Welcome New Techs and Upgrades

The FCC and ARRL got through the holiday backlog today and issued the new licenses and upgrades to the folks who attended the VE session at the AMRE on November 21.  The FCC Database is at http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchAdvanced.jsp where you can find the list by entering Type “HA” state of “WA” and an effective date of 12/1/09.  Congratulations to you all.  If you missed this exam,  W5NYT and his crew will be giving all license class exams at the Ferndale library at 10 am on Saturday December 19.

We are putting together a follow-up “class” for new hams that I believe is now confirmed for the AMRE (Radio Museum) for Saturday December 12.  I will update this post with the times when I get that information from the coordinators.

D-RATS RF Link Test

I am testing the Internet/RF link built in to D-RATS.  basically this is a software repeater that will connect a D-RATS user on the internet with other users on the WC7SO repeater.  Because this is an RF transmission, you must be licensed (Technician or higher) to participate.  You do NOT have to own a radio, however.  All you need is a Linux/Apple/Windows PC with D-RATS software.  Because this is a live RF link I am requiring you to use a password to access.  Send me an email with your callsign and I will return a password for you to use, and the server address/port.   Access is subject to change as I use this computer for other tasks as well.

The D-RATS software link (scroll down and get the latest BETA)

The “How to access a RATflector” link

Be sure and read all of the FAQ and manual info on the root page if you are new to D-RATS.

Safety – Safety – Safety

Maybe it is the efficiency of the ARRL and other Amateur Radio news aggregate-rs to get these stories out, but I feel there have been an awful lot of deadly accidents recently involving the pursuit of our favorite hobby.  PLEASE be careful.  Be aware of your surroundings.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/10/13/11135/

73/Brian

2010 Amateur Handbook

The ARRL announced that the new 2010 Edition of “The Handbook” would begin shipping Oct. 1.  The 1250 page tome is supposed to be sporting 70% new and revised content.  I can personally attest that the DIGITAL chapter is very well done.  It was written by “our own” Scott Honaker, N7SS and I got a chance to proof-read it in May.  If your copy of the Handbook is getting a little dog-eared it might be time for an upgrade.  The ARRL is selling the hardcover version at the soft cover price “for a limited time”.

Here is a link:

ARRL 2010 Handbook

D-Rats Update

Dan has revamped the D-Rats web site.  The Address remains http://www.d-rats.com/ however.

Some quick-links to pages of interest on the D-RATS site are:

The RELEASES page.  Where you can find the latest stable release for Linux/Win/Apple OS.

The BETA page where the latest (and older) test versions are available for download.

The MANUAL page is a “web only” reference at this point, and is in a near constant state of revision.  The important points of how to install, configure, and operate D-Rats are here.

I will be giving a training session on D-Rats with a live RF demo at the Blaine ACS meeting Wednesday Sept 16 at 7pm at the Blaine city hall.  Bring your notebook PC and if you have one, a D-STAR HT with cable and we will get you running on RATS. NO RADIO IS REQUIRED to run and learn the program.

Tech Classes Nov ‘09 at AMRE

The following is the text of an email I sent to ARRL-VEs and past instructors for the Technician License classes in Whatcom County.

Hello VE’s and Instructors!

This morning N7BA, AE6K and I met with representatives of the American Museum of Radio & Electricity in Bellingham to work out the details of their offer to host classes and exams for new Technician Licensees. The following is a summary of our plans.

+The classes will be the same format as we have done in the past- Two consecutive Saturdays of question drill PowerPoint presentation followed by the ARRL-VE exam immediately on the second Saturday (at 3 pm).

+Instructors will be local volunteers from the Amateur community (usual folks and/or new folks- join the fun!)

+Registration and payment for the class/books will be handled by the Museum staff.  Payment for the exam will be handled by the Exam Coordinator (probably me but the job is yours if you ask nice   The exams will be open to all (not just the Tech students).

+The cost will be $30 for the class and book (W5YI as we have used in the past).  No separate museum admission or membership is required to take the class.  The exam fee is $15 as dictated by the FCC/ARRL.  Books are available in the Museum library if the student can’t afford the cost.

The first of hopefully many regularly scheduled class/exams will be 9am-3pm NOVEMBER 14 & 21 with the exam time at 3PM on the 21st.  You may register in person, by email, or by telephone with Anne at the AMRE  360-738-3886  Anne@AMRE.US

WHY are we doing this???????????????

1)  We all love to teach and share our enthusiasm for the Amateur Radio hobby but dealing with payments and book orders is a CHORE.  I am happy to pass that off to the folks at the AMRE.

2)  The Museum will have books in stock so interested parties can stop by and buy one any time.

3)  The American Museum of Radio and Electricity is an amazing resource that we are lucky to have in Bellingham.  A relationship between the Amateur Radio community and the museum is really a “no-brainer” that can only benefit both groups. We are looking forward to more joint activities.

4)  The facility has lots of room and will give us the ability to physically separate the exam graders from the examinees.  People who completed the exam will have a lot of neat stuff to look at instead of hanging around (and distracting) the remaining examinees.

5)  There is a complete working HF station, VHF/UHF station, and more visual aids and doo-dads than you could possibly haul to any other class location.

6)  Lunch options have always been miles away from our other class sites- there are several choices within a block of the museum.

-  The only negative I can think of might be the parking.  The meters are NOT used on Saturdays so parking is free, but spaces might be limited- I don’t know how busy it is on Saturday before 9 am so I hope it won’t be too troublesome.

We are limiting the class to 25 participants to make sure we are not overwhelmed.  I am sure we will fill that number and be in need of every VE that can attend on Nov. 21st so please mark your calendar now and come down to the Museum at about 1430 on that date.

Thank you for your help and 73,

Brian / KNØN

Washington Guard / Blaine ACS Joint Ops

"Dino" (right) Calling Camp Murray on HF from ACS Van; Ryan K7RGK demonstrating ACS gear.

On Thursday August 6th a group from the 143rd Combat Communications Squadron based at camp Murray came to the airport in Blaine for a joint communications exercise with members of the Blaine Auxiliary Communications Service.  The military was testing an extensive range of communications gear designed to be kept packaged and ready to deploy when called upon by the State of Washington.

TSgt Gardino (KE7AGK) and Jim KP2X in Interop tent

The comm systems are split into two parts.  There is an interoperability unit that provides radio comms from HF through 900 MHz and can link among them using the Raytheon ACU-1000 communications switcher.  The setup includes a 36 foot carbon fiber mast and a slick device for raising and lowering the antenna package.  There is also a Motorola Quantar UHF repeater with handhelds for local staff comms.

Satellite Comms

The second package is a satellite unit that provides IP and telephone services via a four foot diameter dish.  Included in this package is a cellular telephone server/transceiver and 100 mobile phones.  When the Micor HF radio in the interop tent revealed a bad coax connector, the solution was to run a simple twisted pair from the ACU-1000 over to the sat-stack allowing for changing the Camp Murray link from HF to Ku band digital satellite link.  Captain Gonzales invited Chief Haslip to contact the C.O. at Camp Murray from his P25 handi-talkie using the Blaine PD frequency and  it worked just great.

All of the gear is stored in rugged Pelican cases and is transported in two trailers, each pulled by a Ford Crew-Cab Pickup.  Smaller generators are a part of the package but in this instance there was a separate truck that pulled a larger generator.  The staff consisted of a Captain and nine sergeants, who had all systems on line about 90 minutes after rolling in.  No doubt that time would have been cut considerably if we had not been underfoot and bombarding them with questions.

Mike Haslip W7MDH and Capt. Gonzales waiting for the phone-patch

By the end of the day the list of suggestions for additions or changes in the gear was growing, but they were all mostly minor things like coax adapters and test gear.  I was very impressed with the quality of the electronics and even more impressed with the caliber of the crew.  This is some very complex equipment and these guys know how to use it.

MBARC Field Day Update

This info has been added to the FIELD DAY page on the banner.  Set-up and Tear-down helpers please note.

Berthusen Memorial Park on the W. Badger Rd.,

FIELD DAY SETUP on Friday, June 26^th from 12 noon – 6pm

FIELD DAY “OPERATIONS” on Saturday, June 27^th from 11am – 6pm

Tech Class Cancelled

If you visited the blog in the last three days you saw a notice of an upcoming Technician License class in July.  Foolishly I went ahead and set this up without checking on manpower for the VE exam which has come up short.  I will post a notice if a class can be scheduled in the future.

Field Day 2009

Only one month until the biggest Amateur Radio operating event of the year. FIELD DAY will be observed at at least THREE locations in Whatcom County, so there will be ample opportunity for you to visit and operate on the weekend of June 27/28.  I created an info page.  Click the FIELD DAY logo at the top right in the “About” section.  Please send additions or corrections and I will update the page.