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SKYWARN 2017 Recap

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Published: 09 December 2017 09 December 2017

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SKYWARN Recognition Day

December 1 & 2, 2017

Dear Skywarn participants and ARES/RACES Members,

Mary Qualtieri, AA7RT and myself, Bob Wiese, W7UWC, would like to extend our thanks to all who participated and supported this year’s Special Event Station and a special thank you to Andy Brown and the staff at the National Weather Service Office in Airway Heights.  This is always one event many of us traditionally looked forward to each year since 1999. 

One of the highlights of Skywarn is the opportunity to use this special event as a learning tool for newer hams and we enjoyed that this year with several new members in our Spokane County ARES/RACES Membership.  They participated in every aspect of the day from helping set antennas to assembling radios, coax, grounding, and all the way through to operating.  Watching the joy on the face of a new ham make that first successful HF contact on 20 meters is priceless.  A healthy seed has been planted within several people that will grow and bear fruit for years to come. We also are thankful for a member from Lincoln County ARES/RACES joining us and supporting our operations on both days and the work of many who arrived to help remove the antennas Saturday afternoon and packing all the radio equipment to be loaded in various vehicles. 

While the contact numbers were down this year for various reasons, mostly local noise and some interesting fading of signals in the middle of an exchange or, as in one instance a poor barrel connector that took a while to find, (WHAT!  They NEVER go BAD) we are still happy with so many working hard and contributing to the success through everyone’s efforts. We operated VHF through HF including several data modes including EchoLink, IRLP and some I cannot spell.  

We learned some important lessons that include checking and tightening such connectors as mentioned above and learning to limit the social aspect a bit to be less of a distraction to operators and yet always being available to educate and answer questions and encourage support for the Amateur Radio Art.  Yet it must be understood that we never wish to limit productive networking among hams that will serve to make better operators. Making better operators is always the end goal of this and other operating opportunities that take place throughout the year.  

We are already looking forward to next year.  And we found a new Pizza resource that will be utilized next year. Thank you all again for your support, encouragement, good humor, and the fun of Skywarn

Best wished for a Joyous Christmas and Holiday season.

73

Bob, W7UWC

Mary, AA7RT

QRP Day on the Noontime Net

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Published: 09 November 2017 09 November 2017

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Saturday November 25th will be a QRP day on the Noontime net. The Idea is to use 10 watts or less on LSB and 5 watts or less if checking in by CW.

Starting Time is 1000 hours local time (10 AM) for the early portion, and the Formal Portion starts at 1200 hours (Noon).

This is on 40 meters at a Frequency of 7283.50 KHZ.

QRP Day on the Noontime Net has been held for about the last four years.  The purpose of QRP day is to see what Low power can do! Depending on the Antenna and location, some operators have been able to check in with as little as 5 watts on LSB.  QRP Day was designed by the Net Manager and other net control operators as a fun activity to hold once a year.  It's not an ARRL contest.

To participate in QRP Day, you need a General class liscense or better.  Or you may operate as a third party from someone else's station who holds a general class or better license.

The Noontime net is a traffic net with the (NTS) National Traffic System. Anyone is welcome to check in and there are no requirments for membership. Band conditions are not always favorable. Hopefully the band will be good for operating from the weekend of November 25th through December 3rd.

We'll be listening for you.

contributed by: Lyle Loshbaugh

DATE CHANGE: October Digital Workshop

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Published: 10 October 2017 10 October 2017

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The Second-Saturady Digital Workshop for the month of October has had a DATE CHANGE due to other county training happening at the Fire Training Center this weekend.  The October Digital Workshop will now be held on Saturday October 21st, at the Fire Training Center.

Please make a note of it.