an Email to Carol

Carol:

I'm a certified ARRL instructor. I'll be conducting a new class at the Florence Fire Station at the corner of 26th and HWY 101 beginning Saturday, January 17, 2009 starting at 1 PM. You can see what I've done in past years at: http://www.bloomfield.tv/HamClasses/Ham_index.htm. Please get this word out. Our local ham club is sponsoring it. Feel free to call me if you have any questions.

FYI: Many of my students take and pass the General Class test in addition to their Tech license.

--

Larry Bloomfield, KA6UTC

1980 25th St.
Florence, OR 97439
(541) 902-2424 (everything number)
www.Tech-Notes.TV
See you on the Taste of NAB Road Show

The Morning News: News : Amateur Radio Offers Fail-Safe Communication

The Morning News: News : Amateur Radio Offers Fail-Safe Communication: "Tornadoes raked central and northeastern Arkansas in February, killing 14 people and damaging landlines, cell towers and state emergency communication equipment. Emergency crews could still get information to residents and hospital staff at tornado-hit Stone County Medical Center because amateur radio operators could communicate."

In Newport We have testing the 2^nd Saturday of the Month at Newport Senior Center. Testing starts at 9AM Walk ins welcome

Breakfast as always Before hand at Shirley’s on the Bay Front at 8 am.

Sun Shows Signs Of Life: Long-Awaited Solar Cycle 24 Starting To Take Off

Sun Shows Signs Of Life: Long-Awaited Solar Cycle 24 Starting To Take Off: "After two-plus years of few sunspots, even fewer solar flares, and a generally eerie calm, the sun is finally showing signs of life."

Ham radio operators prepare for storm aid in Oregon | More Oregon News | NWCN.com | Northwest News and Weather

Ham radio operators prepare for storm aid in Oregon | More Oregon News | NWCN.com | Northwest News and Weather: "OREGON CITY, Ore. -- Ham radio operators were gearing up for bad weather with a planned practice drill in Oregon City Wednesday morning.

These amateur radio operators were vital during last winter's storm. They used radios to get help where it was needed when the power went out and phones went dead.

'We have people that have gear ready. We have go kits. Certain specific layered systems and go kits for a short time or all day, a two day and a seven day,' said Dave Kidd, a amateur radio coordinator.

These folks proved their worth last winter, helping many flood and storm victims."

Nearly Half Of US States Fail On Emergency Plan Communication, New Study Shows

Nearly Half Of US States Fail On Emergency Plan Communication, New Study Shows: "Seven years after Sept. 11, and in the wake of many major natural disasters such as forest fires, hurricanes and flooding, nearly half of U.S. states either have no state-level emergency plan or do not provide it readily to the public, reveals a new study by George Mason University Communication Professor Carl Botan."

An email from Frank AA7XA

I am sad to tell you that my beloved wife, Carma S. King, passed away at 11:30 p.m. Oct. 12.

She is in God's hands, and granddaughters, Sanie and Jennifer, son Mike, and I, are o.k.

Please don't reply to this message, because I won't have the time to answer all of you. I love you all.

Frank
AA7XA

A towering achievement

A towering achievement: "'Each generation took it to a different level,' said Glen Martin, who at 85 is long removed from the day-to-day operation of the company but still enjoys 'tinkering' in the machine shop. 'My son and daughter-in-law grew it ... and all the boys took up different avenues for the company.'"

NewsGator Online

"Committee--a group of men who individually can do nothing but as a group decide that nothing can be done."

KB6NU’s Ham Radio Blog

KB6NU’s Ham Radio Blog: "Barry, K2JV, wrote this for the ARRL’s Contact, an e-mail newsletter for PIOs:

The New Providence Amateur Radio Club of New Jersey has been actively introducing kids to Amateur Radio for about 5 years. The activities and events which we have mentored have been a source of considerable pleasure for the senior club members involved, but also require a considerable effort, both physical and mental."

HeraldNet: Hiker safe with help of ham radio

HeraldNet: Hiker safe with help of ham radio: "A series of dots and dashes bouncing off the ionosphere Sunday helped save a hiker stranded on Buck Creek Pass east of Glacier Peak.

The hiker who broke his leg used a low-voltage portable radio and Morse code to send out a call to help.

Six hundred miles away in Bozeman, Mont., Robert Williams was testing his ham radio Sunday when he heard the call signal, 'W-7-A-U.'"

ARRLWeb: ARRL NEWS: American Red Cross Clarifies Amateur Radio Policy

ARRLWeb: ARRL NEWS: American Red Cross Clarifies Amateur Radio Policy: "As few as two hams can setup an effective registration process. A ham located in the disaster zone can use any mode to transmit the basic Safe and Well registration information to another ham located outside the disaster who would enter the information on the web site. This quick ad-hoc setup doesn't rely on any affiliations and can be established by a call out to another ham who can help."

WSFA 12 News Montgomery, AL |Amateur radio operators prepare for Gustav

WSFA 12 News Montgomery, AL |Amateur radio operators prepare for Gustav: "'If you tuned in on the amateur radio bans, you would have heard FEMA. You would hear the Army, all running search and rescue operations,' explained Mark Wintersole, president of the Montgomery Amateur Radio Club."

HeraldNet: FEMA bunker in Bothell ready for disaster: "It was built to withstand a nuclear bomb.

The walls are up to 18 inches thick. More than 450 tons of reinforced steel and 4,000 cubic yards of concrete protect the underground building.

Today, the former Cold War fallout shelter in Bothell is used to manage the federal government's emergency response to natural disasters in the Pacific Northwest.

When major disasters strike in Washington, Alaska, Oregon or Idaho, the Federal Emergency Management Agency coordinates its response from the building off 228th Street that is a concrete bunker surrounded by a chain-link fence and dotted with antennas."

ARRLWeb: ARRL NEWS: Antenna Go-kits

ARRLWeb: ARRL NEWS: Antenna Go-kits: "Each antenna kit should contain an antenna for a particular band with coax and support rope, all in a marked container. The antenna should be the tried, true and simple dipole. Although we have included a G5RV, which has some gain on 20 meters and above, it requires an antenna tuner."

CONSTRUCTION ZONE

Bear with us for a few days... The website is under construction... It will be new and better soon. Meanwhile, everything still works... RT

Well - Learning to Be Your Own Best Defense in a Disaster - NYTimes.com

Well - Learning to Be Your Own Best Defense in a Disaster - NYTimes.com: "In addition to talking to survivors, Ms. Ripley also delves into the science of disaster preparedness and survival. One of the main lessons is that panic, denial and fear may be inevitable during a disaster, but your brain will perform best in a stressful situation if you have already put it through a few rehearsals."

Governor names Radio Days

Governor names Radio Days: "Gov. Ted Kulongoski has proclaimed Aug. 17 through Aug. 23 'Amateur Radio Week' in recognition of the amateur radio operators and the amateur radio emergency communication units and their dedication to providing communication support in various emergencies.

Across the United States, during times of emergencies and disasters, amateur radio operators, also known as 'HAMs,' have been able to provide radio communications to authorities and served agencies when no other communications are available or have been disrupted."

Powhatan Today - News: County exploring ham radio as part of emergency shelter plan

Powhatan Today - News: County exploring ham radio as part of emergency shelter plan: "“There were 63 licensed ham radio operators in the county,” Mica recalled. He and Brown wrote letters to every one and eventually came up with a core group of eight who were willing to take on the challenge of assisting in catastrophic situations. Early this year, “we went to Mr. Green and said ‘here we are. We want to help. What can we do?’’ Mica recalled.

The drill earlier this month was the group’s first chance to demonstrate its potential.

The timing could not have been better. The OEM has reached the physical capacity of its current facility “and we are going to have to build a new communications center for our county,” said Greene. “We must have a larger space. A backup communications system may be planned for it from the beginning.”"

Introduction - Sound Card Packet

Introduction - Sound Card Packet: "This amateur radio web site explains how to use the AGWPE utility program to send and receive packet -- a digital data mode -- using the sound card or sound chip of your PC instead of a traditional TNC or radio modem. (TNC = Terminal Node Controller, a hardware device that codes and decodes packet signals.)

The site offers:

*

instructions for configuring AGWPE, Windows, and some compatible packet programs
*

advice about building or buying a sound card-to-radio interface
*

troubleshooting advice"

Looking for an expert???

A few of us have Yaesu VX170 HT's and one of the features of that animal is the ability to connect to a WIRES II network over a computer.. The manual seems to imply this can be done without a TNC... Then they just stop talking about it.... I have run through all that I can read from Yahoo and Google and Yaesu and still have this big question mark strapped to my forehead...

This all came about due to Jim Hawley's field day lectures on D-Link and Win-link... Somebody who has struggled with this before... Please point me in the right direction....

themagicband : 50 MHz The Magic Band

themagicband : 50 MHz The Magic Band: "Everything 50 MHz goes here. Antenna talk, equipment and set up, amps, conditions, skeds, JT6M, EME, DXTV, equipment for sale and more! Anything 6 meters!"

For the "FULL STORY" click the title box

New Links on the Right...

WinLink 2000 and WL2K for dummies .....

This is the portal for you to enter the world of computer to Radio to internet through the use of a terminal node controller (TNC). John Wilson (W7BL) spoke highly of both sites and says this is the way to go for beginners.

Obvious uses will be the use of the internet.. even where there is no internet provider.... I will be playing with this and maybe down the line we can have a self help group something like the members learning code now.

www.kansascity.com | 07/06/2008 | Amateur radio operators holding their own in the Internet age

www.kansascity.com | 07/06/2008 | Amateur radio operators holding their own in the Internet age: "When electricity and phone service in New Orleans went down during Hurricane Katrina, ham radio operators, running on batteries and generators, kept communications open.

They relayed a distress call from a rooftop in New Orleans through a nationwide network of amateur (ham) radio operators from Louisiana to Oregon to Utah to Baton Rouge. Emergency responders then rescued the 15 stranded people."

Announcing New Registration Form and Spreadsheet

The new Registration form and registered members spreadsheet is now a part of this web page...

Here is how it works.. Over there on the right you can see 2 links with a flashing red arrow. The first is a registration form.. If you want to register to let others know about your station fill out as much of the form as you like. Omit anything you don't care for and it won't be entered... No field is mandatory.

The next link is a spread sheet where your information is added instantly after you press the submit button. If you members and even visitors fill out the form we may get to know you a bit better....

You old pro's look at this and see how easy it would be to add a net control form... and spreadsheet... food for thought. Why not do things the EZ way?

By the way... we can add any questions you would like answers to... no limit.
RT

Philadelphia Area Hams Nail Rogue Radio Signals:

Philadelphia Area Hams Nail Rogue Radio Signals:: "When residents of a Philadelphia suburb complained http://www.nbc10.com/investigators/16701097/detail.html?dl=mainclick to an area television station about how their remote car door entry devices wouldn't work in the parking lot of a local department store, an investigative reporter for NBC-10 (WCAU) called everyone she could to help her discover why. No one knew anything -- until she called on some local ham radio operators."

Ham radio operators help out in fire crisis - Chico Enterprise Record

Ham radio operators help out in fire crisis - Chico Enterprise Record: "OROVILLE — One of the local groups that has pitched in to help throughout the recent wildfires in Northern California is the Oroville Amateur Radio Society.

The group is composed of 'ham' radio operators licensed to transmit at high frequencies, said president Larry Thompson.

Radios have been set up in the basement of the society's station, where unpaid amateurs communicate with the Red Cross, Salvation Army and other agencies to transmit information 24 hours a day.

Most society members belong to the American Radio Relay League, which was established by the federal government a 'long, long time ago,' Thompson said.

In World War II, people in occupied countries used amateur radios to communicate with the outside world.

'That's how the amateur-radio emergency thing started,' he said. 'Communicating on frequencies that nobody else would be on.'"

For the "FULL STORY" click the title box

Field Day on Horizon Hill

*In an email... John Cooper said:
I thought you might like to post some pictures taken on field day on top of Horizon Hill in Yachats.

Just click the arrow for the show

E-Board releases $100 million | StatesmanJournal.com | Statesman Journal

E-Board releases $100 million | StatesmanJournal.com | Statesman Journal: "Oregon lawmakers went ahead Friday with one key budget decision, but also balked at a down payment for a new wireless network for state and local emergency agencies.
Advertisement

Although the recommendation was debated at length, the Legislative Emergency Board released $100 million that lawmakers earmarked in the 2007-09 budget for pay and benefit increases for state employees. But agencies would have to find savings within already-approved budgets to cover the remaining $25 million for the increases, which have been negotiated with unions."

Every ham radio has its day | StatesmanJournal.com | Statesman Journal

Every ham radio has its day | StatesmanJournal.com | Statesman Journal: "This weekend's setup serves to keep those faculties sharp.

'Using only emergency power supplies, ham operators will construct emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and backyards around the country,' Boswell said. 'Their slogan, 'Ham radio works when other systems don't!' is more than just words to the hams as they prove they can send messages in many forms without the use of phone systems, Internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis.'

ROADs president David Moellenberndt said on-going operations officially begin at 11 a.m. today and run through midnight.

'Most excitement occurs after dark on Saturday because the shortwave bands open up and you are able to transmit and receive over longer distances,' Moellenberndt said."

Ham Radio Volunteers provide support during Martin Fire - San Jose Mercury News

Ham Radio Volunteers provide support during Martin Fire - San Jose Mercury News: "Ham Radio volunteers from the Santa Cruz County Auxiliary Communication Service provided communications to support firefighters, law enforcement, Red Cross and even animal control during the Martin Fire.

'I slept about four hours last night' said Hap Bullard, while standing in the dusty turnout on Empire Grade Road that was serving as the staging area for the Equine Evacuation Group this week."

For the "FULL STORY" click the title box

Military Supercomputer Surpasses Petaflop Milestone - NYTimes.com

Military Supercomputer Surpasses Petaflop Milestone - NYTimes.com: "if all six billion people on earth used hand calculators and performed calculations 24 hours a day and seven days a week, it would take them 46 years to do what the Roadrunner can in one day."

For the "FULL STORY" click the title box

The Palestine Herald, Palestine, Texas - 'Hams do the strangest things'

The Palestine Herald, Palestine, Texas - 'Hams do the strangest things': "Common antenna materials such as wire and tubing must be forgone and such items as chicken wire, fences and ladders are acceptable.

Montgomery has been participating in the challenge for the last four years and has used metal tables, a metal carport, the Reagan Park statues and the railroad track art at the entrance to the Texas State Railroad for his antennas."

The Journal Times Online > Columns > Glad You Asked: Why is it called ham radio?

The Journal Times Online > Columns > Glad You Asked: Why is it called ham radio?: "Ham means an amateur, ham-fisted radio operator of poor performance and courtesy. That’s the definition offered by G.M. Dodge in “The Telegraph Instructor,” a guidebook for wireless telegraphy in pre-radio days.

The first wireless operators were land-line telegraphers who left their offices and went to sea or to the coast and manned telegraph stations. They brought with them the tradition and older language of their profession."

The Villages Daily Sun

The Villages Daily Sun: "Members of the Villages Amateur Radio Club were there to show how communications problems during power outages can be mitigated by the use of ham radios.

“When there’s an emergency and you lose power, you usually lose all phone service,” said Ed Crowell, secretary of the club and Village of Glenbrook resident. “Your cell phone service especially, because everyone gets on the phone. The subscriber can only hold 17 percent of its users at a time, so the cell phone tower shuts off its automatic cell phone switch. You need a radio to send a message over long distances.”

Crowell said the radios can last for years, and showed one he’s had for 10 years."

For the "FULL STORY" click the title box

ARRLWeb: ARRL NEWS: Surfin': Are You in the Blog Now?

ARRLWeb: ARRL NEWS: Surfin': Are You in the Blog Now?: "You can find the ham blogs by using your favorite search engine to look up 'ham radio blogs' or visit one of the directories of ham radio blogs to find a blog of interest."

THE EARTHQUAKE QUIZ

Take the earthquake quiz...... CLICK HERE

Scientists Imagine California's "Big One", Forecasters Predict Massive Quake Would Injure 50,000, Cost $200B - CBS News

Scientists Imagine California's "Big One", Forecasters Predict Massive Quake Would Injure 50,000, Cost $200B - CBS News: "A real quake would yield different results from the scenario, which excludes possibilities such as fierce Santa Ana winds that could whip fires into infernos.

The scenario: The San Andreas Fault suddenly rumbles to life on Nov. 13, 2008, just after morning rush hour. The quake begins north of the U.S.-Mexican border near the Salton Sea and the fault ruptures for about 200 miles in a northwest direction ending near the high desert town of Palmdale about 40 miles north of downtown Los Angeles.

Scientists chose the scenario because it would create intense shaking in the Los Angeles Basin and neighboring counties - a region with nearly 22 million people.

The scenario will be released at a House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources meeting in Washington.

Here are the major elements:"

Breaking Communications 'Stovepipes' -- An All-digital Receiver

Breaking Communications 'Stovepipes' -- An All-digital Receiver: "HYPRES Inc., a small New York State company, is building the new digital receivers. Deborah Van Vechten, program officer in ONR's Electronics division, says that this company will deliver a demonstration receiver that simultaneously 'digitizes' all the signals in the most critical over-the-horizon military communications bands (HF and VHF) and uses a technique called software-controlled digital filtering to select the signals to output."

Emergency Links: 'Sweet Spot' For Radios In Tunnels Identified

Emergency Links: 'Sweet Spot' For Radios In Tunnels Identified: "ScienceDaily (May 20, 2008) — As part of a project to improve wireless communications for emergency responders, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have confirmed that underground tunnels--generally a difficult setting for radios--can have a frequency 'sweet spot' at which signals may travel several times farther than at other frequencies. The finding, which uses extensive new data to confirm models developed in the 1970s, may point to strategies for enhancing rescue communications in subways and mines."

For the "FULL STORY" click the title box

NORTH COUNTY: Fledgling amateur radio network takes first step : North County Times - Californian

NORTH COUNTY: Fledgling amateur radio network takes first step : North County Times - Californian: "'The philosophy of it is that in a great, big disaster that hits us, we know police and fire are going to be behind the curve in the early hours,' he said. 'If you're bleeding, you're not going to get a paramedic in six minutes ---- it's going to be hours or days. CERT is trained to fill that gap.'"

For the "FULL STORY" click the title box

It's an Emergency. We're Not Prepared. - washingtonpost.com

EDITOR: This is a terrific article


It's an Emergency. We're Not Prepared. - washingtonpost.com: "Still, most Americans have been watching the devastation in Asia from relative safety and, if I had to guess, with a certain sense of complacency, a feeling that disaster on that scale isn't likely to happen to them. But it could. And if it did, our country might face the same sort of crisis as our Asian cousins. A major reason: The American public isn't prepared."

Be Prepared - Communicating During and After a Disaster | NewsChannel 8

Be Prepared - Communicating During and After a Disaster | NewsChannel 8: "It may be helpful to find out in advance if you have a ham radio operator in your area. They are very helpful and can deliver messages from both private and community sources during and after a disaster. If a pay telephone isn't readily available, and your out-of-state contact is several states away, you can communicate via this type of relay system. Your local ham can contact another ham that will contact another ham, and so on, until they find one within your out-of-state contact's area. The ham operator closest to your contact can then phone the contact and deliver any messages."

globeandmail.com: The wave he couldn't weather

globeandmail.com: The wave he couldn't weather: "The waves had ripped away the life raft, a hatch cover, the steering vane and the solar panels. She was taking on water. Everything was soaked. Without solar panels to recharge his batteries, he'd soon lose any ability to communicate with the outside world.

Weather reports said the storm would last three more days.

Tripping around the mess, he made a cup of tea and some porridge. Then he broadcast a message to ham radio operators that would eventually make it back to his family in Victoria.

“I think it's Thursday today,” he started. “I'm not sure …”"

Rescue work begins at earthquake's epicenter in China - International Herald Tribune

Rescue work begins at earthquake's epicenter in China - International Herald Tribune: "Until Wednesday, Wenchuan had been completely cut off from the outside world, and the longer it remained completely isolated, the more people would suffer and ultimately die. Half of the survivors had severe injuries, Chinese officials said."

WCATWC Information Statement - TW

SEAK71 PAAQ 121255
EQIAKX

TSUNAMI SEISMIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NWS WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER PALMER AK
455 AM AKDT MON MAY 12 2008

...THIS IS AN INFORMATION STATEMENT...

EVALUATION
AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH A MAGNITUDE SUCH THAT A TSUNAMI
WILL NOT BE GENERATED. THIS WILL BE THE ONLY WCATWC MESSAGE
ISSUED FOR THIS EVENT.

PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
MAGNITUDE - 5.1
TIME - 0451 AKDT MAY 12 2008
0551 PDT MAY 12 2008
1251 UTC MAY 12 2008
LOCATION - 56.5 NORTH 153.1 WEST
90 MILES/145 KM SW OF KODIAK CITY ALASKA
345 MILES/555 KM SW OF ANCHORAGE ALASKA
DEPTH - 21 MILES/33 KM

THE LOCATION AND MAGNITUDE ARE BASED ON PRELIMINARY INFORMATION.
FURTHER INFORMATION WILL BE ISSUED BY THE UNITED STATES
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY - EARTHQUAKE.USGS.GOV - OR THE APPROPRIATE
REGIONAL SEISMIC NETWORK.

$$

WCATWC Information Statement - TW

SEAK71 PAAQ 111707
EQIAKX

TSUNAMI SEISMIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NWS WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER PALMER AK
907 AM AKDT SUN MAY 11 2008

...THIS IS AN INFORMATION STATEMENT...

EVALUATION
AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH A MAGNITUDE SUCH THAT A TSUNAMI
WILL NOT BE GENERATED. THIS WILL BE THE ONLY WCATWC MESSAGE
ISSUED FOR THIS EVENT.

PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
MAGNITUDE - 4.0
TIME - 0904 AKDT MAY 11 2008
1004 PDT MAY 11 2008
1704 UTC MAY 11 2008
LOCATION - 58.6 NORTH 137.2 WEST
75 MILES/121 KM SW OF HAINES ALASKA
105 MILES/169 KM W OF JUNEAU ALASKA
DEPTH - 7 MILES/12 KM

THE LOCATION AND MAGNITUDE ARE BASED ON PRELIMINARY INFORMATION.
FURTHER INFORMATION WILL BE ISSUED BY THE UNITED STATES
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY - EARTHQUAKE.USGS.GOV - OR THE APPROPRIATE
REGIONAL SEISMIC NETWORK.

$$

Amateur radio buffs provide community communication | delmarvanow.com | The Daily Times

Amateur radio buffs provide community communication | delmarvanow.com | The Daily Times: "In a widespread emergency, a local organization called the Eastern Shore Amateur Radio Club is prepared to render communications. These dedicated men and women are the Shore's behind-the-scenes heroes. They devote myriad hours of public service communication to keep residents informed and safe.
Advertisement

Licensed ham radio operators are the community's chief communication volunteers. During a disaster, their battery-operated equipment is often the first means of communications. When state of the art communications of the sheriff, police, and fire departments malfunction, ESHARC furnishes vital back-up.

When cell phones became prevalent, interest waned in amateur radio. During a state of emergency, cell phones may die while ever-dependable ham radio"

For the "FULL STORY" click the title box

NEW DIRECTIONS radio

NEW DIRECTIONS radio: "But what most folks don't realize is that there are now more than 3,000 individuals in over 100 countries who have the capability to send and receive their own video pictures over long distances via amateur radio. The technique these people use is known as slow—scan TV (SSTV for short).

Even with super-high-power transmitters, conventional TV stations can't transmit pictures over distances of more than 100 miles or so. How is it, then, that hams can?using a tiny fraction of the power—transmit video images thou sands > of miles? The answer lies in their decision not to send 'moving' pictures.

To preserve the illusion of motion on a screen, conventional TV stations transmit 30 complete, highly detailed pictures per second. This amounts to the transmission of many millions of bits of information every second . . . enough information, in fact, to fill 1,000 voice channels! And the only portion of the radio spectrum with enough 'room' for these wideband width TV signals is the very high and ultra-high frequencies (VHF and UHF), where radio waves have only line-of-sight transmission properties. (That is, the signals can't follow the curvature of the earth and aren't reflected back to the ground by the ionosphere, but can only travel in straight lines.)"

NASA - Explore the Ionosphere (from the safety of your own home)

NASA - Explore the Ionosphere (from the safety of your own home): "Above: A screen-shot of the 4D ionosphere. Clicking on the image launches a 19 MB video demo. You can download and launch your own 4D ionosphere by following these simple instructions.

The ionosphere is, in a sense, our planet's final frontier. It is the last wisp of Earth's atmosphere that astronauts leave behind when they enter space. The realm of the ionosphere stretches from 50 to 500 miles above Earth's surface where the atmosphere thins to near-vacuum and exposes itself to the fury of the sun. Solar ultraviolet radiation breaks apart molecules and atoms creating a globe-straddling haze of electrons and ions."

NewsGator Online

Albert Einstein

"You see, wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles. Do you understand this? And radio operates exactly the same way: you send signals here, they receive them there. The only...

Solar Measurements — What do they mean? | K9JY

Solar Measurements — What do they mean? | K9JY: "Sunspot numbers are shown as a 'tens' number relating to the number of 'regions' on the site and a 'singles' number relating to the number of sunspots associated with a 'region.'

So if there are no sunspots, the number is understandably zero. But, a single sunspot on the sun would translate into a sunspot number of 11. The tens spot for having one region and the singles number for one sunspot in the region."

Some interesting talk

WKUSB CW Keyer Kit

WKUSB CW Keyer Kit: "In January, 2008 I put together the WKUSB CW keyer kit. This was a Christmas present from my father-in-law and was something I had been looking forward to completing. This is my third morse code keyer kit from K1EL - having previously completed the K20 and the WinKey (aka Winkey1)."








.

Guide to Amateur Radio for New Hams

Guide to Amateur Radio for New Hams: "Welcome to the Guide to Amateur Radio for new hams. Whether you are a new ham radio operator or are interested in getting into the exciting amateur radio hobby these pages can be helpful as you explore the many opportunities of Amateur Radio.

Find out how easy it is to get started and where to go once you get that first license.

73 de Don VE3XD eHam.net New Ham Topics Manager"

Great Falls Tribune - www.greatfallstribune.com - Great Falls, MT

Great Falls Tribune - www.greatfallstribune.com - Great Falls, MT: "It is confession time. I and friends of mine who share my amateur radio hobby are known as nerds. Yes, it is true, as I am often reminded by my wife.

The hobby involves building and operating radio transmitters and receivers for experimental and recreational communications with other amateurs, also known as HAMs .

ADVERTISEMENT

Governments the world over license the radio spectrum to us for one reason. In times of emergency, such as after tornadoes or hurricanes, when normal communications and phones are destroyed, ham operators step into the void enabling civil defense and emergency communications to be restored more quickly. Lives are often saved."

ARRLWeb: ARRL NEWS: Remote Control Your HF Rig via the Internet

ARRLWeb: ARRL NEWS: Remote Control Your HF Rig via the Internet: "Using the Internet to remotely control your amateur equipment is rapidly becoming a hot topic. Ten Tec recently introduced their new Omni VII with 'plug and play' remote capability. There have been several articles on the subject published recently but most of them seemed to stop short of actually telling you how to do it or just seem to be too complex for the typical ham to implement."

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ARRLWeb: ARRL NEWS: Surfin': Having a Ham Radio Cow

ARRLWeb: ARRL NEWS: Surfin': Having a Ham Radio Cow: "Starting with a surplus office trailer that Roland obtained for a bargain price, he and his radio compatriots proceeded to gut the trailer and build a deluxe five-position operating ham radio station on wheels that also provides some of the comforts of home, including a kitchen, bathroom and sleeping accommodations."

W I R E S - I I

Has anyone dealt with this system yet? I would like to learn.. What is on the net doesn't tell me much.

WIRESTM-II is a system of using the Internet's voice-communication capability as a bridge between distant stations. Where simplex- and repeater-based communication was basically limited to a local coverage area, with WIRES-II it is now possible to use the Internet as a long-distance link, allowing city-to-city, country-to-country, or continent-to-continent contacts from your hand-held or mobile rig. With WIRESTM linking, the distance between mobile or hand-held units becomes irrelevant, and the world becomes a much smaller place!

HamLinks Ham Radio Toolbar for Firefox and Internet Explorer

This is a must have! You will have hours of fun with it... Just too Kewl for words...

HamLinks Ham Radio Toolbar for Firefox and Internet Explorer: "HamLinks: The Ham Radio Toolbar for Firefox and IE

HamLinks is a free ham radio toolbar that extends your (Internet Explorer or Firefox) web browser to give ham radio operators quick access to great ham radio content. It's completely free, easy to install (and uninstall) and can be configured by the user. No registrations, spyware, spam or other hooks."

New Ideas

We will begin posting radio equipment for sale here on the site... If it becomes popular we will create a separate bulletin board attached to this site for equipment sales. The way it works for now is for you to follow the instructions on the right in the links column...

We may entertain ideas in the future to hold an on-line auction.... Think about it and put a comment below.. Share your ideas. KE7NIW

The VE Team at Florence

On Saturday March 8^th, 2008, the VE-team from Newport went to Florence, OR to provide a testing session for a group of prospective amateurs.

We had 9 people waiting to take their test. The VE team consisted of W6BL, John Wilson, K7BJ, Carol Moore, AB7QN, Hugh Aikenhead and WA2ZZZ, Pat Aikenhead; we also had Michael Moore, K7UUU, as a helper.

The picture shows some of the testers and the VE’s.

We passed 7 technicians, and of those 6 took the General class license. We passed 3 new generals.

We all had a great time.

Below We told you about Google DOCs and suggested some ways for club use... In the comments I see we sparked interest in a couple of you. KM7S Sharon and W7BL John. I'm thinking of holding a "how to" class. Others of you may be interested.

Since the Longview Hills Community has a small computer lab we could meet for an hour or so while we all become familiar with this exciting new program. Once learned the uses for it start popping into your head like crazy.

Everyone interested please email me with times and dates that you would like to attend...

teckron@gmail.com

News - StatesmanJournal.com

Wow! look at this guy's shack... What does yours look like? Email me a picture for the website.

News - StatesmanJournal.com: "There are 86 ham licensees in Dallas alone and nearly 1.5 million in the U.S. Nine joined the local ham community after a testing session in early February.

A radio as inexpensive as $100 to $150 will work for those wishing to become a part of the ham radio culture, Moellenberndt said, adding that serious users can spend upwards of $20,000 on equipment.

'One of the most important things to own is not the radio itself but the antenna,' Minehan said. 'The radio equipment you own is only as good as your antenna.'

His own setup includes a beam antenna with 600 feet of wire snaking through fir trees on his acreage just outside of Dallas.

'You can even used your own (rain) gutters or flagpole as a form of antenna,' he said.

Amateur radio around the world, then, seems mainly to be a mix of fun, friendship, convenience — and public service, the four Dallas group members said."

NEW DIRECTIONS RADIO

NEW DIRECTIONS RADIO: "Radio amateurs, like many other people these days, are buying home computers. And regardless of how many additional uses he or she might plan for the machine, a ham purchaser almost always wants it to be part of a system of communication.

In theory at least, personal computers and ham rigs can be interconnected, and the combination can then be used to transmit and receive text by radio. Three types of codes are commonly employed for these transmissions: ASCII (standard computer code), Baudot (normal teleprinter code), and Morse (dots and dashes)."

Excite News - Cell Carriers Fight Backup Power Rule

Sent in by Carol

Excite News - Cell Carriers Fight Backup Power Rule: "When Hurricane Katrina assaulted the Gulf Coast in 2005, wind and flooding knocked out hundreds of cell towers and cell sites, silencing wireless communication exactly when emergency crews and victims needed it."

NEW DIRECTIONS RADIO

NEW DIRECTIONS RADIO: "Radio amateurs, like many other people these days, are buying home computers. And regardless of how many additional uses he or she might plan for the machine, a ham purchaser almost always wants it to be part of a system of communication.

In theory at least, personal computers and ham rigs can be interconnected, and the combination can then be used to transmit and receive text by radio. Three types of codes are commonly employed for these transmissions: ASCII (standard computer code), Baudot (normal teleprinter code), and Morse (dots and dashes)."

HERE ARE THE POLL RESULTS
The question...

What time should the club meet?

Answers			Votes	Percent
1.		6:00PM	7	27%
2.		6:30pm	10	38%
3.		7:00pm	9	35%
4.		7:30pm	0	0%

To all Our HAMs viewing the site... Members or not.....

You will find a few new links on the right side of the page. They are designated by the red arrows... Give them a try.

New also, at the top of the page is a calendar.. This calendar shows events that you want to place like shows and field days...etc., If you click on a date entry you will get a pop-up window that describes all the particulars and details of an event.

Events that happen at the same time every month, week or day or even once a year that happen at the same time (recur) are programed in just once and then faithfully reproduce for the next 4 years.

If you want to add events and tell all about them you can be as long winded as you like... The pop up window is designed just for that. If you would like everyone's birthdays can be put on too. For now I have to do all the entering... But I expect that one or more of you will sit down with me for about a half hour and I will show you how to do this... I do this for a lot of blogs around the county and it does become tedious to keep up so at some point I turn over various functions of the website to members... Never hard and interesting to learn...

Similarly, the success of the website depends on receiving pictures and articles from the members...people like you...... Putting an article on is as simple as writing it in your email and sending it to a special email address. Just ask Carol K7BJ, Her first entry by email appears just below this article... Ask her using the comments just how easy it was.

Pictures, for now, have to be sent to my email and I put them on but when those of you want to learn about an hours worth I can teach you how to do it yourself.

Since this all as done at your leisure and on your computer with no deadlines or demands I expect at least a few of you will be interested and we can have classes on how to.

The more you participate the greater the site will become... I promise.

Carol Test

Ron this sounds good

Arkadelphia Siftings Herald - News

Arkadelphia Siftings Herald - News: "The HAM radio operators club in Clark County is active in reporting weather alerts, said Burns. The club is adding new repeaters, which are specially-built transmitters and receivers, placed in strategic locations. They automatically repeat signals to other stations that would normally be unable to hear the signals directly, thus extending communications range.

Burns said the beauty of a HAM radio is that when all other communications fail, the HAM radio is still reliable."

For those of you who are scratching your heads about my last post on Google Docs we have this excellent video that may go along way toward understanding how it works.

J.J. Pickle Campus hosts free SKYWARN session - University

J.J. Pickle Campus hosts free SKYWARN session - University: "Ham radio operators represented a large proportion of the 250 who attended. Ham radio is important to weather reporting because operators are part of a wide, reliable communication network. When the weather starts to look bad, ham radio operators broadcast the conditions they see. Local media outlets listen to ham radio broadcasts to stay on top of developing weather.

Storm chasers from the Texas Severe Storms Intercept team also attended the training. Their mission is to put warnings out faster by reporting severe weather as it happens.

'Chasers will go out and meet the weather, run along with it. We do our own forecasting and give reports as we go,' said Jeff Draper, a Volente firefighter and storm chaser.

Chase team member Shane Hale said storm chasers are often firefighters.

'You're crazy to run into a burning house; you're crazy to run into a tornado,' Hale said."

Google Docs Radio Log

Hello HAMs This is Ron Thomas speaking (KE7NIW). Recently, Tom Roederer (KE7QVG) and I played with an an experiment which included Dan Wilson (KE7NIX) and we were advised along the way by Micheal Moore (K7UUU).

What we were doing is sending Dan Wilson north on 101 and he would call in at selected mileposts on the 147.300 repeater.. (We call this the OTRC30 repeater) Since all of our radios (Yaesu HT's) have the ability to assign alpha-numeric values to a frequency saved in memory . This makes it easy if everyone assigns the same name... which we have done.

As Dan proceeded North we recorded how we received his transmissions and he carried a log book and recorded his impressions as he went. Mike pointed out to us that the repeater would faithfully retransmit the signal just as it received it. So, if Dan was in a spot that gave the repeater a weak or static filled signal that is what we received.

While this was going on Tom and I were working with a program you may have not heard about... It's called Google Docs. Tom and I both have accounts and because I chose to share it with him as a collaborator ... We both had access to the document on the internet at the same time. As collaborators we both could edit and make entries and changes to the document in real time on-line. Off to the side of the document is a chat page where we were able to talk to one another about the entries and changes we were making. Did I mention Tom was at his home manning his station and I was at my home on my radio?

Google Doc allows for an unlimited number of collaborators working on the internet simultaneously. All of you could have tuned to the OTRC30 repeater and been with us during this test. You could all have been typing entries into the log... adding new columns and asking questions and making suggestions in the chat feature. We could all have been part of the adventure and your expertise in radio communication could have been tapped to make a really great log format....

Now the benefits don't end just there !!! The log is saved on line not on each of your individual computers. Access is granted only to those you wish. The document is not subject to someone's crashing computer. Access can be allowed only to others as a read only document where they cannot make changes or as a collaborator who has full document change privileges.

You can upload docs that you have on your computer now and share them with whomever you please. You can download a doc to your own computer for your own personal use. Not done yet. As you will be able to see I am making this same log document available for all of you to look at by making it a google doc web page.. This web page will automatically update itself on that web site any time Tom or I make a change to it.... here is the link:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p8-S2viWpi0R1824zq0zVOw

More? You want more? Sure... Google Docs also makes power point presentations and word style documents...

The bottom line ... How much does it cost? Nada! It's free. Document storage and use is unlimited...

I can help you get started or you can do it yourself... Questions? email me at:

teckron@gmail.com

MyFox Philadelphia | Ham Radio Operators Unite to Save Lives in Delaware: "All over the world there are radio stations run by a single person, mostly for fun. Now authorities in lower Delaware are organizing some of those stations to save lives.

The new Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service group, launched last year, will use ham radio operators both in the field and in the county's new Emergency Operations Center to relay on-the-ground reports of weather conditions and other emergency situations back to emergency managers."

Restrictive Antenna Ordinance in Oregon:

Restrictive Antenna Ordinance in Oregon:: "The amateur radio community in the Central Oregon area is under assault in the guise of a highly restrictive antenna tower ordinance being proposed before the Deschutes County Commissioners. The ham community has tried repeatedly without success to provide viable input into this process through meetings, testimony, example legislation, etc. All our efforts have been pointedly ignored by the planning board and they are on the verge of passing the MOST restrictive ordinance in the entire country at the county level.

I urge you all to read the proposal for yourself and to do whatever you can to motivate support for our efforts to shut down this proposal."

Index Journal | Greenwood, SC | News

What other communities are doing...

Index Journal | Greenwood, SC | News: "“We are working as if Hurricane X is coming up and getting ready to swipe the coast, causing massive evacuations,” Steadman said. “We learned from Hurricane Floyd that people who are not from South Carolina and are put on that evacuation route of 178 heading north, they don’t know where they are going. Saluda County and Greenwood County had a lot of people that showed up in church parking lots and needed food, shelter, gas and all of that kind of stuff.

“So, we’re simulating that. We’re also testing all of our different technology, like the ham radio statewide system that was put in after (Hurricane) Hugo, to see if we have any bugs in the system.”"

NEW THINGS...

ron thomas

Folks, we have created a couple of new links on the right side of the page for you to explore. One is to Lincoln County RACES/RATS and the other goes to the Central Oregon Coast CERT (Community Emergency Response Team). A few of us Newbies are on the CERT team and a lot of us are in RACES/RATS. We hope you find them useful when navigating away from our website....

Another addition which will need your input is the new calendar that we can list in great detail all of the events that members would want to know. They can be listed out to 3 years in advance. I know that you folks know what the events are but I don't. As we start to fill in dates on the calendar you need to email me about the dates you want to see on the calendar and I will get them on...

If you would like to see a demonstration of how our calendar can look here is a link to the Longview Hills Calendar to see just how we can use ours...
Click here

As time goes on.. I will teach those that want to learn how to put events on the calendar and those that want to put things on the website how to do it...

ARRLWeb: Surfin': Real Low Banding on 600 Meters

ARRLWeb: Surfin': Real Low Banding on 600 Meters: "The March edition of QST is the annual antenna issue. Since I like reading about antennas, I found a lot of interesting reading in the new issue of the official journal of the ARRL. What really grabbed my attention was an article by Patrick Hamel, W5THT, about the ARRL 600 meters/500 kHz experiment and the antennas used at stations involved in the experiment (600 meters is the radio band abandoned by maritime and claimed by hams for experimentation)."

ARRLWeb: New ARRL Volunteer Examiner Manual Now Online

ARRLWeb: New ARRL Volunteer Examiner Manual Now Online: "The Ninth Edition of the ARRL VEC/VE Manual is now online on the ARRL Web site. The Manual, the most complete source on the Amateur Radio Volunteer Examiner Program, has everything you need to know in order to be an ARRL Volunteer Examiner.

'We're really excited about the new Manual,' said ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM. 'We've put a lot of work into it, taking suggestions from Volunteer Examiners all over the United States. It's very comprehensive, yet easy to understand.' Somma said the Manual is full of new and timely information, taking into account the licensing rule changes that went into effect last year.

'One of the biggest changes to the Ninth Edition is the del"

ARRLWeb: New ARRL Volunteer Examiner Manual Now Online

ARRLWeb: New ARRL Volunteer Examiner Manual Now Online: "The Ninth Edition of the ARRL VEC/VE Manual is now online on the ARRL Web site. The Manual, the most complete source on the Amateur Radio Volunteer Examiner Program, has everything you need to know in order to be an ARRL Volunteer Examiner.

'We're really excited about the new Manual,' said ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM. 'We've put a lot of work into it, taking suggestions from Volunteer Examiners all over the United States. It's very comprehensive, yet easy to understand.' Somma said the Manual is full of new and timely information, taking into account the licensing rule changes that went into effect last year.

'One of the biggest changes to the Ninth Edition is the del"

Radio Ham wannabees tune in on learning: "SEASIDE - Imagine yourself sitting in a bustling room, barking out short-hand words like 'CQ' - seeking you - over a radio just a little larger than a standard iPod, hoping to connect with someone outside an area that has been deemed a natural disaster area.

Then imagine that short-hand language of yours is the only way for people in that bustling room to communicate with the outside world, because cell phones, land lines and Internet services are out of operation."
*

Hello Folks...

At the last club meeting we were asked to put a poll on the website regarding the time members would prefer to meet... Look on the right side of the page and scroll down... You will see the poll there. Just click the radial circle of your preference and then the push the vote button at the bottom of the box... below that is a statistics button for you to check how the vote is going.

Hope you enjoy this new feature... You don't have to wait for a meeting to get a poll rolling.. Just email me at teckron@gmail.com and we will get your poll started.

Amateur radio today

NEW DIRECTIONS RADIO

NEW DIRECTIONS RADIO: "eorge Brand (WA8SC0/0) and several other MOTHER-reading hams have suggested that 1 tell folks just how simple and inexpensive it can be to get a 'no frills' amateur rig on the air. These folks are afraid that all this talk about slow scan TV, 5-band SSB transmitters, and radio teletype 'is going to scare a lot of people away. Presented like that, ham radio looms up larger than life and the average person is going to think he can't handle it.'."

Radio Ham wannabees tune in on learning: "Imagine yourself sitting in a bustling room, barking out short-hand words like 'CQ' - seeking you - over a radio just a little larger than a standard iPod, hoping to connect with someone outside an area that has been deemed a natural disaster area.

Then imagine that short-hand language of yours is the only way for people in that bustling room to communicate with the outside world, because cell phones, land lines and Internet services are out of operation."

The Ham Band Video

Citizens Emergency Response team responds to drill - Whitman, MA - Whitman Times

In other communities

Citizens Emergency Response team responds to drill - Whitman, MA - Whitman Times: "Of the 16 CERT volunteers who responded, 10 were licensed Amateur Radio operators. This radio training was in addition to the professional CERT training that qualified them for situations like this.

The 16 CERT volunteer participants were; Bob Schmitt KB1MTY WEMA Director, Bill Hayden N1FRE EOC-Radio Control operator, Mike Supple KB1OEP, Susan Supple, Stacey Supple, Paul Moss KB1MTW, Ron Stundze KB1OEQ, Gloria Chiaramonte KB1OAV, Skip O’Malley KB1MTZ, Cathy Costello KB1MTX, Erika LaFlamme KB1MTV, Rick Peterson KB1OEU, Joan Peterson, Mark Huska, Ted Petersen and Don Taylor.

The EOC radio control center was activated by radio operator Mike Supple KB1OEP and later manned by the Whitman Radio Amateur Civilian Emergency Service and RACES Radio Officer Bill Hayden N1FRE. During the day, radio contact was available between the EOC and CERT participants, Fire and Police at the drill scene. As many as 30 VHF and UHF radio frequencies were constantly being monitored at the EOC radio center during the exercise. Skip O’Malley KB1OEZ was assigned to drive one of the busses during activities. Although the CERT members played a small back-ground type support role in this exercise, such as bus driving and delivering food and drinks to the others at the town hall, all were ready willing and able to perform what ever task was assigned."

Google News

In other communities...

Google News: "Should weather or a man-made event knock out conventional phone lines, he said Ridgefield ham radio operators could tap into the Internet."

POLICE VOLUNTEERS

This Friday at 5:30pm there will be a meeting at City Hall for the purpose of introducing to the Newport Community the first ever Volunteer Police Program. Discussed will be the vision of how the organization will be developed for the community and what it offers volunteers for their service. After the presentation volunteers will be invited to join the program.

If you need further information prior to the meeting contact Ed Simon here in the park or at the Newport Police Department.

The Daily Courier - HOW'D THEY DO THAT? Morse code translations keep Prescott man busy

The Daily Courier - HOW'D THEY DO THAT? Morse code translations keep Prescott man busy: "Morse code is a dying art.

The romantic notion of a brave wireless radio operator resolutely tap-tapping out distress signals while rising sea water laps at his feet (think Titanic) has gone the way of the old-fashioned ice box and the wringer washing machine.

'It takes too long to learn,' admits Chuck Adams, a 65-year-old retired astrophysicist living in the high desert hills on the edge of Prescott.





Don't get him wrong - Adams loves Morse code. He is one of the fastest code transcribers in the United States. Since 1985 - just for fun - Adams has been translating books into Morse code. He has done about 25 so far.

About four years ago, he started putting the translated Morse code tones on CDs and selling them for a token amount on the Internet. He gets about three or four requests for the CDs a month.

Transcribing the books is not as complicated as it sounds because Adams wrote a software program that does the translation for him on a computer.

It takes about an hour and 15 minutes to do one book. He has sold about 100."

Why all this talk about "ham"? -- dailypress.com

Why all this talk about "ham"? -- dailypress.com: "ham radio,' as it's often called — is a vital resource to local communities, as well as communities worldwide. Unlike telephones or the Internet, ham relies solely on the Earth's ionosphere. This means there's no infrastructure, such as power grids, between you and whomever you might be talking to on your frequency. No matter what happens with your phone signal or wireless Internet connection, the equipment used in amateur radio will stay connected."

In Iraq, amateur radio's voice is muted - Los Angeles Times

In Iraq, amateur radio's voice is muted - Los Angeles Times: "BAGHDAD -- Whenever he gets a spare moment away from his electronics repair shop, Abdul Karim Hadi sneaks off to what he calls the 'radio shack' in the corner of his bedroom, flips a switch and escapes to the outside world.

Hadi could use the Internet or a cellphone to connect with friends near and far, but his choice is decidedly more retro.

Radio
Radio
click to enlarge

Graphic: A look into Iraq
Interactive Feature
Graphic: A look into Iraq
(Flash)

Related
- Iraq coalition casualty count - icasualties.org
- MORE IRAQ WAR COVERAGE

Related Stories
- U.S. shifts Sunni strategy in Iraq
- Iraqi political factions jointly pressure Kurds
- Recent California military deaths

'With ham radio, you can meet people around the world,' said Hadi, 48, who has been 'hamming' since 1978. 'It's also a hobby you can do on your own. And once you have your own equipment, it's free.'"

Amateur radio operators man posts - poconorecord.com - The Pocono Record

HAM's in other communities

Amateur radio operators man posts - poconorecord.com - The Pocono Record: "Among the people who show up at emergencies, there are those who are visible like EMTs, firefighters, police and members of the media. There are also those who are invisible, yet they can be heard if you know where to listen for them — on the radio.

'Amateur radio is a service, not a hobby,' said Bill Connelly. He volunteers with the Red Cross at many emergencies. 'A lot of us are registered with Homeland Security. We actually have identification. Flood, fires, any time they set up a shelter for any reason, we put one amateur radio guy at the shelter, one at the Red Cross headquarters and one at the scene if it's appropriate,' Connelly said."

ARRLWeb: Oregon Governor Allocates $250,000 for Digital Communications Network

ARRLWeb: Oregon Governor Allocates $250,000 for Digital Communications Network: "During the December storms, Amateur Radio operators were there to help. After a visit to one of the severely affected towns, Governor Kulongoski said, 'I'm going to tell you who the heroes were from the very beginning of this...the ham radio operators. These people just came in and actually provided a tremendous communication link to us.' Oregon's OEM said the radio operators were 'tireless in their efforts to keep the systems connected. When even state police had difficulty reaching some of their own troops, ham radio worked, setting up networks so emergency officials could communicate and relaying lists of supplies needed in stricken areas.'"

Ham operator fined for abuse

Ham operator fined for abuse: "A rogue ham-radio operator who interfered with the critical Mount Seymour repeater has been busted by U.S. authorities.

Onno Onneken, president of the B.C. FM Communications Association, said James Grinton of Bellingham, Wash., interfered with legitimate conversations hundreds of times over two years without giving his call signal."

Radio operators often serve as storm spotters

Radio operators often serve as storm spotters: "When it comes to severe weather, ham radio operators who double as storm spotters may be saving lives.

More than 10,000 thunderstorms, 5,000 floods and 900 tornadoes occur in an average year in the United States. In addition to Doppler radar, it takes many eyes turned toward the sky to help keep up with developing weather situations."


.

Pictures

We would like to have a digital picture of you in your radio shack with all your equipment. If you will send us one with your Call and name we will have it right here on the website as a continuous loop slide show. That way we will have both an introduction to you and your shack any time we look at the website.

To see what we mean visit the Newport CERT Team's website and watch the top of the page as the slide show scrolls through the images. Click the link below:

NEWPORT CERT TEAM CLICK HERE

When you get ready to email me your shack, picture, name and call send it to:
KE7NIW@GMAIL.COM