EMCOMMWEST Bulletin No. 144

This issue is dedicated to the memory of the seven astronauts aboard The Columbia, who lost their lives on 1 February 2003.
• Michael Anderson • David Brown, KC5ZTC • Kalpana Chawla, KD5ESI • Laurel Clark, KC5ZSU • Rick Husband • Willie McCool • Ilan Ramon “Ad Astra per Aspera -- To the stars through difficulty.” -- Motto of the State of Kansas

THE EMCOMMWEST BULLETIN No. 144
- 4 FEBRUARY 2003 -

+++ EMCOMMWEST 2003 +++
• ARRL PACIFIC DIVISION OPERATING SPECIALTY CONVENTION
• Reno, Nevada
• May 31, 2003 - hosted by:
• The ARRL Nevada Section and the Northern Nevada Amateur Radio Service.
• RENO is known as “the Biggest Little City in the World”.
• It also is “The Crossroads of the West”.
• Information and registration now at: www.cvrc.net/emcommwest/
• History of EMCOMM • The EVENT • www.emcomm.org/emcomm/
• May 2002 QST Magazine story • www.emcomm.org/emcomm_story.htm

+ SHORT CIRCUITS:
• Frank Sharit, W6DHN, Georgetown, CA is a new AEC for El Dorado County.
• Mac McCulley, W6MAC, Redding, CA and AEC for Shasta County ARES has now
completed ARECC Levels one and two. Good work OM!
• Bill Frazier, W7ARC, Silverdale, WA, logged DXCC in the last eight months
of 2002, using only “stealth antennae” from his ground floor apartment!

+ WELCOME NEW SUBSCRIBERS:
• Doug Graves, KC5EIB, Flower Mound, TX - Denton County
• Bob Kehr, KA9MDP, Davis, CA - Yolo County
• Scott D. Marshall, N6SDM, Colusa, CA - Sheriff of Colusa County
• Janice Bell, Colusa, CA - Colusa County Sheriff’s Office
• Lt. Doug Turner, Colusa, CA - Colusa County Sheriff’s Office
• Kelly Purdom, Marysville, CA - Director, Yuba County OES

+ EC CORNER - “No job is complete until the paper work is done.”
REMINDER TO ECs: Monthly EC reports (FSD-212) for January are due.
SV Section ARES leaders may submit reports online at:
www.emcomm.org/svares/reports/main.htm

+ FEEDBACK - FEBRUARY READER’S SURVEY:
In this issue we conclude the Special Feature, “ARRL The Early Years”. We want to know if this type of article, as well as which other columns and topics are of most interest and value to our readers. So...during February, we are conducting a “reader survey”. Please take a couple of minutes and give us your FEEDBACK by going to: http://www.emcomm.org/survey.htm

Thank you.

+ REPORT FROM THE “STATE OF JEFFERSON” -
JNN LOGS CHECK IN NUMBER 50,000!
Steve Kaps, N6NPN, of Chico, CA (and Butte County EC) was check in number 50,000 on 2 February 2003! An attractive certificate commemorating the event; plus a FIFTY DOLLAR gift certificate donated by HAM RADIO OUTLET is now on its way to Steve.

The first JNN was founded on July 3, 1996 to serve the “State of Jefferson”. It meets daily at 1200 Pacific Time on 7232 ± LSB (3987 ± LSB alternate); and its primary service is now northern California, Oregon, Nevada, Washington, Idaho and Montana.

For information about the “State of Jefferson” go to: www.emcomm.org/sojourners/index.html, scroll down, click on: SOJ Info and SOJ History.

+ USGS SEEKS FIELD VOLUNTEERS:
If like MAPS, enjoy the OUTDOORS, know (or want to know more) about ORIENTEERING, and would like to help your country...then read on:

The process of keeping topographical maps up-to-date is ongoing, and the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Science Corps (ESC) is looking for volunteer field survey workers. The USGS provides ID badges and current USGS maps of the quadrangle or area(s) you “adopt”. You (or your team) then make field checks and surveys, and recommend updates and corrections to the USGS for the next map printing(s). An annual report is required. There are no fees but you provide your own vehicle(s) and fuel and lunch.

Although this is not EMCOMM, it is a great way for EMCOMM operators to learn local or near by areas, become more adept at map interpretation and the use of the GPS, while enjoying some great camaraderie! Of course, radio will be very useful on field expeditions. Perhaps this may open some doors between your local ARES team and other groups such as 4WD clubs, SAR
units, Scout Troops, and others if you invite them to work with you. The possibilities are endless, and the USGS (and users of their maps) will be appreciative. Full details: http://www-nmd.usgs.gov/www/html/escorps.html

Editor’s comment: Nannette, KE6MZT, and I have been USGS ESC volunteers since 1996 when we adopted the Sheep Mountain Quadrangle. - de K6SOJ

+ DAILY “KNOW CODE NETS” [KCN):
1300 PST 7111 kHz “up”.
2000 PST 3711 kHz “up”.
These are 1 kHz above QRP CW calling frequencies. (EMCOMM operators are encouraged to operate QRP.) The KCN nets are for those who want to improve their Morse skills and make contact with other EMCOMM oriented operators in a somewhat informal setting. If you do not hear anyone...try calling CQ.

Since many CW operators are reluctant to “break in” to an existing QSO, or are not yet ready for a “round table” type format; it has been suggested that the listed frequencies be used for calling, and consider moving long QSOs or roundtables up a few kHz. Learn to tune around...and listen to what’s going on. Remember...stations using crystal controlled transmitters may be operating “split”.

+ NET REMINDER (1st Wednesday) - 5 FEB 03 @1930 PACIFIC - 3987 KHZ:
WINCO (Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California, Oregon) Regional ARES net (any and all ARES stations welcome). ARES members are invited to submit appropriate announcements, topics for discussion, or questions via email or at net time.

+++ TRAINING and CONTINUING EDUCATION SECTION +++
by Ed Ewell, K7DXV - Associate Editor for Training - ewell@e-isco.com
-

+ CW COMMUNICATIONS ON THE AIR -

“Last week we talked about OVER LEARNING THE LETTERS. I hope you have found tapes or records with which to practice the code.

It is very important to practice the mixed groups over and over until your right brain has instant recognition of each letter. I can not over stress at this time: do not write anything down. Speed comes automatically. Learning to write down the letters and words will be included in this article later.

Now some have heard the very high speed operators on the air at 20 to 35 words per minute, well most of the operators are not writing the words down. They are using conversation CW, in other words they listen, and respond like talking.

Our main interest is to teach all operators to handle traffic, and also some operator training for rag chewing. Most traffic is handled at around 10 to 18 words per minute. (you can send and receive traffic at 5 words per minute also).

Do not run out and buy a keyer, you can do an excellent job sending CW with a straight key. To use the keyer you should be very comfortable sending and receiving at 18 to 25 words per minute. Yes you can send slow with the keyer, and if you can send good code, use the keyer.

Now I want to begin a practice of working with the left brain. That is, writing down a few words and numbers. This will be accomplished with a QSO (on the air contact).

To begin, let us adjust the hand key. There is a proper way to set the key. It is best to have the key mounted to the table, however a large board will work if you can make the key stationary. The key should be about 18 inches from the edge of the table. Adjust the space between the two
contact points, the distance between the contact points in the "key-up" positions is from 1/32 inch to 1/16 inch. Place a dime between the contacts and adjust for this thickness (about 1/32 inch). When you are more experienced you may change this setting some, but let's start here for now.

The final adjustment is the tension of the spring. The spring tension should be adjusted that the contact points separate as soon as the pressure on the key knob is released. If the spring is too tight the sending will appear to be choppy. Begin sending a series of dits, do not grasp the knob
too tightly. Keep your wrist flexible and allow it to bob up and down during sending. Keep your elbow on the table, not up in the air. IT IS YOUR WRIST THAT ALWAYS DOES THE WORK IN SENDING, NOT YOUR FINGERS OR ARM. Do not try to send too fast, you want accuracy and good spacing. With practice you will develop a rhythm, and your sending will be very easy to
copy.

The QSO (contact on the air), this will be the initial contact (first contact). You hear a station calling CQ. Here is a sample QSO, if I were calling for a contact with any station...
I would send: CQ CQ CQ DE K7DXV K7DXV K
You would answer: K7DXV DE (YOUR CALL) K
Then I would reply: (YOUR CALL) DE K7DXV TNX FER CALL BT YOUR RST 599 BT
QTH KLAMATH FALLS OR BT NAME IS ED ED BT HW COPY? K
You would reply with: K7DXV DE (YOUR CALL) R ED BT YOUR RST IS 599 BT QTH
(YOUR TOWN & STATE) BT NAME IS (YOUR NAME) BT HW COPY? K
I reply: DE K7DXV SOLID COPY BT TNX FOR THE CONTACT BCNU 73 73 BT K
Your “final”: DE (YOUR CALL) TNX FOR QSO BCNU 73 73 BT SK

This is the simple contact, write this outline down with blanks to fill in when you receive the RST, QTH, and NAME, you will only allow your left brain to write down these three things, everything else you should have written down as an outline. If the stations you “work” follow this format it will be easy.

Listen for me on the Know Code Net (KCN) at 1300 PST on 7111khz or at 2000 PST on 3711 khz. Others will also be there. Follow the words as they are sent in the above outline, and you will get some practice copying in your head.

The above format will be followed on the Know Code Net, but in other contacts there may be a different order. This is for practice, get on the key and get to work. I send QSL cards also. -
Ed Ewell K7DXV 73
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous training bulletins are archived at:
www.emcomm.org/svares/training/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
• THE TRAFFIC HANDLER’S “MANTRA”:
“No • Prepared • Ham • Should • Copy • Priority • Traffic • Delayed”
(NUMBER-PRECEDENCE-HX-STATION OF ORIGIN-CHECK-PLACE OF ORIGIN-TIME-DATE)

+ MEDFORD NWS (WX7MFR) SKYWARN NEWS AND INFORMATION -
Jim Reynolds, KD7MLO, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, Medford NWS
Gary Peterson, N7GK, Acting Medford SKYWARN Coordinator
D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ, Asst. Medford SKYWARN Coordinator

SKYWARN is the National Weather Service program of trained volunteer spotters reporting severe weather. The ARRL/ARES has a national “memorandum of understanding” (MOU) with the NOAA/NWS.

MEDFORD NWS SKYWARN WEBSITE: www.emcomm.org/skywarn

• ACTIVE MEDFORD AND RENO NWS SKYWARN “HONOR ROLL” -

NET LOG FOR 29 JAN 03:
NCS VHF - N7GK
NCS HF - K6SOJ
NCS RENO - N7TOD

STATIONS REPORTING:

JA14 N7GK    VHF/HF
JA96 WA7SNY VHF
JO60 KB7EKF   HF
CU39 K7SEG    HF
SY08 KG6AFA   HF
SY39 AB6UE   VHF
SY42 K6SOJ/KE6MZT HF
MO39 K6QQ     HF

RENO NWS AREA:
WA24 N7TOD   VHF/HF
WA29 KD7GZR VHF
---- KA7FOO VHF
---- WA6KGB VHF

VISITORS/OTHER:
---- W7ARC Silverdale, WA (Kitsap County) HF
---- W7IB   Loomis, CA (Placer County) HF
---- WB6AGR Roseville, CA (Placer County) HF
---- N6UG   Rocklin, CA (Placer County) HF

TOTAL: 16

MEDFORD NWS WX SPOTTER / SKYWARN NETS:
MEDFORD NWS WX SPOTTER NET: Wednesdays at 1915L on:
147.26+ / CTCSS: 123.0, (Mt. Ashland - Jackson County and more)
146.55 SIMPLEX (eastern Siskiyou and Klamath Counties)
146.97- (Likely/Modoc County Relay)
7232 LSB (up) DAYTIME
3987 LSB (down) NIGHTTIME
1982 LSB (alternate).

SKYWARN nets will be activated on these frequencies during severe weather events.

NWS SKYWARN NET CONTROL STATIONS -

DATE      147.26+        3987 LSB
FEB 5    N7GK           N7TOD
FEB 12    N2RSN/N2RSI    K6SOJ
FEB 19    N7IXS          N2RSN/N2RSI
FEB 26    N7GK           KB7EKF

ADDITIONAL NWS NET CONTROL OPERATORS SOUGHT -
For more information contact:
Gary, N7GK, gpederso@OregonVOS.net; or,
Dave, K6SOJ, k6soj@arrl.net
Matt, N7TOD, n7tod@arrl.net (Reno)

NWS PACKET NODE ON MT. ASHLAND is on 145.030 MHz, ID is: skywrn. NWS is asking for SKYWARN and ARES packet stations to connect and let them know your location, the type of antenna and power you use to access the Mt. Ashland node. The “connect” to NWS packet bbs (direct) is 145.090 and the ID is NWSMFR. Then connect to NWSBBS, e.g., c nwsmfr. Then, c nwsbbs. The NWSMFR at nws mfr is a node.

Questions? Contact Gary, N7GK e-mail: gpederso@OregonVOS.net

Check in to the JEFFERSON NOON NET daily at 1200L on 7232 LSB (alt. 3987)
for announcements regarding anticipated or actual severe WX.

+ MEDFORD NWS / SKYWARN WEATHER SPOTTER CLASS SCHEDULE -

--- Spring schedule of classes “to be announced”. ---

-----------------------------------------------------------------
+ RENO NWS (WX7RNO) SKYWARN NEWS AND INFORMATION -

• Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM): Roger Lamoni
• SKYWARN/Amateur Radio Liaisons:
- Matt Parker, N7TOD, Washoe County (NV) EC
- Mark Spencer, WA8SME, Mono County (CA) EC

SKYWARN NETS:
WEDNESDAYS 1905L 147.12+ (123.0) and 1915L on 3987 // Medford (OR) NWS

PACKET Information:
    Frequency 145.050
    Keyboard (Incoming WX Reports): WX7RNO
    MBX: WX7RNO-1 (NWS/SKYWARN related traffic only please, ue to limited capacity of 5K)
    KaNode: RNOWX (for contacting other local stations)

(NOTE: The call RNOWX for the KaNode is currently not recognized as a valid call by the RNO node, a situation we are trying to get corrected. If you know of anyone intimately familiar with the "The Net X1J4" netrom operating system (used by the RNO node) that can offer us some advice,
please let me know. RNOWX is, however, recognized by YRGTN, the other high-level node in the area and connections are possible along this route. Basically, YRGTN-RNOWX provides back-up path for out of area connections in case RNO fails...which it hopefully won't do again for a while).

Editor’s comment: “There is much to learn about from whence we came, and
much profit in knowing why we came to exist.”

“ARRL The Early Years” (Reprinted courtesy February 1964 QST)
PART IX (conclusion) - Amateur Radio Operators Fight Back!

Immediately following this crushing blow, amateur radio was called upon to defend itself from a legislative menace. The Padgett Bill, H.R. 2753, introduced in the House on April 9, 1917, proposed that all radio communications in the United States, including amateur, commercial, and extra-Naval governmental stations, were to be turned over to the Navy.

Naturally, all the radio world rose in protest. Individual amateurs generally disapproved the bill in principle, even though none of them dared say when they would actually be allowed to operate stations again. Charles H. Stewart, representing the Wireless Association of Pennsylvania and a number of other clubs, was heard in protest during the House Committee hearings. The N.A.W.A., through “the Wireless Age”, fought the measure bitterly. Hiram Percy Maxim, representing the ARRL, went to Washington to confer with the sponsors of the bill, and secured an exception from its provisions for amateur stations, if and when they should be permitted to reopen. The bill was eventually killed in committee but the incident is of historical significance in that it that even at this early date the ARRL was accepted as the organization which represented amateur radio. Its membership total of about 4,000 was not as high as that claimed by competitive organizations, but by far the greatest percentage of licensed amateurs was enrolled among its numbers.

That threat over, amateur radio settled down to its next job, that of helping Uncle Sam to win the war.

+ BACK ISSUES OF THE EMCOMMWEST BULLETIN and (the former 5-1-2+ BULLETIN) ARE ARCHIVED AT: www.emcomm.org/svares/archives

+ SEARCH FEATURE AT EMCOMM.ORG

Ever try to locate an article in a past issue of the bulletin? Or, maybe you’re a new subscriber, and you are interested in knowing if a particular subject has ever been addressed in a former bulletin. Or...maybe you are just doing some research.
The “site search” feature at www.emcomm.org may be just what you need!

+ HOW IS EMCOMMWEST AND EMCOMM.ORG FUNDED?

There are no charges, dues, or membership fees for the EMCOMMWEST Bulletin or EMCOMM.ORG. The domain name, server, and other costs for EMCOMM.ORG are
funded solely by a few very dedicated EMCOMM operators. If you have benefited from our efforts, and would like to say thanks by supporting this work in a tangible way; you may do so by sending a few green stamps, or a check made payable to: EMCOMM. Mail it to: EMCOMM, P.O. Box 99, Macdoel, CA 96058. A receipt will be issued upon request. (A SASE would be appreciated). Your donation is an outright gift and is NOT tax-deductible. A five dollar annual donation works out to less than 10¢ an issue. “Brother...can you spare a dime?”

+ The “EMCOMMWEST BULLETIN” - Copyright (c) 2003 - D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ
Permission is hereby granted to reproduce and re-circulate items from this bulletin providing appropriate credit is given to the “EMCOMMWEST BULLETIN” and/or the author or originator of the material. Send corrections, updates, etc. to: k6soj@arrl.net

THE EMCOMMWEST BULLETIN No. 144 - 4 FEBRUARY 2003 -

THE EMCOMMWEST BULLETIN No. 144
- 4 FEBRUARY 2003 -