Permission to copy is granted provided that credit is given to “W6VIO Calling.”
Permission to copy is granted provided that credit is given to “W6VIO Calling.”
Contents
Calendar of Events
|
March 5 |
[LA Marathon] |
|
March 8 |
General Meeting,
Noon - 238-543 |
|
March 11 |
[Fontana Swap Meet,
A. B. Miller HS, Fontana} |
|
March 18 |
[CMRA Hamfest, Cal
Poly, Pomona, 7 AM] |
|
March 22 |
Board Meeting, Noon
- 233-305J |
|
March 25 |
[TRW Swap meet,
Redondo Beach] |
|
April 8 |
[Fontana Swap Meet,
A. B. Miller HS, Fontana} |
|
April 12 |
General Meeting,
Noon - 238-543 |
|
April 15 |
[CMRA Hamfest, Cal
Poly, Pomona, 7 AM] |
|
April 26 |
Board Meeting, Noon
- 233-305J |
|
April 29 |
[TRW Swap meet,
Redondo Beach] |
|
May 10 |
General Meeting,
Noon - 238-543 |
|
May 13 |
[Fontana Swap Meet,
A. B. Miller HS, Fontana} |
|
May 20 |
[CMRA Hamfest, Cal
Poly, Pomona, 7 AM] |
|
May 24 |
Board Meeting, Noon
- 233-305J |
|
May 27 |
[TRW Swap meet,
Redondo Beach] |
By Christopher
Carson, KE6ABQ
The March meeting will be held on March 8th at noon in 238-543. Bob Dengler will be presenting a review of the L.A. Marathon communications setup and operations including some lessons learned.
What types of presentations are you interested in
seeing at the monthly meetings? Please
take a moment to jot down a couple of topics you like presented and send your
ideas to me. If you want to volunteer a presentation, that's great, too
The Club Board of Directors
meetings are held at noon on the fourth Wednesday of each month in
233-305J. Everyone is welcome at both
meetings; bring your lunch to the BOD meeting.
¢
By Bob Dengler,
NO6B
Well as usual
I’m writing my column at the last minute. This month’s excuse is preparation for this year’s City of Los Angeles
Marathon. No, I’m not running in it
(though I would like to try walking it one year), but I along with many other
club members are providing volunteer communications support.
John Tallon N6OMB is serving as the Net
Control Captain, performing much of the work previously done by Scott Fraser
KN6F, who is in charge of the entire communications effort.
On Feb. 19, Greg
LaBorde KD6MSM, Mikey Steiner KD6LVP (from the Walnut Ridge ARC) and I
installed the club’s 224.08 portable repeater and our new APRS wide node atop
one of the large high-rises in downtown LA. While it is not known at this time if APRS will actually be utilized
this year, the 220 system will provide badly needed coverage along the course,
as very few 220 systems provide adequate penetration into the downtown
area.
In fact, even
our new downtown system has somewhat spotty coverage in the southwest corner of
the course due to the low-gain antenna and high receiver noise temperature of
the system.
Nonetheless,
between our technical and operating contributions to the LA Marathon, the JPLARC
is clearly the leader in amateur support of this major Southern California
event. Look for pictures in next
month’s newsletter and at our next general club meeting on March 8th
in 238-543 along with a recap of the day’s highlights.
Since our 445.20
repeater will be used as a backup in addition to 224.08, both systems will be
unavailable for general use all day March 5th. Our 224.70 and 147.15 systems will not be
used.
That all for
this month. Keep thinking about Field
Day, it’s only 4 months away. Remember,
this is the year we’re going to WIN our class! 73.
¢
By Jonathan
Cameron, KF6RTA
General Meeting,
February 9
The meeting was
opened at 12:05 by Chris Carson. A
quorum was present. Those present
included Eric Archer (N6CV), Phil Barnes-Roberts (KE6PNZ), Jonathan Cameron
(KF6RTA), Chris Carson (KE6ABQ), Kurt Carter (KE6HRG), Alan DeVault (N6WDX),
Bob Dengler (NO6B), Warren Dowler (KE6LEA), Jay Holladay (W6EJJ), Dayton Jones
(K6DJ), Roger Lemke (WB6ZIM), Scott Nolte (N6CUV), Jerry Person (KK6TS), Bob
Polansky (N6ET), Mark Schaefer (WB6CIA), Phil Smith (WA6LQP), Dave Steinfeld
(WA6ZVE), Bob Swifka (WB6FCP), and Fred Vescelus (WB6LNO).
Everyone was
reminded that club dues for this year are now due!
Bob Dengler,
club president, presented the budget for the year and there was some discussion
about it. During the discussion, the
EOC interactions and obligations were reviewed and the field day plans were
summarized. There was a motion and
second that the budget be accepted.
The motion was carried with a unanimous vote.
Bob Dengler
indicated that he was looking forward to a good year for the club. He also indicated that we will be supporting
the Los Angeles Marathon and gave a web page for further details:
http://www.dolphinsci.com/kn6f.html.
At this point,
the official portion of the meeting was closed and Phil Smith (WA6LQP) gave a
presentation on using the commercially popular X-10 mini-cameras as the basis
for a helmet-camera! He had assembled
an X-10 camera on a metal hardhat, complete with antenna perched on top of the
hat. He transmitted the live images
from the camera to a television set in the meeting room. The unit can use four different frequencies
in the gigahertz range, two of which are in ham bands. To demonstrate its usefulness, he walked
around the building while still transmitting the live imagery to the meeting
room. Except for a few spots where it
had difficulties transmitting through the bulk of the building, the images were
clear and were received and displayed with a minimum of noise. It was a very impressive demonstration and
used inexpensive components.
Board of
Directors Meeting, February 23
The meeting was
opened at 12:08 with a quorum. Those
attending
included: Chris Carson (KE6ABQ) Jonathan M. Cameron (KF6RTA), Walt Mushagian
(K6DNS), Bob Dengler (NO6B), and Bill Wood (W6FXJ, by phone),
Bob Dengler
reported that the Master II VHF radio was successfully installed on top of a
high-rise building downtown for the LA Marathon. It was set up for APRS digipeater duty at 25 watts and
immediately appeared on local APRS maps when turned on. A repeater for 224.08 MHz at 10 watts was
also installed in the same location.
The disposition of these units after the marathon is not clear. It is unlikely that it will stay in its
current location due to access issues.
There was some
discussion of the repeater lists that Bob Dengler has put on the web. A recent report of Newsline mentioned the
repeater web site and subsequently it received a good number of web
“hits”. A few groups have specifically
asked to have their details removed, which Bob has done. Bob indicated that on the lists for the 2
meter band he included all known stations except one that are Bob Dengler will
give a presentation regarding the LA Marathon at the next general meeting in
March. Field day plans will also be
reviewed at that meeting. ¾
By Christopher
Carson, KE6ABQ
General
Membership meetings are held the second Wednesday of every month at 12 Noon in
Bldg 238 Room 543. A program of
interest to Radio Amateurs follows a brief business session.
|
Date |
Location |
Time |
|
January 12th |
238-543 |
12:00 Noon |
|
February 9th |
238-543 |
12:00 Noon |
|
March 8th |
238-543 |
12:00 Noon |
|
April 12th |
238-543 |
12:00 Noon |
|
May 10th |
238-543 |
12:00 Noon |
|
June 14th |
238-543 |
12:00 Noon |
|
July 12th |
238-543 |
12:00 Noon |
|
August 9th |
238-543 |
12:00 Noon |
|
September 13th |
238-543 |
12:00 Noon |
|
October 11th |
238-543 |
12:00 Noon |
|
November 8th |
238-543 |
12:00 Noon |
|
December 13th |
TBD |
TBD |
Board of Director’s Meeting Schedule – 2000
Board
Meetings are held the fourth Wednesday of every month at 12 No/on. This meeting is concerned solely with club
business. All members are welcome to
attend. ¾
|
Date |
Location |
Time |
|
January 26th |
233-305J |
12:00 Noon |
|
February 23rd |
233-305J |
12:00 Noon |
|
March 22nd |
233-305J |
12:00 Noon |
|
April 26th |
233-305J |
12:00 Noon |
|
May 24th |
233-305J |
12:00 Noon |
|
June 28th |
233-305J |
12:00 Noon |
|
July 26th |
233-305J |
12:00 Noon |
|
August 23rd |
233-305J |
12:00 Noon |
|
September 27th |
233-305J |
12:00 Noon |
|
October 25th |
233-305J |
12:00 Noon |
|
November 22nd |
233-305J |
12:00 Noon |
|
December 27th |
233-305J |
12:00 Noon |
By
Bob Polansky, N6ET
The
W6VIO antenna farm suffered a catastrophic event this month. The balun feeding our TH7DX apparently
failed and it took along with it the connectors between the coax feeding the
balun and the hard line connector on top of the tower. A new balun has been purchased, delivered,
and installed on top of the tower. The
coax is being reterminated, as is the hard line at the tower top.
The
first repair session took place after dark several weeks ago courtesy of Mike
Tope and myself. Walt Mushagian is re
terminating the coax. Hopefully, the
balun/hard line interface repairs will be completed prior to the upcoming ARRL
DX SSB Contest next weekend.
The
last several contests have been operated from our Club station with excellent
results on 160, 80, and 40 meters. The
Europeans on 40 meters sound like locals with the new beam turned in their
direction. To date, 27 countries have
been worked on 160 meters during only two contests.
Last
of all, both FT-1000D transceivers have been returned to JPL and installed in
the trailer. Also, both R-7000 40
through 10-meter vertical antennas have been returned and are ready to be
reassembled and installed on a spare hard line to the top of the Mesa. (One of the R-7000’s will require some new
parts as it failed in the Goldstone winds.)
The system is coming back together!
Next, we need to work on Field Day preparations. ¾
By
Bob Polansky, N6ET
We’re
almost to the peak of Sunspot Cycle 23. Lots of great DX is workable on every band from 160 meters through 10
meters. 10 and 12 meters are especially
fun, since it’s been years since they’ve been so very open! The new 40-meter antenna thinks it’s a full
sized 3-element beam judging by its performance by the few operators who have
exercised it. I guess its 1000-foot
elevation may have something to do with it. Now for some DX News, again, thanks to The 59(9) DX Report.
CHESTERFIELD
ISLAND - This probable new DXCC Entity will be active from 15 March for an
undisclosed period. Their call will be
TX0DX. Don’t miss this one. Operation is planned on everything from 160
through 6 meters on phone, CW, and RTTY. Point your beam to FK8-land.
CLIPPERTON
ISLAND - Don’t miss the FO0C operation planned from 1 through 8 March. Again, this is an all band, all mode
operation that will be well attended by people wishing QSO’s with a rare
entity.
GHANA
- 9G5VJ will be active from here from 3 through 20 March. He’s a great CW operator!
Another 9G is currently very active, but I
don’t have his call at the moment.
JUAN
FERNANDEZ - If you haven’t worked it yet, look for CE0ZY, who will be operating
from here through 29 February. He is
active on 160 meters through 10 meters, close to 24 hours per day.
PITCAIRN
ISLAND - VP6BR is active on all bands and modes during most of the day. He will be there through the end of April.
REVILLO
GIGEDO ISLANDS - XF4LWY will create pile-ups from 3 through 8 March. Again, this is an all band, all mode
operation. You should be able to work
them on all bands with QRP power.
That’s
all for now. There’s lots more news
available, but you’ll have to come to the W6VIO ham shack and read the DX
Bulletins for yourself. ¾
By
Bill Wood, W6FXJ
President
Walt Diem, WA6PEA, started the long series of “President’s Message” columns in
W6VIO Calling. Walt announced a grand
total of 18 appointments to different club posts for the year, including one
Bill Wood, WB6FXJ, to be the Liaison for the Goldstone Deep Space Communications
Complex.
Nineteen
new members were welcomed into the club, including current members Steve
Bednarczyk, Stan Sander, Vince Wirth, Bill Wood, and Art Zygielbaum. (Happy 25th anniversary guys!)
The
full March 1975 issue can be accessed at the following Internet address: http://www.jplerc.org/radio/calling/1975/mar/mar75.html
¾
This
appeared in the November 1999 newsletter of the Amateur Radio News Service,
Steve Auyer, N2TKX, editor.
One
day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students
and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never
forget.
As
he stood in front of the group of high‑powered overachievers he said,
"Okay, time for a quiz" and he pulled out a one‑gallon, wide‑mouth
mason jar and set it on the table in front of him. He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully
placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside,
he asked, "Is this jar full?"
Everyone
in the class yelled, "Yes."
The
time management expert replied, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of
gravel. He dumped some gravel in and
shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces
between the big rocks. He then asked
the group once more, "Is the jar full?"
By
this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered.
Good!"
he replied. He reached under the table
and brought out a bucket of sand. He
started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left
between the rocks and the gravel. Once
more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"
"No!"
the class shouted.
Once
again he said, "Good." Then
he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled
to the brim. Then he looked at the
class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"
One
eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full
your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in
it!
"No,"
the speaker replied, "that's not the point.
"The
truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at
all. What are the 'big rocks' in your
life, time with loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams, a worthy
cause, teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first
or you'll never get them in at all.
"So,
tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask
yourself this question: What are the
'big rocks' in my life? Then, put those
in your jar first."
¾
Reprinted from the
December 1999 edition of the ARNS Newsletter, Steve Auyer, N2TKX, editor
· Verbs HAS to agree with
their subjects.
· Prepositions are not words
to end sentences with.
· And don't start a sentence
with a conjunction.
· It is wrong to ever split an
infinitive.
· Avoid clichés like the
plague. (They're old hat.)
· Also, always avoid annoying
alliteration.
· Be more or less specific.
· Parenthetical remarks
(however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
· Also too, never, ever use
repetitive redundancies.
· No sentence fragments.
· Contractions aren't necessary
and shouldn't be used.
· Foreign words and phrases
are not apropos.
· Do not be redundant; do not
use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
· One should NEVER generalize.
· Comparisons are as bad as
clichés.
· Don't use no double
negatives.
· Eschew ampersands &
abbreviations, etc.
· One word
sentences? Eliminate.
· Analogies in writing are
like feathers on a snake.
· The passive voice is to be
ignored.
· Eliminate commas, that are,
not necessary.
· Parenthetical words however
should be enclosed in commas.
· Never use a big word when
substituting a diminutive one would suffice.
· Kill all exclamation
points!!!
· Use words correctly,
irregardless of how others use them.
· Understatement is always the
absolute best way to put forth earthshaking ideas.
· Use the apostrophe in it's
proper place and omit it when its not needed.
· Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate
quotations. Tell me what you
know."
· If you've heard it once,
you've heard it a thousand times:
Resist hyperbole; not one writer in a million can use it correctly.
· Puns are for children, not
groan readers.
· Go around the barn at high
noon to avoid colloquialisms.
· Even IF a mixed metaphor
sings, it should be derailed.
· Who needs rhetorical
questions?
· Exaggeration is a billion
times worse than understatement.
· Avoid "buzz words;"
such integrated transitional scenarios complicate simplistic matters.
And finally...
· Proofread carefully to see
if you any words out. ¾
Wanted:
Your want-ad or article for inclusion in a future
issue of W6VIO Calling. Submit to Bill
Wood, W6FXJ, 31094 Hemlock Ave, Barstow, CA
92311; or email w6fxj@earthlink.net
Kenwood TM-642 or TM 742 with both 2M and
220MHz modules. Bill Westphal wb6ypf@pacbell.net 213-787-9991
For
Sale:
QST
1990-1994 CD-ROM set, new. $25 (ARRL
price $39.95) Skip, W7NWY, 818-354-9674
US
Tower (MA40) 40 foot tubular telescoping tower, hinged base, 2 co-ax arms, mast
extension, Hy-gain Explorer-14 beam antenna with 40 meter dipole add-on, and
Hy-Gain antenna rotator (Ham IV). Original cost, less tax, was over $2200. Sell all for $800.
Contact Ron Zenone (W6TUZ) at (626) 914-5585.
Icom UT-40 Tone Squelch Option Board (CTCSS) for HT
models 2GAT, 4GAT, 12GAT, 32AT or for mobiles 228, 448, 901, 1201, 2400 and
2500. Cost: $80 (AES Catalog) Sale for $40. Radio Shack, Rotor/Controller and Cable, 3 years old, never used,
have box/papers, like new. Cost: $70+ Sale for $50. Scott Nolte, N6CUV
818-354-9724 n
PRB-1 Bill Introduced in California Senate
The ARRL Letter Vol. 19, No.
8
California has become the
latest state to consider PRB-1 legislation. ARRL Southwestern Director Fried Heyn, WA6WZO, reports Senate Bill 1714
was introduced February 23 in the California Senate.
Like a similar PRB-1 measure passed last year by
Virginia's General Assembly, the California bill would require localities to accommodate
Amateur Radio antennas of up to 200 feet, according to local population
density.
Echoing the language of the PRB-1 limited federal
preemption, the measure says that local ordinances regulating antenna
placement, screening or height "shall reasonably accommodate amateur
radio antennas and shall impose the minimum regulation necessary to accomplish
the legitimate purpose of the city or county."
Under the proposed bill, cities or counties with
population densities of 120 persons or less per square mile (according to the
1990 US Census) would not be able to restrict Amateur Radio antennas to less
than 200 feet above ground. Localities
having population densities greater than 120 people per square mile would not
be able to restrict ham antennas to less than 75 feet above ground. In both cases, localities would not be
allowed
to restrict the number of support structures.
The bill stipulates that "reasonable and
customary engineering practices" be followed in erecting Amateur Radio
antennas. The bill would not
preclude localities from regulating amateur antennas with respect to the use of
screening, setback and placement, and health and safety requirements.
Heyn credited Michael Mitchell,
W6RW, will helping to get the bill introduced, and he asked California amateurs
and clubs to contact their state lawmakers to support the measure. ¾
The ARRL Letter Vol. 19, No.
8
Solar scion Tad Cook, K7VVV,
Seattle, Washington, reports: Solar flux and sunspot activity were down last
week, but are headed back up. Average
solar flux for last week compared to the previous week was down almost four
points, and sunspot numbers were off about 28 points. The low point was Friday, February 18, when the three solar flux
measurements for the day were 139.6, 141.1 and 140.4 (the noon measurement of
141.1 is the official reading for the day).
Solar flux is expected to
rise, with the projection for Friday through Tuesday of 197, 197, 200, 200 and
204. Solar flux for the near term is
expected to peak around 205 on Wednesday or Thursday, March 1 and 2, then
decline to below 170 by March 9, and bottom out near 130 around March 23 or
24.
Sunspot numbers for February
17 through 23 were 152, 146, 126, 131, 122, 129 and 155 with a mean of
137.3. The 10.7-cm flux was 168.4
141.1, 144.8, 153.3, 152.1, 172.3 and 185.1, with a mean of 159.6. The estimated planetary A
indices were 6,
2, 4, 5, 15, 5 and 9, with a mean of 6.6. ¾
Newsletter Deadline:
Friday, March 31 for the April issue of W6VIO Calling. Your articles, ads, photos, diagrams, letters to the editor, or technical material should be submitted to the editor via email (w6fxj@earthlink.net) or regular mail to: Bill Wood, 31094 Hemlock Ave, Barstow, CA 92311.
Posted March 2, 2000