Amateur Radio Club s1

********************************************************************* SS II GG NN AA LL SS Monthly Newsletter of the Amateur Radio Club

Volume 29 Issue 01 Web Site http://www.w5rok.us October 2007

********************************************************************* Texas QSO Party Results K5ZSJ, N5AC, W3XO/5, K9MK/5, RCARC W5ROK operated in the Texas QSO Party W5ROK, WA5LFD, K5LOL. on the weekend of 29-30 September 2007. 73, Membership Meeting W5ROK had 344 contacts in about 6 Eric NM5M hours of operation. In the past year *Thursday* W5ROK operated in the January VHF Upcoming Events and contest, June VHF contest, July CQ WW *25 October 2007* VHF contest, Field Day, Sept VHF con- Public Service Ops 1730 in test and also The Texas QSO Party. There 27-28 October 2007: ARRL In- Rockwell Collins Cafe- were several other 2 to 4 hour Sprints that ternational EME Competition W5ROK operates in from time to time. The object of this event is two-way com- teria Most weekends even if there is a contest munications via the earth-moon-earth path (Mostly VHF contest as you can see) the on any authorized amateur frequency Subject: TBD HF station is still available to use. Even above 50 MHz. The event consists of a during the Texas QSO Party W5ROK was full weekend 48-hour period (0000 UTC only on the air for 6 hours so the station on Saturday through 2359 UTC Sunday). Local Club News was available most of the weekend. A The authorized frequencies for this event Meeting Notice This months meeting tuner for our 80 meter dipole that is re- are 50 MHz through 1296 MHz. Analog program was not determined at the time of moted looks like the biggest thing that (CW, Phone) and Digital modes may be publication of this newsletter. could improve our 80/75 meter operation. used. A station may be worked once for Also during the contest on Sunday, 30 contest credit on each band regardless of Annual Officers Election Results September, W5ROK worked Glen Gray mode. Assisted operation is allowed for The following are the officers for the (K4AZO) in Florida. all operating categories. Operating cate- FY08 year. Since no one has yet agreed to gories include single and multi-operators. serve as President, Bill Swan, K5MWC 432 MHz Sprint Results W5ROK, More info at http://www.arrl.org/con will continue to serve, according to the as you can see from the email below, was tests/rules/2007/eme.html constitution, until another member steps on the air for the 432 MHz Sprint, weak up to the position. signal work at 432.1 MHz. W5ROK was 3-5 November 2007: ARRL No- on the air for about 1 hour which means vember Sweepstakes (CW) The President Bill Swan, K5MWC the station was available for use the other object of this event is for stations in the Vice President Bob Kirby, K3NT 23 hours on Wednesday and the HF sta- United States and Canada (including terri- Secretary Jim Gaston, KD5GYD tion was even available during the Sprint. tories and possessions) to exchange QSO Treasurer Jim Skinner, WB0UNI W5ROK had 9 contacts during the test in- information with as many other US and Activities Chair John Champa, K8OCL cluding FT. Worth and W3XO who is in Canadian stations as possible on 160, 80, Club Meeting Talk-In Each month, Kerrville, Texas which is at least 100 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter bands. Contest miles from here. we have a Talk-In on the club repeater be- Period: Begins 2100 UTC Saturday, ends fore the membership meeting on the night To: WA8ZBT Dennis Cobb Thanks to all 0300 UTC Monday. Operate no more than of the meeting. The Talk-In is from 1700 that were able to get on the air last night 24 of the 30 hours. Off periods may not to 1730 hours, just prior to the meeting. in the 432 MHz fall sprint. Stations that I be less than 30 minutes in length. Times heard included: W5RLG, KA5BOU, off and on must be clearly noted in paper W5LUA, NV5D, WA5VJB, KM5PO, logs. Do not indicate off times in electron- SIGNALS October 2003 ic log files. The log checking software calculates it. Listening time counts as operating time. More info at http://www. arrl.org/contests/rules/2007/novss.html (Cont. on Page 4)

2 SIGNALS October 2007

VE SESSIONS President’s Message To be honest, I did not expect to be pre- R-CARC OFFICERS senting to you a President’s Message for Dallas tests are held 4th Sat of each month October. However no one came forward at 10:00. 13350 Floyd Rd. (Old Credit to stand for election as President Accord- PRESIDENT Union) Contact Bob West, WA8YCD ing to the constitution, no officer is al- Bill Swan K5MWC (972) 917-6362 462-300 X3441 lowed to serve more than two consecutive one year terms in the same office. In this [email protected] Irving tests are held 3rd Sat. of each instance however since there was no can- month at 09:00. 5th and Main St. Contact didate on the ballot for President and to Bill Revis, KF5BL 252-8015 VICE PRESIDENT ensure we have a full slate of officers the Board of Directors and the membership Bob Kirby K3NT McKinney VE test sessions are held at present at the annual meeting agreed that I 319.360.0500 the Heard Museum the first Sunday of the would continue as President until a spe- [email protected] month. The address is 1 Nature Place, cial election can be set up. It is truly an McKinney TX. The time of the testing is honor for me to continue in that capacity 14:30, ending no later than 16:45. Note: SECRETARY but a new President should be elected just no tests given on holiday weekends. Jim Gaston KD5GYD as soon as possible. X3369 Garland testing is held on the fourth The RCARC Annual Report to the com- [email protected] Thursday of each month, excluding No- pany will be prepared shortly along with a vember, and begins at 1930 sharp. Loca- request for funding support in the FY08 TREASURER tion is Freeman Heights Baptist. Church, period. At the upcoming meeting we will be seeking input from the members as to Jim Skinner WB0UNI 1120 N Garland Ave, Garland (between W Walnut and Buckingham Rd). Enter what they consider to be items that are 214.535.5264 via the north driveway. A HUGE parking needed and which should be purchased in [email protected] lot is located behind the church. Both the FY08. parking lot and the Fellowship Hall are lo- Speaking of FY08, there are two items ACTIVITIES CHAIRMAN cated on the east side of the church build- that will carry over from FY07. Those John Champa K8OCL ing, with big signs by the entrance door. two are the sale of the 30S-1 Power Am- 462-240 X1457 Contact Bill Reynolds, K8DNE, 972-475- plifier and the establishment of a constitu- tional committee to prepare recommenda- [email protected] 3854. tions to revise the constitution. In addition Plano testing is on the third Saturday of the on-going need to increase membership WEBSITE MANAGER each month, 1300 hrs at Williams High in the active employee category will con- Wayne Hughes WA0TGH School, 1717 17th St. East Plano. Check tinue. Since the organization has added 461-258 1406 Repeater 147.180+ for announcements. for instance about 145 engineers in FY07 the need to find ways to have the ama- [email protected] Greenville testing is on the Saturday after rd teurs among them or those that are inter- 3 Thursday, 1000 hrs at site TBA, con- ested in amateur radio to become club STATION TRUSTEE tact N5KA, 903.364.5306. Sponsor is members. Steve Phillips K6JT Sabine Valley ARA. Repeater 146.780(-) with 118.8 tone. As previously report, the club station will 972.517.3332 remain in its current location. However [email protected] the RF and control cabling which will still need to be moved does not have to be CLUB STATION moved a quickly as first thought. The se- S I G N A L S is the monthly newsletter of cure lab (one of two) that is currently un- 972.705.1349 W5ROK the Rockwell Collins Amateur Radio Club, der construction will not enclose all of the 461-290 published by and for its members. The en- tire contents of this newsletter are copyright area and therefore the cabling can stay in  2007 by the Rockwell Collins Amateur place for now. However the current RF NEWSLETTER EDITOR Radio Club. Permission is hereby granted to and control cable routing from the club lo- Jim Skinner WB0UNI any not for profit Amateur Radio Publication cation to the antennas on the roof are go- 972.690.9612 to reprint any portion of this newsletter pro- ing to have to be moved and we may as vided both the author and Rockwell Collins well have a plan to do that so that we are [email protected] Amateur Radio Club are credited. not forced to make that plan under the pressure of time. This is by no means a minor job. Work is underway to select the 3 SIGNALS October 2007 best approach to moving the cables such tor responsibilities. Several potential Jim Skinner WB0UNI that they will be outside the adjoining lab activities have already been identi- Jim Sturges KC5QGK area which will be a secure lab. Your offi- fied: Battery Technology, Getting on Bill Swan K5MWC cers will keep you advised as to the status. the Air Basics, FT-2000 training ses- Joe Wolf N5UIC sion, Packet Radio, D-STAR, and Do you know someone that you work The following business was conducted: with that is an amateur radio operator or Satellite Communications. Jim Skin- 1. Officer Reports has expressed an interest in amateur ra- ner, WB0UNI, will coordinate the a. President’s Report: Two major dio? If so I hope that you will take a mo- creation of a ballot with Bill Fell, agenda items for this meeting: the ment and let them know about the KK5PB. election of new officers and the li- RCARC. Invite them to a meeting, take 3. Training Class Update: Bill Swan, cense training class. them down to the station and show them K5MWC, provided a recap concern- our web site. With the influx of new em- ing the license training program. b. Treasurers Report: Treasurer's ployees this should be an opportunity for John Champa, K8OCL, has devel- statement was circulated and ac- us to grow the active employee member- oped an outline, syllabus, and cost in- cepted. ship base of the RCARC. formation for the training class. The c. Secretary's Report: Meeting min- ARRL membership up for renewal or new training class has met the E-Boards utes from the previous newsletter application? See information elsewhere in concerns: 1) These classes will be were accepted. this edition to get more information on offered during business hours. 2) d. Vice President's Report: The sta- how your membership application can be Spouses of employees are allowed to tion needs some maintenance but made through the club. Your club receives participate. Club sponsorship will be everything is functioning. put to a vote at the next general mem- a commission for all renewals or new e. Activities Director: 102 contacts bership meeting. The E-Board decid- memberships that we process. were made during the recent VHF ed to provide a free one year mem- Well it is time to say 73s. Contest. bership to the club to all class partici- _ . _ ….. _ _ . _ _ _ . _ . pants who receive their license. f. Repeater Trustee: The repeat is Bill Swan, working fine. The club might want 4. Club Station Move: Bill Swan, K5MWC, President to invest in a deviation limiter. K5MWC, reported that the need to find alternative cable routes has been 2. Old Business Secretary's Report delayed. The construction of the new There was no old business to conduct. eBoard Meeting Minutes labs is not currently impacting the 3. New Business Bill Swan, K5MWC, opened the eBoard club's cables. a. Officer Elections: Bill Swan, meeting at 1710 (Sept. 25th 2007), in the 5. Outstanding Issues for 2007 K5MWC, introduced the election RCI Cafeteria. Present at the meeting a. Test and Sale of the 30-S1 Amplifi- ballot. The club's constitution re- were: er. stricts officers from serving more than two consecutive terms. We Dennis Cobb WA8ZBT b. Revisit the Constitution (the exist- ing constitution has no provisions have not identified candidates for Jim Gaston KD5GYD President or Activities Director. Steve Phillips K6JT for an E-Board). c. Promote the club internally and in- The E-Board decided to move for- Jim Skinner WB0UNI ward with the elections with write- Bill Swan K5MWC crease the number of active club members. in candidates for President and Ac- Joe Wolf N5UIC tivities Director. The election was Bill Swan, K5MWC, closed the E-Board The following business was conducted: held and the officers for the up- meeting at 1800. The next general mem- coming year will be: 1. President’s Report: Two major items bership meeting will be on Sept 27th at for discussion: the election of new of- 5:30 in the RCI cafeteria. President: Bill Swan, K5MWC ficers and the license training class. Vice President: Bob Kirby, K3NT 2. Officer Nominations: The constitu- General Membership Meeting Secretary: Jim Gaston, KD5GYD tion requires that the club conduct of- Minutes Treasurer: Jim Skinner, WB0UNI ficer elections at the September meet- Bill Swan, K5MWC, opened the meeting Activities Director: John Champa, ing. We have not identified willing at 1740 (Sept. 27th 2007), in the RCI Cafe- K8OCL candidates for President or Activities teria. Present at the meeting were: b. Training Class Update: Bill Swan, Director. The club restricts officers K5MWC, provided a recap con- from serving more than two consecu- John Champa K8OCL cerning the license training pro- tive terms. The E-Board will move Dennis Cobb WA8ZBT gram. During the last E-Board forward with the election with write- Jim Gaston KD5GYD meeting it was decided that the in candidates for President and Activ- Bob Kirby K3NT club would provide a one year club ities Director. There exists the possi- John McFadden K5TIP membership to all class participants bility of rotating the Activities Direc- Steve Phillips K6JT who receive their license. The E- 4 SIGNALS October 2007

Board had previously agreed to 24-25 November 2007: ARRL John Kanzius Produces help sponsor the class on the fol- International EME Competition Hydrogen from Salt Water Using lowing conditions: 1) These class- The object of this event is two-way com- es will be offered during business munications via the earth-moon-earth path Radio Waves hours. 2) Spouses of employees on any authorized amateur frequency are allowed to participate and 3) above 50 MHz. The event consists of a The club membership approves full weekend 48-hour period (0000 UTC club sponsorship through a vote. on Saturday through 2359 UTC Sunday). John Champa, K80CL, presented The authorized frequencies for this event an outline, syllabus, and cost infor- are 50 MHz through 1296 MHz. Analog mation for the training class. Club (CW, Phone) and Digital modes may be sponsorship of the training class used. A station may be worked once for was put to a vote and approved. contest credit on each band regardless of c. Club's Station News: Bill Swan, mode. Assisted operation is allowed for K5MWC, reported that the need to all operating categories. Operating cate- find alternative cable routes has gories include single and multi-operators. been delayed. The station does not More info at http://www.arrl.org/con need to relocate and the construc- tests/rules/2007/eme.html tion of the new labs is not currently ARRL Membership Benefits impacting our cables. There are “fringe” benefits for RCARC A test tube filled with salt water, with a d.Outstanding Issues for 2007 when our members join or renew through paper towel inserted for a wick, burns a. Test and Sale of the 30-S1 Am- the following process. when exposed to radio frequencies from plifier. Renewing By Check—After filling out John Kanzius' machine. The paper towel b. Revisit the Constitution (the ex- the form, return it to RCARC with your is not consumed. isting constitution has no provi- check. Note the definition of New or Re- John Kanzius has found a way to burn salt sions for an E-Board). newing Member at the top of the form. If water with the same radio wave machine you have previously been a member of he is using to kill cancer cells. c. Promote the club internally and ARRL but have let that membership lapse Kanzius was testing his external radio- increase the number of active for 2 or more years then you are consid- wave generator to see if it could club members. ered a new member and the club would desalinate salt water, and the water Bill Swan, K5MWC, closed the business get a $15 commission. If you are renew- ignited. A university chemist determined meeting at 1815. The meeting’s program ing a current membership or one lapsed that the process is generating hydrogen, focused on battery technology and includ- for less than 2 years, you are considered a which can be burned as fuel. ed a discussion of battery backups and a renewing membership and would get a $2 video. commission. Do not deduct the $15 or $2 While the phenomenon is interesting, it is commission—make the check out to not yet practical for energy generation as Upcoming Events and RCARC for the full renewal amount. long as more energy is consumed by the radio frequency device than is produced Renewing By Credit Card—If you wish for burning. Efficiency-wise, they started Public Service Ops to CHARGE the renewal to a credit card at around 76 percent of Faraday's 17-19 November 2007: ARRL note the special instructions (Box on right theoretical limit. (Other Hydrogen-from- November Sweepstakes (Phone) side of form) which indicate that you Water methods, such as the one being The object of this event is for stations in would then pay the $15 or $2 directly to pursued by Bob Boyce the United States and Canada (including RCARC. Your credit card would be (http://freeenergynews.com/Directory/Tra territories and possessions) to exchange charged for the full amount minus the ap- nsportation/Bob_Boyce/), are approaching QSO information with as many other US propriate commission. In this instance the 7x Faraday). They subsequently quietly and Canadian stations as possible on 160, check should be made out to the RCARC reported that they surpassed 100% 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter bands. Con- for the appropriate commission amount. efficiency, which would mean that the test Period: Begins 2100 UTC Saturday, In both cases, return the application to ends 0300 UTC Monday. Operate no system is somehow harnessing RCARC regardless of payment method in environmental energy such as from the more than 24 of the 30 hours. Off periods order for RCARC to get credit. The appli- may not be less than 30 minutes in length. zero point or some other yet-to-be cation is now available on the RCARC discovered phenomenon. Times off and on must be clearly noted in website! Mail to the following address: paper logs. Do not indicate off times in Another problem to be overcome from electronic log files. The log checking soft- RC Amateur Radio Club burning salt water is the liberation of toxic ware calculates it. Listening time counts Attn: Treasurer chlorine (from the Cl of NaCl/salt). as operating time. More info at MS 461-290 Kanzius says if someone wants to buy up http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2007/n PO Box 833807 the rights to the technology, that would be ovss.html Richardson TX 75083-3807 fine. He would use the funds to finance his quest to cure cancer.

5 SIGNALS October 2003

The Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler 42. Inquire 26. Prefix of another country that just suf- 43. Operated fered a large earthquake 45. Inside or from 28. Suddenly pulse within 29. Stain or etch due to chemical action 48. Electomagnet- 35. Adjust a receiver to hear a signal (two ic potential words) 50. Inductor-tuned 36. A cycle that almost completely dis- VFO charges a battery 51. Professional 37. Youth organization that knows about 41. Roadway (abbr) batteries 42. Positive in a tube, it's negative in a 53. From (CW battery abbr) 44. Radio protocol for connecting stations 54. Flat miniature automatically battery type 45. Personally travel (two words) 55. To locate by 46. Turn clockwise (abbr) using radio (abbr) 47. Measure of the degree of discharge 57. Original name 49. Ingredients that create electrical activ- for batteries ity in a battery 59. Quiet (abbr) 52. Prefix of the Emerald Isle 60. Type of bat- 56. Hold a battery at a high state of charge tery storage life 58. Partner to 63 Across 63. Makes a bat- 59. Procedures that insure products are tery with 63 Across OK Across 65. Indication to proceed 60. Prefix of the Pyramids 66. Prefix of country that just suffered a 61. Belonging to a YL 2. To remove charge from a battery large earthquake 62. What flashlights do with dead batter- 6. Made for severe use or conditions 67. What a battery does while charging ies (abbr) 69. Small container of fluid 63. Speed of exposure 8. Set of batteries used as a single battery 71. Study or acquire information from a 64. Azimuth or bearing (abbr) 11. Where land speed records are set book 65. Attempting to contact (CW abbr) (postal code) 73. Southernmost 3rd district state (postal 68. Radio wave (abbr) 13. Again in Morse code code) 70. Everything following (CW abbr) 14. Makes a battery with 28 Across 74. Mean 72. And (CW abbr) 15. Exercise or measure 75. French abbreviation for "Saint" 16. Popular award program 17. Part of the date (abbr) Down 18. Uses the prefix A4 21. Popular sealed battery electrolyte 1. Operating cycle Solution to this month’s Puzzler 23. A microkilogram 3. Speed of charge or discharge 25. What a battery stores 4. Makes a battery with an oxide (chemi- 27. Loud sound of air rushing by cal symbol) 28. Partner to 14 Across in this classic 5. Varying quantity battery 6. Zone 15 country east of S5 (prefix) 30. Southwesternmost continental ARRL 7. Battery with a solid or immobile elec- section trolyte 31. Abbreviation means "as an example" 8. Supplied with energy 32. Referring to one of something 9. Opposite of digital 33. Uses the prefix VE3 (abbr) 10. Everybody else stand by (CW 34. Partner to cetera prosign) 36. High-speed D-STAR mode designator 12. Point of contact for a battery 37. Stations that transmit news and music 14. Quantity of electrons (abbr) 19. Pertaining to treatment or care (abbr) 38. Two of something 20. Broken (abbr) 39. Before noon 22. Light continuous charging 40. To apply or consume 24. Sign off Morse abbreviation after dark 6 SIGNALS October 2007

Rockwell-Collins Amateur Radio Club Mail Station 461-290 P.O. Box 833807 Richardson, TX 75083-3807

CLUB STATIONS (972) 705-1349 W5ROK REPEATER 441.875 MHz +5 MHz Input 131.8 Hz PL - RX and TX W5ROK-1 PACKET BBS ROK Node 145.01 MHz

MEETING Thursday 25 October 2007 17:30 Rockwell Collins Cafeteria

NEXT SIGNALS DEADLINE: 07 November 2007