Dan Cunningham K9DBC President Mike Magnuson N7ETA Jim Lathan W4JLP President Elect
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.
January 2025 CARC Monthly Club Meeting: Meet KM6LYW: Innovator Behind DigiPi
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:
- Harbison 50K Review: This is a look back at the event and the role amateur radio played in its success.
- Winter Field Day: Preparation and strategies for this popular event to hone emergency communication skills.
- South Carolina QSO Party: Tips for participating and maximizing your contact logs during this state-focused radio contest.
- Hams and Eggs & New Lunch and Learn: Discover these engaging opportunities to connect, share, and learn in a casual setting.
- Hands-On Experience: A practical session to explore and practice amateur radio techniques.
- April CARC Swapfest: Get a preview of this must-attend event for buying, selling, or trading amateur radio gear.
- ARRL Summer Field Day: Early planning for one of the most significant events in amateur radio, focusing on teamwork and readiness.
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
Mike Magnuson N7ETA Amateur Radio Operator of the year 2021
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/mike-magnuson-n7eta-amateur-radio-operator-of-the-year-2021/
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/digital-messaging-for-technicians/
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/november-operating-day/
Net Control Manager program
The Sunday night net was logged into a program called Net Control Manager and here is the “mapping” feature. A logging program like this could be used for ARES exercises or special events.
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/net-control-manager-program/
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/simplex-net/
When to self ID
Riley Hollingsworth is the ARRL guy managing the Volunteer Monitor program and he has cleared up a few things about when you must self ID.
You must self ID once every 10 minutes if:
- You are using your own callsign
- You are using a club callsign, like W4CAE or K4EMD
- You are using a special event tactical callsign, like the ones we use for Harbison 50K or Tour De Cure
- You are using an ARES/Auxcomm tactical callsign, Like LEX EOC or State EOC
Of course you will self ID sooner if the event coordinator directs you to. In some events you might be asked to self ID on every transmission you make. An example would be “Net Control LEX EOC message body goes here K4LLE“
You must self ID every 60 minutes if:
1 You are using an FCC issued 1×1 special event callsign. An Example is K2L. It is also suggested that you instead of every 60 minutes you self ID every 30 minutes just to be on the safe side. You should always follow the direction of the event coordinator.
FCC article on FCC issued 1×1 callsign, CLICK
There is no need to say “for ID” just say your callsign
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Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/when-to-self-id/
New FCC RF safety rules for ham radio – May 3 2021
N2RJ does a great job of explaining this for us.
Highlights:
- Before May 3 2021 anything transmitting less then 100 watts was exempt from doing an RF Exposure checklist.
- After May 3 2021 everything, even QRP transmitters needs to have an RF Exposure checklist done and kept on file at your QTH.
- RF exposure is about safety more then RF interference (RFI). If you are running an amplifier and the antenna is on a tripod next to your chair, you really need to think about what all that RF energy is doing to your eyeballs… No kidding.
- For stations already in place, that evaluation must be completed by May 3, 2023. After May 3 of this year, any new station, or any existing station modified in a way that’s likely to change its RFE profile — such as different antenna or placement or greater power — will need to conduct an evaluation by the date of activation or change.
- The CARC has operators with plenty of experience on doing an RF Exposure checklist so don’t get concerned if some of this looks difficult. Attend our Sunday night net at 8:30p and ask net control for help, someone will contact you and take you through it. All you really need is a tape measure.
- ARRL RF safety page, just click here.
Click on the video for the full story.
ARRL video on RF Exposure Rules..
http://hintlink.com/power_density.htm
Shows compliance at a given distance
Lake Washington Ham Club and Wayne N6NB
http://www.lakewashingtonhamclub.org/resources/rf-exposure-calculator/
Shows distance to compliance
Ham Radio School Excel Sheet (save XLS file)
https://hamradioschool.com/rf-exposure-calculator/
Show MPE and compliance for a given distance
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/new-fcc-rf-safety-rules-for-ham-radio-may-3-2021/