This weeks ham spotlight  is on our very own Rod Blocksome.  KØDAS

I have been an active amateur for 57 years having been first licensed in 1960 as KN0DAS in Ransom, Kansas - on a wheat & livestock farm in western Kansas.  My early interest in radio and electronics led to my obtaining BSEE and MSEE degrees from Kansas State University.  I am much indebted to my early “Elmers” who helped me on this path: "Baldy" Balderson, W0CKV, Hal Dobbs, K5RTH/W0BXU, and Fred Bauer, W0EFT.

I served 4 years as a Communications Electronics Officer in the USAF during the Viet Nam Era.  I had a wonderful career with Collins Radio (later Rockwell Collins) in design engineering, engineering management, and communications systems engineering.  In 2002 I was honored as a corporate engineer-of-the-year and later retired in 2010 with 42 years of service. 

Since retirement I've been very active in many volunteer service projects - the most interesting one being a research analyst in the search for Amelia Earhart's Airplane lost at sea near Howland Island in 1937.  I've participated in three deep ocean sonar searches in 2002, 2006, and 2017 - and the work continues.

In my career I have either visited or worked in over 50 DX entities.  You may find me in your log as KN0DAS, K0DAS, K0DAS/5, K0DAS/KH6, VK2IHY, K0DAS/KH2, T30CXX, T32CXX, T32DAS, K0DAS/V73, and K0DAS/MM3. I hold an Extra Class License and am a life member of ARRL. 

My major amateur radio activities include:

 

• Weak Signal CW/SSB/Digital on the bands 50 MHz thru 2304 MHz including EME on 50, 144, and 432 MHz and contesting as a "Rover" Station.
• HF DXing and Contesting from home and club station N0MA - the Radio Farm
• Equipment and Antenna Design - both professionally and for amateur radio (see ARRL 1995 Radio Amateur Handbook for my 50 Watt Solid State HF PA)
• Restoration of Classic Equipment – I was part of the team that restored the WWII radio operators position on "FIFI" the flying B-29 in the CAF.
• “Elmering” new hams with technical assistance - I assist a friend who hosts regular "builder sessions", CW classes, and "Elmering" sessions.

• Upon retirement in 2010, I was presented with an opportunity to give back to the amateur radio hobby that has meant so much to my career when I was appointed vice-director of the ARRL Midwest Division.  I served in that position until elected director for the 2015-2017 term.

  My experience since joining the ARRL board in 2010 includes serving on the following committees:

  • Programs & Services Committee – current chairman
  • ARRL Historical Committee – current chairman
  • VHF/UHF Revitalization committee
  • Trademark committee
  • Contest Advisory Committee Liaison to the PSC
  • ARRL National Broadband Plan committee
  • Ethics & Elections committee
  • Administration & Finance committee

  For the past seven years it has been my privilege to serve first as Midwest vice-director and then director.  I am available and always willing to listen to member inputs, comments, complaints, and proposed solutions to the complex issues facing ARRL and amateur radio.

  If re-elected, I will continue to represent the ARRL members of the Midwest Division in the governance of ARRL to the best of my ability and with the highest ethical standards.

 

 

 

 

 

Nebraska Section Nets

 

Net name frequency meets time CDT time utc

40 Meter Net 7.282 Daily 1300 1800

Cornhusker Net 3.982 Daily 1230 1730

CW Traffic Net 3.540 M-F 1900 0000

Morning Phone

Net 3.982 Daily 0730 1230

One Sixty

Weather Net 1.995 Daily 1930 0130

Storm Net 3.982 Daily 1830 2330 or 0130

West Nebraska

Net 3.950 M-S 0700 1200

 

 

Notes from the Section Traffic Manager:

 

Looking for any historical notes you may have about any of the Nebraska Section Net’s. Please send me your articles, stories, remembrances, pictures or anecdotes you may have. We will add to the monthly summaries.

Please report your individual traffic monthly totals to me at: nf0n@arrl.net I also check in to several net’s daily, you can send to me on the net. I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Mike, NF0

 

 

 

NET Reports

 

Nebraska 40 Meter Net Sessions 15 QNI 162 QTC 2

Nebraska Cornhusker Net March Sessions

Nebraska CW Net Sessions

Nebraska Morning Phone Net Sessions

Nebraska Storm Net Sessions

One Sixty Meter Weather Net Sessions                                         

West Nebraska Net Sessions 

QCWA Chapter 25 Sessions                                        

Buffalo County ARES Sessions                                         

Dodge County ARES Sessions 

Eastern Nebraska ARES  Net Sessions 

Mid-Nebraska ARES Net Sessions                                         

NPPARC Sessions 

Platte Valley 2-Meter Net Sessions

W0IRZ Memorial ARES Net Sessions 

Elkhorn Valley ARC Sessions

·         Net Report Legend: Sessions=Number of times net called, QNI=Number of Station Check-ins, QTC=Formal Traffic Count

 

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nebraska Section Nets

 Net name frequency meets time CDT time utc 40 Meter Net 7.282 Daily 1300 1800

Cornhusker Net 3.982 Daily 1230 1730 CW Traffic Net 3.540 M-F 1900 0000

Morning Phone Net 3.982 Daily 0730 1230

One Sixty Weather Net 1.995 Daily 1930 0130

Storm Net 3.982 Daily 1830 2330 or 0130

West Nebraska Net 3.950 M-S 0700 1200

 Notes from the Section Traffic Manager:

 

 

 Looking for any historical notes you may have about any of the Nebraska Section Net’s.  Please send me your articles, stories, remembrances, pictures or anecdotes you may have.  We will add to the monthly summaries.

 

 

 

Please report your individual traffic monthly totals to me at: nf0n@arrl.net  I also check in to several net’s daily, you can send to me on the net.  I welcome your comments and suggestions.

 

Mike, NF0N

 

 

 

 

 

AKSARBEN ARC http://www.aksarbenarc.org
Amateur Radio Association of Nebraska (used to be: Hastings ARC) http://www.w0wwv.org
Ashland ARC http://ashlandarc.org/
Bellevue ARC http://www.bellevuearc.org
Boyer Valley Amateur Radio Club (IA) http://www.bvarc.net
Buffalo County ARES http://www.bcares.info
Douglas County ARES http://www.mdares.org/home/
Elkhorn Valley ARC http://www.qsl.net/evarc
Heartland Amateur Radio Association http://www.qsl.net/hara
Heartland DX Association http://www.hdxa.net
Lincoln ARC http://www.k0kkv.org
Midway ARC http://wØky.kearney.net/
Midwest Home Brewer's & QRP Group http://www.qsl.net/hbqrp
Nebraska EMA http://www.nema.ne.gov/
Pine Ridge ARC http://www.pineridgearc.org/
Pioneer Amateur Radio Club http://www.k0jfn.com
Strategic Air Command Memorial ARC http://www.sacmarc.org/
Quarter Century Wireless Association http://www.qcwa.org/
Society of Wireless Pioneers http://www.sowp.org/
South East Nebraska Radio Club http://www.senrc.farmpond.net
1Ø-1Ø International http://www.ten-ten.org/
3900 Club http://www.3900club.com

Other Links of Interest

ARRL DX Bulletins http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/dx/
ARRL Propagation Bulletins http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/
ARRL Keplarian Elements http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/kep/
ARRL Transmission Schedule http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.html#w1awsked
ARRL General and Special Bulletins http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/
ARRL Emergency Communications http://www.emergency-radio.org

SICK CALL

These are Amateur Radio Operators who are ill and need our support. Please send get well cards or QSL cards with your best wishes on them as they recover from their illnesses or surgeries. I will post along with their names what they are recovering from only with the permission of the families or the member themselves.

SILENT KEYS

While we celebrate the friends that they were, it is with sadness that we recognize the loss of these hams from our fold.

2013

WØADK - Lambert (Burm) Burmester
WDØFCK - Floyd D. Scholl

KFØFO Jim Peterson

KØSDG Paul Heiser

2012

WØAEX - Bob Rennolet, Sr.
KØAQQ - William Sprout
WAØASM - Steve May
KAØBTY - Robert Musil
KCØEHX - Roger Wilmont
WØHNW - Garry (Hoss) Cartwright
KØJPP - Berl Damkroger
KØKES - Joe Nanos
KBØOZD - Tadhg (Tag) Jackson
WØQOU - Martin Klein
WDØQVX - Henry Missel
ex-KAØREX - Claudius Shoniwa
KØRPC - Raymond M. Pohl
WØRVQ - Verne Voss
WØSZF - Verle (Moe) Francis
KAØTDN - Glen A. Roberts

2011

KAØFZW - Raymond E. Sheridan
WØGFQ - Leo Meyerson
WØJCB - William A. Rice
WØJCP - Dick Dyas
WØJJL - Jim Monk
KCØKOG - Jim Nitz
WØKQX - Ronald L. Frame
KI0KS - Robert Dunn Jr.
KAØLAR - Dan Tinkham
KBØLLZ - Bud Watson
KA2NIC - John Mark
KA0S - Doug Mibourn
WCØP - Don Duckett
KCØQR - Jerry Robb
KØTVP - Stanley Prokes
KØUDB - Gaylord Ottun
KBØWIC - Richard W. Harter
NØWWO - James Kuehn
KØYAB - Dick Moen
KCØYE - Robert M. Hill
NØXII - Steve Peterson
KCØYFU - Steve Rudolph
NØZRV - Vernon (Vern) Berggren

WEB RESOURCES

ARRL External Noise Handbook

HAMFESTS AND CONVENTIONS

ARRL Listing
Nebraska Section Convention: http://www.lincolnhamfest.org

VE TESTS

When attending a VE session, make sure you bring the following: your original license, a photocopy of your original license, 2 forms of identification (one with a photograph of you), any CSCE's and $15.00 cash or check.

NEBRASKA
http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtml?State=NE

Lincoln Amateur Radio Club
Testing is held at 6:30 PM on the first Thursday of the month at Red Cross building, 220 Oak Creek Drive, in Lincoln. Please refer to the calendar to confirm VE test dates.
For more information, the club website is http://www.k0kkv.org.

IOWA
http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtml?State=IA

NOTICE
You may reprint items from this webpage/newsletter without prior permission if attribution to this source is provided.

Matthew N. Anderson
ARRL Nebraska Section Manager
ka0boj@arrl.org