AmateurRadio.com

In this episode, Martin M1MRB is joined by Chris Howard M0TCH, Dan Romanchik KB6NU and Frank Howell K4FMH to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin M6BOY rounds up the news in brief and this episode’s feature is AMSAT US with Keith KB1SF.

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- No Consensus Reached for FCC on 'Symbol Rate' Issues - Brazilian Students Building QO-100 Ground Station - Distracted Driving Measure Among Many New State Laws - New Raspberry Pi 4 Problem Reported with Certain USB-C Cables - Millions of AMPRNet Internet Addresses Sold to Fund Grants and Scholarships - Missing Amateur Radio Operator - ILLW 2019 Final Countdown - Siglent Joins as Homebrew Heroes Award Corporate Sponsor

Colin Butler, M6BOY, is the host of the ICQ Podcast, a weekly radio show about Amateur Radio. Contact him at [email protected].

Today started early, about 5:30am or so, getting email, RSS feeds, and social media perused, worked or avoided so I could communicate on behalf of the Mississippi Section ARES Simulated Emergency Exercise (S.E.T.) from 9am-9pm. I won’t work the entire 12 hours but I did assist our RACES Director, Mike N5DU operate the MS Emergency Management Agency’s EOC Radio Room. A few other hams, like Todd K5TDD, Bob KG5ZDZ, and Jim K0UPW (newly relocated from State of Washington) also came by to assist.

Mike N5DU has a RACES Team that he is growing, putting together continual training for those who can be deployed to other emergency zones around the country and those who will remain local (like me) to operate either at the MEMA Command Center or sheltered in-place at their QTH. It’s always a growth process as volunteer hams come and go, tire of EmComm, or leave our midst due to health reasons. But it takes organized, thoughtful, and diligent leaders like N5DU to keep the ball rolling.

MEMA has grown in it’s technical capability since the 2005 Hurricane Katrina. Our team working the SET today got a tour of the Command Center when integral state agencies, non-government organizations, and selected others have designated “seats” in front of PCs on the floor of the Command Center. The facility meets federal security standards specified by FEMA, Homeland Security, and other relevant regulations.

Our THIS IS A DRILL scenario today was at sudden, significant seismic activity at the New Madrid Fault in Northeast Arkansas. It is pronounced New Maaa-drid, unlike the city in Spain, commonly pronounced Ma-DRID. I texted our Section’s Emergency Coordinator, Robert KC5IMN, the correct pronunciation to relieve him of future abuse at the hands of Emergency Coordinator’s near Memphis!

We had a good response and participation during the first four hours with one-hour shifts for net control operators around the state. Steve K5OMK in Starkville did a great job as did the ARES Team in Starkville. They had a lost person beacon chase (successful) in addition to the earthquake activity. I guess that was simulated preparation for the start of Southeastern Conference Football weekends in StarkVegas. Operators in Houston, Vicksburg, and elsewhere worked until we closed the MEMA EOC operation about 12:30pm. They are still at work as I write this blog post. As Assistant Delta Division Director, I’m proud of the work that Malcolm W5XX, Bob KC5IMN, and Mike N5DU have engaged in this annual activity.

The MS Section finished # 1 in ARES Section rankings for the SET in 2018. Whether that ranking continues this year matters not, if we all get more effective, efficient, and engaged in bringing our amateur radio communications game to a higher level. You keep score to motivate teams to get better, not to just win rankings, when lives are on the line. Thank God, it’s just a drill today.

Here’s a gallery of pictures from the MEMA Command Center, Levels of Activation, how this agency is organized into regions, and the radio network operating in the State, called MSWin. A staffer at MEMA today kindly gave us a brief tour.

Frank Howell, K4FMH, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Mississippi, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

It's time once again for The Weekender. This is our bi-weekly departure into the world of amateur radio contests, open source conventions, special events, listener challenges, hedonism and just plain fun. Thanks for listening and, if you happen to get a chance, feel free to call us or e-mail and send us some feedback. Tell us how we're doing. We'd love to hear from you.

73 de The LHS Crew

Russ Woodman, K5TUX, co-hosts the Linux in the Ham Shack podcast which is available for download in both MP3 and OGG audio format. Contact him at [email protected].

The time has come to move onto the next adventure in my life.....retirement. Today was my last day at work, a company were I had been for 30 years. It is going to be a huge routine change for me but I want to make sure in this next phase that I do get into a routine. There is some changes that are coming down the pipe that already have been put into motion. The first change is we are moving from Toronto Ontario to the out skirts of Moncton New Brunswick in Atlantic Canada. Julie and I are not city folks and were really only in Toronto as it was closer to where we both worked. New Brunswick offers a slower pace, lower cost of living, it may sound funny but it's dark at night and quite too. As for ham radio I will be changing to a VE9 call from my present VE3 call. I have always wanted a 2 letter call but here in Ontario it's a very difficult challenge. I noticed on our Federal Governments website that in New Brunswick there are plenty of 2 letter calls available. The other week I was looking at them to see which ones had a nice CW ring to them.
Once settled into the new place with boxes unpacked, furniture setup, the little "oh look at that" stuff around the house that has to be fixed and resting my weary bones once all that is said and done it's time to setup for radio.
I have always wanted to get involved in the CWops CW acadamy program to get my code speed up to some decent contest speed. I had looked at this program in the past but with work I just could not see myself having the needed time they were asking of students. I did not want to take a spot to find I could not complete the demanding program. I would have blocked someone who had the time and could advance. So this is a program I want to look into and get my code moving in the direction I have always wanted it too.
Paying more attention to my blog regarding posting and updating as I am sad to say it has taken a back seat. In the past I did not want to post for the sake of posting something. I hope with retirement and my increase activity in amateur radio with operating, reading and going to club meetings it will spur me on to posting.
Along with the above activities there will projects around the house, getting out to exercise and saying a warm hello to our new neighbours. Then there is the touring around the area that Julie and I can do as well.
I am not sure how many posts I will be pumping out in the near future as our move is at the end of August and before that it's the task we all love....packing. The the next task.....unpacking and setting up.
Thanks to all for your support with the reading and commenting on my blog and as the song goes
 "see you in September"


Mike Weir, VE9KK, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Brunswick, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

Welcome to the 293rd installment of Linux in the Ham Shack! In the episode, the hosts tackle topics from upcoming RSGB contests on the new, hot FT-4 mode, the origin of "Mayday" as a distress call, magloop antennas, CoreCtrl, the vanishing floppy disk, DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) and much more. Thank you for tuning in and have a wonderful week.

73 de The LHS Crew

Russ Woodman, K5TUX, co-hosts the Linux in the Ham Shack podcast which is available for download in both MP3 and OGG audio format. Contact him at [email protected].

Here is this week’s space weather and geophysical report, issued 2019 Jul 29 0117 UTC.

Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 22 – 28 July 2019

Solar activity was at very low levels with no spotted regions on 22-28 July.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal levels on 22-28 July.

Geomagnetic field activity reached unsettled levels on 22 July. Quiet levels were observed on 23-28 July.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 29 July – 24 August 2019

Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels for the outlook period.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 02-03 and 05-17 August due to recurrent coronal hole high speed stream influences. Normal to moderate levels are expected for the remainder of the outlook period.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at active levels on 01 and 05-06 August due to recurrent coronal hole high speed stream influences. Quiet to unsettled levels are expected for the remainder of the outlook period.

Don’t forget to visit our live space weather and radio propagation web site, at: http://SunSpotWatch.com/

Live Aurora mapping is at http://aurora.sunspotwatch.com/

If you are on Twitter, please follow these two users: 1. https://Twitter.com/NW7US 2. https://Twitter.com/hfradiospacewx

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Be sure to subscribe to our space weather and propagation email group, on Groups.io

https://groups.io/g/propagation-and-space-weather

Spread the word!

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Links of interest:

+ Amazon space weather books: http://g.nw7us.us/fbssw-aSWSC
+ https://Twitter.com/NW7US
+ https://Twitter.com/hfradiospacewx

Space Weather and Ham Radio YouTube Channel News:

I am working on launching a YouTube channel overhaul, that includes series of videos about space weather, radio signal propagation, and more.

Additionally, I am working on improving the educational efforts via the email, Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr, and other activities.

You can help!

Please consider becoming a Patron of these space weather and radio communications services, beginning with the YouTube channel:

https://www.patreon.com/NW7US

The YouTube channel:
https://YouTube.com/NW7US

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Visit, subscribe: NW7US Radio Communications and Propagation YouTube Channel

Ham College episode 55 is now available for download.

General Amateur Radio Exam part 26. RMS Voltage, Power Supply Filtering, Tower Safety.
01:03:40

Download
YouTube

George Thomas, W5JDX, is co-host of AmateurLogic.TV, an original amateur radio video program hosted by George Thomas (W5JDX), Tommy Martin (N5ZNO), Peter Berrett (VK3PB), and Emile Diodene (KE5QKR). Contact him at [email protected].