SBARC-list June 2008

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10 participants
17 discussions

SBARC Field Day 2008
by Tom Saunders 30 Jun '08

30 Jun '08

SBARC, Thanks to everyone that made Field Day such a great success. The participation from the club on this year's Field Day was the higher than in the previous eight years. Both the setup and take-down were fairly easy tasks. The easy setup and operation made Field Day a truly fun event. The attendance at the Sunday BBQ was also higher than the previous eight years. The food at the BBQ was great (I will publish my recipe for the potato salad if anyone requests it). Propagation was still down this year. Radio conditions were about as bad as last year. The approximate score is : QSOs Points CW QSOs 1164 4656 Phone QSOs 660 1320 VHF 50 100 Bonus Points Emergency Power 200 Media Publicity 100 Public Location 100 Info Booth 100 NTS to SEC 100 W1AW Message 100 NTS Traffic 100 Satellite QSO 100 Natural Power 100 Site Visit by Served Agency 100 Educational Activity 100 Youth Element 80 Web Submittal 50 Total Bonus Points 1330 Total Points 7406 (unofficial estimate) Scores for previous years are: 2005 5832 2006 4380 2007 5488 Areas that we were not able to score in this year are : GOTA Station Digital Contacts Site Visit by Elected Official The above areas need to be improved for next year. We need a GOTA coordinator. Potential GOTA candidates will be solicited at local VE sessions. Digital capability will be added to the Rover. A separate Digital Mode station should be explored. We need a contact to an elected official so we get credit for this activity next year. With the same radio propagation conditions as last year we were still able to get a 35 % increase over last year. A higher score is good, but it is also important that we participated in ARRL events that improved individual knowledge and skills in key areas. It is also important that we tested our club equipment for potential emergency response. Thanks to everyone that made this year's Field Day such a great success. Mark your calendars for Field Day 2009 on June 27 - 28. Comments and suggestions for improving Field Day are welcome. Please reply to this message. See you next year. 'Please copy 2A Santa Barbara from K6TZ. QSL ?" Tom Saunders N6YX Cell 805 452 0840 Email tsaund(a)cox.net

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Field Day Satellite Passes
by Ken Owen 30 Jun '08

30 Jun '08

Hi again folks: I mistakenly included two erroneous times on the AO-51 passes. The last two occur after FD. I've included an updated version. Sorry for the duplicate emails. Ken

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VHF/UHF Field Day Station
by Ken Owen 28 Jun '08

28 Jun '08

Hi folks: Please give the K6TZ VHF/UHF Field Day station a call this weekend! We will be active on the following frequencies/modes: 6 M SSB: 50.100-50.3.00 (50.125 calling) 6 M FM: 52.525 2 M SSB: 144.200-144.275 (144.200 calling) 2 M FM: 146.520 1.25 M SSB: 222.100 (no SSB capabilites) 1.25 M FM 223.500 (calling) 70 CM SSB: 432.10-432.30 (433.000 calling) 70 CM FM: 446.000 Ken Owen, N6KTH

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Field Say Satellite Passes
by Ken Owen 27 Jun '08

27 Jun '08

Hi folks: As many of you know, I will be operating a satellite station at the SBARC Field Day this year. In addition to adding a multiplier to our score, I would like to offer people a chance to see how easy it is to work the "birds." I have attached a document showing all of the passes available Saturday and Sunday for the four satellites I will be concentrating on. Once I make our first contact, I will be glad to give others an opportunity to make contacts through the satellites. I will also be operating on 6 meters, 2-meters, and 432 MHz FM and SSB. Feel free to join me and/or help out with the logging! Ken, N6KTH AMSAT Area Coordinator

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SBARC Field Day is this Weekend
by Tom Saunders 25 Jun '08

25 Jun '08

SBARC Members Field Day is this weekend. The event starts at 11 AM and runs for 24 hours to Sunday. It looks like the club will do very well this year in the ARRL Field Day scoring category. We have some expert contesters that will be helping us. We are also entering in most of the ARRL bonus points categories. This will give us a higher score than we have had in recent years. In addition, these activities are great educational opportunities. They include the following activities : HF Contacts with CW and Phone Digital Modes Satellite Contacts National Traffic System Messages Solar Power Contacts Site Visit by Elected Official Educational Activities Youth Training So come on out and bring a friend. This is going to be a fun weekend. We love spectators ! And dont forget the BBQ at 1 PM Sunday. The BBQ is open to all club members and guests. The location is the Ellwood School in Goleta, 1 ½ miles west of Storke Road on Hollister. For more information, check the club web site or reply to this message. Tom Saunders N6YX Cell 805 452 0840 Email tsaund(a)cox.net

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Re: [Sbarc-list] ARRL Statement about CA Hands-Free Law
by W6YN Don Milbury 19 Jun '08

19 Jun '08

What a dance! I have contended from the beginning there can be no lasting resolution until there is legislative or executive action to specifically exempt licensed amateur radio operation. As the law stands now, there is no specific exemption for amateur radio operation. ARRL reluctantly confirms this but is taking no action to remedy the problem. 73, Don, W6YN -- <michael(a)reynoldsoffice.com> wrote: This was posted on the ARRL site today: --------------------------------------- California Hands-Free Law to Go into Effect July 1; Ham Radio Not Affected Says Counsel A new California hands-free cellular telephone law goes into effect July 1, 2008. It, like many others around the country, prohibits using mobile telephones while driving unless a hands-free device is utilized. ARRL has received numerous questions about its application to the use of mobile Amateur Radio stations by licensed amateurs. The law, in relevant part, states as follows: "23123. (a) A person shall not drive a motor vehicle while using a wireless telephone unless that telephone is specifically designed and configured to allow hands-free listening and talking, and is used in that manner while driving." ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, advises that "The definition of prohibited behavior in California's recent statute does not include a prohibition of operating a mobile, licensed Amateur Radio station while driving, because Amateur Radio transceivers are not telephones. While ARRL cannot guarantee that this statute will not be interpreted by law enforcement officers or the courts of California more broadly than that, it is our view that a fair reading of the statute excludes mobile operation of Amateur Radio equipment by licensed radio amateurs. That said, it is obvious that drivers should pay full time and attention to driving. To the extent that operating their amateur stations while mobile is a distraction to them, they should consider, if possible, pulling over safely to the side of the road and conducting their amateur communications while stationary." ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, adds that while the statute on its face does not apply to Amateur Radio mobile operation, problems could still arise: "Law enforcement officers are not telecommunications experts and may not understand or be concerned about the difference between a cellular telephone and a ham radio. If you do get stopped, be polite and state that you were operating a mobile Amateur Radio transmitter as specifically authorized by the FCC and not a wireless telephone. Don't engage in an argument if the officer issues a citation -- that won't help your cause. If cited, you will need to follow the instructions about contesting the citation in traffic court. As ARRL counsel notes, the language of the statute does not appear to include amateur mobile operation. Unfortunately, you could have to go through the inconvenience of appearing in court to contest a citation." ARRL will continue to monitor the application of this statute relative to radio amateurs.

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Free Resistors
by Dennis H. Morales 18 Jun '08

18 Jun '08

The Free Resistors have gone to a good home. Thanks for all that contacted regarding them. 73 de AD6EZ Denny <><

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FREE - Hundreds of Resistors - FREE
by Dennis H. Morales 17 Jun '08

17 Jun '08

Free Resistors by the Hundreds! I have two 25-pullout tray organizers full of resistors of various sizes (watts & Ohms) that are labeled 20 Ohm thru 18M. They are being offered for FREE! The only catch is that I am only going to keep them until this Friday morning; then they are going out with the trash - unless someone wants them in which case I will hold onto them until they can pick them up! I think that this was a "FreeBee" at one of our past July swap meets and now it is time to make more room in my garage. I want for them what I paid $0.00, but if someone can use them, I would hate to find that fact out later once I dump them! Hurry up and call - I have the banks of phones on the ready and folks waiting answer your calls! Wait! There is more - free wire, cables, etc in a wooden box that has to go and I have not looked inside in over two years. Your guess is as good as mine! 73 de AD6EZ Denny Morales 805-968-0221 Home 805-886-3817 Cell dennismo2(a)cox.net

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Amplifier needed for International Space Station Contact in August
by Ken Owen 16 Jun '08

16 Jun '08

Hi folks: As most of you know, SBARC is arranging a special contact with an astronaut on the International Space Station and a local Boy Scout troop (tentatively set for the week of August 18 to 22). We have every element necessary for the primary station plus a back up station, except we need to borrow a couple of two-meter amplifiers. The ARISS folks require that we have 80 watt transmit capability on two-meters, and our radios will fall just short of this. So, we need your help! Please let me know if have an amplifier available that is capable of at least 80 watts. We will need to borrow it in the days leading up to the week of 8/18. This is your chance to help out on a very special SBARC event. Check out the "background" below and the attached draft application for more info. Thanks in advance! Ken Owen, N6KTH AMSAT Area Coordinator n6kth(a)n6kth.com (805) 448-5726 BACKGROUND: The history is as follows. Glenn Schiferl, a scout leader and head of the UCSB Physics computing services, approached co-worker Bob Pizzi (AC6PZ) and informed him that the astronaut on the next launch to the ISS wanted to do a contact from the ISS with a local BSA group. Bob said SBARC would back up the effort. Since an astronaut is requesting this contact, all of the normal approvals and application delays will be bypassed. We have arranged to have the contact take place on the patio on the roof of the physics building. There are plans in the works to involve the astronomy department and to include an educational component with the scouts. This could be a huge media event, and it's a great opportunity to set up the SBARC rover and spend the day promoting the club and amateur radio. NASA will promote this event as well. An ISS contact of this type involves kids submitting questions in advance, and a few get the opportunity to ask the questions of the astronaut. THE RADIO EQUIPMENT: There will need to be two, two-meter FM ham stations capable of space communications (see the attached block diagram). The primary station will have full tracking capability (azimuth & elevation rotors, tracking software and interface) a circularly polarized beam, pre-amps and a power amplifier. The backup station will only need to have an omni-directional antenna, but it will also need pre-amps and amps. Ken, N6KTH has the critical equipment necessary for the tracking station, and he, plus two of the other principle organizers all have Yaesu ft-847s that will be used as the rigs for both stations.

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The dim lights of congress
by Bill Talanian 12 Jun '08

12 Jun '08

It is not my intent to turn the SBARC ListServer into another UTube squash court of bouncing political rhetoric but there are times when something has so much humor to it that it is hard to resist. In the name of fun and entertainment on how to cut down on future RFI. ><http://youtube.com/watch?v=e-LOtKIIKcg>http://youtube.com/watch?v=e-LOtKIIKcg >

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SBARC-list June 2008