NCARRL News

January 14, 2024

 

GREETINGS FROM THE HIGH COUNTRY

This newsletter was written over several days (January 6 – January 14).  This was a week of extreme weather, including high winds across the High Country, tornado activity in Catawba County, flooding, mudslides.  In a few days the temperatures will get down to 9 degrees and who knows how cold the Chill Factor will be on Tuesday?

Winter Storm Finn may give us something to contend with on last Monday night –Tuesday, then came WS Gerri and now we are preparing for Winter Storm Heather which will dumps, have bitter cold low temps and icy roads.  Stay tuned.  While finishing this newsletter NWS Blacksburg issued a Winter
Storm Warning for Watauga County through Tuesday

KIDS AND HAM RADIO

On January 5, the Today Show carried a story about students at Harbor Creek High School (located Northeast of Erie) Pennsylvania participating in an ARISS contact with the International Space Station.  Harry Smith from NBC’s Today Show traveled with a crew to the high school and not only covered the contact between students and an Astronaut on the Space Station but Harry Smith also interviewed the students about their interest in ham radio  but their work together to put together their station and antennas used in the contact. Although parents and students typically are the ones who are present during the contact, coverage on a major network morning show was highly unique. 

Take a few minutes and watch the Today show segment that can be found at https://www.today.com/video/high-school-students-use-ham-radio-skills-to-contact-space-station-201408581756. 

Detailed information about the Amateur Radio on the Internationals Space Station (ARISS) program can be found at https://www.ariss.org/ .  Perhaps your club would like to work with a local school and apply to be selected for an ARISS contact.  It is something the kids will never forget.

NEW OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCED FOR SCHOOLS TO APPLY FOR SELECTION IN ARISS PROGRAM

January 8, 2024 --- The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member onboard the ISS. ARISS anticipates that the contacts would be held between July 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan.

The deadline to submit a proposal is February 29, 2024.  Proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and the proposal form can be found at www.ariss.org. An ARISS Introductory Webinar session will be held January 17, 2024 at 7 PM ET.  The Zoom link to sign up is: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrc-qsrD0pGNLBvhR_2p5O9uTeRzO0u4Sw.

Crew members aboard the International Space Station will participate in scheduled ARISS amateur radio contacts. These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session.

An ARISS contact is a voice communication opportunity via amateur radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station and classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts afford education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space and to learn about space research conducted on the ISS. Students also will have an opportunity to learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science. Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in dates and times of the radio contact.

Amateur radio organizations around the world with the support of NASA and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe present educational organizations with this opportunity. The ham radio organizations’ volunteer efforts provide the equipment and operational support to enable communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world using amateur radio.

PERHAPS ONE OF THE 71 AMATEUR RADIO CLUBS IN NORTH CAROLINA CAN DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH A LOCAL SCHOOL AND WOULD BE WILLING TO  HELP THE SCHOOL WITH TECHNICAL DETAILS ABOUT SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND CONTACTING THE SPACE STATION.

Please direct any questions to education@ariss-usa.org.

KIDS IN TEXAS GET ON HAM RADIO

From the Athens Daily Review, Texas, Fri, December 29, 2023 at 3:57 PM EST·1 min read

“Dec. 29—Nine students from the Introduction to Amateur Radio Service and Licensing class at TVCC {Trinity Valley Community College} passed their Technician Class license exam; the class celebrated this achievement on Dec. 11.

The Introduction to Amateur Radio Service and Licensing class is provided by TVCC Adult and Continuing Education with the help of Instructor David Deas. The course was created to provide individuals with an in-depth understanding of the Amateur Radio Service as a hobby and community service while equipping students with the knowledge to pass the Technician Class license test required of the Federal Communications Commission.”

SPECIAL EVENT STATION -- BATTLE OF COWPENS – K4C-JANUARY 16 -18

Coming up very soon is the anniversary of the Battle of Cowpens which occurred in 1781 and will be celebrated with a special event station.  Information about the Southern Campaign can be found at https://www.qrz.com/db/K4C .

Historians agree that the victory at Cowpens over the exalted British troops was a crucial turning point  in the Southern Campaign during the American Revolution,  It ultimately led to the  surrender of General  Cornwallis at Yorktown  on October 18,1781.  Historical information about the Southern Campaign can be found at https://www.nps.gov/cowp/learn/historyculture/the-battle-of-cowpens.htm.  There will be other Special Event stations celebrating other victories in the Southern Campaign.

K4B - The Battle of Moores Creek Bridge - February 27th-29th

K4G - The Battle of Guilford Courthouse - March 14th-16th

K4M - The Battle of Kings Mountain - October 1st-7th

K4Y - The Siege of Yorktown - October 17th-20^th

E4B AIRCRAT AND EMP TESTING

Some readers , perhaps Veterans, will immediately recognize that the Boeing E-4B is a highly sophisticated communications aircraft which is forwarded deployed in combat zones to give commanders the ability to communicate anywhere in the world.  There are several E-4 aircraft and one typically accompanies the President, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State and other high ranking officials when they travel to foreign lands.  Information about the E-4B aircraft can be found at https://allthatsinteresting.com/doomsday-plane.

In additional to being refueled while airborne, one of the mission requirements of the E4-B is its resistance to damage by electromagnetic pulse energy such as would be encountered if a nuclear weapon were to be detonated nearby. E4B aircraft undergo testing for susceptibility to EMP         at a special test facili8ty at Kirtland AFB in New Mexico.

WINTER FIELD DAY – JANUARY 27-28, 2024

Sponsored by ICOM, Winter Field Day gives amateur operators an opportunity to participate in a communications exercise in January of each year.  Details can be found at https://winterfieldday.org/ .

NC TRAFFIC REPORT

Set out below is a report prepared Dave Roy, W4DNA, who is the Section Traffic Manager.  Because of limitations in the ARRL email system, it is difficult to transfer Dave’s report (in pdf) format and to get it to appear clearly in the ARRL txt file format. The entire report as prepared by Dave Roy can be found at ncarrl.org.

W4DNA - NC Section Net Report - DECEMBER 2023
NET	NMGR	QNI	LISTED		PASSED	TIME	SESSIONS	TFC %
SECTION NETS
CN	AA4MP	336	133		128	658	62	96.24%
CSN	KI4KZS	145	25		23	640	31	92.00%
NCEN	WK4WC	378	205		168	549	31	81.95%
NCMN	W3OJO	300	193		180	450	31	93.2%
THEN	K4SEH	240	0		0	351	17	N/A
LOCAL TRAFFIC NETS
CWTN	N4CNX	374		130	130	650	31	100.00%
ENCTN	W4DNA	102		11	11	159	24	100.0%
PCTN	W4TTO	257		63	63	304	31	100.0%
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NETS
MNN	KI4FAQ	194		0	0	194	31	N/A
TOTAL		2326		760	703	3955	289	92.50%

 

NORTH CAROLINA QSO PARTY – FEBRUARY 25. 2024

Save the date!  This is an annual contest which recognizes North Carolina operators who are successful in contacting stations in as many North Carolina counties as they can.  Prizes are given to winners in particular operating categories.  Details can be found at https://ncqsoparty.org/ .

ARRL BOARD MEETING – JANUARY 19-20

Twice each year, in January and July, the ARRL Board of Directors meets in Connecticut. 

The Board is comprised of fifteen Directors who represent geographic areas in the United States. There are also fifteen Vice Directors representing the same Divisions who do not have a vote on matters coming before the Board unless the Director for their particular Division is absent ,or is otherwise not able to vote. 

Board meetings are conducted by the ARRL President and there are also several Vice Presidents who do not vote on matters coming before the Board.  The Board sets policies for the League finances, contest rules, EmComm , FCC filings and keeping amateur radio vital.  An agenda of the upcoming meeting is posted at http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Board%20Reports/Draft%20Agenda%20BOD%202024%20(SH%20F).pdf

Section Managers have no role in formulating ARRL policy.  Your concerns about ARRL policy matters should be directed to your Director and/or Vice Director.

ROANOKE DIVISION TOWN HALL MEETING WAS HELD ON DECEMBER 28

If you missed the Town Hall and wish to watch the Division Director N2ZZ (Jim Boehner) and Vice Director N2COP (Bill Morine) along with the Section Managers for VA, WV, NC and SC, a recording of the Roanoke Division Town Hall can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pumL8f1KQTM.

UPCOMING HAMFESTS

March 8, Charlotte Hamfest, Concord Event Center, info at https://charlottehamfest.org/

April 6, RARSFEST, JIM GRAHAM BLDG, STATE FAIRGROUNDS, info at https://www.rarsfest.org/

THE HAM POPULATION

	Data on Active Ham Licenses, January 11, 2024
ACTIVE LICENSES	NOVICE	TECH	GENERAL		ADVANCED	EXTRA	TOTAL
NC	143	10,269,	5,910		1,007	5,150	22,479
US	5,851	37,4820	186,929		32,215	155,221	755,136
ARRL MEMBERSHIP DATA
Location					Total Dec 31 2023
NC					4,508
ROANOKE DIVISION					12,407
US					149,501

 

OUTREACH TO STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATORS ABOUT HOA RULES

The North Carolina General Assembly (our State Legislature in Raleigh) is considering whether changes are needed in the laws that govern the powers and operation of Homeowner Associations, Property Owner Associations and/or Condominium Associations. 

Stories have appeared in the news media that indicated that some of the HOA’s, POA’s, and COA’s may have  become abusive in the exercise of their power.  For example, there are reports that a homeowner who has failed to pay their HOA dues a month past the normal deadline may result in the HOA being able to begin proceedings to sell the homeowners home. A Select Committee has been appointed by the NC House of Representatives to look into how HOA’s work in North Carolina and whether new laws are needed in order to protect the rights of Homeowners.

Last week, on January 11, Chuck deCourt (W4WZN) and Max Hopper (K4BMN), both of whom serve as NC ARRL State Government Liaisons, as well as myself (WA4NC), NC Section Manager, appeared before the Select Committee to urge the Committee to give licensed amateur radio operators greater leeway in putting up radio antennas which are often severely limited by some Homeowner Associations.  The South Carolina State Legislature is considering a bill for South Carolina that would prohibit SC HOA's from imposing or enforcing any homeowner association from establish or enforcing rules that limit ham radio antennas by neighborhood associations.

NC ARRL will continue to monitor the activities of the House Select Committee on HOA’s with the goal of getting a North Carolina law passed that would give amateur operators more fights to erect a radio antenna on their property.  The Select Committee is to recommend HOA law changes in March 2024.

Do you know a state or federal House or Senate member?  You may have gone to school with, or attend church with, or you may have contributed to the election campaign of a US Senator, a US House Member, a State Senator or a member of the NC House of Representatives.

I hope you will let me know if you have opportunities to interact with your government officials while they are home from Washington or Raleigh.  This is an election year and the elected officials will be traveling home to visit with voters as we get closer to the election this Fall.

CLOSING COMMENT

The very real risks that law enforcement personnel face each day came to the forefront twice in the past two weeks. On December 31, an off-duty Greensboro Police Officer who had served for 22 years ,attempted to stop a theft at a Sheetz convenience store near Colfax, NC.   Sergeant Philip Dale Nix was shot and killed by thieves who were attempting to steal several cases of beer.

The law enforcement community in North Carolina, the citizens of Greensboro and Sergeant Nix’s family mourn the loss of an officer who was doing his job and died while serving all of us.

Earlier this week, a police officer in Hillsborough (Orange County, NC) while attempting to stop someone who was fleeing from a convenience store with stolen items was dragged across the parking lot.  Fortunately his injuries were minor but could have been severe.

Thanks and support goes out to the law enforcement, fire, rescue, ems and military personnel who put their lives on the line each day protecting us from persons who would do us harm.

Marv, WA4NC