SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY SECTION Report for the month of February 2015

SM Dan Pruitt, AE6SX- ASMs K6YK and N2NS, ACC W6DPD, SEC KF6FIR, OOC N1VM,

STM K6RAU, PIC K6QI, TC W6TE.

 

San Joaquin Valley, never a dull moment!  Thank you all for the good

wishes during my vacation in Hospital.  I was very grateful.

 

While I’m on my own adventures, I was visited by the Red Cross

concerning an exercise that was being planned for March or April.  The

purpose was to familiarize Red Cross Shelter personnel to understand

traffic handling.  First in a round table then in a field exercise.  I

am glad that they are seeing the need for the training and that we

agree on focusing on the use of  “ICS form 213” as an upgrade of

the old Red Cross Form 1!

 

I am seeing a lot of good things coming up (DXCC phone, QSO parties,

Museum Ship Weekend and in May is a “USA Islands” operating event

intended to activate any island in any body of water in the USA.  It is

not a contest but looks to be great fun.

 

I’m hearing from some older established Clubs in the Section.  It is

one of my pleasures to exhibit “Ham Radio” as we are today.  Keep

your special interests coming and I will add them to the Section

Report.

 

The “Amateur Radio Parity Act” is again on the House Floor as bill

HR-1301.  I urge you all to tell your fellow Hams to write your

representatives and thank them for their support or recommend they join

in as co-sponsors of the bill.  ARRL has set up all the resources at

www.arrl.org/hr-1301 .

 

73;

 

Dan Pruitt, AE6SX

 

NEWS: From ARRL newsletters.  Read complete articles from February to

now.

02/09/2015 | Hamvention Week AuxComm Course Registration Now Open

02/09/2015 | FCC Seeks Comment on Radar Sharing Schemes that Could

Displace Amateur Radio at 76-81 GHz

02/10/2015 | “Gray Radio Gang” Reactivates Vintage Battleship Iowa

HF Transmitter

02/10/2015 | ARRL Field Day 2015 Field Day Packet Now Online

02/11/2015 | Word From Navassa: Turn Off Those Speech Processors! K1N

Tops 100,000 Contacts

02/11/2015 | Another Round of International Space Station SSTV Activity

Set for Late February

02/14/2015 | US to Propose Additional Sharing of 10 GHz Band at WRC-15

 

02/17/2015 | FCC “Paperless” Amateur Radio License Policy Now in

Effect

02/17/2015 | ARRL Foundation Announces Two New Scholarships

02/18/2015 | Hams Encouraged to Hit the Water for New US Islands Awards

“One-Day Getaway”

02/19/2015 | ARRL 2014 September VHF Contest Results Available

02/24/2015 | Astronaut-Ham John Grunsfeld, KC5ZTF, Named to Astronaut

Hall of Fame

02/24/2015 | No One in the Shack as Station Logs 4200+ Contacts in ARRL

DX CW Contest

02/24/2015 | NASA Announces University CubeSat Space Mission Candidates

 

02/24/2015 | ARRL Partners with Liberty Mutual to Offer Home, Auto

Insurance Discounts

02/25/2015 | Nominations Sought for 2015 Amateur Radio Newsline Young

Ham of the Year Award

02/25/2015 | German Radio Amateurs Breathe New Life into “Orphaned”

Shortwave Channel

02/25/2015 | ARRL Seeks Member Input on Draft HF Band Plan Proposals

02/27/2015 | International DX Convention (Visalia) Advance Registration

Available Until April 8

03/02/2015 | ARRL Centennial Convention Guest Speaker Presentations DVD

Now Available

03/03/2015 | ARRL 2015 Field Day Gear, Supplies Now Available!

03/04/2015 | ITU Smart Sustainable Development Model Report Touts

Amateur Radio’s Advantages

03/05/2015 | Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 Introduced in Congress

 

San Joaquin Valley 2014 VHF Contest

 

K6MI                                3,726   SO3B

N9VM (N1VM, op)      182   SOFM

K6HS (+WA6ZTY & WB6W)     14,749 UM

W6TV (W6YEP & AE6GE, ops)   7,744 UM

W6WI, Tony worked (and has confirmed) the recent K1N Navassa operation,

qualifying Tony for the top of the DXCC Honor Roll. Congratulations,

Tony! de N2NS,Bob.

 

Mark your Calendars:   Palm Springs Hamfest is March 14, 2015.  See

palmspringshamfest.com for more information.  2015 International DX

Convention is April 17-19 in Visalia.  Check www.dxconvention.com for

information as the dates approach.  NEVADA STATE CONVENTION is May 1,

2015.  See particulars at  NVCON.org .  Northwestern Division (SEAPAC),

is scheduled for June 5, 20.  Details are at   www.seapac.org  .

Pacificon 2015, the Pacific Division Convention, is returning to San

Ramon October 16-18.  Check for details at their home page

pacificon.org/ .

 

Contests:

 

March 2015

+ NCCC RTTY Sprint        0145Z-0215Z, Mar 13

+ RSGB Commonwealth Contest        1000Z, Mar 14 to 1000Z, Mar 15

+ All Africa International DX Contest        1200Z, Mar 14 to 1200Z, Mar 15

+ F9AA Cup, SSB        1200Z, Mar 14 to 1200Z, Mar 15

+ Louisiana QSO Party        1400Z, Mar 14 to 0200Z, Mar 15

+ EA PSK63 Contest        1600Z, Mar 14 to 1600Z, Mar 15

+ TESLA Memorial HF CW Contest        1800Z, Mar 14 to 0759Z, Mar 15

+ QCWA QSO Party        1800Z, Mar 14 to 1800Z, Mar 15

+ Idaho QSO Party        1900Z, Mar 14 to 1900Z, Mar 15

+ North American Sprint, RTTY        0000Z-0400Z, Mar 15

+ Wisconsin QSO Party        1800Z, Mar 15 to 0100Z, Mar 16

+ BARTG HF RTTY Contest        0200Z, Mar 21 to 0200Z, Mar 23

+ Russian DX Contest        1200Z, Mar 21 to 1200Z, Mar 22

+ Oklahoma QSO Party        1300Z, Mar 21 to 0100Z, Mar 22 and

1300Z-1900Z, Mar 22

+ Virginia QSO Party        1400Z, Mar 21 to 0200Z, Mar 22 and

1200Z-2400Z, Mar 22

+ CQ WW WPX Contest, SSB        0000Z, Mar 28 to 2359Z, Mar 29

 

 

April 2015

+ SARL 80m QSO Party        1700Z-2000Z, Apr 2

+ LZ Open 40m Sprint Contest        0400Z-0800Z, Apr 4

+ Missouri QSO Party        1400Z, Apr 4 to 0400Z, Apr 5 and

1400Z-2000Z, Apr 5

+ Mississippi QSO Party        1400Z, Apr 4 to 0200Z, Apr 5

+ SP DX Contest        1500Z, Apr 4 to 1500Z, Apr 5

+ Montana QSO Party        1800Z, Apr 4 to 0559Z, Apr 5

 

CLUBS

 

CLOVIS ARP ++   Presentation on VoIP in Ham Radio and IRLP was given at

the March meeting.  Fox hunt will be coordinated by Ron N6MTS.  Fresno

Area Mentors and Elmers (FAME) is inaugurating the Gordon west

curriculum for the April Technician Class.  Rob, AE6GE was included in

W6TV’s September VHF contest second in class for San Joaquin Valley..

www.k6arp.org/

 

FRESNO ARC++    March Meeting will be on JT-65 presented by Jim, W6NIF,

complete with demonstration.  A6GCL Jerry, KI6YWX Lew andAG6JI Steve are

participating in the Fresno Mini Maker Fair on April 11 (DIY), at the

Fresno Arts Museum in Radio Park. Glen N6HEW and Gary KI6OYW will

demonstrate the Hobby of Amateur Radio.  www.w6to.com.

 

LODI ARC ++    Bob, K6DGQ brought in two portable mast mounts that he

built. They were inspired by an article in the March 2013 issue of QST

magazine by N1GY.  Mike N6ZW is doing a program on traps at the March

meeting.  lodiamateurradioclub.org/

 

LOS BANOS ARC ++  Mike, AD6AA, Pres. Announces the annual T-Hunt on 14

March.  Rules are in the newsletter.   www.aa6lb.org

 

SIERRA ARC ++   Mike WA6ARA does the editorial this month discussing

the proposed HF band plan.  He includes the link to make comments to

ARRL before the April deadline.  The Collins 821A-1

SW Transmitters at VOA, by Dennis W6DQ.  The program will discuss the

rescue of the transmitter for preservation at the Antique wireless

Museum in New York. www.qsl.net/wa6ybn/

 

SEQUOIA ARG ++  “RASPBERRY PI 2 LAUNCHES WITH 6X FASTER PROCESSOR”.

A very informative article by Heather, KB3TZD.  It can be read online

at tinyurl.com/latest-raspberry-pi.  www.n6krv.org

 

STOCKTON DELTA  ARC ++  The “Flysheet” is packed with information

on public service and planned events.  The article on “What is a

Repeater” is an extensive dissertation on almost every aspect of

repeater operation and etiquette.  Well done.  www.w6sf.org

 

TULARE Co. ARC ++  2015 Officers:  President Scott KJ6AZR; VP Eric

N6VYT; Sec Kevin KC6IED; Treas Richard KF6QJL.  Check out their home

page – .  www.tcarc.net/

 

The following Amateur became Silent Key since the last report:

Robby, W6GME .

.

He will be missed.

 

Traffic for February 2015:

ORS: W6SX  10 WA6IAF 334, WS6P 1219,  K6RAU 21  Total 1584

PSHR:  W6SX 35, WA6IAF 90, WS6P 310, K6RAU 88

 

Need to take an Amateur exam? Are you having an exam? Check the ARRL

web page, www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtml for exam information.

You can also search for Amateur Radio Classes in your area and register

your exam. Instructors can also register classes there.

Card Checking in the Section: You can get cards checked for awards

within the section. W6XK, K6ZZ, and W6DPD can check your cards for DXCC

in accordance with the rules for field checking. DXCC card checkers may

now check cards dated from Nov 15, 1945, including Deleted DXCC

Entities. K6ZZ can now check 160 Meter Cards. DXCC card checkers may,

at their discretion, check cards for WAS, WAC, and VUCC. W6DPD and K6ZZ

can check cards for the CQ Awards, WAZ, DX, Field, and Prefixes. The

card checkers may also check applications for the IARU Region 2 Award.

ARRL Special Service Clubs may appoint a HF awards manager for WAS and

a VHF Awards Manager for VUCC.

 

The Webinar by Hank Garretson, W6SX, has been posted to the WWROF

webpage (www.wwrof.org) under the Webinars link.

Hanks presentation will be of particular interest to “Little Pistols”

and those who are space limited. It’s worth checking out!

 

Hank added a link to the elevation plot which can be viewed at

http://www.heywhatsthat.com/

Also the Ladder Snaps in the presentation can be found at

http://www.73cnc.com/product_p/ls100.htm You can e-mail Hank at

w6sx@arrl.net for additional details.

 

 

The K6RAU (our Traffic Manager) Morse Code Instruction Course is

available at www.pdarrl.org/K6RAU or www.pdarrl.org/k6rau.

No need to know a “dit” from a “dah”, simply with paper and pencil, and

following the instructions.

 

San Joaquin Valley Nets:

The Noontime net meets on 7.268.5 MHz. This net handles a lot of

messages.

Daytime Region 6 Traffic Net meets daily at 3:30 pacific time on or

near 7.275 MHZ. This one is probable not in operation at this time.

The California Traffic Net meets daily on 3.906 MHZ and 6:00 PM local

time.

The Golden Bear Amateur Radio Net meets nightly at 7:00 PM local time

on 3.975 MHZ.

Northern California Net (NCN), the Section Traffic Net, meets nightly

on 3.533 MHZ at 7 PM Pacific Time.

San Joaquin Net meets Monday-Saturday on 3918khz, at 6 PM Pacific

Time.

Western Public Service System (WPSS) meets nightly on 3952khz, roll –

at 7:30 PM local Pacific Time.

The Mission Trail Net meets nightly on 3.856 MHZ at 8:00 PM local

time.

Northern California Net 2 (NCN2) The slow speed training session of

NCN, meets nightly on 3.533 MHZ at 9 PM Pacific Time. Handling traffic

on CW is a good way to improve your CW skills.

 

CWops Tests are held weekly – Every Wednesday at 1300Z, 1900Z, and

0300Z (Thursday). Info and rules at http://www.cwops.org/cwt.html .

 

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ARRL San Joaquin Valley Section

Section Manager: Dan Pruitt, AE6SX

ae6sx@arrl.org

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