The Pasadena Radio Club Bulletin - February 2012

Bulletin Radio ClubThe Pasadena February 2012

Being DX - Tales of a Contest ExpeditionerOperating from the other side of the pile-up is always exciting, but it takes planning and perseverance to set up a capable station in remote locations. This collection of anecdotes from over a dozen contest operations outside the "lower 48" describes both the unique aspects and common threads of the Southern California Contest Club's team expeditions. Non-hams should also find this entertaining.Marty Woll N6VI has been in Amateur Radio for forty-five years and is a frequent speaker at radio clubs and conventions. A retired CPA with a major international accounting firm, he holds an Extra Class license and is a Life Member of the American Radio Relay League. Marty is serving in his second three-year term as ARRL’s Vice Director for the Southwestern Division and serves on ARRL’s Administration and Finance Committee. In addition to his Division duties, he is Assistant District Emergency Coordinator of the ARES Northwest District of the Los Angeles Section, a Battalion Communication Unit Leader and Training Officer for the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Auxiliary Communication Service, a licensing Volunteer Instructor and a Volunteer Examiner. Marty is a founding member of the Southern California Contest Club and has served as a member and chair of the ARRL’s Contest Advisory Committee. He has been President of the Southern California DX Club and chair of the Los Angeles Area Council of Radio Clubs. He participates regularly in contests from HF through 10 GHz. In over fifteen contest expeditions, Marty has set up and operated amateur radio stations on six continents.

February 28th Speaker

Marty Woll, N6VI

On February 9th, Rod, N0VT, passed away peacefully at the age of 94 in Pasadena. Born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Rod had an early interest in Ham Radio and was first licensed in 1936. He served as a Navy Radioman in the Pacific during World War II and was stationed on Guam when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He was an ace CW operator and took great pride in the Vibroplex Bug he owned and used during the war. It is still in the family today. Rod enjoyed the Pasadena Radio Club and took part in many public service events including a crew position at Eagle's Roost at the AC100 race. Services will be private.

Rod Bray, N0VT, SK

The Pasadena Radio Club Bulletin - February 2012page 2

Last month I devoted the Amplifier to what the Pasadena Radio Club does for us to enhance our amateur radio experience. Now I would like focus on how fortunate we are to be able to use an extremely valuable asset, a very significant portion of the radio spectrum. How did that happen? How did our government and the governments of essentially every country on earth allow amateur radio to carve out what we have now? How close did we come to loosing it? Here are a few historical highlights of how that played out:1894-1901 Marconi experiments with wireless signals, sends/receives signals across Atlantic. Others begin experimentation1908 Hobbyists begin using radio1909 First radio Clubs1912 Titanic sinks, calls for radio regulation, leads to U.S.’s Radio Act of 1912, limits hobbyists to 200 meters1914 American Radio Relay League (ARRL) organized (Hiram Maxim) to relay messages due to short range of 200 meter band1917 US enters World War I, amateur radio shut down1919 WW I ends, Navy tries to get monopoly on wireless communications, thwarted by ARRL, amateurs return to the air in September.1924 Amateurs get new bands (80,40,20 and 5 meters), working around the world on shortwave1925 International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) formed

1927 Radio act of 1927 formalizes term “amateur” in statute. Seventy nations send delegates to international radiotelegraph Conference in Washington DC. IARU and ARRL successfully fight against overwhelming odds and secure 160, 80, 40, and 5 and gain 10 meters…but lose one-third of their amateur frequencies. International callsign prefixes assigned.1942-1945 World War II amateurs only allowed on 2.5 meters.1945 ARRL enters fight over low end of VHF band and ends up with 6 meters in middle of TV frequencies, wartime hams’ 2.5 meter allocation moved to 2 meters. Late 1945-1947 amateur frequencies restored, but not 160 meters (given to LORAN). 1947 At the Atlantic City Conference hams lose 300MHz at top of 10 meters, and 14.350-14.400 MHz, but get new band, 15 meters.1965 Two way satellite communication allowed by FCC.1979 World Administrative Radio Conference gives amateur radio the 10,18 and 24 meter bands and take nothing away due to extensive preparation and lobbying by ARRL and IARU. And over the following years US hams lost some of the 220 MHz band and incurred some restrictions on 440 MHz band. Why did I take the time to recount this story? Well, by itself this history was interesting to me and I thought it might be so for you too. But I had another reason: it shows some of the many battles over radio frequency spectrum that hams have had to fight. Amazingly, hams won many of the challenges and may even have come out a bit ahead! I believe that it was due to the tenacity and foresight of our predecessors and the organizations they formed, plus the lack of understanding of the value of radio frequency electromagnetic spectrum by governments, industry users and broadcasters (particularly early on). It probably helped that many of the leaders in those uses of radio spectrum were themselves hams. However, I presented these events here in order to show how frequently we have been challenged and how easily we might have lost most, if not all, of our operating frequencies. Next month I will discuss what we hams, as individuals, and as members of an amateur radio club, can do to preserve them.

The Presidential

by Tom Berne, W6TAG

AmplifierWhat We Owe Our Amateur Radio Predecessors

Download This Bulletinwww.qsl.net/w6ka/bulletins

The Pasadena Radio Club Bulletin - February 2012 page 3

This is an excellent article I found on the website of the Santa Clara ARES/RACES group. Enjoy, Bruce N1BN I would like to give credit to the author of this article, Dick Rawson, N6CMJ. Dick wrote this article for SVECS in February 1993. I'd also like to thank SVECS for allowing me to use this article on the training net. Emergency radio communications nearly always use formal nets, as do NTS traffic nets. Casual everyday ham operation mostly doesn’t. We will discuss how to operate as part of a formal radio net, probably one where most operators are using handi-talkies in unfamiliar locations. What is a Net?For the purposes of this discussion, a radio net consists of several stations on one frequency (more if linked), following organized procedures, and directed by a net control station. This arrangement makes for efficient use of the frequency, and helps ensure that urgent matters get handled before less urgent ones. In short, the net functions as a team to work towards the common goal of effective net operation. What is a Net Control Station?A net control station is the net’s moderator, chairman, team captain, or traffic cop; take your pick. The net control station exists for the purpose of exercising control of the net as the name implies. The amount of control depends on the type of net that is being run. Two general types of nets are a directed net and an open (aka tactical) net. What's the difference between a Directed Net and an Open/Tactical Net? During a directed net , the net control station typically exercises strict control, requiring every station to get its permission before passing traffic. A directed net is essential if the frequency is busy since net control must be able to select the stations with the most urgent traffic first. During an open or tactical net, net control is relaxed considerably. Stations may be permitted to call one another directly, and even have casual conversations on the frequency. Net control will intervene only when there is net traffic to pass. An Open Net may be appropriate in anticipation of an impending event such as when a storm is moving into the area. It may also make sense when

activity on the net dies down for extended periods of time. Net Control is responsible for choosing the best way to run the net; when you join an ongoing net, you should observe how it is being run and fit in accordingly. Until you know otherwise, assume the net is operating as a directed net. Tactical vs. FCC Call Sign UseDuring a directed net, you will be called by your tactical call sign, not your FCC amateur radio call sign. You should use the tactical call sign to identify your transmissions, and you should call other stations by their tactical call sign. Of course, you must also comply with FCC regulations and identify properly with your FCC call sign. Remember, part 97 requires that "Each amateur station . . . must transmit its assigned call sign . . . at the end of each communication, and at least every ten minutes during a communication . . . ." That means our FCC call sign. To comply, simply add your FCC call sign to your last transmission in a series. Listen for your Tactical Call SignThe use of tactical call signs allows the net to be conducted without regard to what operator is at the radio at any particular location. Different individuals may operate the radio at different times. Changes will occur due to shift changes, meal breaks, errands or movement of operators to other assignments, just to name a few. For all these reasons, it is awkward and error-prone to use an operator’s FCC call. However, Net Control should still try and keep track of the FCC call of each operator. Sometimes an inattentive or distracted operator will answer his FCC call when he does not catch his tactical call. Answer Promptly When CalledUnless you make other arrangements, you are expected to listen continuously to the net, and answer immediately when called. If you have to step away from your station briefly, tell Net Control before you do so, and check in with Net Control when you return. Otherwise, net control can waste a lot of time attempting to call you when you aren't there. Never Leave a Net without checking outIf you have to leave your station before you are relieved, make sure that you notify net control of this fact, before you leave. You properly should ask Net Control to release you but as a practical matter, we are volunteers and Net Control cannot compel anyone to stay who wants to leave. But we owe it to the people and agencies we serve, and to our reputations as individuals and as ARES/RACES organizations, to be reliable. Once we agree to support an agency’s activity, we should do our best to deserve that agency’s trust.

Sub-audibleTomes

Bruce Nolte, N1BN

Public Service Two Types of Nets

The Pasadena Radio Club Bulletin - February 2012page 4

Last month we were in the process of putting together a few helpful things around the shack before you start transmitting. I had recommended a cork board on the wall behind you transceiver which can be seen easily from your operating position. So far I indicated the value of a list of the frequencies and modes you can use. Now while you are putting up those signs it will be very helpful to have a list of “ham speak”. I mean terms and abbreviations like the frequently used Q signs. Ones like QSL, QTH, QRZ, QSO, QSY, QSB, QRM, QRL, and QRT. Also if you don’t know it well you should show the NATO phonetic alphabet for Amateur Radio and signal reporting system we use. Have enough of the RST definitions there to avoid giving impossible reports like sending a 5 (perfectly readable) by 1 (faint signals, barely perceptible). Another thing that will be helpful to have posted is a Fahrenheit to Celsius conversion chart. Because the propagation is so good right now and pretty soon you are likely to be talking to some DX. The weather is a common subject so you need to understand that essentially the whole DX world uses the Celsius scale, so surprise them and give them your local area temperature in a way they can understand. The best F to C chart I have found is at www.weatherwizkids.com/temperature-conversion-chart.htm. Next, I would start out with an old fashioned hand written logbook. They are pretty cheap at your ham store or the ARRL. The modern way is to use a computer which simplifies QSLing and award chasing. But why add another level of complexity to operating at the beginning. To log correctly you need to use Universal Coordinated Time (Zulu time and GMT are more or less the same thing) so it is nice to have a 24 hour clock in the shack set on UTC (strangely the letters in this acronym are out of order…something to do with a compromise with the French I believe) in the shack. It is a good idea to have a radio controlled “atomic” clock. They are available with 24 hr time options and their prices have become quite reasonable. Having a precisely set timepiece helps to know when to expect the other ham to show up in a “sked” (scheduled contact) or exactly when to start a net. You should use also use military time, hence the need for a 24 hr clock. When logging in UTC one tricky thing is to get the date right. After midnight in London (Greenwich), which is 4 PM

PST or 5 PM PDT, you use tomorrow’s date. The FCC does not require you to use a log book (they once did), but they do require “station records”. An example is that Part 97 says that the “FCC will presume that the station licensee is also the control operator, unless documentation to the contrary is in the station records.” The log is the obvious place to keep this and other similar information. I find that logging pays off particularly when you get into award chasing and even if you do not plan to do that now, you may change your mind. There is a very good article on logging at www.arrl.org/keeping-a-log which covers such things as computerized logging in case you want to start out that way. I guess the following things are obvious, but I think I will just mention them for completeness. You will need some lined paper tablets, pencils with good erasers (or pens if you never make mistakes), a good light that doesn’t cause radio frequency interference and a nice comfortable “office type chair”. Finally every ham worth her (or his) salt must have a big sign with your call sign on it so you can have your picture taken in front of your equipment. Now you are ready to actually operate in the HF bands. In subsequent Crown City HFs we will discuss how to get on the air, find someone to talk to, what you might say…and more.

The Pasadena Radio Club was asked by the KPARN (Kaiser Permanente Amateur Radio Network) group to help with communications among medical personnel at the inaugural Pasadena Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon. Time for making preparations was extremely short for the February 19th event, but Bruce, N1BN, was up to the organizing task. He quickly created a Yahoo Group to help disseminate messages to volunteers and put out the call to our club and other groups for ham volunteers. PRC came through with 12 volunteers and LAFD-ACS provided several more to complement the small KPARN contingent. In all, 19 hams covered the Half Marathon. The result was a smooth professional job and KPARN leader Duane Mariotti, WB9RER, said, “Thanks to PRC for stepping up and really helping out”. We were quick to handle the project and show our appreciation for Kaiser’s support of PRC with meeting space for over 20 years.Photos on pages 5 & 9.

Crown City HF

Tom Berne, W6TAG

Operating an HF Station (2): More … Before You Transmit

Made on a Mac

Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon

The Pasadena Radio Club Bulletin - February 2012 page 5

The Pasadena Radio Club Bulletin - February 2012

The Pasadena Radio Club meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Kaiser Permanente Walnut Center, located at 393 East Walnut Street, at the corner of Los Robles Avenue in Pasadena. Parking is validated. Enter the parking structure at the southern Los Robles Avenue entrance. Everyone is welcome to attend. Please sign in at the front desk and security will direct you to the meeting room.Membership in the Pasadena Radio Club is open to anyone interested in Amateur Radio. Dues are $20 per year, $10 for students. Request a membership application at the club’s mailing address, or the club website, www.qsl.net/w6ka, or at a monthly meeting.The Pasadena Radio Club, W6KA, conducts a weekly net every Tuesday night, except on meeting nights, at 7:00 p.m. The frequency is 145.180 MHz (-) PL 156.7. All licensed amateurs are invited to participate. The club has a packet station on 145.630 and on 223.600 (cross-band capable) with a PBBS of W6KA-10 and a node name of MIRDOR. There is also a Yahoo Group for club members at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PRC-Club/. All members are invited to join as this allows for rapid dissemination of information to members via e-mail. Click on “Join This Group”. Members are able to update their own e-mails via the Yahoo website.The Board of Directors meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:15 PM at the Kaiser Permanente location. Meetings are open to all members.Bulletin Submissions: please submit any articles, photos, or ideas for future articles via e-mail to AC6VV at arrl dot net, please include “PRC” in the Subject line. Other modes of submission may be arranged in advance on an individual basis. Submissions are due by the Friday after the board meeting.Permission is hereby granted to use articles in this issue as long as “Pasadena Radio Club Bulletin” is credited.Please submit any address or e-mail changes to the Treasurer, K6YZH.

Better Banking for Southern California123 S Marengo Ave., Pasadena

www.wescom.org

page 6

Thank You

for your support of The Pasadena Radio Club, and Amateur Radio Hospital

Emergency Communicationswww.cmprintmail.com

President W6TAG Tom Berne berne at usc dot edu

Vice President KJ6NO Ray Overman kj6no at arrl dot net Secretary AC6VV John Minger ac6vv at arrl dot net Treasurer K6YZH Chris Galante cgalante at yahoo dot com Members At Large Bruce Nolte N1BN Tim La Marca N6RNK Dave Holcomb K9DBA

Past Officers Mark Seigel W6MES Fred Lopez N6PBJ Jutti Marsh K6FRG Richard Parker K7RWP Education Chair W6MES Mark Seigel w6mes at arrl dot net 818-430-5244

VE Team Liaison AB6LR Merrie Suydam ab6lr at arrl dot net 626-969-4409

Club Net KF6FEM Mike Dinko 626-797-8082 Bulletin Editor AC6VV John Minger ac6vv at arrl dot net 323-256-0046

The Pasadena Radio Club Bulletin - February 2012 page 7

Welcome to the new VHF column. Feel free to send in any questions that you might have to kj6no at arrl dot net. This column will be a collaboration between you, the club, and myself, therefore your feedback is needed. As needed, web site addresses will be here for you to get more information on the topics.There are four areas we will explore this time: antenna, coax, height, and power. Your antenna is the biggest and most cost effective way to gain signal strength. VHF antennas are relatively small with good gain. Just remember that every 3 DB of gain doubles your power. Even a small beam will improve your signal-to-noise ratio and make a marginal contact better. There are also verticals with gain. The advantage is you do not have to point them in any direction. While these are solutions for your home, what about your car? Many manufacturers make gain mobile antennas. If parking garages are in your life, think smaller. It will save wear and tear on the antenna by not hitting the overhead obstructions that are in parking garages. A word of caution, if you use a handheld, be aware that they may be subject to intermodulation because the added signals from the outside antenna may overwhelm the handheld's front end.To find out more:www.arcticpeak.com/radiopages/intermodulationproducts.htm

Coax is the next step that is as important as your antenna. For short runs, such as in a mobile, you can get away with RG-58 or RG-8X. But for longer runs, top quality coax is needed. You should look at the DB loss per 100 feet and buy the best coax that you can afford. Some good choices for longer runs, 50 feet or more, are LMR 400 or Belden 9913. Coax that might be good for a long run at 7 MHz could cut your power by 1/2 at 144 MHz and even more at 440 MHzFor a DBW calculator:www.ringbell.co.uk/info/dbw.htmAntenna height is next on the list. In Pasadena, where I live, I have a vertical on my fence at 10 feet, fed with LMR 400. Because I live looking down toward the LA Basin, that is all the height I need. If I lived on the flats in Kansas, a 200 foot tower would be what I would like, as a 10 foot pole would not get me too far across the prairie. A vertical antenna radiation pattern has its lobes at an upward angle and looking down from above the

power is in a doughnut shape. A beam, on the other hand, concentrates its power in one direction. The pattern is similar to a pear, narrow at the antenna end and fatter toward the direction pointed. This measurement is called the beam angle or how wide the half power (-3DB) lobe is both vertically and horizontally. The beam angle reduces as the gain increases. Therefore a beam usually is placed as high as possible.Coax loss and antenna gain:www.hamuniverse.com/coaxdata.htmlwww.qsl.net/w4sat/horizon.htm

Power is last on the list. Most of you do not run amplifiers. Your radio's output has determined how many watts you can run. The rules basically say to use only as much power as is needed to communicate. There are times that high power is used, but not in everyday communications. Next time: So you would like to try a contest.73, Ray

Time to renew your Pasadena Radio Club membership for 2012! Dues have again been held low at $20 for individuals or families. You can use this form or if you prefer to save your copy of the Bulletin, you can download a copy of the form from our website:www.qsl.net/w6ka/membership.html

The CQ WPX SSB Contest (www.cqwpx.com/rules.htm) will begin at 5 PM PDT on Friday, March 24th and run until 5 PM PDT on Sunday March 26th. Again we have the perfect location for our station at the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy. The sun spots continue to be really active so the DX should be great! If you would like to join with other PRC members for this event just let Tom, W6TAG, know of your interest by sending an e-mail to him at cberne at juno dot com or sign up at the door at the February 28th PRC general meeting. He will begin assigning operating sessions the next day.

VHFGetting OutRay Overman, KJ6NO

Membership Renewal

CQ WPX SSB Contest

The Pasadena Radio Club Bulletin - February 2012 page 8

Membership/ Renewal

Application Pay your dues either in person at a Club meeting or via the post Office Box above. Regular membership dues for the calendar year are $20. Students pay half price. Household membership (all at one address, one newsletter). First time members only - join May through August for 75%, September through December for 50% the usual dues. Renewals are full price, due 1 January, and are late 1 April. ARRL/QST – the Club benefits from first time sign-ups made through the Club.

Call Sign (if you have one) License Class N T P G A E

Expires (mm/dd/yy) / / ARRL Member Yes No First Name: MI: Same Address as last year?

Last Name: Yes No Address: City: State Zip - Renewal, please fill in any change of information below Is it OK to publish the following in the Club Roster?

Address: Yes No E-mail address: Yes No Home Phone: ( ) - Work Phone: ( ) - Yes No Did you upgrade this year? Yes No Did you change your call? Yes No The Club needs chairpersons and helpers for several services each year that make the Club go. Would you be willing to serve, or assist with any of the following?

Refreshments Bulletin Public Events Holiday Banquet Raffle Elmer UpgradesWhat do you want from your Club? What are your interests and would be willing to participate in them?

Petition for licensed amateurs in the same household to become members (no extra cost – less newsletter) Licensee Class

Call Sign First Name Last Name MI N T P G A E Expires (mm/dd/yy) / / ARRL Member Yes No Renewal, please fill in any change of information below Is it OK to publish the following in the Club Roster?

E-mail address: Yes No Work Phone: ( ) - Yes No Did you upgrade this year? Yes No Did you change your call? Yes No Attach another form for additional same household members

Can you receive a PDF version of the bulletin on the web? Yes No Do you wish to receive the bulletin electronically? Yes No Would you like to receive a reminder when the bulletin is ready on the web? Yes No

Club Treasurer use only:

Paid by check # Cash Amount Date

Posted to Database To Accounting

The Pasadena Radio Club Bulletin - February 2012

In This IssuePage 1 N6VI DX Program, Rod Bray, N0VT, SKPage 2 Presidential Amplifier - What We Owe...Page 3 Sub-audible Tomes - What is a Net?Page 4 Crown City HF - Before You TransmitPage 5 Ads, Club Information, RosterPage 6 VHF Column, Renew!, CQ WPX SSBPage 7 Renewal FormPage 8 Club Calendar

page 9

This Month: N6VI

Being DX - Tales of a Contest Expeditioner

P.O. Box 282, Altadena, CA 91003-0282http://www.qsl.net/w6ka/

Pasadena Radio Club, W6KA

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

PRC Board 7:15 pm

PRC Net 7:00 pm145.180 - PL 156.7

PRC Net 7:00 pm145.180 - PL 156.7

PRC Club Meeting7:00 PM

Chino Swap Meet

TRW Swap Meet

NE ARES Meeting

Slow Speed CW Net28130 KHz 7:00 pm

Slow Speed CW Net28130 KHz 7:00 pm

PRC Net 7:00 pm145.180 - PL 156.7

KPARN Noon Nets

Slow Speed CW Net28130 KHz 7:00 pm

Slow Speed CW Net

Slow Speed CW Net28130 KHz 7:00 pm

Feb 26 Feb 28 Mar 2Feb 29 Mar 1Feb 27 Mar 3

Slow Speed CW Net28130 KHz 7:00 pm

PRC Club Meeting7:00 PM

Mar 4 Mar 6 Mar 9Mar 7 Mar 8Mar 5 Mar 10

Mar 11 Mar 13 Mar 16Mar 14 Mar 15Mar 12 Mar 17

Mar 18 Mar 20 Mar 23Mar 21 Mar 22Mar 19 Mar 24

Mar 25 Mar 27 Mar 30Mar 28 Mar 29Mar 26 Mar 31

Apr 1 Apr 3 Apr 6Apr 4 Apr 5Apr 2 Apr 7

PRC Net 7:00 pm

CQ WPX SSB Cont.

CQ WPX SSB Cont.

CQ WPX SSB Cont.