We’re truly grateful to all who’ve paid their 2021 dues. If you haven’t yet sent your dues in, please accept this gentle reminder. We continue to need and appreciate your support. The member application form is on this site or you can use Member Application.

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Time for Field Day. Yes, Winter Field Day!

By now, many of us are going stir crazy or just plain bonkers. So, this might be the time for you to check out Winter Field Day! A couple of years ago I participated in a WFD at a local ham’s home. It was an amazing amount of fun and the food was great, too. Here’s the scoop:

From Winter Field Day Association

 Winter Field Day Association (WFDA) is a dedicated group of Amateur Radio Operators who believe that emergency communications in a winter environment is just as important as the preparations and practice that is done each summer but with some additional unique operational concerns.

 We believe as do those entities of ARRL Organizations like ARES & RACES that maintaining your operational skills should not be limited to fair weather scenarios. The addition of Winter Field Day will enhance those already important skills of those that who generously volunteer their time and equipment to these organizations. This is why WFD is open to all licensed amateur radio operators worldwide.

more, including WFD rules at www.winterfieldday.com

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Detectors aboard the International Space Station are helping solve mysteries about our bizarre radio propagation

In the illustration above, blue jets zip upward from thunderclouds into the stratosphere, reaching altitudes up to about 50 kilometers in less than a second. Whereas ordinary lightning excites a medley of gases in the lower atmosphere to glow white, blue jets excite mostly stratospheric nitrogen to create their signature blue hue.

Blue jets have been observed from the ground and aircraft for years, but it’s hard to tell how they form without getting high above the clouds. Now, instruments on the International Space Station have spotted a blue jet emerge from an extremely brief, bright burst of electricity near the top of a thundercloud, researchers report online January 20 in Nature.

more info at https://www.sciencenews.org/article/space-station-detectors-found-source-weird-blue-jet-lightning 

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Thanks to all who voted in our club election. The number of ballots received was not what we had hoped for but with everything going on in the world we’re grateful. Six ballots were received and each candidate received six votes. I’m thinking that our voting percentage was almost as good as was the country’s General Election.

So a hearty congratulation is in order to all my fellow candidates.

The PRC Board for 2021:

President, Hal Rogers K8CMD; Vice President, Mike Marganski, KE8HBK; Secretary, John Malloy, KA8VTV; Treasurer, Tom Pechnik, AC8EH, and Trustee, Tom Bedocs, K8DMM.

Again, congratulations to the Board and thank you all for your support and thanks to Rich Nagel, W8KU who served as Elections Chairman.

As the current year has not been “business as usual”, the coming year will also have it’s challenges. On the bright side, it appears vaccines are on the way in 2021 and we’ll begin to get control over the pandemic. What a wonderful day it will be when we can get back to a “normal” way of life. Until that time, we urge you to continue to protect yourself, family and friends by taking the precautions advised by medical experts.

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Net Control Operators needed

If you’d like to have some fun this winter, step up and volunteer to run one of our nets. It’s as easy as chatting and there’s no need to be formal. Just step in and start an old fashioned roundtable. However, if you prefer the formal approach, write us and we’ll explain the simple process.

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ARRL urges FCC to waive the proposed fee

ARRL has urged the FCC to waive its proposed $50 amateur radio application fee. The Commission proposal was made last month in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in MD 20-270. The proposal already has drawn more than 3,200 individual comments overwhelmingly opposed to the plan. The fees, directed by Congress and imposed on all FCC-regulated services, are to recover the FCC’s costs of handling and processing applications.

“Amateur radio applications were not listed when the Congress adopted its 1985 fee schedule for applications, and therefore amateur license applications were excluded from the collection of fees,” ARRL said on November 16 in its proposal. “Similarly, a decade later when regulatory fees were authorized, the Amateur Service was excluded, except for the costs associated with issuing vanity call signs.” The new statutory provisions are similar. Amateur radio license applications are not addressed in the application fees section and explicitly excluded from regulatory fees,” ARRL said, and there is “no evidence of any intent by Congress to change the exempt status of amateur applications and instead subject them to new fees.”

ARRL argued that the FCC has explicit authority to waive the fees if it would be in the public interest, and should do so for the Amateur Radio Service. Unlike other FCC services, the Amateur Radio Service is all volunteer and largely self-governing, with examination preparation, administration, and grading handled by volunteers, who submit licensing paperwork to the FCC, ARRL pointed out.

more …. http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-seeks-waiver-of-proposed-fcc-amateur-application-fees 

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April 18, 2021, designated as “National Amateur Radio Operators Day” thanks to 12 year old ham

US Representative Debbie Lesko of Arizona has introduced a resolution designating April 18, 2021, as National Amateur Radio Operators Day, to recognize the important contributions of amateur radio operators.

“Amateur radio operators are critical in times of crisis and our communities are safer thanks to their dedication to sharing important information with the public,” Lesko said. She was approached to introduce the resolution by 12-year-old Raymond, N7KCB, from Peoria, Arizona.

“I started Long Distance Responders so I can help prepare the community for emergencies with amateur radio,” said Raymond. “There might be a price for a radio, but the ability and knowledge to help someone is truly priceless.”

As Lesko’s resolution notes, World Amateur Radio Day (WARD) is celebrated annually on April 18 to commemorate the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) in 1925, and she said her resolution recognizes the amateur radio community with a national day in the United States in 2021. The resolution cites the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®) for providing “invaluable emergency communications services following recent natural disasters, including but not limited to helping coordinate disaster relief efforts following Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma, and Maria and other extreme weather disasters.” 

ARRL

Stay safe, warm and active on the bands.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

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As summer is noticeably introducing it’s follow up season. (I’m trying to avoid using the actual word as much as I enjoy the colors.) Our meeting place is still closed to the public and we have no indication when it will be available. It’s a good thing we have our nets to stay in touch. If you haven’t checked into a net lately, you’re missing out on some fun. We have a new net called TecNet that meets every 1st and 3rd Monday at 7:30 pm. It’s a great place to share information on technical topics of any kind or ask questions about tech issues that are bugging you. We might not have the answer to your problem but we have lots 0f experience and will gladly commiserate with you.

If you’ve wondered why my posts have been infrequent, the answer is simple. Since the site is primarily dedicated to informing you about upcoming meetings and gatherings, Covid-19 has pretty much brought that need to a halt. Like you, I can’t wait ’til we can get back to “normal.” Remember the fun fall picnics? The PRC Board decided that it would not be safe to hold such events. And it’s just as well because Parma’s Day Park and the Cleveland MetroPark facilities were mandated by the Governor t0 keep their locations closed until further notice.

A testimony to the power of our Nets is that we are thrilled to welcome new and returning members: Larry Ferrone NB8Z, Jerry Kuhn W8KDG, Forrest Reed KA8HUZ, Tedd Mirgliotti KB8NW, Ralph Dey K8YSM, John Nestelle NV8N, Frank Siedlack WD8AEK. Thank you all for your support!

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A PDF of the current roster is available to any member. Just write and ask.

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A new topic: Would you be interested in online meetings with guest presenters, etc? Everything but donuts! If so, let’s discuss this either on the air or write us at parmaradioclub@gmail.com.

Free Online Technician and General Class Courses !!!

Many thanks to Anthony Luscre, K8ZT for the following information. It‘s really great news for many of you who would like to get your Tech license or upgrade to General. Register now to hold your “seat.”

The Cuyahoga Falls Amateur Radio Club is offering a free six-session Technician Class License course starting October 4, 2020. Classes are held online via Google Classroom and Meet from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM.  They will also be offering a free General Class License Course.

For information about the courses and a link to their registration information follow this link: www.cfarc.org

The classes are open to anyone and they would appreciate your spreading the word to fellow club members, on the nets or to your acquaintances. This is also a great opportunity for younger candidates that may not be able to drive to in-person classes.
—
Anthony Luscre, K8ZT

Assistant Ohio Section Manager for Education Outreach ARRL – The National Association For Amateur Radio™ 
k8zt@arrl.net

FCC Proposes to Reinstate Amateur Radio Service Fees

08/28/2020 from arrl.org

[UPDATED 2020-09-01 @1845 UTC] Amateur radio licensees would pay a $50 fee for each amateur radio license application if the FCC adopts rules it proposed this week. Included in the FCC’s fee proposal are applications for new licenses, renewal and upgrades to existing licenses, and vanity call sign requests. Excluded are applications for administrative updates, such as changes of address, and annual regulatory fees.

The FCC proposal is contained in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in MD Docket 20-270, which was adopted to implement portions of the “Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services Act” of 2018 — the so-called “Ray Baum’s Act.”

The Act requires that the FCC switch from a Congressionally-mandated fee structure to a cost-based system of assessment. In its NPRM, the FCC proposed application fees for a broad range of services that use the FCC’s Universal Licensing System (ULS), including the Amateur Radio Service that had been excluded by an earlier statute. The 2018 statute excludes the Amateur Service from annual regulatory fees, but not from application fees.

“[A]pplications for personal licenses are mostly automated and do not have individualized staff costs for data input or review,” the FCC said in its NPRM. “For these automated processes — new/major modifications, renewal, and minor modifications — we propose a nominal application fee of $50 due to automating the processes, routine ULS maintenance, and limited instances where staff input is required.”

The same $50 fee would apply to all Amateur Service applications, including those for vanity call signs. “Although there is currently no fee for vanity call signs in the Amateur Radio Service, we find that such applications impose similar costs in aggregate on Commission resources as new applications and therefore propose a $50 fee,” the FCC said.

The FCC is not proposing to charge for administrative updates, such as mailing address changes for amateur applications, and amateur radio will remain exempt from annual regulatory fees. “For administrative updates [and] modifications, which also are highly automated, we find that it is in the public interest to encourage licensees to update their [own] information without a charge,” the FCC said.

The FCC also proposes to assess a $50 fee for individuals who want a printed copy of their license. “The Commission has proposed to eliminate these services — but to the extent the Commission does not do so, we propose a fee of $50 to cover the costs of these services,” the FCC said.

The Ray Baum’s Act does not exempt filing fees in the Amateur Radio Service. The FCC dropped assessment of fees for vanity call signs several years ago.

ARRL is reviewing the matter and intends to file comments in opposition.

Deadlines for comments and reply comments will be determined once the NPRM appears in the Federal Register. Interested parties may file comments by using the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), posting to MD Docket No. 20-270. This docket is already open to accept comments, even though deadlines have not yet been set.

“Tell us something we don’t know.”

That’s been a popular conversation starter at the meetings so let’s do it here. We’re all eager to learn new things. You most certainly come across exciting information from time to time about items of interest related to our hobby that you could share with fellow members. It might be a new gadget, a new magazine, a kit or construction article or a web service that interests you. If it catches your fascination, most likely it will interest other members. That’s pretty cool. So, tells us something we don’t know.

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Field Day 2020

It wasn’t the kind of Field Day we were hoping for, was it? Looking back, we had no reason to think this Field Day would be any different from any other — the kind of Field Day where we discussed our plans, went through a checklist to be absolutely certain nothing was overlooked and then worked it through, lugging gear to the site, splashing on bug repellent and forming a team to raise antennas to the sky, unravel large rolls of coax, pitch a tent, hook up solar panels, batteries and radio gear and finally make the sweet noise of intermittent squaks, tones and even voices from distant people. Finally at 2 PM the gate is opened and the long awaited radio “sport” is on. Energized hams everywhere, it seems, are swapping reports from distant places.

It’s enough to make you starved, which is why a fantastic repast awaits the hungry group at the food tent just before night fall!

Well, hopefully we’ll do that next year.

Those of us who were able to participate in the event did so from the comfort of their homes, as did hundreds of other hams around the country. And, while it wasn’t what we all wanted, I believe we all had more fun than we expect. The member results have been reported to ARRL and will appear in the December QST.

Personnally, I’m looking forward to the next time I can operate under the stars.

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PRC Nets, a great place to stay in touch

The PRC TecNet has been a fun way to get together and share on technical and other topics. The new FM net is held the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month on 145.410 mHz KB8WLW repeaters at 7:30 pm. The regular FM net meets each Tuesday at 9 PM on the same frequency.

On HF, join us on 28.460 mHz on the 10 meter band on USB every Thursday at 9 pm.

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Virtual Hamfest

Many of us miss the in-person gatherings of summer hamfests, but DX Engineering is not letting the virus stop them from continuing their successful events. This year’s DXE hamfest will be held online on the increasingly popular Zoom video platform. Check the fantastic line up of programs. And then there will be giveaways, too!

If you haven’t yet used Zoom. I suggest you download the app on your desktop, laptop, tablet or other device so that you can participate. You start by registering using the link below. Prior to the event you’ll be emailed an invitation to be admitted.

Mark Your Calendars for the DXE Virtual Hamfest and DX Academy

Join the Elmers at DX Engineering and a host of Ham Radio luminaries on Saturday, July 25, 2020, for the first DXE Virtual Hamfest and DX Academy—two online events combined into a full day of fun, learning, and drawings for DX Engineering gift cards.

Both events are free and open to all. Click here to register. Once signed up, you will receive a link to access the events in real-time on the Zoom webinar platform, or you can watch live on the DX Engineering YouTube channel.

The day kicks off with the DXE Virtual Hamfest, featuring presentations from top contributors to OnAllBands (DX Engineering’s blog site), and the latest news and answers to your questions about recent and upcoming products, including the RF-KIT RF2K-S Linear Amplifier (sold exclusively in North America by DX Engineering), the RT-4500HD Heavy-Duty Rotator, and the Ladder Line Surge Protector.

DXE Virtual Hamfest Schedule (times are EDT)

9 am:               Introduction by Tim Duffy, K3LR, CEO of DX Engineering
9:15 am:          DXE Product Discussion with Scott Jones, N3RA
9:30 am:          Ward Silver, N0AX, Radiosport: Training for Public Service
10 am:             DXE Product Discussion with Steve Hannah, KC8YSU
10:15 am:        Sean Kutzko, KX9X, Working Amateur Radio Satellites
10:45 am:        DXE Product Discussion with Tim Duffy, K3LR
11 am:             Anthony Luscre, K8ZT, Youth in Amateur Radio
11:30 am:        DXE Question and Answer, Wrap-up, and Drawing for a $1,000 DX Engineering Gift Card*

The afternoon will be all about improving your skills at making long-distance contacts. Sponsored by Icom America and DX Engineering, the first-ever online DX Academy brings together experts to share advice from their years of on-air experience.

DX Academy Schedule (times are EDT)

1 pm:               Introduction by Tim Duffy, K3LR
1:15 pm           Jerry Rosalius, WB9Z, Low Band Antennas for DXing
2:15 pm            Ray Novak, N9JA, Icom Product Showcase, IC-705
2:45 pm            Glenn Johnson, W0GJ, VP6R DXpedition to Pitcairn Island
3:45 pm            Valerie Hotzfeld, NV9L, Operating Tools and Ideas for Becoming a Better DXer
4:45 pm            Wrap-up and Drawing for a $1,000 DX Engineering Gift Card*

*To win, you must be registered and present on Zoom during the drawings.

Look for more information on Facebook and OnAllBands (a DXE blog) in the coming days.

From the site of DX Engineering. www.dxengineering.com

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I hope you’re doing well during these unusual times. Personally, I won’t pretend that its been “easy-breezy” in my home. It’s a challenge to adhere to the stay-at-home guidelines, to limit visits to stores and public places, do the essential medical appointments, maintain 6 feet social distancing while wearing a mask. All this, while we see some neighbors blissfully ignoring the advice of experts. But, like many of you, we’re toughing it out and will continue to do what we can to protect our family and ourselves.

I am very thankful that I have my hobby and our club nets to stay in touch. By the way, our TecNets move to the KB8WLW repeater appears have been the thing to do. Thanks to Mike Smith’s fabulous repeater system we’ve been able to reach out to a wider geographic area and meet new folks. The TecNet meets at 7:30 pm on 145.410 2m FM repeater, on the 1st and 3rd Monday.

Speaking of reaching out, I couldn’t be more pleased with the numerous inquirees we’ve receive through this site since April asking how they can learn more about our hobby or get tested to upgrade their license. I’m thrilled so many people have thought to contact us on their quest.

PRC Site Has a New Home

You might have noticed a different look to these pages. That’s because we moved our site to a new server. When we announced at meeting early this year that our web host was becoming a financial burden, Chuck Mehoznek, K8CVM stepped up and offered space on his server. What a terrific gesture that we trully appreciate.

We still have some fine tuning to do on the appearance and at present the site is not quite compatible with mobile devices. So we have some work to do but we’re thrilled to have successfully made the move.

Thank you, Chuck!

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Field Day 2020

ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, Issues Field Day 2020 Statement

06/25/2020

ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, has released a statement in advance of ARRL Field Day 2020.

Dear ARRL Members,

For the first time since the event was introduced in 1933, ARRL Field Day will indeed be significantly different this year. Continuing public safety restrictions due to COVID-19 will force many of you to operate from home, while some radio clubs, where permitted, will venture outside in limited gatherings practicing social distancing. By all means, get on the air this weekend and show the world that Amateur Radio operators remain adaptable to changing situations.

Although points are awarded, the underlying purpose of Field Day is to demonstrate the versatility and reliability of radio amateurs under simulated emergency conditions. For some of you, especially new licensees, this may be the first time you’ve established your own home station or portable radio communications capability. Let’s use this opportunity to show our friends, families, and community leaders that we are a trained, resourceful and reliable corps of volunteers, especially when other forms of communications are not available.

In addition to operating, please take a few minutes to document your station with pictures, or even offer to host a videoconference and give virtual tours. Social media is the way most people are discovering amateur radio these days, so post your photos and videos to the social media pages hosted by your clubs and ARRL.

Finally, please use the hashtag #ARRLFD along with community hashtags to get the word out that we are enjoying an amazing hobby that is also a public service. Field Day is the largest gathering of communicators on the face of the earth. Let’s show the world what amateur radio can do!

On behalf of ARRL board members and staff, have a fun and safe ARRL Field Day.

73,

Rick Roderick, K5UR

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In March the following response to the pandemic outbreak appeared on ARRL.org:

Field Day 2020 — A Time to Adapt
03/27/2020

Many individuals and groups organizing events for Field Day 2020 have been contacting ARRL for guidance on how to adapt their planned activities in this unprecedented time of social distancing and uncertainty.

“Due to the unique situation presented this year, this can be an opportunity for you, your club, and/or group to try something new,” ARRL Contest Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE, said. “Field Day isn’t about doing things the same way year after year. Use this year to develop and employ a new approach that is in line with the current circumstances.”

Social distancing and state and local requirements very likely will impact just how — and even whether — you are able to participate in Field Day this year. ARRL continues monitoring the coronavirus situation, paying close attention to information and guidance offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If social distancing means that Class A with a 30-member team set up in a city park won’t work this year, then it’s time for a Plan B. Part of the Field Day concept has always been adapting your operation to the situation at hand. At its heart, Field Day is an emergency communication demonstration. Field Day rules are flexible enough to allow individuals and groups to adjust their participation and strategies in a way that still addresses their needs while being fun. Some possibilities:

Encourage club members to operate from their home stations on emergency power (Class E).
Use the club’s repeater as a means for individual participants to keep in touch during the event.
Family members interested in operating Field Day and unable to participate as part of a larger group may want to consider setting up a portable station in the backyard with a temporary antenna.
One big impact this year will be a decline in public visibility and any interaction with the visitors. Prudence may dictate dispensing with the ham radio PR table to attract passersby, should you set up in a more public location. It’s okay not to score all the bonus points you may have attempted in the past. Local and served agency officials may be unwilling to visit, which is understandable under the circumstances. Do be sure to reach out to them as part of your preparations and remind them that you look forward to continuing your working relationship with them in the future.

The impact will differ from place to place, so ARRL recommends that all amateur radio clubs participating in Field Day stay in regular contact with local or state public health officials for their advice and guidance on hosting Field Day activities.

Demonstrating an understanding of the health crisis we all face and your willingness to adapt will show that you and your club or group are good working partners with local or served agencies.

“With any emergency preparedness exercise, it’s not about adapting the situation to your operation, it’s about adapting your operation to the situation that presents itself,” Bourque said. “Try something different. Learn something new about how you prepare. It may be a challenge, and you may have to ask yourself if you’re up to the challenge. We hope to hear you on the air over the June 27 – 28 weekend.”

— Thanks to Paul Bourque, N1SFE, and Dan Henderson, N1ND

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PRC to Participate in Field Day 2020, June 27-28

While the PRC will not be conducting its normal Field Day operations, we encouraging members to operate from their home stations and then report their Field Day log to the club for inclusion in the club’s report. You will be using your own call sign and operating as a Class D station.

Here’s how it will work: (reprinted from ARRL.org)

Temporary Rule Waivers for ARRL Field Day 2020

5/28/2020

With one month to go before 2020 ARRL Field Day, June 27-28, the ARRL Programs and Services Committee (PSC) has adopted two temporary rule waivers for the event:

     1) For Field Day 2020 only, Class D stations may work all other Field Day stations, including other Class D stations, for points.

     Field Day rule 4.6 defines Class D stations as “Home stations,” including stations operating from permanent or licensed station locations using commercial power. Class D stations ordinarily may only count contacts made with Class A, B, C, E, and F Field Day stations, but the temporary rule waiver for 2020 allows Class D stations to count contacts with other Class D stations for QSO credit.

     2) In addition, for 2020 only, an aggregate club score will be published, which will be the sum of all individual entries indicating a specific club (similar to the aggregate score totals used in ARRL affiliated club competitions).

     Ordinarily, club names are only published in the results for Class A and Class F entries, but the temporary rule waiver for 2020 allows participants from any Class to optionally include a single club name with their submitted results following Field Day.

     For example, if Podunk Hollow Radio Club members Becky, W1BXY, and Hiram, W1AW, both participate in 2020 Field Day — Hiram from his Class D home station, and Becky from her Class C mobile station — both can include the radio club’s name when reporting their individual results. The published results listing will include individual scores for Hiram and Becky, plus a combined score for all entries identified as Podunk Hollow Radio Club.

The temporary rule waivers were adopted by the PSC on May 27, 2020.

ARRL Field Day is one of the biggest events on the amateur radio calendar, with over 36,000 participants in 2019, including entries from 3,113 radio clubs and emergency operations centers. In most years, Field Day is also the largest annual demonstration of ham radio, because many radio clubs organize their participation in public places such as parks and schools.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many radio clubs have made decisions to cancel their group participation in ARRL Field Day this year due to public health recommendations and/or requirements, or to significantly modify their participation for safe social distancing practices. The temporary rule waivers allow greater flexibility in recognizing the value of individual and club participation regardless of entry class.

ARRL is contacting logging program developers about the temporary rule waivers so developers can release updated versions of their software prior to Field Day weekend. Participants are reminded that the preferred method of submitting entries after Field Day is via the web applet. The ARRL Field Day rules include instructions for submitting entries after the event. Entries must be submitted or postmarked by Tuesday, July 28, 2020.

The ARRL Field Day web page includes a series of articles with ideas and advice for adapting participation this year.

The complete Field Day Rules are reprinted here or are available at arrl.org.

ARRL Contest Program Issues Field Day 2020 FAQ

06/09/2020

The ARRL Contest Program has released some Frequently Asked Questions related to the Field Day temporary rule waivers. On May 28, the ARRL Programs and Services Committee (PSC) adopted these provisions only for the June 27 – 28, 2020, event: (1) Class D stations may work all other Field Day stations, including other Class D stations, for points, and (2) an aggregate club score will be published, which will be the sum of all individual entries that indicate a specific club. Contact the ARRL Contest Program with any questions related to Field Day 2020.

Q: Several of our club members are going to operate independently and wish to attribute their scores to the aggregate club score. What call sign should they use?

A: Participants should use their own call signs. Except for Class C (mobile) entries, all transmitters, receivers, and antennas must be located within a 1,000-foot-diameter circle may operate using a single call sign. This prohibits the use of a single call sign from more than one location. Under the 2020 waiver, those operating from home, including backyard operations, must use their own station call signs. Multiple home stations operating with a club call sign or modified club call sign, such as W1AW-1, W1AW-2, W1AW-3, etc, are not allowed.

Q: How does my club submit an aggregate club score?  Does the club need to add up each participating member’s scores and submit a club entry with the aggregate score under the club call sign?

A: Each participant will submit his or her own independent entry under his or her call sign. ARRL will calculate the aggregate score based upon the club name entered on the official Field Day entry form via the web applet (preferred method) or on the paper Field Day entry form. In order for results to be tabulated correctly, all club participants must enter the club’s official name exactly the same, avoiding abbreviations or acronyms. This is important!

Q: Our group is still planning to operate at the usual Field Day site, but some members do not feel comfortable gathering in a large group this year. Can we still submit an entry using the club call sign, as well as have members operating from home using their own call signs?

A: Yes. If your club is still hosting a group Field Day effort, it will submit an entry as usual, using the club call sign. Club members operating at home will submit separate entries with their own call signs and will enter the club name on the entry form for club aggregate scoring.

Q: Can a club member operate from home using the club call sign?

A: Yes, but the call sign may only be used in one location. The member must receive permission from the trustee of the club call sign.

Q: Our club normally enters Field Day in Class A. If we operate from our home stations, in which class should individual members enter in order to be included in the aggregate club score?

A: Each member will operate independently and will submit the entry using whatever class that applies to their operation. Typically, home stations running on commercial ac power are Class D, while home stations running on battery, solar, generator, or the like (i.e., not from ac mains) are Class E. When the results are published, each club member will be listed in the results under the class in which they operated. For 2020 only, aggregate club scores will be listed by the club name in a separate listing.

Q: Our club will have 10 members operating from home as Class D stations. Should they worry about working the same station on the same band and mode (duplicates)?

A: Because members are operating as separate entries using their own call signs, the contacts are not considered duplicates.

Q: Does the club need to be an ARRL-affiliated club to participate in Field Day?

A: No. All clubs and groups are welcome to participate in ARRL Field Day.

Q: How will bonus points be calculated for the aggregate club scores? Can individual club members still earn bonus points?

A: All individual scores, including bonus points, will be added together to determine the aggregate club score. Refer to the complete rules to determine eligibility for bonus points. — Thanks to Paul Bourque, N1SFE, ARRL Contest Program Manager

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To paraphrase a popular big box hardware store: “Let’s Do It.” And have fun.

Hal Rogers, K8CMD

President, PRC

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PRC holds 1st TecNet!

While in-person meetings are on hold during the coronavirus emergency, there’s no reason we can’t socialize on the radio and do what we really enjoy — talk tech stuff.

Called “TecNet”, this new venture won’t be a typical net. In stead the TechNet will take the popular round table form. A moderator will begin by accepting check ins, then introduce a thought provoking tech topic for group discussion in a round table style.

Before beginning the round table, the order of the check ins will be read by the moderator. Participants will be asked to remember the operator who follows them on the list so that they know who to turn it over to following their transmission.

Any participant, might occasionally contribute a technical trivia question for for the group.

So, it’ll be a fun time, and as with all club functions, the TecNet will be open to members and non-members.

Join us on the 1st and 3rd Mondays at 7:30 PM on 145.410 FM (KB8WLW repeater system).

Join us on the 1st PRC TecNet!

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Hamfests cancelled

ARRL has announced that the Dayton Hamvention 2020 has been cancelled. See Dayton Hamvention 2020 Cancelled.

Cuyahoga Falls Amateur Radio Club hamfest has been cancelled. See CFARC HF cancelled.

For many reasons, it’s a pleasure to put February behind us. The weather hasn’t been terrible but it certainly hasn’t been very predictable, has it? Personally, I’ve had a string of things that just stopped working: computers, a snowblower, refrigerator. To quote my late father-in-law/ philosopher, “The more you got, the more you got to break.” So right, Chet. So right.

Speaking of computers, I just got a message on this laptop that Windows 10 wants to do an update. So I better hurry. I also read a few weeks ago that Microsoft is rolling out a major update to Windows 10. I don’t think this is it, but we’ll see. Major updates always give me the heebee jeebees, if that’s the expression, ever since I tried to install Windows 10 on an old Windows 7 laptop. The system froze and never could be used again there on out. It became the proverbial “brick.” So wish me luck.

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Thanks to Rich Nagel, W8KU for bringing us a great “show and tell.” Rich has been working on a neat little HF QRP transceiver kit. Rich explained that the kit includes a preassembled board and all you have to do is find a housing and wire up all the connective components. Rich fabricated his box from PC board material. The kit, a uBix V.5 was purchased from hfsignals.com .

The next best thing to homebrewing is seeing someone else’s handiwork. This little rig is typical of Rich’s high quality work.

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March 2nd meeting. Our recent meeting had a disappointing low attendance, most likely because of the threat of snow flakes, cold and darkness. So the scheduled program will be presented following a brief business meeting. I have some very informative videos on HF propagation. Even if you think you have a good understanding of what makes HF propagation work, I guarantee you’ll learn a thing or two because science has been making significant discoveries in recent years. It’s no secret that band conditions have been less than desirable. Oh sure, there have been good days, but most people say it takes some work. Why is that? Is there hope for anything better. Will there ever be a return of the “good ole days?” We thought it was time to look to the experts a and that’s what we’ll do. So don’t miss it. And if that isn’t enough, Ken Osicki, K8OAE is bringing donuts and said he doesn’t want to take any home!

March 16th meeting. At this meeting we’ll learn about one of the most valuable features on HF receivers- filters. What are filters? What do they do and how do you use them effectively? I would say that with today’s band conditions filters are invaluable. Which makes it extremely important to know how to set them up for optimum receiving. Do you have experience you can share on this topic? We need your input. So join us on the 16th.

Coorespondence

It’s always enjoyable to hear from past members or hams who once lived in the area. We recently received the following from a former Parma resident:

Hal, I grew up in Parma and met my wife of 50+ years.  Am now living in Kansas since 1977. I’d like to make an HF contact if possible with a member.  I would really like to visit with some of your members.  I work mostly HF on 80 and 40 meters.  These are best for me at night and 80 is probably best.  I also work phone and no CW or RTTY at the present time.  If some member would like to call me to arrange a frequency and time to meet that might be a good starting point.  Most any evening I am available for contacts.  I have spoken to hams in the Cleveland area so it is possible to make contact at night.  I also would like to make contact with your members during your Earth Day event as I saw in your newsletter.  I am in Kansas so there is a one hour time difference here (Central Time). Thanks so much and hopefully we can make some contacts. — Dale Stelz 73s ! KC0DVV

(In the interest of privacy, I don’t give out personal phone numbers. Just contact me for Dale’s number. Hal)

PRC Celebrates 8th Annual Earth Day

On April 18^th, 10 am to 4 pm, the Parma Radio Club will conduct its 8th annual Earth Day Celebration at Stearns Farm. The special event is open to the public and will feature a variety of interactive educational displays including HF and VHF amateur radio stations, an interactive learning set of morse code keys, and electronic circuit building sets especially geared to youth. Brief explainer programs will show How Solar Panel Systems Create Electrical Power and Help Save the Earth and How World Wide Radio Communication is Only Possible Thanks to Our Friend the Sun.

This year will be Earth Day’s 50^th anniversary. The event, celebrated around the world in hundreds of countries by millions of people, seeks to remind us all the importance of being good stewards of our precious planet and its resources.

QST Special Event Announcement:

In the middle of writing this post, Windows ignored my suggested time to do the update and took control. The update ran through the night but all looks good and, so far, is working well.

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Hal Rogers, K8CMD President

2020 got off to a great start with a terrific program from Tom Bedocs, K8DMM who had recently held a successful open house for neighborhood scouts, introducing them to the wide world of opportunities in amateur radio. Tom said he opened the day with an explanation of the basics of the hobby then followed up with providing hands on experience on the ham bands. As you might imagine their eyes were wide open. Spreading the word about our great hobby is always a thrill and very rewarding. Good job, Tom!

At our recent meeting, George Donaldson, EI7KO located in Ireland visited us through his YouTube channel to share a demonstration of one of his favorite programs, CW Skimmer. Many hams, and some SWLs, use the program which is capable of decoding multiple stations simultaneously.

I later told George how much we enjoyed his program and he thanked me for letting him know and asked that everyone subscribe to his channel.

If you missed the meeting, you can see George’s informative program, “CW Skimmer Explained” at https://youtu.be/sK580zCjXAc

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The evening also gave us an opportunity to show Ken Osicki, K8OAE our appreciation for the superb photo work he provides us by presenting him with a unique coffee mug that resembles his professional camera lens. He’s sure to enjoy the unique mug. We might have discovered another photographer, too. Thanks to John Malloy, KA8VTV for stepping taking hold of Ken’s camera to capture the moment.

A word of caution, Ken. Make sure you grab the real lens when you dash out to our next meeting!

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We have some excellent programs lined up for this month.
On Monday, February 3rd following a short discussion of business issues and upcoming events, Tom Bedocs K8DMM will bring us in on one of his current technical projects — the rebuild of a repeater. Not only will we learn a lot about repeaters, but Tom will introduce us to the differences between diplexers and duplexers. So, it will be a great learning session.

Later in the month, at the February 17 meeting we’ll talk HF with an interesting program that will explain what’s been going on in the world of HF propagation. It’s no secret that band conditions have been less than desirable. Why is that? Is there hope for anything better. It’s time to look to the experts. And that’s what we’ll do. So don’t miss it.

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The PRC received correspondence from Rob Hall (KV8P), President of the Toledo Mobile Radio Association. Bob is Chairman for the upcoming ARRL Great Lakes Convention in Toledo, OH scheduled only 46 days from today.   Bob’s letter is attached. https://www.parmaradioclub.com/?attachment_id=3240

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In additional correspondence the PRC received the following press release from SWODXA.

Attached is information about the SouthWest Ohio DX Assn or (SWODXA)… our Dayton DX Dinner that we have been putting on for 35 years. We ask that you pass this onto your membership and others.

Thanks in advance for your help.
Joe W8GEX  SWODXA.https://www.parmaradioclub.com/swodxa-2020-dinner-press-release/

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See you at the Monday February 3rd PRC meeting.

Hal Rogers, K8CMD President

Happy New Year, PRC members and friends!

As we begin this bright new year there’s no doubt that, like each of us, the PRC confronts challenges. But you can be certain that a club that’s more that 70 years old has seen numerous challenges over nearly three quarters of a century. I’m certain the club’s journey has seen numerous bends in the road and a myriad of steep ups and downs.

The Parma Radio Club’s challenges are not unique. Many amateur radio clubs in the area,as well as across the country, are experiencing similar difficulties. Why? There’s no single answer. For one, there are numerous changes occurring within our hobby daily, including new modes, undependable HF propagation, radio equipment design improvements. The list is endless.

In order to look ahead, it’s always a helpful to focus on what our members want from their club. Yes, they enjoy the social side of the hobby, meeting other people with similar interests. PRC members have long thought of their club as a source of learning and sharing the various technologies in there favorite hobby.

Recalling that “perfect vision” is often described as “20-20” I prefer to think that PRC’s 2020 should be about striving for a Perfect Vision of what our members and future members want. If we pursue Perfect Vision we can create a year of technical programs and activities that meet the interests and needs of everyone.

With that in mind, dedicated members huddled at recent meetings to develop a list of program topics for 2020 that is certain to impress you such as:

Introduction to the CW Skimmer Software, HF propagation, all about Radio Filters and how to use them, 6 meters – the magic band, Sunspots and Propagation, Building practical wire beams, the new VLF bands way down below the AM broadcast band, and more.

It’s going to be a great year with super programs, plus we’ll have our 8th annual Earth Day event on April 18th. Then on to Field Day in June, followed by a QRPicnic where we can eat AND play QRP radio!

Of course, to achieve our goals we have to have financial support through membership. If you haven’t yet sent in your dues, PLEASE do so today. The membership form is available on this site. Or click
Printable Member Application. As always, we sincerely appreciate your your support.

A change in our postings.

Call it a New Years resolution, I guess, but I’ve decided to reduce web site posting to once monthly where possible. The plan is to write a post like this one monthly about the upcoming month. That way you can better plan ahead.

2020 Program Schedule

We will soon post our 2020 Program Schedule. As they say “check this site”.

Meeting cancellations.

As in the past, the Busch Community room will be closed if there is a Parma School closing. If that occurs, we will try to notify you by text so you can avoid an inconvenient trip. Our best advice is you are in doubt, check a local TV station’s web site or other news source for school closing information. By the way, situations like this are why we ask on the member application if you receive texts.

Our January meetings

January 6 – We’ll finalize our program schedule followed by technical discussions and hopefully show and tells of new toys you might have received from Santa.

January 20 – An introduction to the popular software CW Skimmer. A terrific program for copying CW that is not without it’s controversies. Have you used this program in your station? We’d like to hear your experiences, opinions and comments about this program.

January Hamfest

Beat the winter doldrums at the Tusco Amateur Radio Club’s 30th Annual Hamfest, Electronics and Computer Show, Sunday, January 26th. Just $5 at the door. Main prize, a Yaesu FT 891 160-6 meters mobile transceiver. Check their web site for more information. Tusco Amateur Radio Club.

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