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ARRL Sacramento Valley Section (SV)Section Manager
Ronald D. Murdock, W6KJ 998 Bogue Rd Yuba City, CA 95991-9221 530-674-8533 w6kj@arrl.org |
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News last updated: Wed, July 1, 2009 at 6:30 PM ET
June 2009 Section News
Field Day is over, and Andy, W6AWS, of River City ARCS reports, ‘Well, another Field Day has come and gone. While the bands were not too HOT, the weather sure was! Thanks so much to all those who pitched in and helped make the load so much easier this year! Vince KI6NHP – For your great attitude always asking “What can I do to help”. Your Family providing the Snow Cones was “right on time”. Bill N6EF – Always there to jump in and help. Especially stepping in to take over logging when I had to do something else! Aaron KC7CKI (New Member) – Jumped right in with setting up the roof tarps, networking, and all this from a member of the club less than 2 months! Chuck W6FT – Thanks for setting up the GOTA station. I know the Scouts enjoyed the opportunity to “Get on the Air”. Paul N6DRY –Mr. “Dead Eye” with the tennis ball shooter. Steve KT6Z – For taking the “Con” on the T-Hunt. I saw the Scouts marching around after you had to go still looking for the “fox”. Steve N6HTV (WPARC Member) – once again the network worked flawlessly! Makes my job after FD sending in scores a breeze! Ken KE6RMN and Dave WB6YLK – Our FD Electricians. The Fans and Lighting were most appreciated. The Fans cut the temp by at least 5 degrees under the canopy!!! Vern W6MMA – The ribs were awesome, and the YP-3 Beams worked great too! Thanks for your generous use of them. Ron KE6PUB – For helping with set up and providing 2 baked chickens, and plates and utensils to the “potluck.” Everyone who brought food for the potluck! Thanks! We certainly did not go hungry! There are more, so forgive me if I don’t name you! This event is very time and labor intensive! The only way we are successful is as a group effort! The group effort makes it fun. The bands were not too good early on, but in the evening, things got better. I had the opportunity to work 80m from 0200 to about 0430.’ Thanks to Andy Stephens W6AWS.
Curtis, KI6ESK, reports, 'Hams From Truckee and the surrounding areas constructed their amateur Field Day station at the Martis Peak CDF Fire Lookout. The site is at 8,700 feet overlooking Lake Tahoe to the south, and Truckee meadows to the north. Local Boy Scout troop 267 took a day hike to give them a hand at the GOTA station (K6BSA). They were joined their by their Radio Merit Badge Counselor Barry K6ST and Curtis KI6ESK, our Assistant Section Manager For Youth, for a full overview of the hobby and field day. The scouts had a great time, and a majority of the scouts and leaders felt ready to pursue a ham license.'
John, KI6DWP, reports for the Amador County ARC, ‘We had three stations on the air; Chuck (NA6BR) set up a 2m APRS station with a digipeater on Jackson Butte. George, K6GTC, and others set up the HF station. Rich (K6DIK) set up the GOTA station and acting as Control Operator with Nathaniel (N6DBT) serving as the GOTA Coach. All stations were in operation during the day, however it was the GOTA station what was the most active. It really lived up to its name and had a whole contingent of operators, mainly in the "youth" category, working that station all day. Perhaps the high point was when Cara (KI6AKT) was trying to work a station, the frequency got crowded and the contact said "Everybody be quiet, I'm trying to get the lady's call sign"; much to the amusement of those at the table. In addition to the stations, Dave, Greg, and Ken (W6IEZ,Sacramento) set up a display of Amateur Television (ATV) to demonstrate how that mode operates.’
Mike, N6NIX, reported from the Oroville ARS site; 'This year the Butte County Sheriff's Office provided support to the Oroville Amateur Radio Society's field day effort in the form of its mobile communications van (Com 2). Members of the Sheriff's Communication Reserve staffed the van around-the-clock and provided assistance to OARS as needed. OARS members set up an HF phone station in the van and used the van's 35 foot mast and a couple of nearby trees to establish an effective wire antenna. OARS member's use of a slingshot and fishing line was very impressive. By assisting OARS during field day, Butte County Sheriff's Com Reserve is better equipped to interface with the local amateur radio community in the event of an emergency or disaster. Com 2 is a 1981 IHC 4x4 that formally served as Cal Fire Com 43. It is equipped with VHF, UHF and 800 MHz radios covering most Northern California public service agencies. It also has a Kenwood 2 meter/440 dual-bander and an ICOM IC-706MK2. It is fully air-conditioned and has an onboard 700 KW generator with the capability for remaining "on site" for several days without refueling.'
Kelley, KS6Z, announces that ‘on August 14 we are providing a Ham Cram for Lassen County Public Health and Banner Lassen Hospital employees who are interested in receiving their licenses. Both agencies participated in the June 18th Pan Flu exercise with one radio operator at each facility checking into an hourly radio net. Public Health has requested the training to qualify more operators. After the all day class we will offer license testing for those in the class and license upgrades for the public. We are not advertising for the class but will take limited additional interested persons. The license upgrade testing will welcome walk-ins, which will be held at 5 PM. If you have any questions please call 530-249-4046.’
Barry, K6ST, of Truckee, was the first to point out that our EMCOMMWEST/PACIFICON 2009 got a nice notice in the July, 2009 QST. An article reports the success of the convention and show on page 71. Thanks, Barry.
The text of a new U.S. House of Representatives Bill, HR 2160, is to be found at: http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/HR2160.pdf . In itself, the bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a study of unnecessary or unreasonable impediments to the ‘deployment of Amateur Radio emergency and disaster relief communications’. While we should not rely completely on the bill to do everything for us, it may at some time be the impetus for the end of unreasonable antenna restrictions. After you read the text of the bill, please consider requesting your congressman to co-sponsor this important piece of legislation. A sample letter for you to consider is located at: http://www.arrl.org/news/files/DearMemberOfCongressHR2160.doc
Steve, KT6Z, reports, ‘On June 6, 39 volunteers from the Western Placer ARC, Oroville ARS, River City ARCS, and Sierra Foothills ARC provided communication support for the Sierra Century Bike Ride. The rides started at 06:00 and the last riders checked in at 17:30. There were some 'black holes' in which the repeaters we were using were unreachable. To get around the problem there was one station with a 30-foot mast in the back of his pickup that provided relay back to NCS. After the event, the Sacramento Wheelmen (sponsors of the event) told us that our communications efforts were the best they had had in 30 years.’
This is a good time to highlight two wonderful ARRL services. The first is the ARRL Club Newsletter edited by Norm Fusara, W3IZ, and delivered to your e-mail box on a monthly if you sign up for it at the Members Only part of the ARRL.org website. The next service is the Instructor News. I have picked up countless tips for the classes we teach locally from Instructor News. Check it out at: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/instructorNews.html The Club News is a great place to get ideas to keep your club programs going. The Instructor News keeps the instructors amoung us from feeling lost and alone when difficult teaching situations arise.
WRTC-2010 Committee member, Harry RA3AUU writes about an upcoming Russian championship that will be very similar to the 2010 edition of WRTC. 'The Russian Radiosport Team Championship (RRTC) is an annual head-to-head Field Day style competition organized by the Russian Amateur Radio Union (Soyuz Radiolyubitelei Rossii - SRR), originating in the USSR in 1980. On July 18, 2009 with rules very similar to WRTC-2010, twenty teams from many different Russian regions will participate in RRTC. Two-op teams with R33AA-R33FZ call signs will be competing in the fields near the city of Domodedovo which is about 30-50 km to the South of Moscow. The same flat rural area fields will be used for WRTC-2010 competition.' This is a great opportunity to get a feel for summer propagation from UA3 from 'the other side.' Thanks, ARRL Contest Update.
Upcoming is the October 24, 2009, Boy Scout Capitol March. Bill Ragsdale, K6KN, is the point of contact for this huge event. He needs help with the 15,000 scouts expected to attend and operators for the demonstration station, W6BSA. A few years ago, we had just 5000 scouts out at Beale AFB for an event. I know Bill is going to need help with this event. Contact Bill if you think you can help with the march from Raley Field to the State Capitol, or the demo station at: Bill@BillRagsdale.cc, phone 530-867-6241, or at his mail address: PO Box 1500, Woodland, CA 95776. On April 29-30, a Technician Class was held for Health-Care professionals at the Homeland Security Convention Center at McClellan Air Park in Sacramento. The Sacramento County Public Health Department sponsored the 12-hour class. Dave West, KI6KAG, a Public Health Senior IT analyst, coordinated the class. Sacramento County paid for the students’ ARRL manuals as well as their V.E. tests. Frank Reshke, N6SNO, ARRL Sacramento Valley Section District 3 Emergency Coordinator, taught the class. Twenty-four people took the test, and 23 passed! Congratulations to the new hams in Sacramento County! Good job, Frank!
Last September was the first SACRAMENTO VALLEY HAMFEST in Lincoln, CA, at the Lincoln High School. This year the ham swap is on September 12, the Saturday following Labor Day. The details are still being worked out, but there will be a VE Team on site, lots of sellers and buyers, food, prizes, and great chances to visit with your ham radio buddies. It starts at 7 A.M. and will be over at Noon. Raffle prizes will be announced beginning at 7:30 with the grand prize announced at Noon. VE signups will be taken starting at 8 A.M., and the exams at 9 A.M. The only limitations are that all exams must be completed so the team can exit the building at 12 noon. Sellers will be able to start setup at 6 A.M., but no buyers should be on the site until 7 A.M. The event is sponsored by the Lincoln Rotary club and presented by the Western Placer Amateur Radio Club, the River City Amateur Radio Communication Society, and Yuba Sutter Amateur Radio Club. For more details and directions see www.svhamfest.org.
The second Wednesday of the month, July 8 this month, is the time for Sacramento Valley Section Net. We begin on the WD6AXM Repeater at 146.085 MHz, plus offset, PL Tone 127.3 Hz at 1900 local. By 1930 local, we have migrated to 3987 kHz LSB, plus or minus QRM. We will discuss the latest ham radio news and answer questions.
A LIST OF SV NETS IS HERE: http://www.k6is.org/nets.html . Thanks to Assistant Section Manager, Les, W6TEE.
73,
Ron Murdock, W6KJ, ARRL SACRAMENTO VALLEY SECTION MANAGER
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