West Valley Amateur Radio Club

VOLUME XXXIX No.8 August 2014 West Valley Amateur Radio Club EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS Since 1961 PO Box 1573 Sun City, Arizona 85372-1573

SHORT SKIP is published monthly except July and September. Deadline for items is the second Saturday of previous month. Submission by electronic mail is preferred; email: [email protected]. West Valley Amateur Radio Club Inc. is an Arizona 501(c) (3) is not for Profit Corporation. An ARRL Affiliated Club

CLUB OFFICERS CLUB DIRECTORS President Ken Peloquin N7PHO 623-980-7282 Rosemary Kydd N7PLN 623-980-7282 V-President Ted Walker KB5OF 623-910-9275 Robert Fairfield K7RQN 623-566-2320 Secretary Verdamae Cutitta KF7UJB 623-872-3844 Joe Cutitta W0SLL 623-215-2226 Treasurer John Siepmann N9NA 623-544-5295 Ken Jenkins WB6MMV 623-584-9113 Membership Chairman Ted Walker KB5OF 623-910-9275

Robert Paul: Editor http://www.westvalleyarc.org Email: [email protected] Club Web Page: http://www.westvalleyarc.org

WVARC CALENDAR DeVry University 9:00 AM Saturday August 2 VE Exam Session 2149 W Dunlap Ave, Phoenix St. Clement Catholic Church Social Hall Monday August 4 Monthly Meeting 7:00 PM 15800 Del Webb Blvd, Sun City Monday August 11 Board Meeting Denney’s 11121 GRAND AVE. YOUNGTOWN, AZ 7:00 PM Thursdays Weekly Breakfast Lou’s Tivoli Gardens 12535 W Bell Rd. 7:00 AM Daily Call-in Net 147.300 MHz, Tone 162.2 Hz 9:00 AM Mon.-Thurs. Call-in Net 147.300 MHz, Tone 162.2 Hz 8:00 PM VOLUME XXXIX No.8 August 2014 Pres. Says: Rosemary Kydd N7PLN This is not the time of year to be doing Joseph Cutitta W0SLL maintenance on our radio systems but a good time Robert Fairfield K7RQN to make a list for cooler times to take care of. Take a Ken Jenkins WB6MMV few minutes to do a station inspection which should include transmission lines for age and deterioration Membership Chairman and a check for loose connections. The sun in our Ted Walker KB5OF area is murder on coax. It is tough but won't last forever. Lying on the ground amongst the rocks and Short Skip Deadline for submission exposed to gnawing beasts takes it toll and when the of articles is 6th of the month coax starts to go south, the next item in the chain suffers: the radio, tuner and other accessories. Connections can become loosened on their own, Send by 6th of the month email to causing SWR problems and a strain on the transceiver. [email protected] Please have all articles, adds, Ken Peloquin N7PHO 73s President etc. to me by that date. Thank you for sharing items with our club members. Robert Paul FCC LICENSE EXAMS Next exam session at DeVry University Saturday Attention: We are working on a new roster for August 2nd 2014. Exams start at 9:00 AM and all the club, one that will have a photo of each tests must be concluded by 11:00 AM. Check-in at member and their call sign, to make this work the Library on the second floor, southeast corner of this will take an effort on everyone to take part the building. Bring photo ID and the original Amateur License and a photocopy of your Amateur License. in this. ARRL VEC Exam Fee is $15 for all elements taken The result will be a series of pages of about 24 once. An additional fee applies for a retest of any photos each with call signs, and the pages will element. Retest is at the option of the VE’s. Pay fee be sorted by the call sign, how often have you by check to ARRL/VEC or exact amount in cash – wondered what face goes with that call, you will Volunteer Examiners cannot make change. be able to just flip to page and see the face that belongs to the call. The July 5th session at DeVry – 11 candidates were Let’s get going on this and send an email with examined your photo that covers you from your waist to 4 Earned Technician Class license your head and I will crop it to fit the format, my 5 Earned General Class license 2 Earned Extra Class license email is Bob Paul at [email protected]

Administering VE’s Club Items for sale: There are radios and ALL David Morrill N7TWT Liaison kinds of supplies available through the club. Go to Ted’s email at [email protected] and request a listing. We get some old equipment that won't sell that I will VE Team: be adding to the items for free. Ted Walker KB5OF Robert Gormley KS7U Dan Ford K2LH James Skinnell K7EOG Bill Martin AI0D Ken Peloquin N7PHO Michael Miner KA7RGW Chris Johnson K6OZY GO KIT Sent by David Morrill N7TWT EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS Club officers GEAR IDEAS?? President - Ken Peloquin N7PHO At our monthly meeting we had a short presentation Vice President – Ted Walker KB5OF on a product by Richard Hayworth W7MDQ and is Secretary - Verdamae Cutitta KF7UJB made by a fellow ham James Cordill KI0BK, and it’s Treasurer – John Siepmann N9NA made in the U.S.A. it’s a Low Loss PWRgate it will allow communications equipment to remain Club Directors operative on battery power during AC power VOLUME XXXIX No.8 August 2014 blackouts, the switching is fast its instantaneous at community. I was surprised to find out that there was 25 amps. And it’s inexpensive. See Click here for no amateur radio repeater on Yarnell Hill at all. My more information or you can type adrenaline went into overdrive. I managed to secure http://ki0bk.no-ip.com/~pwrgate/LLPG permission to install a repeater in one of the few buildings up there. Then I managed to receive a by Bob [email protected] coordination on 2 meters for the frequency pair of 146.62/146.02 MHz This was major blessing since there aren't many repeater pairs available in AZ Free adds are available for club members. Others anymore. Then I took inventory of my VHF gear and will have a fee. Use this Space to sell your items or found I had enough Icom transceivers to make a business skills. Please let the editor know when repeater. I found I had a spare controller all I needed items sell so your add is current for you. was a duplexer. I found one at DeVry ham fest in April. I bought a Diamond CP22e antenna and I was Are you or someone you good to go. With the help of Ted KB5OF, Robert Real Estate (AD) K7RQN, Ken KB6MMF and you plus several trips up know looking for a Ham Home? I can help the mountain I had repeater set up and on the air. you find a home with a tower or one where My plan is to add a 440 MHz sometime in the next a tower can be added. Call or email me to year. I probably won't install a 220 MHz now due to get started. Richard Haworth W7MDQ lack of space. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage 602-370-1450 Cell, [email protected] This is an interesting article from a former Amateur Radio Ham Ken Nollet JO7XVL I found it a very interesting Need Computer Help? (AD) read. Computer consultant: in-home tutoring, problem solving, hardware and software 13 June 2014 TIARA (Tokyo International installations, virus detection and removal. I Amateur Radio Association) hosted a am Patient and professional with 30 plus presentation from FMU. years in the computer field. at L.E. Purchase It has been years since attending a WVARC meeting Call Larry KE7JXQ or keying up a repeater in the Valley, but I have Computer Consultants, Inc. 1-888-922- happy memories of both. At the time, I was based in 9295 or 602-863-0502 Minnesota, and periodically visited my parents, who had retired to Sun City West.

Recalling West Valley ARC's public service New Members to the club: communication in relation to Palo Verde back then, I revisited your website and was pleased to see that Michelle Sussman KA5VRR Palo Verde and APS are still part of the club's Mike Sussman N8NQP portfolio. In fact, I took the liberty of mentioning this Michael Millman KG1MDM in a recent presentation to The Tokyo International Michael Pastore KE7IIS Amateur Radio Association (TIARA) hosted a Paul Playford W8AEF presentation by Kenneth Nollet, MD, PhD, entitled, Roger Thacker KD0MD "An Amateur's Perspective on Japan's 3.11 Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Crisis." Welcome to our new members Governments around the world recognize the Projects in the future: Amateur Radio Service for its ability to promote international goodwill at all times, and to provide emergency communications in times of crisis, when By Tim, KF7XY conventional communication channels are damaged A short note about my repeater on Yarnell Hill. I had or overloaded. TIARA, founded in 1972, is a forum been thinking about a 220 MHz repeater at this site. for Amateur Radio operators of all nationalities who With the recent interest in emergency live in Tokyo or have a special interest in Japan. communications in the West Valley ARC and TIARA members from around the world attended in particularly between Wickenburg and Sun City West person and via teleconference, with lively Q&A after I realized the need for a 2 meter repeater in the the presentation. VOLUME XXXIX No.8 August 2014 Dr. Nollet's slides and associated notes from this Those who are impatient can scroll right to presentation can be downloaded and printed as-is slide/page 26 to see the WVARC attribution. for personal scholarship and non-commercial educational activities in accordance with "fair use" Click here for a version optimized for A4 paper. copyright and other applicable laws. The notes under each slide are close to what was said during Click here for a version optimized for US Letter the presentation. Material has been added or edited paper. for clarity and to accommodate a broader audience. By: Ken Nollet JO7XVL

VOLUME XXXIX No.8 August 2014 2014 Memberships Dues

Dues for next year will now be accepted. Please fill out a membership form above or one from the website, complete it and send with check to the address on the form OR bring it to the next meeting. I will also have forms at the meeting. It is extremely important that your correct email address is on the form. Dues are $15 per year for a household at the same address. Thanks, Ted, KB5OF

WEST VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, INC. MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AND RENEWAL FORM (circle one) NAME______CALL (if any) ______ARRL MEMBER? Y N

ADDRESS:______CITY:______STATE:______ZIP:______

PHONE (______)______-______E-Mail:______(Circle one) If you want your phone number and E-Mail address published in the Roster. Yes No

I agree to abide by the Constitution and By-Laws of the West Valley Amateur Radio Club and pay such dues as assessed upon members. Dues are currently $15 per year per family of licensed members residing at the same address, payable by the January meeting. Dues of $7.50 are available for Late Joiners after July 1. Write name and call of additional (licensed) family members on the back of this application.

Send to W.V.A.R.C., PO Box 1573, Sun City, AZ 85372-1573, or pay at any regular meeting, first Monday of the month at 7pm.

DATE______SIGNED______VOLUME XXXIX No.8 August 2014 enough Icom transceivers to make a repeater. I found I had a spare controller all I needed was a duplexer. I found one at Devry hamfest in April. I bought a Diamond CP22e and I was good to go. With the help of Ted KB5OF, Robert K7RQN, Ken KB6MMF and you plus several trips up the mountain I had repeater set up and on the air. My plan is to add a 440 mHz sometime in the next year. I probably won't install a 220 mHz now due to lack of space. Thanks and 73 Tim, KF7XY. 18 - 20 July 2014 2014 ARRL Arizona State Convention ARCA/Williams7 June 2014 Hamfest hosted by theWhite Amateur Mountain Radio CouncilHamfest of Arizona Williams Rodeo Grounds,and 800 Swap Rodeo Meet Road, Williams, AZ HostedClick by the HERE Kachina for Amateur map. Radio Club Show Low City Hall, 180 N 9th Street, Show Low, AZ Vendor Set-Up and CampingClick begins HERE forat map.12:00 FLYER Noon on Thursday, July 17 Hamfest Hours are Dawn toHours: Dusk 8:00 Friday, AM - 12:00 July PM 18 and Saturday, July 19 Hall OpenPrizes, 8:00 ARRL AM Booth - 5:00 (with PM card Friday, checking), July 18 and VE8:00 Testing, AM -Arts 4:00 & Crafts,PM Saturday, Demos and DisplaysJuly 19 Door Prizes, GrandVendors/tailgaters: Prizes, Ladies' $5 perPrizes, space Food Service Free Dry On-Site Camping Friday, June 6 after 5:30 PM Meetings, Seminars, Talk-In:Presentations, 145.310 Pl 110.9ARRL Card Checking SaturdayFor more information, Night Barbecue contact Jim and Mortensen Sunday at [email protected] Train Trip Click on July Hamfest on the Left for Details

18 - 20 July 2014 2014 12ARRL - 14 ArizonaSeptember State 2014 Convention 2014 ARRL SouthwesternARCA/Williams Division Hamfest Convention hosted byHosted the Amateur by SANDARC Radio Council of Arizona Sheraton FourWilliams Points Rodeo Hotel, Grounds, 8110 800 Rodeo Aero Road, Drive, Williams, San Diego AZ CA ClickClick HERE HERE for for map. map. VendorAdmission Set-Up and tickets Camping go beginson sale at 12:00 1 September Noon on Thursday, 2013. July 17 HamfestWeb Hours Site: are http://sandarc.net/Convention2014 Dawn to Dusk Friday, July 18 and Saturday, July 19 Hall Open 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Friday, July 18 Contact: Paul Rios,and KC6QLS8:00 AM - 4:00 - 619.334.0441 PM Saturday, July - [email protected] Door Prizes, Grand Prizes, Ladies' Prizes, Food Service Meetings, Seminars, Presentations, ARRL Card Checking Saturday Night Barbecue and Sunday Train Trip Click on July Hamfest on the Left for Details

12 - 14 September 2014 2014 ARRL Southwestern Division Convention Hosted by SANDARC Sheraton Four Points Hotel, 8110 Aero Drive, San Diego CA Click HERE for map. Admission tickets go on sale 1 September 2013. Web Site: http://sandarc.net/Convention2014 Contact: Paul Rios, KC6QLS - 619.334.0441 - [email protected]