Hello all, I hope that you and yours had a safe and pleasant week. My apologies for not
getting the news letter out sooner. I have been busy with work and family.

In case you haven't noticed Hamfest and Tailgate Fest season is upon us once again.
Which means it's time to crack open the piggy bank and spend a few bucks on some new
gear for your shack or radio room. Of course, momma will want to spend some of the
piggy banks loot on herself too. Another words, you can't spend it all. I have included a
small list of upcoming Hamfests and Tailgate Fests in this newsletter.

This Missing Persons Report was published on 1/10/12 by KB2KAB for K2QIJ.
To date, this person hasn't been found. Please read and keep an eye out.

I recieved this tonight 1-10-12. thru ECARS. EAST COAST AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE. If anyone has any iformation please contact the N.Y.P.D. via telephone with the number(s) supplied in the article. Thank you for your cooperation.

73
David
EC Richmond County
ECARS member 20452

Attention ECARS members in the NYC area and surrounding places. The following link will take you to a web site that has been posted to find this young man from the county in Virginia where i am ARES-EC. It was passed on to me by my AEC who presented this fellow with his Eagle Scout rating some time ago.

Pass the word and maybe someone might have seen him or know something about what happened to him.

Please check out this link: http://www.findianburnet.com/

Thanks & 73

George K2QIJ #2756
73

David Lefkowitz
KB2KAB
MEMBER: NEW YORK CITY REPEATER ASSOCIATION.
BOARD MEMBER: VICE PRESIDENT
WWW.NYCRA.NET

Stay warm and have a safe, blessed wonderful week and wonderful New Years holiday weekend friends.

God Bless America

Thought For The Week: "Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference" - Unkown

Don't forget about this weekends special event(s) and contest(s):

Get on the air this weekend and make some new and exciting friends, not to mention some new contacts.

Hunting Lions in the Air Contest: 0000Z, Jan 14 to 2400Z, Jan 15, SSB, CW, DIGITAL, BAND: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m

MI QRP January CW Contest: 1200Z, Jan 14 to 2359Z, Jan 15, CW, BAND: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6m
========================================================================================================
For those of you who like me enjoy VHF/UHF weak signal, here's the latest for this weekend from
the Hepburn forecast.

VHF / UHF conditions for this weekend:
According to Hepburn, This weekend will not be a very good one for weak signal
VHF / UHF along the US and Canadian East Coasts. Poor conditions will prevail.

For our friends in Australia and New Zealand you can expect poor conditions in
central Australia and parts of central New Zealand. The best conditions will be to the north, north east
and west coasts of Australia and the north eastern and northern most coast of New Zealand.

Tropo Forecast For Jan 15
From Prince Edward Island, Canada to the Florida Keys expect poor conditions.
Folks who live along the gulf coast from the Florida Keys to the Texas panhandle can
expect marginal to moderate conditions.
Folks who live in the Northeast can expect poor conditions.
Folks who live in the Southeast can expect poor conditions.
Folks in the mid west can expect poor to marginal conditions.

Tropo Forecast For Jan 16
From Prince Edward Island, Canada to the Florida Keys expect poor conditions.
Folks who live along the gulf coast from the Florida Keys to the Texas panhandle can
expect poor to fair conditions.
Folks who live in the Northeast can expect poor conditions.
Folks who live in the Southeast can expect poor to marginal conditions.
Folks in the mid west can expect poor to marginal conditions.
Fire up your VHF/UHF all mode gear and make some contacts.
========================================================================================================
Propagation Forecast:
ARLP004 Propagation de K7RA
Average daily sunspot numbers were up this week by a tiny bit, from
88.1 to 90.6, and average daily solar flux was down slightly, from
136.2 to 134.9.

I'm looking at recent sunspot data since May 2011 using the WA4TTK
Solar Data Plotter (see http://www.craigcentral.com/sol.asp) and the
activity had a rising trend throughout 2011 and seemed to peak
around mid-November, but since then has softened.

The latest daily projection from NOAA/USAF shows solar flux about 20
points lower than the average for the week, at 115 on January 13-15,
120 on January 16-20, then a jump of 25 points to 145 on January
21-26. It declines again, to a minimum of 135 on January 31 to
February 6, then rises to a peak of 165 on February 17-21.

Predicted planetary A index is 5 on January 12, 8 on January 13-14,
5 on January 15-17, 8 on January 18-19, and back to 5 on January 20-27.

Sunspot numbers for January 5 through 11 were 99, 118, 110, 90, 90,
63, and 64, with a mean of 90.6. 10.7 cm flux was 141.3, 135.5,
140.5, 135.8, 142.3, 128.8, and 120.1, with a mean of 134.9.
Estimated planetary A indices were 5, 5, 5, 4, 6, 4, and 5, with a
mean of 4.9. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 6, 6, 5, 5, 7, 5,
and 5, with a mean of 5.6.
===========================================================================================================

Current HF and VHF Band Conditions:
Click Here: http://www.hamqsl.com/solar101vhf.php

===========================================================================================================
So, with that said here are a few tid bits for all you radio hounds =========================================================================================
HAM RADIO NEWS
**********************************************************************************************************************************
Amateur Radio Kids Day makes headlines in the press
The Kid's Day event held Sunday, January 8, resulted in some positive publicity for amateur radio.

Among the articles that have been published so far are:

Daytona Beach News-Journal - Amateur radio event helps youths connect to others around the world
http://www.news-journalonline.com/li...ng/2012/01/11/
amateur-radio-event-helps-youths-connect-to-others-around-the-world.html

NJ.com - Ham radio operators share their hobby with children
http://www.nj.com/independentpress/i...hare_thei.html

IARU Region 1 - Kids Day 2012
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/jan...o_kids_day.htm
WinniPeg Free Press:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...136925983.html

(Various Sources)

FCC HEARS CHALLENGE TO FCC INDECENT LANGUAGE RULES
The broadcast networks have argued successfully in lower courts that in a world where they exist side by side with cable channels, the Internet and satellite provided programming that it is beyond the FCC’s jurisdiction and that singling them out is not only nonsensical but totally unconstitutional. And in a court brief, Washington attorney Carter G. Phillips, who represents several networks, told the court that broadcasting is neither uniquely pervasive nor uniquely accessible to children, yet broadcasters are still denied the same basic First Amendment freedoms as other media.

Phillips continued by stating that to the average American viewer, broadcasting is just one source among hundreds in a media-saturated environment. He noted that with a mere press of a button on the remote control one could switch from other to fully protected sources.

On the other side of this issue is the Obama administration which is defending the FCC’s regulatory powers. It told the court that in what it calls a new media world that the FCC is still required to have continued federal oversight of the public airwaves. This, to provide a haven for parents and children from the unregulated world of cable television and the Internet.

As to the reason that this is an important case for ham radio and other personal radio services? Simply because traditionally enforcement of indecency violations in amateur radio, CB and the like has long been predicated on and tied to the standards used to guide commercial broadcasters. If the Supreme Court rules that the FCC cannot control indecent language in broadcasting it could be in effect saying that the government has no power on this issue in other services, including what’s said on the ham radio bands.
(Cheryl Lasek, K9BIK)

UK HAMS EXPERIENCE DELAYED ECHO PHENOMENA ON 80 METERS
Two UK amateurs have reported hearing strong echoes on their 80 meter CW signals in the evening. Tony Roskilly, G3ZRJ in Herefordshire and Andrew Fairgrieve, GW3OQK in Swansea were in QSO on January 1st when they could hear another signal underneath theirs. It turned out to be an echo of their own signals.

Roskilly said the echoes were initially so strong that he had trouble monitoring his CW keying. The delay in the echoes was of the order of a quarter to a half second and the echo strength hit S9. Tests by Fairgrieve on the evening of the 3rd of January revealed the same phenomena at around 21.00 UTC, albeit weaker in signal strength.

Steve Nichols, G0KYA, is the chairman of the RSGB's Propagation Studies Committee. He says that these were unlikely to be round-the-world echoes, but could be due to a form of magnetospheric ducting where signals follow the earth's magnetic field lines down to the southern hemisphere before being bounced back along the same duct. Nichols said that this was quite rare and not really understood.

Amateurs are being urged to look out for any echoes on their 80 meter signals and report any findings to G0KYA (at) qsl (dot) net. (GB2RS)

MISSOURI EXEMPTS HAMS FROM PROPOSED CELLPHONE AND TEXTING LAW
If you live in Missouri you might have heard, there is a new Senate Bill, SB 567, that has been introduced by State Senator Robin Write-Jones, a Democrat-St Louis to be considered in 2012 by the Missouri Senate. There is good news though in this bill if you’re a ham radio operator. The last line of the bill contains the following exemption language:

Exempt are the use of two-way radio transmitters or receivers by a licensee of the Federal Communications Commission in the Amateur Radio Service.

That means that the mobile use of amateur transceivers is for now safe in Missouri.
(Matthew Chambers, NR0Q)

HCJB COAX CABLE MIRACLE
Word that religious broadcaster HCJB has gotten its Radio Rasuwa project on the air as of last December the 1st, but not without a little divine guidance. An HCJB article about the rural Nepal radio project noted that engineer Ty Stakes fortuitously grabbed an extra length of coaxial cable as he packed for the journey to that lonely corner of the world. And it’s a good thing that he did.

It turned out to be needed because the station’s studio was not where it had been planned. Once on-site, Stakes and HCJB missionary Toffer King discovered the tower was not the one they had requested. Using local talent, translations and drawings solutions were crafted. A local welder found himself quite busy and needless to say that the extra length of coax that Stakes brought with him came to good use.

HCJB’s Global Technical Center in Elkhart, Indiana provided the FM transmitter. The station’s coverage area is the northern border of Nepal with an estimated 14,000 people as its potential audience. This includes a large number of Tibetan refugees fleeing Chinese control of their country.

The station will air 17 hours a day, in the local language. It joins five other HCJB FMs in Nepal. Three more are expected to launch during 2012. (RW, HCJB)

EMI SOUNDS PAGE FROM ON4WW
ON4WW in Westham, Belgium, has created a web page with sound clips that covers the many cases of interference he's dealt with over the years. The sounds cover everything from a rain gutter noise to plasma TV interference and even L-E-D lighting. The ON4WW RFI audio page page is on-line at:
www.on4ww.be/emi-rfi.html (Southgate)

Sandusky Valley Amateur Radio Club 60th Anniversary SPECIAL EVENT STATION W8S
Club members will operate the entire month of January 2012 in celebration of the Clubs
60th Anniversary. Members will be operating in all General ham bands using the call sign W8S.

Send your QSL card and a SASE to:

SVARC SPECIAL EVENT
1600 PORT CLINTON RD, APT 2
FREMONT, OHIO 43420
USA

TC2012WKD World Kidney Day Special Activity
The mission of World Kidney Day is to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to our overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide. TCSWAT and GITRAD, in colloboration with Turkish Society of Nephrology-Istanbul Branch, will be on the air as TC2012WKD on March 8, 2012. Activity on HF bands will be on CW-BPSK31-SSTV and SSB. Stations making contacts on three or more bands or modes will recieve a special award via e-mail. Details about World Kidney Day is in http://www.worldkidneyday.org/ . QSL via TA Incoming QSL Bureau or via TCSWAT.
73 de TA1HZ
=======================================================================================================================
DX News
=======================================================================================================================
In DX, G3PHO will be on the air as 9H3C from Malta’s Gozo Island between March 8th and the 15th. Activity will be on 80-10 meters and possibly 160m. Look for him to be an entry in the RGSB Commonwealth Contest. QSL via his home callsign or Logbok of the World.

JS6RRR will be operational stroke KH2 from Guam between February 10th and the 14th. Activity will be on 160 through 6 meters using CW, SSB, FM, RTTY and PSK31. QSL via JS6RRR.

IK2GZU will be in Tanzania to do some work at a new hospital and orphanage between March 4th and April 4th. He plans to be active during his spare time as 5H3MB on the HF bands. QSL via IK2GZU, direct or by the Bureau. Also, via Logbook of the World, but only after his return home.

E51M Manihiki Island North Cook Islands
DJ8NK, DJ9HX, DJ9KH, DK9KX, DL6JGN, PA3EWP and SP3DOI will be active from Manihiki Island , North Cook Islands 28 March - 10 April 2012 as E51M
http://dxing.at-communication.com/en...-cook-islands/

Venezuela Expedition YX6AJ ( From El Salto Angel / The Angel Falls )
The Radio Club Venezolano be making an expedition to Angel Falls (Kerepakupai Vena - Native Name ) the highest waterfall in the world with 979 meters.

Date : 03 to 06 Enero 2012 -
Grid Locator : FJ85RX (Parque Nacional Canaima, Venezuela.)
Bands : 80m / 40m / 20m / 15m / VHF
Modes : CW, Digital, Phone and Satellite.
QSL : Via Bureau in YV5AJ (Radio Club Venezolano) or via Direct ( IRC + SAE ).
More Info : http://www.qrz.com/db/yv6aj

The Team :
YV5SSF / YV5HUJ / YV5JF / YV5NEA / YV5VE / YY5FRD / YY5CHJ / YY5CWM / YY5CAR

Promotional Video 1 : http://youtu.be/B31THOFocsU
Promotional Video 2 : http://youtu.be/yEztVvy3G_4
Seven Spanish amateur radio operators will be on the air active as AO1POL during the 9th Antarctic Activity Week between February 20th and the 26th, 2012. Their operation will be on 160 through 10 meters, including the 30, 17 and 12 meter bands. Modes to be use include CW, SSB and the Digital modes. QSL via EA1GHT.

KH0UY and KH0K will be operational from Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands between January 7th to the 10th. Their activity will be on 80 through 6 meters, plus the satellites. QSL via their home callsigns of JO3FRH and JE4SMQ, either direct or by the bureau.

Six operators from the U.S. and Canada will be active from Kiritimati Island between January 17th and February 2nd. The group will operate from the same location that the recent T32C expedition utilized. They also will take part in the 2012 CQ World Wide 160 meter CW Contest from January 27th to the 29th as T32XX. QSL via KB8TXZ.

AH0AJ will beactive as KG4AJ from Guantanamo Bay for the next two years. QSL only via his home callsign.

CX3AN and CX4CR will be active on the air as 8Q7HU from Maafushi Island in the Maldives between January 25th and February 5th. Their operations will be on 80 through 6 meters using CW, SSB and several digital modes with a special emphasis on contacting South America. QSL this one as directed on the air. (Various DX Sources)

ZK2C Niue Island
German Team will be active from Niue Island 3-17 February 2012 as ZK2C
http://dxing.at-communication.com/en/zk2c_niue-island/
T6BP Afghanistan
9A3PM will be active from Afghanistan untill April 2012 as T6BP
http://dxing.at-communication.com/en/t6bp_aghanistan/

========================================================================================================

From SPACEWEATHER.COM (www.spaceweather.com)
ACTIVE SUNSPOTS: Crackling with C-class solar flares, a pair of active sunspots is emerging over the sun's northeastern limb.

These sunspots have the potential for strong eruptions. Sunspot 1401 produced an M1-flare on Jan. 14th. Two days earlier, while it was still on the farside of the sun, sunspot 1402 produced a partially-eclipsed flare of uncertain magnitude that created waves of ionization in the atmosphere over Europe.

NOAA forecasters estimate a 30% chance of more M-flares during the next 24 hours.

Solar wind
speed: 346.5 km/sec
density: 4.3 protons/cm3
X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: C1 1101 UT Jan15

All sunspots are quiet. The chance of flares today is low.

Sunspot number: 145
Spotless Days
Current Stretch: 0 days
2012 total: 0 days (0%)
2011 total: 2 days (<1%)
2010 total: 51 days (14%)
2009 total: 260 days (71%)
Since 2004: 821 days
Typical Solar Min: 486 days

The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 124 sfu

Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 0 quiet
24-hr max: Kp= 1 quiet

Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 4.0 nT
Bz: 1.5 nT north

A solar wind stream should reach Earth on Jan. 16-17.

SPACE WEATHER
NOAA Forecasts
FLARE 0-24 hr 24-48 hr
CLASS M 30 % 30 %
CLASS X 01 % 01 %

Geomagnetic Storms:
Probabilities for significant disturbances in Earth's magnetic field are given for three activity levels: active, minor storm, severe storm
Mid-latitudes 0-24 hr 24-48 hr
ACTIVE 05 % 05 %
MINOR 01 % 01 %
SEVERE 01 % 01 %

High latitudes 0-24 hr 24-48 hr
ACTIVE 15 % 15 %
MINOR 01 % 01 %
SEVERE 01 % 01 %

========================================================================================

Special Events/Contests/Hamfests

************************************************************************************************************************************************

Hunting Lions in the Air Contest: 0000Z, Jan 14 to 2400Z, Jan 15, SSB, CW, DIGITAL, BAND: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m
Info: http://lionshuntingintheair.lionwap.org/

MI QRP January CW Contest: 1200Z, Jan 14 to 2359Z, Jan 15, CW, BAND: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6m
Info: http://www.qsl.net/miqrpclub/contest.html
Jan 16-Jan 29, 0000Z-2300Z, W7Q, Quartzfest 2012, Quartzsite, AZ. Quartzfest 2012. 14.250 7.250. QSL. K7PO, PO Box 277, Tonopah, AZ 85354. Quartzfest is a gathering of Amateur Radio Operators in RVs near Quartzsite, AZ. www.quartzfest.org

Jan 18-Jan 19, 1700Z-0500Z, NA1CC, Commemorating the Anniversary of the First US-EU Radio Communication, Cape Cod, MA. Area amateurs. CW only, 28.025 24.905 21.025 18.083 14.025 10.115 7.025 3.525 especially when open to EU. QSL. Wes Baden, PO Box 499, South Orleans, MA 02662. Marconi wireless station CC, Cape Cod, MA, completed the first US-EU radio communication on the night of January 18, 1903. Skeds, particularly EU skeds, welcome.

Jan 28, 1700Z-2300Z, W8NCK, 60th Anniversary of the Sandusky Valley Amateur Radio Club, Fremont, OH. Sandusky Valley Amateur Radio Club. 14.250 7.250. QSL. J Schlipf, N8TRQ, 1600 Port Clinton Rd, Apt #2, Fremont, OH 43420. www.w8nck.org

Jan 28, 0300Z-1200Z, WD6RAT, Palm Springs Hamfest 2012, Palm Springs, CA. Desert RATS Club . 14.251 7.251. QSL. Desert RATS Club, PO Box 1167, Palm Springs, CA 92264. desertrats.am

Feb 4, 1400Z-2100Z, K3HWJ, Commemorating Groundhog Day at Punxsutawney Airport, Punxsutawney, PA. Punxsutawney Area Amateur Radio Club. 14.330 7.183 3.845 147.390 PL 173.8. Certificate. Mike Miller, N3HBH, 1097 Wishaw Rd, Reynoldsville, PA 15851. sites.google.com/site/punxyhamclub

Feb 4, 1400Z-2359Z, W1N, MN QSO Party - Winona Amateur Radio Club, Winona, MN. Winona Amateur Radio Club. 14.270 14.050 7.250 7.050. QSL. Winona Amateur Radio Club, Attn: MN QSO Party, PO Box 1264, Winona, MN 55987. Party rules and other information are available from the Minnesota Wireless Association at: http://www.w0aa.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=7 www.w0ne.org

Feb 4, 1600Z-2100Z, KS0KS, National Weatherman's Day, Olathe, KS. Sante Fe Trail Amateur Radio Club. SSB/CW/Digital 10 15 17 20 40 m 28.320 21.320 14.250 7.250. QSL. Dell Sawyer, 1259 E Frontier Ln, Olathe, KS 66062. Operating two stations. sftarc.org

******************************************************************************************************************************************

HamFest Information:

Cowtown Hamfest of Fort Worth 2012, Jan 20-21
COWTOWN HAMFEST 2012 and the ARRL NORTH TEXAS SECTION CONVENTION 2012

Cowtown Hamfest, the original Hamfest in the Fort Worth Metroplex, and the ARRL North Texas Section Convention will be held, January 20-21, 2012 at Lockheed Martin Recreation Area, 3400 Bryant Irvin Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76109.

Doors will be open Friday evening the 20th from 3:00 pm until 8:00pm. Saturday the 21st we open at 8:00am and close at 3:00pm. Food, including Bar-B-Q sandwiches, burgers and dogs will be available Friday and Saturday. Morning coffee and breakfast will also be available. Door prizes will be awarded through out the event. A Kenwood V71A Dual Band Mobile will be given away each day. The grand prize, Kenwood D710 Dual Band APRS Mobile will be at the event’s end.

Volunteers are needed; free entrance will be given in return for a minimum of 2 hours volunteer time. Volunteer by contacting Ken Bush at kb5ybi@yahoo.com or David Forbes at KC5UYR@compuserve.com.

The event will feature large vendor areas, with over 100 tables, and an outdoor tailgate flea market. Several well known commercial vendors will be present. Vendors should go to the website for table availability and/or contact Kevin Vickers at vickersdc@aol.com. A complete set of educational programs and meetings will be conducted through out Saturday, and license examinations will be held both Friday and Saturday. Talk-in is available at 147.28, tone 110.9.

Cowtown Hamfest is sponsored by the Lockheed Martin Amateur Radio Club, W5SJZ, and by LMRA. The website is located at www.cowtownhamfest.org, and personal contact can be made with the Hamfest Chairman, David Forbes, KC5UYR, KC5UYR@compuserve.com or info@cowtownhamfest.com.
Cowtown Website: http://www.cowtownhamfest.com/

NCARC Winter Hamfest
January 21,2012
Larimer County Fairgrounds
Loveland Colorado
http://www.ncarc.net

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAMFEST AND COMPUTER SHOW - 2012
SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2012, 8 AM TO 3 PM

SET-UP: FRIDAY, 4 PM TO 9 PM & SATURDAY, 6 AM TO 8 AM

ARABA Shrine Auditorium

2010 Hanson Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901

MapQuest Map to Hamfest: Map of 2010 Hanson St Fort Myers, FL 33901-7222, US

Talk-In Repeater: 147.345 (136.5 Tone)

Vendor Tables: $15.00 (All Vendors must purchase Ticket)

Indoor Vendor Setup - Friday 1/20, 4-9 PM
First Tables Ordered Get Best Locations

Tailgate Spaces: $10.00 (Includes 1 Admission Ticket)

Additional Tailgate Spaces: $5.00 Each

Free Parking - Handicap Parking Available

FOOD: Quality Food, Reasonable Prices inside on site

General Admission: $5.00

Children 12 and under are free with paying adult

Students 13-18 $3.00 with valid student ID

SECURITY: On site security will be provided

Hourly Prizes and GRAND prize plus two RUNNER - UP prizes

VENDOR/TABLE CONTACT: Laing Batchler NT4TS

2602 NW 15th Street

Cape Coral, FL 33993

(239) 214-0005

e-mail: nt4tshl9ts@comcast.net

MAIL TICKET REQUESTS TO:

FMARC

P. O. Box 061183

Fort Myers, FL 33906

Please include SASE, otherwise tickets will be held at door.
Lots of new Forums, Watch our website for a complete list go to www.FMARC.net

NOTICE: Supporting FCC Regulations, FMARC will not permit selling uncertified or modified equipment.

INFORMATION Please Contact:

HAMFEST CHAIRPERSON:
Larry Zimmer, W4LWZ,
1719 NW 21st St.
Cape Coral, FL 33993
(239) 282-1526
e-mail: W4LWZ@arrl.net

Wheaton Community Radio Amateurs Mid-Winter Hamfest
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Doors open at 8am
Kane County Fairgrounds
525 S. Randall Rd.
St. Charles, IL
See our flyer for more information
http://wheatonhamfest.org/flyer.pdf

Arcadia, FL Saturday, January 28, 2012 Best Little Hamfest in Florida!

The DeSoto Amateur Radio Club

Invites everyone to attend our 16th annual Hamfest in Arcadia

Saturday January 28, 2012

Located at the Turner Civic Center Exhibit Hall

2260 NE Roan Street Arcadia, Fl 34266

Talk in will be on the 147.075+ W4MIN Repeater

ADMISSION STILL JUST $5.00

Tailgating is FREE with paid admission

Gates will open at 6 A.M. Saturday Morning

Inside and outside commercial vendors!

Mouth watering Country Breakfast available at Hamfest

Coffee, Soda, Donuts and Hotdogs will also be available.

Set up Friday night till 8 pm with plenty of overnight parking.

TAILGATE AREA OPENS AT……………..when light enough to see

INSIDE AREA OPENS AT………………….8:00 a.m.

Hourly door prizes with the grand prize drawing at 1:00 p.m.

You do not need to be present to win the grand prize.

Testing for ALL class license at 10:00 at the DeSoto County EOC

Commercial vender Please take note!

Inside tables will be $10.00 per table and $5.00 per table outside. Inside tables will be supplied and must be reserved by deposit. Vendor hall is heated and electricity is available at all tables. There is No Electricity outside.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Doug Christ, KN4YT at (863) 266-4206 or email at kn4yt@arrl.net
Club Website: http://www.desotoarc.org/hamfestinfo.htm

41st Annual Livonia Amateur Radio Club Swap & Shop
Sunday, February 19, 2012 from 8am till 12 noon at the
Civic Park Seniors Center
15218 Farmington Road, Livonia, MI 48154

Tickets are $5 - Elementary, middle school and high school students are free.
Parking lot is south of Five Mile between Farmington Road and Westmore, by the Seniors Center only (NOT the restaurant). Talk-in will be 145.35 (100Hz PL)

Swap info: http://www.livoniaarc.com/Swap.htm
Swap flier and vendor application available on the above web site.

CDARC Hamfest February 25th Bismarck ND
CDARC Hamfest, February 25th, 2012,7:00 AM - 3:00 PM CST
Central Dakota Amateur Radio Club (CDARC)
St. Mary's Grade School, 807 E. Thayer Ave. Bismarck,ND
Breakfast, Lunch, prizes, ARRL sponsored Exams
Talk in 146.34/146.94

Advance admission fee: $6.00
At-door admission fee: $7.00
Table fee: $5.00

Advance registration to:
CDARC
PO Box 7162
Bismarck, ND 58501-7162

36th Annual Winterfest: Feb 26, Northern Virginia
Winterfest is a regional hamfest that routinely attracts between 500 and 1000 paying attendees. The large, heated indoor area accommodates more than 100 tables operated by commercial vendors, clubs, ham radio organizations and individuals. In addition, the great bargains can be found in the outdoor tailgate area.
When? The main event is on Sunday, February 26, 2012. Tailgating starts at 6 am, the indoor sales area opens at 8 am. Amateur radio exams are offered in the same location on Saturday Feb 25, 2012 from 9 am to 12 noon.

Where? Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus, 8333 Little River Turnpike Annandale, VA. GPS coordinates are listed on the website (http://www.viennawireless.org/winterfest.php).
Who? This event is run by the Vienna Wireless Society, a not-for-profit ham radio club located in Northern Virginia.
Why? First of all, because it's a lot of fun. Importantly, the proceeds from this event help support the activities of the Vienna Wireless Society, which include community service, emergency preparedness, and technical innovation.
How? Tickets are $6 at the door. Tables are available for $25, while they last. Outdoor tailgating spots are $15, and available the day of the event. Both table and tailgate prices include one admission. See the website for details about which vendors will be present, the talk-in frequency, and other information.

Looking forward to seeing you there,

Jack Welch, AI4SV
Chair, Winterfest 2012

Mosquito Net tailgate
The Titusville, FL, Amateur Radio Club will celebrate the Mosquito Net 21st anniversary with a free tailgate.
It will be held March 24, 2012 at Sand Point Park, 101 North Washington Ave. (US 1) Titusville, FL,
starting at 0900. Talk in frequency: 146.910. Go to WWW.TitusvilleARC.org to see the flyer.

Framingham (MA) ARA Annual Spring Flea Market Sunday, March 25 2012
The Framingham (MA) ARA Annual Spring Flea Market will be held on Sunday, March 25, 2012 at the Keefe Technical School, 750 Winter Street, Framingham, MA from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon. Seller's set up is 7:30 AM. Tables are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Buyer's admission is $5. Refreshments, door prizes, and VE session. Talk-in on 147.15 repeater. Contact Bev, N1LOO at 508-626-2012 to reserve tables, or go to www.fara.org/flea for more info and to reserve tables tables on line.

8th International DX Convention - ITALY April, 2012
INFO: http://www.dxitalia.it - e-mail iz8edj@gmail.com

Memphis FreeFest! April 14, 2012
Memphis FreeFest®
What a hamfest Should Be
ARRL Approved
Delta Division Convention
Tennessee Section Meeting

Mars Meeting, Seminars, VE Testing, Concessions

One Day Only
Saturday April 14, 2012
9 am to 3 pm

Bartlett Station Municipal Center
5868 Stage Road Bartlett, TN
North side of Stage Road just west of Bartlett Blvd.

Admission, Vendor, Club, and Flea Market tables all free
Deposit of $10/table (Max $50) refundable deposit
No Shows,, and Cancellations after 4-7 lose deposit

Only 106 inside spaces and 25 outside – 100% FULL every year since Day One

All Ham and Non-ham prizes donated - $2500+ in 2011
100% of raffle proceeds donated to LeBonheur Children’s Hospital in 2012

Load in 7 - 9 am - Load out 3 - 5 pm
Inside load in on Friday afternoon 4-6 pm for $10/table max $50

Talk-In 147.03/63 Repeater – 107.2 Tone

VE testing in Morning Seminars Noon to 3 pm

For more information:
FreeFest page at maraonline.org
Email freefest@maraonline.org
Or call Tony Brignole WA4KHN abrigno@comcast.net (901) 372-2738
***************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Ham Gear For Sale:

http://swap.qth.com/
Tarheel Antennas: http://www.tarheelantennas.com/
M2 Antennas: http://www.m2inc.com/index2.html
HRO: http://www.hamradio.com/
Radio-Mart: http://www.radio-mart.net
===========================================================================================
REPEATER INFO
===========================================================================================
Southern Maryland Linked Repeater System
http://www.n3px.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=11
This Southern Maryland Linked Repeater System is EchoIRLP Enabled.
If you are in the Southern maryland are and wish to use this system
Here's how you link to IRLP or ECHOLINK.
Use "B" as your prefix for IRLP access
example: B9250 for reflector 9250
Use "C" as your prefix for Echolink access
example: C9999 for conference 9999
Use "73" to disconnect

Repeater Mapping with Google maps
by k5ehx South Carolina repeater Info; thanks to Charlie AE4UX for this info.
http://www.angelfire.com/nv/lcrs/repeaters.html

Linked system of repeaters that cover most of Colorado: http://www.colcon.org/
EchoLink Repeaters:
EchoLink USA VIRGINIA CULPEPPER,VA 147.120 W4CUL Node 300136 146.2
EchoLink USA VIRGINIA Petersburg,Va 444.275-R 444.2750 KG4YJB Node 93516 103.5
EchoLink USA NORTH CAROLINA Raleigh 444.675 KD4RAA-R Node 51071 100.0
EchoLink USA VIRGINIA Norfolk,VA 145.330 W4VB Node 311763 131.8
Echolink USA VIRGINIA Three Dog Linked Repeater Group 444.175 (Hub) Node 126596 103.5 http://www.varepeaters.com/
145.270 ECHO LINK NODE 6106 COLUMBIA S.C.
444.725 131.8 Echolink node 2014 Columbia NC at 1200 ft, K4OBX-L covers NOBX
444.925 131.8 Echolink node 2003 Hatteras Island at 300 ft K4OBX-R covers SOBX
444.300 131.8 Echolink node 312941 Elizabeth City NC WA4VTX-R covers 168/ECT
The Wakefield SkyWarn Echolink Conference Server is operating under the "*WX4AKQ*" conference ID or Node Number "491248".
This server is available 24/7 and is open for non weather use by any Licensed Ham connected to a Echolink Station as long as it's not in use by SkyWarn for weather traffic.
Here is a map showing the repeater locations and frequency / PL info. If there are any additions or corrections, please let me know. http://tinyurl.com/ydsy4n6

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
IRLP REPEATERS:
Carolina 440 Linked repeater System : http://www.caryncrepeater.com/repeaters_on_link.htm
W4RAT 146.880 PL= 74.4 & W4RAT 442.550 PL=74.4
K4OBX 442.425 pl 131.8 IRLP node 5680 Hatteras Island. full time link to Carolina 440 Link System
===========================================================================================
*********************************************************************************************************************

NETS
==========================================================================
EchoLink Traders Net
Net time is every Wednesday at 10 am untill about 11 am + or
on the *SCARS* Echo Link Node, receive only.

Come join us every Wed for the RARC 10m net at 7:00pm on 28.470 USB past
RARC D-STAR 2m net on 147.255 no pl
(limited coverage area) at 8pm every Wed following the 10m net (28.475).

Come Join us every Sunday at 7pm for the RARC 6m net on 50.135 USB

Every night at around 10PM listen out for the PB& J Lounge with Penny N3LUV
more great talk radio. Click here for more info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pbnjlounge

M-F ECARS 7.255 LSB http://ecars7255.com/
M-F SCARS 7.251 LSB http://www.southcars.com/
MidCars on 7.258 LSB 9:00 AM To 5:00 PM each day

Chattahoochee 10 Meter Group
Tuesdays - 8:30PM EDT
28.335 USB (+ or - QRM)
Net Controls: K4VIC, W4OZA, KI4FCQ

HF 75M YL BCYLARA Net
First and third Tuesdays each month on 3.748MHz + or -. Net time varies due to propagation and seasonal changes. Net time will be 6pm local BC time. Net shuts down end of May for the summer. Net control is Elizabeth VA7TK. YLs/OMs welcomed! http://www.qsl.net/ylradio/nets.html

Georgia Training Net... on 80m http://www.ad4dx.com/gtn/
meets daily at 9:00 PM EDT, 0100 hours UTC, on 3549 Khz - 3.549 Mhz

* Tuesdays Sanlapper SSB Six Meter Net, 8:00pm 50.250.
* Wed Lake Norman SSB Six Meter Net, 8:00pm 50.130
* Sunday 9PM Lexington AREA 2M FM simplex net 146.55
* First Sat Monthly RARC 9PM 3.959 MHz +/- QRM
* Daily: The Carolinas Slow Net(CSN) starts at 8:00 PM on 3695 kHz
* Daily: South Carolina Single Sideband Net 7:00 PM at 3.915.

N4VEM Packet Net is every Wed night at 8:15pm on 145.730
If you are local to Richmond just connect to N4VEM "c n4vem" and enter "c" for conference.
N4VEM Packet Net Info

VA Digital Net

My simplex Echolink Node(Node # 282700; simplex Freq 146.595 PL = 97.4) is up when I'm in town So, look for it on the Echolink Nodes status web site to find out when it's up and available.
www.echolink.net

Virginia Fone Net
Give a listen to 3947 at 4pm and 7:30pm to the Virginia Fone Net.

At 6pm on the same freq. you'll hear the Virginia Sideband Net, an ARRL traffic net, and usually before the 7:30 VFN.

The VFN is a pretty good bunch of guys, and the net was started in the 1930's, so some of these guys have been around for decades.

Tune in and make new friends.
Carolina 440 Ragchew Net.
For those of you interested in joing a fun net every Monday night
at 7:30 pm the Carolina 440 ragchew net is the one. This net is
is held via the 440 linked repeater system in North Carolina and is
available via IRLP Node 4270. Join in and make new friends.
http://www.caryncrepeater.com/Carolina440ragchew.htm
====================================================================================
Here are a few Propagation Beacons to try to listen for:
10 Meter Beacon INFO -->

Ten Meter Beacon Spotter: http://10mbeacons.com/

http://www.caryncrepeater.com/k4jdr_10_meter_beacon.htm

These are links to lists of the known 10 meter beacons worldwide:

http://www.mydarc.de/dl8wx/baken_kw.htm

http://userpages.troycable.net/~wj5o/bcn.htm

This is a link to a 10 meter beacon-spotter website and other information:

http://10mbeacons.com/beaconspot/spot90.php

There is also a beacon spotter email reflector with daily logs here:

http://www.explore.force9.co.uk/beacons/hfbeacons.htm

VHF/UHF BEACONS by WZ1V

http://www.newsvhf.com/beacons2.html

Beacons Near Richmond VA:

144.280 N4MW FM17kn VA New Kent 30W+Sqloop@20'
Beacons, 50MHz, World-Wide
Propagation Beacons to the South:

144.285 WD4GSM EM86qv VA Wise 4200' asl

144.296 WD4KPD FM15mm NC Washington 20W+2halos @30'

144.299 K0GHZ FM25 NC Hatteras 30W to Hor. Loop @ 50'

144.300 KD4NMI FM05rt NC Knightdale 10W vertical omni @575'

144.276 KD4ESV FL BRADENTON

432.307 WA4PGI FM07bw VA Covington 5W+crossed dipoles,+/-5KHz

432.347 WD4GSM EM86qv VA Wise 4200' asl

Propagation Beacons to the North:

144.284 W3CCX FM29jw PA Philadelphia 4W to single loop @ 435'

144.295 W3VD FM19ne MD Laurel 10W +halo freq varies

144.297 K3DEL FM28fn DE Sussex cty. 5W to yagi @ 135'

144.276 W2RTB FN12 NY 15W +Eggbeater @450' asl

144.288 KN2MET FN30 NY

144.287 W2IK FN30js NY LI 50W horiz Loop

144.289 WA2UMX FN23xc NY Providence 20W + 2 Big Wheels 1620'ASL

432.306 W2RTB FN12 NY 15W +Eggbeater @450' asl

432.313 W3VD FM19ne MD Laurel 7W +turnstile

432.297 K3DEL FM28fn DE Sussex cty. 5W to yagi @ 135'

Propagation Beacons In Canada

50.007 VA2ZFN FN 07PJ BELLETERRE, QC Canada
50.008 VE8SIX CP 38 Inuvik Canada
50.001 VE1SMU 11 El 25 FN 84 Halifax
50.005 VE8R DP 33 Canada
50.018 VE4ARM EN 19 BRANDON,MB Canada
50.020 VE8WD J-pole vert. 25 DP 22 Yellowknife
50.025 VE4SPT EN 19 THOMPSON, MB
50.031 VE6XIS Yagi 25 DO 21 Calgary Canada
50.033 VE7FG CO 83 PRINCE GEORGE, BC
50.036 VE4VHF Omni vert 35 EN 19 Headingly Canada
50.037 VE4VHF Omni vert. 35 EN 19 Manitoba
50.040 VO1ZA-6 GN 37js NF Carbonear
50.041 VE6EMU 4 Elm 40 DO 33 Camrose
50.044 VE6ARC Omni 40 DO 05 Grand Prairie
50.048 VE6ARC Omni vert 50 DO 75 Grand Prairie,Canada
50.048 VE8BY Vert. 30 FP 53 Iqaluit
50.049 VE8BW/B DP 33 Canada
50.049 VE3BCN 3 FN 03 Brampton Canada
50.050 VA2WW/B FN 57 Canada
50.053 VE1PZ Loop 15 3 FN 85 QR Picton
50.054 VE2YAT FN 48 lm ST-HONORE, QC Canada
50.059 VE3UBL Turnstile 8 FN 03 Pickering
50.065 VE9MS 2 * loop 1 FN 65 Geary,NB
50.072 VE1CCP FN 86 I.Pr.Edward Canada
50.073 VE1MQ Turnstile 10 FN 65 Fredericton Canada
50.073 VE1MQ Loop 5 FN 65 Geary,Canada
50.075 VE9MS Loop 5 FN 65 Fredericton Canada
50.077 VE3DRL Vert 30 FN 03 Toronto Canada
50.086 VE2STL Vert. Dipole 1.5 FN 46 Kinnars Mill
50.086 VE2TH Dipole 3 FN 46 Val Belair,Canada
50.088 VE2TWO Dipole 18 FO 13 Evain
50.088 VE1SIX Vert FN 66 N.Brunswick Canada
50.088 VE1ASJ FN 67 St Johns,Canada
50.089 VE2TWO Dipole 18 FN 13 Radisson Canada
50.150 VE7RAN Vert 100 DO 11 Penticton,Canada
50.110 VE7SIX Vert CN 88 Kaleden Canada

144.280 VE2FUT 15W+Turnstile 550'ASL FN 25wg PQ Rigeau
144.281 VE4ARM 10W 3el yagi @ 53'to SE EN 09jw MB Austin
144.284 VE1CBC FN 63NS Yarmouth
144.285 VE6EMU 20W to 5el yagi aimed N DO33pa Alberta
144.292 VE8BY 23W to 8 bay dipole array FP53rs Iqaluit
144.295 VE1SMU 10W yagi pointed WSW FN74os NS Lake George
144.299 VE1SMU/H 15W 7el Yagi SW,FSK FN84 NS Halifax
144.400 VO1ZA 250W 11 el yagi to Europe. GN37js NF Carbonear
144.287 VE1SMU 10W 5 el yagi to W GN03 Sable Is 144.278 VE3ZAP EN94 222.055 VE1SMU 10W to 5el yagi to west GN03 Sable Island
222.057 VE1SMU 10W yagi pointed WSW FN74os NS Lake George 432.300 VE1SMU 8'dish to west GN03 Sable Island
432.300 VE4ARM 20W to 3el yagi @ 53'to SE EN09jw MB Austin
432.328 VE2CLO 10W + 2x12 yagissouth/west FN35 Montreal
432.339 VE1SMU/H FN84 NS Halifax
432.348 VE1SMU 10W yagi to WSW FN74os NS Lake George

Sources Radio Amaeturs of Canada
WZ1V Ron Limas
G3USF's Worldwide List Of 50MHz Beacons
DX Summit

MARCONI RADIO CLUB OF NEWFOUNDLAND INC.

The 6 metre beacon (VO1ZA) operates on the campus of Memorial University and was designed and installed by members of the MUN ARC in June of 1990. It operates on a frequency of 50.0400 MHz (space) 50.0395 MHz (mark) FSK CW with 1.5 watts output to a 0.27 wave gamma fed vertical (omni). The beacon is maintained by the Marconi Radio Club of Newfoundland. Following an electrical storm, the beacon was off the air for several days. Service was restored on 1500 UTC 5 September 2005.

A 2 metre CW transatlantic beacon is operating on 144.400 MHz,+-0.5 kHz transmitting with an ERP of 2.2 kW and beaming 60 degrees.

A 2 metre FM beacon transmitts audio Morse on 146.31 MHz. This beacon has been on the air since 14 September 1986 and has been used to study seasonal variability in local VHF propagation. It also serves as a bench mark for repeater antenna receiving performance in the region.

A long wave beacon is in operation on 137.7770 kHz

http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~jcraig/beac2.htm

Public Service Links National and International
American Red Cross Disaster Services -- http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/

American Red Cross Home Page -- http://www.redcross.org/

ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) -
http://www.emergency-radio.org/

Hazardous Materials Transportation Placards -- http://environmentalchemistry.com/yogi/hazmat/placards/

Ireland / Amateur Radio Emergency Network (AREN) - http://www.irts.ie/aren/

National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) - http://www.nvoad.org/

RACES / Guidance for Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service - (Old) Official FEMA Guidelines
(Note that current FEMA guidelines recognize RACES but do not provide the specific guidance of this document) - http://www.co.hernando.fl.us/em/PDF/Guidance.pdf

Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) - (Privately maintained website): http://www.usraces.org/

REACT International -- http://www.reactintl.org/

Salvation Army (USA) Home Page -- http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/

Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) -- http://satern.org/

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief -- http://www.namb.net/dr/

*************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Misc Ham Links
*************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Click here for current Gray Line Propagation Map
http://10mbeacons.com/map.html?opt=-p
Use the link Below to check out the latest VHF propagation:
Click Here for Current Propagation Map
links for Dipoles and Lengths: http://www.ku4ay.net/dipole.html
http://www.qsl.net/kd7rem/antdipole.htm
http://www.hamuniverse.com/multidipole.html
http://www.angelfire.com/nb/ni4l/ni4ldipole.html

From N3JBH FAN DIPOLE OR MULTIPLE BAND DIPOLE SPECS:
(Each leg is shown in length so you will need two legs.)

10 METERS = 8'4"
12 METERS = 9'5"
15 METERS = 11'1"
17 METERS = 12'10"
20 METERS = 16'8"
30 METERS = 23'2"
40 METERS = 32'9"
60 METERS = 43'7"
75 METERS = 60'9"
80 METERS = 65'6"
160 METERS = 123'5"
137 KHZ = 1708'1"
========================================================================================