epara beacon 2018.pdfernie was a very talented man in the programming field as well as the model...

Dedicated to the Eastern Pennsylvania Amateur Radio Association 1

Beacon

Volume 2, Number 4 http://qsl.net/n3is/ April 2018

The Official Newsletter of The Eastern Pennsylvania Amateur Radio Association

Tower Side Chat March and April2018

This will be my last Tower Side Chat in almost 25 years as the President of EPARA. Last month I was in the hospital undergoing lung surgery. Details at the meeting. It was another life altering experience that I would like to share with you. The Bi-Yearly election of the four Board of Director positions is upon us. The positions are as follows, President, Vice President, Secretary, & Treasurer. It is very important that you nominate and vote for the people that will dedicate their time to the position. In the past two years we have had a great BOD. You might want to consider voting for two of the current officers. They have served you well in the past two years. Sadly, our treasurer, Ernie has past to the great DX cluster in the sky. I will not be running but I did nominate Chris for President and I support him 120%. Please attend the April meeting and let your choices be known. As I mentioned in the above paragraph our treasurer Ernie has become a silent key while I too was in the hospital. Please keep him and his family in your prayers. I am sure most of you did not know much about Ernie. I got to know Ernie, the man, thru our many long conversations on the telephone. Ernie was a very talented man in the Programming field as well as the model train hobby. We had plans to resurrect his HO train layout this coming summer. I was looking forward to this with great excitement and enthusiasm. I am sorry that I will not be doing that now. Ernie was an honest and a religious person. We had long discussions about the longevity of EPARA. We both agreed that Chris would be the best person to continue “Jerry’s Club”. I am not bragging about holding the club together over the past 25 years, I am proud to have been the person that carried the ball when we did not have anyone qualified or willing to do it. Now it is time for a new Capitan to steer EPARA into the next quarter of a century. Rick Teasdale, N3TXG, also has some serious health issues so please keep him and his family in your prayers. I am in the process of putting together a photo history of SK members to be displayed in the shack at the Fire Safety Center. Look for it soon. That is about it for last month and this month. Everyone be careful, winter weather may not be over yet and the worst driving conditions are ahead of us. God Bless you and your families. BTW we have a new Editor for the newsletter, Eric N3SWR.. Thank Chris for starting this great publication. 73, Jerry – N3SEI

EPARA

http://qsl.net/n3is/


3 Officers and Committees

4 Latest Club News & Announcements

4 Upcoming Events

5 Secretary’s Report

6 Local Hamfest Calendar

7 Contest Calendar

10 The Elmer’s Notebook

11 Boot The Bootstrap Digital Radio

13 Tech Corner

15 From The Workbench

18 ARRL Rookie Roundup!

19 Winter Field Day Contest Log

22 For Sale! – EPARA’s Swap & Sell

24 Knowledge Test

25 ARRL Amateur Radio Band Plan

25 From The Editor’s Desk

26 National Traffic System NTS Corner

27 NET Etiquette on HF

28 Skywarn Classes Info

XX Local Hamfest Flyers

Up Coming Events…

• Next meeting April 12th 2018

• Run for the Red Marathon May 20th 2018

• Field Day! June 25th – 26th

Hidetsugu Yagi's 130th Birthday Google Doodle

Follow EPARA on the web

https://www.facebook.com


Welcome to the EPARA BEACON! The EPARA Beacon is published monthly and is the official (and only) newsletter of the Eastern Pennsylvania

Amateur Radio Association. The club meets on the second Thursday of every month, at the Monroe County 911

Emergency Control Center. The business meeting starts at 7:30 P.M. and visitors ARE ALWAYS welcome to attend!

EPARA Nets:

Monroe county ares/races – Sunday’s 8:30 PM, 146.865 MHz, PL 100.0 Hz

SPARK Information/Swap Net – Tuesday’s 8:30 PM, 147.045 MHz, PL 131.8 Hz

EPARA Tech net – Friday’s 8:30 PM, 147.045 MHz, PL 131.8 Hz

Skywarn Training Schedule

https://www.weather.gov/phi/classes

Note: You MUST pre-register prior to taking classes

Visit the link above to for available dates!

More info at the end of this newsletter

https://www.facebook.com/groups/296425513816860/





President: Jerry Truax N3SEI

Vice President Charles Borger KB3JUF

Secretary Naomi Lepes KC3GVO

Treasurer Ernie Miller KC3EJE (SK)

ARES EC, Jerry N3SEI

ARES AEC, Charlie KB3JUF

Field Day Coordinator, Chris AJ3C,

Membership Coordinator, VACANT

Newsletter Editor, Eric N3SWR

Photographer, Eric N3SWR

Public Information, VACANT

Social Media, VACANT

Special Event Coordinator, VACANT

Technical Program Coordinator, Bill AB3ME

Lead VE, Jerry N3SEI

Webmaster, VACANT


Board Member Elections

With the winter weather we canceled the March

meeting so the elections have been postponed till the

April meeting. The April meeting will be held on

April 12th, 7:30 PM at the Monroe County 911 center.

Run for the Red

On May 20th EPARA will once again provide radio

communication for the Red Cross at the Run For The

Red Marathon. This is our chance to show the

community what we do and at the same time practice

our radio skills in the field. Charlie KB3JUF will be

coordinating this event, if you want to participate

please contact Charlie on one of the repeaters or by

email at [email protected] to let him know.

UP Coming Events

• Election of New Board of Directors

• Next meeting May 10th 2018

• Run for the Red Marathon May 20th 2018

Hiram Percy Maxim W1AW

If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door.

Milton Berle

ARES Activation

The Nor'easter that hit Monroe County on March 2nd left

most of the county without power. The loss of Verizon cell

phone service for just about all of Monroe county

prompted Monroe County Emergency Management to call

for the activation of Monroe County ARES. Many roads

where impassable with snow, down trees, and down power

lines so only one amateur was able to reach the 911 center

to man the radio room. He was able to man the station for

8 hours before he had to tend to his family who was

without power for several hours and without heat. This

serves as a reminder that you never know when we will be

called upon to help. The Department of Homeland

Security (DHS) now requires all volunteers, including

Amateur Radio operators to be certificated in at least IS-

100, IS-200, IS-700 and IS-800 course material, anyone

wishing to be part of Monroe County ARES needs to

complete these classes. The classes are free and available

online. We need more ARES stations in Monroe county.

ARRL is Recommending Enhanced HF Privileges

for Technicians

ARRL has asked the FCC to expand HF privileges for the

entry-level Technician license to include limited phone

privileges on 75, 40, and 15 meters, plus RTTY and digital

mode privileges on 80, 40, and 15 meters, where

Technicians already have CW privileges. ARRL believes

the additional digital privileges will attract younger people

to Amateur Radio.

The proposed additional HF phone privileges are 3.900 to

4.000 MHz, 7.225 to 7.300 MHz, and 21.350 to 21.450

MHz. Technicians already have HF privileges on parts of

10 meters.

Club News

Club Announcements

mailto:[email protected]


February Meeting Minutes


04/22/2018 | JSARS HAMFEST BY THE SHORE

Location: Toms River, NJ

Type: ARRL Hamfest

Sponsor: Jersey Shore Amateur Radio Society

Website: http://jsars.org

Learn More

Roxbury Senior Center

Hamfest/Convention

04/22/2018 | North Jersey Hamfest

Location: Succasunna, NJ

Type: ARRL Hamfest

Sponsor: Splitrock ARA

Website: http://www.splitrockara.org

Learn More

Roxbury Senior Center

Hamfest/Convention

05/26/2018 | BARA Spring Hamfest

Location: Township of Washington, NJ

Type: ARRL Hamfest

Sponsor: Bergen Amateur Radio Association

Website: http://bara.org

Learn More

Spring Lake Heights Independent Fire Company

Number 1

Hamfest/Convention

06/02/2018 | Ocean-Monmouth ARC Spring Hamfest

Location: Spring Lake Heights, NJ

Type: ARRL Hamfest

Sponsor: Ocean-Monmouth Amateur Radio Club

Website: http://www.n2mo.org

Learn More

Piscataway High School (Lots 11 & 12)


April Contest Calendar:


Improving your HT's

Receive/Transmit Performance

This month we will discuss practical ways to improve the performance of your

HT. We use HT's because of the portability they provide, sometimes they are the

only practical way to communicate. Without a doubt a mobile or fixed station with

higher power and high gain antennas are by far the ideal way to work VHF/UHF

FM. The obvious thing is to connect your home antenna to your HT with an

adapter, but what if that's not available or practical?

Let’s start with why HT's are less effective. To start the antenna height above ground is at

5 to 6 feet, making line of sight communication tough. Also, the antenna is close to your body,

the human body interacts with the RF energy from your transceiver causing your signal to be

attenuated. By using a hand mic, you can hold the HT up above your head giving you a couple

more feet of antenna height and separation from the body. This can be effective but it does

nothing for the biggest disadvantage of an HT, the rubber duck!

Some say the “Rubber Duck “is more a dummy load than an antenna. This is of course an

exaggeration but not by a lot. Studies done by the National Institute of Standards and Technology

show that on average “Rubber Duck “antenna has -6 to -8 dB of gain. That's a negative number

in case you missed it, so at -6 dB your 5-watt HT has an ERP of about 1.25 watts. Put that HT on your belt and you’re looking at as

much as -30 dB and now you have an ERP in the milliwatt range! So, a small investment in a ¼ wave antenna can be a big help, at 16

to 19 inches long it is a far better RF radiator.

So, you got your ¼ wave antenna and all is fine right? Nope, you’re still missing something,

half of your antenna. Look at any dipole, vertical, or J-pole and they all have something in

common. They have something for your RF to work against. Be it a second antenna element,

ground plane, or counterpoise, there is something to be the other half of your antenna. This is

missing from the HT but there is a solution, the Tiger Tail. A Tiger Tail is simply a counterpoise

for your HT and it’s easy to make. When used with a ¼ wave antenna you will have unity gain

for your HT antenna system, much better than -6db with a standard antenna. All you need is

a ring connector that will fit around your SMA or BNC connector with a length of wire cut for

the frequency your using. The length for 2 meters is 19.5 inches, and 440 the length is 6.5

inches. The Tiger Tail will not only increase the performance of your antenna it also gives some

directivity. Your signal will be increased in the direction you point the tail. More information on Tiger Tails can be found on the internet.

The final thing I will talk about are mag-mount antennas. A mag-mount antenna on a metal plate can

do wonders for your signal. If operating indoors a large baking sheet by a window facing the repeater or

station your contacting will greatly improve your ability to communicate. You can use a regular mag-mount

with an adapter to fit your HT or you can find one that has a SMA or BNC connector like the one pictured.

These can be found on Amazon or at a hamfest for $10 or $20 bucks. They also are great for the car, if

you’re in a family members or friends car you can stick one on the roof and you’re on the air. Don t forget

to keep one in your Go Kit so if your riding along in a served agency's vehicle you can keep your

communications working.

By using the ideas and tricks described, whether at home or out in the field, you can improve your

communications. In an emergency it just might make all the difference.


Boots W3OKW here for another “Boot the Bootstrap”. In previous months I discussed the 2 tone Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) modulation methods of RTTY and the popular digital Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK) modulation techniques of PSK31, PSK63, 125. This month I would like to continue sharing some more recently evolved digital modulation techniques called MFSK or Multi-Frequency Shift Keying and specifically the Olivia digital mode. MFSK is a type of super-RTTY that instead of using just two tones that modulates the carrier as RTTY does, MFSK uses many more. Sixteen tone MFSK (MFSK16) is the most common. MFSK was developed as a way to combat multipath propagation problems, providing reliable point-to-point communications with relatively simple decoding methods. The most interesting properties recognized with MFSK was the performance (reduced error rate) improved as the number of tones used increased. Let me try to explain how MFSK makes for a very solid copy digital mode in the worst RF conditions with minimal signal strengths. With RTTY, I previously mentioned text characters were represented and transmitted as fixed 5-bit digital codes plus 2 synchronizing bits sent serially at 45 bits per second. PSK31 is sending from 3 to 12 bits per character codes using varying character lengths with the most used characters being the shortest bit codes all at about 31 bits per second. The MFSK digital mode bit (baud) rate is significantly less and can be lower than the character (text) rate. As an example, the MFSK16 mode uses only one (1) bit time per signally element. This is accomplished because each symbol carries more information in its frequency properties than RTTY or PSK by sending multiple tones for a longer period of time. This has the advantage that the longer symbol (bit) times are easier to detect in noise, have a narrower bandwidth, and are much less affected by multipath errors. The most common MFSK signal consists of 16 tones, sent one at a time at 15.625 baud and are spaced only 15.625 Hz apart. Comparing this to the narrow PSK31 signal is more than 31 Hz wide, twice as wide as the space between just two MFSK16 tones. Each tone represents four binary bits of data. The whole transmission is 316 Hz wide and easily fits within the passband of a 500 Hz CW filter. The signal is a constant amplitude and does not require a linear transmitter to maintain a clean signal. Driving the transmitter too hard with MFSK16 will not make the signal any wider. But like RTTY and PSK, the MFSK16 duty cycle is high and can be hard on a transmitter if you are running at high power output. To add to the transmission success of MFSK, the text is received with an absolute minimum of errors, utilizing an excellent Forward Error Correction (FEC) technique and a clever self-synchronizing interleaver. The typing rate even with FEC, is over 40 WPM. As complicated and arcane as this may sound, the bottom line is that MFSK16 can be successfully decoded under the most severe atmospheric RF conditions.

As I have discussed in previous digital modes, the radio equipment and digital interface methods will be

the same as used with AFSK RTTY, PSK31 and JT65/FT8 modes using all of the same connectivity, audio setup,


RF and grounding precautions and operating methods. It can be appreciated now that a major advantage of

setting up an HF digital station around sound-device software is that switching from one mode to another is as

easy as clicking your mouse and no additional hardware changes to make.

MFSK16 is most often heard just above the same frequencies used by PSK31. Twenty meters is the most popular band and MFSK16 can be heard between about 14.072 and 14.076 with the transceiver in upper side band (USB). Recognizing and working the many digital modes can be a challenge by hearing signals, identifying waterfall patterns toward identifying the digital mode and determining the appropriate mode you want to operate in to make contact. The league has a Web site that lots of digital mode resources and also makes available audio samples of many of the popular digital modes to help you hear and recognize streaming audio sounds. http://www.arrl.org/HF-Digital A variant of the MFSK mode is Olivia, best known as the “Magic Digital Mode”. Olivia MFSK digital mode is one of the most robust methods of text keyboarding for long distance communications in ionospheric noise conditions where other modes fail. The signal can be decoded even when it is 10 to 14 dB below the noise floor (ie. when the amplitude of the noise level is over three times that of the signal) and decode well under noise, fading and interference. There are many combinations of Olivia MFSK formats but about 6 bandwidth/tone formats are in common use. The convention is to use the 2 most common formats, Olivia 500/16 or Olivia 1000/32 for calling CQ or initiating QSOs and a different format can easily be chosen by the operators after the QSO starts. There are advantages to faster typing with some formats and better decoding through noise with slower narrow formats. Atmospheric conditions could help determine any CQ Olivia mode signals. You can find software support for the Olivia digital mode in the multimode software for Windoz such as FLdigi, MultiPSK and my favorite, DM-780 which is the digital mode module of the Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD) software suite. And on MacOS (OSX) there is FLdigi, cocoaModem and MultiMode with automated logging available in both operating environments. Some common Olivia frequencies are on 17m: 18.102.65, 20m: 14.072-14.075.65 and 14.106.5, 30m: 10.141-10.144, 40m: 7.035-7.038, 80m: 3583.25-3577 and 160m: 1835-1838. I would like to build up my experience and experimentation with Olivia by setting up a sched with

anyone with similar interests. As you can imagine setting up a meeting time and frequency definitely helps in

getting started with any digital mode, recognizing waterfall patterns, sounds and operating procedures.

As always pass along any questions or issues you might have toward getting started. Otherwise look for me on the bands. I’m good on QRZ.com. 73 es GL de W3OKW

http://www.arrl.org/HF-Digital


older has been around for a very long time. There is evidence that soldering was employed as early as 5000

years ago in Mesopotamia. Soldering and brazing are thought to have originated very early in the history of

metal-working, probably before 4000 BC. Sumerian swords from ~3000 BC were assembled using hard

soldering. As the time moved forward and technology changed, so did solder – it simply had to. So with that

said, it’s time to take a closer look at solder and see what is going on behind the scenes.

Solder continues to be used to join metals today is it did centuries ago. Solder is comprised of multiple

metals to create alloys with properties that are geared towards the industries they are used in. In electronics,

solder was typically made from and alloy of lead and tin, until the dangers of lead surfaced and we now have lead

free solder. Yet that too has its problems and we’ll touch on that a bit more later on.

For those of us that do our own soldering, we were already faced with

learning how to solder and acquiring the tools needed to get the job done

correctly. But what many of us happen to miss entirely, are things such as

the quality of the solder, the type of solder, the type of flux needed and more.

Murphy’s Law – remember him? Saving money on cheap solder will only

come back to bite you with bad results later. Buy good name brand solder

such as Kester and do NOT use solder designed for plumbing!

Most if not all plumbing solder uses an acid core for flux and this will destroy

the delicate copper traces on circuit boards.

A good solder alloy for electronics is a ratio of 60:40 tin (Sn) to lead (Pb). This

ratio of lead to tin was the golden standard for years, until it was discovered that a

ratio of Sn63/Pb37 produced what is called a eutectic solder. Solder with this ratio

has the unique ability to melt and cool in a very narrow temperature range and helps

prevent cold solder joints. Since alloys are comprise of two or more metals, each with

different melting points, that creates a problem as

there is no one exact melting point for the alloy.

Eutectic solders have become the solder of choice

since the metals ratio is designed to lessen this side

effect. Looking at the solder spool label, you can see what you’re working with

as shown here. There are many different alloys and they are geared towards

different needs. Silver and copper are added to increase the melting point and

harden the solder. This has military

applications in environments with high

temperature and vibration. This solder here is lead free and entirely made from

tin, silver and copper.

As I mentioned before, lead free solder, while seemingly a cure-all as far

as lead is concerned, brought about a real problem known as tin whiskers. Solder

devoid of lead will, over time, grow crystalline structures which protrude from

S

By Eric Weis, N3SWR

'Your imagination is your only limitation'

Solder and Flux More things to make you go hmmm…

Tech Corner


the solder. These “whiskers” as they

became to be called, indeed have been

proven to grow long enough to literally

short to the next solder pad. It doesn’t

happen overnight but believe me when I

tell you it has become a real nightmare for

the lead free solder industry as millions of

circuit boards have been produced with

lead free solder in the years past and those

boards are in everything from the International Space Station to your car,

PlayStation, cell phone and more. Shown here are photos of tin whiskers

after approximately 10 years after circuit card production. As you can see they

are extremely small shown here next to a scanning electron microscope image.

It remains to be seen how this is being dealt with by industry.

Solder is supplied in various forms such as large bars, spooled wire,

pastes and others. The bars typically are used to feed wave solder machines

in a manufacturing facility.

The paste is used mainly in

a silk screening process and

applied typically under

pressure with pin point

needle accuracy, or wiped

across a silkscreen pattern much the same way t-shirts are

made prior to going to the high temperature press.

Flux is used during soldering for a variety of reasons.

Flux is used to form a barrier between the atmosphere and your

puddle of molten metal in much the same way as flux is used

in welding and in the steel blast furnaces. Without it, oxygen in the air reacts with the

metals to form oxides and contaminate the entire connection. Rosin or resin flux helps

to clean the connection prior to soldering and is relatively easily

removed with isopropyl alcohol (propanol). It consists mainly

of pine sap and alcohol, is extremely sticky and gives off a bit of

smoke when heated, so the use of a fan is recommended to blow

away any smoke. Cleaning the final connection is generally

recommended since is becomes rather hard to remove old dried

out rosin flux for repairs.

Innovation, the EPA, OHSA and cost reductions have led to the development of liquid fluxes requiring no cleaning, and which can be applied in very minute quantities from flux bottles via a blunt needle. I personally love this stuff and is miles ahead of the old rosin days. I have a quart bottle of Superior #30 blue

flux that is 30 years old and still performs very well! I use a flux bottle filled with it and I should have enough for a lifetime. I’ve only scraped the surface here in regards to the types of solder that may end up on your workbench. The chemistry of solder is tailored for particular uses; therefore, it really does pay to get to know your solder… 73! “Solder.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Feb. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solder.


Where does one begin here with the start of a new year? I decided to give Chris AJ3C a hand with the Tech Corner since that comes easy to me and let you watch as I restore some of the older gear I have. It’s amazing just how fast projects seem to pile up before you actually get to working on them. Last month’s restoration of an EICO 249 VTVM was a bit of a slap in the face to me, sort of a why am I doing this moment when I have so many other things that need my attention. But to be honest I really did miss tinkering in my lab. Contemplating restoring the Hallicrafters S-107 told me I really should have a simple VTVM. With that project behind me I tore into the radio finally. The S-107 was my first receiver after building a crystal radio and another tube radio from a kit as a kid. I was hooked – only I didn’t know it then! This one was in decent shape with nothing major wrong with it. All it needs is a good going through, replacing the electrolytic and foil caps as a precaution, bringing it up to safe standards and an alignment.

I started by removing the main chassis. It was dirty but I’ve seen worse. A gentle blast of compressed air removed most of the dust. From there we went into the bathtub. Yes, I know… BATHTUB?? Well that’s how it’s done, with scrubbing bubbles too! My mind had a tough time giving the radio a shower. I instead used a strong solution of Purple Power and bristle brushes and kept my distance from the front panel to avoid damage to the lettering. The underside was also given two good baths and as you can see it cleaned up very well. Anyone who knows something about vintage radios will see the mine field of old capacitors in the bottom picture, ready to pop down the road. They are the old Little Chief brand. Time to replace them all along with the main filter cap. I got in touch with Hayseed Hamfest,

as they specialize in recap kits for radios, and ordered a kit. While waiting for that to arrive, I put every tube through a complete test on a Hickok 539C tube tester. The 539C hails as the Cadillac of tube testers. All the tubes happened to be all original Hallicrafters brand tubes and it was nice to see they all tested well within specs. I LOVE vintage equipment and there are good deals out there to be had still today. The prices of newer

From the Work Bench

By Eric Weis, N3SWR


test gear have dropped to within reach for many of us and believe it or not, vintage gear still holds its own place up against the newer equipment. That must say a lot with respect to the quality and engineering that has gone into their design. As I was going through the chassis I decided to bring the radio up to modern standards in terms of safety; I mean seriously I want to enjoy this hobby and not be a statistic on anyone’s causes of death study. With that said, I installed a 3-prong NEMA plug in place of the older 2 prong non-polarized version. This will guarantee the chassis stays at ground potential. Some radios older than this vintage actually do have a hot chassis and it can kill you! Making modifications to vintage radios obviously has its drawbacks in terms of keeping the item in its original state. But during a late-night session cruising the Antique Radio forums, I happened across one subject of interest and there was a mention of installing current limiters as a tube saver. Essentially, they are a device with a small series resistance that reduces to near zero once the device has warmed up, and this takes a very short time too. What this does is stop the inrush current to the tube filaments and sparing the tubes a harsh start every time you turn your radio on. I combined that with a 2amp pico fuse and MOV across the mains for surge protection. All components were mounted on an old-style wiring board with just two rivets, and it looks like it belongs there too.

It’s amazing how much capacitors have shrunk in size with newer technology. I was happy to see the cap kit arrive finally and I wasted no time replacing them. What I didn’t realize at the time and what could throw a log in the road for me is that foil capacitors do indeed have a polarity of sorts. The result being a matter of noise which I will have to trace back to a reversed cap. But that’s a story for a future article. I remember there was a nasty tuning section with lots of noise and hard clicks or pops as I swept across the dial. The blue arrow in the picture shows where one of four spring contacts had to be unsoldered and removed for cleaning with a fiberglass brush. They cleaned up to a bright finish and once soldered back in place, a small drop of Cramolin (DeOxit) was applied via syringe. The gear mechanism was then lubricated with Brayco oil. I also discovered one of the tuning plates shorting to the adjacent plate which was the culprit that made the loud pops at one particular spot on the dial. Gently bending that back solved the noise issue. So, with all capacitors replaced, safety concerns addressed, soapy water blown out with compressed air and quality oil where needed, I find myself finally at the point to power it all up and see where I stand. Using a Variac, I watched and listened for anything abnormal. I will admit I should be monitoring the current input here and will for future projects like this. Some folks use a lightbulb in series as it’s a great visual indicator for high current draw. Others use a current meter. I have yet to set up something but it definitely is worth it since it can warn you of damaging high current. I was happy to see everything power up without letting the smoke out! I have no antenna installed in the picture here but I did patch in a simple small length of wire as a makeshift antenna and was happy to hear a few stations on the shortwave bands.


From this point it’s on to a full alignment and taking the mystery out of it. I have no clue if it needs adjusting or not but I will follow the manufactures AM alignment procedure just to see how close this radio really is and tweak it as I see necessary. That will happen in part 2 of this article. I need to clear the bench, make some room and gather my thoughts along the way. If any of you have gone through similar projects or experiences consider sharing them in an article. I can’t be the only one that loves to read about them. Until then… While researching and just gathering my thoughts and info for this project I discovered I could really use an old-style vacuum tube voltmeter (VTVM) and that became the subject for another article. You can see it in action right here. It’s hooked in place of the speaker, and a signal generator is being used to excite the tuning tank circuit directly. A simple adjustment of the proper coil ferrite slugs in this instance sways output (speaker) voltage high or low which is easily seen on the VTVM. We adjust for maximum output and this is called peaking the response of the circuit. Each frequency band has its own set of tuning caps and/or coils and peaking the response forms the basis for the alignment. No good project ever goes smoothly now does it. At least for me there’s always something to trip me up. Well, maybe that’s the norm for us technicians. In this case it took me almost an hour to track down the cause of a wildly swinging voltmeter needle. Talk about annoying! The culprit is usually something simple. In my case it was the oxide on the solder where I made the signal generator connection. I just had to break through it. And I discovered that after checking all the alignment settings and more. I changed out the old mini grabber clip for a better one and all was solved. Here’s a tip: label the caps as it helps during alignment. I had no luck finding a good legible copy of the service manual online but while searching the forums for content specific to this radio I also discovered I wasn’t the only one searching for a better copy. However, I did discover there was an older model chassis schematic available and mine was essentially an upgrade form that radio. I was able to decipher the cap numbers by comparing both service procedures. Here’s another tip – and no laughing! – make sure you put that nice new power cord through the main

panel before you solder it in place. It’s funny how the simplest of things can end up causing headaches. I missed the fact that the new plug wouldn’t fit through the case opening. So, I had to unsolder it and replace it all over again

This is how things turned out looking from the back end. I’m rather pleased with the results. In terms of alignment I would say yes it did benefit and the radio seems more responsive than before. You really don’t need any specialized equipment to attempt a project such as this. And I hope I did manage to break down the steps a little for those contemplating giving it a try. In the end, after I cleaned up and put everything away, I figured it would have been nice to just lay out the tools of the trade a bit and take a quick picture. So, I took them all back out to show my point. Make sure you have a good service procedure on hand of course. And then there’s the usual complement of hand tools and your test equipment. I have collected a good assortment of alignment tools over the years which is essential – that orange rollup pouch contains a bunch of them.

One other thing I should mention that I haven’t is the use of Cramolin – DeOxit as it has become known today. It’s toxic and a little goes a long way. I have seen technicians spray it all over the place to the point the equipment it


dripping. It does more harm than good that way. Get some syringes and put the chemical exactly where it’s needed. I will say sometimes you do need the spray action to get it inside a potentiometer. But even then, there are reports from service technicians that do this for a living that DeOxit can swell the lamina on old carbon trace pots to the point it breaks the trace and destroys the pot. I have personally not encountered this but I did in fact read a good thread on one of the forums that discussed Cramolin/DeOxit and the issues associated with using it. I could probably make that a short future article one day and I just may do that. But for now, go easy with the spray. Do you have a project on your bench that you wouldn’t mind sharing with us? Go grab a camera and take us for a journey in your

realm as it’s always nice to see what can come, From the Work Bench. N3SWR, 73!

About Rookie Roundup is a contest aimed at Amateurs

licensed for three years or less. This six-hour event is held three times

per year (April, August and December). Rookies can contact anybody,

while "Old Timers" make contact with only Rookies. Mentoring is a

big part of this event!

Future Rookie Roundups!- - Sunday, April 15, 2018, using SSB; Sunday, August 19, 2018, using RTTY;

Sunday, December 16, 2018, using CW.

• NEW RULES - MORE ROOKIES!

• You can be a Rookie if you were first licensed in 2018, 2017 or 2016 - send the year you were first

licensed in the exchange.

• If you were licensed before 2016 you can also be a Rookie if you made your first Amateur Radio

contact during 2018, 2017 or 2016 or if you haven't made any contacts on the contest mode (SSB, CW,

or RTTY) before the Rookie Roundup contest, send the current year (2018) in your exchange - either of

these reasons qualify you as a Rookie for just one year.

• Rookies will attempt to make as many contacts as possible during this 6-hour event. Rookies work

everyone - and non-Rookies work only Rookies.

This is a great way to try out contesting in an event designed for newcomers. To pre-register teams or submit

your score after the event, please visit the Rookie Roundup page hosted by Bruce Horn, WA7BNM.

http://www.b4h.net/arrlrr/index.php


Looking to sell!

Radio ICOM 706MK2 $ 475.00 IT100 Antenna Tuner which goes with that radio $ 150.00 Screw Driver Antenna $ 165.00 Total Amount = $ 790.00 If you Buy this as a Package Deal Total Amount: $ 750.00 Contact Info: Tommy KB3UFB@ Gmail.com or cell phone 570-236-2131

D-104 Microphones!

AMPLIFIED MICROPHONES. Completely refurbished and appear "as new" condition. There are slight imperfections between all due to age of these collectible gems...(45-50 years old) These are fast becoming hard to find in really good condition. I will not change connectors on any of these microphones for you as I do not want that responsibility. Connector information for radios is available on line or in the Operators Manual that came with the radio. These all have 4 pin female connectors installed and are wired for Cobra/Pres radio's and will work on others.....ask, I have pin out requirements for all radio's. E/R switch must be set by user based upon radio requirements (Electronic or Relay switching)... 9 VOLT BATTERY NOT INCLUDED.....MUST BE INSTALLED FOR MICROPHONE TO WORK PROPERLY!!! Price of Amplified Microphone is $100. D-104 head only $50. Lazy Key $50...others available not shown in picture NON AMPLIFIED for older tube rigs..$125 due to availability and demand of these. All sales are final. Warranty is neither offered or inferred. NO RETURNS!! All shipping to be via USPS, Priority Mail, Medium Box. CONUS only if so desired for $13.65.

Contact Info: Bill Carpenter, Phone: 570-215-4268 email: [email protected]


J Pole Antennas

J Pole antennas built by myself for local ham use. 2M/440 operation. These work really well when mounted correctly at your base station. Documents are attached with each antenna giving these details as well as an anticipated SWR plot of what you can expect in actual use as measured by myself with MFJ 269 Antenna Analyzer. This is a basic dipole antenna, and due to its operating characteristics, does have a little bit of gain over a referenced dipole (dBd). It is also somewhat directional, in that a stronger signal is observed perpendicular to the long reflector element towards the shorter radiating elements. Folks who have purchased and use them tell me they are very pleased with the difference this antenna makes. Standard SO 239 connector at the feed point...single coax works both bands...no need for a duplexer as the 440 is slave to the 2M. Price of Antenna is $50 Call or email for delivery information or I can ship for actual costs to do so.

Contact Info: Bill Carpenter, Phone: 570-215-4268 email: [email protected]


I’d like to take a moment and say hello to everyone! As you can see, EPARA

is undergoing a few changes as we move forward not only with the board of

director’s elections, but in our newsletter as well. To keep this newsletter

enjoyable, informative and growing, we as a club are always in need of quality

material to include here. If you have an idea, photos or article submission that

would be of interest to fellow EPARA members please let me know. Anything

ham radio related is most welcome! Are you planning a special event? How

about working on that radio project of yours? See something I missed or a correction is needed? Don’t be afraid

to tell me – you can reach me at [email protected]. This address has been set up to be the only place to

send comments, suggestions, articles, pictures, money…. Just kidding – hey I can wish too! As a personal request

– when it comes to sending me things – THE SOONER THE BETTER. It takes time to get the document

formatting correct and all pieces pulled together before our next monthly meeting. The goal is to have this sent

out at the first of every month giving you plenty of hours to read 😉

Copies of this newsletter can be emailed to you. Just ask us and you will be added to our subscription list.

Meet you on the air waves! N3SWR, 73!

mailto:[email protected]


Emergency Net Proper Procedures

by

Donald David Darcy Jr WK2RP

Proper procedures to use on Emergency Nets is very important. Using proper procedures

is important to allow the net to run smoothly and conserve batteries. Below is a list of the

proper procedures to use when on an Emergency Net. This applies to HF and VHF/UHF.

1. Listen! Listen! Listen! Always listen for instructions.

2. Check in to the net and then just listen.

3. Only transmit when you have information that needs to be passed on the net.

4. Never leave your radio without first letting Net Control know.

5. Only relay for another station if Net Control asks you to.

6. Keep all messages short and to the point, except message being passed for a third party.

7. Third Party messages must be passed as given to you.

8. Remember when on battery power it lasts longer when you only listen.

9. When passing general messages leave off the extras.

Below are two examples of messages sent on a net, first is the wrong way and second is the

right way.

The wrong way to transmit information

Net Control I received a radio message saying the emergency manager is activated ARES and

needs people at the radio room. This was giving to me over the repeater by the emergency

coordinator that told me the emergency manager called him. Anyone that can respond please let

me know.

The right way to send the same information

Net Control, EMA has activated ARES, they need operators at the radio room. Call Net Control

if you can help.

As you can see the right way is much easier and faster to say then the wrong way. This will also

conserve your battery power by limiting the time you are transmitting. By doing it the right way

you also do not tie up the repeater needlessly, allowing emergency messages to get in.

Attached below is a net script to use when an Emergency ARES activation occurs.

As always this is not done to embarrass anyone, it is merely done to show proper procedures. Send Questions, Comments or Suggestions to Donald at [email protected]

Splitrock Amateur Radio Association

2018 North Jersey Hamfest Sunday, April 22, 2018 Roxbury Senior Center

72 Eyland Avenue Succasunna, NJ 07876

Admission Buyers/Sellers $7 Tables $20, Tailgating $20 Tables and Tailgating include ONE

Admission Non-Ham YLs and Harmonics Free

VE Session

Registration 8:30 AM Exams 9:00 AM Sharp!

DXCC QSL Card Checking Courtesy of the North Jersey DX Association http://www.njdxa.org

General Information Splitrock Amateur Radio Association PO Box 610 Rockaway, NJ 07866 Phone: (866) 457-6687 Email: [email protected]

Vendor Information & Reservations (866) 457-6687 www.splitrockara.org/hamfest-2018

GATES OPEN Vendors: 6:00 AM Buyers: 8:00 AM

TALK-IN ** K2GG/R ** 146.985 output 146.385 input PL 131.8

KJI Electronics and other Great Vendors

Door Prizes VE Testing Food and Refreshments Plenty of Parking Great Location Easy to Reach from Routes I-80, I-280,

I-287, US-46 (Located just off RT-10)

Directions to Roxbury Senior Center 72 Eyland Avenue Succasunna, NJ 07876 From Points East using I-80: Take I-80 west to Exit 30 (Mt. Arlington), stay left on the ramp. Make a left at the light onto Howard Blvd and proceed to the 2nd light. Turn right on Route 46 West and go to the first light (old Ledgewood Circle). Make a left onto Route 10 East and proceed to the 4th light. Turn right on Eyland Avenue. The Roxbury Senior Center is 0.3 miles on the left, just past Horseshoe Lake. From Points West from I-80/206: Take I-80 East to Exit 28. Stay straight on this road for (Route 46 to Route 10) for 2.7 miles to the 6th light. Turn right onto Eyland Ave. The Roxbury Senior Center is 0.3 miles on the left, just past Horseshoe Lake. From Points East using Route 46: Heading west on Route 46 turn left at the light onto Kenvil Ave and go to the end. Make a left onto Main St, and then make the first right onto Eyland Ave. Cross over Route 10. The Roxbury Senior Center is 0.3 miles on the left, just past Horseshoe Lake. From Points East using Route 10: Take Route 10 West to the Eyland Avenue jughandle. Cross over Route 10. The Roxbury Senior Center is 0.3 miles on the left, just past Horseshoe Lake. From Points South using I-287/206: Take I-287 north to Exit 22B (US 202 N US 206 N). Keep left to stay on US 206 N. Continue 13.9 miles north to the intersection with Main Street in Flanders (past Flanders Plaza). Turn right on Main Street. Then take the second left to North Road (road bears left). Stay on the road (it turns into Hillside Avenue and then Eyland Avenue) for 3.7 miles. The Roxbury Senior Center is on the right, just before Horseshoe Lake.