Northwest Amateur Radio Society
August '97 Newsletter
President's
Corner
by...
Jim Kirk - KJ5X
Here it is not even halfway through summer and I find myself thinking
about snow and skiing. It happens every year about this time. There
are some other things to think about also. NARS volunteers supply radio
communications for several very worthwhile events each year and one of
these, the SIRE event, is coming October 18. SIRE is the acronym for
“Self Improvement Thru Riding Education.” The program uses horseback
riding to enhance the experience and self-image of young people who have
some kind of limited capacity. The ride is through woods and fields for
some distance. The ability to maintain radio contact from various
points along the trail is necessary to enable a quick response should
any rider have difficulty. So, when the time comes to volunteer for
this, step up. NARS doesn’t offer a more satisfying or more important
opportunity for volunteer radio work.
Those of you who were at the NARS July meeting got to see the 30 minute
video on field day shot, composed and edited by Loyd Overcash KD5AIG.
Several at the meeting bought a copy. Copies are available from Loyd
for a very reasonable price. It is an excellent piece, fully capturing
the flavor of the NARS 1997 field day effort and the folks who were
there. It’s so good we’re going to send a copy to the ARRL.
A couple of NARS CW gurus and I have discussed the idea of having a
contest with the contestants each purchasing a specified commercial kit
and building their own QRP CW transceiver. Then, using only their
fresh-built rigs, the contestants would try to make and confirm the most
contacts, most distant contact, etc. before a certain date. Prizes
would be substantial. Elmers would be available. Let me know if you’re
interested.
Harry Gage N5WIZ has resigned from his post as NARS
Vice President and Public Information Officer. Harry has indicated that for
personal reasons he would not be able to devote any time to the job for
awhile. Harry did a spectacular job during his tenure as VP and PIO. We wish
him well and a quick return to us. Thanks Harry.
Meeting Announcement
by... Joe Sokolowski - KD5KR
August Meeting -
Telemarketing Fraud - How to Fight Back!
Here's one meeting you won't want to miss. The subject for the NARS March meeting will be telemarketing fraud. Missy Lord, from the office of the Attorney General, will enlighten us on one of life’s most annoying invasions of our precious time.
When the Attorney General initiated the Consumer
Protection Outreach Program, he had in mind groups just like NARS. He wanted
to give citizens of Texas the ammunition that they need to fight the
fraudulent telemarketers that have targeted Texans of all ages. Part of the
presentation will be ashort video followed by a question and answer period.
Bring your questions, junk mail, and complaints to Ms. Lord, and you will
leave better prepared to deal with these rascals on your own terms.
Soapbox
by...
Keith Dutson - WD5DXL
Vol×un×ta×rism n 1: the principle or system of doing something by or relying on voluntary action.
NARS operates on voluntarism. The reason there are so many activities in NARS during each year is that there are many volunteers in the club. This is quite evident to those who are the volunteers, but other members might take this fact for granted, or not realize the extent of voluntary action being performed. It IS noticeable from the outside, however, as related in the example below.
"I like your club, Keith. All the members seem so active and involved. There are many who really work hard to make the club a success." This was the comment from my wife, Beth, when she attended the annual NARS banquet with me last January. That was her first encounter with more than one or two club members.
The best part of being a volunteer is the sense of accomplishment when each task is completed. Plus, being active in NARS functions creates a feeling that you are an integral part of the organization. So, if you are sitting on the sidelines, jump up and offer your help to someone who is already a volunteer. You’ll be glad you did.
Sign up today as a NARS News reporter; see me for
details. You do not have to be a writer or photographer, but it will help if
you can do either. Call me at 281-351-7683, or send email to
kdutson@swbell.net.
DX News
by...
Bill Gary - K8CSG
DX Notes
-- Have a little care that life is brief,
and less that art is long.
Success is in the listening,
and DX is in the song . . .
Apparently the Big Bend Sun Dancers were not as successful in drumming up sunspots by beating their bongos in the barancas during most of June as some had hoped. The SFI at the beginning of July signaled that more exquisite tunes were required from the bongos if DX conditions were to improve during July. One questions if the heat of Houston's summertime is sufficient to neutralize the sunspot enhancement generated by the Sun Dancers. On Sunday morning, July 6, a nice little opening into Asia encouraged the DXers who spotted it (probably the result of a little independent bongo ditty by one of the Big Bend Sun Dancers). Monday morning, the bands were dead again -- and they have stayed that way for much of the month until the Sun Dancers cranked things up again near the end of July.
Field Day has come and gone. Fortunately, there appeared little good DX to distract the DXers from pursuing Field Day activities. The Solar Flux Index hovered at or below 70 for the first week in July, with the A and K indices staying below 10. Band conditions were not particularly good, making it a bit difficult to work DX when it could be found. Tad Cook says that we should not expect to see great improvement in the near term. People should remember that the start of a new sunspot cycle does not mean that propagation improves by leaps and bounds immediately. There was supposed to be a big disturbance between June 28 and July 3 but it never did appear. After sticking at or below 70 for much of the month,
the SFI was up to 79 near the end of July. Band conditions did not reflect the level of improvement, however.
DX Worked: CY9AB (St. Paul Island); VY1RAC (Yukon); BV4FH (Taiwan); JA3BUO (Japan);
RK9CWW & RV0AM (Eur. Russia); BV8BC (Taiwan); JA7TI & JA9PPC (Japan); BV5GQ, BV8BC &
BV0DX (Taiwan); YB0AI (Indonesia); 9M6AG (E. Malaysia); HL5NBM (S. Korea); JA4DW (Japan);
KL1V (Alaska); ZL2GED (New Zealand); UT0MN (Ukraine); 9M8ZZ (Sarawak); BV5GQ (Taiwan);
CN68DN (Morocco); YV30T (La Tortugas Is.); D25L (Angola); OJ0/N4GN (Market Reef); RA4HA (Russia); UY7IO (Ukraine); 5N0HQ (Nigeria); 6W1QV (Senegal); countless Europeans too numerous to iterate here; T97M (Bosnia Herzegovina); VK3AJJ (Australia); AH8A (Am. Samoa); ZL1AGO & ZL1KJ (New Zealand); DU1SAN, DU1KT & DU3RCM (Philippines); DS5USH (So. Korea); YB1XUR (Indonesia); JA7MQM (Japan); OH0/OH2XX (Aland Is.); YL2DX (Latvia); ZL4AP (N. Zealand);
4F1JUX (Philippines); JW2PA (Svalbard Island); ZK1JD (Cook Islands); 5W1PC (W. Samoa); FO5QB
(Papeete, Tahiti); VK7GK (Tasmania); UX3HX (Ukraine); VR6TC (Pitcairn Island); FO5KW (Tahiti);
DU9RG, DU1KT, 4F4IX & DU4VX (Philippine Islands); A41LZ (Oman); CY9SS (St. Paul Island);
DS1BHE (So. Korea); BO0M (Ma Tsu Is.); FK8GM, FK8VHN & FK8HC (New Caledonia) (pipeline,
Jack?); RV0AR (Eur. Russia); KH0I (Saipan); 5X1T (Uganda); GD6YB/p (Isle of Man); P29TL (Papua
New Guinea); C21RK (Nauru); A61AQ (UAE); 4Z4UR (Israel).
DX Heard: XV7TH(Vietnam); 4F1JUX (Philippines); VR2KO (Hong Kong); ZL4KF & ZL1ARY (New
Zealand); VK4AAR (Australia); DU2DDO & DU1FZB (Philippines); LY1DO (Lithuania); KH0I (Saipan);
ZK1CC (So. Cook Is.).
QSL Routes: KL1V via Box 215, Valdez, AK 99686; BV0DX via KA6SPQ; JW2PA via LA2PA; CY9SS
via VY2SS; BO0M via BV2KI; C21RK via CBA; A41LZ via POB 2837, Ruwi CP1200, Oman.
Hong Kong was returned to China on July 1. Nobody beats the British when it comes to pageantry -- even in a pouring rainstorm.
July rumor says that 3C0DX is back on for October 7 this Fall. 3C0DX was originally scheduled for May 20-27 from Pagalu Island (formerly known as Annobon). This is an obscure DX location which is activated periodically. The earlier schedule was canceled due to visa problems with the Equatorial Guinea government. Watch for this one if you don't already have it.
Another operation from Kure Island is planned for September. This one involves an international team with three HF radios running for a full week.
EA3FKI plans to operate from 5A1A during September, including RTTY.
Ogassawara Island should be active during mid-August. QSL via 7N3GNX.
In February 1998 another international team plans to operate from the Spratly Islands. More info to follow later.
Ted NH6YK will be QRV from Midway Island until August 20 as NH4/NH6YK. Activity will depend on
his work and recreation schedule. Look for some 10 meter activity.
The North Cook Islands should be available in September, also. ZK1XXP is the tentative callsign.
One of our readers called recently to ask me if I really work all of the DX reported in this column and, if so, how I do it. He said that he rarely even hears some of the stuff I work. My response to his e-mail was that as a retiree I have opportunities that many people still working will miss out on. I also told him that I have a beam antenna, compared to his dipole, and that I can run a kilowatt compared to his 100-watts. Lots of time spent listening to the bands is still one of the major keys, even in these days of DX packet clusters. A major facet is persistence.
The annual DXpeditions to Market Reef (OJ0) and the Aland Islands (OH0) were on during July. Both locations generated considerable interest, despite the fact both are on about once a year. Martti Laine answered my first call to the OJ0/N4GN operation on Market Reef. On July 13, the day before the end of the DXpedition, OH0/OH2XX attracted a nice pileup which included several of the chaps from Houston. A good operator, he worked many stations despite the repeated efforts of a WB8 to hold a ragchew, first on the listening frequency and then on his calling frequency, when told that both frequencies were very busy.
YV30T stirred a bit of controversy during July. Some thought the station was operating from Aves Island, one of the rarer Caribbean spots. Further listening revealed the operation was from LaTortugas Island in celebration of the Venezuelan Navy's 30th Anniversary. Fun to work, but counts for nothing more than another IOTA island.
KJ5X worked 5X1T in Uganda on July 21 for a new country. 5X1T is Peter Casier ON5TT who went to Peter I Island and to Heard Island recently. Dick W5VHN was heard working DU1KT on my coattails. Dick also worked JE1LET. WA8GHZ reports working CU3AR again and having a "pipeline into the Azores." KK5LO has a new radio and worked 5X1T (Uganda), CY9SS (St. Paul Isl.) and A41LZ (Oman). W5PDW worked YB1XUR and a few other DX locations.
Despite poor propagation numbers from WWV, band conditions during the IARU contest reflected the promise of the DX Gods -- the bands will always be open when there is a big contest underway. Countless stations with HQ suffixes were heard and worked. These are the Headquarters stations for the various versions of the ARRL in DX countries. NU1AW, HQ station for the IARU itself, was also active and worked. True, most of the propagation was into Europe, but occasional contacts with African and Asian stations were possible. After the contest ended, an Asian opening provided contacts with Taiwanese and Philippine stations readily with good copy in Texas.
Nice little Pacific opening around 0300Z on July 21. Signals were not gigantic, but several interesting places were readable and worked without difficulty.
Congratulations to K5NZ on his DXCC endorsement for 204 countries (QST for August, 1997).
The last week of July saw St. Paul Island working big
pileups on 20 meters. With frequent breaks for working Europe, So. America and
the Pacific regions, there were opportunities to tune around the band now and
then. I worked A41LZ in Oman before returning to work the CY9SS gang on St.
Paul.
Front Page
by...
Walter Hock - KK5LO
Election Of New Vice President At August Meeting
As required by NARS bylaws there will be a call for nominations and an
election of a Vice President to fill the remaining term of Harry Gage
N5WIZ who has resigned for personal reasons. Paul Owen N5NXS has agreed
to be a candidate for the office.
NARS Raffle
NARS is holding a raffle to raise funds for new Field
Day antennas and maintenance of our repeaters. The prize is an IC-2710H,
ICOM's top-of-the-line dual band 2 meter / 70 cm portable transceiver with
detachable front panel and remote control microphone. Tickets are $1 each, or
a book of 12 for $10 available from Walter Hock KK5LO (281-350-6633) or Keith
Dutson WD5DXL (281-351-7683). The drawing will be held at the Houston Hamfest
at 2:00 PM on Sunday, October 19, 1997. The winner does not need to be present
at the drawing.
Feature Article
by...
Nora - KB5FYJ and Wayne - N5MNT
Tomball Ham Classes
The Tomball Repeater Group will be having classes to become an amateur radio operator or upgrade existing licenses. Sessions on code will be taught first, followed by written test studies. We hope to start from nothing and go all the way to 20 WPM on the code (or as long as the class wants to go).
We will have 2 classes a week: Saturdays at 10 a.m.; Tuesdays at 7 p.m. The first class is scheduled for Saturday, August 16, 1997.
It is not required to attend both classes per week; however we are encouraging those who can to do so, because they will learn faster.
We will meet at:
- Step By Step Christian School
- 1119 South Cherry St.
- Tomball, TX
Needed for Class:
- Straight Key
- Code Oscillator
- Cassette tape recorder
To register for class or for information contact:
- Nora or Wayne Stovall
- 281-351-0026, e-mail: n5mnt@juno.com
- or contact them on the 146.720 repeater (PL 123)
Feature Article
by...
Keith Dutson - WD5DXL
DX Cluster Update
Late last year NARS asked for donations to help add a DX cluster to our Digipeater Node (145.71 MHz). The Board decided this was the best way to provide reliable DX cluster connections for our members. After we raised enough funds to purchase the required equipment and software we decided that the current location of the node (NW Medical Center) would not provide good access for all members. So, we decided to delay the cluster project until the node could be moved to a more accessible location. It appears now that we have found a good spot: on a 430 foot tower!
There is bad news, good news and great news. First the bad news; there will likely be substantial costs associated with the node move. Now the good news; the new location is so good that we can link into the local DX cluster network to once again provide reliable connections for NARS members. Putting it another way, we can use the cluster money to facilitate the node move and achieve the original objective. The great news is that we will likely not have to raise more money for the node.
Thanks to Brian Derx, and whomever else was involved, for finding the new tower site.
Thanks also to the following persons for making
donations to the cluster fund: H. O. WA5MLT, Cal WF5W, Walter KK5LO, Ed
KB5QLX, Bill K8CSG, Bob KC5JZO, Mark KM5AO, Bill K5ZTY, Bob KK5PV, Dick W5VHN,
Don KA3BKU, Jack WA8GHZ, Jack KC5OFI, Jim KJ5X, Keith WD5DXL, Larry KC5NVY,
Rudy KB5ZXO, Tom KK5YU, Dick N5JZY, Harry N5WIZ, Bill W5SB, Dan N5KPI, Jerry
KB5VGD, Paul N5NXS, Paul KF5SB, Ken KA5AKG, Buddy KC5NSW, Harold KC5CNV, Larry
WA5SAJ, John W5PDW, O J K1OJ.
Feature Article
by...
Keith Dutson - WD5DXL
Public Service Events
Your radio skills are needed.
S.I.R.E. 5th annual Ride-A-Thon, Saturday, October 18
Contact: Keith Dutson, 281-351-7683
Here’s a chance to take part in an event that NARS members have supported with radio
communications since Saddle Up For SIRE started five years ago. With reasonable weather,
it is always fun and requires only a 2 meter HT, fresh batteries and a few hours time.
Volunteers are stationed along a ten mile trail near Montgomery where participants ride
horses to raise money for SIRE, Self-Improvement Through Riding Education, the charity
dedicated to the rehabilitation of children and adults with disabilities. For more information, call Keith Dutson.
Public Service Events (Slide Viewer Program)
Feature Article
by...
Bob Argo - KC5JZO - Secretary
NARS Board of Directors Meeting - June 30, 1997
Treasurer's Report - The checkbook balance on June 30, 1997 was $4188.66.
SAREX Report - Bill Denton will be setting up a SAREX program for the Bendwood Elementary School; the students are a gifted group with a major interest in NASA activities.
‘98 Field Day Plans - Bill Denton W5SB named FD98 Coordinator; OJ Quarles K1OJ named Contest Director.
Programs - September: N5TU, Fox Hunting
Current Node - A new power supply has been installed and it is again operational.
New Node location - A possible new location found in the Cypress - Rose Hill area; the tower is 430 ft.
DX Cluster - Local cluster to be operational soon in Hempstead, Magnolia, and LaMarque makes separate planned NARS DX cluster node redundant; new NARS node location will be configured to allow connection to existing cluster.
Election - Special election at the August meeting for a new Vice President to replace Harry Gage N5WIZ who resigned.
Radio Raffle - Look for tickets on a dual band mobile radio.
Public service events - SIRE, October 18th; Texas Trails Endurance Run,
December13th
VE Session Results
by...
Bill Gary - K8CSG
July '97
The NARS/Compaq VE group returned to action on July 26
after taking off during June for Field Day. Ten candidates took advantage of
this opportunity and were examined on fifteen elements. A high pass-rate of 80
percent yielded the following results. Four of the candidates became new
Technician Class hams; two previously-licensed Technicians became Tech-Plus
hams. A previously licensed General Class licensee became an Advanced Class,
and a prior Advanced Class passed the final element to become an Extra Class
licensee. Three elements were failed, none of them code-related. Working with
the group were eight NARS-member VEs -- Mark K5GQ, Bill W5SB, Jim KJ5X, Rick
KZ5E, Bill K5ZTY, Bill K8CSG, Larry WA5SAJ and newcomer Dick Rooney W5VHN.
From Compaq were Walter K5WH and Willie KB5TES.
Important Dates
by...
Keith Dutson - WD5DXL
July '97
NARS Breakfast
Many members meet for an informal breakfast every Saturday at 8:00 am at Victor's
Deli and Restaurant. Join us for informal ragchew, conversation, information
exchange, and usually a few tall tales. Victor's is located at 4710 FM 1960
West.
Monthly Meeting
Friday, August 15, 1997, 7:30 pm - NARS monthly General Membership meeting,
Spring Cypress Presbyterian Church,
6000 Spring-Cypress Road (1.7 miles East of Stubner-Airline) - Eyeball QSO's,
7:00 pm
Ham Class
Saturday, August 16, 10:00 am, Step-by-Step Christian School, 1119 South
Cherry St., Tomball
Ham Class
Tuesday, August 19, 7:00 pm, Step-by-Step Christian School, 1119 South
Cherry St., Tomball
VE License Exam Session
Saturday, August 23, 8:30 am, Tomball Community Center, South Cherry St. and
Market Streets (just South of Main)
Board Meeting
NARS Board of Directors meeting - Tuesday, August 26, 7:30 pm, Terra
Nova Club House, 5200 Woodville
Contests
August 16-17 - North American QSO Party, Phone
September 7 - North American Sprint, CW
September 13-15 - ARRL September VHF QSO Party
September 20-21 - Air Force 50th Anniversary QSO Party
September 27-28 - CQ WW RTTY
September 2-3 - ARRL UHF
Notice
NARS membership dues is $20 per year, renewable on anniversary of last year's full payment.
NARS News deadline for articles to appear in NARS Newsletter - The last day of month.
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