September 2017 DETARC...

1. DETARC INFORMATION Club Officers: President- Steve KG5ODZ [email protected], Vice President/Repeater Trustee- Mike WD5EFY, Secretary- RM K5AGE, Treasurer- Randy N5CRW.

Club Web Page: www.detarc.net

Club Email Reflector: Join the reflector to receive Club information. To join send an email request to: [email protected]

Meeting Times/Location: Fourth Thursday of the month at 7 PM at the old armory on Tulane Drive, across from Kiwanis Park.

DETARC/ARES Net: 146.940 MHz-600, 141.3 CTCSS. Every Tuesday at 8 PM, alternates 147.360+600 MHz, 141.3 CTCSS, or 146.42 Simplex.

For additional information on DETARC/ARES see the web site at www.detarc.net

DETARC/ARES News:

DETARC/ARES members have you upgraded, or recently accomplished something special in Ham Radio?

Are you working on a special project? Share it with fellow Club members and let us all know what you are doing.

Jerry KC5JWB has a new TNC and has it working with RMS software to send email over VHF radio.

Ask Gary KI5LR about his newly installed 40-meter delta loop. Gary is chasing DX and looking for new Awards to apply for. See Gary’s article in Section 8 below. Good luck on the Worked All Caribbean Award Gary.

Door Prizes: The Club meetings have door prizes thanks to Gary KI5LR’s good efforts.

Door Prize Donation: Each attendee receives one free ticket for showing up. For each dollar donated to the prize fund you will receive one additional ticket. See Gary KI5LR for additional details. Roger K0YY won the July door prize which was a soldering station and several hand tools to help work on Ham Radio/electronics projects. The August meeting Door Prize will be--- The ARRL book “Your First HF Radio Station”. This is a great reference for new Generals or anyone studying for their General license. DETARC/ARES Projects/Events:

Old Armory Comm Room: We discussed the next phase of the Comm Room upgrade project at the July DETARC meeting. We are now looking to get the VHF tri-band beam installed to have 6-meter capability and a further reach on 2-meters and 440 MHz. Plans are being made to address a second tower and getting an HF beam installed. We need several more sections of Rohn 25 tower for the Comm Room HF antenna. Let Gary KI5LR [email protected] or Roger K0YY [email protected] know if you have some available for the Club.

SEPTEMBER 2017, Volume #1, Issue # 9

NEWSLETTER

Deep East Texas Amateur Radio Club

© Copyright 2017, DETARC Roger K0YY Editor, [email protected]

DETARC, Inc. Lufkin, TX

DETARC NEWSLETTER September 2017

The new Comm Room is something to be proud of for our DETARC Club and ARES Groups. Be sure to stop by and check it out. Texas QSO Party (TQP) and Boy Scouts Jamboree On The Air (JOTA). We are considering activating the Comm Room for these two events if there is enough interest from Club members. The TQP is September 23rd & 24th. The JOTA is October 20th through 22nd. Let Roger know if interested at [email protected]. Notice: Annual Club dues are due in July See our Treasurer Randy N5CRW to pay your dues. Please--

W5IRP QSL Cards. We now have QSL cards to acknowledge contacts with those stations desiring a confirmation card.

2. Upcoming Ham Radio Contests/Special Events:

UPCOMING CONTESTS: North American QSO Party, SSB, 1800Z, Aug 19 to 0559Z, Aug 20

W/VE Islands QSO Party, 1200Z, Aug 26 to 0300Z, Aug 27

WAE DX Contest, SSB, 0000Z, Sep 9 to 2359Z, Sep 10

ARRL September VHF Contest, 1800Z, Sep 9 to 0300Z, Sep 11

Texas QSO Party, 1400Z, Sep 23 to 0200Z, Sep 24 and 1400Z-2000Z, Sep 24

SELECT HAM SPECIAL EVENTS: Solar Eclipse QSO Parties Aug 20 & 21st. 09/14/2017 | 2017 Grapefest Sep 14-Sep 17, 0730Z-2359Z, KC5HWB, Grapevine, TX. W5G. 21.275 14.295 7.205. UPCOMING HAMFESTS: --from ARRL Web Site.

10/07/2017 | HamEXPO Location: Belton, TX Type: ARRL Hamfest Sponsor: Temple Amateur Radio Club Website: http://tarc.org/hamexpo/

03/17/2018 | Swapfest

Location: Georgetown, TX Type: ARRL Hamfest Sponsor: Williamson County Amateur Radio Club Website: http://wcarc.com


For further details on Contests/Special Events/Hamfests see: www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/

www.arrl.org/contest-calendar

www.arrl.org/special-event-stations

http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/cq_contests/cq_annual_contest_calendar/cq_annual_contest_calendar.html

http://www.rsgbcc.org/hf/

http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/search/Location.state:TX

3. AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE® (ARES) Mike WD5EFY, South Texas Section, District 2 Emergency Coordinator (DEC) (Angelina & Surrounding Counties).

Hurricane season is upon us and is predicted to be rather active! If you haven’t already, think about these preparation tips… Is that HT programmed with all the standard ARES frequencies? How about your mobile rig and spare rig (you do have a spare, right)? Do you keep at least a half tank of gas in your vehicle all the time? Go Bags checked, refreshed? Dates good on perishables and food items? Be sure and check out the DETARC, Inc. web page for more ideas! See http://detarc.net/index.php/ares-forms-and-lists for lots of great ideas for preparedness. In August-- So far we’ve been lucky that everything has “gone the other way” but we’re already up to the G’s in named storms. Continue to be prepared! To join our ARES email reflector, send an email request to [email protected].

.4. OPERATING:

FT8 Digital Mode is Latest Bright Shiny Object in Amateur Radio Digital World.

--ARRL Letter August 3rd, 2017

It's still in beta testing, but FT8 -- the latest digital bauble to capture the imagination of the Amateur Radio community -- has been luring away many of those already using the already-popular JT65 "weak-signal" mode. FT8 is included in a beta release of WSJT-X, version 1.8.0-rc1. Among its biggest advantages is a shorter transmit-receive cycle, meaning quicker contacts. The notes for the "candidate" release say that FT8 offers "sensitivity down to -20 dB on the AWGN channel." Contacts are four times faster than with JT65 or JT9, and an entire FT8 contact can take place in about 1

minute. The new mode is named after its developers, Steven Franke, K9AN, and Joe Taylor, K1JT. The

numeral designates the mode's eight-frequency shift keying format. Tones are spaced at 6.25 Hz, and an FT8 signal occupies just 50 Hz. Unlike JT65 or JT9, transmit and receive cycles in FT8 each last about 15 seconds. Like JT65, FT8 requires accurate time synchronization. An auto-sequencing feature offers the option to respond automatically to the first decoded reply to your CQ.


"FT8 is an excellent mode for HF DXing and for situations like multi-hop Es on 6 meters, where deep QSB may make fast and reliable completion of QSOs desirable," Taylor's release notes assert. ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U, has been using FT8 from the start and put W1AW on FT8 for the first time a few weeks ago on 6 meters. "This mode is a game changer for 6 meters," Corey said. "Activity is intense, and contacts are possible using this mode when the band seems totally dead." Corey said it's easy to get on with FT8, call CQ, and "quickly fill the log," and he rated the auto-sequencing feature as "awesome." "FT8 gives small and modest stations a real chance at participating in programs like DXCC, VUCC and WAS; and, to top it off, at a time when band conditions are far from optimal." Corey said. The beta release came out just days before the July CQ VHF Contest and proved to be a boon to many operators who took advantage of FT8 on 6 meters. In a limited outing for the CQ VHF, Frank Donovan, W3LPL, made 22 FT8 contacts on 6 meters, some of which "may have been difficult to complete on CW," he said. "We know that the advent of new mode FT8 means that new material is needed for the User Guide," Taylor told the Yahoo Meteor Scatter and Weak Signal Group this week. "We will be working on that in the near future." A new Facebook group has been established for FT8 experimenters. Read more.

Editor’s Note: Techs-- You see many FT8 spots for 6-meters on 50.313 on the DX Clusters.

5. REPEATER NOTES:

All the repeaters are in good shape, the generator still has about 85 gallons of diesel and continues to be on the ready. The other day we had a real-time test of the site generator when a bird got in the HV line serving the site and blew a fuse. The generator and transfer switch worked well. Last month we tested the time-out function of the repeater! In order to protect the repeater’s transmitter, it has what is called a “time-out timer” so that if someone gets long winded or there is a band opening or someone sits on their mobile mic and the repeater stays keyed for a longer than normal period – it will automatically “time out” and turn the transmitter off. Well, a random stuck mic tested the system and sure enough, it responded as it should have and turned off the transmitter thus saving wear and tear on the repeater transmitter! Luckily some alert folks figured how who it might be and a quick telephone call solved the problem! FOX HUNT TIME!! ARES monthly Wide-Area Net Remember it is held monthly on the third Monday night on the 94 and other participating repeaters at 2030 hours local time. 73, --Mike, WD5EFY, Repeater System Trustee and maintenance technician. Info Note: Are you familiar with the Amateur Radio Newsline?


This is another source of Ham Radio related information—

https://www.arnewsline.org/

6. ARRL NEWS:

Club Station W5IRP Field Day Submission accepted at ARRL HQ.

--ARRL Letter Aug 3, 2017

Our submission has been accepted with no errors— First Pass of 2017 Field Day Submissions is Completed: With the July 25 ARRL Field Day submission deadline behind us, the ARRL Contest Branch has completed a "first pass" of the 2017 Field Day submissions. Scroll down to Field Day Submissions, where there's a link to the list and additional information. Several lines in the Summaries Received List are highlighted in yellow with this statement: "Data Incomplete -- Contact ARRL Contest Branch. E-mail [email protected]." If your listing has this statement, the Contest Branch will have e-mailed you a request for missing documents (typically, the missing document is the 2-page Summary Sheet). Be sure to follow up with the Contest Branch if your listing is so notated

7. FOR SALE/WANTED:

Do you have something to sell or are you looking for a Ham related item? Place a free ad by sending ads to [email protected]. (Kilo Zero Yankee Yankee).

Ad Rules:

1. Ham related only

2. DETARC/ARES Members receive priority.

3. Include asking price, name, call, and email address or phone number—this is required for

all ads. You give your permission to publish your email address and/or phone number by submitting an ad.

4. Be specific, short & concise. Use brand and model numbers if available. State condition if appropriate- poor/fair/good/excellent, or as is.

5. Newsletter Editor determines what is/isn’t appropriate and may edit ads to fit or limit the number of ads.

6. Be aware that the Newsletter is shared among many of the regions Hams.

7. This is on a trial basis to see how it works.

8. Disclaimer: DETARC and the Newsletter Editor are not a party to or responsible for transactions between individuals. Strongly recommend buyers thoroughly check purchases prior to completing any transaction. Buyers may want to check prices for similar items on www.eham.com or www.ebay.com.

9. The cutoff date to receive ads is the 15th of the month prior to the monthly meetings. The next month’s Newsletter is published immediately after the DETARC/ARES monthly meeting the 4th Thursday of the month. For example: to place an ad in the May Newsletter, your ad must arrive by April 15th.

Ham Radio Ads: FOR SALE: 50’ 12ga extension cord for sale $20.00. $65.00 at Lowes. Randy N5CRW [email protected] WANTED: Rohn 25 tower sections, 10-foot sections, 4 each in good to excellent condition. Contact Roger K0YY, [email protected].

8. EXTRA TIDBITS: Spotlight on Ham Radio Groups.

Summits On The Air (SOTA)


SOTA is an award scheme for radio amateurs that encourages portable operation in mountainous areas. SOTA has been carefully designed to make participation possible for all Radio Amateurs and Shortwave Listeners - this is not just for mountaineers! There are awards for activators (those who ascend to the summits) and chasers (who either operate from home, a local hilltop or are even Activators on other summits). More information-- http://na-sota.org/

Builder’s Corner:

40 Meter Horizontal Delta Loop

--By Gary KI5LR

I have been trying to build a better mouse trap or in this case a better 40-meter antenna. I would love to have a Hy-gain DIS-72 two element beam. However , after building SM2YER’s 40 Meter Horizontal Delta Loop, I think I will just save the money!

SM2YER’s details on building the antenna are here: https://netcracker.consolidated.com/ncobject.jsp?id=9148520584613882500

I have some recommendations on the Balun. Use 1-inch schedule 40 PVC pipe. You will need a piece 1 inch or longer. When you wind the Balun per SM2YER’s directions, leave about 2 or 3 inches at the top of the Balun. The longer piece on the bottom can be used to secure the feed coax to with lots of electrical tape to prevent too much stress on the feed point.

I have my antenna hung at about 30 maybe 35 feet in a horizontal configuration. I have made several delta loop antennas over the past 30 years but they have all been hung in a vertical configuration. SM2YER showed where the antenna should deliver approximately 6 dB of gain. My first thoughts were “yeah right.” I have observed 5 to 6 dB gain over my G5RV on 40 meters! Unbelievable! On 20 meters I have equal comparison to my Hy-gain TH-5 Triband antenna on 20 meters. Only thing the

beam offers over the loop is front-to-back gain with the ability to rotate the antenna.

SWR observed is 1.8:1 at 7 MHz and near 1:1 at 7.3 MHz. I have to use the tuner to touch up 20 meters a tad but the loop is still usable without it at about 2:1 SWR. Due to the Balun, I am unable to get the resonating frequency with my Grid Dip Oscillator (GDO) but the math says the antenna should be resonant around 7 MHz.

Materials used were: 150 feet of 14 AWG Flex-weave copper antenna wire (~$34), two egg insulators, homemade feed point insulator, 12 inches of 1-inch SCH 40 PVC, 14 feet of 14 AWG THHN copper wire, a short piece of Beldon 9913, and a lot of electrical tape.

SM2YER Balun used by KI5LR.


KI5LR Delta Loop Feed point insulator and balun. (KI5LR Picture)

“Hey, is that W1AW on HF?” Question of the month—

Do you know what W1AW is?

Where are those signals coming from?

US Call Area Map

September 2017 DETARC...

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