Archive for October 2007
By Scott Westerman -W9WSW
The 2007 California fire season will go down as one of the worst in recorded history. In San Diego County, amateur radio operators jumped into the breech to provide emergency communications and assist in evacuations. Here’s a preview of a piece that will run in Saturday’s edition of This Week in Amateur Radio. It’s an interview with Terry Runyon, K3PXX, public relations officer for the County RACES group. He describes the training, the relationships and the dedication that are essential components of one community’s partnership with amateur radio. We also talk with meteorologist Dr. Tim Shy, KM4KS, about the weather patterns that make SOCAL such a tinderbox.
Hear it now>> 10 Minutes – 5.3 MB mp3
And… Howard White, KY6LA, shares an hour by hour journal of the events and adventures that were heard on the County FireNet this week. Continue Reading “San Diego hams at fire’s frontline” »
Even though it’s no longer required for licensing, the Morse Code is alive and well on the amateur bands. As demonstrated on The Tonight Show, it’s a faster read than text messaging, and many enthusiasts will attest that it’s still the best way to get clear copy in the worst of conditions.
When I was learning, the Gordon West tapes and W1AW code practice were the two methods I used to build speed and confidence. Having developed my typing abilities as a “survival skill” to offset terrible handwriting, I became comfortable working with a “mil”.. a typewriter in the old days and my computer keyboard today.
This article from the ARRL website details W3GW/KH6’s endeavors to take his CW proficiency into the stratosphere. Dr Joe Gerry offers some helpful recommendations on software and theory to help make code copy as reflexive as listening to conversation.
The Duke City Hamfest Board needs volunteers to help with next year’s event. They need board members and others to assist in putting on this event. Most of the current volunteers have been working on this event for a number of years and are retiring. If there are no volunteers it could mean the end of the Duke City Hamfest. Nobody wants that to happen. If you’ve been looking for a way to give back something to the hobby, this is your chance. Contact Mike Pendley, K5ATM, at k5atm@arrl.net to learn how you can become a volunteer and continue a great annual event. Continue Reading “ARRL Section News, September, 2007″ »
Pat Wood, KE5FVS, sent this little gem along. Enjoy!
The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it’s the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it’s the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.
A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the garage with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time. Let me tell you about it: Continue Reading “1000 Marbles” »
The annual Socorro Hamfest will take place on October 27 from 8:00 a.m. until
3:00 p.m. at the New Mexico Fire Fighters Academy. The talk-in frequency is
146.88, negative offset, 100 Hertz PL tone. This event will include a VE session for all license classes. Registration for the exams will be from 11:00 a.m. until 11:55 a.m., with the test session starting at 12:00 noon.
Coming up is the Roswell Tailgate/Swap Meet. This will be held in the parking lot of the Cahoon Park Clubhouse in Roswell on Saturday, October 6. Setup starts around 0700. Talk-in will be on the W5BLO repeater, 146.94, negative offset, no tone. For more information, including directions to the clubhouse, go to the CARES web site.
This is an annual fund-raising walk to fight hunger. It will follow a two- or four-mile course starting in central Albuquerque at 1:00 p.m. Approximately six amateurs are needed to cover the course and keep an eye on the participants. This is a low-key event that is particularly appropriate for those interested in a taste of public service communications or who cannot commit higher levels of time and effort. It also usually marks the end of our active season for public service event support.
