Miami County Amateur Radio Club, Inc. RF GAIN K9ZEV - Peru, Indiana Sample Issue, 2014 Getting an Amateur Radio License To get started, you need to study and be able to pass an examination to obtain INSIDE an amateur radio license. The first thing Special Features Getting A License 1 you need to know is which exam you need Radio Time Line 7 to take. Assuming you do not yet have Departments Meeting Minutes 2 a license, you must ARES/RACES 3 begin with a TechniLadies With a License 2 RF GAIN Top 10 6 cian Class License. Club Events 6 This is the entry level for all hams. Truth & Wisdom 8 (“Ham” is a nickname for amateur radio operator.) Download You need to pass a multiple-choice Your FREE Copy! K9ZEV.org exam of 35 questions. Study material will consist of a pool of 396 possible questions. You will pass the exam when you get 26 questions or more answered correctly. The study guide or class that you take will cover the basic things you need to know as a licensed amateur radio operator. The topics you will learn about are: FCC Rules; station license responsibilities; control operator duties; operating practices; radio and electronic fundamentals; station setup and Continued on page 3 RF GAIN © MCARC July, 2014 — Page 1 Minutes: July 12, 2014 Meeting was called to order by President Bill, WD9GIU, at 11:00 a.m. at the Miami County EOC. Jennifer, KC9HIS, read the minutes from June meeting. The financial report was stated and both were accepted and filed. The Field Day Committee report was given by someone and it was decided by the membership to do better next year. (These are not real minutes of a meeting, just some junk to fill up space in a mock-up newsletter. Hopefully it will come to fruition.) –Ed. MCARC Meetings Second Saturday 11:00 am at EOC Officers President: Bill McAlpin, WD9GIU Vice President: Danny Webb, N9MOS Sec./Treasurer: Jennifer Fisher, KC9HIS Directors John Stoeckert, KC9GWC Gary Thorne, KC9RNN Dwight Hammond, WC5W Repeaters VHF 147.345+0.6 mHz. UHF 443.175+5.0 mHz. 131.8 pl 2-Meter Nets MCARC NET Sun. 8:00 pm ARES/RACES NET Mon. 8:00 pm LADIES NET Thursdays 8:30 pm RF GAIN Editor: Angie Flory, KF9QW Publisher: Dwight Hammond, WC5W WEBSITE For more information: K9ZEV.org New Version of RF GAIN to Hit the Scene A couple of club members (oldtimers) are kicking around the idea of resurrecting the club newsletter RF Gain. These members are somewhat reluctant to do so, knowing that it will probably be a “Lone Ranger” type of task. It has been since the mid ‘90s that the club had a newsletter. It was most likely dropped due to cost of printing and mailing. The new RF GAIN would be made available in the portable document format for email and download from K9ZEV.org. MCARC Ladies Net Last month the Ladies Net was a hoot! We talked about very interesting things again. NCO on the 3rd was Deb, N9HWT, and the topic was “Favorite TV Commercials.” That may not sound exciting to you, but that gals had a blast with the comments expressed. Then on the 10th Linda, KC9ZWX, was NCO. The regular check-ins talked about ??? topic. Michelle, KC9VXK, was control operator on the 17th and her topic was “Dirty Jobs” or “Things You Really Dislike Doing.” There were six RF GAIN © MCARC July, 2014 — Page 2 ladies on the net and each one lamented on jobs they hate to do. On the 24th, KC9ZWX opened the net with the question, “Who influenced you the most in your life?” Seven women chatted about the influential people in their lives and reminisced of the life-changing days of long ago. Finally, on the 31st, N9HWT was NCO again to talk about, “How has your summer been so far?” And “What topics would you like to bring to the net?” Deb got a lot of good ideas for topics from the group. I’m sure all the control ops were taking notes that Thursday night. You are welcome to join the Ladies With A License on the MCARC Ladies Net, Thursdays 8:30 p.m. on 147.345 mHz. --N9HWT, Deb Continued from page 1 operation; communications modes and methods; special operations; Emergency and Public Service Communications; radio waves, propagation and antennas; electrical and RF Safety. This may sound a bit overwhelming at first, but you will see how easy it is once you get started. What you can do with a Technician Class License. After earning your Technician Class License, you can use all amateur VHF and UHF frequencies (frequencies above 50 mHz). You can also operate on the 80, 40, and 15 meter HF bands using Morse code, and on the 10 meter band using Morse code, voice, and digital modes. Now you say, “That’s confusing!” Let me give you an exRF GAIN © MCARC July, 2014 — Page 3 ample.... The FM radio in your car receives 88 to 108 mHz. It’s the FM broadcast band. These FM radio signals are line-of-sight, which means you generally can’t receive FM stations more than 50 miles away. On the AM broadcast band, mainly at night, you can receive radio stations from hundreds of miles away. It is a much lower band of frequencies. So, when a ham radio operater has a 2 meter rig (a nickname for radio) in his car, he will be using the 144 to 148 mHz. band of frequencies. The 2 meter mobile ham will be on FM mode as well. We sometimes refer to 2 meters as VHF (very high frequency.) Two meters is mostly used for local communications. The other “meter” bands (ranges of frequencies) are where amateur radio operators have been authorized to communicate with each other. Each band of radio frequencies acts differently. Using the HF (high frequency) bands, hams can talk virtually around the world! So, when you have a Technician Class License, you are authorized by the FCC to talk to your friends locally on VHF. And you can use HF for long distance communications. For instance, on the 10 meter band (28.0 to 28.5 mHz.) it is common to talk to other hams across the country, and when conditions are good you can visit with amateur radio operators around the world. If you feel lost, don't worry. All hams were at this point one time. It may be hard to RF GAIN © MCARC July, 2014 — Page 4 believe now, but this stuff will be second nature once you start learning more about Amateur Radio. A few months after you get the Technician Class License, you'll be talking about this stuff like the other hams. Do I have to learn Morse code? No, you don't need to learn Morse code to get your ticket (the nickname for Amateur Radio License). Beginning in February 1991, the requirement of learning Morse code was dropped for the Technician Class License test. In fact, in February 2007, the code requirement was eliminated from all levels of Amateur Radio. Morse code is still in use by many hams. Some say it's tradition, others say it's what Ham radio is all about. On the other hand, some hams say it's outdated and needed to go, while others say we need to keep up with changing technology. Many hams still take the time to learn code because with poor band conditions, code is usually the most efficient way to communicate long distance. Those di-dah-dits are easier to hear than voice. Plus, it is another skill to learn and become proficient at. It's just one of the many aspects of Amateur Radio communications. Ham License vs. CB. Amateur Radio is a high-tech hobby that has something fun for everyone. Hams are people from all walks of life no matter what age, gender or physical ability. Anyone can hold an Amateur License - there's no minimum age. Hams practice courtesy and respect for others. Read the entire article online at www.K9ZEV.org/articles/getting-started.php RF GAIN © MCARC July, 2014 — Page 5 RF GAIN TOP 10... ...Bad Things about having Darth Vader as a Guest Op 10 –Keeps referring to you as “my Emperor.” 9 –Says all your base rigs belong to him. 8 –His normal speaking voice is worse than poorly tuned SSB. 7 –Says he doesn’t need a receiver, he can sense disturbances in the Force. 6 –He keeps calling some guy called”Luuuuuuuke.” 5 –Snack time is really not a pretty sight. 4 –Hears a guy calling you and immediately cuts your rig in half with his light saber. 3 –When you key the transmitter, it interferes with his respirator. 2 –Insists on using some kind of Death Star repeater. And the Number 1 Bad Thing about having Darth Vader as a Guest Operator... 1 –He keeps telling you to “Crank up that there leenyar and come over to the Dark Side.” ur Amate Radio ! Lives MCARC Events September 5th-7th is the Chili Cook-off / Campout at the Mississinewa Campground. Bill will have an HF station set up for those who would like to try to contact “Indiana State Parks On The Air.” October 11th Miami County Amateur Radio Club Autumn Simplex Sprint 2meter contest. Activate as many townships & counties as possible. Feedback, comments, or article submissions are appreciated. Please send to [email protected] Thank you for your contributions, the Editor. RF GAIN © MCARC July, 2014 — Page 6 A Radio Time Line Lets look back at the significant events from radio history picking up with 1917. 1917—The First transcontinental message relay is accomplished in January. 1917—In April, 6,000 licensed amateurs shut down as America enters World War I and 4,000 amateur enlist, Amateur Radio is suspended for the duration of the war. The US Navy takes control of all radio use. 1917—First mention of the Wolff Hong and Rettysnitch— devices to insure good operating practices appear in the pages of QST. 1918—Legislation is introduced to give the Navy permanent control. 1919—In September, thanks to the efforts of the ARRL, Amateur Radio gets back on the air. 1921—Maxim sends a message from 1AW to California and gets a reply back in just over six minutes via relay. A second transatlantic test is successful. American amateur signals are heard in Scotland. 1921—The US Department of Commerce admits it cannot control the growing ranks of Amateur Radio operators and asks the ARRL for help. 1922—Amateurs are prohibited from broadcasting to the public at large and a new commercial broadcasting license is required. 1923—American amateur Fred Schnell and French amateur Leon Deloy achieve the first two-way transatlantic contact. The Second National Radio conference gives hams the ability to operate anywhere within specified bands—not isolated channels of frequencies. RF GAIN © MCARC July, 2014 — Page 7 right will be the winner. Everybody gitts a gold star, but For Sparkgaps, & Old-Timers—All others must pay 2¢ ello and welcome to a bit the winner will have earned it, of truth and a whole lot of hi hi. The winner will be acknowlwisdom, my name is R.F. Curmudgeon and I am full of edged by having their answer it (T&W, that is!) This column is sortof a “what is it?” Or a “how would a radio operator use this?” type of place. The whole idea is to gitt young whippersnappers to learn a thing or two about RF and to make ‘em published in the very next realize there ain’t no such month’s RF GAIN. thing as a young codger. Send me your 2¢ worth on So now I reckon you’ll be the above photograph via yakkin’ it up on the 2-meter electronic mail and share repeaters about what in tar nation kind of apparatus this your knowledge with some of must be... dag-nabbit! I almost the younger hams who read this world-famous publication! gave it away. I’m countin’ on ya now. Well now here’s your home–R.F. Curmudgeon, Z9RF work. Find out what you can and give me your best SWAG We receive photos & comments via email. answer and who ever is first Send a scan of your interesting old picture and/or closest to gittin’ it to [email protected]. H RF GAIN Read in Some of Indiana’s Finest Restrooms! We may use it for this page and/or the website. Digital pictures and captions become the property of RF GAIN bla, bla, bla, and may (or may not) be used more than once, bla, bla, bla, here or online and will not be returned, bla, bla. We will cite the source if we can recollect it at the time. Submit shots that will fit the mood of this page. Others will be deleted, burned, shredded or filed for later use in a another galaxy. RF GAIN © MCARC July, 2014 — Page 8