THE SPARK GAP

A monthly publication of the Meridian Amateur Radio Club July 2012

 

 Bible Verse

2 Peter 3:9 / The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (NIV)

 

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Next Business Meeting

The next business meeting will be held at the Checker Board Restaurant, South Frontage Road on Saturday, July 14, 2012 beginning at 10 A.M. Come join us for breakfast, coffee and fellowship.

 

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President’s Report

Field Day 2012 results have been submitted with a submitted score of 1354, slightly more than we scored last year (see 2012 Field Day Results below). We had a few new faces that attended and participated. Ross Wingo taught a class to six boy scouts to help them obtain their radio merit badge. In addition all six scouts made their first amateur radio contact.

I extend a special thank you to our host, the Wingo family for providing an extremely comfortable and accommodating facility. Wanda provided lunch for the scouts and a variety of other goodies for Saturday evening. Thank all of you that brought a dish for Saturday evening and a special thanks to Chris Hover for cooking the burgers.

AE5FE, Rick, our local EC for ARES once again arranged to have the LEMA communications trailer brought out and setup. Along with that came an extraordinary amount of work setting up antennas and generators. These guys poured out a lot of sweat so we could be up and transmitting on time this year. Thank you AE5FE, WB5BNV, and WB4POP.

I appreciate and thank our Red Cross volunteers for coming out; Donna, KD5GWM; Elizabeth, KF5LSQ; Ben, KF5LGE; Jim and Debbie, AD5OW and KF5MEG.

Thank you KB5ASR, WB5BNV and AE5FE for making our digital contacts and sending official NTS messages via PACKET and Win-Link for the boy scouts. Thank you WTOK TV, Wayne and Nick for the media coverage that you provided before and after Field Day.

I hope I have not left anyone out. As you can see, this is a club effort and would not have been successful without your help and support. THANK YOU to all that made this year's event successful. See pictures and more at: http://www.meridianarc.org/fday/2012.htm

On Saturday July 7th the memorial for Russell Brown, W5RB/SK was held and there was a good turnout from the amateur radio community. Russell has been a friend and longtime member of Meridian Amateur Radio Club. He was a fixture at nearly every Saturday morning breakfast and MARC business meetings, often being the first to arrive and the last one to leave. He worked many hours at Lauderdale Emergency Management Agency during bad weather making sure that the traffic net station was properly manned. Russell encouraged newcomers to our hobby as an instructor and a Volunteer Examiner helping many new operators obtain their license. He attended nearly every Field Day that I can remember and on most occasions he was one of the all night operators as well. His presence is certainly missed.

73, Darrell, W5MAV

 

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2012 ARRL Field Day Results


01. Field Day Call Used: W5FQ
02. Club Name: Meridian Amateur Radio Club
03. Number of Participants: 30
04. Number of transmitters in simultaneous operation: 3
05. Entry Class: 3E
06. Check All power sources used. X Generator
07. ARRL / RAC Section: MS
08. Total CW QSO's: 0 X 2 = Total CW QSO points: 0
09. Total Digital QSO's: 11 X 2 = Total Digital QSO points: 22
10. Total Phone QSO's: 130 X 1 = Total Phone QSO points: 130
11. Total QSO points: 152
12. Power Multiplier X 150 Watts or less = 2
13. Power Multiplier: 2
14. Claimed Score: 304
15. Bonus points claimed: 100% Emergency power, Media Publicity, W1AW Field Day Message, Formal NTS messages handled (# 10), Site Visited by invited officials, Youth Participation (# 6): Total Bonus Points Claimed:1050


BAND
CW
Digital
Phone
80
34
40
4
57
20
7
28
15
11
10
Totals
11
130
152 X 2
X2
X1
Claimed: 304
22
130

 

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Ten-Ten International Net

From K1REZ - Those of you who have been Amateur Radio Operators for a long time most likely remember how wide open 10 Meters was about 12 years ago and how it peaks every 11 years, allowing worldwide contacts, even while mobile, all day long.

Those of us who became Hams after the last Solar Cycle Peak have heard the tall-tales about these amazing contacts and wondered if they were true. Well they are, and we got a brief glimpse of what its going to be like last November when the number of sun spots suddenly rose dramatically and opened up ten meters all around the globe.

With the current Solar Cycle gradually reaching the peak of its 11 year cycle, 10 Meters is about to really open up in a big way. The greater number of sun spots during solar peak allow practically constant long distance contacts to be made via the F2 layer of the ionosphere as the Sun moves across the globe. In North America, for instance, F2 brings Europe and Western Asia in the morning, the Americas during midday, and the Pacific and East Asia in late afternoon and early evening.

The current Solar Cycle is predicted to reach its peak in May 2013 which means long distance (DX) contacts on 10 meters are going to get better and better over the next twelve months and remain great for at least another year or so. Even Technician Class Amateurs have voice privileges on 10 Meters, so all Hams are able to join in on the fun.

Due to the excitement this has generated, several of us who are members of Ten-Ten International have decided to form Mississippi's first and only chapter of Ten-Ten International. We cordially invite each of you to join the Mississippi Ten-Tuners chapter of Ten-Ten International.

Established in 1962, Ten-Ten International Net, or 10-10 for short, is an organization of amateur radio operators dedicated to maintaining high levels of amateur radio communications on the 10-meter amateur band (28.0-29.7 MHz).

10-10 offers the 10-meter enthusiast the opportunity to share in a wide variety of activities internationally, not the least of which is meeting new and old friends. By keeping the band active through participation in 10-10 nets, QSO parties, and certificate collection, 10-10 offers both satisfaction and challenges, while promoting learning and courteous operating practices. The combination of on-the-air activities, awards, a bi-annual convention, and the quarterly paper 10-10 News creates an unusually strong bond among 10-10 members.

We welcome you to join Mississippi Ten Tuners. There is no membership fee to join our chapter. All you have to do is join Ten-Ten International first ($15 annual fee). Then email us with your Ten-Ten Member number letting us know that you'd like to join our chapter. We are getting a web site set up and soon we will announce its address as well as the day and time of our weekly Ten-Tuners Net, which will of course be held on 10 Meters.

In order to join Ten-ten International you have to make ten contacts with Ten-Ten members on 10 meters. The easiest way to do that is to check into one of the daily Ten-Ten International Nets which meets every day (except Sunday) at 1800Z on 28.8 and 28.380 MHz SSB. The Net Control Operators are always very happy to have new folks who are interested in joining and will assist you in making your required number of contacts right then and there over the net. Additionally, the members of our chapter would also be happy to make contact with you on 10 meters and give you our member numbers to help you join. Upon joining Ten-Ten International you will receive in the mail your Ten-Ten membership number, a nice membership certificate suitable for framing, a member card, a member patch, and every quarter you will receive in the mail Ten-Ten News.

You can read more about Ten-Ten International online at: http://www.ten-ten.org/index.html

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Blessings,
Rez Johnson, K1REZ
Mississippi Ten Tuners
K1REZ@ARRL.NET

 

 

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Have a great month

 

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