WCARS Smoke Test January 2010 Page 1 of 7

President’s Microphone… The December Christmas dinner at the Candler Masonic Lodge was a site of enjoyment for all those who were able to be there. At the January 7th meeting, Scott W4IYS will assume the President’s duties, and other club officers will assume their responsibilities for the coming year as well. Please extend to them your cooperation and volunteer participation during the upcoming year. Hope to see everyone soon at the January meeting. Happy New Year! 73 Dean ~ k2jb

WCARS Information Net (Callsign W4MOE) 11/30/09; K2JB as NCS; 21 check-ins 12/7/09; K2JB as NCS; 15 check-ins 12/14/09; K2JB as NCS; 17 check-ins 12/21/09; N4SET as NCS; 12 check-ins 12/28/09; K2JB as NCS; 17 check-ins

Amateur Radio Bill Passes Senate and moves to the House. On Monday, December 14, S 1755 -- The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009 -- passed the Senate by unanimous consent; the bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. Sponsored by Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), S 1755, if passed, would direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to undertake a study on emergency communications. S 1755 points out that "There is a strong Federal interest in the effective performance of Amateur Radio Service stations, and that

performance must be given -- (A) support at all levels of government; and (B) protection against unreasonable regulation and impediments to the provision of the valuable communications provided by such stations”… Similar in language to HR 2160 (also called The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009 that was introduced this past April by Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee [D-TX-18]), S 1755 calls on DHS to undertake a study on the uses and capabilities of Amateur Radio Service communications in emergencies and disaster relief and then to submit a report to Congress no more than 180 days after the bill becomes law. S1755 SB QST ARL ARLB037

Hamfest Calendar Jan 9 Winston-Salem FirstFest, Forsyth Amateur Radio Club, Summit School 2100 Reynolda Road, Winston-Salem, NC http://www.w4nc.com Talk-In: 146.64 (PL 100) or 145.47 (PL 100) Contact: Ray D'Eau c/o Forsyth ARC PO Box 11361 Winston-Salem, NC 27116-1361 Phone: 336-245-5740 Email: hamfest@w4nc.org Winston-Salem, NC Jan 9 CANCELLED Greenwood Amateur Radio Society, Greenwood Civic Center 1610 Highway 72/221 East, Greenwood, SC http://www.w4gwd.org/ Contact: Tedd Davison, AI4WN 116 Mountain Shore Drive Greenwood, SC 29649-8600 Phone: 864-223-6125 Email: ai4wn@arrl.net Greenwood, SC

WCARS.org January 2010

The Official Publication of The Western Carolina Amateur Radio Society, Inc

WCARS Smoke Test January 2010 Page 2 of 7

VE Exams Jan 16 Asheville, NC - 146.91 & 146.76 & 224.60 Room 134, Elm Building - AB Tech, Walk-ins only Bob Helton, KS4FX 84 Hemlock St Arden, NC 28704 828-684-0249 Don Lovelace, W4TMT P. O. Box 766 Spruce Pine, NC 28777 828-243-1921**345 First Saturday each Month, Greenville, SC - 146.61 8:30 AM Red Cross Building - 940 Grove Road Walk-ins normally accepted Sue L. Chism, N4ENX 139 Mustang Circle Simpsonville, SC 29681-5753 864-967-0001 Third Sunday, second month of quarter Asheville, NC - 146.91 & 146.76 & 224.60 2:00 PM, Room 134, Elm Building - AB Tech Walk-ins only Steve Lanford, AG4BY 101 King St. Weaverville, NC 28787 828-645-3511 Michael Robinson, AD4XZ 99 High Point Rd. Weaverville, NC 28787 828-626-3270 Second Saturday of second month of quarter Hendersonville, NC - 146.64 & 442.450 Mountain Home Fire Department, Hwy 25 9:00 AM Sid Hendricks, W4IOE 144 Duncan Creek Rd Fletcher, NC 28732 828-684-8130 Michael Parente, AI4GR PO Box 2577 Hendersonville, NC 28793 828-891-8970 Contact VE for Exam Dates: Burnsville, NC - 147.375 Yancey County Public Library - Town Square Burnsville David McCarty, W4TDM 391 E. Main Street Burnsville, NC 28714 828-675-9044 Barry McKinney Rt 2 Box 1122 Burnsville, NC 28714 828-682-9270 Columbus, NC Wayne Ackerman, W3GYK 621 Laurel Lake Drive, Unit B-104 Columbus, N C 28722-7436 828-894-5542 Rutherford County, North Carolina - 147.24 Isothermal College, Spindale, NC F. Bruce Tessinear, KD4OJ P. O. Box 341 Henrietta, NC 28076 828-657-5464 A. B. Brackett, AB4E 117 Toney Rd Bostic, NC 28018 828-245-6334

Announcement: Think it's hard to become a Ham Radio Operator? It's not! You can become a ham easily and quickly with the help of the Haywood County Amateur Radio Club. The HCARC will be offering free classes for individuals interested in getting an amateur radio license. When you finish the class, you

can take the 35-question test, administered locally by the ham club members. Knowledge of Morse code is not required. You can get your license and be on the air before you know it! Call John, KW2N at 828-627-2558 for additional information, or to register for the upcoming classes. Dan Cronin, N1OAJ

LINUX and Ham Radio Hams indeed are technical and creative people, consummate MacGyvers. In the past few months alone, George Smith, AA2EJ, won the Nobel Prize for Physics. Computerworld published John Edwards' article titled "Want to

Bone Up on Wireless Tech? Try Ham Radio." Diana Eng, KC2UHB, has had her articles published in Make Magazine. Computer giant Hewlett-Packard published a Real Life article "Behind the Voices of Ham Radio." Steven Sande, KC0EZH, wrote "5 Mac Applications for Ham Radio Fans" for TUAW -- a Web site that calls itself "the unofficial Apple Weblog." APRS systems were the theme of Joe Murphy's, N4PAT, video podcast. Popular Mechanics' Glenn Reynolds endorsed Amateur Radio in crises, referring people to the ARRL for information. Now 2010 is just about here. To kick off the New Year, computer magazine Linux Journal has come out with an entire issue dedicated to Amateur Radio and the creative uses of open source computer programs... By ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Allen

Pitts, W1AGP, and ARRL News Editor S. Khrystyne

Keane, K1SFA December 09, 2009

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Roanoke Division Service Award for 2009 The purpose of this announcement is to solicit nominations for the Roanoke Division Service Award for the year 2009. The Roanoke Division ARRL Service Award was instituted in 1968 by Roanoke Division Director, Vic Clark, W4KFC. Vic intended the award to be recognition for a long history of significant and consistent contribution to Amateur Radio. The amateur selected would have, over the years, dedicated much of his or her time to Amateur Radio and the ARRL. Nominees and resumes are encouraged and accepted from the Roanoke Division amateur population. Winners of the Roanoke Division Service Award become members of the selection committee and vote on which nominee should be honored the next year. An individual can receive the award only once. The administration of the award is done by the Roanoke Division Director. NOMINATION FORM I hereby nominate the following Roanoke Division Amateur to receive the Roanoke Division ARRL Service Award. Name_______________________________________________ Call________________________ Address_________________________________________________________________________ City _________________________________________ State__________ Zip ________________ Nominated By __________________________________________ Call______________________ Please attach resume. List all significant Amateur Radio achievements. Any documentation is helpful. Attach Amateur Radio magazine reference, club newsletters, newspaper clipping, etc. Closing date for nomination is January 7, 2010. Return this form with resume and any documentation to: ARRL ROANOKE DIVISION DIRECTOR Dennis Bodson, W4PWF 233 N Columbus Street Arlington, Virginia 22203 Date ______________________________

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January Meeting - The next WCARS meeting will be January 7, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. in the Simpson Auditorium, Simpson Bldg, at AB Tech. Program: To be announced.

Roanoke Division Service Award (Below is a list of recipients by year): *Deceased 1968 Donald B. Morris, W8JM * 1969 L.Phil Wicker, W4ACY * 1970 Victor Clark, W4KFC * 1971 Theodore Mathewson, W4FJ* 1972 Ethel Smith, K4LMB * 1973 Katherine Anderson, W8DUV 1974 William Grenfell, W4GF * 1975 Ed Redington, W4ZM * 1976 Charles Wright, W4PED 1977 Monte Cone, WA4PBG * 1978 Harold Richmond, W4CIZ * 1979 Theodore Cohen, N4XX* 1980 Gay E. Milius, Jr., W4UG * 1981 Stuart Meyer, W2GHK * 1982 Paul Rinaldo, W4RI 1983 Karl Thompson, K8KT 1984 John C. Kanode, N4MM 1985 Authur Thiemens, AA4AT 1986 Harold Robinson, W4QR * 1987 Jimmy Walker,WD4HLZ 1988 Reynold L. Nitsch, W4NTO 1989 Clayton H. Merrell, W4FX * 1990 T. Hunter Wood, W4ANK * 1991 Dennis Bodson, W4PWF 1992 Nancy K. Draheim, NK4U 1993 Harry D. Vorhauer, W4PVA 1994 James B. Macleod, W4NHV 1995 Robert V. Southworth, KI4YV 1996 Leland E. Patience, W4DRF* 1997 Oliver N. Rinehart, WD8V* 1998 Norman G. Harrill, N4NH 1999 Emmie B. Patience, KA4LRM* 2000 Richard W. Maylott, W2YE 2001 Tom Gregory, N4NW 2002 Elias (Bus) Etheridge, K4IX * 2003 Les Shattuck, K4NK 2004 Ron Sokol, K4KHZ 2005 Dr. James Boehner, MD, N2ZZ 2005 John Covington, W4CC 2006 Alan Bosch, KO4ALA* 2007 None Awarded 2008 Charles Miller, AE4UX

ARRL Continuing Education Online Course Registration Registration remains open through Sunday, January 24, 2010, for these online course sessions beginning on Friday, February 5, 2010: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1; Antenna Modeling; Radio Frequency Interference; Antenna Design and Construction; Ham Radio (Technician) License Course; Propagation; Analog Electronics, and Digital Electronics… For more information or to register for any of these courses, visit the Continuing Education Program page or contact the Continuing Education Program Coordinator. ARRL

K2JB’s Cornbread recipe Ingredients: 2 cups self-rising cornmeal 1-cup self-rising flour (experiment on the amount to fit your skillet but the ratio is 2/1) Pinch of sugar to taste - experiment but no more than a teaspoon 1 egg Buttermilk 1 big spoon full of shortening - more like a big gob and the more the better - Pure Lard is the old-timey way and OMG is it good. 1 cast iron skillet or Dutch oven Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat shortening in skillet until it just begins to barely smoke (350 degrees). Mix ingredients in mixing bowl with just enough buttermilk to make it the consistency of pancake batter. Once shortening is hot, pour 3/4 of it into mixed batter and put skillet back on stove to continue heating. Stir batter and hot shortening rapidly but don't spend a lot of time. Just Git'RDone. Pour into hot skillet Bake at 450 for 20-25 minutes Serve with butter. Etiquette is always appropriate so do not invite your cardiologist to dinner. Bon Appetite. Dean ~ k2jb

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W4DPF Award for 2009 By WCARS membership election, for outstanding contributions to amateur radio, this year’s recipient is Steve Emory – N4SET. Thank you to all members for a great year for the club. To receive the W4DPF award from WCARS is an honor indeed. N4SET

AMSAT China (CAMSAT) reports that on December 15, the micro-satellite named XW-1, aboard the CZ-4C rocket launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center -- was launched into a Sun-synchronous orbit with an apogee of approximately 1200 kilometers. XW-1 successfully reached orbit at 0253 UTC. Members of the XW-1 launch team reported they received a beacon from the satellite shortly after the satellite deployed. In the first few days, the XW-1 team will work on the satellite's FM and store-forward transponder mode and its linear transponder mode. Once those tests are complete, they will upload a new flight program to set up the payload schedule. The satellite's communications payload includes a beacon and three cross band transponders operating in FM, SSB/CW and digital modes. Uplink and downlink frequencies can be found on the CAMSAT Web site, http://www.camsat.cn/index.php, or the AMSAT web site at, http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/status.php. SB SPACE ARL ARLS008

Vibroplex Purchase Scott Robbins, W4PA, of Knoxville, Tennessee, told the ARRL that he has signed an agreement to purchase The Vibroplex Company, Inc from present owner Felton "Mitch" Mitchell, W4OA, effective December 21, 2009. "Vibroplex represents the great tradition of CW operation in Amateur Radio going back many, many years," Robbins told the ARRL. "I'm tickled to be able to continue the more than 100 years of history that has gone into this company.” Robbins -- who has been employed with Ten-Tec Inc since 1995 (he has been Product Manager for Ten-Tec's Amateur Radio equipment line since 1997) -- will leave his position in mid-December to take over full-time management and ownership of Vibroplex. "It's a great opportunity to continue the more than 100 years of tradition that the Vibroplex name represents," Robbins said. "I've known Mitch for quite a few years and it was an important consideration for both of us that Vibroplex continue operation building quality products for Amateur Radio long into the future. Mitch's experience owning the company will be valuable as we proceed with a seamless ownership transition over the next few weeks”... Vibroplex is the oldest operating business in the Amateur Radio industry and has been in continuous service to the hobby since founder Horace Martin invented the "bug" semi-automatic Morse code key in 1904. From ARRL

K2JB (Right) presents the W4DPF

Memorial Award to N4SET

Scott Robbins W4PA

WCARS Smoke Test January 2010 Page 6 of 7

THE SMOKE TEST The Official Publication of the

Western Carolina Amateur Radio Society, Inc. PO Box 1488, Asheville, NC 28802

www.wcars.org

W4MOE/146.910 - /PL 91.5 Spivey Mountain/Asheville

2010 OFFICERS

President Scott McCabe W4IYS 655-1830 esmccabe@charter.net

Vice-President Carl Smith N4AA 683-0709 n4aa@dxpub.com

Secretary Bob Dockery WD4CNZ 254-0513 wncgeneao@aol.com

Treasurer Steve Emory N4SET 658-0261 n4set@arrl.net

Executive Committee Dean Blair K2JB 665-1830 k2jb@arrl.net

Executive Committee Elwood Miles KN4ST 253-4490 elwood3@charter.net

Trustee Norman Harrill N4NH 253-1192 nharrill@bellsouth.net

Quartermaster Elwood Miles KN4ST 253-4490 elwood3@charter.net

Awards Chair Bob Dockery WD4CNZ 254-0513 wd4cnz@arrl.net

Public Information Bob Dockery WD4CNZ 254-0513 wd4cnz@arrl.net

Hamfest 2010 Randy Harris KI4VLW 298-6685 rtsp71@aol.com

Smoke Test Editor Carl Smith N4AA 683-0709 n4aa@dxpub.com American Radio Relay League Affiliate No. 0602 WCARS meets at 7:30 PM the first Thursday of each month at the Simpson Building at AB Technical Community College. Everyone is welcome to attend. Membership dues are $20 per year payable in January.

Net Freq (MHz) offset/PL

Day 12 Hr Time

NOTES

WCARS Information Net 146.910-/91.5 Monday 9:00 pm Informal, Everyone Welcome

Oasis Shrine Radio Corp. Net. 145.190 Sunday 9:00 pm

BRARC Net 146.640/91.5 Sunday 8:00pm

Good Morning Net 146.760 M-W-F 9:00 am Informal, Everyone Welcome

Madison Co. Am.Rad.Com.Tm 224.660/100 Tuesday 9:00 pm Madison Co. Emerg. Comm. Net

Buncombe Co. Emerg Mgt Net 146.910/91.5 Wednesday 9:00 pm Directed Net, ARES / RACES

Haywood County Roundtable 147.390/94.8 Monday 8:00 pm Informal, Everyone Welcome

Volunteer Net 147.180+/136.5 Friday 9:00 pm Info, News and Swap Net

6600 Net 145.190 Saturday 9:00 pm Many Check-Ins - Wide Coverage

Blue Ridge Traffic Net 146.610 Nightly 9:00 pm May be ARES / SKYWARN in bad WX

Mount Pisgah 220 Net 224.260 Sunday 9:00 pm Informal, Everyone Welcome

Mount Mitchell 220 Net 224.540 Monday 8:00 pm Informal, Everyone Welcome

Mount Mitchell Rag Chew Net 442.225+/107.2 Monday 9:00 pm Directed, Everyone Welcome

SATERN Net 14.265 Daily 3:00 pm Salvation Army Team Emergency Net

K4UUQ Morning Net 7.225 Daily 7:00 am Rag chew

NC Morning Net 3.927 Daily 7:45 am SSB Traffic Net

NC Evening Net 3.923 Daily 6:30 pm SSB Traffic Net

Carolinas Net (early) 3.573 Daily 7:00 pm CW (20-22 wpm) Traffic Net

Tarheel Emergency Net 3.923 Nightly 7:30 pm Directed, NC Emergency Mgt/Traffic

Carolinas Slow Net 3.571 Nightly 8:00 pm Slow CW (8-10 wpm) Traffic Net

Carolinas Net (late) 3.573 Nightly 10:00 pm CW (15-18 wpm) Traffic Net

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The WCARS Christmas Dinner was once again a festive event highlighted with excellent food for everyone.