SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY SECTION Report for the month of September 2013

SM- Dan Pruitt, AE6SX
ASMs K6YK and N2NS, ACC W6DPD, SEC KF6FIR, OOC N1VM, STM K6RAU, PIC K6QI, TC W6TE.

Hello all;

I have been recalling all that has been happening over the last 2 months.  Not just in San Joaquin Valley Section but else where in the country.  We normally are in the back seat watching calamities in other parts of the USA or even the world.  This time we had our share and we
handled it!

While the rest of the country battled blackouts, floods and the annual Hurricane season, our section was faced with Fire.  Mariposa County had a small one, Kern County had a larger one, then the Rim Fire in Tuolumne and Mariposa.

Los Padres and the Mount Diablo “Morgan” fires were tough ones also.  Around the country more events but in every one the Amateur Radio Emcomm Groups did their job and were recognized.  Over and over ARES was commended for their actions.

No matter how minimal your contribution, if you were helping to serve, I thank you.  For caring enough to train and put in the time and effort, I thank you.  I do not want to single anyone out but Tuolumne ARES and RACES was heralded and the New Mariposa ARES did a fine job supporting the Red Cross.

It is my hope that we learn from this and pass on the “Best Practices” used.  We need to train new persons with the same heart.

New technologies are coming of age and are being used.  We saw a glimpse of them at the “Rally in the Valley”.  Many thanks to those who brought their skills to the table.  See you next year.

Hey Pacifiicon is almost here!  Pacific Division Convention at Santa Clara.

73; Dan AE6SX

NEWS: From ARRL newsletters.  Read complete articles from August to now. 10/04/2013 | The ARRL Centennial QSO Party Starts January 1, 2014 will last all of 2014

10/01/2013 | K6OSC Steps Down as Queen Mary W6RO Wireless Room Manager

10/01/2013 | FCC Closed! Licensing Functions on Hold.

09/30/2013 | FCC Makes Contingency Plans for Government Shutdown.

09/24/2013 | White House Recognizes California Radio Amateur as
“Champion of Change” Matt Brisbois,     KI6RBS, of Newport Beach

09/23/2013 | PSK31 Linear Transponder Wanted for Satellite Launch
Opportunity WB4APR seeks someone to build it.

09/18/2013 | The FCC denies a petition asking it to permit encryption
of certain ham radio communications during emergencies and exercises.

09/18/2013 | ARRL Centennial Convention Website Now Live!

09/18/2013 | Colorado ARES Teams Transition to Flood Damage
Assessment

09/17/2013 | Republic of Kosovo presently does not qualify as a DXCC
entity, but hams there are gearing up, with help from a well-known
DXer.

09/17/2013 | Scouting’s Jamboree on the Air 2013 is October 19-20.

09/14/2013 | Hurricane Watch Net to Activate for Hurricane Ingrid

09/13/2013 | Amateur Radio Provides Critical Communication in the wake
of flash flooding in Colorado.

09/13/2013 | Have a Great Time with JT9 This weak-signal mode can give
little pistol stations big gun results

09/12/2013 | SATERN, Red Cross Volunteers Activate for Morgan Incident
Fire

09/12/2013 | The ARRL Audio News webcast returns on September 20.

09/12/2013  | SATERN and Red Cross volunteers activated in the
aftermath of the Morgan Fire in California, which took down some ham
repeaters.

09/09/2013 | Wildfire has taken down four California repeaters.

09/09/2013 | Some pirate stations have been active.

09/06/2013 | The JY9FC operation that began in August 2013 has been
approved for DXCC credit.

09/05/2013 | ARES-RACES Volunteers Conclude Rim Fire Activation in
California.

Contests:
October 2013
+ Microwave Fall Sprint        0700 local – 1300 local, Oct 12
+ Oceania DX Contest, CW        0800Z, Oct 12 to 0800Z, Oct 13
+ QRP ARCI Fall QSO Party        1200Z, Oct 12 to 2400Z, Oct 13
+ Scandinavian Activity Contest, SSB        1200Z, Oct 12 to 1200Z, Oct 13
+ Arizona QSO Party        1600Z, Oct 12 to 0600Z, Oct 13 and  1400Z-2359Z,
Oct 13
+ Pennsylvania QSO Party        1600Z, Oct 12 to 0500Z, Oct 13 and
1300Z-2200Z, Oct 13
+ PODXS 070 Club 160m Great Pumpkin Sprint        2000 local, Oct 12 to 0200
local, Oct 13
+ North American Sprint, RTTY        0000Z-0400Z, Oct 13
+ 10-10 Int. Fall Contest, CW        0001Z, Oct 19 to 2359Z, Oct 20
+ New York QSO Party        1400Z, Oct 19 to 0200Z, Oct 20
+ Illinois QSO Party        1700Z, Oct 20 to 0100Z, Oct 21
+ ARRL School Club Roundup        1300Z, Oct 21 to 2359Z, Oct 25
+ ARRL EME Contest        0000Z, Oct 26 to 2359Z, Oct 27
+ CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB        0000Z, Oct 26 to 2400Z, Oct 27

November 2013
+ Ukrainian DX Contest        1200Z, Nov 2 to 1200Z, Nov 3
+ ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW        2100Z, Nov 2 to 0300Z, Nov 4
+ DARC 10-Meter Digital Contest        1100Z-1700Z, Nov 3

CLUBS

CLOVIS ARP ++  The Club officers have been reviewing and amending their
bylaws.  Rob AE6GE says everything will be ready for the clubs approval
during the business meeting in January.  T-Hunts are continuing and the
Christmas Pot Luck is all planned out.   www.k6arp.org/

FRESNO ARC++   “Skip” newsletter edited by John, K6MI talks of the
VHF Contest.  Charles, W6DPD has to be complimented on his excellent DX
articles each month.  Pres. Stu WB6VRJ tells of his trip to Scotland and
the Highland Games held in Fresno.  Full CA CQP rules are reprinted.
Jim, W6NIF talks about raising his Hy-Gain AV-620.  www.w6to.com

SEQUOIA ARG ++  Three-year-old Dies After Swallowing a “Button”
Battery, is a very informative reprint.  Mike KA6IYS & Gary K6RYD are
caught by the camera during an Antenna Raising.  Editor Al N6ALP
laments on Black Licorice.    www.n6krv.org

STOCKTON Delta ++   Guy W6MSU reports that he will be teaching a class
on emergency communications at this year’s Pacificon on Saturday,
October 12.  He reports that the Friday, October 11th antenna class is
well worth making the effort to attend.  Paul, N6KZW needs help
removing the beam from the USS Lucid.  Good advise for the CW beginner
by Shirl, AA6K. www.w6sf.org

TURLOCK ARC ++ Grady says, “It is that time again”, Auction will be
held November 9th!  Wireless Emergency Alerts from your cell phone.
Check the details in the “Arcover”.  Very good description of
“Sending the Written Word Across the Airwaves” By Ken Stillwell,
KF6IDK. www.w6bxn.org.

No Silent Keys since the last report.

W6DPD has WAC on digital modes, and qualified for DXCC on the digital
modes,

Traffic for JULY 2013:
ORS: WS6P 251, K6RAU 19, W6SX 25 Total 272
PSHR: WS6P 1, W6SX 52, K6RAU 70

Mark your Calendars:
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WEEK 12 to 20 October 2013
www.nwrweek-radio.info  PACIFICON 2013 is scheduled for October 11-13,
2013 at the Santa Clara Marriott. See www.pacificon.org for
information.  SKYWARN Recognition Day is December 7, 2013. The 2014
International DX Convention will be April 4-6, 2014, at the Visalia
Convention Center.  Check www.dxconvention.org for information.
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 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 nightly 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.
The Young Ham Net every Saturday 2:00 PM local time 145.230 –0.6 PL
100 or Echolink KR6DD-R 271122 or N6WN-R 477737

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ARRL San Joaquin Valley Section
Section Manager: Dan Pruitt, AE6SX
ae6sx@arrl.org
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