TO : Cleveland
County Amateur Radio Operators
FROM: Bill Morine, N2COP, ARRL
North Carolina
Section Manager
Dear Fellow
Hams:
For many of
you, this email will arrive just before tonight’s
county commissioners meeting, so I hope you will share
this with other Hams who
will attend tonight’s meeting but may not have read it.
There has been
much discussion about the proposed antenna tower ordinance. I
want to commend all those who have worked to life the
restriction that antennas in Cleveland County be confined only
to industrial zones, and instead be permitted in all zones.
Such an approach
is consistent with the state North Carolina antenna law enacted
in 2007. However, there are conflicting views as to the need
for other requirements in a county ordinance which would
regulate Amateur radio antennas and towers.
Tonight is not
the time to raise these issues at the
county
commissioners meeting. Our understanding is that the
Planning Director
plans to recommend that the county commissioners table the
proposed ordinance and refer it to an “advisory
committee” to resolve remaining issues. We welcome the
creation of such a committee which will bring the expertise of
all parties together to forge an ordinance that can meet the
needs of Hams and the county while being compliant with state
law. We look forward to seeing the next phase of proposals
which will lead to an ordinance that should serve all well.
73,
Bill Morine, N2COP
Bill
Morine, N2COP
101 Windlass Drive
Wilmington , NC
28409-2030 HOME TEL:
(910) 452-1770 • WORK TEL: (910) 799-7800
CELL:
(910) 367-1758 • FAX:
(910) 452-7565 North Carolina Section Manager
Chairman - ARRL
National Public Relations Committee
An ARRL trained Public Information Officer
ARRL-The
National Association for Amateur Radio™
NCARES Grants Answers and Queswtions
From:
"Tom Brown N4TAB"
<n4tab@earthlink.net>
To: ncares-admin@n4tab.com
HLS grants now are allocated through the 9 DPR
Regions (Domestic Preparedness Regions) in NC. There
is a hierarchy and all Counties in each DPR are in
contention for all available funds in that DPR. The
voting contingents decide how the monies will be
allocated within each DPR and it's brutal. A well
written, supported and lobbied proposal may win a
DPR approval and then face State-level limits of
funds availability.
Most EOCs have funds that can be allocated to
purchase equipment to support ESF-x support
activities.
UASI funds are available for training through
State-sponsored courses, but I'm not aware of
anything beyond that. We'll have some info
forthcoming about this specific topic in October.
73,
Tom N4TAB
NC SEC
----------------------------------
Re: [Ncares-admin]
Grants??
Thursday, August 26, 2010 9:46
PM
From:
"Jim Bailey"
<n4act@earthlink.net>
To: "kd4kfr@arrl.net," <ncares-admin@n4tab.com>
We
were able to get a small grant
from your local
Wal-Mart. You would
probably have to be a 501 ( c )
( 3 ) organization to get one,
but you might be able to get it
through your
Emergency Management
without being a 501 ( c ) ( 3
). I don't know how likely you
are to get this as I applied for
a second grant about 4 months
ago and have not heard anything
from them, but it is a
possibility.
We've got the dates selected for the 3 day Technician Exam
Review Class. The dates are:
1) Thursday,
September 16, 2010
2) Thursday,
September 23
3) Thursday,
September 30
4) Thursday, October 7, Technician Exam
The class will meet from 6-9 pm in the Snyder building, room
218, at
Stanly Community College. We will use Gordon West's
latest Technician
study guide. A link for the book on Amazon is below. Instructors
will be Jeff Swaringen and
Steve Barker
If you know of potential hams, let them know about the upcoming
review class. The class is free; the only cost is for the actual
exam ($12). Refreshments and snacks will be provided for the
class.
Thanks, Steve Barker
WB4TSN
Coming Soon to a place near
YOU.
I know that it early but put this on you
calendar for our Fall ARES meeting at
Western Piedmont Community College.
Paul - KD4OZI
Hi Paul,
The end-of-semester-crunch is over and I was able to reserve
that room you wanted for the ARES meeting in October.
It is Saturday Oct.30
9am-1pm
(reserved) in HS-160 (Health
Sciences).
That is the same room we used for the past
two meetings.
School address:
Western Piedmont Community College
1001 Burkemont Ave.
Morganton, NC 28655 wpcc.edu
73
Michelle
8/7/2010
10/4/2010
All EC's have
you tried this approach for you Club or ARES members???
Paul - KD4OZI
Hello ARES members. I just would
like to invite you to join the GAARC at our next meeting,
October 7 at 7:00pm at
Southminster Presbyterian Church located at
1401 Hoffman Road in Gastonia. We are going to have our
annual ice cream
social. The club will be providing the ice cream, and I will
pick that up myself either Wednesday or Thursday next week. If
you would like to bring a topping, I have compiled a list of
some goodies that go along well with ice cream. If there is
something that is not on the list that you would like to bring,
feel free to bring that as well. If you could let me know by
Saturday if you plan on attending, and how many will be in your
party, I would appreciate it. That way, I will have some idea of
how much ice cream to get. You can rsvp to either
mledford@carolina.rr.com or
aj4qj@yahoo.com.
Let's plan on making this a great get together for the clubs in
Gaston County. I hope to see you all there.
Other items needed
Bowls, utensils, napkins, drinks and cups if you want to have
drinks available.
73,
Michael, AJ4QJ
9/28/2010
Area -11
All;
We are a couple of weeks away from the BSA centennial
celebration at Camp Barnhardt
We plan to run from 3 pm Friday, 24 Sept. to 8 am, Sunday 26
Sept. if all possible.
We will to have two HF
station on the air utilizing equipment from CARS (10-20m)
and
K4PM (40/80m) as well as N4HWH is planning to set up VHF equipment also.
The scouts will also
visit the stations during the Saturday exhibits event to
get there passport initialed and ask any questions.
I have included a copy of the leaders guide for you to
review illustrating the purpose of the event.
If you know anyone else who may want to operate, please
forward this email to them a
If you are planning to operate, Please fill out the
volunteer form attached and include the times you are
available and return to me, as we need a roster of those amateur
operators that are planning to assist in the special events
station at
Camp Barnhardt.
This is no cost
for any volunteers and each volunteer will receive a
commemorative BSA centennial celebration patch as well
as lunch for those who operate on Saturday.
Registered volunteer
scouters may camp overnight . Any non- council registered
personnel must have permission from the
Camp Ranger and/or the council office to camp
overnight. Please let me know if you plan to “pitch a tent”
near the
operating stations.
If you know anyone else
who may want to operate or assist, please forward this
email to them .
Feel free to contact me with any questions.
Thanks for your help.
Regards
Jeff Parker -WA1WXL
1630 Eastwood Dr.
Kannapolis NC 28083
704-933-5518
704-856-9252 (Google Voice)
704-467-1471 (c )
wa1wxl4@gmail.com
Area-11 Meeting in
Statesville on 8/21/2010
was Cancelled two of the Counties have prior
Obligations.
Russell Beck/Paul-KD4OZI
A friend from Stanly County.
Fred Thomas Smith
N4NMS (SK)
OAKBORO
- Fred Thomas Smith, 82, of Oakboro, formerly of Kannapolis,
died Thursday, June 3, 2010, at Stanly Manor in Albemarle
following a period of declining health. He was born Feb. 6,
1928 in Alexander County son of the late Harry Lee and
Pansie Leola Ferguson Smith. He was a former member of
Centerview Baptist Church in Kannapolis and attended St.
Martin Lutheran Church in Albemarle. Mr. Smith was a veteran
of the U.S. Navy and had retired from the Merchant Marines
with 44 years of service. He had served in the Great Lakes
area for 35 years. Fred was known for his electronic
expertise and built and repaired computers. He was a well
known longtime ham radio operator and computer user. Funeral
services will be 2 p.m. Saturday, June 5, 2010 at Whitley's
Funeral Home Chapel conducted by Rev. Judy Copeland. The
family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour
prior to the funeral. At other times they will be at the
residence. Interment will follow in West Lawn Memorial Park,
China Grove. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn Crowell of
the Home, and a sister, Claudean Kluttz and husband, Hoy, of
Kannapolis. He was preceded in death by a sister, Maylene
Berryman and two brothers, James Grady Smith and Harvey Lee
Smith. Whitley's Funeral Home is serving the family of Mr.
Smith. Online condolences may be sent to
www.whitleysfuneralhome.com
Published in Concord & Kannapolis Independent Tribune on
June 4, 2010
Dear Fellow NC
PIOs:
As part of the
upcoming changes on April 1st, I’ve asked
Section Manager Tim Slay, N4IB, to appoint
Woody Woodward, K3VSA, as the section Public Information
Coordinator, effective immediately. I’ve worked closely with
Woody for the past four years, and I’m sure you’ll agree he has
the commitment and enthusiasm to not only maintain the fine PIO
operation we have in the section, bit to expand upon it and
bring it an even higher level. Woody has been helping me behind
the scenes to update the NC ARRL PIO page at
www.ncarrl.org
to prepare for the transition, and you’ll see those results
shortly.
It’s been my
pleasure to have served as section PIC since November of 2004,
and I look forward to continuing to work with you all as Section
Manager after April 1st. Please join me in welcoming
Woody.
73,
Bill N2COP
Bill Morine, N2COP
An ARRL trained Public Information Officer
101 Windlass Drive
Wilmington , NC
28409-2030
HOME TEL:
(910) 452-1770 CELL:
(910) 367-1758 Chairman - ARRL
National Public
Relations Committee
Cabarrus County in preparation
for Field Day
Hands-on demo/training class.
Here is your chance!!!
On Sat. May 22 there will be a BSA
Cub Scout Demo at Camp JJ Barnhardt from approx.
8:00am til 4:00pm. Jeff is asking for people to help-out with
this event. Being a demo, there
will be an opportunity to help set-up the trailer and use the
radios without all the hub-bub of
Field Day. You can take your time and experiment a little.
STARTEX Tuesday, May 4, 0700 HRS
PAUSEEXX Tuesday May 4th 2000 HRS
RESUMEEX Wednesday May 5th 0700 HRS
ENDEX Wednesday 1700 HRS
Western Branch NCEM office at Conover will be activated - staff
size unknown
Major focus on COMMS, particularly Tuesday 0700-1300 HRS
THEN will be on 3923/3927 (probably 3923 since the exercise will
start before the chat crowd on 3823 starts their group fun)
THEN alternate 7232 +/- QRM
Stations without official exercise traffic should check-in to
the THEN and NOT to a Branch office or the State EOC.
Please don't send non-exercise traffic to the Branches or the
State EOC
If local ARES groups or County EM agencies are activated, please
have them send a simple after-action-report to me and we'll
include that info in our overall after-action-report
That's all I know, Paul
Area-11 Iredell County will participating in Walk For
Babies Saturday....
State Meeting
Where: State EOC Center
When: April 24th
Start Time 1030AM
116 west Jones Street, Raleigh,
NC
3/31/10
TOPIC
PRESENTER
Introduction—State EOC
Tom Brown
N4TAB
NCEM
Operations
Clay
Benton NCEM Operations
Center Manager
Dianne Benton NIMS Compliant
2010 Hurricane Season
Darin
Figurskey KC2IPY National WX Service
New
SM Introduction
Tim
Slay N4IB
Bill
Morine N2COP
Geologic Hazards
Bob
Condor K4RLC
Winlink Expansion
Tom
Brown N4TAB
ICS
Certificate Database
Tom
Brown N4TAB or
Steve
Mizel
Hurricane Drill
ARES
Statewide Database
Bernard Nobles WA4MOK
Message Flow
Bernard Nobles WA4MOK
Appointment Process
Bernard Nobles WA4MOK
TARHEEL NET
Mark
Cantrell KD4IMA or
Bernard Nobles WA4MOK
EMAIL
ADDRESS’S
Bernard Nobles WA4MOK
Bernard Nobles WA4MOK
NC Section Emergency Coordinator
Thanks Bernie (WA4MOK) for your efforts
over the last 10 years as service as the S.E.C. Myself and
folks in the
Western Branch will certainly miss you. Good luck to you
in your future endeavors.
Tom
(N4TAB), Welcome aboard.
Paul - KD4OZI
From:
ncares-admin-bounces@rtpnet.org [mailto:ncares-admin-bounces@rtpnet.org]
On Behalf Of
Bill Morine N2COP Sent: Monday,
June 07, 2010 9:41 PM To: 'NC
Amateur Radio Emergency Service email list' Subject: [Ncares-admin]
Change in SEC
Bernie Nobles,
WA4MOK, has resigned as
Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) and
Tom Brown,
N4TAB, has agreed to serve as his replacement.
Bernie served
as SEC since 2003 and indicated he wanted to spend more time
with family. During his term ARES made great strides in
improving the ICS credentialing of county ECs , streamlining
relations with state agencies and upgrading digital EmCOMM
applications through Winlink. He provided steady leadership
during a time of tremendous technological and organizational
change, and we wish him and his wife, Phyllis, well.
Tom has served
as Assistant
Section Emergency Coordinator (ASEC) for the Central
Branch, and has been instrumental in improving Amateur Radio
response capability at the
state Emergency
Operations Center (EOC). A strong proponent of
interoperability, Tom will expand integration of Amateur Radio
in the state’s
emergency communications plans.
We appreciate
Bernie’s accomplishments and we welcome Tom as
North Carolina
ARES moves towards 21st century EmCOMM
solutions.
73,
Bill Morine N2COP
ARRL North Carolina Section Manager
Ladies &
Gentlemen,
It is with
my dismay
that I have
resigned the
position of
NC SEC, due
to family
commitments,
and various
other
reasons. It
has been a
pleasure to
work with
all of you
during the
past seven
years,
and all of
you have
made a lot
of
progress over
the last few
years
with everyone
working hard
to make NC
ARES one of
the best.
Whoever
takes the
position
as NC SEC I
wish them
the best,
and hope
they will
lead NC ARES
into the
21st century.
My
resignation
was
affective as
of
June 4, 2010.
Besides my
family
amateur
radio will
always be a
big part of
my life and
NC ARES.
Thanks to
All 73
Bernard
Nobles
WA4MOK
From: John
White WB2NHQ <wb2nhq@carolina.rr.com
Subject: Fw: [W4BFB Members] Fw: RADO course offering
To: "k4zxn" <k4zxn@yahoo.com
Date: Monday, June 14, 2010, 8:42 AM
----- Original Message ----- From: Hauser, Gregory
To: 'John White WB2NHQ'
Cc: Pipkin, Caryn ; Tom Brown N4TAB
Sent: Friday, June 11, 2010 10:08 AM
Subject: RADO course offering
Hello Mr. White,
I also wanted to take the opportunity to offer an all
hazards Radio Operator (RADO) course to
members of ARES in the following counties: "Mecklenburg,
Cabarrus, Union, Lincoln, Cleveland,
Catawba, Iredell, Gaston, Rowan, and Stanly.
This class is geared toward
public safety dispatchers and amateur operators
that are required to take their skills out to a large event or
disaster. We will focus on how the RADO fits into the
Communications Unit in the NIMS structure. We will also train
on the Charlotte UASI Mobile Operations Center and do a few
functional exercises.
The class is July 20th and/or 21st (1 day class) at the
Charlotte Fire/Police Training Academy.
If anyone is interested, please Contact Caryn Pipkin at
704-336-8803.
If you have any questions please let us know.
Greg Hauser
TCII/Tactical Comms Coordinator
Charlotte Fire Communications
C:
7042418616
Area -13 Update
To:
"'BERNARD NOBLES'"
<wa4mok@embarqmail.com>,
"'PAUL B ROBINETTE'"
<kd4ozi@bellsouth.net>,
n2cop@ec.rr.com
Hi
you all,
I
just wanted to give a
little update about
things that are going on
in and around Cleveland
County (Area 13).
The Shelby Amateur
Radio Club has installed
a brand new D-STAR
repeater. The VHF
repeater seems to be
working well and has
great coverage in the
area. The UHF repeater
is waiting on a new
antenna and we hope its
coverage will be good
also. We (the SARC
repeater committee) are
planning to run these
stand alone for a while
to work out any kinks
locally and then plan to
begin working on
connecting them to a
Gateway.
ARES of Cleveland
County which is
sponsored by the SARC
has already been using
the DSTAR DRATS
application during
drills and the SET on
simplex frequencies.
This software allows
those with a DSTAR radio
and a computer to use
the radio either on a
repeater or simplex to
send ICS 213 compliant
forms, NTS traffic
forms, Hospital type
forms and even
photographs on the air
while at the same time
using voice. This has
proved successful on
each occasion used and
the
emergency management
loves to potential of
this. SARC has donated
a radio / antenna / coax
to be installed at the
Red Cross Building in
Shelby and ARES of
Cleveland County/SARC
used monies from a
raffle (a couple years
ago) to buy a radio to
install at the EOC in
Cleveland County which
is DSTAR Ready.
Over the county line in
Gaston County,
The EM there has used
money given to the
county by Duke Power
grant to purchase
ID-880H's (3 of them)
Dstar radios for use at
the EOC, Red Cross
Building and in the
field. The great thing
about dstar radios is
the fact they can be
used on Digital or
analog modes. Also no
TNC is required between
radio and computer to
get on the air passing
messages. It cuts out
having to carry another
peripheral (TNC) and
more cables. Coverage
of the SARC Dstar
Repeater covers
Gaston County
really well and both
counties are working
together to test these
repeaters.
Just wanted to give you
a little update of how
your ARES volunteers in
these two counties are
working together and
improving the ARES
presence in these
counties. The EC's/AEC's
in these two counties
are continually at work
to build the ARES groups
in these counties.
The
over-the-mountain
triathlon in
Kings Mountain is
May 22nd and
this event will include
ARES members from
Cleveland County,
Rutherford County,
Gaston County,
Mecklenburg County
and York and Cherokee
Counties in
South Carolina.
While this event is
sponsored by ARES of
Cleveland County / SARC
it is definitely a group
effort by volunteers
inside and outside the
NC ARES area 13
district. This event
has worked the past
three years to
strengthen the Mutual
Assistance across county
lines by allow members
from various ARES groups
to work together side by
side and get to know one
another. This kind of
practice will make
Mutual Assistance Teams
possible in the event of
a real emergency and
perhaps make the
practice of assisting
surrounding counties an
easier process.
Anyway, I just wanted
to give you an update on
things happening in and
around the area.
73
and God Bless,
Susan - K4ZXN
5/16/10
Read between the Lines (Red) for
some things covered in the State Meeting in Raleigh
Paul - KD4OZI
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Meeting
Nice Verbal presentation by Bob, KC4TVO
Area-12 Mitchell County on Blue Ridge
Regional Hospital in
Spruce Pine, North Carolina.
Also the Western Branch leads the State on the number of Monthly
reports. Hat's off to the EC's reporting their Monthly
Reports and thanks to the DEC's.
Hurricane Drill May 4th and 5th start time 8am to Noon.
Focus on May 4th.
Paul - KD4OZI
Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in
Spruce Pine, North Carolina
Area-12
Nice work to Bob (KC4TVO), Steve (KI4ZUI)
and David
(WA9OTP) On this report. Always nice to see good things
that are released to the public on Amateur Radio. Hats off
to Western North Carolina News 13 for running the article.
To all
North Carolina
ARES/RACES
appointees
and
participants,
Information
following was
announced at the
State ARES/RACES
Meeting held
April 24, 2010
at the NC State
EOC..
As initiated by
the
May 11, 2005
NC Governor's
Proclamation and
subsequently
enacted General
Statutes, all
State Agencies,
Counties and
departments are
required to
adopt and comply
with the
National
Incident
Management
System/Incident
Command System (NIMS/ICS).
Compliance is
also required of
all
participating
State Emergency
Response Team
(SERT) partners,
both public,
non-profit and
private. This
includes
ARES/RACES in
North Carolina
and all of its
appointees and
participants..
Since 2006, NC
ARES/RACES
volunteers have
been aware of
these
requirements and
many have
completed the
required IS-100,
200, 700, and
800 online,
self-study
courses. These
courses are
required for all
participants at
all levels.
These are easy,
simple courses
and all four can
be completed in
a few hours
North Carolina
Emergency
Management
is currently in
the process of
including all
participants of
all SERT
organizations
into their
standardized
statewide
database. This
will include
information for
all NC
ARES/RACES
members along
with copies of
their completed
course
certificates.
To facilitate
that process and
to provide
better
management of
our volunteer
resources, NC
ARES/RACES has
established an
NC ARES/RACES
member database
to provide a
single point of
registration for
NC ARES/RACES
participants.
Our NC
ARES/RACES
database will
regularly
exchange data
with the NCEM
database.
Participation in
this process is
required of all
NC ARES/RACES
members.
Excepting
individuals that
will not deploy,
will not serve
at EOCs, Command
Posts
Accordingly,
NC ARES/RACES
members directly
appointed by the
NC SEC/RACES
Officer
including the
offices of EC,
ADEC,
DEC,ASEC
and SEC must be
compliant and
registered by
July1, 2010.
Those
appointees that
have not
completed the
training courses
and registered
by
July 1, 2010
will be
considered
inactive and
subject to
replacement. If,
between
July 1, 2010
and
August 1, 2010,
,
they have
completed the
required
training, they
will be
reinstated.
Those remaining
non-compliant
will be replaced
in the roster.
An invitation
will be sent to
each NC
ARES/RACES
appointee, with
the URL for the
database and a
unique password
allowing access
to the database.
Registration is
simple,
requiring
contact
information,
appointment and
a easy upload
mechanism to
upload pdf files
for each of your
IS course
certificates as
received from
FEMA.
Once the EC or
higher-level
appointee has
successfully
registered,
he/she will then
manage
invitations and
registration and
approval for
those members in
their
jurisdiction.
Compliance for
other NC
ARES/RACES
participants (AECs
and general
members) is the
responsibility
of the appointed
EC in whose
jurisdiction
they work. Note
that
non-compliant
participants
may
not work at EOCs,
Incidents,
Command Posts,
Staging Areas
or at any point
of interface
with Government
officials. In
order to work
with any NIMS/ICS
compliant
process, the
participant must
have
demonstrated
compliance, with
copies of their
certificates
on-file with
NCEM.
EC's remember to
consult your
county emergency
manager
to make sure the
requirements
listed above are
sufficient to
work in your
county eoc.
73,
Bernard
Nobles
WA4MOK
NC SEC
NC State RACES
Officer
4/24/10
Plans for 2010
Hurricane Drill – May 4
Weekly Training sessions
ICS 213 training
Short, 5 minute - ideas welcome
Increase participation
AECs, DECs, County ECs
Geographic – goal is every county (that
would be 100 nightly)
SB QST @ ARL $ARLB013
ARLB013 FCC Looks to Lower Fees for Vanity Call Signs
ZCZC AG13
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 13 ARLB013
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT April 14, 2010
To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB013
ARLB013 FCC Looks to Lower Fees for Vanity Call Signs
The FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order (NPRM) on
April 13 seeking to lower the fee for Amateur Radio vanity call
signs. Currently, a vanity call sign costs $13.40 and is good for 10
years; the new fee, if the FCC plan goes through, will go down to
$13.30 for 10 years, an decrease of 10 cents.
The FCC is authorized by the Communications Act of 1934 (as amended)
to collect vanity call sign fees to recover the costs associated
with that program. The vanity call sign regulatory fee is payable
not only when applying for a new vanity call sign, but also upon
renewing a vanity call sign for a new term. Instructions on how to
comment on this NPRM are available on the FCC Web site at,
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/howtocomment.html .
The vanity call sign fee has fluctuated over the 13 years of the
current program -- from a low of $11.70 in 2007 to a high of $70 (as
first proposed in the FCC's 1994 Report and Order). In 2007, the
Commission lowered the fee from $20.80 to $11.70. The FCC said it
anticipates some 14,800 Amateur Radio vanity call sign "payment
units" or applications during the next fiscal year, collecting
$196,840 in fees from the program.
The vanity call sign regulatory fee is payable not only when
applying for a new vanity call sign, but also upon renewing a vanity
call sign for a new term. The first vanity call sign licenses issued
under the current Amateur Radio vanity call sign program that began
in 1996 came up for renewal four years ago.
Those holding vanity call signs issued prior to 1996 are exempt from
having to pay the vanity call sign regulatory fee at renewal,
however. That's because Congress did not authorize the FCC to
collect regulatory fees until 1993. Such "heritage" vanity call sign
holders do not appear as vanity licensees in the FCC Amateur Radio
database.
Amateur Radio licensees may file for renewal only within 90 days of
their license expiration date. All radio amateurs must have an FCC
Registration Number (FRN) before filing any application with the
Commission. Applicants can obtain an FRN by going to the ULS and
clicking on the "New Users Register" link. You must supply your
Social Security Number to obtain an FRN.
NNNN
/EX
"'NC Amateur Radio
Emergency Service
email list'" <ncares-admin@rtpnet.org>
April 14, 2010
ARRL made the transition
April 13 to its new
website, which has been
in development for three
years and is the largest
change in communications
outreach for the League
since its first website
was introduced twenty
years ago. The new
website is far more
interactive than the
model it just replaced
and will contain much
more information and
resources. Like any
large transition,
however, there are
glitches which need to
be addressed. Many
Section Manager
functions are not
presently available.
ARRL staff is very aware
of this and is working
to restore these
functions as soon as
possible. I hope to
have a section
newsletter shortly once
that capability is
restored. Everyone’s
patience is appreciated
while these issues are
addressed and resolved.
73,
Bill Morine, N2COP
ARRL
North Carolina Section
Manager
Ladies &
Gentlemen,
Statewide ARES
meeting April
24, starting at
1030, location
State EOC,
116 West Jones
Street, Raleigh,
NC.
Attached is the
agenda.
Hurricane
Drill, May 4 &
5, starting at
0730 each day
until NCEM
releases us.
Winlink will
play a big part
in this drill,
with some
portable
stations setting
up at
different
locations,
provided by ARES
Members from the
Western Branch,
also from
South Carolina
EM & ARES. The
Tarheel Net will
be active,
so I'm sure
Mark KD4IMA will
be looking for
net control
stations. The
Eastern Branch
will be active
on 3923,
VHF/UHF, Winlink.
Please plan to
participate if
you can. Further
info will be
provided at the
ARES meeting.
REMINDER:
When using the
ICS-213
message format, that
format is
Plain Language
ONLY , NO Q
signals, which
is one
reason the
Incident Command
System,
and the message
format was
developed to
provide a means
of all agencies
speaking the
same language.
Further info
will be provided
at the ares
meeting
THANKS 73
Bernard Nobles
WA4MOK
NC Section
Emergency
Coordinator
Hey Folks, can you lend a hand?
Paul - KD4OZI
To:
kd4ozi@bellsouth.net,
"Tommy Queen"
<K4bnp@aol.com>,
w4dk@arrl.net
Hope this finds you well and
looking forward to something
other than snow.
This past week, I received a
phone call from
Mars Hill College
requesting help with
communications for the 2010
Southestern Collegiate
Cycling Conference
Championships, which is
going to be held in
Mars Hill on April
17. There will be about 32
colleges there, and the
winners of this event will
be traveling to the
nationals next month. The
course is 12.5 miles, and
can be covered easily will 2
meter simplex. In thinking
about this event, I see it
as a great chance for the
hams of
Western North Carolina
to show what we can do,
largely due to the fact
there will be a lot of media
coverage. The event starts
at 8:00 and should be over
by 3:00.
Now for
the meat of the email. As
you can see, we don't have a
lot of time to prepare, and
I am need of operators
willing to help with
communications. I know there
are nets in your counties
and surrounding areas, and I
ask that you put the word
out about the race. I can be
reached by phone (828-712-6554)
or email (kf4zds@arrl.net).
I would like to have 12 or
more. I have asked Dean
Blair, K2JB, about using the
Buncombe County van
as a command post for the
race and am awaiting word on
that. I guess the term
"always prepared" comes in
handy with this races.
Thanks for your help with
this and '73s
Allen Stines, aka 00 CTE: BITE-ME KF4ZDS Assistant Chief, Big Pine
VFD
3/31/10
To:
KD4OZI@BELLSOUTH.NET
SB QST @ ARL $ARLB012
ARLB012 ARRL, Red Cross
Sign Memorandum of Understanding
ZCZC AG12
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 12 ARLB012
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT March 30, 2010
To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB012
ARLB012 ARRL, Red Cross Sign Memorandum of Understanding
On Thursday, March 25, ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, signed
a
new
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the
American Red Cross
(ARC) at ARC National Headquarters in Washington, DC. The MoU,
which
replaces an earlier Statement of Understanding that expired in
2007,
provides a "broad framework for cooperation" between the ARRL
and
the ARC "in preparing for and responding to disaster relief
situations at all levels in rendering assistance and service to
victims of disaster, as well as other services for which
cooperation
may be mutually beneficial."
The ARRL Board of Directors approved the signing of the MoU at
its
January 2010 meeting following the completion of negotiations.
The
Red Cross requires the completion of a criminal background check
to
participate in Red Cross activities and provides a process by
which
a volunteer may have a criminal background check performed at no
cost to the volunteer.
In the case of ARRL volunteers, the Red Cross has agreed to
accept
an alternative process: ARRL volunteers may arrange, at their
own
initiative and expense, to have the criminal background check
performed by a state or local law enforcement agency.
The Red Cross also has agreed that ARRL volunteers shall not be
asked or required to consent to credit checks, mode of living
investigations or investigative consumer reports in order to
provide
a communications function.
The ARRL and the Red Cross encourage interested volunteers in
their
respective organizations to become members and to participate in
the
activities of the other organization. ARRL volunteers should be
aware that if they wish to become Red Cross volunteers, they may
be
required to consent to additional
background checks
in accordance
with Red Cross policy that may include credit checks, mode of
living
investigations or investigative consumer reports.
Per the MoU, "both ARRL volunteers and ARC workers will work
cooperatively at the scene of a disaster and in the
disaster
recovery, within the scope of their respective roles and
duties as
recommended."
During a
Red Cross Disaster Relief Operation (DRO) and depending
on
their training and qualifications, ARRL volunteers may perform
in
one or more of several roles, including Amateur Radio Liaison,
Communication Equipment Operator, Communication Equipment
Installation/Repair and Disaster Assessment. ARRL volunteers who
are
assigned roles by the Red Cross during a DRO will be provided
with
Red Cross credentials as required by the role, consistent with
Red
Cross policy.
"Because of the importance of
emergency
communications, we are happy
to be able to continue the League's long-standing relationship
with
the American Red Cross," said ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN.
"The
ARC and other served agencies give Amateur Radio operators the
worthwhile missions in our communities that allow us to thank
America for the privilege of being hams."
NNNN
/EX
U.S. Daylight Savings Time in 2010
Clock Changes - When to Spring Forward and Fall Back
Daylight Savings time begins each year at 2:00 A.M.
on the second Sunday in March, with clocks moving ahead
one hour. Standard time begins each year at 2:00 A.M. on
the first Sunday in November, with clocks moving one
hour back.
When Is Daylight Savings?
Daylight Savings time begins each year at 2:00 A.M. on the second Sunday in March,
with clocks moving ahead one hour. Standard time begins each year at 2:00 A.M.
on the first Sunday in November, with clocks moving one hour back.
2010
Charlotte Hamfest
March 13 - 14, 2010
Saturday - 8:30AM to 5:00PM
Sunday - 9:00AM to 1:00PM
Tickets at the door $10.00
Advance Tickets $7.00
Order Now
I will be at tables 204, 205 and 206 with
the Stanly County Club. Stop and see me.
Paul - KD4OZI
From:
Susan Melvin [mailto:k4zxn@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2010 8:47 PM
Hope to see all of you all at the Area 13
District meeting on Saturday, March 6, 2010 9AM at the Gaston
County EOC located at 615 N. Highland Street in Gastonia.
I hope the meeting will not take up too much of your morning on
Saturday and I will try to get you out and back to your families
just as soon as I can. After my presentation to the group, Ben
KM4C and Todd WA4TV from ARES of Cleveland County will present a
demonstration of using DSTAR with the DRATS software to send
forms/photos and files over the air. I'm sure that you all will
find this very interesting! We used it in Cleveland County
during the S.E.T. and it was a great asset to us!
Please look over the directory attached and
send me any corrections that I may need to apply, as I would
like to have this updated prior to the March 6th
meeting.
Anyway, I look forward to seeing you at the district meeting
this weekend!
73 and God Bless!
Susan Melvin, K4ZXN
District Emergency Coordinator
Area 13 North Carolina ARES
ARES ®
Registered Trademark of ARRL
Fox Hunts in Area 13
Third Saturday of each month/except for hamfest days) –
Alternating between Gaston and Cleveland County
February 20th foxhunt will be in Cleveland County.
We will meet for breakfast at
Mountain View Restaurant in Kings Mountain, NC on
Business 74 (100 W. King Street) at 8:30am.
The fox will transmit on 146.535 and the hunters will use
146.880 to communicate with each other. The fox will begin
transmitting at 10am.
Items In the news to
read items go to Section News
to read the complete articles/
NEW NC PIC APPOINTED
NC QSO PARTY - FEBRUARY 28
STATE ARES MEETING - APRIL 24
NEW ARRL VOLUNTEER COUNSEL
PREVIEW - ROANOKE
DIVISION CONVENTION
At the Charlotte Hamfest
Speaking at the Hamfest,
come and see me at Stanly County K4OGB tables 204, 205 and
206
Paul - KD4OZI
Hello All,
Everyone
is invited to the
Mecklenburg
Amateur Radio Societies,
W4BFB, club auction this
Tuesday evening, January
26th at
7:30PM at East Baptist
Church, at 6850 Monroe
Road, next to
East Mecklenburg High
School. This
auction is free
and open to all W4BFB
members and the general
public to buy and sell
and everyone is
encouraged to
participate. Jerry Malin,
N2HV will serve as our
auctioneer, and Tom Hunt
KA3VVJ will be our
treasurer.
To encourage
participation, this is a
totally free
auction, there are no
fees or charges for
anyone to buy or sell at
the auction.
Please try and limit
your items to
electronics,
ham radio gear,
and things used in the
shack.
Remember the Charlotte
Hamfest isn't too far
away so now is a great
time to sell some items
to build up that hamfest
fund.
one mans junk is another
mans treasure.
If you would like to
sell any items, please
come about 7PM, so we
can get you registered
and items checked in
before the club meeting
begins. You will be
asked what the minimum
price you will accept,
and items will not be
sold below that minimum
without your permission.
To speed the flow, our
treasurer will collect
all monies for items
sold and at the end of
the auction, monies will
be distributed to the
sellers.
If anyone has any
questions please email
Bill Fisher W4GRW at
w4grw@w4bfb,org
73 de w4grw
Bill Fisher
Mecklenburg Amateur
Society, Vice President
From: Susan
Melvin [mailto:k4zxn@yahoo.
com]
Sent: Sunday,
January 03, 2010
11:04 AM
To:
'k4zxn@yahoo.
com'
Subject:
Charlotte Area
SKYWARN and
National Weather
Service
Importance: High
Charlotte Area
SKYWARN (CASN)
and the National
Weather Service
(NWS) will
present a
spotter training
class with a
winter weather
focus on
Thursday,
January 14,
2010 at 7PM at
the Cleveland
County EOC in
Shelby.
They will be
presenting this
information at
the ARES of
Cleveland County
Meeting. We
would like to
take this
opportunity to
extend an
invitation to
you to join
us for this
spotter
training. If
you've already
have had the
spotter
training but it
has been some
time since you
have received
it, it is always
good to get a
refresher of the
information.
Come on out and
lets learn
spotter training
on Thursday
January 14,
2010.
We look forward
to seeing you
all at the
class! If you
would like to
pass
this along to
your club's /
ARES groups,
feel free!
Thank you so
much and may God
Bless you in the
New Year!
73
Susan, K4ZXN
Comment: This was very good class. Folks in or out of
Amateur Radio
will enjoy
this class.
Snow's coming
soon in an Area
near you.
Hello all,
I
just received a phone call from a person identifying themselves
as with "Consumer Rewards" telling me my phone number had been
selected to receive $400.00 in
Wal-Mart
gift cards. He assured me there was no catch, all I had to do
was pay $3.95 Shipping and Handling. Of course then he wanted
my credit or debit card number. He already had my name,
address, and phone number.
This is obviously a scam. DO NOT GIVE OUT ANY FINANCIAL
INFORMATION TO ANYONE CALLING YOU WITH SUCH OFFERS. Remember,
if it seems too good to be true it probably is.
This is for real, it just happened to me. Pass this
along to let others know that this scam is out there.
Peace and 73
Adam WK4P
1/21/10
Attention, (Saturday 1/16/10)
Just
so you know, there will be a foxhunt held tomorrow in
Gaston County. All interested in
hunting are welcome to come out and join us.
The group will meet around 8:30 am at Munchies on Chestnut in
Gastonia for breakfast and a little fellowship before the hunt.
The fox will begin transmitting at 10:00. Please feel
free to join us for what is always a great time, and also a good
chance to work on some training, just in case we should ever
have to use those skills on a real hunt. If you have any
questions, feel free to contact me, and I'll see if I can answer
your questions. Thanks, and see you tomorrow.
"NC Amateur Radio Emergency Service email list"
<ncares-admin@rtpnet.org>, "SmithChart" <smithchart@yahoogroups.com>,
"rars" <rars-l@rtpnet.org>
The EmComm bill that passed the
US Senate last week, S1755, is headed back
to the US House
Committee on Energy & Commerce.
-While it's great that it passed, the original EmComm
bill HR 2160 has sat in this
House
committee since 04/29/2009, with no action. Don't
know why. But, this House committee will have to pass
the bill, before it can move to the House floor for a
vote. And, then for a reconciliation with the Senate
version (but they are virtually identical in language.)
-
Fortunately, NC has two Congressmen who are members
of this
House
committee.
-Rep GK Butterfield from District 1 - it's
a weird shaped district that covers Henderson, Ahoskie,
Edenton, Greenville and parts of the counties where
Little Washington and Havelock are.
-Rep
Sue Myrick (you should know her as former
mayor of Charlotte). Her district seems to be most of
Union and Gaston
counties (but none of
Mecklenburg).
-As the ARRL State Government Liaison for
North Carolina, I'm encouraging the
constituent members to write to these Representatives.
Remember when writing to be respectful and brief, as
we're asking them to do us a favor.
And passage of this bill will be great for Amateur
Radio in many ways.
-
-A sample letter for
Representative Butterfield or Myrick might read:
Dear Honorable ..,
As a constituent and supporter, I am writing to ask
your support for the Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Act of 2009 HR 2160. As you know, the
Senate version of this bill S1755, passed the Senate
unanimously. The House version HR 2160 was originally
introduced in the House Committee on Energy and
Commerce, of which you are a member. The bill
acknowledges the contribution of
FCC
licensed amateur radio operators in providing essential
communications (at no cost to the government and purely
voluntarily) in times of
natural
disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, ice
storms and floods. Upon passage, the Bill would direct
the
Department of Homeland Security to undertake a
study on emergency communications. S 1755 points out
that "There is a strong Federal interest in the
effective performance of Amateur Radio Service stations,
and that performance must be given -- (A) support at all
levels of government; and (B) protection against
unreasonable regulation and impediments to the provision
of the valuable communications provided by such
stations."
Sincerely,
Your Name and Callsign
If you are not in Districts 1 or 9, please write your
Congressman/woman, and ask that they co-sponsor and/or
support HR 2160. Write as an individual citizen and not
as a member of ARRL or a specific radio club. Feel free
to note the disasters you have paricipated in. Edit the
above letter as needed.
Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a happy, safe
and prosperous New Year.
Bob K4RLC
ARRL NC SGL
12/26/09
Tar Heel Emergency Net
Nightly
7:30 p.m. - 3923 kHz
(Alternate Frequency 7232
kHz**)
Status: Not activated. THEN
is currently on regular schedule at 7:30
pm tonight on winter frequency of
1.943 MHz.
Breaking News: Check back
often for updates.
News Updates:November
15, 2009
Tar Heel Emergency Net winter
shift to to 160 m. Band conditions
at our home frequency of 3.923 have
deteriorated through the Fall,
especially with the time change. So, Tar
Heel Emergency Net will make a seasonal
shift to 160m band for the regular
evening Net, beginning November 8. Same
time, different frequency.
The
160m is a quite band, and there is
plenty of room - so if we find the
frequency in use, start at 1.943, then
move up by 10 kHz increments - 1.953,
1.963, 1.973, 1.983,
1.993. Please stay with us as we
try to find a frequency that will allow
us to stay on the air. Watch this page
for updates on the frequency plans.
If you do not have a
160m antenna, then go ahead and put one
up. Or maybe you can tune that 80m G5RV
to transmit. Or drop some verticals from
each end of your 80m dipole. Tune a
random wire. Be creative - there are
many cheap, easy antenna designs that
can be fun to experiment. Treat this as
a drill - what would you do if your
regular antenna was damaged by high
winds?
Special thanks to
those who served as Net Control Station
last month!
K4BNP, WA4MOK, W9EF, KD4IMA, K8SKX,
N4IB, KG4OPM, W4YBQ, KG4GPJ
Remember, we are always
looking for volunteers to serve as Net
Control station. So step up and gain
some valuable experience.
My four years as your ARRL Section Manager have been the most
rewarding experience of my 33 years in Amateur Radio. But
expanding work responsibilities and a couple of over-active kids
make it hard for me to devote enough time to the important work
we've doing in the North Carolina section. But the section will
be in good hands when my term expires. On December 10, Bill
Morine, N2COP, our current Section Public Information
Coordinator was declared the next NC Section Manager, running
unopposed in the election. Bill's term begins
April 1.
Bill was first licensed in 1970 as WN1NOP and got his General
and his current call of N2COP in 1981 while living in New
Jersey. Bill became an Extra in 2001. Bill is a life member of
ARRL and QCWA. He and XYL Pam have two sons: Reid, W4RSM, and
Grant, W4GHM, who was named Young Ham Of The Year in 2007. Bill
became an ARRL Public Information Officer (PIO) in 2000, was
named section Public Information Coordinator (PIC) in 2004, and
became a member of ARRL's national Public Relations Committee in
2005. Bill has served as chairman of the national PR committee
since 2008. He is an Assistant EC in New Hanover County
(Wilmington) and is also an ARRL and W4VEC Volunteer Examiner.
Bill has worked extensively with Boy Scouts, and served on the
staff of K2BSA at the 2001 and 2005 National Jamborees. He has
helped over 1,800 Boy Scouts earn the Radio Merit badge, and has
helped over 300 Scouts and Scout leaders nationally and in North
Carolina get licensed. He served as the first chairman of CARES,
the Carolinas Amateur Radio Emergency Services, from 2001 to
2006, implementing a 220 MHz network in southeastern North
Carolina dedicated to public health traffic in disasters. Since
2008, he has served as head of communications for the Beach 2
Battleship triathlon, the only full iron distance (140.6 miles
over 17 hours) triathlon in the Roanoke Division. Bill and his
wife run an independent financial planning practice in
Wilmington.
The North Carolina Section is fortunate to have so many
strong leaders like Bill and I know you will join me in
supporting him as he assumes his new and challenging
responsibilities.
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, CW WORKS!
Running our section SSB nets has been a big challenge since
we returned to standard time. The band frequently goes long soon
after sunset and while Midwest stations boom in, it's hard to
hear others in North Carolina. There have been several Tarheel
nets with NO check-ins because of poor band conditions. So I've
been occasionally checking into our section CW nets to get my
"net fix" and polish my rusty fist. I've been amazed at how
often I've listened to a struggling SSB net only to move to the
CW frequencies to find a full net with perfectly readable
stations from all over the state. It's a reminder of the
effectiveness of CW even in poor conditions.
Joel Hallas, W1ZR, wrote an interesting article about CW for
the May, 2007 QST. According to Joel, CW has major advantages
over voice and other modes. CW has much lower bandwidth than SSB.
How well we can receive a signal is specified by its signal to
noise ratio (SNR). If we change our receive filter from 2.5kHz
for voice to 250Hz for CW we reduce the received noise power by
a factor of 10. That's equivalent to 2 S-units improvement in
SNR. To gain the same SNR improvement with SSB we would need to
increase the transmit power from 100w to 1000w! With a higher
SNR for CW, it's much easier to detect a weak CW signal than a
weak voice signal. A good CW operator can copy code at or below
the noise level. To copy voice it takes a minimum of 3-5 dB SNR.
Because of the narrower bandwidth, five or more CW stations can
fit into the space one SSB signal can fit. But what's this all
mean? It means your CW signal can usually get through when your
voice signal cannot. Your 100w CW transmitter can get to places
that your neighbor's 2000w voice transmitter can't!
So try one of our CW nets some night when you're struggling
to copy the net control for an SSB net. A great place to start
is with the Carolina Slow Net, which meets nightly at 8pm on
3.571MHz. Helpful info on the net can be found at
http://bellsouthpwp2.net/r/g/rg_burns/index.htm.
Carolinas Slow Net (8-10wpm)
8:00pm Daily
3.571MHz
North Carolina Evening Net
6:30pm Daily
3.923MHz
Carolinas Net - Early (20-22wpm)
7:00pm Daily
3.573MHz
Carolinas Net - Late (15-18wpm)
10:00pm Daily
3.573MHz
--------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL
North Carolina Section
Section Manager: Timothy B. Slay, N4IB n4ib@arrl.org
Anderson Power Pole
If you don't like the way Anderson Power Poles pull apart SO
easily, here are some solutions BESIDES tying the wires in a
sqare knot...
PowerWerx
sells a plastic retention clip that goes into the holes where
the roll pin was originally intended to go. No good if you have
filled that hole with glue, as I have...
"Retention Clips for PP15/30/45 Powerpole Connectors, Bag of
five."
<http://www.powerwerx.com/anderson%2Dpowerpoles%2Daccessories/individual%2Dhousings%2Dcontacts%2Droll%2Dpins/>
if that URL is too long, go to powerwerx.com (the home page) and
click on the "Individual Housings, Contacts & Roll Pins" text.
There is another brand of connector to use, that still is
compatible:
This note is from Eric, N3EF, swiped off of the Elecraft
reflector discussion:
"Trouble with Power Pole connectors
for those of you that have an issue with the way Anderson's
"lock" together, you might want to give these a try. I get mine
from Mouser.
http://www.mouser.com/catalog/632/1186.PDF
I have been getting away from using Anderson Powerpole
connectors, and now
I am relying on Tyco Electronics - AMP Power Lock Connectors.
Essentially the same thing as Anderson PP, but much higher
quality. They will mate with the Anderson line so there is no
problem [with compatability] there. A lot of people have
complained at how easily the powerpoles come apart. I did some
testing and found that it takes about 3 lbs of force
to pull two powerpoles apart, while it takes 8 lbs for the AMP
connectors.
With an AMP mated to Anderson, it takes 6 lbs. With the AMP
connectors, it
takes considerably more force to mate them and there is a
distinct
snap/click sound when they go together. The pins are thicker and
they have
"wings" on them so they don't flop around in the housing like
the Anderson
ones do. Also, they don't require a roll pin to lock them
together. There is a little tab on the housing that locks one
half of the connector to the
other. They do cost more but your getting a higher quality
product in my
opinion. Anyway, for those of you that have an issue with the
way Anderson's "lock" together, you might want to give these a
try.
Have you completed your Counties Field Day results and filed them with ARRL?
First of all
I really had a good time and each stop Rhoda and I made were really unique
to what each county was doing or had in their plans for FD. All counties
were heavily involved and had a true interest in the actual meaning of what FD
was really about. The number of point that your county scored is a
side issue the important issue is people, ARES and your public
involvement. Back on points I normally looks at the extra points
category because this tells me what your Club/ARES forks were really
busy doing vs just making QSO points. Look over your picture and
identify those operators in the pictures that are shown in your
counties. If you have your FD scores let me know that and
e-mail me. I was extremely pleased with ASHE County and their people and
public involvement it was like that every ARES member had a preset
assignment and were busy doing it, lots of sharing ideas among those
doing the actual work.
Paul - KD4OZI@ARRL.NET
Area-13 First Quarter
meeting of 2008. All Area-13 EC slots are filled.
Who are the EC's? See
Article and Picture.
1/28/08