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NEWS:

The One Day Ham Cram is fast approaching 7 Aug

and so far the following hams have offered to help: K7DTU , AD7RS, K7VY, KD7QDL, K2RNO, K7BFD, W7TAP, KE7BQX. I could sure use about six more for Saturday.

We have 25 signed up for the Technician, 7 for the General, and 8 for the Extra. Many of the Techs will be coming from California.

This will be the biggest ham cram ever so if you can help please email wa6mty at gbis.com

The VE's will be there at 3:00 for those people that are not participating in the Ham Cram but want to test anyway.

Thanks

Bob WA6MTY

Reno VE Exams, Saturday, August 9, 2008

Sponsor: Comstock Amateur Radio Association, K7AN
VEC: W5YI
Contact Person: Eric Rich, KT0AD, 775-240-0658 (KT0AD at ARRL.NET))
Where: Regional Emergency Operating Center, 5195 Spectrum Blvd., Reno off
Dandini Blvd, near TMCC (go around the roundabout and head north)
Time: 3:00 PM
Date: Saturday, August 9, 2008
Cost: $14, If you are currently licensed, bring your original license and a copy.
We will be administering the Technician, General and Amateur Extra Class license examinations.

We will be working with Bob Miller and Gary Grant which will be presenting the Ham Cram beginning at 8 AM at the EOC. Contact Bob at WA6MTY at GBIS.COM , 775-843-5952 to enroll.

Note that the FCC requires us to collect either your Social Security Number or a Federal Registration Number (FRN) with your license application. To obtain a Federal Registration Number (FRN), go to www.fcc.gov and click on CORES in the left column. Follow the direction to obtain your FRN. Be sure you have it in your possession before attending the One-Day session
Good Luck!

Jamboree-on-the-Air

Jamboree-on-the-Air is coming up October 18 and 19th. JOTA is an annual event in which Boy and Girl Scouts and Guides from all over the world speak to each other by means of Amateur (ham) Radio. Scouting experiences are exchanged and ideas are shared via radio waves. Since 1958 when the first Jamboree-on-the-Air was held, millions of Scouts have met each other through this event. Many contacts made during JOTA have resulted in pen pals and links between Scout troops that have lasted many years.

If anyone is interested in helping with the planning, contact BOB MILLER WA6MTY e-mail wa6mty at gbis.com

Be Careful on 10 Meters

With recent band openings beginning on 10 meters, ARRL has received word that a number of US amateurs have been heard using SSB below 28.300. "We urge everyone to remember that 28.000 to 28.300 MHz is reserved for RTTY and data, including CW," said ARRL Field and Regulatory Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG. "Phone is permitted from 28.300 to 28.500 for Novice and Technician class licensees with a maximum power of 200 W. Phone and image are allowed from 28.300 up to 29.700 for General, Advanced and Extra class license holders." Skolaut, who manages the Official Observer and Intruder Watch programs, said that people have called and e-mailed ARRL HQ inquiring about hearing IDs repeated in code on various 10 meter frequencies. "What they are hearing are beacons," Skolaut said; he suggests checking out some Web sites for more information on beacons you might hear on 10 meters and other bands.

Reprinted with permission from the ARRL Letter/American Radio Relay League

W1AW Operating Schedule

The ARRL W1AW Spring/Summer operating schedule is available. Please click the "W1AW Schedule" link in the menu on the left to see their bulletin.

NVIS Antenna

There is much discussion lately on 2 meters regarding a simple low to the ground HF antenna that will not stick out like a "sore thumb!" Antennas of this type are called NVIS (Near Vertical Incidence Skywave). This type antenna is great for emergency communications.

ANTENNA TIPS FOR (NEW) HF OPERATORS (An EM basic studies training module)

Many new HF operators are appearing on the bands. Many are checking into emcomm and traffic nets and are displaying some excellent operating practices. These former VHF and/or UHF only operators are finding out that HF operation and propagation is a somewhat different "ball game". Occasionally, we hear someone say, "I'm using a simple dipole and it is only 30 feet in the air. I need to get it up higher."

Not so fast! It all depends on what you are trying to achieve, and how long the ranges are you wish to "work". Unlike VHF and UHF, increasing height above ground may actually decrease your effective range. Most emcomm nets are in the 40 and 75/80 meter bands. (The 30, 60 and 160 meter bands are less commonly used for emcomm--but we probably will be seeing more utilization of those bands as the number of amateur stations increase.)

This antenna will work very well for short range. While reading this months Emcomm Monthly there was information on building such a NVIS antenna.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON NVIS ANTENNAS:
www.emcomm.org/antenna www.emcomm.org/projects/default.asp

"Reproduced courtesy of EMCOMM MONTHLY www.emcomm.org and the World Radio Relay League (WRRL) www.wrrl.org"

New HAMS Net

Join the New Hams Net every Sunday afternoon at 1 PM PDST in the Northern Nevada area on the WADG radio system 147.150 PL 123 linked with 147.210 PL 100 and 444.925 PL 100.

Many questions/topics for new and older hams as well. Many "Elmers" are standing by to help out.

Out of town and still like to get involved? Your information is requested! Join the New Hams Net Yahoo group groups.yahoo.com/group/NewHamsNet

For more details/ information contact the net Manager, Steve Smythe KE7HLS. E-mail: steve at smythefamily.com

QSO Confirmation via QSL cards

History - Its the usual amateur radio practice to exchange QSL cards after a QSO. Sending QSL cards can get expensive, especially to stations outside of the USA. Some stations are better than others as to replying to QSL cards.

Paper QSL card - The typical QSL card is mailed to the other station. Often a SASE (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope) is requested. Sometimes a DX station might also request IRC'S (International Reply Coupons). IRC coupons can be purchased at the Post Office. Many times a DX station will request Green Stamps (U S Dollars).

Paper QSL cards and the ARRL QSL card Bureau System:

Outgoing QSL cards - a system where you send your QSL cards Addressed to foreign countries to the ARRL. The ARRL forwards the cards to the foreign countries. ARRL membership is required.The service is not free. Price examples 10 DX cards can be sent for $1.50 and 75 DX cards for ten dollars. Check the ARRL website - not all DX countries exchange QSL cards via the ARRL Bureau. The word bureau is often sent on CW as buro - pse qsl via buro.

Incoming QSL cards - depending on your call sign you can send prestamped / preaddressed manila envelopes to an incoming QSL card distribution site. When the site has enough cards to fill an envelope, they mail the envelope. The usual practice is to have a few envelopes and stamps at your call sign incoming bureau.The ARRL incoming QSL card is free. ARRL membership is not required. The ARRL incoming site address for 7 area callsigns (W7 - K7 - AA7 - KE7 - KD7 - N7 - and ETC) IS:

Willamette Valley DX Club Inc
PO Box 555
Portland, OR 97207

Electronic QSL card systems - there are two major systems.

LOTW (Logbook Of The World) system. Free to all amateur radio operators. You send your electronic logbook file to the LOTW website. When other stations send their logbook files, The logbook entries are compared. Confirmed entries can be used for awards such as DXCC and WAS. Getting setup on LOTW can be complicated. Logbook entries have to be very exact, especially as regards to time and date.

E-QSL cards. These cards are exchanged on the internet via the website WWW.EQSL.CC The website derives its revenue mostly from membership donations. E-QSL cards are very popular and basically free to send and receive. 76.4 million E-QSL cards have been exchanged from 307 different countries. The E-QSL card website has their own awards system for DXCC WAS etc. If your active on ham radio, there may be E-QSL cards waiting your retrevial.

Questions about QSL cards - please contact: Tom Arnold WA60VP E-mail: WA6OVP at ARRL.NET

Radio Pack Club is looking for YOU

The Radio Pack is looking to gain new student members on campus. Radio Pack is currently active in community and on campus with the emergency radio services maintaining the 145.29 MHz W7UNR repeater and a fully equipped amateur radio station on campus, SCM RM. 500.

We have several transceivers on campus that can be used to talk around the world or just around town. We also have a packet or digital station that is driven by a computer. There is enough stuff there to keep several operators busy and new operator’s busy learning. Come and learn how the equipments works and get your own amateur radio license.

Contact: Erv Horton KB7IWT e-mail ehorton at unr.edu or Gary Grant e-mail gfg at scsr.nevada.edu

Radio Pack Information:

The Radio Pack is part of the University of Nevada Reno Associated Student Union. Our 'Shack' (HAM jargon for the place we have our radios) is in SEM 500 and if you are not familiar with the area, here is a simple map.

Up in the 'Shack' we have several transceivers that can be used to talk around the world or just around town. We also have a packet or digital station that is driven by a computer. There is enough stuff there to keep several operators busy and new operators busy learning.

The UNR Radio Pack is active in community and UNR campus emergency radio services maintaining the 145.29 MHz W7UNR repeater and a fully equipped amateur radio station on campus, SCM RM. 500. Achievements include: The Nevada State Fair radio booth (inactive for several years), support of the Silver State Striders, races and marathons, technical support and operations of the UNR Police Department E.O.C. amateur radio station. Contact: Erv Horton KB7IWT e-mail ehorton at unr.edu (e-mail address disassembled to prevent spambot harvesting).

Breakfast Meeting:

On Monday mornings the Radio Pack meets at 07:00 (7:00 AM) at Carrows Restaurant at 880 East Plumb Lane for breakfast. All are welcome to attend. It is non-smoking and in a separate room. Join us on 145.290 for the morning conversation on the way to breakfast.

This page updated 25 Julu 2008 at 0944 PST

NOTE: This website is set up in frames. If you found just this page while doing an internet search, please go to our home page www.scsr.nevada.edu/~radio for our complete web site.