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/happy-thanksgiving-to-all-73/
24th Annual SKYWARN Recognition Day Saturday 12/2/2023
SKYWARN Storm Spotters are critically important to the National Weather Service’s primary mission: “Protection of life and property, and enhancement of the national economy.”
We want to thank our volunteers for the priceless work you do with an exclusive open house event! This event is not for the public; it’s only for current SKYWARN Spotters and Ham Radio Operators involved with or interested in SKYWARN.
You MUST pre-register.
Where & When:
Saturday, December 2nd, 2023, from 8:00 AM to 5 PM EST.
NWS Forecast Office Columbia, SC – 2909 Aviation Way, W. Columbia, SC 29170
ALL seminars will be in the Carolina Room in the CAE Airport Terminal – lower level
past baggage claim)
Events:
Special Event Amateur Radio Station WX4CAE – operational the entire day.
Want to operate your portable station? Bring it out!
- 8 AM – Welcome & Orientation Seminar (Carolina Room – CAE Airport Terminal)
- 8:30 AM – Ask-A-Meteorologist and Office Tours
- 10 AM – SKYWARN Special Service Awards (Carolina Room)
- 10:30 AM – SC State Climatology Office Presentation (Carolina Room)
- 11:30 AM – Lunch Break
- 12:30 PM – Community Emergency Response Team/Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (CERT/ARES) – (Carolina Room) - 1:30 PM – Advanced SKYWARN Training – Visual Cues (Carolina Room)
- 2:30 PM – Next Generation GOES Satellite Products – Cool Tools for Spotters
(Carolina Room) - 3:30 PM – Winter Weather Storm Spotting (Carolina Room)
Planning to Attend? Please let us know! - Register online at: https://forms.gle/5G2qQTqJZAC1kPxg7
- If you can’t register online, RSVP to Doug Anderson, W4NWS:
[email protected].
Let us know if you are planning to operate the station.
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/24th-annual-skywarn-recognition-day-saturday-12-2-2023/
Richland County ARES Simplex EmComm Exercise
Richland County ARES, with participation from the other EMA-3 counties, will be conducting an exercise to test their Simplex Emergency Communications plan and are asking for your help.
Date: Friday, 10/27/23
Time: 4:00
Frequency: 147.585 MHz
Scenario:
- There has been a major event with significant destruction. All outside services are out, cell, power, etc., and roads are impassable.
- You try your base station but find it is inoperable. You turn on your Mobile or HT and find that your repeaters are down.
- You desperately need help and tune to the Richland County simplex frequency 147.585. That is where this test exercise begins.
Exercise: (Your Part)
- On Friday, 10/27, at 4:00, tune in to the Richland County simplex coordinating frequency 147.585 MHz using HT or mobile at a maximum of 10 watts.
- A test emergency net will be established, and you will check in when your county is called.
- Check-ins will be by county: Newberry, Fairfield, North Richland (those north of I-20), Kershaw, Calhoun, South Richland (those south of I-20), Lexington, and Saluda.
Objective:
Verify that any ham operator in Richland County can reach help in times of emergency, from the general vicinity of their home and using basic ham gear.
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/richland-county-ares-simplex-emcomm-exercise/
November 2023 CARC Election Nominations
Greetings, everyone; here is a new form to simplify your November 2023 Elections nominating process. Click the link below to submit your nominations!
Nominations so far:
President – Jim Lathan
VP – Tedd Clayton
Sec – Dan Cunningham
Treasurer – Amanda McKinnis
Trustee – Stan Slaughter
Director nominees
Steve Ross
Clif Conti
Ed Samsen
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/november-2023-carc-election-nominations/
Lake Murray Ride of Champions Support
Lake Murray Ride of Champions Charity Bike Ride
The Columbia Amateur Radio Club will be conducting a Route Survey in preparation for an upcoming event.
If you would like to assist OR learn how to conduct a Route Survey, please note the following:
When: Saturday, Oct 28th 10am
Where: Blowfish Stadium (Lexington) 474 Ball Park Rd, Lexington, SC 29072
What: Bring an HT and/or mobile rig and/or field rig preprogrammed to the Little Mountain repeater
147.210 +6mHz Tone 156.7
We will be meeting to discuss the route and to assign volunteers to the specific rest stops.
The goal is to confirm the best frequency for covering the area where the 3 routes will be followed.
Please consider joining us to conduct the route survey and have some fun with other operators!
Thanks and 73!
N4TAL
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/lake-murray-ride-of-champions-support/
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]
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/community-emergency-response-team-training/
Columbia Amateur Radio Club Roster: October 1, 2023 Posted
The club roster is now updated and posted at https://w4cae.com/6699-2/.
Take time to verify your status, if you have any questions contact Jim Lathan at [email protected], if you need to pay your club dues, followhttps://w4cae.com/become-a-member/ and select pay dues near the bottom of the page.
Thank you
Jim Lathan, W4JLP
CARC President
Permanent link to this article: https://w4cae.com/columbia-amateur-radio-club-roster-october-1-2023-posted/