Ashe County Amateur Radio Club, Inc.

A big welcome to our newest club member, Kena Adams KK4ISP!  Also thanks to Don Daso K4ZA of Tower Works for giving the presentation last night. Some of those tower installations are awe inspiring.

A flurry of new club members this month!

Steve Adams, KK4IDH

Mark A. Worley, KK4IDI

Linda B. Parsons, KK4IDJ

David Lee Osborne, KK4ING

Welcome!

We have an exciting demonstration coming up on March 10th. The public as well as area hams are invited to attend.

Bob Rodgers, KC4TVO is the ARES District Emergency Coordinator (DEC) for Area 12 (Ashe, Watauga, Caldwell, Avery, Mitchell, Yancey and McDowell counties).

Bob’s training will consist of an overview of the Winlink 2000 (WL2K) system and how it is used for relay of digital communications during an EMCOM event.  WL2K is a worldwide system of volunteer resources supporting email by radio.  Bob will demonstrate the system using a field kit consisting of a PACTOR modem and related hardware.  If propagation cooperates, it should be very interesting and informative training.

The event will be held at Westwood Elementary school, 4083 US Hwy 221 South, West Jefferson, NC at approximately 6:45pm. [map]

If anyone is interested in meeting for dinner before the program, we’ll be at Smoky Mountain BBQ in West Jefferson at 5:30pm.

Thanks to the Ashe County ARES coordinator, Bob N4RHC for getting this put together.

In response to a request for a test, the Ashe County ARC will be sponsoring a test session next Sunday, February 19th at the shack of WK4P. You need to be pre-registered to test. If you would like to test or know someone who would please have them get in touch with WK4P.

Good luck to Adam K4ATJ and anyone else wishing to test with us.

Next Saturday we have the Dobson hamfest at the fire station (right below the water tower). Ernest KI4SYU is usually there so that’s reason enough to attend. If you need another reason, proceeds go to the food pantry to feed the hungry.

Also near Dobson, Dave Arndt W4DCA will be conducting a D-Star presentation as it pertains to ARES, etc., at the Surry Co. EOC just outside Dobson on Hwy 601 on Feb. 23rd at 6:30pm. Dave has a D-Star repeater operational in that area.

The Charlotte hamfest (Concord) is March 10th-11th. http://www.w4bfb.org/hamfest2012/hamfest.html

April 7th is the Raleigh “RARSfest” http://rars.org/hamfest/

I’d like to welcome Charles Lewis, KY4P, as the interim ACARC Vice President. Of course that means we have a husband/wife duo as officers in the club now so watch out!

This would be a great time for me to thank the ACARC officers for the great job they do for our club – basically doing all the heavy lifting that keep things operational for the rest of us. Not to mention the ARES/net control volunteers that we like to hear on VHF every week – great work guys and gals.

Coming up for the March meeting we have a digimode/SignaLink presentation by Shane KD4SM which should be very informative.

73, NE4W

“Time flies,” as the saying goes. It seems like just a few months since I first joined the Ashe County Amateur Radio Club instead of the nearly 4 years that has actually passed. Shane, KD4SM, has served as club president that entire time and has managed to guide the club smoothly down the twisty avenue that is ham radio.

Desiring to relax a bit after 4 years at the helm, Shane decided not to seek a third term. Charles, KY4P, and myself were candidates for the office. Charles’ speech just prior to voting was so engaging and full of enthusiasm that when my turn came to speak, I was at a total loss for words. Despite his profound speech and hard-fought campaign, Charles lost his bid for glory this election cycle.

2012 sees the club with a new, inexperienced president but this is tempered by the election of a new club secretary, Leslie, N3TIA. Leslie takes over for Andy, KF4VKX who has been the Darth Vader of all club secretaries for years now. I believe that Leslie’s pre-vote speech was largely responsible for the scales tipping in her favor. That, and all the campaign promises. 

Working a little on the 10 meter band this weekend reminds me how fun ham radio is as a hobby. For those not familiar with the lingo, 10 meters is about the same frequency band as CB radio. The difference is that with a “beginner” amateur radio license, one can literally throw a wire into a tree and make contacts in Europe, South America, Africa, and elsewhere on the 10 meter band. This beginner license (called a Technician license) is not hard to obtain. All you need to do is study the license guide, answer enough questions correctly on the exam, and wait for your call sign to arrive in the mail. There are many facets of this hobby and not all of them involve making long distance contacts. Some hams talk locally with friends using small radios installed in their vehicles, homes, or even using tiny handi-talkies. Others have their radio hooked up to a computer and talk around the world using digital modes. Think you’re too bashful to talk to strangers on the air? With digital modes you never have to speak a word – your keyboard does the talking!

ACARC will help you get your license – contact us via email or on one of the social networks and we’ll get you started.

I’d like to express my appreciation for the confidence that the club members have shown in me, and I look forward to participating in the exciting events we have in store for 2012.

Happy Holidays and 73
Benson, NE4W

Ham Nation, Live Tuesday Nights at 9:00 on twit.tv.

The Ashe County ARC participated in ARRL Field Day, June 25-26, 2011 at New River State Park, 221 Access.  Full media coverage was present.

From the Mountain Times

From the Jefferson Post