The Indianapolis Radio Club Newsletter Founded 1914 “The oldest continuously operating Amateur Radio Club in the United States” September 2008 Newsletter Upcoming Meetings: October 10: Presentation on Satellite Communications by K9SG (don’t forget the antenna shoot out prior to the meeting!) November 14: Hank, K9LZJ, will give a presentation on the new SDR 5000 Software Defined Radio. Highlights of the September 12, 2008 meeting: Club President Tom Chance, K9XV, started the meeting with self introductions. There were around 60 in attendance. There were around 10 new members present. It was announced that there were 9 new hams from Community Hospitals. It was also reported that there are repeaters located at the Community North, South, and East campuses. Dovid, N9APE, announced that he will be hosting an antenna party on September 27, look for details under “Ham Radio News” in this newsletter. The Broad Ripple hamfest was discussed. Joe, K9OOA, was thanked for allowing the club to use his property for the event. It was noted that it was a very successful hamfest, with beautiful weather. Ron, WB9DKL, talked about the 2nd annual Hilltop event coming up on Saturday, September 20, from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon. There are 6 hills registered so far. The event will be on 4 bands: 2, 6, 10, and 40 meters. For more information, point your browser to http://indyradioclub.org/irchilltop.htm Ron announced that there was currently a plan for WFYI to cover this event for their series “Across Indiana”. Ron also talked about the “Antenna Shootout” coming up prior to the October meeting. There is more information about this event later in this newsletter. Paul, KC9ENH, from Crawfordsville, was awarded an Indianapolis Radio Club hat for coming the furthest to the meeting. Don, W9DEW, Communications Director for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, gave a short talk soliciting new members for the IDHS Ham Team. Tom, K9XV, stated that at an upcoming meeting, there would be a class on the MFJ antenna analyzers, possibly at 5:30 pm, before the October meeting. Jay, KK9L, announced that on Wednesday, December 3, there would be an Amateur Radio and volunteer recognition night at the Hendricks County Government Center in Danville. Steve, KB9RDS, put out an open invitation to anyone, especially new members, that would like to see the W9JP ham shack to stop by after the meeting. At this time, Tom, K9XV, gave a short presentation on the W9JP/W9RCA/W9IMS field day, held in June at the Marion County Fairgrounds. Tom stated there were over 50 people involved and over 35 operators for the 2A station. Tom showed a video of a news spot on WRTV, channel 6, about our field day efforts. Tom stated that the fairgrounds is already reserved for next year’s field day. At this point, Mike, WA9FDO, was introduced to present the evening’s talk on tracking down noise. Mike stated there are 3 main types of noise present in RF devices: internal, such as a noisy receiver design; Naturally occurring, such as lighting and sun; and man-made, such as from auto ignition systems. Mike said that when noise is detected, the best way we, as hams, can try to isolate it is with a portable, battery operated radio tuned to the offending frequency, and then turn off breakers for the house, to determine whether the noise is coming from the electrical system of the house. If it is determined that the noise is coming from outside of the house, then a call to IPL’s Customer Service Department is warranted. The CSR has a form to use to take down detailed information regarding the noise complaint. IPL will then dispatch a noise locating van to try to locate the source of the noise. IPL is mandated by the FCC to track down complaints of RF noise. Mike showed pictures of the different devices that IPL uses to track down noise sources. He also had several examples of devices from the electrical distribution system that can produce noise. Door prizes were distributed after Mike’s very interesting talk. Ham Radio News: STATION MANAGER EXPLAINS NN3SI'S SILENCE ARRL has received numerous e-mails asking for information on why NN3SI, the Amateur Radio station at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History (NMAH) was closed after more than 32 years of operation.According to Hal Wallace, NN3SI Station Manager and Associate Curator for the Museum's electricity collections, there will be no appropriate place to house the station once the Museum reopens this fall after undergoing an extensive renovation. "NN3SI ceased operating from the National Museum of American History on July 31," Wallace told the ARRL. "As you may know, NMAH has been undergoing a renovation of the building's infrastructure and interior for some time. The renovation forced us to remove the Information Age exhibition -- the station's home since 1990. We placed the station in a temporary location for the duration of the renovation but it cannot remain there when we reopen to the public later this year. The Information Age exhibit will not be reinstalled, and since we have no other appropriate exhibition areas within the Museum, the station had to cease operations at NMAH. Various alternate locations throughout the Smithsonian have been considered but none are viable at this time." Wallace said that the station's license is valid until 2013 and its equipment will go into storage: "John Johnston, W3BE -- NN3SI's trustee-- assures me that a renewal of the license would not be an issue if we need one. Should a suitable exhibition area elsewhere in the [Smithsonian] Institution be found, we will be able to reactivate the NN3SI activity." HILLTOPS ON THE AIR EVENT COMING UP AGAIN Coming up September 20 will be the 2nd annual “Hilltops on the Air” event. The event will run from 8:00 am to noon, Indianapolis time. According to the IRC web site, the objective of this event is to encourage Amateur radio On The Air (OTA) participation in the Indianapolis and surrounding areas for the purpose of FUN and meeting on the Amateur frequencies. To contact as many of the registered HILL TOP stations as possible. Ops will be on 2, 6, 10, and 40 meters SSB, and on 2, 6, and 10 meters FM. Contact Ron Cooper, WB9DKL, at wb9dkl@sbcglobal.net to register a hilltop. You don’t have to be on a hilltop to participate, though, fixed stations and mobiles can participate also. Point your browser to http://indyradioclub.org/irchilltop2008.htm for all the details. INDIANAPOLIS VE Testing Schedule for 2008 November 1st December 6th Calling in advance to ensure testing availability is suggested but not mandatory. SPONSOR: Indianapolis Radio Club (W9JP) LOCATION: Indianapolis Training Center 2820 N. Meridian Street. CONTACTS: Gale Wuollet, AA9WU (h) 317-849-8449, or Dr. Jay Wright, KK9L 317-203-3335. All testing at the Indianapolis Training Center starts at 9:00 am and the last test will be administered no later than 11:00 a.m. NOTE REGARDING OCTOBER TESTING Due to a personal scheduling conflict, the testing session scheduled for October 4 at the ITC has been cancelled. Please note that there is a testing session scheduled in Bloomington on that same October 4, and one in Terre Haute on October 5. Point your browser to http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtml?State=IN to check these out. FCC VANITY CALL SIGN FEES INCREASE SEPTEMBER 25 On August 11, the Federal Communications Commission announced that the cost of an Amateur Radio vanity call sign will increase 60 cents, from $11.70 to $12.30. Now that notice of the increase has been published in the Federal Register, the increase will takeeffect in 30 days, September 25, 2008. 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 10 year term. The notice in the August 26, 2008 Federal Register, entitled "Assessment and Collection of Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 2008," includes regulatory fees expected to recover a total of $312,000,000 during FY2008, encompassing all the services the FCC regulates. More information is available at, http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/08/11/10257/?nc=1. THE ARRL VC AND VCE PROGRAMS: HAMS HELPING HAMS Invariably, when an amateur wants to erect a tower and more antennas, there will be questions about zoning and building ordinances. According to ARRL Regulatory Branch Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, some questions are simple, while others may lead to a long battle with town officials. "Rule number one in any of these cases," Henderson said, "is to make sure you know the legal landscape you are facing before you start any project." Henderson said there are many tools to assist amateurs in navigating the perils of zoning and restrictions: "Among the most important resources are fellow amateurs who have stepped forward to serve as either an ARRL Volunteer Counsel (VC) or an ARRL Volunteer Consulting Engineer (VCE)." ARRL VCs are fellow amateurs who are attorneys. They have agreed to provide a free initial consultation to hams facing town zoning issues related to the erection of Amateur Radio towers and antennas. ARRL VCEs are registered Professional Engineers (PE) who have likewise agreed to give hams an initial consultation when facing antenna support installation issues required by the town. Henderson notes that VCs and VCEs provide their initial consult for free: "If you do need to retain them further to help you navigate through the 'red tape,' you need to be prepared to pay them for their professional services, though many VCs and VCEs do provide discounted rates if they assist long term." If you need the services of a VC or VCE to help with your zoning problem, contact the Regulatory Information desk via e-mail . "We are happy to help you sort through the first steps or try to hook you up with a nearby VC or VCE. The ARRL VC/VCE programs are here to serve you, but we need your help." NEW WEBSITE TO LEARN AND PRACTICE CW A new website to learn and practice Morse telegraphy has been launched: http://lcwo.net/ - Learn CW Online There are already hundreds of training programs, MP3/CD courses and practice aids available, but LCWO follows a radically different concept: While sticking to well-proven methods for learning and practice, all you need for using LCWO is a web browser! This gives the user the liberty to practice CW wherever an internet connection is available, always retaining the personal settings, scores and statistics. Currently the site, which is available in four languages (English, French, German and Portuguese) offers a complete Koch method Morse course, code group practice, callsign- and plain text training modes and also allows to convert random text to Morse MP3s. A high score list is available to compare results with other users, personal statistics help to track training progress. LCWO.net is a non-commercial project. Creating a free account only takes a few seconds, and you can start practicing CW right away! RECALL ON RADIO SHACK 13.8 VDC POWER SUPPLIES Thanks to Bob, W9PSE, for this: Catalog No. 22-507 22-508 Made from 10-2004 through 1-2008 date codes 08A04 through 01A08 on back of supplies. Problem: Supplies are wired incorrectly, and pose electrocution and fire hazards! Return to any Radio Shack for free repair. Call 800-843-7422 for further details. From: Consumers Reports October 2008 Issue. AMERICAN RED CROSS CLARIFIES AMATEUR RADIO POLICY On September 3, the American Red Cross released a statement to clarify their policy as it concerns Amateur Radio operators. The letter below from American Red Cross Disaster Service Technology Manager Keith Robertory, KG4UIR, is presented in its entirety: There has recently been some posting on amateur radio discussion groups on the Internet that is carrying false or misleading information. The Red Cross does not have a policy against amateur radio participating in passing health and welfare messages. In fact, we recognize the importance of amateur radio in being a vital method for people to get registered. The American Red Cross welcomes the support of Amateur Radio Operators in connecting friends and family members together through our health and welfare programs. The grassroots, independent nature of Amateur Radio Operators in communities around the country make them well suited for this task. General welfare messages are processed through the Red Cross Safe and Well web site. This site allows people to register their status which can be checked by friends and family who search by your name, address or phone number. A quick look at the website disastersafe. redcross.org will show how both the registration process and search are done. As few as two hams can setup an effective registration process. A ham located in the disaster zone can use any mode to transmit the basic Safe and Well registration information to another ham located outside the disaster who would enter the information on the web site. This quick ad-hoc setup doesn't rely on any affiliations and can be established by a call out to another ham who can help. The Red Cross also processes welfare inquiry messages that contain specific medical information. These contain more sensitive and personally identifiable information at the same time that the Red Cross keeps confidential to respect client privacy. We are researching if and how these messages can be passed across open frequencies, and what federal restrictions (such as HIPPA) may be impact how this is done. Thank you, Keith Robertory Disaster Service Technology Manager, American Red Cross KG4UIR ROHN TOWER AND HARDWARE AVAILABLE >From Ron Williams, W9YZ: I have 8 sections of Rohn 25 towers which I will never use and would like to sell. The recent ads in QST show a price of $99 each plus shipping and sales tax. Also included will be a shelf for a rotator, a thrust bearing at the top and a base mounting. Also more than enough suitable bolts to assemble sections, one shelf top to place near the top to stand on while installing antennas, and three guy wire anchors with 8 inch diameter forged steel plates, the kind used by power companies. With shipping costs, sales tax, and the additional hardware the total cost would be over $1,000. I am asking for $600.00. Ron Williams, W9YZ 240 Tamara Trail Indianapolis, In 46217 317-783-1211 ARRL PRESENTS NEW MEMBERSHIP BENEFIT With just a mouse click or two, ARRL members can now access the online QST magazine archive. This new benefit -- a service of the ARRL Technical Information Service (TIS) -- provides PDF copies of all QST articles from December 1915 through December 2004, enabling members to view and print their favorite article, project and more. For many years, the TIS has provided members with assistance researching ARRL periodicals and publications, as well as providing members and non-members with article reprints for a small fee. Access to the new online digital QST archive is free for ARRL members. The ARRL Periodicals Archive and Search lists every article for QST from 1915 to the present, QEX from 1981 to the present, Ham Radio from 1968 to 1990 and NCJ from 1973 to the present (please note that beginning in 1998, each issue of QEX covers two months). Only ARRL members will be able to download and print copies of the QST articles. NEW CO-MGR OF QIN FROM NEWT KJ9J - QIN NET MANAGER I WISH TO ANNOUNCE THAT DICK, K9PUI, IS RESIGNING AS CO-MGR OF QIN AS OF OCT 1 AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF VERY ACTIVE SERVICE AND HELP TO QIN. DICK WILL STILL QNI WHENEVER HE HAS TIME AND WILL STILL BE ACTIVE ON THE TRAFFIC NETS. DICK HAS BEEN EXTRAORDINARY IN HELPING ME DURING THE TIMES I AM IN THE SOUTH AND KEEPING QIN GOING. HE IS TO BE COMMENDED FOR ALL HIS HELP. IVIN, W9ILF, WILL TAKE DICK'S PLACE AS CO-MGR. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS HELP THIS WINTER. IVIN IS AN EXCELLENT CW OPERATOR AND I KNOW HE WILL DO HIS BEST TO KEEP QIN RUNNING IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT HE IS A BUSY GUY ! PLEASE GIVE HIM YOUR COOPERATION WHEN I LEAVE (AS I KNOW YOU WILL). VIA KB9BVN Brian Murrey - KB9BVN ANTENNA RAISING PARTY Time:  Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008 - 10:30 a.m. til? QTH:  1570 West 64th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46260           Corner of W. 64th St. & Grandview           Entry on Grandview - plenty of parking and overflow at 1560 W. 64th Lunch:  Hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, soda & other libations   All materials furnished.  Ground mounted HyGain vertical antenna with radial base and one-person tilt attachment. Add connector (PL-259) to coax. Time permitting : hoist a 2-meter j-pole (base and stabilizer attachment in place)   All help will be greatly appreciated. 73 & Tnx de N9APE - Dovid WELCOME NEW MEMBERS New members at the June meeting: Art Bleicher, WB9CHR; K.C. Corbin, KC9MTL; Steve Curtis, N9WVV; Rodney Eggers, KB9NDL; Frank Hughes, KC9LET New members in July: Ron Greenawalt, KB9YLB; Albert, Gruber, KC9NUB New members at the Sept meeting: Mike Bowman, K9MDB; Steve Brinkley, KB9ZLG; Ronald Cox, W9KFB; Jeff Davis, no call; Dennis Gilbey, K9JZZ; Matt Gull, KX4W; Greg Herman, KC9NRO; Mike McMahan, KC9NXP; Ted Richart, KC9NXU FEEL FREE TO SHARE OUR NEWSLETTER If you belong to any other radio groups, please feel free to share our newsletter with them. They can also sign up to be on our mailing list by filling out the form available at http://www.indyradioclub.org/rqstnewsletter.htm. SEND ME YOUR HAM RADIO NEWS If anyone has any items for the newsletter, please send them to Ken Bandy at kj9b@arrl.net Signals from the Past: >From the May, 1979 Amachewer: TRAVEL NEWS Ron Williams, W9JVF, traveled east for a week or so to visit in Virginia, his daughter, Ron liked what he saw around there especially interested in some high spots along the coast where there is nothing between your antenna and Europe, but the ocean. Hi. Upcoming Area Radio Events: * Saturday, September 20: Indianapolis Radio Club’s “Hilltops on the Air” Event. Go to http://indyradioclub.org/irchilltop2008.htm for all the details. * Saturday and Sunday, September 20 and 21: Peoria Superfest 2008, located at the Exposition Gardens in Peoria, IL. Go to http://www.peoriasuperfest.com/ for more details. * Sunday, September 28, 8:00 am to 1:00 pm: Hancock Amateur Radio Club Hamfest 2008, at the Hancock County 4-H Fairgrounds. Point your browser to http://www.w9atg.org/hamfest.php f or more info, or contact Mike Mallory, NE9O, at mjmal@att.net . * Friday, October 10, 6:30 pm, prior to IRC meeting: IRC “Antenna Shootout”. Held in the parking lots of the Indianapolis Training Center. Point your browser to http://indyradioclub.org/ircshootout-08.htm for more information on this event. * Wednesday, December 3, at 7:00 pm: Annual Hendricks county Amateur Radio and Volunteer recognition night at the Hendricks county government center on South Washington St. in Danville. Contact Dr. Jay Wright, KK9L, for more information. Current IRC Officers: · President: Tom Chance, K9XV - ..EMAIL k9xv@arrl.net · Vice Pres.: Dave Miller, K9RTT - ..EMAIL dmiller@ivytech.edu · Secretary: Ken Bandy, KJ9B - ..EMAIL kj9b@arrl.net · Treasurer: Jay Willever - ..EMAIL k9ljw@arrl.net · Chief Operator: Steve Wendt, KB9RDS - ..EMAIL kb9rds@arrl.net · Dir. at large: Jim Rinehart, K9RU – EMAIL k9ru@arrl.net · Dir. at large: Tom Price, WB9UNG – EMAIL pricetr@comcast.net · Dir. at large: Hank Wolfla, K9LZJ – EMAIL hwolfla@insightbb.com · W9JP Trustee: Don Hemenover, N9DOO – EMAIL don9doo@lightbound.com - Webpage author.....(open)