Ritchie Short

2023 ARRL Field Day Photo’s June 24 & 25

ARRL Events, NIARA, Photographs /
June 24-25, 2023

W9OU Field Day was kicked off at 1800 UTC on Saturday. Set up started at 9:00 am, and we started right on time. The field day was at 910 Indiana Avenue in Auburn at the First Christian Church. There were three stations in operation. Thirty-one people attended field day this year, of which seven were guests. The location was visible to the public from the walking/biking trail, signage on the road, and the First Christian Church parking lot. The potluck was successful, with pulled pork and chicken accompanied by salads, deviled eggs, homemade pies, and bread. Overnight, 73 CW contacts were made by the night owls, including Hawaii. Night owls made more connections by phone, filling in the map and pushing the contacts toward 70.  

Sunday morning communication was delayed due to rain. So, the morning crew took down two antennas and unhooked the third in case of lighting. With the storm past, we started operation with only one HF radio. During the rain break, there was a great breakfast with coffee, donuts, and orange juice. With the storm behind us, steady contacts were reached by noon. At noon, we had a small lunch of pork burgers and chips. Communications slowed down, and by 1800 UTC, we concluded Field Day 2023. The field day ended with 89, phone contacts, 233 DV contacts and 73 CW contacts for a total of 4750 points. Thank you to everyone who attended, talking and getting to know members while gaining experience on the air. Thanks to all that were present and a special thanks to Ondreya for coordinating Field Day. She did an excellent job.

Click on photo’s to enlarge.

2023 ARRL Field Day Photo’s June 24 & 25 Read More »

Getting Started with Pi-Star

Digital Corner /

GETTING STARTED WITH A PI-STAR

The easiest and quickest way to get started is to use the ZUM Radio Mini 1.3 OLED ZUMspot Kit Mini UHF Hotspot With 1.3 OLED ZUMspot Fully Assembled Kit in my opinion. You can purchase this at Ham Radio Outlet. https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-017832 if you prefer a bigger screen https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-017504 Both are ready to go with the image written on the sd card that is included.

The next step would be to setup the pi-star on the digital format you choose, DMR, D-STAR, WIRESX(ysf), P25, NXDN or M17.  The pi-star is capable of cross modes too being if you have an Yeasu(ysf) FT3 or 5 you can bridge to DMR, thus you are talking into a ysf reflector and it is coming out D-Star. Icom, Anytone and others can do this also. Before you start you need to determine which mode you want by the radio you have or are going to purchase, Yeasu, Icom, Anytone or others that are capable of digital. In our area you will need to program a frequecy between 433.100 and 433.900 for the radio to talk to the pi-star. The pi-star must have the same frequency which you can program in. Here is a link to give you an idea on how to setup a pi-star. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZQGSwKl8fY If you need help on deciding or have a Handheld radio, get in touch with JD, KD9QDL, kd9qdl@gmail.com or Jeff, KB9QG, jdeluce@frontier.com .

 

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Jeff KB9QG’s Antenna Analyzer class on June 16, 2023 at 1st Christian Church in Auburn

Association Events, Photographs /

On Friday June 16 th at 6:30 PM Jeff, KB9QG held a class on tuner and antenna analyzer atthe 1st Christian Church (910 N. Indiana Ave, Auburn In). This was a hands on event to learnhow to use tuners and antenna analyzer in preparation for Field Day. Jeff showed how to use the antenna analyzer and William, AE9EC got to try his hand at it. He also showed how touse the tuner to match the radio to the antenna. Want to thank Jeff for putting this on and Dave, KC9YY, William AE9EC and JD KD9QDL for attending.

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Jeff KB9QG’s Antenna Analyzer class on June 16, 2023 at 1st Christian Church in Auburn Read More »

NIARA at Peabody Library Columbia City

Association Events /

Just a short recount on the June 10th event. We had eight association members help out at the event (KC9YY, KB9QG, KD9QDL, KD9MGZ, KD9WAS, KD9WBN, KD9ROJ and KD9WCX). Things went quite well in my opinion. 

We set up an off center fed antenna and a VHF antenna. The QRN on HF was very heavy but also our HF antenna was very close to a high power line which I am sure did not help. I made a contact with W1AW/5. Our VHF antenna and radio work really great, we were a 59 from Columbia City site to our repeater, no problems. The library reported that they counted over 300 people at this event. I would say we had between 175-200 people stop and chat with us about amateur radio. There was a large amount of youngsters that showed interest, along with their parents. Maybe someday Amateur radio will be part of their life, certainly hope so. We were also visited by other area Hams, a couple of people I,talked to let their license expire but indicated starting again. 

I feel this was a super use our trailer and in the future more association members should volunteer and enjoy the camaraderie. The weather was almost perfect for this event and I enjoyed the food trucks.
Dave, KC9YY

TRUCKS ALL TOGETHER NOW

NIARA at Peabody Library Columbia City Read More »

2m-70CM Digital Radio

Digital Corner /

So, you are interested in Digital Voice Radio!!! This webpage is to help you get familiar and learn about the different mode and how to find an expensive means to use the many modes available to amateur radio operators. The following modes are for digital voice radio :

      1. DMR ( Digital Mode radio )
      2. D-STAR
      3. WIRES X
      4. FUSION (C4FM)
      5. P25
      6. NXDN
     7. M17

Do you have to buy seven different radios??? No!! Using a low-cost DMR radio and a low cost Hot spot, you can use the other digital modes by using what is called a reflector. The reflector is an internet gateway to a distant repeater on DMR which has a bridge to the other
modes and will send back the DMR mode to your hot spot. Here is an in expensive approach. Purchase the following : TYT MD-UV380 radio and a Zum Spot MINI which has a Raspberry Pi 4 computer and has the software already loaded on it.  The cost at the present is under $300.
The P-Star software is free and can be down loaded from the internet. Ham Radio Outlet has instruction on how the setup up the Hot Spot and the radio. There are youtube videos for which also can be used to setup the configuration. If you need any help from the NIARA, Jeff
KB9QG (JDeluce@frontier.com) or JD KD9QDL (KD9QDL@gmail.com) will be glad to help you!!

2m-70CM Digital Radio Read More »

NIARA at St. Joseph School in Garrett Indiana

Association Events /

The Northeastern Indiana Amateur Radio Club was at St Joseph School in Garrett
Indiana to demostrate the amateur radio hobby to the 4th and 5th grade students
using the W9OU trailer. Jeff DeLucenay, KB9QG, gave a short talk with the
students about radio transceiver works and how a personvoice is changed to
radiate form the antenna to other radio receivers.

Two radios were setup in the trailer. The ICOM 7300 for the HF bands and the
FTM 400 for the VHF band. The students were shown how the computer can
decode the morse code signals from the ICOM 7300. They were able to talk with
Dan, KD8YNG, who was at Rhome City Indiana via the W9OU repeater, The
students were talking with Dan for about 10 minutes and showed a lot of enthusiasm toward the hobby. A total of 21 students were at the trailer site.

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NIARA at Patrick Henry Highschool

Association Events /

North East Indiana Amateur Radio Association (NIARA) Showcases Ham Radio
Operations at Patrick Henry High School Student Appreciation Day
Hamler, Ohio – May 19, 2023 – The North East Indiana Amateur Radio Association
(NIARA) is thrilled to announce its participation in the recent Student Appreciation Day
at Patrick Henry High School in Hamler, Ohio. The event provided students with a
unique opportunity to explore the world of amateur radio and witness firsthand the
fascinating capabilities of this time-honored hobby.

NIARA, in collaboration with the KE8VNL Student Radio Club, demonstrated ham radio
operations within the NIARA communication trailer. This mobile unit serves as a fully
functional radio station, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, capable of
establishing connections with fellow operators in the local area, nationally and
worldwide.

Throughout the day, students had the chance to engage with local hams using area
repeaters, gaining insight into the importance of reliable communication during
emergencies and community events. Additionally, they witnessed the power of long-
distance communication by participating in conversations on the High Frequency (HF)
bands, enabling connections with operators across the country such as Oklahoma,
Texas, New York, Virginia, and Arkansas and thanks to John, WG9K for making this
happen. Also thanks to Chuck, WD9IKW and John, KD9QDL for helping setup the
trailer for this presentation. NIARA is excited to join forces with the KE8VNL Student Radio Club to showcase the possibilities of amateur radio to the students of Patrick Henry High School, said Jeff DeLucenay (KB9QG), Vice President at NIARA. 

We believe that introducing young individuals to this hobby will not only foster their interest in science, technology,  engineering, and mathematics (STEM), but also provide them with valuable communication skills that can be utilized throughout their lives." The demonstration highlighted the versatility of ham radio and its role in promoting emergency preparedness, community service, and global communication. The event aimed to inspire students by exposing them to the rich history and ongoing innovations within the amateur radio community.

Patrick Henry High School Student Appreciation Day is an annual celebration that  recognizes the dedication and achievements of the school students. NIARAs participation adds an educational and interactive element, enabling students to discover the exciting world of amateur radio.

The North East Indiana Amateur Radio Association (NIARA) is a dedicated group of
amateur radio operators based in northeastern Indiana. Committed to promoting the
amateur radio hobby, NIARA organizes educational programs, community events, and
emergency communication drills. With a focus on fostering technical knowledge and
community involvement, NIARA aims to inspire and support amateur radio enthusiasts
of all ages.

NIARA at Patrick Henry Highschool Read More »

NEW FCC rules on RF Exposure from the ARRL

Association Events /

Introduction

Amateur Radio is basically a safe activity. In recent years, however, there has been considerable discussion and concern about the possible hazards of electromagnetic radiation, including both RF energy and power-frequency (50-60 Hz) electromagnetic fields.  To allay such concerns, the FCC set limits on the amount of RF energy people can be exposed to. Some stations now need to be evaluated to ensure they are in compliance with RF exposure limits.

As detailed in a May 2023 QST article by Greg Lapin, N9GL, the rules which took effect on May 3, 2021 now require amateur radio operators to perform station evaluations.  The Amateur Radio Service is no longer categorically excluded from certain aspects of the RF exposure rules, and licensees can no longer avoid performing an exposure assessment simply because they are transmitting below a given power level.  

A two year transition period was implemented to allow existing stations to make any necessary changes, but as of May 3, 2023, the transition period ends and all transmitters operating in the US are expected to comply with the exposure rules.  The ARRL has on its website an RF Exposure Calculator to assist amateurs in performing station assessments.  

 

ARRL RF Exposure Resources

These links are to ARRL resources and tools related to RF exposure:

Frequently Asked Questions about the May 3, 2021 changes to the FCC RF-exposure rules

100th Edition ARRL Handbook’s RF safety section as a PDF

ARRL’s RF Exposure Calculator

ARRL Learning Network video on RF exposure 

 

FCC RF Exposure Resources

These links are to resources documentation that is on the current FCC web site. Some of this information has not yet been updates to reflect the recent changes in the rules.  The information on how to evaluate a station is the most current information that the FCC has available. Information on station exemptions has been superseded by new methods that all radio services use to determine whether a particular installation needs to be evaluated or not.

 

Articles

The following links are to ARRL articles on RF safety:

April 12, 2021 ARRL announcement of rule changes:  The FCC has announced that rule changes detailed in a lengthy 2019 Report and Order governing RF exposure standards go into effect on May 3, 2021.

July/August 2021 QEX article, written by Richard (Ric) Tell, K5UJU, titled Amateur Portable Radios (Handheld Transceivers): Exposure Considerations Based on SAR

September 2021 QST article, written by Ed Hare, W1RFI on new RF exposure rules

May 2023 QST article by Greg Lapin, N9GL, titled FCC Exposure Rules Soon to Affect Every US Radio Amateur

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