X-MITTER PUBLIC SERVICE THROUGH COMMUNICATION February 2010
VSWR PWAVHFN M2: 1.21
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Vol. 49 No. 2
PENN WIRELESS ASSOCIATION CLUB INFORMATION W3SK VHF Repeater Frequency: 145.250 MHz (-0.6, 131.8pl) W3SK UHF Repeater Frequency: 448.225 MHz (-5.0, 131.8pl) Echolink to W3SK Repeater System: Via N3FEL-R (node# 478968) PWA Webpage URL: http://www.pennwireless.org Alt Webpage URL: http://pwa.freewebpages.org Email Reflector: PWA-Technet@GoogleGroups.com Penn Wireless Association holds regular meetings consisting of general club business, current committee reports, group discussions, featured programs and a social period. This meeting is held at the Falls Township Building, 188 Old Lincoln Highway, Fairless Hills, PA on the third Monday of the month at 8:00 pm. Please contact the club vice president to add your business topic to the meeting agenda. ALL VISITORS ARE WELCOME! PWA-Technet @ GoogleGroups.com Email Reflector User Account Policy
Penn Wireless Association, Inc. does not knowingly profit and/or disseminate user e-mail information to "spam" lists. The reflector provides us a means to just send e-mail to those who wish to receive notification when new XMitter issues and other relevant information (including, but not limited to, volunteer requests, ARES/RACES meetings, Field Day information, & Club events) are available for you to view on PWA web sites. We routinely send mass e-mail notification to all users, but we avoid issuing email that is unrelated to Amateur Radio. However, we may send a mass e-mail to all users only if there is a problem with the web site, during web site maintenance, or during an emergency or scheduled public service event in order to notify those Amateur Radio operators who may wish to participate in RACES/ARES or PWA operations. If you have already registered as a user please review your account's distribution settings and if your e-mail is current so we may send you notification when new X-Mitter issues and other relevant information are available on the site.
X-Mitter Newsletter Policy X-Mitter, the official newsletter of Penn Wireless Association, is published monthly by and for Penn Wireless members and all Radio Amateurs. All material in X-Mitter may be reprinted, providing that a credit line is given, mentioning X-Mitter, Penn Wireless, Inc. and the byline contributor. The X-Mitter publication committee strives for accuracy, and we believe that all articles submitted are factual in their content. X-Mitter and PWA cannot be held responsible for inaccuracies of information and/or sources. All material submitted by PWA members shall be published, providing that such items meet generally accepted standards of quality and substance. Contributions by others shall be considered on a space-available basis. PWA membership is open to all persons with an interest in amateur radio, subject to approval of the executive board and current membership. A valid Amateur Radio license is required for full voting privileges. Mail for X-Mitter should be sent to: Penn Wireless Association, P.O Box 224, Morrisville, PA 19067, preferably E-mailed to Howard Rubin n3fel@aol.com. The closing date for submission of appropriate material to the pending issue (space permitting) is one week before the PWA General Meeting. We exchange X-Mitter with other area club newsletters. If your club is interested in exchanging with us, please send requests to Howard Rubin n3fel@aol.com. Copyright Š Penn Wireless Association, 2009. Version 00:27 2.15.2010
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In this Issue
Forward
PWA Club Info, PWA-Technet, X-Mitter
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Correspondence
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President, KE3QC
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The PWA Repeater System, N3HTZ Our VHF and UHF repeaters are capably maintained thanks to the tireless effort of Cully, N3HTZ. Shown on the cover is the mighty huge Stationmaster 2M repeater antenna in Southampton, its well-tuned VSWR characteristic and theoretic coverage around the Delaware Valley.
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Two Field Day Sites, N3FEL 10 Here is an exhaustive summary of issues and opinions presented to stimulate discussion among our club members over site selection for Field Day 2010. Complete and unabridged, these are the author’s views on which site to choose. Can you guess which is his favorite? Calendar—February, March
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For-Sale Ads, Field Day Fund
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Announcement, Penn Wireless PayPal 15 PWA School, N3IAS 16 An X-Mitter exclusive, this in-depth interview with Ed Wells, PWA Education Leader and club Elmer reveals how the re-activation of an important function of PWA can benefit our community and bring in new members. VE Examination
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Membership Application Form
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PWA E-Board and Committees
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Sponsor: PWA Field Day
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Year 2010 has brought new challenges for amateur radio operators world-wide in providing public service communications, this of course being one of the foundations of our existence. If there was anything good to report about the earthquake devastation of Haiti it would be in the uprising of public support here and worldwide to assist in the humanitarian effort. Amateur radio operators may be proud of the ham community’s willingness to assist in communication through donations of money and equipment. Amateurs are advised to contact CONATEL, The National Council of Telecommunications, to get formal reciprocal operating clearance. To help communicate message traffic, communication gateways are being established to serve the local agencies and to relay messages from afflicted families to their loved ones and associates internationally. I encourage you to read more about what our guild has done by checking the ARRL website and making a substantial contribution to a legitimate charity for Haiti relief. As always, X-Mitter is eager to hear of our member support directed to public service. If you have a personal story to share, do send it to me as soon as possible. I plan to edit the March issue during the fourth week of this month. Your information can be included in time to stimulate PWA's involvement in public service throughout the Delaware Valley. Howard, N3FEL
Ω
Correspondence Posted to Yahoo Group SolidCpyCW Thu Jan 8, 2010 8:49 pm (PST) I just wanted to share a personal accomplishment. Today I received my ARRL W1AW Certificate of Code Proficiency for a minute of perfect copy at 20 WPM on 12/5/09. Since I got my Extra in 2008 after the code requirement was dropped, I have felt the need to uphold the historical tradition of CW in amateur radio in some other manner. Plus, I settled for the Advanced class in 1974 because I failed the darned 20 WPM element then, now I have settled that score. Code has never been easy for me, it takes a /lot/ of practice, but for some reason I can't explain, even though I am an accomplished electrical engineer, CW still means something special to me. Maybe when I'm on the air I can still hear deep in the static the messages of those bygone maritime ops out in the lonely reaches of the mighty oceans; maybe I can still hear the echoes of the pioneers with their spark gaps and first glowing tubes; or maybe it's just the wonder of radio itself and the simplicity, elegance and sheer audacity of communicating with a simple keyed tone. Anyway, thanks for the chance to share. Best wishes to all for the new year. 73, Elwood, WB0OEW ecdowney@clearskyinstitute.com
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Elwood, Congratulations! It's been quite a while since I have operated at 20 WPM, but I think with a bit more practice I can come close to renewing that achievement. My first license in 1963 required 5 WPM and the Extra in the late eighties pushed me beyond the 20 WPM. Not so now; maybe this will be the year I bring back the CW proficiency. Howard Rubin, N3FEL
Welcome to SolidCpyCW @ YahooGroups.com A group where members can meet and advance the use of Morse Code. Where friendship and the use of Morse Code is encouraged among all Amateur Radio Operators. A group that operates with the premise that "Accuracy Transcends Speed".
The Gavel Tom Stafford, KE3QC Club President These days most of my thoughts fall into two categories, one being what can we do to make PWA better. Is bigger better? I don't know. When it comes to getting things done, it seems like there is always the same few doing everything. With that in mind, one would think with more members, that same percentage would lead to more workers, hence more things getting done. One way around that would be if a larger percentage would get involved. A good way to do that would be to come out and get involved with Field Day, which is actually the second category I think most about. This year we are looking into another site, in addition to Tyler Park. Not to be used in addition to Tyler Park, but to choose between the two. The second option is the Falls Township Community Park, on Mill Creek Rd
& Route 13, in Levittown. Although we have not been given a green light on the Falls site, we are looking into it. Regardless of which site is selected, we should be able to make this a stellar year for PWA's Field Day event. A foremost objective for club business in February is to decide on our Field Day site and get the planning stages under way. I also commend Ed Wells, N3IAS for his effort to pull together the PWA School with the objective to re-deploy it in the coming months. All in all, I see PWA headed in a direction that will put us on a path of success for many years. Being the great group that we are, rest assured that your E-Board officials are working on several forthcoming activities which will get many of you energized and involved about Amateur Radio — PWA style. ℌ
Our 2009/2010 E-Board Officers. From left, Jeff Niceler K3DEY, Recording Secretary; Ben Johns K3JQH, Treasurer; Tom Stafford KE3QC, President; Paul Ceglia N3TMX, Vice President; Dave Heller K3TX, Corresponding Secretary. Page 5
The PWA W3SK Repeater System Culley Phillips, N3HTZ Jan 18, 2010: Cully presented details of our repeater system at Southampton PA that includes the two-meter, 70 cm, Echolink and Winlink packet node station. All systems are functioning perfectly and available for club use. At this moment, the 2m and 70cm machines are cross-linked together, so any carrier heard on the receiving frequency of either machine will rebroadcast on the alternate repeater for wide area distribution. The antenna system is a key component. The VHF system uses a Telewave 141-152 6.6 dB gain stationmaster style base station antenna elevated on a 125-foot high communications tower. The UHF system uses a unity gain antenna, but will be replaced by a 16 bay folded dipole vertical. There is also a Diamond dual band antenna for Packet node/control channel operation. Signals sent to and from these antennas are distributed through Wacom WP-641 Page 6
VHF Duplexers at just 2.2 dB insertion loss and a Decibel Products DB-4072 Notch Duplexer with only 0.5 dB insertion loss. These components allow simultaneous transmitting and receiving on the same band with only the 600kHz offset frequency split to separate the powerful 75w 2m output signal from the 0.25 uV-sensitive receiver. The 70cm side is impressive also at 70w output and 0.4uV input using a 5 MHz split. These antenna systems are driven by the ½” FLC-12-50 hard-line (2m) and the 7/8” LDF5-50 Andrews heliax (70cm) transmission lines for extremely low loss, long distance installations. The heart of the repeater resides in the radio gear located in the communication building. For the VHF band, we use a salvaged GE Master II station that was removed from service and reconditioned for amateur use. The transmitter is capable of more than 110 watts output, however it is run at reduced power to prolong the life of the finals and minimize down time. The control channel unit receiver is the matching half of this GE Master II station. A new addition to the W3SK repeater is the ACC RC-850 repeater controller. This is a far more capa-
tery that is able to support the repeater operation for many hours under average operation.
ble microprocessor-controlled machine than previously employed. The UHF repeater uses another GE Master II Base Station with similar specifications. The controller used for this transceiver is the PSE-508-2 by Pion and Simon. The PWA repeater system is not just a way for club members to socialize; it can serve a vital purpose to the community if a disaster happens where independent communications are required. Among other reasons for power loss, failure of the utility power supply can result from a local disaster. The system is surge protected and includes a power failure detector to signal the loss of power condition to the repeater controller. Our machine also has a 188 amp-hour stationary batPage 7
One problem remains unsolved. Our 2m operating frequency is unfortunately a challenge to use due to the seemingly rampant cable-leak interference from the local TV cable distribution system. To help reduce this annoying interference, both of our machines require a 131.8 Hz CTSCC PL tone to break squelch, but they also offer the sub-audible tone on the transmitted signal to help quiet user receivers, too. We have taken further measures to make access to the PWA repeater system possible. A GE MVS link radio is applied at the repeater station to couple the (Continued on page 8)
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received signals to the alternate transmitters so that either station may be used for local communication. A call on the 2m side will emanate through the 70cm side due to this crosslinked connection. The finishing touch to the PWA repeater suite was added recently. If you are a club member operating from your QTH, immersed in a sea of cable link QRN on 2m, and can’t quite make the 70cm machine due the inherent line-of-sight limitation of UHF, use of the Echolink internet connection can come to your rescue. Our Echolink setup uses another commercial product, the GE MVS NPU20SS transceiver. These are made for rough-duty ser-
vice in industrial vehicles hence they are nearly indestructible. The rig uses a Fox Delta model Fox Echo interface to transform the audio signals to and from an internet linked computer to the microphone and speaker ports of the GE radio. Thanks to a Cushcraft six-element Yagi pointed directly to Southampton PA, the Echolink link transceiver is able to provide nearly noisefree communication from its residential roof-top location at only 5 watts RF and 0.4uV receive sensitivity. Our check-in counts have increased on PWA’s Technet weekly net meeting, which helps to confirm a high quality of service for the PWA repeater system. Further improvements are possible as soon as the
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would monitoring them whenever possible. These machines are here to be used and enjoyed. When you hear a calling station, take a moment to answer the call and provide a bit of comraderie in the spirit of Amateur Radio. - Howard, N3FEL
weather improves. But for now, 73, and keep talking. Ω We should be grateful that Culley is willing to invest his time to build and maintain this complicated repeater system. Although PWA is a “low budget” operation, we can be very proud of the club’s repeater and how well it performs. It’s apparent that Culley has the best interest of the club at heart when he implements these systems. While PWA could survive with less, the repester certainly adds a critical dimension to our organization. It would please Culley and others who build and maintain these repeater systems if you Page 9
A Sale of Two Sites A Survey of Issues for a Field Day Site Selection Howard, N3FEL 2010 Field Day Chairman If it's January, it's time to confirm a site for use at our Field Day exercise in June. We have two sites in focus, the Upper Plantation Field at Tyler State Park and the North Soccer Field at Falls Township Park. Both sites are within manageable driving range of most members in Penn Wireless. This article is intended to present the issues I see important to consider when selecting a Field Day site and serve to stimulate further discussion at our meetings this month.
Figure 1. The site of the Upper Plantation Field, Tyler State Park, Newtown, PA. (GoogleMaps 500’)
CAN WE FORM A 1000 FT CIRCLE? All stations and antennas must reside within a circle of 1000 foot diameter. Stations are typically located near trees at the outskirts of this circle to minimize interference with other stations in the same band or at harmonic frequencies of sub-bands. To minimize audible noise at any particular station, the emergency power generator is usually placed at the center of the circle. If only a portion of the circle will be used, it would be placed at a location to minimize the length of distribution cables or simplify periodic maintenance. Both Tyler and Page 10
Falls will support a full 1000’ circle, but Falls appears to offer more usable area within that circle. CAN WE USE IT FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON? ARRL rules permit access to the site as early as 2pm on Friday afternoon to setup power cables, antennas and station infrastructure. Station operators may also want to assemble their stations on Friday night and stay over to safeguard their equipment. Although the contest runs continu-
stations and be permitted to use vehicles on field to deliver and pickup equipment. This access speeds our installation Friday night and teardown on Sunday afternoon. It would also be easier to run distribution cables. If the field is mowed, it would reduce the threat of tick infestation and poisonous plant growth. Without that worry, the participant can wear more comfortable dress instead of the longsleeved shirts and pants. It’s been many years since we’ve had Tyler fully mowed for us, owing to agricultural agreements. Falls, however keeps their field well manicured for athletic use. Figure 2. The site of the North Soccer Field, Falls Community Park, Fall Township, PA. (GoogleMaps 500’)
ously from 2pm Saturday until 2pm the next day, we need another four hours to collect results, tear down stations, and restore the site as previously found. Tyler has allowed us full access to the park for the entire period. We don’t know yet whether Falls will offer the same package. ARE THE LAWNS MOWED OR MOWABLE? A freshly mowed field allows for a more ideal location of stations and power equipment. We need a clear access between Page 11
HOW CONVENIENT IS THIS SITE TO OUR MEMBERSHIP AND PUBLIC?
A centrally located site matching the demographics of the amateur community should increase participation of operators and yield more station assignments. We traditionally run class 3 or 4A, but can support many more. This year, I'd like to see 5 or 6A. Contest rules award bonus points for contacts made by non-hams (at the control of a licensed operator.) A wide exposure to the general public will also draw more interest to amateur radio and could increase future membership. In my opinion either location is readily avail(Continued on page 18)
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Purim LIMARC Hicksville, NY Technet 8PM This calendar created by CalendarsThatWork.com Page 12
Sunrise/Sunset created by SunriseSunsetMap.com
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Palm Sunday Atlantic Div. Convention at Timonium, MD Hamfest Technet 8PM
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Display your Amateur Radio event here.
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PWA School 7:30pm
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K3DN’s W1AW Daytrip
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Send info to n3fel@aol.com.
For Sale HP 895 CSE Ink Jet Printer. Lightly used, works well. Includes software, color and black/white cartridges. XP compatible. All proceeds benefit the PWA Field Day Fund. $25. Call Howard, N3FEL n3fel@aol.com. (not actual picture, but can be seen) Visioneer 8600 Scanner. M/N 641D Not tested, but money back guarantee if DOA. Includes power supply. USB, and parallel, interconnection ports. No Cables or software. Buyer to confirm OS compatibility. All proceeds benefit the PWA Field Day Fund. $10. Call Howard, N3FEL n3fel@aol.com. (not actual picture, but can be seen) Nippon America ST9500 Multimeter. Capable test instrument with many ranges including DC +/-1000V, +/-10A; AC +/- 700V, +/-10A; 10Mohms; and much more! All profit benefits the PWA Field Day Fund. $ 36.75. Call Mark, WA3QVU. New, unlimited qty avail. (Not actual picture, but can be seen)
Field Day Fund I am pleased to report the following additional funds raised in January toward our Field Day fund-raising campaign. Equipment Sales: Used Items Table $ 6.50 Sale of Digital Multi-meter $ 10. Total Collections: Equipment Sales $ 16.50 Entertainment Book Profit $ 112.00 Meeting Donations $ 128.25. Swedish Auction Bid and Buy $ 69.00 Sale of Club's Trailer $ 100.00 —————————————————— Total $ 425.75 Total Expenditures: Purchase of Cable Shelter $ 136.74 Pavilion Reservation at Tyler Park $ 95.00 —————————————————— Total $ 231.74 Net Funds Available: Balance $ 194.01 There will be another outlay of $25. in February when filing our application to use the Upper Plantation Field at Tyler State Park. Note that the pavilion fee is refundable (less $10) up to six days prior to the event if cancellation is requested. Respectfully submitted, Howard, N3FEL
Do you have a favorite story to share with your fellow club members? Email or write to: n3fel@aol.com X-Mitter, P.O. Box 224, Morrisville, PA 19067 Page Page14 9
X-Mitter Archives Thanks to Ed Wells/N3IAS, X-Mitter staffer we have an alternate site to find the current issue and back issues of on-screen XMitter. This version is best viewed on-screen, not just to eliminate paper copies, but to facilitate email distribution. The on-screen version features 2-Up viewing, full color pictures and embedded active website links. http://pwa.freewebpages.org You’ll find links to the current X-Mitter and prior issues. You can download a local copy by right-clicking on the link, clicking on Save As and pointing it to My Documents or other files location on your hard disc. For best viewing, put the Adobe Reader in FULL SCREEN mode. Ω
A Day Trip to W1AW Sit back and we'll do the driving thru Hagey Tours. Date: Thursday March 11, 2010 Tour Highlights - Highlights of your tour will include the W1AW Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station. If you have your license you may operate the station. In the main building you will see the DXCC Department which handles the premier operating award in all of Amateur Radio, the QSL bureau, the Bookstore, museum, the Lab, and some of the staff. Rich Luce AG3L@K3DN.ORG (WARC)
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Penn Wireless PayPal The Executive Board at the January 14th meeting discussed and approved the idea of having Penn Wireless Association open an account on PayPal. Now any individual with a PayPal account can send money directly to our PWA checking account with no additional cost to the individual. If you do not have an account with PayPal, you can open your personal account at no cost. The most convenient way will be to start at www.pennwireless.org and select the “PAY DUES” button. This will take you to PayPal and from there all personal finance information will be secured by PayPal regardless of which path you take to get there. The advantage of doing business the electronic way is that the individual does not have to write a check, address the envelope, lick a stamp and post the letter. On the PWA side, the treasurer does not have to receive mail, endorse the check, write a deposit slip and make a trip to the bank. In the future, some other functions may be added so that you could donate to the Field Day fund and pay for other fund raising functions. Here is how it works. Once the individual is in PayPal all processing is contained in PayPal. Your PayPal account or your credit card will be charged and the payment is posted directly to the Penn Wireless checking account. An email is sent to the treasurer to inform him of the transaction. A small transaction fee will be deducted from the amount posted to the Penn Wireless account. Ω
A PWA School An Exclusive Interview: Ed Wells, N3IAS, Director of Education and PWA Club Elmer Ed Wells, software consultant, college instructor and past-president, has offered to run the PWA School of Amateur Radio beginning March 11 at 7:30PM. It will be held in the 2nd floor class room, Falls Township Municipal building, Fairless Hills, PA. The class will meet for six consecutive weeks. X-Mitter: What do you see are the challenges in creating a successful School? N3IAS: The biggest challenge is getting students who are serious about wanting to know about ham radio. Once I get those that show me 110% of their interest, they'll soon see that I have 150% in helping them understanding about electronics, radio in general, and specifically about this life-long hobby, ham radio (also referred to as amateur radio). I take special interest in those who might have difficulty understanding about something. Everyone learns at a different rate. My personal interest (and challenge) is getting that "light to come on.� X-Mitter: How will this School differ from others of PWA and regional clubs? N3IAS: Once I know I have serious students, I take a personal interest in helping each student understand everything covered to the fullest. The classes are based on an overview of the technician questions, but I cover things in a bit more detail than what is needed for the tech test. I don't want to have students just know the answers to the questions, but to have an understanding about what all the answers Page 16
really mean. X-Mitter: What can the general membership do to help attract new students? N3IAS: Keep talking to others. Help promote our hobby. Let others know about all the different types of communications used in ham radio (voice, digital, satellite, television, band characteristics, and the fun about communications with hams all over the world.) X-Mitter: How often will this class meet and for how long each meeting? N3IAS: For the most part I have taught these in the past using a 6 weeks format. I'm planning the same for now. Students told me that they found when they took their technician's test, they were very confident about knowing they had the right answer to the questions. X-Mitter: What is the future of the school beyond the technician class license? N3IAS: Although these classes are initially intended for the technician class license, I cover several things in a bit more detail. This help students have a much broader understanding about certain electronic/ radio subjects. I explain that some of this information will help in other topics covered when it's time to take their General and Extra tests. X-Mitter: In light of new technologies such as iPhones, video games and internet blogs, what opportunities remain to attract a younger student base in Amateur Radio? N3IAS: iPhones, video games, etc, covers a "user's understanding" to electronic devices. Amateur radio allows students to have a technical understanding about the (Continued on page 17)
how's and why's communications devices work, as well as how to set up equipment in the event special communications are needed (emergency communications, public service support events, bike-a-thons, walk-a-thons, etc.) X-Mitter: Speaking of new technologies, how can they enhance the learning experience? N3IAS: Although these classes are intended for understanding about electronic and ham radio, the educational benefits can lead to other technical benefits in other technical areas. For some this adds to new opportunities in life. For many others ham radio has lead to opportunities in job related technical areas, electronics, computers, engineering positions, technical positions, etc. X-Mitter: Which student profile will the school initially appeal to? N3IAS: Many. The school is to introduce ham radio, and the many different areas and types of communications that ham radio offers. X-Mitter: Do you need any resources from PWA to create and implement the school? N3IAS: I request that each student get a copy of: -- The ARRL radio amateur's handbook (does not have to be the current edition). -- A scientific calculator (these can be purchased for less than $10.00). -- Access to the internet. For those who don't have access at home, the Bucks County libraries have access available. -- DON'T MISS ANY CLASSES. Cover a lot of important details in each class. X-Mitter: Where will you find the teachers Page 17
needed to execute your session plans? N3IAS: For now I'm only counting on myself, but I welcome any other ham operator who would like to join in on helping with the classes. If anyone else is interested, please contact me so we can coordinate topics needed to be covered. I can be contacted by phone. X-Mitter: What will be the out-of-pocket cost to the student for achieving the Technician class license? N3IAS: These classes are free, with the exception of some of the supplies I strongly suggest you buy for yourself (covered 2 question back). X-Mitter: You have volunteered also to be club Elmer. Will you have time to contribute to both roles? N3IAS: Yes, where time allows. I'm sure others will be available also. I'll may also send students to others, depending on their questions, and in cases where other have more of a specialty than I do. Remember, ham radio has lots of different break off groups with others having expert background in other areas (CW, electronic, antenna building, digital formats, slow scan fax, television, satellite communications, and many other areas.) X-Mitter: What other classes would you consider running if this school is successful? N3IAS: At some time in the future I plan on having other one or two day classes about specialty subjects. These may include: -- Electronics project building. -- More detailed background on circuit understanding. (Continued on page 20)
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able to our membership. Tyler is a nature haven and a beautiful venue for our Field Day event. Falls is more centrally located in lower Bucks County where PWA enjoys a strong membership. ARE THERE ENOUGH TALL TREES TO HANG ANTENNAS? Long wire antennas are essential for low band HF operation and they usually require tall support at one or more locations. Although rules require all antennas to be contained within the circle, certainly one end of the antenna could be supported at the perimeter and the other end supported by a tall mast or anchor (sloper-style.) Furthermore, any existing structures within the circle, if not pre-built as an antenna support, could serve double-duty as an antenna support if permission is given to use them. We think there are trees at the Falls location, but more study is needed to determine how usable they are. Tyler, however has enough trees to hang many HF antennas. ARE WE SITUATED ON LEVEL GROUND? A sloping ground is difficult for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is erecting a secure table for the station. The ground should have areas that are quite level for stations. Lots that have many hills may be good for climbers, but not good for easy passage between stations, whether for operators or newcomers. Foul weather on field day weekend is the norm rather than the exception. Grounds that are uneven are prone to puddles or mud holes, thereby making transport between stations hazardous. Excessive wetlands at or nearby the circle could serve as a breeding ground for Page 18
annoying bugs. Falls Park will have the most level field available anywhere, as it is designed to be a soccer athletic field. Tyler can not match the flatness of Falls everywhere. ARE THERE NEARBY PARKING AREAS? Convenient parking is a must for band captains loaded with equipment to deploy at an assigned spot. Virtually all participants at Field Day will arrive by vehicle. Many will choose to sleep in their vehicles Friday and/or Saturday night. When the weather turns really nasty, hams will shut down their stations and head to their cars for safe haven -- even those at the Pavilion will escape a threatening electrical storm. .Some hams with health issues will require a station assignment that is very close to, if not immediately within, the parking lot. Other hams will deploy a pop-up or mobile camper as their emergency station, and they will value a parking lot location within the operating circle. Both Falls and Tyler have adequate parking, and much of it falls within the 1000’ circle. A dead-heat here. HOW CLOSE IS THE SITE TO GROCERY STORES AND SERVICES? Self-sufficiency would seem to be a facet of emergency preparedness, but it is not a contest rules requirement. The ideal Field Day location would have food, tools and fuels within 10 minutes travel distance. A Radio Shack , Walmart and HD/Lowes store in the local area would be a welcome destination for those last minute connector, fuse and tool requirements. Adequate shopping exists at both locations, but the Falls location is quite near many new shopping centers in Levittown.
ARE WE CLEAR TO COOK AND CAMP THERE? The site should provide a convenient place to set up a charcoal-fired barbecue grill and small propane stove for preparing the meals for the group. Although we take our electricity and drinking water to the site, fresh tap water is a necessity for food preparation, washing cooking tools, cleaning tables, and personal needs. We certainly have the ability to camp and cook at Tyler, as enjoyed over the score of years I can remember. Falls has the pavilion, too and would probably extend the privilege to us. WHAT ABOUT A COVERED PAVILION? A wide open pavilion is needed to set up our common galley for all participants and visitors to meet and discuss hams, amateur radio, and recant old memories. The large area would ideally serve as the location of the GOTA station since the public is likely to wander into the pavilion (or already be there out of curiosity) and might like to try their hand at ham radio. Since there is an education bonus again this year, the Pavilion will be an ideal theater for teaching the elements of radio communications. A permanent cover, atrium style, would provide ample protection from the afternoon sun for operators needing to get away from the clamor of heated contesting in a wide-open airy location. Both venues have beautiful Pavilions. ARE THE RESTROOMS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE? Needless to say, nature calls. As we get older, nature calls often. The quality of the bathroom facility is important when an outing of more than a few Page 19
hours is concerned. Ideally it should be very accessible to the center of hospitality and to the field operations in general. The facility should be clean, illuminated, stocked with tissues, hand soap, and paper towels. Any chance for a stall shower? No shower at Tyler, and who knows about Falls. However the RR at Falls is right on the perimeter of the circle, whereas it is a but of a hike from the Pavilion and stations at Tyler. Not too far, but nearly impossible for those with mobility challenges. CAN WE AFFORD THIS LOCATION? Application processing, pavilion rental, and maintenance fees are sometimes requested by the site administrator to recoup the heavy expenses associated with a large, groomed space. These fees consume a lot of club resources, require fundraising efforts by membership, or force the participants to support their fair share of the event expenditures. A field day site with reduced burden would allow for redirection of available funds to consumables like food, fuel, and brochures. Unused cash, if any, could go to the club's general fund to support Activities or other material purchases. Tyler is becoming more expensive to enjoy, but with the continued success of the Field Day Fund effort it is doable. I am not certain as yet what will be the cost to lock-in Falls Park. IS IT SAFE TO OPERATE THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT? A location with a Park Ranger to look in periodically would be comforting. Our Field Day event is a full 24 hours, more if you plan a Friday night stay over. Do we need a Sergeant-At-Arms to patrol the site dur(Continued on page 20)
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-- Antenna building projects. -- Digital communications (detailed background about the protocols used, and data formats.) -- Other topics can be added to the list at the request of students. Let’s wish Ed good luck at reestablishing PWA’s School of Amateur Radio. As suggested, there are many ways that we can contribute to make this venture a bust-out success. Call Ed, N3IAS to volunteer your time and support Ω
National Weather Service SKYWARN Weather Spotter Education (Basic) The Bucks County, PA SKYWARN organization, under the auspices of the Philadelphia-Mt. Holly National Weather Service Forecast Office, is sponsoring a SKYWARN Weather Spotter program on THURSDAY, APRIL 22nd at 7PM at the Benjamin Wilson Senior Center in Warminster, PA 18974. For information you can visit the NWSFO SKYWARN Training page at: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/phi/skywarn/ training.html For more detailed information about the National Weather Service’s SKYWARN program, PLEASE visit the following web site: http://www.weather.gov/skywarn Mike Patton, W3MJP Supervisor/ Philadelphia-Mt. Holly NWSFO SKYWARN ARCC, WARC SKYWARN Liaison. Page 20
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ing the hours of darkness, when we walk between stations and the Pavilion? If needed, how close is the local police station? I have been a worry wart, so I’ll be very frank on this one. We’ve been very lucky at Tyler over the years. It is located in a wealthy neighborhood and the park is closed after sundown. While most of Lower Bucks County is relatively safe at night, there may be areas of concern within a few miles drive of the Falls Park field. If Falls is also closed after sundown and if it well-patrolled, we should have no problem there. WE MUST DECIDE SOON Again, I expect the issue of which site to choose to be hotly debated at our business and general membership meetings in February. We are currently requesting use of both from the respective administrative staff offices. Both sites, if offered to us, would be a fine choice for this year's Field Day exercise. I want to thank everyone who have made our annual event possible in recent years and will likely do so for years to come. Field Day is not a one-ham show. The excitement belongs to all of us. Given the months of planning, hard work and doing, it depends on many hands to make it successful. Ω
VE Examination Take the Exam ... Our ARRL/VEC VE Team is ready and willing to administer any license grade/ upgrade or code element test. Confirm your intention to test with Ben Johns, VE Contact at 215+657-5994 not later than the Sunday evening before the 3rd Monday of the month. Please advise us in advance of any special needs you may have in successfully completing the intended test. Our testing session begins promptly at 6:30 pm and remains active until all license grades desired are administered. We do not recommend, nor is it our practice, to administer repeat examinations of similar license grades to any candidate. However, progressive license grades may be attempted by any applicant at no additional charge. Please come prepared with the following items. [ ] Confirmation of appointment letter, email, note, etc. Walk-ins are not guaranteed a test session. [ ] Test fee of $15 in cash or personal check payable to ARRL/VEC.
or her mailing address as it appearing on the FCC Form 605 [ ] Any of the following ID numbers: Taxpayer ID (Social Security Number), IRS issued EIN (Employer Information Number), Alternate taxpayer ID Number (ATIN), FCC Issued Registration Number (FRN), FCC Issued Licensee ID Number [ ] The **original** plus one copy of your FCC license or CSCE (Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination). The original will be returned immediately to you. [ ] If applicable, a Physician's Statement if necessary to validate your claim of difficulty at reading, writing or speaking when requesting special assistance. [ ] A calculator is recommended and allowed if ALL internal memories are cleared and can be demonstrated free of information. A simple four-function calculator is suggested. [ ] One or more black-lead pencils and eraser, and a ball point pen.
[ ] Either of the following ID methods: a. One legal photo ID (driver or nondriver license, passport, radiotelegraph license, or other legal photo ID) OR b. Any two of the following IDs: Non Photo ID/Driver License, Social Security Card, Birth certificate, Minor's work permit, Utility bill, bank statement, business correspondence specifically naming the person, Postmarked envelope addressed to the person at his Page 21
‌ Join our Club! All applicants for VE testing at Penn Wireless Association are eligible for a free getacquainted welcome. The scheduled meetings are every third Monday evening at 8 PM. Consider staying with us after the VE session to enjoy our club meeting. Our normal club dues of $20 per year are waived for the initial six months of this introductory offer. ℌ
Penn Wireless Association
P.O. Box 224 Morrisville, PA 19067 APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP Personal Information (please print): Name: _____________________________________________ Date : ___________________ Street Address: _____________________________________________________________________ City: _______________________________________ State ________ Zip _____________________ Home Phone: _____________________________ Cell Phone: _______________________________ Birth Date: ______________ Occupation: ________________________________ [] active [] retired License Information: Call Sign: ________________________ Class: [] Novice [] Tech [] General [] Advanced [] Extra Date First Licensed ________________ Previous Calls: _____________________________________ Preferences: ARRL Member? ___________ Other Clubs? _____________________________________________ Bands/Modes Frequently Operated _____________________________________________________ Emergency Power? ______________ Portable/Mobile? ____________________________________ Favorite Amateur Radio Activities: (note all that apply) [] Awards [] Traffic [] Contesting [] Rag Chewing [] MARS [] Field Day [] Projects [] Newsletter [] Fund Raising [] DX’ing [] Fox Hunting [] Public Service [] County Hunting [] Packet Radio [] Rig Restoration [] Education [] Hamfest [] Antennas
[] Digital Radio [] QRP [] Renewable Energy [] QSL Card Collection [] __________________ [] __________________
Comments: ________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Sponsored By: _________________________________ Annual Dues: $20. Paid _______________
Executive Board ... PRESIDENT T O M S TAF F O R D , K E 3 Q C Ke3qc@aol.com VICE PRESIDENT PAU L C E G L I A , N 3 T M X cegtv1@aol.com RECORDING J E F F N I C E L E R , K 3 D E Y jondelar@verizon.net TREASURER B E N J O H N S , K 3 J Q H k3jqh@verizon.net CORRESP. SECRETARY D AV E H E L L E R , K 3 T X dtx@ verizon.net Committees ... BADGES
BEN JOHNS
K3JQH
k3jqh@verizon.net
DAVE HELLER
K3TX
dtx@verizon.net
EDUCATION
ED WELLS
N3IAS
edwellsjr@gmail.com
ELMER
ED WELLS
N3IAS
edwellsjr@gmail.com
FIELD DAY 2010
HOWARD RUBIN
N3FEL
n3fel@aol.com
FUNDRAISING
HOWARD RUBIN
N3FEL
n3fel@aol.com
LICENSE TRUSTEE
DAVE HELLER
K3TX
dtx@verizon.net
MEMBERSHIP
KEN MARINOFF
K3FKW
BRUCE WORTMANN
N3IA
bruce@bwortmann.com
PAUL CEGLIA
N3TMX
cegtv1@aol.com
MARK HINKLE
WA3QVU
mrhinkle@verizon.net
CULLY PHILLIPS
N3HTZ
HOWARD RUBIN
N3FEL
n3fel@aol.com
BEN JOHNS
K3JQH
k3jqh@verizon.net
TOM GREGOR
K3SSB
k3ssb@verizon.net
ED WELLS
N3IAS
edwellsjr@gmail.com
HOWARD RUBIN
N3FEL
n3fel@aol.com
CONSTITUTION
HISTORIAN HOSPITALITY INTERFERENCE
PAST PRESIDENT PROGRAMS PUBLIC RELATIONS QSL MANAGER REFRESHMENTS REPEATER TECH SUPT SCIENCE NET MANAGER SERGEANT.AT.ARMS TECHNET MANAGER VEC CONTACT WEBMASTER WEBSITE (ALT) — ARCHIVES X-MITTER EDITOR
Silver Service Award Penn Wireless Association sponsors the Silver Service Award to recognize amateurs who have performed outstanding service to their club, their community and Amateur Radio. Nominations are accepted throughout the year and a candidate is selected to be honored at our annual banquet. Nominations should be mailed to PWA Silver Service, P.O. Box 224, Morrisville, PA 19067.
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Field Day is a time for amateur radio operators to show the world what grass roots communication is all about.
Join PWA at our annual Field Day exercise. Sign up now for a station assignment. Station locations are to be awarded** soon. Don’t hesitate, as the best assignments and locations will no longer be available. Field Day committees are forming now. Plan to serve on one or more of the following and help Penn Wireless Association bring out the best exercise experience this side of Newington.
√
GOTA Station / Recruitment
√
Safety / First Aid
√
Field Day Ways and Means
√
Antenna Planning / Setup
√
CW, SSB, & Digital Modes
√
Power Generator / Distribution
√
Public Awareness / Relations
√
Education/Training
√
Food Planning / Preparation
** Station assignment and location options are initially offered to participating band captains of FD 2009 in descending order of highest points earned. After that, assignments are offered to band captain applicants in descending order of highest license class on a first-come, first served basis. For additional details, contact your Field Day 2010 Chairman, Howard, N3FEL.