Volume XXV, Issue 4 April 2018 Editor: Thomas Price; KC2PSC March 8, 2018 Board Meeting The meeting was called to order at 147.210 repeater in the next several 7:05 PM. months. Present were Peter AA2VG, Rich There was an offer from Eric, W2TMA, Neil KC2TAF, Neil KE2EJ of LIMARC, to sell LARC a W2NDG repeater. A board vote to hold off on The recent progress on the 147.210 any purchase was passed. We are repeater was discussed. grateful for the offer but will hold We have a new repeater and off for now. controller donated by Bill Scheibel The board voted to thank Bill N2NFI. N2NFI for his vital help and his Bill has the first right of refusal if donation. We will also offer Bill a we decide to discard, sell or trade free membership to LARC. the equipment. We discussed a final cleanout of the There are still adjustments to be LARC trailer and obtaining a large made but the signal improvement is cabinet for storage, tents and radios, dramatic. to be placed in the repeater The board voted and passed a building. proposal to obtain an estimate of We also discussed meeting with our what it would cost to replace the town Supervisor, Chad Lupinacci, hardline and top antenna for the regarding cooperation between LARC and the town. March 8, 2018 General Meeting minutes The meeting was called to order at Peter AA2VG presented membership. We 7:30PM now have 61 paid and honored members. Progress on the repeater was discussed as Rich W2TMA discussed our VE session above. with one person obtaining his license. LARC Winter Field Day was discussed. Steve N2PQJ sent an ARES/RACES Published by Larkfield Amateur Radio Club April 2018 1 report. We are working on Winlink transceivers. His presentation included a connections with other Towns. slide show of the transceiver and kit, Howard KC2OJO discussed Night timers. which included its evolution, cost and Usually 4 members attend. abilities. It is a small multiband SSB and CW radio sold at a very low price. He Presentation gave a demonstration of the radio’s ability using a loop antenna to get on the air. Neil W2NDG presented BITX Published by Larkfield Amateur Radio Club April 2018 2 The Parachute Radio Kit…. More than a Radio! Peter DeLuca, AA2VG This article was originally published in has a reading list with tons of information the April 2018 NAQCC NEWS published about these amazing radios. Oluf Reed by the North American QRP CW Club. Olsen a 21 year old Norwegian was not http://www.naqcc.info/ going to sit on the sidelines as the German army marched into his country in April A ham since 1993 I have always wanted to 1940. In the book “Assignment Spy”, an build my own radio. When I heard about abridged version of “Two Eggs on My the Bayou Jumper from the Four State Plate” Oluf takes you along on his daring QRP Group I knew that it was time to escape to England and return to Norway build. I received and built the radio. It was as a patriot spy radio operator. He was as advertised, a very good regenerative responsible for the sinking of many receiver, a crystal controlled transmitted German ships in the war that delivers 5 watts, a built in key and a effort. The life expectancy of a spy radio sharp looking face plate that I put in a operator behind enemy lines was about 6 wooden “suitcase” box. What I did not months as the Germans became proficient at fox hunting. Oluf survived to see his county obtain its freedom. In the short story “The Suitcase Set” Ted Hall describes his parachute drop behind enemy lines in Serbia. His paraset survived the drop but the gas-powered generator to charge his batteries had a hard landing, as its parachute did not open. Luckily he also had a bicycle generator. Since he was unable to get his Serbian resistance fighters to pedal he The completed Bayou Jumper acquired powerful quadricep leg muscles anticipate was the amazing history of this in order to charge his batteries and contact paraset replica, the thrill and challenge of his home base in Cairo, Egypt. He took making contacts and the fact that I could part in many missions but for me the most become an agent of the Clandestine exciting was the radio coordination he Wireless Operators.1 supplied in order to sink a tugboat at a The Bayou Jumper is a transistor replica critical narrowing of the Danube River. of the WWII paraset radios. They received This frustrated the Germans since they their name “paraset” because they were were not able to resupply their troops until dropped by parachute behind enemy lines the wreck was removed. in WWII. The Bayou Jumper Yahoo group Although I was born in 1950 (technically Published by Larkfield Amateur Radio Club April 2018 3 perhaps an old timer) I did not discover June 1944 and was wounded in action. In amateur radio until I was 43… sad isn’t it! later life, when asked how his unit I heard about crystals and how the old defended itself against often-times much timers used them in their radios. In the larger German units, Gottlieb would book “Crystal Clear” by Richard J. invariably reply “we were heavily armed, Thompson Jr. I learned that the and we had crystals.” development of the crystal oscillator Clandestine coded CW behind enemy industry is right up there with the atomic lines played a major part in the war but we bomb and radar when it came to Allie must not forget about AM voice radio. The advantage in WWII. The Signal Corps had BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) shown that crystal controlled radios were was a beacon of hope for occupied by far more reliable than master oscillator countries. Although the Germans forbade AM receivers, residents of occupied countries hid their radios under floorboards or behind walls. The radios would be taken out at night so they could listen to their exiled leaders and maintain hope of being liberated. Lynne Olson in her new book “Last Hope Island” recounts the story of Great Britain’s efforts to cooperate with the exiled European governments. The book was very Inside The Bayou Jumper Kit power amplifiers. There were two major problems with building crystal-controlled radios for the armed forces. The first was raw material. All of the crystals were mined in Brazil. The second was ramping up an industry that only supplied amateur Unofficial Clandestine Operator’s operators with crystals. They not only Certificate. Do not post at undercover solved the raw material issue but they also operating station. improved production from 100,000 units informative and a wonderful read. in 1941 to 28 million units in 1944. I think I am like most Hams as I love to American ingenuity, can-do spirit and operate and make contacts. I also love a government intervention were the basis challenge. I know that radios for this amazing increase in crystal communicate but don’t talk. Several production. Private First Class Irwin nights ago with my headphones on I Gottlieb was a radio operator in France in thought I heard my KX3 asking my IC Published by Larkfield Amateur Radio Club April 2018 4 7300 why they were being ignored. The writing this anonymously but considering KX3 explained that we are transceivers that WikiLeaks will probably uncover and (not separate receiver and transmitter) and disseminate my true identity…. we have filters, auto tuners, cw side tones, iambic keying, visual displays and more Peter S. DeLuca, power. The ICOM responded with “It’s all AA2VG Agent 033 about the challenge and the history”. If you are a CW op, a WWII history Foot note 1: Serial and Secret Agent enthusiast or if you just want to become a number program courtesy N5IB clandestine radio operator agent, I would http://www.4sqrp.com/ look into the Bayou Jumper. As a secret bayouJumper.php agent radio operator I first thought about April Meeting: Antique Radio Restoration April 12, 2018 7:30PM Huntington Senior Citizen Center Published by Larkfield Amateur Radio Club April 2018 5 Yahoo Group Please join the Clubs Yahoo group. Not a member already send an e-mail to the following address: [email protected] Join our facebook group http://www.facebook.com/Larkfeldarc ARES/RACES NET Sunday 0900 New York State RACES 3993.5 LSB Monday 1900 Huntington – 147.210 Monday 1930 Smithtown – 145.430 Monday 1930 Southampton – 147.195 Monday 2000 Nassau County ARES RACES – 443.525 Monday 2000 Easthampton – 145.270 Monday 2015 Babylon – 146.685 Monday 2030 Brookhaven – 145.210 Monday 2100 Sufolk County RACES – 145.330 Huntington ARES/RACES http:// www.huntingtonnyare s races. org Published by Larkfield Amateur Radio Club April 2018 6 The Larkfield Amateur Radio Club 70 centimeters Affiliated with American Radio Relay League 448.500 MHz out/ 443.500 in Officers (one year terms) 2a/114.8 Hz PL President Peter Deluca AA2VG (2018) Vice President Neil Harris KC2TAF (2018) THE LARKFIELD AMATEUR RADIO Treasurer Jonathan Schwartz KC2PBE (2018) CLUB OPERATES: General Directors (two year terms) WR2ABA HUNTINGTON REPEATER Neil Goldstein W2NDG (2018-2019) 2 meters Bob Benward AC2AZ (2017-2018) 147.210 MHz out/147.810 MHz in Rich Florio W2TMA (2018-2019) 4z/136.5 Hz PL Scott Conover AC2FV (2017-2018) Roger Rapp W2GLE (2018) W2LRC HAUPPAUGE REPEATER WA2PNU Station Trustee Jonathan Schwartz KC2PBE 2 meters WR2ABA Station Trustee Jonathan Schwartz KC2PBE 145.430 MHz out/144.830 MHz in W2LRC Station Trustee Jonathan Schwartz KC2PBE 4z/136.5 Hz PL ————————————————— W2LRC HUNTINGTON APRS Members of the Larkfield Amateur 2 meters Radio Club are invited to use the 144.390 MHz In/Out W2RGM Dix Hills Repeater System: USA EASTNET FLEXNET NETWORK 2 meters 2 meters 147.075 MHz out/147.675 MHz in WA2PNU (0-15) Nodes 145.070 MHz 4z/136.5 Hz PL WA2PNU (-4) Node 145.070 MHz (BBS) The Larkfield Amateur Radio Club wishes to thank Bruno KC2ESI, Jack K2JX, Joe N2QPD, Bob AC2AZ, Thomas KC2PSC, and Pat WB2CMF for their dedication and efforts in maintaining the Club’s repeaters and our packet and APRS stations.