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.
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.
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:
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 – 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]
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®
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.
We are excited to announce that at the January Club meeting, we have a special guest: Craig KM6LYW. Craig KM6LYW is a trailblazer in the amateur radio community, known for blending traditional ham radio practices with cutting-edge technology will be joining the Clubs Zoom meeting. As the creator of DigiPi, a compact, Raspberry Pi-based platform for digital communications, KM6LYW has made digital modes more accessible and affordable for amateur radio enthusiasts worldwide. The Club Zoom meeting details are at the end on this article.
The DigiPi is a versatile and user-friendly solution that supports popular digital modes like FT8, JS8Call, APRS, and more. By combining modern software with low-cost hardware, KM6LYW has empowered operators to explore the exciting world of digital amateur radio without needing expensive, specialized equipment.
Beyond developing the DigiPi, KM6LYW is passionate about supporting the ham radio community. He actively shares his knowledge, engages with fellow enthusiasts, and fosters innovation to ensure that digital amateur radio continues to thrive. Explore the world of digital amateur radio with KM6LYW and DigiPi—where tradition meets innovation.
In addition to exploring the exciting world of DigiPi and digital amateur radio, we’re excited to share that the club will offer our members a variety of amateur radio hobby items. Whether you’re a seasoned operator or just starting, you’ll find a range of gear and accessories to enhance your amateur radio experience. These items are available on a donation basis, and all proceeds will go directly to supporting the club’s activities, resources, and outreach efforts. It’s a great way to get something you need while giving back to the community that keeps the hobby alive and thriving! Bring your $$$.
Here’s how you could present the additional topics for the meeting:
Additional Meeting Topics
Join us for a dynamic and informative meeting as we dive into several exciting topics, including:
Whether you’re a long-time operator or new to the hobby, there’s something for everyone at this meeting. Don’t miss out!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85333006112?pwd=SIMA5UTJzYEEf1RPh8rfmIjWbyZMzP.1
Meeting ID: 853 3300 6112
Passcode: 132652
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:
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.
Continue readingPermanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/cyber-attacks-are-you-ready/
Introduction
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.
Continue readingPermanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/moving-amateur-radio-stations-are-you-on-the-radar/
The SC Midlands ARES Training Net for Thursday, March 24 will be a Zoom meeting from 8 – 9 PM. (Note the start time is 8 PM, not the normal 8:30 PM). The agenda topic will be “Sharing COMMEX Experience” from March 15, 16, and 19 as described here: 2022 State FSE- March 15, 16, 19 | SCHEART
We’ll start the call with Tuesday and Wednesday COMMEX participants. They’ll share with us the type of tasks they were involved in and what they learned.
We’ll continue the call with Saturday COMMEX participants. (Same deal) – They’ll share with us the type of tasks they were involved in and what they learned.
Hopefully, we have some time for discussion and Q and A.
For more information contact Mark KN4KRZ
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/sc-midlands-ares-training-net-for-thursday-3-24/
The April meeting topics:
Let’s see those Go-Kits/Boxes, Mobile Gear, Antennas, or what you want to share with the club.
ZOOM MEETING DETAILS
Topic: Columbia Amateur Radio Club April Meeting
Time: Apr 4, 2022, 06:45 PM Eastern Time (the US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86434664158?pwd=WU1saVVUNy9jV0hlTEVSRStrNXR6Zz09
Meeting ID: 864 3466 4158
Passcode: 472820
One tap mobile
+19294362866,,86434664158#,,,,472820# US (New York) +13017158592,,86434664158#,,,,472820# US (Washington DC)
Dial by your location
+1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 864 3466 4158
Passcode: 472820
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kJk8xTBDy
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/april-carc-meeting-shack-go-box-show-tell/
WHAT: Columbia Amateur Radio Club Get Radio Active class is targeted at new and old licensed Amateur Radio Operators. This is a 3-hour session with volunteer club members who will discuss and demonstrate some topics for Radio Activity to help get you started (in no particular order):
Continue readingPermanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/i-got-my-license-now-what-get-radio-active/
Update! Completed the battery build, this is a good bit of kit and I give it 2/5 stars for build difficulty and 4/5 stars for quality. In this build, I used 21 2400 mah 18650 batteries that will produce a max of 40ah with the battery management board. The cost of the total project not including tools less than $100.
I will have this battery and the spot welder used during the build at Ham and Eggs Breakfast on 3/19.
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/40ah-li-ion-battery-project-update-2/
Pierce Larkin, a meteorologist with NWS Columbia will be presenting “Basic Spotter Talk” on April 7th to the Columbia Amateur Radio Club Thursday, Apr 7, 2022, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM EDT. You don’t have to be a HAM to attend and/or be a Spotter. Register today and mark your calendars.
For more details and registration information: https://w4cae.com/event/basic-storm-spotter-training-hosted-by-columbia-amateur-radio-club/
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/basic-storm-spotter-training-hosted-by-columbia-amateur-radio-club-april-7th/
