Category Archives: Public Service

National Hurricane Center Amateur Radio Station Annual Test

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From The ARRL News Website

The amateur radio station of the National Hurricane Center, WX4NHC (NHC), located on the campus of Florida International University in Miami, will conduct their on-the-air Annual Communications Test on Saturday, May 27, 2023, from 9 AM – 5 PM EDT (1300z- 2100z).

This is the NHC’s 43rd year of public service. NHC Amateur Radio Assistant Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R/WX4NHC, reports that the purpose of this event is to test amateur radio equipment and antennas at the NHC as well as operators’ home equipment, antennas, and computers prior to this year’s hurricane season. The 2023 hurricane season begins June 1 and runs through November 30.

This event is good practice for amateur radio operators worldwide to practice amateur radio communications during times of severe weather.

Ripoll said WX4NHC will be on HF, VHF, UHF, 2- and 30-meter APRS, and Winlink, To contact the NHC’s amateur radio station send an email to wx4nhc@winlink.org. The subject of the email must contain //WL2K.

WX4NHC will try to stay on the Hurricane Watch Net frequency, 14.325 MHz, for most of the time, as well as 7.268 MHz depending on propagation. They may also change frequencies due to potential QRM.

You may be able to find WX4NHC on HF by using one of the DX spotting networks, such as the DX Summit website at http://www.dxsummit.fi.

The VoIP Hurricane Net will also be active from 4 PM – 5 PM EDT (2000-2100z), RLP node 9219/EchoLink WX-TALK Conference node 7203. Visit their website for more information.

WX4NHC will also make a few contacts on local VHF and UHF repeaters, as well as the Florida Statewide Amateur Radio Network (SARnet) system to test station equipment.

QSL cards are available via WD4R with a self-addressed stamped envelope. More information about the NHC is available at their website.

ARMED FORCES DAY CROSSBAND TEST 2023

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The Department of Defense will host this year’s Armed Forces Day (AFD) Cross-Band Test, scheduled for May 13th 2023. This annual event is open to all licensed amateur radio operators, and will not impact any public or private communications. For more than 50 years, military and amateur stations have taken part in this event, which is only an exercise scenario, designed to include hobbyist and government radio operators alike.

The AFD Cross-Band Test is a unique opportunity to test two-way communications between military communicators and radio stations in the Amateur Radio Service (ARS), as authorized in 47 CFR 97.111. These tests provide opportunities and challenges for radio operators to demonstrate individual technical skills in a tightly-controlled exercise scenario that does not impact any public or private communications.

Military stations will transmit on selected military frequencies and will announce the specific ARS frequencies monitored. All times are ZULU (Z), and all frequencies are Upper Side Band (USB) unless otherwise noted. The frequencies used for the test will not impact any public or private communications, and will not stray outside the confines of the exercise.

The following stations will be making two way radiotelephone contacts with stations in the ARS between the time periods listed on the frequencies listed in Kilohertz below.

For more information:
https://www.arrl.org/news/annual-armed-forces-day-crossband-test-1

HAMS for PanCAN

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NOTE! – Support our sister club special event station this weekend

Company LogoApr 29-May 1, 1400Z-2000Z, N3P
3.960 MHz  &  7.172.MHz
Certificate & QSL.

Skyview Radio Society – N3P, 2335 Turkey Ridge Rd., Upper Burrell, PA 15068. Multiple N#P Stations across the country will be located in each of the ten ARRL sections – All stations will be on SSB. This nationwide Special Event’s aim is raising awareness of pancreatic cancer research and support by the PanCAN (Pancreatic Cancer Network) during its national Purple Stride event. Each station will highlight any ham operator, or friends and family members who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer located in that Section. Also, we’ll provide access to how PanCAN helps patients with support and funding of research projects. Event Bonus stations will be located at Purple Stride locations and will offer special QSL cards. Each N#P station web page on the ARRL Special Event tab will provide QSL submission information. A Clean Sweep Certificate will be awarded for contacting all section stations.

QSL card requests need SASE. For Clean Sweep certificate, include $1 please. . rybar1949@gmail.com

Heads Up! – SET DRILL Saturday April 1st

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Attention: Steel City members we have been ask to participate in this drill on Saturday April 1st.  Steel City will be the main station for the National Weather Service. One of our members will be station over at the weather station and will be relaying the weather data to him. This is only an drill this is where we learn how to pass traffic so mistake are to be made now instead when we are really needed.  So it is a great learning experiance for all new hams and old timers.  The event starts at 9 am and ends at 12 noon.

 

 

Upcoming Events

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March 25th – 10 am – 12 Noon — ARES Meeting for Allegheny County open to all members and non-members

April 1st – 9 AM – 12 Noon — SET TEST @ Club house

April 22nd – TBA — Carnegie Library @ Carnegie Open House

May 21st — Komen Race For The Cure — Volunteers are needed

June 3rd – June 18th — Lewis  Clark On The Air – Special Event Station

June 24th – June 25th — FIELD DAY 2023

June 24th — Rachel Carson Trail Challenge – Volunteers are needed

July 15th – July 16th — Vintage Grant Prix – Volunteers are needed

Sept 24th — Pittsburgh Great Race — Volunteers are needed

Sign Up Today & Support These Runners

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WE NEED YOUR HELP

We are getting down to our last several week before the race start.  We can not let an aid station go without radio communications most of the site have no cellular service.  So Ham Radio operators are a must have.  Please follow the link below to see the still open slots.  This has been an enjoyable and fun public service event to work.

Click Here For More Information and to sign up: W3KWH.net/Rabid

HELP US!

Most Recent Runner Counts:
64 — 100 Mile Ultra
37 — 100 Kilometer Ultra
234 — 20 Mile Marathon
112 — Midnight 20 Marathon
5 — Relay Teams
Updated 3/6/23

Bill to Eliminate Private Land Use Restrictions on Amateur Radio

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FROM: ARRL.ORG

Congressman Bill Johnson (OH-6) introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R.9670) on Thursday, December 22, 2022, to eliminate private land use restrictions that prohibit, restrict, or impair the ability of an Amateur Radio Operator from operating and installing amateur station antennas on property subject to the control of the Amateur Radio Operator.

The exponential growth of communities subject to private land use restrictions that prohibit both the operation of Amateur Radio and the installation of amateur station antennas has significantly restricted the growth of the Amateur Radio Service. These restrictions are pervasive in private common interest residential communities such as single-family subdivisions, condominiums, cooperatives, gated communities, master-planned communities, planned unit developments, and communities governed by community associations. The restrictions have particularly impacted the ability of Amateur Radio to fulfill its statutorily mandated duty of serving as a voluntary noncommercial emergency communications service.

Congress in 1996 directed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to promulgate regulations (Public Law 104–104, title II, section 207, 110 Stat. 114; 47 U.S.C. 303 note) that have preempted all private land use restrictions applicable to exterior communications facilities that impair the ability of citizens to receive television broadcast signals, direct broadcast satellite services, or multichannel multipoint distribution services, or to transmit and receive wireless internet services. ARRL attempts to obtain similar relief for Amateur Radio were rejected by the FCC with a statement such relief would have to come from Congress.

ARRL Legislative Advocacy Committee Chairman John Robert Stratton, N5AUS, noted that Congress, in 1994 by Joint Resolution, S.J.Res.90/H.J.Res.199, declared that regulations at all levels of government should facilitate and encourage the effective operation of Amateur Radio from residences as a public benefit. He continued by stating that “H.R.9670, the Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act, is intended to fulfill that mandate and preserve the ability of Amateur Radio Operators to continue to serve as a key component of American critical communications infrastructure.”

ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, and Mr. Stratton both extended on behalf of the ARRL, its Members, and the Amateur Radio community their thanks and appreciation for the leadership of Rep. Johnson in his tireless efforts to support and protect the rights of all Amateur Radio Operators.

For the full text of the bill, click here (PDF).

Volunteers are needed

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Volunteers are needed for the 2023 Rabid Raccoon 100 Mile Ultra marathon. Once again ham radio operators will be providing radio communication for this 24 hour long event.  This year race is on the weekend of March 18-19, 2023. Once again there will be a four aid station which I would like to see 2 radio operators at each station. Plus a net control station at the command post at the start/finish line.  This was an popular event last year for runner and ham radio operators. Each aid station is manned by race official and has food and snacks for all the runners & ham radio operators.   Click the link below to read more about the race and the needs of the radio operators.  There is a chart to see who has sign up find one of the empty stops and email N3LRG with the location and time frame you want to volunteer for.

For More Information: https://www.w3kwh.net/Rabid/