A Publication Of The Borderline Amateur Radio Club Mar 2001
http://ecso.com/barc/
Presidents Message
There appears to be no presidents message this
time. Better luck next time.
Testing Session
The last test session was very productive for
everyone testing. There were two new generals
and one new technician. They are, Clifton
Southam, and Lisa Johnson as the new generals,
and Fran Palmer passed his Tech test and is
anxiously waiting for his call sign. Congratulations
to all three of you. Great Job. Late breaking News
Frans Call is KD7MBV.
LF-TO-LF Transatlantic Amateur
Contact is History
Amateur Radio history was made this month
when amateurs in Canada and the UK completed
what appears to be the first two-way transatlantic
Amateur Radio exchange on 136 kHz. Larry
Kayser, VA3LK, and Lawrence "Laurie"
Mayhead, G3AQC, managed the LF feat using
extremely slow CW that featured 90-second-long
dits and 180-second-long dahs. The two-way
contact took two weeks to complete. "We are the
first to do a two-way QSO on LF across the North
Atlantic as far as I am concerned," Kayser said.
"We are the ones who put the stakes in the
ground; others will build on what we have done."
The VA3LK-G3AQC contact began February 5
and was completed February 19 with the reception
and confirmation of VA3LK's report by G3AQC.
Kayser said the participants agreed in advance to
a "firewall" between them for the duration of the
contact and that all QSO information was
exchanged over the LF radio
link.
Mayhead said it was clear from the outset that,
because of the relatively short band openings, he
and Kayser would have to spread the contact out
over several days. "It was not easy," he said. "I
stayed up late most nights--3 AM on one
occasion--changed blown fuses in my transmitter
six times, and reconfigured my receiver to
include a narrow filter because of interference
that was desensitizing it." Kayser says he once
had to climb the tower supporting his wire
antenna in total darkness.
The UK has authorized amateur operation on
136 kHz, with special authorization and strict
limits on radiated power. While Canada has not
yet authorized general Amateur Radio operation
on 136 kHz, Kayser and a few other Canadian
amateurs have received special authorization to
experiment there.
Reception of weak LF signals typically is done
using spectrographic software like ARGO or
Spectran. Signals are transmitted using
dual-frequency CW--or DFCW--or very
slow-speed CW, also known as "QRSS." Using
their particular brand of QRSS, Kayser
calculated that it took nearly 70 minutes for him
to send his call sign. "Certainly the information
rate will improve," he said. "We did the best we
could with what we had to work with over the
last two
weeks."
G3AQC and VA3LK were using a combination of
commercial and surplus equipment at their
respective stations. G3AQC estimated his
effective radiated power at 350 mW, while
VA3LK said he might have been at the 5 W ERP
level.
In October 1998, the ARRL petitioned the FCC
to create two amateur LF allocations at
135.7-137.8 kHz and 160-190 kHz. The FCC has
not yet acted on the request.
W8HKY: Hamming it Up at 100
ARRL member Michael J. Anuta, W8HKY, of
Marinette, Wisconsin, turns 100 years old on
Sunday, February 4. In anticipation of the
momentous occasion, the ARRL has sent special
greetings to Anuta, who is among the very oldest
League members.
"We at the League are so happy that you are one
of our senior members and still an active and
vibrant Amateur Radio operator," wrote ARRL
Executive Vice President David Sumner, K1ZZ.
On behalf of the ARRL Board of Directors,
Sumner congratulated Anuta on attaining
centenarian status.
First licensed as WN8HKY in 1952, Anuta
upgraded and remained active through the 1970s.
When he moved into a retirement apartment, he
sold his equipment but, fortunately, kept his
General license current.
Last year, Mike Anuta read a newspaper
account of the 50th anniversary of the Marinette
and Menominee Amateur Radio Club, and he
decided to rejoin. He bought a 2-meter hand-held
radio and now regularly checks into the club's
Sunday night 2-meter net--usually the first to do
so, according to Ed Engleman, KG8CX. Anuta
also rejoined the ARRL.
Although into middle age when he became
licensed, Anuta remembers his first encounter
with the radio hobby during World War I, when,
as a teenager, he erected an "aerial" on the roof
of the family's house in Milwaukee and listened
to spark gap signals. He later worked as a
railroad telegrapher.
Anuta spent 67 years as an attorney. He and his
wife, Marianne, recently celebrated their 79th
wedding anniversary.--Jim Callow, K8IR; Badger
State Smoke Signals
NEW FIELD DAY RULES FOR 2001
DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THE FUN
Field Day 2001 will run from 1800 UTC June
23 to 2100 UTC June 24--as always, the fourth
full weekend in June. Typically a club or group
event, Field Day is the most popular operating
activity of the year--and one of the
most enjoyable for hams of all skill levels. A few
rules changes this year affect bonus points for
Field Day scores.
* The non-traditional mode bonus has been
expanded from 100 to 300 points for doing three
separate demonstration modes.
* Packet is back and will be counted as one of
the three demonstration modes, but to claim
packet credit, you must set up a portable
digipeater system. Existing, permanent packet
networks do not qualify for this bonus.
* You may earn a 100-point bonus if an invited
local government official or representative of one
of the agencies that ARES serves in an
emergency visits your Field Day site. To earn this
bonus, the invited official must actually visit the
site, not just be invited.
* The message-handling bonus has been changed.
You may now earn 10 points per message, up to
100 points total, for origination, relay, and
delivery of formal NTS messages. In the past, only
messages received and relayed were counted. The
Field Day participation message to the Section
Manager or Section Emergency Coordinator under
rule 7.3.5 does not also qualify for bonus points
under these rules.
This marks the last year that the extra
Novice/Tech Plus station will exist in its current
form. The Novice/Tech station is a non-counting
transmitter, and its QSOs count for QSO point
credit. The ARRL Membership Services
Committee is considering several options to
encourage participation by newly licensed hams.
The ARRL Contest Branch has compiled a
24-page Field Day 2001 Information packet,
http://www.arrl.org/contests/forms/01fdpack.pdf
. This document is available in hard-copy format
by sending an SASE with four units of postage
to Field Day Package, ARRL, 225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111.
In addition to the dated Field Day pins that have
proven so popular the past few years, the League
now offers 2001 Field Day T-shirts. Pins are just
$5, and the T-shirts are $9.95. For ordering
information, visit the ARRL Products Catalog,
http://www.arrl.org/catalog, or call toll-free
888-277-5289. The Contest Branch no longer
handles orders for these items.
Editors Note:
I apologize for the newsletter being so late I
waited hoping that there would be some input but
it never came and then when I was about to finish
it up total chaos struck and I haven't been able to
get home before ten o'clock any night until now.
I really don't know what to do except to say that
I will do better next time. the next newlsetter will
be out April 7th, so if you have anything to go in
Please get it to me before the 6th thank
you for your patience. Von
Dues reminder
If you have not paid your dues yet please do so
soon this will be the last newsletter you get until
you do.
Club Officers
President Keith Caldwell KK7EX
Vice President Lee Turner KK7SI
Secretary Kay Johnson KC7MGD
Treasurer Jay Hansen KA7BPB
Net Manager Lee Turner KK7SI
Board Members
Jay Hansen KA7BPB
Jerry Goodrich N7JCP
Chandler Fisher W7BYU
Repeaters
Blue Mountain 147.100 + 136.5 Hz
Duchesne 147.260 +
Roosevelt 145.490 -
136.5 Hz
Tabby 147.240 +
136.5 Hz
Grizzly
Ridge 147.040 +
136.5 Hz
Bruin
Peak 147.320 + 88.5
Hz
Blue Mtn 444.700
Tx 136.5 Hz
449.700
Rx
