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/

Columbia Amateur Radio Club 50-Year Anniversary

Winter Field Day 2023

The last Winter Field Day planning Zoom meeting is Wednesday 25th at 7:00 pm:

Click here for details in the Club Calendar

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Column: HAM? HAM radio? ham radio? Amateur Radio? amateur radio!

Dan, KB6NU

On the ARRL PR mailing list, we’ve been discussing the proper way to refer to amateur radio. What brought this up was an email from one list subscriber, Richard, WB6NAH, who was (rightfully) proud of the work that his club—the Skagit Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Club—was doing. He noted that they were even featured in the police department’s emergency preparedness brochure:

The brochure refers to “HAM radio” and “HAM radio operators.”

Referring to amateur radio in this way just drives me crazy. “Ham radio” is just a nickname for amateur radio, and “HAM” is certainly not an acronym for anything. I congratulated Richard on getting his club included in the brochure, but noted, “…it’s not HAM radio! It’s either ‘amateur radio’ or ‘ham radio’ (ham is not an acronym). I hate to be nitpicky about this, but as a professional writer, this usage just drives me crazy.”

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Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/column-ham-ham-radio-ham-radio-amateur-radio-amateur-radio/

Column: Noise floor report does not inspire confidence

Dan, KB6NU

Dan, KB6NU

By Dan Romanchik, KB6NU

Last June, the FCC’s Technical Advisory Committee asked licensed and unlicensed users of the electromagnetic spectrum to answer some questions about the noise they were experiencing and whether or not it was affecting their services. Specifically, they asked:

  • Is there a noise floor problem?
  • Where does the problem exist? Spectrally? Spatially? Temporally?
  • Is there quantitative evidence of the overall increase in the total integrated noise floor across various segments of the radio frequency spectrum?
  • How should a noise study be performed?

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Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/column-noise-floor-report-does-not-inspire-confidence/

Former CARC president, John Crockett, W3KH, SK at age 69

From SCHEART.US:

screen-shot-2016-10-18-at-11-23-15-am

John Crockett, W3KH

It is with deep regret that we inform you of the passing of John Crockett, W3KH. After a long bout with cancer, John passed peacefully the morning of Oct. 12, surrounded by his beloved family and wife, Karen. John and Karen had their 40th wedding anniversary days before.

Amateur radio and emergency communications had no greater advocate in South Carolina than John Crockett. His tireless devotion to service led to the establishment of the SCHEART network, the SC DMR network and countless other innovations of immeasurable service to the people of South Carolina.

A memorial service for John will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church with burial in Fort Jackson National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 until 7:00 p.m. on Monday, October 17, 2016 at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel.

Memorial gifts may be made to Palmetto Health Foundation, designated for Palmetto Health Cancers and mailed to: Palmetto Health Foundation, Wells Fargo Processing Center P.O. Box 602575, Charlotte, NC 28260-2575; or ETV Endowment, 401 East Kennedy St., Suite B-1, Spartanburg, SC 29302.

Cards may be sent to his family: 1409 Marina Road, Irmo, SC 29068

Additional links:

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/former-carc-president-john-crockett-w3kh-sk-at-age-69/

Presentation: 40M NVIS Antenna

nvis-slide
Steve, KI4VGA, gave a presentation at our October meeting on how to construct a 40M NVIS antenna. You can download the presentation here:

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/presentation-40m-nvis-antenna/

Presentation: Stealth Antennas by Marty, AG3EK

Marty, AG3EK, presents "Stealth Antennas" during CARC's July 11 meeting.

Marty Allred, AG3EK, gave a presentation on stealth antennas at the Columbia Amateur Radio Club’s July 11 meeting.

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/presentation-stealth-antennas-by-marty-ag3ek/

Presentation: Introduction to Operating Digital Modes

digital-demoAndy, KK4DSD, presented “An Introduction to Operating Digital Modes” during the club’s August 1 meeting.

Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/presentation-introduction-to-operating-digital-modes-kk4dsd/

Welcome to the new W4CAE site!

carclogonewThe board of directors for the Columbia Amateur Radio Club is proud to announce the launch of our newly-developed website!

Our website has long been an invaluable resource for new hams, club members, net participants and those seeking a ham radio license. Getting information out to club members and the ham community is more important now than it’s ever been, particularly with the influx of new hams in the area. The hobby is growing, and so is our club.

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Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/welcome-to-the-new-w4cae-site/