The Connector Serving Hams in the Newnan, GA area Volume 1 Issue 2 The Connector is sponsored and published by the Bill Gremillion Memorial Radio Club (BGMRC) of Newnan, GA. This newsletter is available to From the President BGMRC members and anyone else interested in Larry Chappell Amateur Radio. WX4LEC For anyone interested in becoming a member of the BGMRC or becoming a licensed Amateur Ra- Greetings From HamCation dio Operator (Ham), please visit our website here. You may also wish to follow us on Facebook. Nothing is better than a trip to Florida in the middle of winter. This was the second year in a The BGMRC typically row that I had the good fortune of getting to visit meets the fourth Thurs- what has become the 2nd largest Ham Fest in the day of the month (be sure country. Some say that this may soon take over to check our webite and as Numero Uno. This year’s trip was special, my Facebook to verify if there wife Phyllis (WX4PVC) went with me to her first is a meeting that month) “big” ham fest. at the Golden Corral locat- ed at 605 Bullsboro Dr., My big reason for going to HamCation was to Newnan, GA. You may buy my long awaited IC 7610. I had first heard, use the QR code to the about a year ago that ICOM was coming out with right to get directions on your phone. The meet- a SDR with knobs world. I had seen a prototype ing starts at 7 PM however members and guests at Dayton/Xenia last May. Alas, it was not a fully often meet for dinner starting at 6 PM. functional model. I had been anxiously reading everything I could find on this new rig. It was due The BGMRC is a not-for profit 501(c) organiza- to hit the US market in October but did not make tion. Distribution of this newsletter is not restrict- its appearance until Thanksgiving. I had planned ed and may be passed along to anyone interested and hoped the initial street price would moderate in Amateur Radio. Any use of all or part of this some by the time HamCation rolled around and I newsletter for any other purpose will require per- guessed right. To my dear wife’s credit, since she mission from the BGMRC. was standing right beside me when the HRO © copyright 2018 (continued on page 4) DX Contest and FMNo Static At All Propagation Editors Corner by Repeater Status Scott Royle KK4Z Bouvet Island DXpedition 3Y0Z. Unfortunately it appears Bouvet 145.130 -- Online Here we are; a new newsletter, a Island will remain out of reach BGMRC Primary Repeater new format, and a new editior. I for awhile. To find out more am grateful for this opportunity about the DXpedition click 146.790 -- Online to serve as editor. My first col- Here. ARES and System Fusion umn may be a little long-winded WIRES-X - WA4TAW as I introduce myself and the Propagation newsletter. Afterwards, I plan Space Weather Woman 147.165 -- Online on being more concise with the Skywarn Linked Repeater column moved to a back page. NOAA Space Weather Predic- tion Center Radio Communica- 442.250 -- Online I have been a HAM for almost tions Dashboard Madras Repeater 23 years. I was first licensed in Shreveport Louisiana with the Inograms -- Look for Wallops 441.875 -- Offline call sign KC5RKS. About a year Island Here Coweta County EOC later I upgraded to Advanced Class and received the callsign Paul Herrman’s (N0NBH) site 145.110 -- Online KM5AV. During that period I HF Propagation Douglasville Repeater was active in ARES, contest- ing, DX, and the local club. At Radio Sport 147.360 -- Offline one time I enjoyed CW and my Contesting.com Calendar Douglasville Repeater code speed was somewhere around 18-20 wpm. After sever- ARRL Contest Calendar 444.575 -- Offline al job-related moves I ended up Douglasville Repeater in Newnan. For a while I was The next “Big” contest com- chided for my “5” call. I decided ing up is the International DX WX4SKY-R Echolink Node to upgrade my license to Ama- Phone March 3-4. A little fur- ID 753461 teur Extra and get a “4” call of ther down the road is the IARU my chosing.. I applied for and HF World Championship July More information about our received my current call sign 14-15. repeaters can be found Here. KK4Z which I have had for 15 years. We also have the ongoing ARRL This column will discuss any International Grid Chase 2018. issues and other concerns My interests in Amateur Radio For a contact to qualify, logs about our repeaters. Over the include ragchewing, running must be uploaded to Logbook next couple of months all of nets, and playing with digital of the World no later than the our repeaters will be tested and modes. I hope in the near fu- 10th of the following month. evaluated to determine what is ture to get my CW chops back For more information about the needed to keep them running and take a stab at QRP. Grid Chase please click here. smoothly. (continued on page 3) (Editors Corner from page 1) (Editors Corner Continued) (Public Safety continued) I am still active in EmComm, to try to have several regular as other systems advance, the serve as an ARRL Official Emer- colunms as well as feature arti- probability of HAM being uti- gency Station, and my church cles, but I need your help. I get lized in a public safety/service communication group. stale pretty quick; the newletter roles diminishes. HAM radio needs fresh ideas and points of has a basis in experimentation I currently work part time as view--so please volunteer as you and finding new ways to com- an independent real estate can. municate. We as HAM oper- appraiser. Prior to that I was Enjoy the newsletter. Submis- ators are communicators. A an appraiser working for the sions and letters to the editor communicator is defined as a Dept. of Veterans Affairs in can be sent to: sroyle@gmail. station of voice, CW, data, digital Washington DC. I worked for com. modes and basically any other the chief appraiser as an an- form of communication legal alyst and policy writer for the within the HAM realm. Home Loan Program until I Public retired from Federal service in So, we can keep our antennas November and moved back to up, our radios on standby, and Newnan. Besides amateur radio, Safety if some event occurs that levels I enjoy writing (non-fiction), By Scott Marlowe WX4SKY Coweta County we can be ready photography, music (ukulele), to jump in and help because we and shooting. I have 5 children Public safety and Public service may be the only people able to but currently reside with my have been a large part of HAM communicate. But, realistically wife Mary K4SEZ, my special radio since it’s inception. I have (and hopefully) that’s probably needs daughter Summer and recently been pondering the going to be a long, long wait. our spoiled dog Buster. Prior to role that HAM radio plays in moving to Virginia 3 years ago today’s public service arena. I So what is the answer? Do we we lived in Newnan for 15 years. have tried to create a realistic sit back and wait for some picture of the ways that HAM super catastrophe and become I hope everyone will find the radio are and could be integrat- the primary form of communi- newsletter interesting. I chose ed into public communication cation just because we are all the title “The Connector” be- solutions. As I have surveyed that is left? Personally I don’t cause I wanted a title that had the landscape in my mind, the think HAM radio should be a common thread in almost stereotypical image of a guy defined solely as the best form all aspects of amateur radio. sending a CW message when of communication when you In otherwords, I want this to all other forms of communica- absolutely, positively have no be an inclusive newsletter; a tion have failed keeps coming other options. Does everything place where we all connect. My to mind.When all else fails we have to completely collapse knowledge is limited so if you still have HAM radio. before HAM becomes a viable don’t see your interests repre- option? Realistically, what is the sented here--please submit an The thing that keeps standing probability that a failure of this article. If you are not a great out to me is that for 30 years magnitude will occur? And final- author, no worries, I will help you all public forms of commu- ly, when a catastrophic event and together we will get your nications have been pushing occurs in the future, will HAM thoughts on paper. My only forward and advancing while be the go-to backup or will new caveat is we stay away from of- HAM has stayed basically the technology like Satellite com- fensive or overly controverseal same. There is nothing wrong munications carry the day? subjects. This is a family orient- with being a rock solid fallback ed publication designed for all communications solution BUT, Communicators around the ages to read. I am going (continued next column) world are experimenting and (continued) (continued page 4) (from Public Safety page 3) testing SAT comms being in- Where tegrated into a ham networks. Tin Is MESH networks installed over In Digital large areas that provide “in- by ternet style” communications Scott WITHOUT an internet connec- Royle tion and all transmissions are D-Star One Phoenix, the first sent across HAM frequencies.