WCARES is featured in a story posted by the Williamson Herald and written by
The story features interviews and photo’s of members.
Read the story via the link below:
http://www.williamsonherald.com/features/w_life/article_071bc9fc-7a8f-11e8-a0d4-6be882fb3e50.html
Randy Moore, KK4SRO, WCARES EC would like to thank everyone who took part in what turned out to be a magnificent Field Day this year. It appears we did very well with numbers up in all categories. A big thank-you to Carl, KB9DKR and Cliff, N4CCB for all their hard work putting this event together.
Carl, KB9DKR echoed Randy’s words and congratulates all of the WCARES operators. Every station exceeded last year’s QSO targets – we’ll need to wait for the official results in November’s QST magazine but it appears we will do very well again this year. Carl thanks Commissioner Dana Ausbrooks and Williamson Co. Public Safety Director Bill Jorgenson for taking the time out of their schedules to visit our event and get on the air – Commissioner Ausbrooks at the GOTA station and Director Jorgenson operating at one of our SSB stations.
Carl also would like to give special recognition for the GOTA station which was planned, organized and run by Janise, KK4HTA and Joe, KM4QJW again this year. GOTA really knocked it out of the park this year. This station had the most positive attitude of any amateur station that Carl has ever encountered. The station was very carefully designed including a new station layout to facilitate pictures of the operators, multiple listeners and a separate space for printing of certificates and photos with the GOTA coach – all very important aspects of the public outreach that is part of GOTA. The great work done on the GOTA station will last a very long time. GOTA made 55 contacts and we would all like to recognize Janise and Joe for all the hard work running that station.
If anyone has photos or comments please get in touch with David, KK4CQD by e-mail kk4cqd@arrl.net .
Carl’s own person hightlight:
It was great to see so many of our WCARES operators working together. While working CW2 on Sunday morning, I came across a loud 10M beacon from Canada so I ran over to tell Jon Kessell who was working SSB1 and then returned to my station to call CQ and watch the band populate with signals on the pan adaptor. Then, I glanced at the logbook data and noticed that Jon had filled the entire screen with SSB QSOs–simply amazing for 5 watts. It was a phenomenal opportunity to be very early on what became the dominant propagation trend for the biggest radio event of the year. Oh Canada beacon, thank you! Carl KB9DKR
Official WCARES Field Day Schedule is now available here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1A7a98VJQ-w-kW-YofA_3ockxSjCg61HFJdD_WvqFVrU/edit?usp=sharing
Click the following link for the Field Day 2018 presentation by Carl, KB9DKR:
https://wcares.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/2018_FIELD_DAY_PRESENTATION.pdf
Here’s the link to the N3FJP logging software: http://n3fjp.com/fieldday.html
along with the links from Carl’s presentation:
KX3 Training: WCARES Field Day application of the Elecraft KX3 radio and PX3 panadaptor. (Cliff, N3CCB)
https://youtu.be/vS6liED9OS0
N3FJP Training: Field Day application of N3FJP contest logging software. (N3FJP)
https://youtu.be/DJEIXuoKWqc
The June 16th Chew & Chat will have a special briefing for all members with active responsibilities as well as anyone who is interested in learning more about the activities involved with our WCARES annual ARRL Field Day event, held this year on June 23-24, 2018 at the Williamson County Public Safety Building, 304 Beasley Drive in Franklin, TN.
We have a great line-up of station operators who have been confirmed and the entire schedule will be posted soon. Those who placed an order for the official WCARES shirt will be able to pick them up. There will be a strategy overview covering the equipment, bonus point activities and HF propagation.
Additionally, we will provide training for efficient contest operating tactics so that our members can get the most enjoyment from their time on the air with CW, voice and digital modes as we seek a national placement in our event category.
For Field Day, the public welcome table will be staffed from 1pm-5pm on Saturday.
Click this link to fill out the sign-up form: https://goo.gl/forms/1IQKDXHwRRJwBcQ13
You can participate in Field Day no matter what level of experience you have.
We did very well last year, achieving first place nationwide in the 5F category. However, we should strive to do better each year. Adding some 160m contacts this year should boost our score even further. It’s not a contest, but as long as they’re keeping score, we might as well win!
Again, more information including the use of contesting strategies will be discussed at the June Chew and Chat on Saturday, June 16th.
Williamson County Administration building will serve as the WCARES HQ and setup there began at 0530. The rest stop captains were reminded that they will need to go by HQ on the way to their rest stop to pick up the sweeps trackers.
All of the rest stop captains and SAGs should have a copy of the ICS-201, 202, 205 and 207 by now. Look for a revision 2.0 of the 201 to be sent out later on the 30th and it’s likely that a 3.0 will follow. Most of the revisions will be in regards to the SAGs. ICS-202 will likely be updated daily for the forecast. Rest stops and SAGs will be using 213s, 214s and 309s. These can be submitted to HQ in person, by Winlink to K4IDK or to Robin via email. Also of note, the 2 shorter routes won’t start until 0830, not 0700 with the metric and century riders, so the Shade Tree and Johnson Chapel rest stops will have a later takedown time.
The Harpeth River Ride is fast approaching and we’re looking for volunteers with any level of experience! Whether you have a full dropkit or are just getting your feet wet, this is a great opportunity to gain real-world operating experience. If you are relatively new to Amateur Radio or don’t have a lot of operating experience, just indicate that on the sign-up sheet and we’ll make sure you are paired with a more experienced operator.
The start/finish line this year will be at ProHealth, across the street from the county admin building on Main St. in Franklin. Please check the WCARES website often and listen to the Monday night nets for updates.
The will take place on June 2, 2018 so mark your calendars!
Visit the link below to sign up:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10yvuEgdldoEDHQo-izOVaaHKoxqtcQFfVZTbEXtYflM/edit#gid=0
Carl (KB9DKR) has made available a very interesting analysis of propagation models from the 2017 Field Day.
There are two for training and practice workshops to help prepare for the Winlink Training with ICS-213 at Home Exercise II.
Tuesday, December 12th from 9am to 12pm
Tuesday, December 19th from 9am to 12pm
On Tuesday December 12th from 9 to noon we will host a Winlink/Winmor radio to computer interfacing help session. If you are having difficulties setting up your radio and computer to do Winlink/Winmor over the air we will try to help. Bring your radio and laptop computer, interface boxes and cables. We will have power supplies and dummy loads.
The workshops are held at The Brentwood Library in the Fall Conference Room. The room can hold up 18 people. If you are planning to come, please contact Janise at KK4HTA@arrl.net on which day and time and make sure to indicate what help you’d like with Winlink.
Thanks: I would like to thank the thirteen participants who trained with us during the Winlink Training with ICS-213 at Home Exercise. Especially for the kind words given on the second Bonus Question “Feedback”, they were very much appreciated!
The maximum total score is 57.
1 point for each 17 questions answered correctly. 15 point for each Bonus Questions
– ICS-309 Report
– Feedback
– Those who answered all 17 questions correctly
Both participants and Exercise Command learned a few things and we are looking forward to make improvements. One participant tried to be part of the exercise from several states away, but the Internet was not working to his favor. Bob AK4RO was simultaneously using both Pactor and packet Winlink on two different radios and switching back and forth between them for practice.
Five of the thirteen participants are new Winlink users. Two of the five learned how to use Winlink during W4PHS, Phil’s presentation. All in all, everyone did very well. I’m so glad you tried it!
If any participants have questions about the Saturday, Nov 18th Winlink Training with ICS-213 at Home Exercise, please send the questions to Janise at KK4HTA@arrl.net.
The exercise couldn’t happen without the teamwork of Dave KI4PSR, Laura N4CLO, RJ KC4LRR and David KK4CQD, thank you!
What’s next you ask?
Yes, there will be a Winlink Training with ICS-213 at Home Exercise II scheduled for sometime in February 2018 (TBD); more information will follow. If you are interested in signing up for the exercise, please contact Janise at KK4HTA@arrl.net and I will put you on the roster. Early sign up is welcome.
Please look out for future announcement about the Winlink Training with ICS-213 at Home Exercise II on the Monday Nets, WCARES Newsletter and the WCARES website.
Thank you! Janise, KK4HTA
Based on feedback from the recent SET exercise, some of you asked for more practice exercises using the ICS-213 form template in Winlink. We heard you!
Janise, KK4HTA and Dave, KI4PSR are organizing a Winlink ICS-213 forms training exercise.
The exercise will take place on Saturday, November the 18th between 1pm and 3pm (after the next Chew & Chat).
You’ll be able to participate from home or anywhere you can operate Winlink.
The participants will use the ICS-213 form template in Winlink to answer skill-testing questions derived from the WCARES Emergency Ops Plan https://wcares.org/information/emergincy-ops-plan/
Class/Modes:
All license class can participate and don’t worry about your level of experience with Winlink; try this out and have some fun!
You can use any Winlink mode available to your license class and equipment; You can operate using Telnet over the Internet, Packet on VHF/UHF or Winmor/Pactor over HF. You can find the latest Frequency Band Charts here: http://www.arrl.org/graphical-frequency-allocations
Winlink/RMS Express:
You will need Winlink installed. Please go to the bottom of the announcement for instructions.
Leading up to the exercise on the 18th, there will be three Winlink Workshops available at The Brentwood Library, 8109 Concord Road, Brentwood, TN 37027, from 9am to 12pm on:
Tuesday, October 31,
Tuesday, November 7 and
Tuesday, November 14.
David, KK4CQD will help with Winlink installation and Janise, KK4HTA will guide you through ICS-213 form template in Winlink.
The room can hold up 18 people and the room is shared with the BitX Workshop.
If you are planning to come, please contact Janise at KK4HTA@arrl.net on which day, and time and make sure to indicate what help you’d like with Winlink. This way we will be sure to be there to help and answer your questions.
This exercise was created to help all of us learn how to use the ICS-213 form template in Winlink and most importantly, have some fun doing it!
If you’ve liked to participate or have questions, contact Janise at KK4HTA@arrl.net.
More information will follow, please look out for future announcement on the Monday Nets, WCARES Newsletter and the WCARES website.
Thank you!
Janise, KK4HTA
===================
How to Install Winlink Instructions from Phil Sherrod-
ftp://autoupdate.winlink.org/User%20Programs/Winlink_Express_install_1-5-9-0
.zip
Winlink Express.
prompt you to create a new Winlink Account — which is free. Enter your
callsign, choose a password for your account, and enter the other
information requested. Enter PUBLIC as the “service code”. Then click the
“Update” button.
system. Then select “Telnet Winlink” in the drop-down list to the right of
“Open Session:”. After that, click on “Open Session:” to open a Telnet
Winlink session. Next, click “Start” to connect to a Winlink CMS server.
If your account has been properly authorized, you will see some lines that
look similar to this:
*** Connecting to a CMS…
*** Connected to Halifax at 2017/10/24 11:32:55
[WL2K-3.2-B2FWIHJM$]
;PQ: 87633555
Halifax CMS >
;FW: W4PHS
[RMS Express-1.5.9.1-B2FHM$]
;PR: 38526281
; WL2K DE W4PHS (EM66OA)
FF
FQ
*** — End of session at 2017/10/24 11:32:57 —
*** Messages sent: 0. Total bytes sent: 0, Time: 00:01, bytes/minute: 0
*** Messages Received: 0. Total bytes received: 0, Total session time:
00:01, bytes/minute: 0
*** Disconnected at 2017/10/24 11:33:02
addressed to callsign@winlink.org Where ‘callsign’ is your Winlink
registered callsign. You must put //WL2K in front of the subject of the
message. For example:
//WL2K Test message sent to Phil
Then wait a minute, and make another Telnet connection to see if you can
receive the message you sent yourself.
Phil, W4PHS
On behalf of Dave, a followup to our Nashville Mini Maker Faire presentation organized by Dave Matthews, KI4PSR.
The Maker Faire ( https://nashville.makerfaire.
Dave had help from:
Paul, KN4BTJ
Mike, KJ4TOP
Janise, KK4HTA
David, KK4CQD
Laura and Joe Marler lent their excellent and easy-to-use tent for the occasion.
The primary focus was Dave presenting the BitX-40 rig which is a perfect radio for a maker faire. Dave talked about the radio and background of the project and showed off the components and a number of builds and pictures of the wide range of housings developed by WCARES members. He managed to give away a good number of 3D-printed BitX mic housings he’d printed – blue was so popular he spent Saturday night printing more for Sunday.
Mike and Paul demonstrated building a BitX while Janise headed up promoting the ARRL and WCARES.
We had a steady stream of interested visitors both days including about 26 hams and a number of WCARES members.
Presenting the BitX and promoting amateur radio, the ARRL and WCARES together worked well. We were able to attract visitors with a wider range of interests and questions, from hardware to software, questions about amateur radio and licensing as well as ARES and emergency and community service.
We also showed off the NVIS antenna build that Cliff, N4CCB organized – together with the BitX-40, a number of visitors could see that it was easy and inexpensive to Get On The Air!
We all had a great time and look forward to doing similar events in the future.
————–
73,
David
KK4CQD
The time is near for one of the most fun ham events of the year — the Tennessee QSO Party.
What makes this a fun party is that Tennessee hams are on the receiving end of calls from other
hams around the country (and occasionally outside the country).
Date and Time
The contest is Sunday, September 3, 2017
The operating hours are 2 PM local time (1800 UTC) until 11 PM (0300 UTC, Sep 4)
We will operate from the Williamson Co. Emergency Operations Center (where we have Chew&Chat)
Radios
We definitely will have at least one phone station.
If there is enough interest, we also will have a CW station and possibly a second phone station.
Signup
If you want to participate, please send an e-mail to phil@philsherrod.com (W4PHS) with this information:
1. Your name
2. Your callsign
3. Your ham license class (Technician class hams are welcome)
4. Your e-mail address
5. Your phone number
6. Whether you want to work phone and/or CW
7. The hours you are available to work (please be flexible)
8. If there is someone you want to partner with, their callsign
This years field day is in the books and based on feedback from everyone involved it was a resounding success.
The event was held at the Williamson County Public Safety Center. Please watch the embedded video for more information.
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