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.
Amateur radio operators, enthusiasts, and tech lovers, it’s time to mark your calendars for the ARRL Digital Contest, an exciting event hosted by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). Whether you’re a seasoned digital mode operator or a newcomer eager to dive into digital communications, this contest offers a unique opportunity to showcase your skills, connect with operators worldwide, and earn recognition in the ham radio community.
What Is the ARRL Digital Contest?
The ARRL Digital Contest is an annual competition designed to encourage the use of digital modes in amateur radio. Digital communication methods, including popular modes like FT8, PSK31, RTTY, and more, have become vital in ham radio. They allow operators to make contacts with minimal power, even under challenging propagation conditions, and the contest provides a platform for enthusiasts to challenge themselves and improve their digital mode proficiency.
Participants in the contest are tasked with making as many valid contacts as possible with other operators using digital modes, which can include short-range local exchanges and long-distance contacts across continents. The event is a great way to engage with a global community, exchange QSO information, and compete for awards and recognition.
Every April 18, radio amateurs worldwide take to the airwaves in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day. It was on this day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union was formed in Paris.
Amateur Radio experimenters were the first to discover that the short-wave spectrum — far from being a wasteland — could support worldwide propagation. In the rush to use these shorter wavelengths, Amateur Radio was “in grave danger of being pushed aside,” the IARU’s history has noted. Amateur Radio pioneers met in Paris in 1925 and created the IARU to support Amateur Radio worldwide.
Congratulations to the first group of Richland ARES members to join the Richland County Communications Emergency Response Team (CERT).
An important role for ARES is to help with emergency communications of “served agencies.” Richland County Emergency Services is certainly a served agency that we want to be able to help when the need arises. This group has completed established prerequisite requirements to work in the Richland EOC and assist with emergency communications. We look forward to learning to operate communication systems in the Richland EOC and we are exploring other opportunities to collaborate with Richland County Emergency Services.
If you are interested in joining this group, there will be additional opportunities. Please contact Mark, KN4KRZ, at [email protected].
Got a late notice from the weather team responsible for Skywarn Training that tonight’s training is canceled and will be rescheduled. They apologize but recent and current weather is keeping them busy.
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/skywarn-spotter-training-cancelled/
Even with the heavy rain, we had a surprisingly good turnout for Jimmy Doolittle Day. A special thank you goes out to Earl Dean, Dan Cunningham, Gary Anderson, Tammy Livingston, and Tedd Clayton for planning and coordinating this event. Job well done!
Cyber security is becoming more essential than ever with the growth of threats increasing each day. Prevention of a cyberattack is important, so make sure to follow these steps:
1-Use Strong Passwords
Passwords that are unique, long, and feature multiple characteristics and combinations are the most secure. Make sure you use a different password for each account.
Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio, often referred to by its acronym RaDAR, is a concept for operating an amateur radio station anywhere, anytime, and even in adverse environmental conditions. This concept supports the amateur radio service’s emergency communications mandate.
Where the concept originated
Radio amateurs from South Africa came up with a concept to build a comfortable portable radio station capable of operating for extended periods while walking or stationary after walking to a specified site.
The idea was discussed in an open forum and ideas gleaned from many of the local hams, some prototyping was done and the “Shack in a Sack” (SiaS) concept was born.
In August 2009 RaDAR – Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio, was launched – a more professional version of the SiaS concept.
