SCARS News February 20, 2024

/ February 20, 2024

In This Issue…

NWS Severe Storm Training – Tonight! — Menu

The National Weather Service has scheduled their 2024 Storm Spotter Training for the Norman area on next Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. This will happen at the National Weather Center Auditorium, 120 David L. Boren Blvd., Norman, OK. This is a great way to learn how severe weather happens in our area. You do not have to pre-register. You do not have to be a spotter. You simply need to show up at the NWC and learn about our weather patterns. If you wish to be listed as a SkyWarn authorized spotter in Cleveland County, you must attend one of these training classes every 24 months.

The National Weather Service also have classes all over the region and even a few online. Their calendar is available at the OUN Spotter Talk page at https://www.weather.gov/oun/spottertalk.

See you there!

Elmer Night Tonight! — Menu

In the amateur radio world, an Elmer helps another amateur learn about the hobby. At SCARS, we have an ongoing Elmer program and actively work to help each other. Join us each Tuesday, from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm, at Norman’s Fire House #7, 2207 Goddard Ave, Norman, OK, or by using Zoom. Load up the Zoom software, and then click this link at https://w5nor.org/zoom. You can join using 893 9952 6291 password w5nor. If you have a question and can’t, won’t, or are too polite<G> to ask it, feel free to drop it in the chat. We’ll ask it for you!

Bring your problems. Bring your questions. Sit and watch what happens. Bring your expertise. We typically have 30-40 folks in the building and online. There’s always something going on!

This Tuesday, February 20, 2024, is the annual NWS training, and while many of us will be at that meeting, Elmer Night will still keep rolling along, so feel free to come visit one of those activities.

Phil Sinnett Update!!! — Menu

A message from Kim, Phil Sinnett KD5UGO’s daughter, on Facebook.

“We just stopped in and saw Daddy! He is doing so good! It’s been so long since he has been himself!

As my son Brandon said … he looks like feral Phil, because he hasn’t shaved, but he looks GREAT! Has anyone ever seen him with a beard before 🤔😳?

Feel free to swing by and give him a visit! Visiting hours stop at 9 pm. Give him a call, he’s got his phone …. Texts – not good at texts. 😵‍💫😂“

Phil is at the PAM Health Specialty Hospital of OKC at 1407 North Robinson Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK, United States, Oklahoma. I’m sure he would enjoy the company, so make some plans to stop by soon. As she says, visiting hours stop at 9 p.m. A month or two ago, Phil had some post-fall damage that was fixed with screws, duct tape, and baling wire, I’m sure… He’s currently recovering from surgery to repair some nerve damage resulting from that fall. It’s great to hear some good reports from this strife.

West Central Oklahoma Hamfest – March 2 — Menu

Hamfest season in Oklahoma continues with Elk City (Sayre), Oklahoma, on March 2 and ends with Ardmore in late October. Hamfests are conventions or conferences for amateur radio operators. These events typically have vendors from the regional area, classes to learn more about new topics, test sessions for new or current hams to upgrade their licenses, and much more. More information is available on the club’s website at https://sites.google.com/view/wcoarc/hamfest24.

The 2024 Hamfest will be at the Beckham County Activity Center, 310 East Main St. in Sayre, OK. (Exit 23 I-40) then west on Hwy 152.

The doors are open Saturday from 8:00 am until ???

Admission is $10.00 (which includes one table), and additional tables are available for $5.00 each. No preregistration is required. Pay at the door.

Early setup is available for Friday afternoon (3/4/22) from 1:30 pm until 8:00 pm.

VE Testing is available on Saturday at 1:00 pm. Bring a photo ID and a copy of your license. Preregistration is preferred at http://www.sites.google.com/view/wcoarc/pre-registration. You must have a Federal Registration Number (FRN) and a valid email. There is no fee for the exam, but the FCC license fee may be in effect.

The Sayre City Park has hookups for about a dozen RVs.

Plenty of parking is available at the Hamfest site, but no RV hookups are available there.

Contact: aa5gw.gary@gmail.com or 580-243-9848.

Talk-in on the 146.76 –offset 88.5 tone repeater or DMR on the 147.225 +offset CC1 TG 304098 machine.

In Oklahoma, we have six hamfests throughout the year.

SCARS will have a couple of tables at each event, so bring any equipment you wish to sell, label them with your callsign and pricing, and sit with the crew to buy/sell/trade your equipment.

FCC License Testing

Please join the SCARS Exam Team
in congratulating the following operators:

Monty Dyer, KF5ZPA – Upgraded to General
Patrick Wright, KJ5EHA – New General
Donald Hudgins, KJ5EHB – New Technician

Upcoming Exam Sessions: March 7, April 4, and May 2.

Dates to Remember — Menu

  • SCARS Elmer Nights – In-person Elmer Night is held every Tuesday evening, 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm. Join us in person at Norman Firehouse #7 Emergency Operations Center – 2207 Goddard – Norman, OK 73069 and on Zoom at https://w5nor.org/zoom/.
  • SCARS Meeting – Saturday, March 9, 2024. Duane Angles AA5KD will discuss the newest ‘inexpensive’ device, the QUANSHENG UV-K5 Walkie Talkie Dual Band 5W Rechargeable Two-Way Radio. This little handheld transmitting computer seems like it can do it all. There are alternate firmware packages that have unlocked tons of features. It transmits on VHF, UHF, and 1296. It can handle AM and FM. It also can listen in the HF band and I think Duane can even make it wash dishes. This meeting will be held at 9:30 am in the Norman Firehouse #7 Training Center – 2207 Goddard – Norman, OK 73069, on Zoom at https://w5nor.org/zoom/ and on YouTube at https://w5nor.org/stream/. The doors will open at 9:00 a.m., and the presentation starts at 9:30 a.m.
  • SCARS license testing, March 7, 2024, – 6:30 p.m. – at Norman Firehouse #7 Training Center – 2207 Goddard – Norman, OK 73069.

Newsletter News — Menu

This newsletter is announced in several places. Feel free to subscribe the way that suits you best. If you’re an email person, you can subscribe by visiting https://w5nor.org/email. If you’re a Twitter person, visit us at https://w5nor.org/twitter. Each newsletter announcement is posted on the Facebook group at https://w5nor.org/facebook. And if you like to search for this, you can visit the newsletter at https://w5nor.org/newsletter. No matter how you found the newsletter, we’re glad you made it.

This newsletter should be for and about you. If you have a neat build project to share, an interesting QSO, a new radio review, a new idea, an upcoming event, or a member spotlight, or if you’d like to help produce the newsletter, please email at w5nor@w5nor.org. These don’t have to be polished articles; we’ll edit them as required. Don’t forget a picture or two. Those pictures are worth a thousand words.

Local Hamfests — Menu

Briefly, here’s the list of the upcoming local hamfests. Hamfests are always great places to buy new equipment, sell your underused equipment, and find that excellent flea market bargain. They are always great places to meet local hams and learn new tricks.

3/2/2024 | Elk City Hamfest | Location: Elk City, OK
4/6-7/2024 | Green Country Hamfest | Location: Claremore, OK
4/7/2024 | Ozark Con – 4 States QRP | Location: Branson, MO
5/18-20/2024 | Dayton Hamvention | Location: Xenia, OH
7/27-28/2024 | Ham Holiday | Location: OCCC – Oklahoma City, OK
8/11/2024 | Reno County KS Hamfest | Location: Hutchinson, KS
8/24-25/2024 | Joplin Hamfest | Location: Joplin, MO
9/8/2024 | Enid Hamfest | Location: Enid, OK
9/8-9/2024 | Arkansas State Convention | Location: Mena, AR
9/15-17/2024 | Duke City Hamfiesta | Location: Albuquerque, NM
10/05/2024 | Wichita Area Hamfest | Location: Wichita, KS
10/26/2024 | Hamarama Hamfest | Location: Ardmore, OK
1/5/2025 | Checotah | Location: Checotah, OK

The ARRL lists all US hamfests if you want to travel. Click here for the ARRL list of those within 250 miles.

Odds and Ends — Menu

SCARS Is On The Web — Menu

News, links, repeater info, hamfests, licensing, and more are linked from the menu sidebar at the SCARS Homepage – W5NOR.ORG!

Podcast: On The Air — Menu

The On the Air podcast is a companion to the bi-monthly On the Air magazine (an ARRL membership benefit) and takes a deeper dive into select features and projects. Each month, host Becky Schoenfeld W1BXY offers additional resources, techniques, and hints to help you get the most from the magazine’s content.

Audio Link

Maintaining a “Junk Box”

Maintaining a “junk box” — a collection of odds and ends that can be used in future projects and repairs — is a time-honored practice among hams. Every ham radio junk box has to start somewhere, though. The cover story of the January/February 2024 issue of On the Air, “A Fine Mess: Starting Your Junk Box,” by Eric P. Nichols, KL7AJ, offers advice about how to do just that. The January 2024 episode of the On the Air podcast digs deeper by going on location to the workshop of W1AW, ARRL’s Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station. Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, welcomes us into this working space to show us some real-life junk boxes and discuss how they come in handy. 

The “On The Air” podcast homepage is available by clicking here.

ARRL Letter & Audio News — Menu

ARRL Audio News

The current ARRL letter is available by clicking here.

ARRL Audio News Information is available by clicking here.

ARRL DX Bulletin — Menu

SB DX @ ARL $ARLD007
ARLD007 DX news

ZCZC AE07
QST de W1AW  
DX Bulletin 7  ARLD007
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  February 15, 2024
To all radio amateurs   

SB DX ARL ARLD007
ARLD007 DX news

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by
KC1XX, The Daily DX, 425 DX News, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and
the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites.  Thanks to all.

TANZANIA, 5H.  Sysa, OM4AYL will be QRV as 5H4AYL from Pemba Island,
IOTA AF-063, from February 18 to 28.  Activity will be on 80 to 10
meters using CW, SSB, and FT8.  QSL to home call.

MADAGASCAR, 5R.  Borut, S53BV will be QRV as 5R8BV from Nosy Be from
February 17 to March 3.  Activity will be on the HF bands.  This
includes being an entry in the ARRL International DX CW and upcoming
ARRL International DX SSB contests.  QSL direct to home call.

UGANDA, 5X.  Alan, G3XAQ and Don, G3XTT are QRV as 5X1XA until
February 20.  Activity is on the HF bands using only CW.  This
includes being an entry in the ARRL International DX CW contest.
QSL direct to G3SWH.

TONGA, A3.  Operators YT1AD, YU3AA, RC9O and UA9OLY will be QRV as
A35AD, A35AA, A35LY, and A35RC, respectively, from February 20 to
27.  QSL to home calls.

QATAR, A7.  Max, ON5UR is QRV as A71/ON5UR from Doha until February
24.  QSL to home call.

JUAN FERNANDEZ ISLAND, CE0.  A large group of operators are QRV as
CB0ZA and CB0ZEW from Robinson Crusoe Island, IOTA SA-001, until
February 24.  Activity is on 160 to 6 meters, including 60 meters,
using CW, SSB, RTTY, and FT8 in DXpedition mode.  They will also be
active as CB0ZW in the ARRL International DX CW contest.  QSL via
N2OO.

MARTINIQUE, FM.  Yuri, VE3DZ is QRV as FM/VE3DZ until February 21.
Activity is on the HF bands.  He will be QRV as TO4A in the ARRL
International DX CW contest.  QSL to home call.

WALLIS AND FUTUNA ISLANDS, FW.  Operators LZ1GC and LZ5QZ will be
QRV as FW8CG and TX8GC, respectively, from Wallis Island, IOTA
OC-054, from February 19 to March 9.  Activity will be on 160 to 10
meters using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8, and FT4.  QSL via LoTW.

FRENCH GUYANA, FY.  Larry, F6FVY will be QRV as FY5KE in the ARRL
International DX CW contest as a Single Op/Single Band on 15 meters
entry.  QSL direct to home call.

COLOMBIA, HK.  Matt, KC1XX will be QRV as HK4RCA, or possibly 5K4X,
in the ARRL International DX CW contest as a Single Op/All Band/Low
Power entry.  Depending on local conditions, he may be active as a
Single Band entry on either 15 or 10 meters.  QSL via LoTW.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA, HL.  Operators 6K2BYF, 6K2CFI, 6K2GRX and DS1TUW
will be QRV as DT0IP from Anmyon Island, IOTA AS-080, from February
17 to 19.  They will use CW, SSB, and FT8 on 40 to 10 meters with
two stations.  QSL via LoTW.

THAILAND, HS.  Members of the Radio Amateur Society of Thailand are
QRV as HS60RAST until March 10 to celebrate the society's 60th
anniversary.  QSL via HS6MYW.

DENMARK, OZ.  A large group of operators will be QRV as OZ5W as a
Multi/2 entry in the ARRL International DX CW contest.  QSL via
LoTW.

ARUBA, P4.  John, W2GD is QRV as P44W from Santa Cruz until February
20.  Activity is on all bands, with an emphasis on 30, 17, and 12
meters, using CW as time permits.  This includes being a Single
Op/All Band entry in the ARRL International DX CW contest.  QSL via
N2MM.

SURINAME, PZ.  Dimitri, RA3CO is QRV as PZ5DX from Lelydorp.
Activity is on the HF bands.  QSL via LoTW.

BENIN, TY.  Antonio, IK7WUL is QRV as TY2AA until February 20 while
on a humanitarian mission.  He is active using SSB in his spare
time.  QSL via IZ8CCW.

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, V2.  Chuck, KG9N is QRV as V26CV from Antigua,
IOTA NA-100, until February 20.  Activity is on various bands using
CW and SSB.  This includes being an entry in the ARRL International
DX CW contest.  QSL to home call.

BELIZE, V3.  Uwe, DL8UD is QRV as V31KO until March 6.  He will be
active as V3O in the ARRL International DX CW and upcoming ARRL
International DX SSB contests.  QSL to home call.

BRUNEI, V8.  Hajime, JO1RUR will be QRV as V85RH as a Single Op/All
Band/High Power entry in the ARRL International DX CW contest.  QSL
via LoTW.

BERMUDA, VP9.  Darrell, AB2E is QRV as AB2E/VP9 until February 19.
Activity is on the HF bands using mainly CW with some FT8, and with
a focus on 30, 17, and 12 meters.  This includes being active as
VP9I in the ARRL International DX CW contest.  QSL to home call and
VP9I via WW3S.

CAYMAN ISLANDS, ZF.  Bill, W5SJ is QRV as ZF2EZ from Cayman Brac
using CW and QRP power.  He will be active as ZF5T in the ARRL
International DX CW contest.  QSL to home call.

ST. HELENA, ZD7.  Oliver, W6NV will be QRV as ZD7W in the ARRL
International DX CW contest.  QSL to home call.
     
THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO.  The ARRL International DX CW Contest,
NCCC FT4 Sprint, Weekly RTTY Test, QRP 80-Meter CW Fox Hunt, NCCC
Sprint CW Ladder, K1USN Slow Speed CW Test, YLRL YL-OM Contest,
Russian PSK World Wide Contest, Feld Hell Sprint, FISTS Sunday CW
Sprint and the Run for the Bacon QRP CW Contest will certainly keep
contesters busy this upcoming weekend.

K1USN Slow Speed CW Test, ICWC Medium Speed CW Test, OK1WC CW
Memorial, Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, QRP 40-Meter CW Fox
Hunt, Phone Weekly Test, A1Club AWT, CWops Test, VHF-UHF FT8
Activity Contest, Mini-Test 40 CW, Mini-Test 80 CW and the AGCW
Semi-Automatic Key Evening are scheduled for February 19 to 21

Please see February QST, page 76, and the ARRL and WA7BNM contest
websites for details.
NNNN
/EX

The latest ARRL DX Bulletin is always at the top here — ARRL DX Bulletin

Amateur Radio Newsline — Menu

– PROPOSED LAW WOULD PROTECT HAM ANTENNAS IN SOUTH CAROLINA
– LAWMAKERS SEEK FEDERAL PROTECTION FOR HAM RADIO ANTENNAS
– NEW LICENSE PROCEDURES TAKING EFFECT IN AUSTRALIA
– EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY SEEKS HAM INPUT ON PROPOSED SATELLITE PAYLOAD
– LIFETIME AWARD FOR 50 YEARS OF RADIO COMMITMENT
– SILENT KEY: CQ DX HALL OF FAMER BOB ALLPHIN, K4UEE
– SILENT KEY: DMR’s TGIF FOUNDER MITCH SAVAGE, EA7KDO
– HIGH MARKS FOR PROTOTYPE ANTENNA SYSTEM AND SATELLITES
– SIMPLEX RADIO NET SEEN AS SAFETY NET IN HAWAII
– W. VIRGINIA FIRST RESPONDERS ORGANIZE NEW HAM CLUB
– WORLD OF DX
– HAMS TEST ORIGINAL VOICE MODE IN AM RALLY

SCRIPT

AUDIO

The Amateur Radio Newsline can be found at ARNewsline.org.

W5KUB – Amateur Radio Roundtable Video

The W5KUB YouTube channel link is here: W5KUB YouTube.

Ham Nation / Ham Radio Workbench — Menu

These two podcasts are published bi-weekly, so we alternate them in this space.

The recent Ham Nation episodes are linked right here Ham Nation.
The most recent Ham Radio Workbench episodes are linked right here Ham Radio Workbench.

73 de Mark N5HZR

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