July 2013

Greetings to all Amateur Radio Operators.  This is Marc, N4UFP with the July 2013 South Carolina Section Manager’s Report.  Please remember that the SC Section website can be found at: www.arrl-sc.org/ where my full SM report will be listed as well as up-to-the-date information on Amateur Radio in South Carolina.

I took a nice drive into the mountains at the end of July to attend the Asheville Hamfest. While I was there, I had a chance to talk to Dick, K8SKX, the Carolinas Slow Net (CSN) manager. CSN is looking for hams who want to improve their CW skills and for hams who want to help others in this task.  For new CW operators CSN provides an opportunity to practice copying CW that includes a lot of letters and numbers.  It also is a good place to “get your feet wet” with operators who patiently are willing to help you make some first contacts.  Along the way you will learn CW net procedures and formal message handling skills which apply also to voice nets. CSN is also looking for CW “old timers” who want to keep CW skills alive by helping new CW operators learn and practice CW.

CSN meets nightly on 3571 kHz at 8:00 pm eastern time.  Our target code speed is between 7 and 10 wpm, however the net control station will slow to whatever speed used to check into the net.  So don’t hesitate if it seems the speed is too fast for you.  The net usually lasts for 15 to 30 minutes depending on the number of check-ins and the amount of traffic to be passed. 

The CSN web has information about the net and its procedures:
  http://bellsouthpwp2.net/r/g/rg_burns/index.htm
 

Dick summed it up to me like this: “Try CW ….  It’s fun.”

Now that summer is turning to fall, it is Hamfest season again in the Carolinas. Coming up this weekend, is the Shelby Hamfest on 31 August and 1 September at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds in Shelby NC. Gates open at 7:00 AM both days and dealer buildings open at 8:00 am. Please note that the Hamfest has moved back to its former location in Shelby. More information can be found at: http://www.shelbyhamfest.org/

There will be at least two Hamfests in South Carolina in October. First up is the Rock Hill Hamfest on Saturday, 5 October at Faith Assembly of Rock Hill, 2800 Faith Blvd., Rock Hill, SC  29730. Gates will open at 8:00 am. For more information, go to: http://www.rockhillhamfest.com/ .

 On 26 October, the Sumter Hamfest returns to the fall calendar in a new location: The Family Life Center, Bethel Baptist Church, 2401 Bethel Church Rd. Sumter, SC. Gates open at 8:00 am. For more information, go to: http://sumterhamradio.org/Hamfest.html

Traditionally there has also been a third hamfest in October, the Lake Hartwell Hamfest, which is generally held at Darwin Wright Park in Anderson SC, on the second Saturday in October. I couldn’t find any information regarding this year’s hamfest, but if I get information, I will pass it along.

I have an update on VE Testing in the Charleston, SC area from Wess Leitch, W4RUX: VE test sessions will be held on the second Saturday of every EVEN month at 8:30 AM at Trident Hospital. For more details, please contact Sheila Frank, KT4YW, 843-871-4368.

Bill, N4OOC, will be running a special event station, N4F, at the Mountain State Fair in Asheville, NC, from 6 – 15 September. He is hoping to raise awareness of amateur radio in the Western Carolinas and attract some new members to our hobby.  I plan to be up there Saturday, 7 September to help out – although this is a function occurring in the NC section, I am always happy to help bring new members to our ranks. .  Look for Bill on the air, and if you are visiting the fair, be sure to visit the station.

I recently received an e-mail message from Brad Bucy, an employee of the Lancaster County (SC) Sewer and Water District. He is trying to make contact with the Sugar Creek Amateur Radio Society. I have not heard from that club in several years and don’t have any valid contact information for them, but if someone is a member of the club, please contact Brad at bbucy@lcwasd.org .

Some of you may remember that approximately a year ago, I received a request for a sked with an Allendale County amateur from Lars, SM5CAE who was finishing up his Worked All Counties Award, which I included in my monthly report.  A new general class ham from Allendale County, Wanda, KK4EGZ,  after reading that report decided to give HF operation a try, and her first HF contact was with Lars, giving him the QSO he needed to finish his county hunting in SC. I heard from Wanda again recently – she let me know that some of her APRS packets were digipeated by the Space Station. She got interested in digital modes after being introduced to them at the Salkehatchie Amateur Radio Society Field Day operation. I wanted to mention this, because it illustrates one of the benefits of Field Day: the chance to expose amateurs to new modes and operating techniques. We tend to think of Field Day as a not-quite contest, but its educational value should never be overlooked.

National Wildlife Refuge Week is set for October 13 to 19, 2013, and Amateur Radio will again be helping to mark this event, Oct. 12 to 20.  The goal: Combine your communication skills with your enjoyment of the outdoors to help others learn about the National Wildlife Refuge System.  Only authorized, safe, responsible access to refuges is sanctioned by this event.

 
Brad Farrell, K4RT asked me to pass along some information about amateur radio operations during National Wildlife Refuge Week, 13-19 October 2013. This is an opportunity to help mark this event by combining your communication skills with your enjoyment of the outdoors and helping others learn about the National Wildlife Refuge System. Only authorized, safe, responsible access to refuges is sanctioned by this event.
In addition to operating from national wildlife refuges managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, beginning in 2013, hams may operate from a wildlife refuge, area or preserve managed by any state, territory or Canadian province. 

 
To operate from a National Wildlife Refuge:

1. Review special event rules, disclaimer and other information available at www.nwrweek-radio.info    and formulate a proposal for the manager of the refuge you intend to activate.

2. Obtain permission from the refuge manager to operate within the refuge.  Then, submit your operating plan to info@nwrweek-radio.info to have your operation listed on the web site.

Operating Tips:

Operate one day or the entire week, subject to the refuge manager's authorization.
Use your own call sign, a club call sign or a 1x1 special event call sign.
Use SSB, PSK31, RTTY, CW, etc. Describe refuge features & wildlife to those you contact.
Be a good steward of the refuge.

 Ham operators who have experience operating from refuges are available to answer questions from those new to refuge operations.  Contact the NWR Week Amateur Radio coordinator at info@nwrweek-radio.info  .

That’s all for now.  I hope to see some of you at Shelby this weekend, and have a Happy Labor Day Holiday. Now for the numbers….

July 2013 National Traffic System Report for South Carolina
Complied by Rusty, WU2T, SC STM
 

Net Reports
Net / Check Ins / Traffic / Sessions / Reported By
Blue Ridge Amateur Radio Net  / 2173 / 64 / 31 / K4SUG
Carolina’s Net  / 248 / 80 / 62 / N0SU
CSN / 134 / 18 / 31 / K8KSX
Greater Pee Dee 2 Meter Net / 812 / 41 / 31 / K4DTT
Florence ARC 2 Meter Net  / 37 / 1 / 5 / AK4BH
Greenwood ARC 2 Meter Net  / 115 / 4 / 4 / W4DEW
PALS Net  / 891 / 41 / 31 / WD4HEM
SC SSB Net / 1396 / 95 / 31 / WU2T
Upstate Carolina ARS 2M Net / 78 / 7 / 5 / ND2Z
Upstate Carolina ARS 440 Net / 59 / 5 / 4 / ND2Z
York Co. ARS 2 Meter FM Net / 788 / 57 / 54 / N3TKC

4RN    Check-ins  621            Traffic-in  235             Traffic-out  234           Relays  76

Station Activity Reports
Station / Sent / Received / Delivered / Originated / Total
WU2T / 5 / 56 / 16 / 1 / 78
AJ4TH / 61 / 82 / 0 / 0 / 143
WS4P / 40 / 12 / 2 / 1 / 55

Public Service Honor Roll
Station / Cat1 / Cat2 / Cat3 / Cat4 / Cat5 / Cat6 / Total
AJ4TH / 40 / 40 / 20 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 100
WS4P / 40 / 40 / 10 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 90

 Until next month…..

73 de Marc Tarplee N4UFP
ARRL Section Manager, South Carolina Section
www.arrl-sc.org