Next PRC meeting August 17th

After a short business meeting we’ll have a show and tell session.  Rich Nagle, W8KU will be showing a neat little transistor testing kit he recently assembled. I’ll bring my “new” homebrewed carbon button microphone, guaranteed to bring back some fond memories. If you have something to show bring it along!

Ohio QSO Party

Free to a good home

A Parma ham has informed me that he has a Hallicrafters SX-42 and speaker and is wanting to find a new home for this venerable old receiver. The SX-42 dates back to post WWII and has always been a treasured, vintage radio. The donor is making it available at no charge.  Let me know in an e-mail or at the meeting if you are interested and I will provide contact information.  

Here’s a link to an informative article about a the receiver: http://www.ohio.edu/people/postr/bapix/sx42.htm 

A note from Bob, KE8UV

“First of all, thanks so much for the wonderful get well card.  Now I have something for you:

  Get yourself a treasure and help the club at the same time.  If you remember the club auctions we used to have at some meetings, bring a few dollars with you to the picnic meeting on 9/14/15 at the usual place in Day Park.

PCARS Mobile Check-In

Invitation to a special meeting at PCARS

Hal Rogers, K8CMD

President, Communications Director

What in the world is cross band repeat?

Did you know there’s an easy way to extend the range of your low power watt VHF handheld? What a great idea for campers, hikers or hams on emergency missions. In fact, under certain conditions you could QSO with hams worldwide over the internet. At our August 3rd meeting VP Dave Semanik, K8WRS will present his program explaining how you can join in the cross band repeat fun.  Dave and other members are familiar with many of the popular radio brands so there’s a lot help available if you need it.

USCG Honors 225th Birthday with Special Event Station(s)

From Ralph, W8BHJ —

SUNDAY AUGUST 2nd Special Event honoring the 225th Birthday of the USCG.- The actual B.D. is AUG 4th Tuesday. CW and SSB both will be starting at 10am or 1400 utc both going thru to 0400 utc, with operator changes every 2 hours (note) all operators are “HAMs” either retired or have served in the USCG. I will be operating on 6 meters cw/ssb/fm as time permits( probably not much) MY VHF 146.460 simplex schedule begins at 6 PM thru 8 PM (2 hrs) special permission was given to me and only me to operate 2 meters. I asked because many folks do not have HF Capabilities, I am the only one doing this during the entire Special Event Day. I am asking for a SASE and request them be sent to me W8BHJ at my QRZ address. VHF only. and during the 6-8 pm I will be using the Special Event Call of K1CG. All other HF contacts should be sent to K1CG and the address in QRZ A little confusing but I’m sure it will be fine. Thanks Hal I appreciate it !!

ralph/w8bhj

Retired RM1,USCG

Ralph's USCG service was from 1956 to 1979.
4 years USAF - 16 years USCG total 20 with a 2 year break between
USAF & USCG

"Rate at retirement was RM1 (Radioman first class), I was on the promotion
 list for Chief and Warrant Officer for years but few were made my times."

From the K1CG page on QRZ dot com —

K1CG will participate in a Special Event honoring the 225th birthday of the US Coast Guard on 2 August 2015. It will commence at * 021400Z until 030400Z. This is sponsored by the Coast Guard CW Operators Association. For additional info on the CGCWOA see www.comm-one.org also included is the Coast Guard Club. See info on that organization at www.w5cgc.org.

Several different operators will work the event. All CW contacts with K1CG during the event will receive a QSL card directly from the operator they worked. Voice contacts will require an SASE to W5CGC.

 * The above text is from the K1CG page on QRZ dot com. This  6 digit time notation is new to me so I asked Ralph to explain: “The times 021400 ZULU, GMT UTC extends into the new radio day 030400 ZULU ETC (it’s still Sunday BUT a NEW radio day)”.

(Hal, K8CMD)

If you’d like an easy reference source to convert between time zones, here’s a good one.   http://www.scc-ares-races.org/generalinfo/utcchart.html

Ohio QSO Party

The Ohio QSO party is being held on August 22-23 from 1600Z to 0400Z and your club is invited to participate! Every year many hams in Ohio participate from their home stations, as rovers or as mobiles. Their is also a category for EOC stations and multi operator stations-a great way to get together and have fun with a few friends. Our goal is to have lots of fun making all 88 Ohio counties available on the air for that 12 hour period. The OHQP is a fun way to generate activity and help county hunters get confirmation for Ohio counties.

Hal Rogers, K8CMD

President, Communications Director

Club Roster Published

The 2015 PRC Roster has been distributed by email to all paid members.  If you did not receive your copy, please contact the Treasurer.

 Just for laughs

The other day, while on my travels through a client’s IT department, I saw the above cartoon on their humor board and thought you would get a smile or even a giggle.

At our July 6th meeting PRC new member Vesselin “Vesko” Zhelezov, AB8PG / LZ2WJ introduced us to his new web site, Homebrew Hub.  Vesko’s site is a place where hams can share articles about their homebrew projects and related topics.  Recently Vesko added a new feature to the site that should be of interest to many. The site now has a classified section where users can run a free ad to sell gear. Vesko explained that the feature will receive modifications and refinement’s as it progresses, but it is fully functional now. To keep the site low maintenance, a user running an ad must update it weekly to keep the post visible. Very clever! 

Check out Vesko’s site and give it a test drive. A link to the site is posted on our site under resources or check it out at homebrewhub.org

Field Day 2015 Report

Although I still have the club tent and tarps to repack and store after scrubbing off the Hinckley mud, Field Day 2015 is now only good memories and digital images.  We have so many people to thank for a successful event that I’m not going to try. A great team pulled together under what could have been difficult conditions. Everyone pitched in when and wherever they were needed.  Our tent, antennas, solar panels and generator went up and operated without a problem.  Well, no problems we couldn’t handle.

Here’s the official stats that were just reported to ARRL: We operated in 1A class with a station on HF and another on 6 meters. Our power source was solar and the “pup” generator. In total we worked 157 stations on phone, claiming 314 points.  In bonus points we accrued 850 points.  The total being 1,164 points.

A total of 27 participants in our event.  Enjoy some photos from my phone and Sharon Pardue’s new camera:

Picnic July 20th !

Our July picnic will be Monday, July 20th. Talk it up among your friends and let’s have fun. The location will be the Day park pavilion we’ve used for several years.  See directions below. There’s road work being done on Pleasant Valley Road but there shouldn’t be any problem getting into the park.  July 20th would normally be a business meeting so in honor of that we will have a brief, informal, business meeting at the picnic.

Our picnic is open to everyone. The club will provide the fire and condiments.   Bring whatever you would like to cook on the grill and your refreshment. Alcohol is not permitted in the park. In the past, some folks have brought dessert and other snacks and dishes to share — which is always appreciated, but not required.  Fast food wrappers have been seen at the picnics.  The Pavilion has electrical outlets that can be used for food warmers, coffee maker, lighting, etc.

The BIG pavilion shelter is behind the swimming pool at Day Park, just east of Tri-C.  We will gather about 5:30 pm and will try to listen to the 145.410 repeater in case you get lost.

We’re hoping that all of our new members will be there and give us all a chance to meet them in a totally different environment. It will be great fun! See you there.

 
Directions: From Ridge and Pleasant Valley, the location of our regular meetings, go West on Pleasant Valley Road past York Road.  You’ll pass the entrance to Cuyahoga Community College, then three roads that go into other areas of the park and the city maintenance garage. Turn right (north) when at the park sign (below) at  Sesquicentennial Drive.  We’ll be in the large shelter called the Pavilion, behind the swimming pool.  

To avoid duplication of items people are bringing to share, a sign up sheet has been posted under EVENTS.

We suggest you check it before deciding on your item.

 From the 10 meter net

What a nice surprise I had on this week’s 10 meter net, when Bob, KA8WQL our FM net net control. said he was reading his August QST and in the Hints and Kinks column he read what he thought was a great idea. Then he read further and saw that the article was written by this writer. Bob said he thought, “Well, of course, it was a good idea” look who wrote it”.  Thanks, Bob!

Check it out. Hints and Kinks, Page 61 of the August 2015, QST.

This net is one of our most enjoyable gatherings for me . Please join us weekly on 28.460 USB, Thursday at 9:00 PM

 Ohio Area hamfest update

From ARRL Great Lakes Division Director:

Dale R Williams, WA8EFK wa8efk@arrl.org

Here is the current listing of ARRL Sanctioned Hamfests in the Great Lakes Division, covering July August and September:

7/18/15 NOARS Fest – Elyria, OH

7/18/15 GM ARC Trunk Swap – Shelby Twp, MI

7/19/15 Van Wert – Van Wert, OH

7/24/15 ARRL Board Meeting – Newington, CT

7/25/15 CMARC Outdoor Hamfest – Lansing, MI

7/26/15 Portage – Randolph, OH

8/1/15 GLD Convention & Columbus Hamfest – Columbus, OH

8/1/15 UP Hamfest – Escanaba, MI

8/9/15 Central Kentucky – Lawrenceburg, KY

8/16/15 Seaway Trunk Swap – Port Huron, MI

8/23/15 Cuyahoga Falls Tailgate Swap – Stow, OH

8/16/15 Warren Tailgate Swapmeet – Cortland, OH

9/12/15 Greater Louisville/KY State Conv. – Sheperdsville, KY

9/13/14 Findlay – Findlay, OH

9/19/15 Richmond Fall Hamfest – Richmond, KY

9/19/15 GM ARC Trunk Swap – Shelby Twp, MI

9/19/15 OHKYIN ARS Hamfest – Cincinnati, OH

9/20/15 Adrian – Adrian, MI

9/27/15 Cleveland Hamfes Berea, OH

 
Hal Rogers, K8CMD

President, Communications Director

Field Day 2015 becomes a distant memory 

No doubt, it was one of the wetter Field Days in my history but we fared well.  We had an excellent turnout, the tent did a good job of keeping us dry, the food prepared by Mike and Sharon Pardue and family was tremendous and we had more overnight operators/ campers than I can ever remember. 

The colored areas in the above map represent sections that we worked. We even worked Hawaii and had much success on 6 meters.  We’ll have all the numbers and final stats at the July 6th meeting. There are many folks to thank for the success of this event, which we’ll cover next time.

If you have photos of our Field Day operation, please send them for posting. in the next eminder.

 Ultimate Battery Backup Hack/Mod

I came across this video and thought it could be of interest to you. If you’d like to operate a QRP rig or other 12V device on a backup supply it’s something to consider.

(If you have a UPS (Uniterruptable Power Supply) you know that, while they serve a great function, most have a couple of drawbacks. For one, if f you want to operate a 12V device you have to take take the inverter’s AC out and convert it back to DC! This video demonstrates a neat solution to that problem.  Another issue (the author of the video might address it) as soon as a I popped off the case I would disconnect that aggravating beeper that reminds me the device has kicked onto backup power.  Keep in mind that these UPS devices are intended for use on a computer. It gives a few minutes to stop what you’re doing and properly shut down the computer until the commercial power returns.

In this video the author, Dave Murray, KF5QQV, takes a popular battery backup (APC brand) and modifies it to have 3 direct DC output jacks as well as an LED display with voltage readout. This gives him a power supply for his ham gear as well as many other useful capabilities during a power outage.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ur-D37-juo 

Picnic July 20th !

Our July picnic will be Monday, July 20th. Talk it up among your friends and let’s have fun. The location will be the Day park pavilion we’ve used for several years.  There’s road work being done on Pleasant Valley Road but no problem getting into the park.  July 20th would normally be a business meeting so in honor of that we will have a brief, informal, business meeting at the picnic.

The BIG pavilion shelter is behind the swimming pool at Day Park, just east of Tri-C. The club provides the fire, you bring what you want to cook, eat or share. Bring your own refreshments. No alcohol permitted, of course, in city parks. We will gather about 6:00 pm and will try to listen to the 145.410 repeater in case you get lost.

Club Roster

The PRC roster is in hand and will be published soon. It will only be sent to paid members. If you don’t receive the email with an attached roster it means that we have no record of your 2015 dues having been paid so your membership is not current. If we made a mistake, let us know and we’ll rectify the situation.

 Hal Rogers, K8CMD

President, Communications Director

Field Day 2015 moments away!

If you missed our Field Day planning meetings you might be wondering about what time we’ll be arriving at the site. The plan is to arrive at Top O’ the Ledges at 10 a.m. for set up of our tents, antennas and power system. Bring your lunch. Dinner will be provided but bring your choice of refreshments.  Of course, alcohol is not permitted in the Metropark. Our Field Day operation will begin at 2 p.m. and continue until 2 p.m. Sunday.  A map and more information is available on our site at  PRC Field Day 2015.

PRC Member Roster

The PRC 2015 Roster will be released soon. As always, the roster is only distributed to members in good standing.  If you have not received a membership card or other verification of receipt of your dues payment, please write us at parmaradioclub@gmail.com and we will look into the matter promptly.

New “Resources” page

We’ve added a new page to the site called “Resources.” This page will be home for hobby-expanding information we think you’ll enjoy and use regularly. If you have information you think would benefit fellow members, send it to us. Check out the new page at Resources

 Area Events

Circle Saturday July 18th on your calendar for the popular Noarsfest.  A printable PDF flier is available at this link. NOARSfest2015

Full details on the attached printable PDF  FlyerGLECCflyer2015

See you at Field Day!

Hal Rogers, K8CMD

President/ Communications Director

It was with sadness that we learned this week that Amateur Radio Newsline co-founder and producer Bill Pasternak  died on June 11th.  Bill was a tremendously accomplished contributor to our hobby and will surely be missed. Among his accomplishments were Amateur Radio Newsline and the Young Ham of the Year Award.

I began working with Bill as a “Newsline” anchor in November of 2013.  Honestly, taking  25 minutes of text full of call signs, local and foreign personal names, cities, countries and far reaching DX locations and making it all sound conversational was a challenge that could have drained my energy level down to the “E” were it not for the fact that I always knew I was working with Bill, whom I knew was facing many personal health challenges. To my knowledge, Bill’s dedication to Newsline never wavered from its inception.  An informative video memorial is now available on www.arnewsline.org/  and the ARRL had this article Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF (SK)

“Newsline”, heard world-wide on VHF/UHF repeaters and shortwave broadcast stations, is an all volunteer service employing writers and reporters from every continent. While Newsline is presently on hiatus it is expected to return to production with all the dedication that Pasternak infused many years ago.  Stay tuned.

Hal Rogers, K8CMD

President, Communications Director

Parma Radio Club

 Final meeting before Field Day

I can’t believe how quickly we’re approaching Field Day (June 27/28).  Our June 15th meeting will be our final opportunity to make plans for this major event. I certainly hope you’ll be able to participate in the planning and the fun outing. A map to our Field Day site is now posted so be sure to check it out. PRC Field Day map

New “Equipment for Sale” page

From time to time you might have some equipment to sell or are on the hunt for a bargain. We now have a “Equipment for Sale” page on our site. The page is open to all members and friends. 

In posting your gear, keep in mind that while text is important, pictures really do say “a thousand words” and the better your pictures, the clearer your message. The best package is concise, informative text and good photos.

For this purpose a good photo is a close up shot with sharp focus, taken from a normal operating angle in natural lighting. Of course, all this means when your picture meets the “good” photo criteria finger prints, smudges and cookie dust are very visible. So take a minute and an old tooth brush to do a little cosmetic work before your photo session.  Take photos of each piece of gear from different viewpoints, like front and rear. The extra effort will pay off.  Check out the new page at Equipment for Sale

Hal Rogers, K8CMD

PRC President, Communications Director

“Newsline” Producer Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF Hospitalized

Syndicated program on indefinite hiatus

 —————————————————————-

Nash went on to say, “Bill’s health is the most important thing right now. However, I know that he is also very concerned about the ongoing production of the weekly Newsline reports. During Bill’s previous extended hospital stay earlier this year, he reached out for help with producing the newscast. I stepped forward, and we got it back up and going. At the time, it was not a problem for me to do, time-wise. I was doing the Morning Drive show on KTPK-FM (Country Legends 106.9) here in Topeka, and had time in the afternoon to devote a few hours to editing and producing the audio. Bill was able to write the scripts; first from the rehab facility, then from home once he was released.”

“Newsline” is heard worldwide on amateur radio repeaters and shortwave stations and is created entirely through voluntary efforts. While a professional background is not necessary, many volunteers are broadcasters and journalists.  If you would like to volunteer your skills as a writer, producer, editor or anchor to continue this service, Skeeter has posted detailed job descriptions at www.arnewsline.org.

As a contributing news anchor to the program for several years I’ve found my time spent to be extremely rewarding.   I wish the very best for Bill and Amateur Radio Newsline.

How to Shop for Your Next AA Battery

While electronic devices run on batteries of differing shapes and sizes, the most popular amongst them is  AA-size primary cylindrical cells. These cells’ prices differ by manufacturer, but does a cell with a higher price last longer? T0 find the answer, engineers conducted a variety of tests. You might be surprised at what they learned.  Click here for their is here How to Select AA Batteries

 Electronics For You

 ARRL Field Day 2015

 Across the U.S. and Canada hams are preparing radio gear, emergency power equipment, antennas, tents and all their  required gadgetry for the biggest radio day of the year, ARRL Field Day.   More than 35,000 of us are expected to participate this year. Of course, the Parma Radio Club is no exception.  Our 2015 Field Day, June 27-28, will be at the same site we’ve used for several years, the Top O’ the Ledges in Hinckley Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks. A map and driving directions will be posted on this site.

John Malloy, KA8VTV will again perform as Field Day Chairman.  At our June 1st meeting we’ll begin mapping out our plans for this big event. It’s amazing to think of all the details that must be considered in order to have a successful Field Day.  We certainly hope you will be able to join us for this planning meeting as well as Field Day which seems to get better every year.

At the meeting, you’ll see the computer logging program we’ve used for the past several years, Amateur Contact Log. The program makes it so  easy to make log entries as well as file our ARRL report.

We operate in several ways. Some operators prefer to keep a pencil log while they operate.  Others work as a two person team — one does the on air work, while the other handles logging.  Flexibility is the key.

Hal Rogers, K8CMD

President, Communications Director

I must admit that with all the on air discussion in recent weeks about the Dayton Hamvention, right about now I’m feeling  like everybody left town and I’m missing out on all the excitement.  Hopefully some of our members will be able to share their experiences at the next meeting.

—————————————————————————-

We have a lot to discuss at our May 18th business meeting.  I’ll update you on our new web site, which has taken much of my time but it will be well worth the effort.  And we’ll start organizing our plans for field day. Yes, hard to believe that ARRL Field Day is just around the corner, June 27-28. 

—————————————————————————-

This is the time of year when storms appear very quickly. I’ve found it’s good practice to disconnect my HF antennas. particularly, as soon as I’m finished with them. After all, they’re designed to attract electrical energy!  There’s nothing more unnerving than being away from home when you see a storm brewing and you know your antenna is connected. 

Speaking of rain, I’m going to bring along my fancy rain gauge for a non-electronic show and tell. I understand this is the same type used by professional weather forecasters. It provides very accurate measurement and can measure the smallest and largest rain falls.  The device is easy to build if you’re looking for a fun project.