Winchendon, MA, and running 1500 watts to a stacked beam (one above the other). My total for the contest was four contacts in three states--Massachusetts, Maine, and Texas. Probably that will not win me any prizes.AC1L
GIVE ‘EM A CALL -
TheGreenfield High School Amateur Radio Club’s call sign isKB1MSU.
They try to be on the station on Monday evenings.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
(Send questions to the Editor and indicate whether you wish to use your name and call sign as a contributor. Editor will seek a person to answer your question or provide a reference that will answer it.) Also, the same person can submit a question and then provide the answer if he/she believes it is one that might generate helpful information.
“What and when are ‘nets’? I’m unsure when they are and if everyone is welcome. If I wanted to listen in on one, is there a definitive list I can consult to see when they’re on the air?” -Anonymous
In general, nets are specific groups of hams who meet on the air at a given frequency, time, and day and for specific purposes.Some are formal with formal procedures and rules about “checks in”, such as the National Traffic System nets that meet in a regular daily cycle pattern to pass traffic across the country. These have designated traffic stations that maintain contact with specific other nets, in order to transmit or receive messages for their area of responsibility. Some nets are informal and welcome new operators that are qualified to operate on the frequency used. They might focus primarily on a specific type or vintage of equipment, or just be a “rag-chewing” group that has grown up around some set of operators. The Marconi Group, for example, meets every night at 9 pm (usually 3.872 to 3.889 somewhere depending on band conditions). This is a nightly discussion group (HF operators) who often check in and out several times over the evening between 9p.m. and 11p.m.
Some nets are local and some regional. Some were started by a standing “contact operator” to permit exchange of information between isolated stations, such as small ships at sea. There is an RV Good Sam club net, and a Waterway Radio and Cruising Club Net because, of course, there are hams in RV’ing and boating.
SKYWARN weather nets are another form of active nets. The Red Cross and Salvation Army have related ham volunteer nets for major emergencies. There are HF nets for both voice and CW. Some nets meet on VHF and UHF frequencies. Others meet on HF bands (to which you have only very limited transmitting access until you have a General License). But, you can always get a receiver and listen (which is a good idea anyhow to get a sense of how the net operates).
ARES nets usually meet on a regular basis for check in and verification of status (our club ARES net meets on Tuesday nights at 9:00p.m. on our frequency) and also goes “live” when activated for an emergency. There is a Net Control Station (pre-designated) who will introduce the purpose of the net and call for check-ins: first call will be for stations with traffic, then afterward he/she will call for stations with or without traffic. Check ins give their call sign (phonetically), name, town, type of power being used (commercial, solar-powered battery, etc.) and whether they have traffic (a formal message to pass to someone in STM message format). Net Control station will recognize stations after each group of stations has checked in. Our Thursday night (8PM) club net is more informal & social, where we usually check in by call sign & name & town only, and then each is called on to update the group or pass on any comments or information desired. Listen in a couple times, then jump in and become a regular net check in yourself. The hardest time is the first time ;-)
There are also many other VHF and HF nets listed in the ARRL Net Directory which lists the times & frequencies, and a general name of the type of group meeting on that net. This will give you an idea of the diversity of nets and groups that “meet” on the air. You're free to borrow mine to look at if you like. I think the ARRL is still selling the same 2001-2002 Edition, but adding to it on the organization’s database. You may have to be an ARRL member to get to that database at their website, however.
Avoidance of “hot button” and other political and religious issues is advised as a matter of practice, because they can quickly evolve into conversations that are anti- to the philosophy and spirit of amateur radio enthusiasts (that is, such topics couldbe discourteous to the needs or values of others on the air) or cause contentiousness on the amateur frequencies, and arouse FCC attention, no matter how you might be presenting it. CB radio lost lots of interested participants because the airwaves began to contain an abundance of shouting, cursing, and nasty comments back and forth between operators--especially on the highways. There was no licensing for CB and, unfortunately, no pride exhibited by a few folks who got on the air with CB. In amateur radio, assigned FCC monitor stations listen in randomly to pick up those who violate common rules or who garner complaints from others about their operating practices. Plus, it’s just good radio practice to be nice!
For more information, try and type nets or net directory in for a search word.
And join us on Tuesday and Thursday nights. I seem to miss one of them every week because I have a hard time remembering on time, but these will get you involved in a friendly-local way with checking in to a net, and will give you practice for helping out in an emergency when our ARES group is providing support to Franklin County Emergency Management. If you are reluctant to get on by yourself at first, arrange with a regular net participant to come over on one or more TUES evenings and check in a couple times till you get the hang of it. – Hyrum, KB1KRS
JANUARY CLUB MEETING –
The January, club meeting program is scheduled to include a familiarization with the operating equipment which has been included in our ARES “Go Kit”. We also may be talking about some radio kit projects that can be built and where these are available at either this or a subsequent meeting. And, if you would like to see a specific topic offered as a meeting program—let Carter, WA1TVS, know!
EAR TO THE NETS -
A few of the check ins heard on our club nets this month:ARES – W1ZPB, KB1FFT, N1OTS, KB1DCG, KB1EZO, N1EWK, KB1KRS, WA1TVS, N1XPT. FCARC NET – AC1L, KB1DCG, WB3CDL, KB1EZO, N1EWK, N1XPT, KB1KRS, KB1DNG. (Does not represent every net session). We had one “Phantom Net” in December (TUE 19th) where KB1KRS and WA1TVS either were the only ones around, or were isolated in company in a very strange propagation pattern south of Rocky Mountain Park! (Maybe they were trying to send us a silent message Carter??)
WINLINK 2000 –The ARRL web site offers a Winlink 2000 page at devoted to the Winlink 2000 software and hardware system that links amateur radio to the internet and allows sending and receiving email messages via amateur radio. Winlink 2000 also offers position reporting, weather bulletins, and emergency communications capabilities. It’s part of amateur radio’s evolving future. (Thanks to AC1L for this web page reference).
KIDS DAY…Sunday January 8 is Kids Day. Bring a kid to radio. The ARRL Newsletter suggests using frequencies 14.270-14,300, 21,380 –21,400 and 27,350 –27,400 MGz for these contact, calling “CQ Kids Day” and exchanging name, age, location, and favorite color. ---Editor
SPYS HAD TO LEARN CW!
Did you know that during World War II and the Cold War period following it, intelligence agents were frequently trained in Morse code and equipped with radio equipment. Agents then used shortwave radio broadcasts (specific times and frequencies were preplanned or given by other methods in advance) to provide encrypted information to the agency that sponsored the agent’s clandestine activity? To assure that false information was not provided if an agent was captured, there was usually a secret “signal” inserted (or left out) to alert the agency that the agent was no longer sending information of his/her own free will.
An agent, entering a foreign country assignment, usually did so under a false or “cover” identity. His/her radio equipment was either carried in, disguised as something else, hidden in the make up of the luggage itself, or was delivered later (via diplomatic pouch or through an established clandestine channel.) – Editor
MY CHRISTMAS CARD LIST
I have a list of folks I know, all written in a book
And every year when Christmas comes, I go and take a look,
And that is when I realize, that these names are a part
not of the book they’re written in, but people of my heart.
For each name stands for someone, who has crossed my path sometime,
And in that meeting they’ve become, the rhythm in this rhyme;
And while this sounds fantastic, for me to make this claim,
I really feel that I’m composed of each remembered name.
And though you may not be aware, of any special “link,”
Just meeting you has changed my life, a lot more than you think.
For once I’ve met somebody, the years cannot erase
the memory of a pleasant word, or of a friendly face.
So never think my Christmas cards, are just a mere routine
Of names upon a Christmas list, forgotten in between,
For when I send a Christmas card, that is addressed to you,
it’s because you are on the list, of folks that I’m indebted to.
You are among the total, of the many folks I’ve met
And you happen to be one of those I prefer not to forget;
And whether I have known you, for many years or few,
In some way you have had a part, in shaping things I do.
And every year when Christmas comes, I realize anew,
the best gifts life can offer is meeting folks like you.
May the Spirit of Christmas, that forever endures,
leave it’s richest blessings, in the hearts of you and yours.
-Author Unknown
BEST WISHES IN 2006!
THE COMMUNICATOR is an informational publication for members of the Franklin County Amateur Radio Club. This is your newsletter! Amateur radio information of general interest, club member project descriptions and doings, radio applications to other activities, corrections, or suggestions are all welcome. Individual submissions make for variety! Send to editor’s email or Tel: 863-8741 by the third Friday of the month, please. Email addresses of Club Officers may be found on the club web site
Appreciation is expressed to Locust Press, Inc. for their regular great service and timely assistance in photocopying and preparing the regular mail copies of The Communicator.