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.
Winlink for Emergency Communications: Beginners Workshop
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.
COLUMBIA SKYWARN STORM SPOTTERS TEAM
Midlands Skywarn Newsletter Sign-up
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 much of South Carolina and is divided into August/CSRA, Midlands, and Eastern Midlands.
The Columbia SKYWARM Team holds NETS and Virtual Training/Meetings weekly and monthly. More Information can be found at the Columbia Amateur Radio Club Calendar
Important Links:
- How to Report Severe Weather to the NWS Office in Columbia: https://www.weather.gov/cae/severe_reports.html
- Storm Reporting to NWS: https://inws.ncep.noaa.gov/report/
- Storm Prediction Center: https://www.spc.noaa.gov/
- Richland County Emergency Preparedness: https://richlandcountysc.gov/Emergency-Preparedness
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 damage. The National Weather Service (NWS) established SKYWARN with partner organizations to obtain critical weather information. SKYWARN is a volunteer program with 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 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]
ARRL Special Service Club Award
Congratulations! The SSC status has been approved for the Columbia Amateur Radio Club, W4CAE.
Thank you for being so supportive of amateur radio.
Sincerely,
Mike Walters, W8ZY
Field Services Manager
ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®
Columbia Amateur Radio Club is now a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador!
The Columbia Amateur Radio Club is now a Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) Ambassador.
The Columbia Amateur Radio Club is excited to collaborate with NOAA/NWS to help strengthen our nation’s readiness against extreme weather, water, and climate events. If you would like more information, please visit the Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador Frequently Asked Questions. And if you need any additional information, email WRN anytime at [email protected]. You can also find WRN on X (previously Twitter) @WRNAmbassadors.
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/columbia-amateur-radio-club-christmas-party/
December 2022 Testing and Training
SCHEART will be offering Ham (Amateur) Radio classes in December of 2022. This is for Technician, General, and Extra. All classes will run from December 12th through 16th from 6 pm to 9 pm. Some classes will not take the whole week but will finish when all the material is covered. These classes run concurrently. You can only choose one of the classes.
We’re presenting the classes via video conference using Zoom (http://zoom.us ) If you didn’t have the time to attend in person before, now is your chance. Email me at [email protected]. I’ll forward your email to your instructor and they will send you an invitation to the video conference.
Here’s a tutorial on how to use zoom: https://tinyurl.com/y8hbdlvr
If you’ve never used videoconferencing before, Here are a couple of tips:
Use a headset or headphones. Any headphones that plug into your computer will do. Even the wired ones that came with your cell phone, if it’s using the 1/8” plug. This eliminates feedback when you unmute your microphone.
Mute your microphone when not speaking to the instructor. Otherwise, the class will hear any background noise from your computer.
Find the text/chat function and use it.
New hams will have to start out with the Technician course.
All classes are free. If you wish to attend, RSVP to [email protected]. Be sure to tell me which class you want to take and include your cell number.
Testing will be offered on December 17th at 08:30 am at SCETV headquarters, 1041 George Rogers Blvd in Columbia. We’ll take care of the administrative work first and start the testing when the admin work is done. Bring a photo ID, an original copy of any Ham Radio license, your FRN, and $10.00 cash. If a child is testing and has no photo I.D., bring a copy of a birth certificate.
If you are testing for the first time, you must bring your FCC Registration Number (FRN), which you can get here:https://tinyurl.com/yayymn28
If you’re coming for testing only, email us so we can plan accordingly.
Please refer any questions to [email protected]m
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/december-2022-testing-and-training/
23rd Annual COOP/SKYWARN Recognition Day
Greetings Columbia Amateur Radio Club members!
SRD 2022 is a go on Saturday, December 3rd, 2022, with a slight modification…the classes/seminars will be held in the airport terminal, and we will have small groups for tours in the building.
Continue readingPermanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/23rd-annual-coop-skywarn-recognition-day/
Hams in Space!
The NASA / SpaceX Crew-5 mission brought new Astronaut-Hams to the ISS.
Welcome Josh Cassada, KI5CRH, and Koici Wakata, KI5TMN. Listen for them making ARISS student contacts and maybe just working from the ARISS repeater.
Photo: Crew-5 Official Portrait.
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/hams-in-space/
Swap fest planning call
Last call before Swap Fest join to ask questions and learn what’s going to take place. Call starts at7pm Thursday 6th.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86823977047?pwd=M3NYWmNsOGl2OHo4ajMrSkNTVVk2QT09
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/swap-fest-planning-call/
October CARC Monthly Club Meeting Zoom Information
Greetings everyone! We will meet in person at the ETV building and encourage all to join us there. In case you can’t make the meeting below is Zoom meeting information for Monday.
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86708525603?pwd=WnY2T2dXTEV0MmZPNjFFZTFYa2lrZz09 Meeting ID: 867 0852 5603
Passcode: 251755
One tap mobile +13126266799,,86708525603#,,,,*251755#
US (Chicago) +16469313860,,86708525603#,,,,*251755#
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/october-carc-monthly-club-meeting-zoom-information/
HOW TO PROGRAM A WEATHER RADIO’S S.A.M.E. CODE FOR LOCAL WEATHER ALERTS
Midland’s desktop NOAA weather radios can be programmed to receive alerts for a SINGLE county, or for MULTIPLE counties. We generally suggest you set the radio to alert for your SINGLE home county. Remember, the more counties you program into the radio, the more the radio goes off.
Current state-of-the-art weather radios in the US and Canada allow for precise tracking of storm movement and intensity. When a severe thunderstorm shows sign of exiting a nearby county and entering yours, your weather radio will be automatically activated before that storm even reaches your county line. On average, lead time on severe thunderstorm warnings is approximately 22 minutes, and tornado warning lead times are around 13 minutes. With just your SINGLE home county selected you should be able to receive warnings in plenty of time.
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/how-to-program-a-weather-radios-s-a-m-e-code-for-local-weather-alerts/