(page numbers are as they appear in the printed version)

Our Program Director, Russell Brown (WB2JIL), is looking for program ideas that would be of interest to the club members. If you have a subject that interests you, please let him know. Future program ideas being considered include: APRS, SKYWARN (in the Spring), National Traffic System (NTS), Moon Bounce, Digital Modes, and Slow and Fast Scan TV. If any of these topics interest you, or you have one of your own, please let Russ know.

The Rome Radio Club VEC team conducts examinations on the first Friday of every month at the Oneida County Cooperative Extension Office located at the Oneida County airport. Sessions start at 1900. A pre-registration 5 days in advance is required. Contact Bill Effland (K2GVI) for information and registration. Any person who qualifies for a handicap waiver or needs special accommodations to be tested should contact Bill to make a special appointment. The fee for taking a test is currently set at $10.00. Bill would like to welcome Russ (WB2JIL) as the newest VE (volunteer examiner) to the team.

The Madison Oneida ARC VEC conducts examinations on the third Friday of each month at the Madison Oneida BOCES complex on Spring Rd in Verona NY. Contact Bill Mayers (KG2DI) for more information.

 

Local Nets

NTS Nets:

OCTEN-E 145.450- 1830 Daily

OCTEN-L 145.170- 2130 Daily

CNYTN 147.300+ PL 100.0 2115 F-W

147.000- PL 71.9 2115 Th

Swap Nets:

Swap Net 147.000- PL 71.9 1900 W

Emergency Nets:

Central District Emergency Net

147.000- PL 71.9 1900 2nd Tu

OMEN 145.170- 2000 last W

SkyWarn 145.170- as needed

145.450- backup

Information Nets

SWL Net 147.000- PL 71.9 2030 F

145.170- 2030 F

MOARC 145.170- 2000 W

 

From Our Past

The following is reprinted from the May/June 1999 issue of "The Gazorche".

The Hobby of Amateur Radio is available to anyone whether you are 5 years old or 100 years old. I became a licensed Amateur Radio Operator at the age of 12 years old. My elmers Len Brower W2HAX, George Woods W2SWN, and many others from the Fort Stanwix Radio Club. This radio club became incorporated in 1954 and changed the club name to Rome Radio Club Inc.

We enjoyed the meetings held up stairs in the Fire Station and Legion on Washington Street, Rome, NY. In the warm summer days our meetings were held in the radio club’s Emergency vehicle, Rio School Bus parked in a lot off Shankenberry Ave. next door to C E Mills another member and driver for radio club. We joined the Rome Civil Defense and become K2BIA unit 10. We also joined the Oneida County Civil Defense under the command of our director Daniel Webster. We had many activities presented at club meetings like hidden transmitter hunts on 75 and 10 meters. Construction of the Brass Wonder 6 meter transmitter on 50.6 MHz. This was quiet a project to keep a 2E26 stable and not take off on all frequencies that it didn’t belong. As the years progress a group decided to build the cream of the best 2 Meter Converter possible, but this meant Scrooge and talk someone out of two 417A and a 416B Western Electric tubes. My first field I attended two of my elmers suggested that I be their loggers, that was my big mistake they were both high speed navy operators. I am a new general class operator and they are running 35 wpm on 40 meters. I started asking what was the last call and they told me you are the logger that’s your problem and went on working contest. In 1983 we started the Rome Radio Club VE Team 71 Amateur Radio FCC Testing Team and at 1999 this team has tested more than 2000 people. Our first station was a home-brew Transmitter using a 6AG7 (4 watts out) Hallicrafters S38C and mow today I use a Yaesu FT990 HF Transceiver, Kenwood TS440S backup transceiver. Icom IC-2KL Solid State Linear, 100 ft tower, 5 El Triband beam and all the other goodies mounted on it.

73’s hope to talk to you on the air

William Effland - K2GVI

Editor’s Note: The picture of Bill that was part of this article was not of the quality to reproduce.

 

Section News

Information in this section comes from our section manger’s (Scott Bauer W2LC) monthly newsletter, published on the ARRL’s web page www.arrl.org

Official Western New York Section Web Page

Please visit the official WNY Section web page at http://home.twcny.rr.com/datahold/WNY/ which is maintained by Doc N2IKR. On this web page you can find a history of WNY, a Station Appointment application form, and a lot of information concerning the WNY section of the ARRL.

If you have not heard the ARRL Board of Directors voted to eliminate the "Section News" columns from the pages of QST. This web page is now the only place (Ed - I’ll reprint it here) that you will see WNY Section News in the future. The December 2002 issue of QST will be the last time that WNY Section News appears in QST.

The Section News columns are a long standing tradition in the pages of QST, and I don't agree with the change, but will make the best of the decision.

On the bright side, this web page will allow for more in depth Section News articles and I can also include pictures. If you have an event you wish to share, please write up a short article and include pictures when you can, and email to me at W2LC@arrl.org.

Please understand that I can't promise that I will use all of the material, and I will edit the material as I deem necessary. I will do my best to put some interesting material on this web page and your help will be greatly appreciated!

Inappropriate material or items that cannot be verified when required will not be used. Such as Silent Key listings. I cannot put silent key information on the web page without having a copy of the obituary from the newspaper.

Club News

The South Towns Amateur Radio Society (STARS) and the Amateur Radio Association of the Tonawandas (ARATS) are co-sponsoring beginner ham radio classes this fall. The classes are designed to teach the students all the information they need to qualify for their Technician class licenses. The classes are open to all. Last year's class included students from many backgrounds and spanned ages from 11 to 77 years old! The classes will be held in Cheektowaga on Monday evenings beginning in September. The instructors will be STARS and ARATS members Terry Rockhold K2OO and Jim Livingston N2SKT. Those interested should call Terry at 716-656-0865 by August 30, 2002 to register or to obtain more information.

Hamfest News

Batavia Hamfest: A good time was had by all at the Batavia Hamfest in Alexander, back at the old fireman's grounds with the traditional chicken barbecue. Plan on being there next year!

The Greater Buffalo Summerfest and WNY Section Convention by the Lancaster Amateur Radio Club and hamfest chairman Luke N2GDU had another fine event. The winners of the club contest had to answer a test of Amateur Radio related questions. Congratulations to BARRA the 2002 winners!

2002 Club Champions:
1st Place Trophy: Buffalo Amateur Radio Repeater Assoc ( BARRA)
2nd Place Trophy: Rochester Amateur Radio Assoc (RaRa)

UGLY Antenna Contest Winners
1st Place Trophy Winner: Roy Benn N2OOE, His array of antennas consists of a 40 meter ham stick, and whips on 10 meter, 2 meter, 2 meter/ 440, 220, 11 meter (<--Roy take that one off, the editor).
2nd Place Trophy Winner: Joe Ogozaly KC2IQT, His array consists of various HF, UHF, VHF antennas.

FOX HUNT - 2002 Trophy Winner
Fred Miller WO2P and Judy Stonehill N2KXS

WNY Hamfests 2002

14 Sept 2002, RAGS Hamfest, by the Radio Amateurs of Greater Syracuse, at the Pompey Hill Fire Dept. For info or inside table reservations contact: RAGS HAMFEST, Box 88, Liverpool, NY 13088.

28 Sept 2002, Elmira Hamfest, by the Amateur Radio Association of the Southern Tier at the Chemung County Fair Grounds, contact: E.J. Gardner N2OG, PO Box 44, Elmira NY 14902-0044

Official Observer News

Duane WV2B, the Official Observer Coordinator in WNY, reports that our current sixteen (16) Official Observers (OOs) are busy monitoring the airwaves. There was a total of 158 hours of monitoring time reported in July. Two (2) Official Observer candidates are presently studying for their OO tests, and we wish them the best of luck.

You can find additional information at: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/org/oo.html

Official Observer Requirements:

1. Must take and pass examination to be certified as a member of the Amateur Auxiliary, an FCC requirement, based on study of the ARRL's Amateur Auxiliary Training Manual.
2. Must be an ARRL Full Member and have been a licensee of Technician Class or higher for at least four years.
3. Must report to the OO Coordinator regularly on FSD-23.
4. Maintain regular activity in sending out advisory notices as needed.

The OO program is one of the most important functions of the League. A sincere dedication to helping our brother and sister amateurs is required for appointment. Recruitment of new hams and League members is an integral part of the job of every League appointee. Appointees should take advantage of every opportunity to recruit a new ham or member to foster growth of Field Organization programs, and our abilities to serve the public.

If you are friendly, ethical, professional, understanding, reasonable, trustworthy, want to learn the FCC rules and regulations better, and are interested in becoming an Official Observer, please contact Duane WV2B or myself. Our addresses, both USPS and email, are listed on this web page.

From the President

Editor’s Note - In the future, I hope to have a short message to the membership from our club president.

 

Public Service

Our club has a long history of being a special service club. In the past, we have supported the Honor America Days Parade, the Drums Along the Mohawk, the race in Westmoreland, and the Pumpkin Patrol (just to name a few). Up coming Public Service Events in our area are:

• Shriners Circus 3 through 6 Oct in Utica - contact Pat Daily (N2DKB) at 339-2850 for details and volunteering.
• Pumpkin Patrol 30-31 Oct - contact Frank Reynolds N2FHR for details and volunteering.

 

EC Corner

Oneida and Madison counties have a new Emergency Coordinator (EC) as of September 1^st. Frank Reynolds (N2FHR) took over the job from John Killian (N2UC) . Thanks John for holding us together during the past couple of years. Frank takes over, as we are about to conduct our annual Simulated Emergency Test (SET). Last year’s test was significantly scaled back due to the very tragic events of September 11^th. This year’s local test will be held on Oct 5 & 6 starting with a check-in on the 145.17 repeater at 0900 and then progressing to simplex for a coverage and relay exercise. For more information about the local test, contact Frank Reynolds (N2FHR) and for the nationwide test, see the article in the September issue of QST.

If you are not an ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) member, please consider joining. ARES is our front line in any communication emergency. Whether it’s caused by an ice storm or blizzard, a tornado or other natural disaster, a terrorist attack or some other bad event, we can provide a unique and necessary capability to keep information flowing to support the rescue and relief work force. For more information, or to get an application to join, contact Frank Reynolds (N2FHR).

 

Homeland Security Grant Training Set to Start September 1 (Aug 16, 2002) -- Amateur Radio emergency communications training supported by a $181,900 federal homeland security grant will begin within a few weeks instead of next year as reported initially. The grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) special volunteer program was announced

July 18. During its first year, the grant will reimburse the cost of Level I ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course training for up to 1700 volunteers. More details can be found on the ARRL Web page, or contact Frank (N2FHR).

Also, don’t forget to check into both the Oneida/Madison Emergency Net (OMEN) and the Central District Emergency Net. These are good places to practice your emergency skills and to gain new ones that may help save lives in the future.

 

Membership

Random notes about the membership:

• There are about 40 paid-up members in our club. A complete listing is available on request from our Treasurer.
• Most of our members are ARRL members as well. To remain a ARRL affiliated club, at least 51% of our club members must be ARRL members. If you do not belong to the ARRL, consider joining.

Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Brownies and Venture Scouts soon will take to the airwaves in an effort to communicate with each other via Amateur Radio. It's the annual event we call JOTA--Jamboree On The Air. But you don't have to be a scout to enjoy JOTA, which this year takes place Saturday October 19 through Sunday October 20 (local time and always the third weekend of October).

As many as 400,000 Scouts, scouters and other youth have participated in Jamboree On the Air in the past. It is the largest scouting event in the world! JOTA is not a contest. The idea behind JOTA is to expose youth to Amateur Radio by showing them a great time as well as helping them to meet new friends, share stories of past scout experiences, and, ultimately, to light the spark that inspires them to pursue their own Amateur Radio licenses. Stations participating should call "CQ Jamboree" or "CQ JOTA" and/or seek and answer other stations doing the same. Any frequency for which the control operator at hand has privileges may be used for JOTA, and several HF calling frequencies have been established to help in getting JOTA stations together. Remember: Once you establish a contact on one of these frequencies, QSY to another clear frequency to hold your actual QSO. Please be courteous and lead by example.

Notes:

1Not authorized for SSB in the United States (Region 2); however, you may listen or work split-frequency if the DX station indicates it is listening in the US phone band.

2While 7.290 MHz has been the "official" JOTA calling frequency in the past, US JOTA participants are advised to use 7.270 MHz to avoid AM activity on 7.290 MHz.

314.070 MHz has become the unofficial gathering place for PSK31 activity on 20 meters; JOTA operators may want to shift 5 kHz down to avoid causing QRM.

4This frequency allows US Novice ops to participate in JOTA on phone.

JOTA Needs Youth Participants, Club and Individual Involvement

You can get involved with JOTA in your area by first calling either your Scout council office (or equivalent) or a near by ham radio club and asking if they plan to host a JOTA event in your area. (Of course, you also might want to suggest JOTA to your own club, if it's not already on the program.)

If your local club is not planning to be active during JOTA, tell them about it and ask if members might be willing to put together a program for you and any other scout unit or youth you know. On the other hand, if your local club is planning for JOTA, let the club know you'll be there with all of your friends for a great time.

The official JOTA 2002 logo and patch.

By the way, for those of you who enjoy collecting and trading patches, the traditional JOTA patch is available for ordering (within the US only) from the Boy Scouts of America. Each patch is $3.25 (plus local sales tax) and can only be ordered after the event by sending a request and check to Jamboree-on-the-Air Patches, S221, 1325 W Walnut Hill Lane, PO Box 152079, Irving, TX 75015-2079.

What about club sponsorship of a JOTA activity? While many hams and ham clubs talk about the need for more youth, they don't always "walk the walk." JOTA represents one of best opportunities to put the idea of youth recruitment into action--and it's also one of the easiest. Every ham and every ham club should actively promote our hobby to youth in their area, and JOTA is a perfect opportunity to do just that.

Clubs or individuals can (and should) start today to plan a JOTA weekend for local scouts and youth. Decide on a convenient location, which can either be at your ham shack, at your club station or at a Field Day-type setup. Then begin putting together activities that will be held during JOTA. These can include a little presentation about ham radio and how it's used for fun as well as for emergency communication during times of need. Plan to let your young participants get on the ham bands to

make contacts (keeping in mind that you must follow Third Party Traffic Rules if working DX stations while unlicensed individuals are at the mike). You might also want to show off satellite operations, transmitter hunts, ATV, APRS and digital modes, and more, but don't try to fit in too many activities. Focus on those you or your club can demonstrate best. If a Scout leader is on hand, let him sign off Radio merit badge requirements for any Boy scouts on hand. To take it all a step further, offer a weekend ham radio class sometime shortly after JOTA, so those fired-up youth can learn what they need to know to get their own Amateur Radio licenses. No matter what you or your club decides to do, capturing the interest of younger prospective hams means keeping it fun, upbeat and interesting. Rein in the windy lectures and war stories, explain any ham radio jargon you might use, and be sure that the youngsters are the ones actually getting on the air. Remain in the background to be the control operator (as legal and necessary) and to help them make the best of this unique Amateur Radio event. Step in where needed, but for the most part just sit back and enjoy. The next--and perhaps most important--step is to promote, promote, promote! Extend an invitation to any young person you know. Visit scouting units and other youth groups in your area and tell them about the fun they will have at JOTA. You may have planned an excellent JOTA program, but nobody will show up without good promotion. The official Jamboree On The Air information packet is available from ARRL Field and Educational Services, 225 Main St, Newington CT, 06111-1494 USA; 860-594-0219. Or, save some time and visit the ARRL's website (JOTA) page. Whether as a participant or as an organizer, have a great time. I invite your e-mail comments and photos on your JOTA experiences, too. In a future column, I'll feature one or two JOTA groups.

From Our Neighbors

This section is available to our neighboring clubs and any other organization that would like to pass on information that would be of general interest to our club’s membership. Possible items will include information from or about:

• MORAC meetings
• Fort Herkimer Amateur Radio Association meetings
• Utica ARC club meetings
• Boonville Club meetings
• RAGS club meetings

 

Swap Page

This space is being provided for members to post listing of items they have for sale, trade, give-a-way. Also, listing of wants and needs can be posted. The same rules that apply for the club auction, apply here as well. As we have just started, there is nothing for this section yet - e-mail, or write me with a list (and maybe a picture) of the items you want to find or sell.

 

From the Editor

This section is my section of the newsletter. Here, at times, I’ll express my opinion on things that relate to the club and Ham Radio in general. Also, I’ll let you know about things that don’t seem to fit anywhere else in the newsletter.

It has been over two years since the last publication of "The Gazorche". With this new beginning, I propose that we come up with a new name for our newsletter. To start the creative processes of our membership going, I’ll propose the first candidate for a new name - "The Copper Wire". As we all know, a copper wire can be used for many things. It can be used to tie things together and to convey information from one point to another. That is precisely what I hope this newsletter does for our club. Please provide you ideas and comments. All such inputs will be given equal considerations and presented to the membership for a vote. -TNX-

It is my intention to publish this newsletter on the last Friday of every month. There will be times when that is not practical due to holidays and vacations, and maybe we will have a special edition or two - time will tell. If there is something you want inserted into the newsletter, then try to get it to me 3 to 5 days prior to the publication date.

Also, let me know if I got anything wrong in this or any edition. Corrections will be published. I will also make room for any and all responsible letters that I receive. Please pass this newsletter on to anyone that you think can benefit from its content.

73, Mike KB2CCD

 

WEB Page Links

Most of us have access to the World Wide Web in one form or another. Here is a listing of some web sites that might interest you. The list is complied from many sources, and the editor has not visited all of them. If you have a favorite web site related to radios, let us know about it and we’ll publish it for all to checkout.

Official Western New York Section Web Page

Please visit the official WNY Section web page at http://home.twcny.rr.com/datahold/WNY/ which is maintained by Doc N2IKR.

On this web page you can find a history of WNY, a Station Appointment Application form, and a lot of information concerning the WNY section of the ARRL.

http://www.arrl.org

http://www.tigertronics.com/index.htm

http://www.ldgelectronics.com/qstldglink.htm

http://www.artscipub.com/repeaters

http://www.ac6v.com

 

 

Special event marks 50th anniversary of RACES (Sep 27, 2002)

 

Reprinted from ARRL members only Web site

A special event Saturday, September 28, will mark the golden anniversary (50 years) of the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES). Lake County RACES/ARES of Illinois will be on the air as W9R for nine hours. Lake County RACES/ARES invites other ARES/RACES groups, emergency teams and their members or participants to get on the air to make contact with W9R and with other stations in the commemorative event. For more information, visit the Lake County RACES/ARES site or e-mail lcraces@races.org. Lake County RACES/ARES suggests the following frequencies for the RACES golden anniversary celebration: SSB: 7.283, 14.283 and 28.383 MHz; CW: 7.037, 14.037 and

28.037 MHz. Check area repeaters for VHF or UHF activity.

Local Repeaters

FREQ		PL	NOTES	CALL	LOCATION
53.050		71.9			Auburn, NY
145.110	-	167.9			Ilion, NY
145.170	-			KA2NIL	Stockbridge NY
145.230	-			W2SEU	Stamford NY
145.310	-	151.4
145.390	-			AE2K	Syracuse, NY
145.430	-	141.3
145.450	-			W2JIT	Deerfield NY
146.610	-	123.0		WA2ZWM	Cobleskill, NY
146.625	-	103.5
146.655	-			WA2OFK	Boonville NY
146.670	-	151.5		AK2K	Sempronis NY
146.685	-			WA2EYH	Bambridge, NY
146.715	-
146.760	-			W2JIT	Deerfield NY
146.850	-	167.9		W2SEU	Oneonta NY
146.880	-			W2OFQ	Lee NY
146.910	-			WA2KFW	Pompey NY
146.940	-		1	K2GVI	Westmoreland NY
146.960	-
147.000	-	71.9		W2QYT	Auburn NY
147.045	+	167.9
147.060	+			N2CWA	Syracuse, NY
147.045	+	151.4		K2UCO	Oneida, NY
147.090	+			W2JIT	Mohawk, NY
147.120	+			WB2HVE	Rome, NY
147.150	+	103.5		KW2M	Fulton, NY
147.195	+			WB2FDF	Elbridge, NY
147.210	+			KB2TLD	Syracuse NY
147.240	+		1, 2	K2BRH	Rome NY
147.255	+	151.4			Watertown, NY
147.270	+				Auburn, NY
147.285	+	136.5	1	WA2ZXS	Rome NY
147.300	+	100.0		N2ACQ	Syracuse NY
147.375	+	151.4			Watertown, NY
224.260	-			KA2NIL	Stockbridge NY
442.100	+			KA2UWD	Utica, NY
442.300					Syracuse, NY
443.200			3		Syracuse, NY
443.500			4		Syracuse, NY
443.650	-			KA2NIL	Stockbridge NY
444.100					Clay, NY
444.300		103.5			Liverpool, NY
444.400	+			N2FBB	Ilion, NY
444.650					Auburn, NY
444.850	+			W2JIT	Utica, NY
444.900	+			K2GVI	Westmoreland, NY

Notes: 1 - Auto-Patch; 2 - off the air; 3 - linked to 10m; 4 - linked to 6m

Listing compiled from multiple sources; including KC2HSU, nf2g.com, KB2CCD - corrections and additions should be directed to the editor