The LED

The newsletter of the Livingston Amateur Radio Klub (LARK) Howell, Michigan

November 2018

Who 8 Darrell’s Spicy Bacon W8DSB

Well, I hate to say it but that four-letter word is coming. Most likely sooner than later. Listen to the repeater on meetings days to make sure it has not been canceled due to a weather event. Welcome everyone to November when hunting and antenna work is at its peak. Below are Darrell’s random thoughts of the month.

The 146.680 repeater controller is installed and running. It has many cool features, some yet to turn on. It also has one quark, that is it shuts off the incoming audio during ID’s. I am working with the manufacture to resolve this. The perfect fix is to have the “W8LRK” blend in with your voice during the 3 second ID. I am trying to stay away from any CW ID’s as this is so 1960’s. As for all the other messages, just key up over them and start talking, they will stop and go away.

The digital repeater is up and running. It currently has DStar, DMR and Fusion turned on. We can turn on P25 if someone was to buy a few radios and wanted to try it. As of now, the drive home time (3 to 4) has been mostly DStar and the evening has been mostly DMR. There are more than a few users that have two or more modes listening all the time. Give it a try.

The internet link for the digital repeater is so/so at best. It works but the connection gets backed up or drops under heavy load. We are still working on a better solution.

Over the next few months I plan and making very simple CodePlugs for all the radio types I have helped create. The codeplug will only have one hotspot and one repeater installed both pointing to the W8LRK talkgroup. This will get any new comer started in DMR.

As for the DStar users, we won’t normally be connected to any reflector unless you demand it to one. If you do this, please unlink when done. If your out of town I think you can connect to “W8LRK B” from anywhere to jump back on the repeater. I have not had time to try this, but it should work.

I want everyone to thank Rod Clay as he has put in as many hours as I have getting this repeater running and he is a special kind of ham willing to always help when asked.

Hotspots. Many members have asked about hotspots. Which one to buy, how to configure, how to use. I was thinking if we have enough interested users we can buy in bulk, build as a group and all leave with a working hotspot. The cost of which is about $85 (or less) and it would take a group about 3 hours to build their own device and program it. Power Supply for PI ($10) PI zero W ($11) MMDVM tophat with headers ($35) Clear Case for PI with hat ($15) SD CARD ($10)

If you’re interested, please let us know at [email protected]. If we get at least 5 requests I will have one of the board member take charge of this. The requirements would be to pay upfront and have a digital radio to use with your hotspot. It does not matter if it’s a Fusion, DStar and DMR but you must own one of them for this to be useful.

Who in the group knows anything about allstar? Did you know that all allstar nodes can contain Echolink nodes? My goal for the winter is to build an allstar node. Learn how to link and unlink the node to other nodes. Learn how to activatee the Echolink and replace my stand-a-lone Echolink with allstar. Our new controller can be setup to dial preprogrammed nodes on schedule if desired.

73 de W8DSB

A Nice QSL Card—But From Where? When I was 16 years old, I got my first ham radio license, a Novice class license, limiting my transmitting to a crystal-controlled 75 watts. What that means for you youngsters is that you could twirl your VFO knob all you wanted, but that was for receiving only. To transmit, you were locked into your crystal frequency. Anyway, several months after I got on the air from home with my Heathkit HW-16 transceiver and my 15 meter dipole antenna strung up in the attic of my house. I would come home from school at about 3:30 PM and run up to my third floor shack (my bedroom) and fire up the rig. Sometimes I would stay there for hours, which must have been the case on November 22, 1968. I was listening around on 15 CW when this guy sending a callsign of VR1P showed up, and I managed to work him. I didn't know where VR1 was, so I had to look up the prefix in my callsign prefix index. But he wasn't there. So, I had to really dig around to find out just who I had worked. Turns out that it was a DXpedition to the British Phoenix islands, which I had never heard of before. Two Canadians from Calgary, Alberta, were out there having DX fun in the South Pacific. I remember having some difficulty tracking down VR1P's QSL information but somehow I succeeded.

There is quite a complicated history of the various islands in this neck of the South Pacific—one of which is Nikumaroro, where some believe Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan crash-landed in 1937. Anyway, now the islands, formerly known as the Gilbert Islands, have become part of Central Kiribati (pronounced keer-a-bas) for DXCC purposes.

One of the Canadians, Don Hilman VE6AJT, became VA7KX, and passed away in 2016. The other, George Viertelhausen VE6APV, became VE6VA but passed away in 2017. Submitted by Tom KT8Y 1974 Kingman Reef DXpedition

Reprinted with permission of the ARRL from the November 1974 QST

On June 30, 1974, 4 members of the Northern California DX Club retained the motor-sailer Caroline, and sailed from Honolulu to find Kingman Reef. They spent 2 days sailing around the area where their navigation instruments showed it to be located, but just couldn't find it, and the captain was about to call it quits and head back, when, miraculously, there it was! The group kept listeners on 14.250 MHz informed of their progress, the first time a DXpedition kept the DX world aware of just how things were going from the onboard station W6WX/MM3. The story can be found in the November 1974 QST, p. 57. The first day the sun set, the anchor dropped, the champagne was opened and the ship's lights were turned on. It was decided, however, to turn off the lights since they were attracting 10 foot sharks. The next day, the dinghy took in the equipment, including a card table, a Yaesu FT 101B, an outboard VFO and a FL 2100 linear amplifier. A Hy-gain 18AVT vertical was installed. A Dayton 1500 watt generator was fired up 75 feet away, and the fun was on!

In less than 30 hours of operation, KP6KR worked 5,535 QSO's. 66% were from the Continental USA, and a little over 13% was from Japan.

Bad winds and rain cut the DXpedition short, and to top it off, the Caroline's anchor got stuck on the reef, and the anchor rope had to be cut. Since the boat did not have enough fuel left to return to Honolulu, the skipper headed to Johnston Island, 720 miles away. Read it all at the ARRL QST Archives, November 1974 issue.

Of the four Dxpeditioners, Bob Ferrero became W6RJ; Rusty Epps is still W6OAT; Peter Grabosky became W6OOL; and Jim Rafferty became N6RJ but passed away in 1993. Submitted by Tom KT8Y

Reprinted from the January 1970 QST, with permission of the ARRL. Benjamin Hoskins Paddock was a career criminal who was eventually sentenced to 20 years in prison for his third bank robbery, but he escaped from prison in 1969, and the FBI placed him on its Most Wanted list. He became one of the people who remained on the list the longest, almost 8 years. After being caught, he went back to prison and he eventually was paroled, but then was charged again with racketeering and fraud, but avoided more prison time by paying a reported $100,000 fine. This is all according to Wikipedia. He is reported to have died in 1998 of a heart attack.

And, according to Wikipedia, he reportedly did not raise his 4 children, their mother telling them that their father was dead. One of his children, Stephen, was the 2017 Las Vegas Mass Murderer.

A check on QRZ.com shows that the callsign K7JIH is not currently assigned. Submitted by Tom KT8Y

The First Ham Radio Event on a Spacecraft

It seems today as if Ham Radio from space is almost regarded as an everyday event. But I can assure you that it wasn't always so common. In 1983, Owen Garriott W5LFL, became the first ham radio operator from a spacecraft. He operated from the Space Shuttle Columbia, on STS-9, which launched on November 28 and landed at Edwards Air Force Base on December 8. He used a transceiver hand-built by members of the Motorola Amateur Radio Club with a whopping 4.5 watts.

Owen did not make a large number of two way QSO's, only a bit over 350, but he received more than 10,000 SWL cards, one of which was from me. I heard his FM transmissions quite clearly for several minutes as he passed over Detroit and while I was in my office on the 10th floor of the southwest tower of the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit. I was using my now ancient Yaesu 2 meter transceiver using its standard rubber duck antenna. Shows you just how much punch 4.5 watts has from a low earth orbit. A four page QSL card was sent to all the SWL's. Mine is attached below.

According to AMSAT (Amateur Radio in Space), Owen is now 88 years old and according to QRZ.com, he resides in Huntsville, Alabama. He is a legend among Ham Radio operators. Submitted by Tom KT8Y U.S.S. Pueblo (AGER-2)

On January 23, 1968, in International waters off the coast of North Korea, a U.S. Navy vessel on a signal intelligence mission was attacked and boarded by North Korean (DPRK) forces. In the course of the attack, Fireman Duane Hodges was killed in action. His 82 fellow crew members were taken as prisoners of war and for 335 days were tortured repeatedly by their North Korean captors. The ship which was attacked was the U.S.S. Pueblo (AGER- 2), a converted light cargo ship, armed only with two .50 caliber machine guns (usually covered by ice encrusted tarps), and several dozen small arms.

The attack was made by a DPRK submarine chaser, three torpedo boats and two MIG-21 fighter jets. Despite making repeated radio requests for assistance, no U.S. Forces responded, and despite attempts to maneuver to avoid the attackers, the Pueblo was finally forced to surrender.

U.S.S. Pueblo (AGER-2)

The crewmen were ill-equipped to attempt a quick destruction of the classified printed material and a large number of secret electronic equipment on board, and much of it was captured.

During captivity, the crew quietly resisted attempts to use them for propaganda purposes. Many of you may remember the famous “Hawaiian good luck sign” propaganda photo:

Hawaiian good luck fingers

The prisoners were badly beaten when the DPRK found out what “giving the finger” really meant.

While browsing old QSTs, I ran across an article in the February, 1971, QST entitled “A Ham in the People's Paradise”, by Ralph McClintock, who at the time was K1SCQ. Ralph was a Communications Technician, 3rd Class at the time of incident, and his article is a classic. He mentions that there were three hams on the U.S.S. Pueblo, himself, Communications Technician 1st Class Dave Ritter, WA6KXE, and Communications Technician 2nd Class Michael “Axle” Alexander, K7RSM. In the QST article, he laments that he was never allowed by his captors to operate K1SCQ/P5, which would have made for the world's most unique DXpedition.

Ralph maintains an extensive website on the U.S.S. Pueblo, which I highly recommend: http://www.usspueblo.org/

The U.S.S. Pueblo is the only commissioned U.S. Navy vessel currently in enemy hands. The DPRK made the ship the centerpiece of the Fatherland War of Liberation Museum, on the Botong River in Pyongyang, and opened the ship as a tourist attraction.

Photographs and Naval uniforms from the U.S.S. Pueblo on display at the DPRK museum

In typical DPRK fashion, the U.S.S. Pueblo is displayed on the river, on its port side, with a fresh coat of paint: But on the starboard side, the U.S.S. Pueblo is showing its age: On December 23, 1968, the U.S.S. Pueblo crew members were ordered to cross the “Bridge of No Return” one by one to South Korea and freedom.

U.S.S. Pueblo crew members come home

As to the ham operators on board, CT2 Mike “Axle” Alexander, K7RSM, became a silent key in 1994. CT1 Dave Ritter, WA6KXE, became N6DL and resides in California. CT3 Ralph McClintock, K1SCQ, became W1ZK and a fervent DXer, achieving Top Of the Honor Roll in 2004. He and his wife live in Jericho, Vermont.

The Pueblo Incident occurred at a crucial time in the Cold War. Three days before, the DPRK had sent 31 commandos to Seoul, South Korea, in an attempted assassination of the South Korean president. They killed 26 people but were unsuccessful. This incident was never made known to the crew members of the U.S.S. Pueblo. A week after the Pueblo Incident, the Tet Offensive began across South Vietnam.

The Navy attempted to place blame with a Court of Inquiry and a recommendation of a court martial for the ship's captain, Lt. Commander Lloyd M. “Pete” Bucher, for allowing the vessel to be taken, but that was quashed by the Secretary of the Navy. He was allowed to continue his career and retired as a Commander. He died in 2004. Submitted by Tom KT8Y

For the New Ham on the HF Bands

For the ham who is new to the HF bands, in past issues of the LED, we have discussed the use of a simple dipole antenna and the purchase of a transceiver as part of the HF station.

But let's just firm up what we mean by the “HF bands”. According to Wikipedia:

High frequency (HF) is the designation by the ITU for the range of radio frequency electromagnetic waves (radio waves) between 3 and 30 megahertz(MHz).

ITU is the International Telecommunication Union, which is an agency of the United Nations responsible for issues relating to information and communications technologies. Practically speaking, most ham radio operators only have an indirect contact with the ITU, since the ITU assigns callsign prefixes worldwide. In the USA, the FCC assigns the actual callsigns using those prefixes.

The term “HF”, then, is an ITU acronym used to refer to frequencies between 3 and 30 Mhz, or, 80-10 meters. Colloquially, I think most hams also lump 160 meters into the “HF” definition. Various terms have been standardized by the ITU. “LF” means low frequency, from 30 kHz to 300 kHZ. The term “MF” refers to low frequency, from 300 kHz to 3 MHz. The term “VHF” refers to very high frequency, from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. And “UHF” means ultra high frequency, from 300 MHz to 3 GHz. There are several other acronyms for frequency ranges used by the ITU, but these are the ones we will commonly use.

So, we now all know what HF means.

Two more pieces of equipment are close to being necessities for HF operation, an SWR/watt meter and an antenna matching system (also referred to an antenna matching network, impedance matching network, transmatch, or, somewhat inaccurately, as an antenna tuner). Palstar PM2000A SWR/wattmeter

An SWR meter measures the amount of standing wave of the antenna system, and will indicate how well matched the impedance of the antenna system is to the output of the transceiver. Many, but not all, antenna tuners have an SWR meter as well as a wattmeter built into the box. And some transceivers have SWR and wattmeters built in. My main transceiver has built in SWR and wattmeters, but I much prefer my Palstar cross needle SWR/wattmeter which is in line after the transceiver. It is much, much bigger and easier to read, and the SWR and wattmeter readings are available at a glance, instead of pushing or turning switches. Cross needle SWR/wattmeters are becoming more and more popular and are available for different power limits. In the old days, SWR meters and wattmeters could be separate boxes, but I will stick my neck out and say that no one manufactures them separately today.

An antenna matching system may have different components, and different circuit designs, but a very common system will have two variable capacitors and a variable inductor. Many systems will only provide 50 ohm coaxial output connections. However, the better systems will provide not only coaxial output connectors but also connectors for a balanced line feedline. So, look for a system which has both standard SO-239 female connectors but also provisions to connect the two wires of ladder line or similar balanced line feedlines. The balanced line output systems will have a balun as part of their circuits, to match the balanced load of the feedline to the unbalanced output of the transceiver.

The rear connections of an antenna matching system with both coax connectors and balanced line connectors The inside of an antenna matching system showing two variable capacitors and a continuously variable inductor (sometimes such sytems have tapped inductors only) and a balun (top right mounted on rear) for balanced feedline operation.

Modern transceivers frequently have built in automatic antenna matching systems. Such systems generally try to match the impedance of the output of the transceiver to the impedance of the antenna system automatically using advanced designs. Don't be misled by claims of manufacturers. You know from basic electronics that size of the capacitors and inductors determines their tuning range, and most transceivers just doesn't have the space inside to do the job that an antenna system like the one shown above will do.

Submitted by Tom KT8Y When and how must I (should I) identify with my callsign?

Station Identification is the number one requested question at American Radio Relay League (ARRL) headquarters just about every year. There has been much written and spoken on this topic, but read on for the reality of the situation, backed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations. The rules governing our behavior are found in a subsection or “title” of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Laws and regulations dealing with telecommunications are found in Title 47 of the CFR. Title 47 is divided into three sections, one each for the FCC, Office of Science, Technology Policy, and National Security Council, and National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA). Within the Title 47 of the CFR, within the FCC section, there are “parts” 0 through 199. The “part” associated directly with the Amateur Radio Service is number 97. This may help to explain why amateur radio operators refer to this as “Part 97”. This drawing may help you visualize the arrangement of the CFR.

There is a simple reason why stations must transmit their call sign – so others will know who they are talking to! Additionally, unidentified transmissions are strictly prohibited. The rules are straightforward in this area. Part 97.119(a) states: “Each amateur station, except a space station or a telecommand station, must transmit its assigned call sign on its transmitting channel at the end of each communication, and at least every 10 minutes during a communication, for the purpose of clearly making the source of the transmissions from the station known to those receiving the transmissions. No station may transmit unidentified communications or signals, or transmit as the station call sign, any call sign not authorized to the station.” I personally have heard a wide range of comments and opinions and variations on this simple rule, but under the FCC rules you are required to give your call sign every 10 minutes during active communications, and at the end of the contact you are finishing. You are not required to give your call sign at the beginning of the contact, although common sense suggests that during routine communications you would probably want to send your call sign at the start of the exchange, so the other stations know who they are talking with. You do not have to identify your station in a roundtable discussion every ten minutes if you haven’t transmitted since the last time you’ve identified. A few other rules apply to identification requirements: 1. You should transmit your station ID using the mode in which you are communicating 2. When conducting an international 3rd party contact, you must give both the call sign of the station with which you are communicating and your own call sign. 3. If you are transmitting the station ID of an automatically controlled station in CW, the speed may not exceed 20 words per minute (WPM). 4. If you have upgraded your license recently you must sign the correct temporary designator, such as “temporary AG” or “temporary AE”, until your upgrade is processed by the FCC and appears in the Universal Licensing System (ULS). Quite often individuals will offer their comments on the subject of the rules contained in Part 97, without ever even reading them. For years, amateur radio operators were strongly encouraged to obtain and review a copy of the regulations governing the service. You could copy it from the FCC website, or purchase a copy from many sources, including the ARRL. Understand the FCC rules will benefit your ability to operate legally, safely, and appropriately. I look forward to intelligent conversations around rules & regulations pertaining to the amateur radio service and stand ready to assist in any way that I can! Submitted by Jim Kvochick, K8JK, ARRL Michigan Section Manager

Photo of VU2JN's Gotham beam c. 1970 Used with permission of Tim Duffy, K3LR.

While searching around for information on the old Gotham beam antennas (old timers will remember the Gotham ads in QST), I ran across this photo on K3LR's website (www.K3LR.com). According to the story, VU2JN's Gotham beam worked quite nicely, but he removed it when he had to move to complete his PhD. It was packed in its original box and put away for 43 years until purchased by VU2MV and reinstalled. See the story at http://www.k3lr.com/2015/beam.htm Submitted by Tom KT8Y

What Hurricane Michael Showed Us Hurricane Michael 2018 Submitted by Larry Kube KD8VKW

Hurricane Michael was the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall in the United States in terms of pressure, behind the 1935 Labor Day hurricane and Hurricane Camille of 1969. It was also the strongest storm in terms of maximum sustained wind speed to strike the contiguous United States since Andrew in 1992. In addition, it was the strongest storm on record in the Florida Panhandle, and was the fourth-strongest landfalling hurricane in the contiguous United States, in terms of wind speed. [1] The high winds and storm surge knocked out several television and radio stations near Panama City. NBC affiliate WJHG-TV and CBS affiliate WECP-LD were the first broadcast outlets to be affected, as their studio/transmitter link tower and parts of the studio's roof was destroyed. ABC affiliate WMBB lost its main power and backup generator around 12:15 p.m. CDT. WMBB provided live coverage from its Nexstar Media Group-owned sister stations WFLA-TV in Tampa and WDHN in Dothan, Alabama, the latter of which, alongside CBS affiliate WTVY, was knocked off the air as Michael passed over the Wiregrass Region. iHeartMedia's Panama City radio cluster – WDIZ (590 AM), WEBZ (99.3 FM), WFLF-FM (94.5), WFSY (98.5 FM) and WPAP (92.5 FM) – switched to programming from the company's Tallahassee cluster as Michael made landfall, before the STL tower at their facility was felled; station staff were reported trapped at the facility due to flooding that also crept into the building. Other radio stations knocked off the air included WASJ [105.1 FM], WKNK [103.5 FM], WPFM [107.9 FM], WRBA [95.9 FM], WILN [105.9 FM], WWLY [100.1 FM], WYOO [101.1 FM], WYYX [97.7 FM], and Gulf Coast State College-owned WKGC-AM-FM (1480 and 90.7.[1] On October 9 – a day before Hurricane Michael made landfall – President Donald Trump signed an emergency declaration for Florida, which authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster efforts, with Thomas McCool serving as Federal Coordinating Officer in the state. The declaration also authorized funding for 75% of the cost of emergency protective measures and the removal of storm debris in 14 Florida counties. The federal government also provided for 75% of the cost of emergency protective measures in an additional 21 counties. On October 11, President Trump declared a major disaster in five counties: Bay, Franklin, Gulf, Taylor, and Wakulla. Residents in the county were able to receive grants for house repairs, temporary shelter, loans for uninsured property losses, and business loans.[1] Seven days later search crews continued combing through the wreckage of demolished neighborhoods looking for any sign of additional victims in Panama City Beach, Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe, the communities closest to the storm’s landfall. Distribution of food and water to storm-stricken residents farther inland has been slowed by communication outages and storm-shattered roads blocked by toppled trees, power lines and other debris. Teams of volunteers with the Houston-based CrowdSource Rescue organization were trying to reach more than 700 Florida residents reported unaccounted for by worried relatives and friends, said Matthew Marchetti, the organization’s co-founder. He said the search had been hampered by spotty cell phone service in the devastated area, though authorities were making progress in restoring communications. At least 70 percent of customers in four mainly rural Florida Panhandle counties were without electricity on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the federal government said that 61.5 percent of cell sites remained out of service in Bay County. Officials said it could be weeks before power returns to some.[2] Rescue efforts were hampered by the fact Cell Phones were worthless. Supplies came in, but no one knew where to go to get them. People who needed help had no way to get the word out to authorities for it to come. Communication became the most needed resource

An array of Amateur Radio public service assets was active as Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach on the Florida Panhandle today, boasting devastating 155 MPH winds.

 The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) resumed operations Wednesday morning and will remain active until further notice on 14.325.00 MHz and 7.268.00 MHz.

 WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio at the National Hurricane Center, is active to receive observed weather information and data via Amateur Radio to aid forecasters.

 The VoIP Hurricane Net activated this morning to support communication with the National Hurricane Center.

 The Southern Territory Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) will remain active until 9 PM ET on Wednesday and will reactivate on Thursday, if necessary. The net will handle emergency, priority, and health-and-welfare traffic from impacted areas, provide ground-truth information from Amateur Radio stations and other sources in the impacted areas for forwarding to Salvation Army leadership. SATERN has been requested to provide Amateur Radio operators for Pensacola, Panama City, Tallahassee, and Tampa, as well as two to three local units in Georgia, and Divisional Headquarters in Atlanta.

 The ARRL North Florida and West Central Florida sections are assisting SATERN with additional operators in Pensacola, Panama City, Tallahassee, and Tampa. North Florida Section ARES is at Level 1 (full) activation.

 The ARRL Emergency Response Team has been coordinating with Field Organization leadership in ARRL Sections that may be affected by the storm, as well as with WX4NHC, the HWN, VoIP Hurricane Net, Department of Homeland Security SHARES, and US Army MARS.[3]

MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) — A group of Gulf Coast community members is gearing up to drop everything and assist in the aftermath of Michael. NBC 15's Nicole Fierro has the latest details about local "ham radio" operators ready to do their part in saving lives along the Florida panhandle. Right now, cell phones are basically worthless in the communities devastated by Michael. However, "go boxes" can connect amateur radio communicators across the world using antennas and frequencies even the Florida's most powerful hurricane can't destroy. "We have high frequency which allows us to talk like a base station from our vehicles," Deep South Amateur radio Club President Mike Hartman said, adding "If we have a simple battery like this we can talk great distances easily," Ham radio is a hobby connecting a world-wide community of unsung heroes. Each operator’s united through the same calling -- a passion to serve and protect using communication in the most difficult of circumstances. "The most important thing, like anything else, is just wanting to do it," Hartman said, adding "We love it." Hartman received a message this morning from an amateur radio operator in the path of Michael's devastation. "It says 'just a heads up when you are going to Panama City: all 08 emergency communications have failed, two meter offline, tv towers failed, cell coverage is 0 percent with an exception of ATT at 5 percent, power is battery, generator or solar only,'" Hartman said, adding "So this shows you what kind of communications they have." The need for assistance with antennas and frequency echoed loud and clear to our local operators. Several club members are gearing up to head to Panama City Beach first thing Friday morning. "If you need an ambulance, if you need a firetruck, if you need anything there communication is pretty much nil, so we can provide this," Hartman said.[4]

______[1] Wikipedia Contributors. “Hurricane Michael.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 22-Oct-2018. Web 22-Oct-2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Michael

[2]”Power, phone outages hamper hurricane recovery one week after storm” Website Title, REUTERS: World, Business, Markets, Politics, TV, 17-Oct-2018. Web. 22-Oct-2018 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-storm-michael/power-phone-outages-hamper-hurricane- recovery-one-week-after-storm-idUSKCN1MR0YZ

[3]Amateur Radio Assets Active as Category 4 Hurricane Michael Makes Landfall, ,” Website Title, ARRL, The National association for Amateur Radio, 11-Oct-2018. Web. 22-Oct-2018 http://www.arrl.org/news/amateur-radio-assets-active-as-category-4-hurricane-michael-makes- landfall

[4]Nicole Fierro “Mobile HAM radio operators help Florida with communications after Hurricane Michael,” NBC15: mynbc15.com, 18-Oct-2018. Web. 22-Oct-2018. https://mynbc15.com/news/local/mobile-ham-radio-operators-help- florida-with-communications-after-hurricane-michael

Special Event Station—SS Edmund Fitzgerald

On November 10, 1975, the freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank during a storm while en route from Superior, Wisconsin, to Detroit, Michigan. Twenty-nine crew members were lost when the vessel went down in 530 feet of water 17 miles northwest of Whitefish Bay, near the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. On the 2nd Weekend in November each year, the Livonia Amateur Radio Club operates Special Event Station W8F commemorating the sinking of the "Mighty Fitz". This year's event will take place on Sunday, November 11, 2018, at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle in Detroit. Operations begin around 10:00 AM with equipment and antenna setup and end at 3:30 PM. Club members are encouraged to come to the Dossin museum and take part in operating the special event station on the air. QSL certificates are available via Tas K8TAS. Those wanting certificates need to send a large SASE to K8TAS. QSL and general information is also available in QST, on the ARRL website (on the Special Event page), or on QRZ. This year the Livonia Amateur Radio Club has been granted use of the W8F callsign for an extended period beginning at 0000 UTC November 6 (1900 EST November 5) and ending at 2359 UTC November 20 (1859 EST November 19) Club members are authorized and encouraged to operate as W8F from their QTH during this time. Submitted via Livonia Amateur Radio Club Marjory Melosh N8EAJ, SK Marjory Melosh, N8EAJ - SK, wife of Ray Melosh N8CPO, was an active member of the LARK for many years. She was active in club activities, planning club parties, and making LARK award certificates. She and Ray were also very active in BMW Motorcycle Clubs, Rallies and excursions. She will be missed. Livingston County

Emergency Management Department 1911 Tooley Rd. Howell, MI 48843 (517) 546-6220 https://www.livgov.com/emergencymanagement

October 27, 2018

CERT Members assisted Howell Police Department with traffic direction at the Legend of Sleepy Howell. The following members assisted:

Alward Katherine Andring Patricia KD8WPT Biehl Jason W8JMB Black Darrell W8DSB Black Stacy N8NYK Byrant David Fauver John KD8WQG Hitchens Robert K8QVC Klein Jeffrey KD8UFO Pollock Bruce N8WWX Ring Theodore Schmid Donald VanPelt Kristy VanPelt Russell Wozniak Chris

Bruce Pollock, PEM, N8WWX, Livingston County EC, RO, CERT Coordinator DX News courtesy of DX-World.net This week on HF: 5H, TANZANIA Maurizio, IK2GZU is once again operating as 5H3MB until November 28 (mission for work in the Ilembula orphanage and hospital). Operation during his spare time on HF using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via bureau, direct or Club Log OQRS. 5R, MADAGASCAR Andy OE7AJH and Thomas OE7KUT will be active from Antananarivo as 5R8UP between November 3 and November 13. Activity from 40 to 10 meter using CW and SSB. QSL via OE7AJH. 5Z, KENYA Scott, WA5A is again active as 5Z4/call from Ruaka. Operation until November 7 on 40, 20 and 17 meter. 8P, BARBADOS A team with DK1BTn DL4WK, DL6SAK, DL7DF, DL7KL, DL7UFR and SP3CVY will be QRV as 8P9AE during November 6 and November 20. Operation with 3 stations from 160 to 10 meter using CW, SSB and digital. http://www.dl7df.com/8p9/ A5, BHUTAN Martti, OH2BH remains QRV as A52BH until begin November. QSL via home call. E4, PALESTINE Janusz, SP9FIH is once again operating as E44WE until November 11. QRV from 20 to 10 meter and maybe on the low bands using SSB and digi. http://www.e4.dxpeditions.org/ FG, GUADELOUPE Philippe, F1DUZ is operating as FG4KH until November 7. Activity on HF using SSB and FT8. QSL via LoTW or via home call, direct or bureau. FG, GUADELOUPE Look for FG/SM7RYR until November 11. Operation in ‘holiday-style’ from Deshaies. QRV on 20 meter using CW only. QSL via LoTW. FH, MAYOTTE Willi, DJ7RJ informs that he is active from Mayotte until November 6. Operation on the low bands preferred. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. FM, MARTINIQUE J6, ST LUCIA Gerd, DL7VOG is operating as FM/call until November 2. As J68GU from November 3 until November 25. QRV on HF using RTTY and FT8. QSL via home call, direct or bureau, Club Log OQRS. HK, COLOMBIA Lothar, DK8LRF is once again active as HK3JCL until March 2019 from Finca Ligia. Operation mostly in his evenings on 20 meter SSB. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. J6, ST LUCIA Gary, K9AW updates DX-World informing he is now active as J68GD until February 2, 2019. QRV from 160 to 10 meter using CW and SSB. Participation in both CQWW contests. QSL via K9AW, LoTW. Logs uploaded to Club Log. KP2, US VIRGIN ISL John KE4PLT and Ernesto KN4PUD will be operating from ST John as KP2/calls from November 4 until November 16. Activity on 40, 20, 17, 15 and 10 meter. QSL via homecalls, OQRS. VK9C, COCOS KEELING VK9CH November 6-10 VK9X, CHRISTMAS ISL VK9XQ November 3-6, November 10-17 Michael, DF8AN will be QRV from 160 to 6 meter using mainly CW, RTTY and other digital modes. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. VP8/SH, SOUTH SHETLAND Lee, DS4NMJ is active as DT8A from the King Se-Jong Korean Antarctic Scientific Base. Operation during his spare time until end December 2018. QSL via HL2FDW. VP9, BERMUDA Paul, G4BKI is operating as VP9KF until November 14. QRV from 160 to 10 meter using CW only. For QSL instructions see http://vp9kf.com/ ZF, CAYMAN ISLANDS Stan, K5GO is once again operating as ZF9CW until early December.

Next Klub Meeting

The next Klub meeting will be Wednesday, November 14, 2018, at the Livingston County EMS, located at 1911 Tooley Rd, Howell, MI 48855, at 7:30 PM. Members and friends are welcome. Klub meetings typically are held on the second Wednesday of each month at this location. Informal gathering of the troops occurs sometime around 7:00 PM, for the swapping of lies and insults. Please participate in the 50/50 drawing and prize drawing, which are held at the conclusion of the meeting. Tickets to be purchased from the Klub treasurer as soon as she arrives and sets up. A special mystery person will select the winning tickets. ______LARK Two Meter Net

The LARK two meter net is held on Thursday evenings at 8:00 PM on the Klub's two meter repeater, 146.68 Mhz (negative offset, 162.2 hz CTCSS). ______LARK Breakfasts

LARK members and friends meet Saturday mornings for breakfast at the Americus Grill, located at 9836 E. Grand River Ave., Brighton MI 48116. Breakfast is ordered at or about 8:00 AM, however, coffee is consumed in great quantities by early risers beginning at 7:00 AM. Your editor has begun to lag behind and is only infrequently there when the doors open at 7. Wide- ranging discussions include all radio topics, construction tips, upcoming events, gossip, politics, antennas (a bottomless topic), DX, RV's and how to fix 'em, operating etiquette and guns. Lies and insults are de rigueur. Seating is non-assigned and members are encouraged to sit in different areas and converse with different members. Except for K8JK, president emeritus, who anchors the same seat every morning. ______Michigan ARRL representatives Dale Williams WA8EFK, Great Lakes Division Director Thomas Delaney W8WTD, Great Lakes Division Vice Director Jim Kvochick K8JK, Michigan Section Manager ______Livingston Amateur Radio Klub P.O. Box 283 Howell, Mi 48844 www.W8LRK.org Klub Call: W8LRK

Board Members of the LARK Darrell Black W8DSB President Mark Bennett K8ACM Vice President Stacy Black N8NYK Treasurer Todd (Dante) Kube KD8WPX Secretary Reece Albright KB0KSU Director (Member at Large) Jason Biehl W8JMB Technical Director Larry Kube KD8VKW Program Director

Klub Meetings: Second Wednesday each month at the Livingston County EMS Facility, 1911 Tooley Rd., Howell, MI 48855

Committee Chairpersons Repeater Trustee: Jim Kvochick K8JK VE Coordinator: Jim Kvochick K8JK Public Info Officer: TBA Web Site: Reece Albright KB0KSU CERT Coordinator: Bruce Pollock N8WWX LED Editor: Tom Auth KT8Y

Repeater: Livingston Amateur Radio Klub owns and maintains the 146.680 (negative offset, 162.2 CTCSS) repeater in Livingston County.

Volunteer Examiner Testing for amateur radio licenses sponsored by the LARK is conducted the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM, in the Jeff Boyd Conference Room at the Livingston County EMS Facility, located at 1911 Tooley Rd., Howell, MI 48855. Please contact the VE Coordinator, Jim Kvochick K8JK, for any questions. All testing for Amateur Radio licenses is FREE.

The Livingston Amateur Radio Klub, Inc., is a Michigan Nonprofit Corporation and is a 501(c)(3) organization. ______Please send any articles, photos, information or want ads for inclusion in the LED to [email protected]

LARK Financials

Submitted by Stacy Black N8NYK