Permission
to copy is granted provided that credit is given to “W6VIO Calling.”
Contents
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Calendar of
Events
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April 7 |
[TASMA
General Meeting, Walnut Library} |
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April 11 |
General
Meeting, Noon - 238-543 |
|
April 21 |
[CMRA
Hamfest, Cal Poly, Pomona, 7 AM] |
|
April 14 |
Club
Field Day Prep Work Party |
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April 25 |
Board
Meeting, Noon - 233-305J |
|
April 28 |
Club
Field Day Prep Work Party |
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April 28 |
[TRW
Swap meet, Redondo Beach] |
|
May 5 |
Club
Field Day Prep Work Party |
|
May 5 |
[Fontana
Swap Meet, A. B. Miller HS, Fontana} |
|
May 9 |
General
Meeting, Noon - 238-543 |
|
May 12 |
Club
Field Day Prep Work Party |
|
May 19 |
[CMRA
Hamfest, Cal Poly, Pomona, 7 AM] |
|
May 23 |
Board
Meeting, Noon - 233-305J |
|
May 26 |
Club
Field Day Prep Work Party |
|
May 26 |
[TRW
Swap meet, Redondo Beach] |
|
June 2 |
Club
Field Day Prep Work Party |
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June 9 |
Club
Field Day Prep Work Party |
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June 13 |
General
Meeting, Noon - 238-543 |
|
June 22-24 |
2001
Field Day, Mount Gleason |
Meeting Notice
By
Christopher Carson, KE6ABQ
The April General Meeting of the JPL Amateur Radio Club will be held on Wednesday April 11th, 2001 in 238-543 at noon. The topic is TBD. Bring your lunch if you like. The April Board Meeting of the JPL Amateur Radio Club will be held at noon on Wednesday April 25th, 2001 in 233-305J. Bring your lunch if you like.
Everyone is welcome to attend either of these meetings. n
Prez’ Mix
By Bob Dengler,
NO6B
Before I discuss club happenings, I
want to remind everyone that there will be a TASMA general meeting held at the
Walnut Library this coming Saturday, April 7th at 10:00 am. Talk-in will be on 146.640 (-),
PL-167.9. Our club maintains two 2-meter
repeaters; one on Table Mountain on 145.280 (-) and one here at the lab on
147.15 (+), both PL-131.8, so we have a significant interest in the band
planning and coordination activities which TASMA conducts. It would therefore be a good idea for our club
to have a significant turnout at this meeting.
More details including directions to the meeting can be found on the
TASMA web page at http://www.tasma.org.
At our last board meeting, W6VIO
trustee and shack manager Bob Polansky N6ET gave a rundown on all the club
station maintenance that has been performed over the last month. This report took quite a while, as the list
of items tended to be rather long. I
don’t know how he does it, but I’m glad Bob is able to devote as much effort as
he does; our club station is one of the best in the west as a result.
But his work is far from finished,
and he needs your support in order to, among other things, complete the
transition of the club shack from the trailer we currently occupy to a
permanent building nearby. In addition
to gaining a bit more space and solving the problem of what to do when the
trailer floor rots through, this new facility features ¾ inch thick lead wall
shielding, which will help protect the station operators following the nuclear
air blast that will deposit radioactive fallout around the building, not to
mention the bulk of the LA basin.
Our club station is part of our
emergency communications infrastructure that the lab supports via yearly
grants. We owe it to the lab to make
sure that its investment in us is well spent by keeping our club communications
facilities in good working order and available for use on a moment’s notice in
the event a real disaster strikes the lab.
Please read Bob’s column regarding this subject and volunteer for one or
more of the upcoming work parties that he’s scheduled over the new few
months. 73 n
March Meetings
By Jonathan
Cameron, KF6RTA
General Meeting, March 14
Those present included Chris Carson
(KE6ABQ), Bob Dengler (NO6B), Warren Dowler (KE6LEA), Randy Hammock (KC6HUR),
Jay Holladay (W6EJJ), Dayton Jones (K6DJ), Walt Mushagian (K6DNS), Jerry Person
(KK6TS), Bob Polansky (N6ET), Chuck Sarture (KG6NF), Mark Schaefer (WB6CIA),
Rob Sweet (KG6DKW), Marty Woll (N6VI), and Jonathan Cameron (KF6RTA). Chris Carson called the meeting to order at
12:10pm. A quorum was present.
Randy Hammock described some of the
amateur radio activities at the LA marathon.
The APRS worked well for most units, but a few of the new units that had
a difficult time getting the initial lock.
Walt Mushagian reported that the
Emergency drill for FEMA went pretty well.
The club now owns a 50-foot mast with pneumatic raising capability. Unfortunately, we don’t own the necessary
pump to use it.
Bob Polansky is making progress in
designing the new shack with assistance from Chris Carson, Jay Holladay, and
Courtney Duncan (N5BF). Most of the
necessary hardware is in hand. Bob is
planning several work parties to get the equipment transferred and installed.
At this point, our speaker Marty
Woll (N6VI) was introduced. Marty did
some analysis of the last field day with the goal of improving our performance
in the upcoming field day (June 23-24, 2001).
He shared several suggestions with us.
Basically, he wants to increase operator participation. We should support the novice/tech
tent. For each band, we should try to
make voice, CW, and digital mode contacts (recall that the later two modes
count double). Marty would like to see
a dedicated 50m station. He suggested
that a packet station would also be helpful.
To do all this, we will probably need additional antenna masts. His overall goal is to make it easy to get
on the air!
Bob Polansky seconded Marty’s call
to get everyone involved and thanked Marty for his presentation.
Board
of Directors Meeting, March 28
Those present included Eric Archer
(N6CV, via phone), Jonathan Cameron (KF6RTA), Bob Dengler (NO6B), Walt
Mushagian (K6DNS), Bob Polansky (N6ET), and Bill Wood (W6FXJ, via phone). A quorum was present.
Bob Polansky reported on the
progress of setting up the new shack and cleaning out the previous site. He also indicated that there was inadequate
support for the work parties that he has arranged to help in the process of
setting up our new shack. He encouraged
everyone to help out! Four more work
parties are planned. Please jump in
and participate!
Walt Mushagian told us that the
sale of excess club equipment is going well.
Most of the equipment has been sold. One item is left: a 10 GHz radar
unit.
The meeting was adjourned early at
approximately 12:45 due to previous commitments of several board members. n
DX News
By
Bob Polansky, N6ET
Another month has gone by and it took only about two days! That’s when I recall putting together my last DX NEWS article. Suffice it to say that the solar flux has been excitingly high due to a huge event on the surface of “ole sol” and the available DX on 160 through 6 meters has been substantial.
The W6VIO shack is seeing more and more use by our DX-hungry Club members. Over 100 QSL cards have been sent out through the ARRL Outgoing QSL Bureau to bring up our 80 and 40 meter “confirmed entities” totals in preparation for receiving the 5-Band DXCC Award. Lots of 160 meter entities are also in the log and QSL’s are trickling in for these as I write. Now for the news:
AGALEGA – Look for a large group of operators to put 3B6 on the air from 5 to19 May. No information yet on callsign or frequencies. Hopefully, I’ll get more information by next month’s issue of W6VIO Calling. This operation should create heavy pileups.
ASCENSION ISLAND – My old friend ZD8Z plans to be on this remote Atlantic island from 7 through 17 May. He promises to be active on 160 meters in addition to his normal all band, all mode operations. His antenna systems permit him to be worked even when the bands are closed!
CHESTERFIELD ISLAND – TX0C will become the second operation from this new Pacific Island entity from 27 April through 2 May. Don’t miss this one.
CHRISTMAS ISLAND – VK9KXP PUTS Christmas Island on the air from 31 March through 6 April. All band operation is planned, but according to my not-to-precise notes this operation may be only CW. Specific frequencies are published in The Weekly DX and can be seen by visiting our shack and looking at the middle of the north wall.
EAST TIMOR – 4W/VK2QF has returned to this Asian trouble spot and promises activity, primarily on the low bands through 5 April. Work him fast before he departs for the safety of Australia.
FALKLANDS – Look for many “GM” hams to mount an operation from here from 23 April through 8 May. Operation from 160M through 10 meters is planned.
MALPELO – Tow operations from this rare entity are planned. The first is by HK0/HK3JHH and it will take place from 7 April through 7 May. The second is by a team consisting of HK5MQZ and HK5QGX. It will take place from 10 April through 21 April.
MELLISH REEF – VK9ML is the callsign to be used by this relatively short DXpedition from 21 through 24 April. W6VIO needs this for an all-time new one.
TEMOTU – H40RW is active through 11 April from this relatively new Pacific entity. Again, look at the notes on the wall of the W6VIO shack for frequencies.
I hope this
is enough to whet your DX appetites. I
certainly plan to participate in the pileups.
Enjoy! n
Field Day Approaches!
By Bob Polansky, N6ET
Field Day this year takes place the weekend of 22 - 24 June. This year, we will have more than enough transmitters for all who wish to operate. Put the weekend aside and plan on joining in the fun.
As usual, we need support from the Club members in a variety of areas from food procurement, cooking, planning site layout, operations band planning, equipment transporting, and setting up tents, antennas, and rigs. Give me a call to let me know how you would like to help.
Elsewhere in W6VIO Calling, you will find a sign-up sheet to assist us in the planning effort. Make sure you complete the sheet and sent it to me via Email or Snail Mail.
Don’t miss the fun. Mark your calendars and plan now to attend and enjoy the great outdoors with your fellow Club members and friends. n
JPL ARC Club
Betterment Opportunities
By
Bob Polansky, N6ET
Field Day is fast approaching and we are in dire need of help in preparing for this year’s event. On top of this, our Club is on notice to make the physical appearance of its assets at JPL more appealing to the eye (it’s clean up time). In addition, we are in the process of planning the move of the W6VIO shack to a permanent building just to the north of our current HF Ops trailer.
In order to address all these needs, I’ve laid out an Action Plan to get us through Field Day and a bit beyond. The Plan requires lots of help from the Club membership.
I need to hear from you if you are able to help us with the activities that need to take place, especially before Field Day. I am able to put together work parties on the following PRE-Field Day dates: 4/14, 4/28, 5/5, 5/12, 5/26, 6/2, and 6/9.
Please let me know which dates you can provide help on. If you wish to lead one or more of the efforts, that help would be greatly appreciated. My phone number is 354 4940. Leave a Voicemail or drop me an Email if you can help. Let me know which dates work for you.
The Action Plan is shown below with a few dates already hard scheduled and some work already completed:
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24 March |
Mesa work |
Done |
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Replace galled
TH7DX to mast hardware |
Done |
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Replace U-bolts on
40M beam |
Done |
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Design new mast
extension to Sommers tower |
Done |
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Design pressure
source to raise new pneumatic tower |
Done |
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Checkout Field Day
2.2 kw generator |
Done |
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Survey Rohn-25
tower for removal |
Done |
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Dispose of long
table |
Done |
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Clean area around
W6VIO shack |
Done |
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Start 30 March |
Clean up inside of
W6VIO shack |
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Dispose of obsolete
paperwork |
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Identify hardware
to be auctioned off |
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Dispose of unwanted
hardware |
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Install Powerpole
plugs on all 12V (B180 too) |
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Repair Dentron
amplifier. |
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31 March |
Disassemble Guard
Shack tower/antennas |
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Surplus unneeded
antennas |
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Move Rohn 25 to CIT |
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Move 50” tower
sections to CIT |
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Move stainless
tower sections to CIT |
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Fix DX packet
problems. |
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Move packet antenna
to stair top |
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Coordinate with
K6EXO |
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Build/tune 4
element 10M beam |
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Build/tune R7000 |
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Create Cheli
hardware surplus shipment |
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Radar carcass |
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R390 receiver |
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Unneeded keyboards |
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Unneeded CRTs |
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16 June |
Prepare for Field
Day |
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Before Field Day |
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Test pneumatic
tower raiser |
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Tag hardware to be
taken |
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After Field Day |
Prepare for surplus
equipment auction |
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Identify/list
hardware to be auctioned |
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Set recommended low
bids |
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Prepare and conduct
auction |
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A3WS tower work |
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Prepare temporary
mast |
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Remove rotor |
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Replace A3WS bent
hardware |
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Install temporary
mast |
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Temporarily
reinstall A3WS |
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Reinstall repaired rotor on A3WS
tower |
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Install new W6VIO antenna interface |
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Cement 3 posts for
antenna switches/hard-line terminations |
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Install 2 hard-line
switches |
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Extend 2 hard-lines
to hilltop |
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Create hard-line
interface from A3WS tower to R7000 |
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Create pressure
interfaces to all hard-lines |
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Mesa work |
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Install extension
to Sommers tower |
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Install pulley
system to top of tower |
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Move 160M Inverted
Vee and 80M loop to pulley system |
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Tune both antennas |
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Move hard-line
terminations to new shack antenna post |
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Install pressure
regulator and connect into JPL pressure source |
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Prepare move to new
shack |
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My thanks go
to Mike Tope and Warren Dowler for helping me to accomplish the large volume of
work completed on March 24 for the Club.
n
Classified Section
Wanted:
Reliable Person to receive about 40 copies of “W6VIO Calling” each month to address and mail to retired and other off-lab club members. Job involves applying club supplied adhesive address labels and postage stamps. Takes only 30 minutes each a month. Contact Bill Wood, W6FXJ, at 760-256-5529 or w6fxj@earthlink.net for details.
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
For
Sale:
Radio Shack (Realistic) PRO-2021
Scanner. 200 Channels. 30-512 MHz.
AC powered Desktop Scanner.
Excellent condition. $75.00 Contact Bill Westphal WB6YPF at 213-787-9991
or wb6ypf@pacbell.net
Uniden Bearcat BC-760XLT
Scanner. 100 Channels. Covers 800 MHz band. Preprogrammed police, fire, marine,
weather. 12 VDC powered Desktop or
Mobile. Comes with AC-DC Converter,
Telescopic whip antenna, Suction cup window antenna and mobile mounting
hardware. Excellent condition $100.00
Contact Bill Westphal WB6YPF at 213-787-9991 or wb6ypf@pacbell.net
Cushcraft ARX2B Ringo Ranger II 2
Meter antenna. Good condition. $35.00Contact Bill Westphal WB6YPF at
213-787-9991 or wb6ypf@pacbell.net
QST 1990-1994 CD-ROM set, new. $25 (ARRL price $39.95) Skip, W7NWY, 818-354-9674
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
JPL Field
Day 2001 Wants YOU!
By
Bob Polansky, N6ET
W6VIO has a new theme for this year’s ARRL Field Day: broader participation!
Mark your calendars for June 22 – 24. We want you to come along, not stay home. We want you to operate, not just watch.
To make this happen, the combined JPL and CITARC entry this year will increase the number of transmitters in our entry category to provide more dedicated VHF / UHF stations and modes and an additional HF station for those who prefer to operate at a less frenetic pace. We will take advantage of the new demonstration-mode bonuses by trying out PSK-31, APRS and maybe a portable packet node.
The Boy Scouts will again join us to put a satellite station on the air. By mining the heavily populated local VHF and UHF bands more thoroughly we will provide much more operating time for the many Technician licensees in the club while boosting our QSO totals and our resulting score.
Please use the response sheet below to tell us what your Field Day operating interests are, what you might be able to bring, and how you might like to help. Don’t like to climb towers? That’s ok, there are lots of ways to pitch in; let’s find one to suit you.
We’ll need more laptops, more rigs, more antennas and more masts / towers. Got a van or camper that can house a station? Great! Have a spare vhf beam or push-up mast tucked away in the garage? We may be able to use it. The more bands we can get on, the more fun we can have. If you have weak-signal UHF or microwave gear, we can put it on the air!
Several members have been busy designing and building new toys to enhance the set-up, operation and teardown of our Field Day stations. It will be more fun than ever, so be a part of it! Just send the questionnaire to Bob Polansky within the next few weeks so we can start planning your Field Day.
JPL / CITARC 2001 Field Day Member
Input Form
(Please Fill
Out and Return to Bob Polansky)
Name ___________________ Call _________ License Class ____________
- Yes, I can join the fun on:
___ Fri. 6/22 (set-up) ___Sat. 6/23 ___Sun. 6/24
- I’m unable to attend ___ (but I can provide gear or help
prepare as indicated below)
- My operating preferences are: ___ HF high-rate SSB ___ HF casual SSB
- ___ HF high-rate CW ___HF casual CW ___ RTTY ___ VHF high-rate FM / SSB
- ___ VHF casual ___
VHF weak-signal SSB / CW ___ Microwave
bands
- ___ VHF packet ___
Satellite ___PSK-31 ___ Other _______________________
-
- I can make the following available if needed:
- HF rig _____________ Power
supply _____________ Laptop _______________
- VHF / UHF FM rig(s) (specify bands) _______________________________________
- VHF / UHF SSB/CW rig___________________ Microwave gear__________________
- Accessories (preamps, amps, meters, lights, ac strips, etc.)
______________________
- Specialty-mode (PSK31, APRS, packet node, ATV, etc.) ________________________
- Tower sections, masts
___________________________________________________
- HF antennas __________________________ HF tuner ________________________
- VHF / UHF / microwave antennas
__________________________________________
- Rotors (for VHF, Satellite), hardline
_________________________________________
- Vehicle-based op. position______________________ Tow vehicle ________________
- Filters / cavities ____________________Other
________________________________
-
- I can help before Field Day to: ___ build / test filters, interface cables, etc.)
- ___ machine parts ___ weld or heliarc ___install
software / prepare laptops
- ___ pre-assemble antennas ___ load vehicles ___ Other
_______________
-
- I can help during Field Day to: ___ assemble antennas on the ground
___ climb
- ___ pitch tents ___ raise towers & masts ___ set up stations
___ set up
network
- ___ prepare food ___ maintain generator ___
escort visitors / give “tours”
- ___ Other ________________________________________________________
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