Digital Operations

Experimentation

W4FSV

Breadboard Radio – Ham Radio Kits that are easy to build and fun to use!

KM4ACK

Build-a-Pi will allow you to get up and running fast with a Raspberry Pi for ham radio.

Emergency Communications

Voice Operations

Education

Monthly HAM and Eggs Breakfast

Get on the Air!

https://w4cae.com/event/i-got-my-license-now-what-get-radio-active/

Winlink for Emergency Communications: Beginners Workshop

https://winlink.org/

Wait what? Last month’s Ham and Eggs attendees received a USB key packed with tools and software for Winlink, JS8Call, and VARAChat. Perfect timing, there is training posted at ARES-SC.org that will take you through Winlink A-Z. More details are below: 

NOTE: This is will a late evening event, it is posted to be a 7 pm PST time, making it 10 pm for the east coast.

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COLUMBIA SKYWARN STORM SPOTTERS TEAM

https://columbiaskywarn.website/

The Columbia SKYWARN Team assists the Columbia National Weather Service with Ground-Truth weather observations during severe or dangerous weather. The Columbia NWS forecast area covers a large portion of South Carolina and is divided into three areas: August/CSRA, Midlands, and Eastern Midlands.

The Columbia SKYWARM Team holds weekly and monthly NETS and Virtual Training/Meetings. More Information can be found at https://columbiaskywarn.website.

Important Links:

Founded in the 1970s, the information provided by SKYWARN Spotters, coupled with Doppler radar technology, improved satellite, and other data, has enabled the NWS to issue more timely and accurate warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and flash floods.  SKYWARN Storm Spotters form the nation’s first line of defense against severe weather minutes that can help save lives.

In most years, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and lightning cause hundreds of injuries and deaths, and billions in property and crop damages.  To obtain critical weather information, the National Weather Service (NWS) established SKYWARN with partner organizations.  SKYWARN is a volunteer program with between 350,000 and 400,000 trained severe weather Spotters.  These volunteers help keep their local communities safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to the National Weather Service.  Although SKYWARN Spotters provide essential information for all types of weather hazards, the focus is reporting on severe local thunderstorms.  In an average year, the United States experiences more than 10,000 severe thunderstorms, 5,000 floods, and more than 1,000 tornadoes.  (Information courtesy of the Columbia NWS)

Interested in learning more, have questions, or want to sign up for training-Newsletter-meetings?

Use the orange form at the bottom of the page to contact us, or visit the Columbia NWS at https://www.weather.gov/cae/skywarn.html

Community Emergency Response Team Training

Community Emergency Response Team – CERT Training – STARTING Tuesday, October 10 at 6 PM at the Richland County EOC.

This is the 20-hour Community Emergency Response Team Class. This training is scheduled for three consecutive Tuesdays & Thursdays in October. We have openings and need additional participants to register with Sharon Long by the close of business on Wednesday, October 4, to avoid canceling this training.

Link for the schedule: CERT October 2023  Link for the application: COMMUNICATIONS EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM APPLICATION FORM

For more information, Contact Mark Goddard @ [email protected]

Winter Field Day 2024

January CARC Monthly Club Meeting

Important reminder, The January 2024 Meeting date is January 8th, 2024.

The main topic will be Winter Field, more details will be updated here by January 1st.

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January CARC Monthly Club Meeting

Important reminder, The January 2024 Meeting date is January 8th, 2024.

The main topic will be Winter Field, more details will be updated here by January 1st.

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/january-carc-monthly-club-meeting/

Winter Field Day 2024

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/winter-field-day-2024/

Happy Thanksgiving to all! 73

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/happy-thanksgiving-to-all-73/

24th Annual SKYWARN Recognition Day Saturday 12/2/2023

SKYWARN Storm Spotters are critically important to the National Weather Service’s primary mission: “Protection of life and property, and enhancement of the national economy.”

We want to thank our volunteers for the priceless work you do with an exclusive open house event! This event is not for the public; it’s only for current SKYWARN Spotters and Ham Radio Operators involved with or interested in SKYWARN.

You MUST pre-register.

Where & When:
Saturday, December 2nd, 2023, from 8:00 AM to 5 PM EST.
NWS Forecast Office Columbia, SC – 2909 Aviation Way, W. Columbia, SC 29170

ALL seminars will be in the Carolina Room in the CAE Airport Terminal – lower level
past baggage claim)

Events:

Special Event Amateur Radio Station WX4CAE – operational the entire day.
Want to operate your portable station? Bring it out!

  • 8 AM – Welcome & Orientation Seminar (Carolina Room – CAE Airport Terminal)
  • 8:30 AM – Ask-A-Meteorologist and Office Tours
  • 10 AM – SKYWARN Special Service Awards (Carolina Room)
  • 10:30 AM – SC State Climatology Office Presentation (Carolina Room)
  • 11:30 AM – Lunch Break
  • 12:30 PM – Community Emergency Response Team/Amateur Radio Emergency
    Service (CERT/ARES) – (Carolina Room)
  • 1:30 PM – Advanced SKYWARN Training – Visual Cues (Carolina Room)
  • 2:30 PM – Next Generation GOES Satellite Products – Cool Tools for Spotters
    (Carolina Room)
  • 3:30 PM – Winter Weather Storm Spotting (Carolina Room)
    Planning to Attend? Please let us know!
  • Register online at: https://forms.gle/5G2qQTqJZAC1kPxg7
  • If you can’t register online, RSVP to Doug Anderson, W4NWS:
    [email protected].

    Let us know if you are planning to operate the station.

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/24th-annual-skywarn-recognition-day-saturday-12-2-2023/

Richland County ARES Simplex EmComm Exercise

Richland County ARES, with participation from the other EMA-3 counties, will be conducting an exercise to test their Simplex Emergency Communications plan and are asking for your help.

Date: Friday, 10/27/23

Time: 4:00

Frequency: 147.585 MHz

Scenario:

  • There has been a major event with significant destruction. All outside services are out, cell, power, etc., and roads are impassable.
  • You try your base station but find it is inoperable. You turn on your Mobile or HT and find that your repeaters are down.  
  • You desperately need help and tune to the Richland County simplex frequency 147.585. That is where this test exercise begins.

Exercise: (Your Part)

  • On Friday, 10/27, at 4:00, tune in to the Richland County simplex coordinating frequency 147.585 MHz using HT or mobile at a maximum of 10 watts.
  • A test emergency net will be established, and you will check in when your county is called.
  • Check-ins will be by county: Newberry, Fairfield, North Richland (those north of I-20), Kershaw, Calhoun, South Richland (those south of I-20), Lexington, and Saluda.

Objective:

Verify that any ham operator in Richland County can reach help in times of emergency, from the general vicinity of their home and using basic ham gear.

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/richland-county-ares-simplex-emcomm-exercise/

November 2023 CARC Election Nominations

Greetings, everyone; here is a new form to simplify your November 2023 Elections nominating process. Click the link below to submit your nominations!

Nominations so far:

President – Jim Lathan

VP – Tedd Clayton

Sec – Dan Cunningham

Treasurer – Amanda McKinnis

Trustee – Stan Slaughter

Director nominees

Steve Ross

Clif Conti

Ed Samsen

November 2023 Election Nominations

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/november-2023-carc-election-nominations/

Lake Murray Ride of Champions Support

Lake Murray Ride of Champions Charity Bike Ride

The Columbia Amateur Radio Club will be conducting a Route Survey in preparation for an upcoming event.

If you would like to assist OR learn how to conduct a Route Survey, please note the following:

When: Saturday, Oct 28th 10am

Where: Blowfish Stadium (Lexington) 474 Ball Park Rd, Lexington, SC 29072

What: Bring an HT and/or mobile rig and/or field rig preprogrammed to the Little Mountain repeater

147.210 +6mHz Tone 156.7

We will be meeting to discuss the route and to assign volunteers to the specific rest stops.

The goal is to confirm the best frequency for covering the area where the 3 routes will be followed.

Please consider joining us to conduct the route survey and have some fun with other operators!

Thanks and 73!

N4TAL

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/lake-murray-ride-of-champions-support/