DOUGLAS COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB NEWSLETTER
VOL. 30, N0. 12, DECEMBER 2000 -- Our 30th Year
Articles and information for the Newsletter may be submitted up to the 25th of the month before the next meeting.
Ken Blair, KC0GL, Editor
1711 West 19th Terrace Phone: 843-8826
Lawrence, KS 66046 e-mail: kc0gl@arrl.net
This Newsletter is published monthly by the Douglas County Amateur Radio Club (DCARC). Reprint permission is granted to other Amateur Radio-oriented publications (expept for copyrighted material as noted) provided that credit is given to the author and source. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the club or its officers.
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Wednesday, December 13, 2000
Fifi's Banquet Connection
1350 North Third
Reservations are made by prepaying $18 per person
Price includes meal, tax, and gratuities.
The buffet style service and cash bar will be nearly identical to last year's arrangements: two entrees (brisket of beef and dijon chicken); rice Pilaff, scalloped potatoes; vegetable medley and cheesecake dessert.As in past years we can start arriving at 6:00 p.m. to begin the "attitude adjustment" period.
Important . . .
Prepayment must be received by our Treasurer no later than Saturday, December 9 so send in your reservations today to:
Bill Pendleton, N0KRI
1153 East 1300 Road
Lawrence, KS 66046
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Time flies when you are having fun, so I've been told. Well I'm having lots and lots of fun because here we are winding up the year 2000 already.
On behalf of the entire Club I would like to express our thanks to the Officers and Managers who have served so well during this year. Our special thanks goes to our President, Dan Gravatt/N2PRC, who did an exceptional job. He undertook the giant task of revising our Constitution and Bylaws. The revision was long overdue and we appreciate having an up-to-date Constitution with the previous Bylaws being incorporated into the document. Dan attended every meeting and had the talent of keeping the meetings short and moving right along.
As we go to press the leadership of the Club for 2001 is unknown but hopefully that will be resolved at a brief meeting at the December Annual Christmas Dinner.
I close by thanking all of the members who have sent in items to appear in this Newsletter. They are appreciated.
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Artur Leung, KC0IDG
Do you have any plans for the Christmas season? If you have not planned yours yet, you should consider digging into your tool box and equipment pile, exercise your DIY (Do It Yourself) skill, and impress your family and friends with a satellite weather image you receive. You can organize a family reunion and tell them why there will or will not be a white Christmas by showing them in real time what is going on above the sky of Kansas.
There are quite a few low-earth-orbit (LEO) weather satellites circling around the globe, such as the NOAA satellites (NOAA 12, 14, and 15) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Meteor satellites (Meteor 3-5, 3-6) from Russia. They map the earth's atmosphere twice a day at an altitude of several hundred kilometers, and beam back visual images via VHF band in real time. On a day with nice weather, the signal can be heard with a handheld receiver with a good HT antenna.
Proper reception of the signal from any one of those satellites requires the following tools:
Satellite tracking software--The time of day that the satellite passes through the sky above your location has to be known in advance before your system can hear the signal. There are several pieces of software on the web for real-time satellite tracking, such as Nova, SatScape, WinOrbit, etc. NASA also has a JAVA enabled site at http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/.
Antenna--A circular polarization antenna, such as the quadrifilar helix antenna, is an excellent choice for receiving satellite signal. The antenna shown in the photo is the one the author built last year. Several web sites have dimensions for the antenna, or you can design your own at 136-138MHz.
Receiver--The receiver should be able to receive wide-band FM signal in the 136-138MHz range. The two frequencies usually used are 137.5MHz and 137.62MHz. The IF bandwidth of the receiver should be wider than 50kHz, or the signal will be clipped. The author used an Icom R10 in WFM mode. Receivers specialized for receiving the weather satellite signal are also available.
Imaging Software--The audio signal from the receiver is fed to the line-in of a computer's sound card. Software such as WxSat is used to decode the audio signal into a visual image. If you do not have a laptop computer, you can use a tape recorder to record the audio signal, and then feed it to your desktop computer for decoding. The image brightness is related to the volume level of the audio signal.
Once the time of day the satellite passes over your location is determined, locate a wide-open area and plan on going there at least 15-30 minutes earlier to set up the equipment. When the satellite rises from the horizon, its signal can be heard and it sounds like slow- scan TV. Due to doppler shift, the receiving frequency may have to be adjusted higher when the satellite rises and lower when the satellite sets. The passing window should last for approximately 15 minutes.
Signal from some of the weather satellites in the geostationary orbit (GEOS) can also be received by specialized equipment and a satellite dish in L-band. The image resolution is better and half the globe can be seen from the image. The equipment will be more complicated and expensive, however.
Receiving satellite weather images is a fun hobby and the author hopes this introductory article will give you enough information to get started. Have fun with the project and Merry Christmas to all of you.
Here is a list of related web sites that may be of interest:
General Weather Satellite Imaging Information http://ecco.bsee.swin.edu.au/chronos/metsat/metsat-own.html
Satellite Tracking Information http://www.nlsa.com/, http://www.satscape.co.uk/, http://www.sat-net.com/winorbit/, http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/
Quad Helix Antenna http://indy.hiof.no/~she/qha.html, http://www.hshaarlem.nl/~ruud/scherm7e.html, http://abdallah.hiof.no/~borrel/QFH/
WxSat Software http://www.hffax.de/
UK Remote Imaging Group http://www.rig.org.uk/
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Ken Blair, KC0GL
The 2000 DCARC Special Events Station operation went very smoothly. This event was in conjunction with the Baldwin Maple Leaf Festival and a train ride on the Midland Railway Association's railroad from Baldwin City to Nowhere, Kansas where our stations were set up.
Members who participated were: Bob Rainbolt/WB0AUQ, Bill Pendleton/N0KRI, Ken Olson/AF3RM, Ken Blair/KC0GL, Will Shockley/KB0WDW, Artur Leung/KC0IDG, Wes Unruh/N0WU, JD Linn/KC0BD, Vince Francisco/KC0DLP, Truman Waugh/N0APJ and Rex Lockwood/W0FOG (I hope no one was overlooked).
The set up consisted mainly of assembling and raising antennas. It helped to have the Douglas County Emergency vehicle available to us as it accommodates several stations. Although cool and cloudy early in the morning, the weather warmed up later and otherwise cooperated nicely throughout operating hours.
Phone stations were set up on 2, 15, 20 and 40 meters. Total contacts numbered 186. Most contacts (160) were made on 20 m. There were also some PSK31 contacts made by Wes/N0WU and Bob/WB0AUQ. Bud/N0APJ set up a separate station on 20 m and worked with other local hams located at the Clinton Dam area who were involved with the Boy Scouts On-the-Air Jamboree.
The passenger cars on the train seemed to be pretty full and, as usual, we being hams, hammed it up and waved to the passengers and received enthusiastic waves back from the kids.
We had a campfire and hoped we didn't look too much like hobos. I doubt that any of the passengers had a clue as to who we were and what we were doing that day. This year the train had a Katy Railroad engine on one end and a New York Central engine on the other end so that one engine was always moving forward.
So far we have received 70 QSL cards and sent out the same number of certificates confirming the QSL contact.
It was another very enjoyable hamming experience. Thanks to Bob Rainbolt/WB0AUQ who again headed up this event and thanks to Truman Waugh/N0APJ who supplied the photographs for the Newsletter.
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Ron Hashiro, AH6RH
Have you ever thought about what is amateur radio and why is it so valuable? Ever tried to explain in 30 seconds to casual observers (like at Field Day) what is so unique?
Amateur radio is a self-learned hobby. And, it's a self-learning hobby. Welcome to Amateur Radio University.
It's a playground for the scientifically minded. Electronics, physics, chemistry, meteorology, propagation, quantum mechanics, orbital mechanics, fields and waves, computer hardware and software, lunar geography, solar forecasting just to name a few.
It's a playground for applied mathematics from ranging from arithmetic, geometry, algebra, trigonometry, calculus and up.
There's practical construction skills like soldering, wire work, metalshop work, wood, concrete, silk-screen artwork and landscaping.
You become very familiar with commercial communications, like HF/VHF/UHF radio, telephony, satellite transmissions, microwave, TV, LAN/WAN technologies, radio scanners.
There's a multi-national dimension to amateur radio. Foreign language, geography, world history and current events. Postal systems and world-wide stamps.
It's project design, project planning, project management, troubleshooting and maintenance skills.
It makes us more valuable as a self-learned student.
And sometimes we even get on the air. Whether it's DC to daylight, morse code to TV, ragchewing to developing a equipment for spread spectrum multi-channel forward error correcting simultaneous voice/data transmissions. You can apply that knowledge and skill right in your community and neighborhood by volunteering as an emergency communications specialist and communicator with civil defense, the American Red Cross, hospitals and many other organizations. Whether it's a parade, marathon or a full-blown hurricane, the combination of skills and equipment is invaluable.
Each day brings the chance of meeting new friends, whether it's next door, commuting to and from work, or talking with them thousands of miles away.
It's a lifetime sand-box of fun, learning, practicing, experimenting...and through mutual sharing and education, a chance to build a future generation of knowledge and skill. Knowledge, skills and understanding that is needed by an evolving technology-based society and a definite career-boosting talent.
So amatuer radio is more than just a hobby. It's a lifetime of learning, earning and sharing the fun along the way. Welcome to Amateur Radio University.
--From EARC Wireless Dispatch, O'ahu, Hawaii
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Bob Rainbolt, WB0AUQ
It's been a busy month for me but was able to come up with some interesting (to me) sites that others might find useful and/or entertaining.
The URL gives a hint of the subject matter here, interesting concept: http://www.theelectricshoeco.com/
While this article is not 100% accurate, the early HeathKit history is interesting: http://www.techweb.com/se/directlink.cgi?EET20001002S0155
Restoring an old radio? This site might be of help: http://members.aol.com/rockseaent/index.html
Can't figure out what the mode is of that weird signal you are hearing? Listen to these samples to help identify: http://det.bi.ehu.es/~jtpjatae/sound.html
NVIS? ALE? I didn't know either until I visited: http://www.tactical-link.com/
Site has many fine links to Vintage and Old-Time Radio: http://www.compusmart.ab.ca/agirard/VINTAGE.HTM
And, of course, one could either type in the Pick-o-the-Month URLs or go here, select the month, and just click: http://ctb.ukans.edu/dcarc/newsletter/
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Artur Leung, KC0IDG
It was a cold and rainy night, and few people showed up for the meeting.
There was no special report from most of the officers.
The Treasurer reported $237.90 in the repeater fund and $186.67 in general fund, resulting in a total of $424.57.
The annual Christmas banquet will be on December 13th, 2000 at Fifi's in North Lawrence. Ticket is $18. People interested in attending the banquet should purchase the ticket before December 10th so we could get an accurate people count.
Election will be at December 2000. The program for our January 2001 meeting will be PSK31.
Our annual license class will be held in February 2001. For details please contact Bob N0TFU.
The 146.76MHz and the 147.03MHz repeaters are functional. There was no old business and no new business, and the motion to adjourn the meeting was accepted at around 8:00 pm.
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A computer (it is a Zeos, now Micron computer). Originally a 486 but upgraded to a Pentium Overdrive 83Mhz, has 24 MB RAM, 500 MB HD, sound card, 14" monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, etc. It was my network's caching DNS server running Linux. $180 or best offer. Artur Leung, KC0IDG, ahpleung@mail.com, P.O. Box 3994, Lawrence, KS 66046.
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Amateurs are always looking for ways to save a little so here is a suggestion that will save you 33 cents (or maybe even 34 cents if First Class postal rates increase in January).
When sending in your reservations for the Club's Christmas Dinner include your dues for 2001.
Send your Christmas Dinner reservations and/or 2001 dues to:
Bill Pendleton, N0KRI
153 East 1300 Road
Lawrence, KS 66046
Dues for 2001:
Regular Member $20
Senior Member (65+) $15
Student Member $15
Family Membership $25
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Bill Epperson, WB0CEF
When I was a kid, a friend of mine and I tried different ways to communicate with each other. He lived on the third floor of an apartment and we lived on the first floor.
At first, we would shout up and down the stairway when it was time to go out and do things.
Next, was two tin cans and a string.
Then we ran a string from his room down to mine and made little wooden "rocket ships" that had a slot in them to hold our written messages.
Then we got door buzzers, batteries and wires, and made a simple on/off key to send buzzes back and forth in Morse Code. (We were both Boy Scouts by then).
Children today have Satellites, Radio, Television, Cellular Phones, the Internet and who knows what else to reach each other, and then today I get this on the internet.
For those dedicated individuals responsible for monitoring, studying, and protecting the world's only population of mountain gorillas (one of the world's most endangered mammals), the value of effective communication cannot be overestimated.
Whereas they used to depend on decidedly low-tech ways of keeping in touch--"trackers and biologists up on the mountain would have to give a report to a bus driver, who would give it to a pilot, who would take it to a hospital, where it would be radioed to somebody"--they're now using PowerBook computers, wireless modems, and iTools, Apple's free collection of Internet services, to create a virtual office right out in the bush.
"This is where Apple technology can really help," Fund co-director Greg Cummings says. "A few weeks ago, I sent an e-mail through my wireless modem on the PowerBook while I was sitting at the foot of the volcanoes in Uganda. I spoke to my communications consultant in London from within the park, not 20 minutes after sitting with the gorillas."
We can do miracles with our Apple technology. Can you imagine? We can post digital images through the GSM connection after witnessing and transmitting a gorilla birth.
The possibilities are endless. "Image Creating a Virtual Office in the Bush with PowerBook and iTools."
What's next?
--from Johnson County Radio Amateurs Club, Inc. "Feedback" Bill Epperson, WB0CEF, Editor.
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