/Calendar.html>, click on one of the Emergency
Communicator Class entries than scroll down and click on [Register For
Emergency Communicator I Class].

We completed testing of the KB3TOG D-STAR repeater’s connection to
the US Trust Gateway system in January.  The "B module, (447.98750MHz
-5.000) will be linked
to REF62C, the Maryland D-STAR reflector, where it will remain linked
for the
foreseeable future. The repeater will be unlinked from REF62C during
scheduled nets, scheduled
exercises and emergency operations. The net schedule can be viewed by
going to
<http://maryland-dstar.org> after the 5th of February.  The "A" module
(1282.30000MHz -12.000) and
"D" module (1248.10000MHz) are not linked at this time. The "C”
module, (145.12000MHz -0.600),
is not on the air due to an outstanding issue with the receiver. We
hope to have it on the air shortly.

Effective, February 3, 2014, Jeff Matthews, KB3LFG, resigned from the
Harford County Auxiliary Communications Service Group as assistant EC,
ARRL Official Emergency
Station, and Deputy RACES Officer (appointment was pending).
======================
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 (-) pl 110.9 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 on
site at 1900.

de KA3AHI AEC PRGE Hospital Project:

The first Prince Georges (PRGE) County Amateur Radio Hospital Project
drill of the new year was conducted on January 7, 2014. The purpose of
this drill  was to
test simplex capabilities among Prince George’s County health care
facilities and the County
Emergency Operations Center.
Twenty eight Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Amateur Radio
operators from PRGE County staffed six county community hospitals, the
county health  department,
ARES Emergency Operating Center and the County EOC.

Six hospitals, the health department and two EOCs in the drill were
able to hear one another at various quality and signal strengths.  Fort
Washington Hospital
Center and the health department resulted in less desirable
expectations. Twenty-eight operators from
the county and surrounding participated as follows:  PRGE Cnty: WI3N,
AB3NA, KA3AHI, WB3KAS,
N3XKJ, WA3YTK, N3ADF, W9WNH, N3YWG, N3CK, K3IVR, KD3JA, AA3WS, K3LIB,
KJ4ACS, WB2IFS, KB3NJK, KB3ZCO, KB3IIE, W3CB, N3XL, WA3DVO; CHAS Cnty:
KB3UYZ, KB3KOW; FRED Cnty: K3ERM, K3MMB; WASH Cnty:  N3TCR; KENT Cnty:
KB3ENU.

Our next Hospital Drill will be Tuesday April 1st.  If you'd like to
join us and participate,  please email me at KA3AHI@aol.com  Be you
near or far, I will give you
something to do during the drill!

======================
de WICO County  W3JCT
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.
Wicomico County RACES/ARES will participate in the Radio Merit Badge
course at the Salisbury University Merit Badge College on February 1,
2014. There will be ON-THE-AIR
training for the Scouts on March 1, 2014.

The Peninsula Radio Operators Society and Delmarva Amateur Radio Club
are active participants with the ON-THE-AIR training. We thank them for
the use of their repeaters.

======================
Signature: Jim Montgomery
Call sign: WB3KAS
Maryland-DC SEC
Email: wb3kas@aol.com

==> SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGER'S REPORT

MDC NTS NETS:

MEPN 1401 W3YVQ QND/31 QNI/397 QTC/114 MINS/897
BTN 1401 KB3MXM QND/31 QNI/374 QTC/12 MINS/587
MDD 1401 AA3SB QND/60 QNI/368 QTC/124 MINS/577
MSN 1401 W8CPG QND/31 QNI/135 QTC/50 MINS/875

PSHR: KK3F 140, W3YVQ 135, W3CB 134, KB3LNM 105,
AA3SB 100, WB4FDT 100, N3ZOC 90, WB3FTQ 90;

TFC: KK3F 2751, WB3FTQ 171, WB4FDT 101, AA3SB 98,
N3HFC 76, KB3LNM 72, N3ZOC 46, W3YVQ 43, W3CB 19

==========

All MDC ARES°  jurisdictions are encouraged to use
the Radio-email Layer 4 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 and post
Radiogram traffic directly to the NTSD when needed.

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!

Bruce, W8CPG, MSN Net Manager, is back on the air
now from Huttonsville, WV 26273. Welcome back Bruce.
---

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

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



==> FINALLY

I am sending this edition of the MDC Section News from sunny and warm
Florida where I attended "Hamcation" in Orlando and attended several
interesting semimars. I even ended up in a couple of photos on the ARRL
FaceBook page learned a new word: "Photobomb". Thankfully we have
younger hams willing to keep us current with the new vernacular. It was
also great to visit with eight hams and
spouses from MDC area while down there.

Started our trek to Hamcation on Jan 12 with a trip to Kalamazoo, MI,
to do Christmas and birthdays with grandkids. Cold and snowy. Went to
New Orleans for our yearly trip to' work with Habitat For Humanity
through RHINO (Rebuilding Hope In New Orleans) where the wx got down to
low 30's and sleet and the four bridges out of town were closed due to
ice.  I'm starting to grasp why so many people become snow birds.
It snowed in Panama City Beach FL, the day after we left it.  I've
apologized to everyone everywhere we've been for dragging the crappy wx
with me.

Soon, at the suggestion of SEC Jim Montgomery, WB3KAS, we'll be
launching a MDC yahoogroup. It will be a place to post files of
interest to clubs, emcomm groups, and digital groups for example. It
will also be another way to provide situational awareness to the
Section in the event of impending and happening major events.

Situational awareness works two ways and it will allow us to receive it
from folks who've signed up.

As always, thanks to ASM Al, KZ3AB, for his help with this Section News
and website expertise.

Be sure to view the videos that are mentioned above.
They are superb.

73 and remember, I am always at your service.
Jim Cross WI3N
ARRL MDC Section Manager
<WI3N@ARRL.ORG>