The Koolau Amateur Radio Club Newsletter for February 1998

-ANNOUNCEMENTS-

NEXT MEETING- February 14 @ 0930 at Ho'omaluhia Park Visitor's Center- Be THERE!

At our next meeting, Clem Jung, KH7HO, will be our guest speaker. He will speak on a Crime Prevention related topic. Clem is Vice-President of the Windward Neighborhood Security Watch, and Community Coalition for Neighborhood Safety.

The EXCHANGE BOX will be there with used books, magazines, catalogs, and electronic parts. Reminder: You do not have to bring anything to take something from the box. The ever-popular SHOW & TELL needs you to bring something from your shack for those attending to see, while you explain briefly about it. Remember, you can not win the door prize if you do not come to the meeting! You can, however, get appointed or elected to something...if you are not there to decline...(Just Kidding...)

-NEWS-Features-CONTESTS-Ham Ads-MINUTES-Articles-PHOTOS-

MINUTES- 01/10/98

Our guest speaker was Kimo Chun, KH7U, who gave a very interesting talk on the DXpedition to Midway & Kure Islands. He spoke of the logistics, daily activities and Amateur Radio Operations.

Correspondence: Tom at the Hurricane Center sent a thank you note/Christmas Card for being on the KARC Newsletter Mailing List.

Treasurer's Report: 10/31/97 Income: $25.36, Expenses: $24.40, Balance: $540.70

Discussion: Fox Hunt is being planned by Jerry, WH6BKQ, and Fred, KH6BI. Greg, WB6FZH/KH6 offered to assist at the April Expo at Kailua Intermediate School to promote Amateur Radio & KARC. The KARC board was asked to revisit the 1996 recommendation relating to KARC Members prohibited from taking part in license testing programs other than the KARC supported program. There was discussion that it was too restrictive and not the club's place to say what the members do with their time. There was discussion that the club should advertise and print leaflets as soon as the Website is finished and up and running to promote new radio amateurs. There was some interest in an HTML Workshop (Website Building). A $240.00 was authorized for the annual payment to Joe Keola for expenses. Greg, WB6FZH, said he would write Joe a letter enclosing the check and ask if more funds were needed, etc.

NEW MEMBERS: WELCOME to Ed Choy, KH7FZ, Eugene Garcia, KH7DB, Mike Takahashi, NH6QZ, Albert & Debra Kaopuiki.

NEWS

FOX HUNT- FEBRUARY 16, 1998 ("Hidden" Transmitter Hunt on President's Holiday)

Fred, KH6BI & Jerry, WH6BKQ, have announced the "Windward Fox Hunt." The meeting place for hunters is Burger King in Kailua. Be there at 8:30 am, and the hunt will start at 9:00 am. Talk-in Frequency is the 146.94 repeater.The "Fox" will be transimtting on 146.46. The geographic boundaries are Waimanalo to Kahaluu on the Windward Coast Side of Oahu. Following the Hunt, a picnic will be held at the Ho'omaluhia Park Visitor's Center. There will be prizes awarded. If you have any additional questions, call Jerry, WH6BKQ, at 235-3042.

"PRE-FIELD DAY"- 2/13(Friday)-2/16 (Monday-Holiday)@ Ho'omaluhia Park- Kaneohe

Mike, AH7R & Walt, AH7OZ, invite you to "Pre-Field Day." They will be set-up at the "Nui" Area (Same as usual Field Day Area). They will be testing new radios, antennas, rainwear, insect spray, tents, tarps, operating configurations, food, and sense of humor for the weekend of radio fun. Mike will probably remain up at the site, while Walt comes to the meeting on Saturday. Their hope that they will have some visitors and camper-buddies throughout the weekend. You can contact Mike by email mike@krypton.nmr.Hawaii.Edu, or Walt at walt@aol.com, for more information. Visitors are reminded about the Gate Openings: 9AM to 4PM, if you get a permit(no charge) at the Visitor's Center, you may use the later gate opening, 5:30-6:30 PM and Last Evening Exit at 9:00-9:15 PM. The Visitor Center phone # is 233-7323.REMINDER: ARRL FIELD DAY 1998 is June 26,27,28 mark it on your calendar!

KARC WEBSITE- http://www.pilikia.net/karc/

Greg, WB6FZH, reports the KARC Website he designed and built for KARC uploaded OK to the UH computer. The UH hosting arranged by Walt, AH7OZ, is a wonderful opportunity, there is no cost to KARC and is most likely a permanent place for KARC on the internet. A black and white copy of the KARC "Homepage" will be included in this issue so the many members without internet access can see what it looks like. This is the page that a visitor first sees. There is a panoramic color picture of the Koolau Mountains above a clearly defined list of availiable information. Greg looked at many radio club and other pages when considering the initial content of our website. There will be a Black and White copy of the Website at the February KARC meeting.

The primary goal of having an Internet Website is to provide an internet address for students, parents, teachers, electronic hobbists, or anyone that views the page the ability to learn about Amateur Radio, and KARC. The website also makes it easy to contact KARC by e-mail from several areas on the site. The content is designed to catch the imagination and provide information. There is an invitation to visit our club meetings, and learn more about "Ham Radio."

Now that the KARC Website is established, our next task will be to advertise the URL or address, http://www.pilikia.net/karc/. It will be added to the list of useful information on each newsletter so you can find it if you need it. Email will be sent to various organizations and organizations to insure that people will be able to find our Page. There are plans to design a brochure or two and a small poster to promote Amateur Radio and KARC. We may be able to place them in Radio Shack Stores, Schools (at various levels), or any other useful place that will be beneficial. Promotional announcements in the various newspapers or other advertising media will be explored too.

However, prior to doing this additional promotion, a procedure for refering those who may respond must be established. We need a list of "Elmers", those who would answer questions. We also need to establish a policy relating to educational materials. A list of books, audio & video tapes, and where to obtain them locally and elsewhere. Perhaps a small amount of books and tapes, programs, etc. could be purchased by and offered for loan with a deposit . Failing this, perhaps individual members would like to donate some materials. Printed pages of the Website could be provided to those members that do not have computers.

The Website ofcourse serves KARC Members and Radio Amateurs throughout the State and Worldwide. The issue of KARC NEWS you are reading is availiable on the site, as are the past issues in the "Online" format. The names and pictures of the KARC officials are there with e-mail links for your convenience. A calendar of activities (blank now) is in place to list up-coming events, and important Ham Radio Activities. There is a list of "Frequencies of Interest" showing some repeater, simplex, net and Public Safety Frequencies. Please take a look, if you see any errors, or have any suggestions for additions, use the e-mail link for the "Webguys" and tell them. In a few weeks the list will be a little more complete, it would be good to print out and keep with your emergency radio equipment. Copies will be made availiable at club meetings or in the Newsletter. There is a large list of "links" to websites of manufacturers, ham stores, parts, morse code education sites, FCC testing information and more. On the "Homepage" is a small assortment of powerful information sources to catch the imagination and inform the viewer. There is also a list of Amateur Radio Websites. Included are "Personal Websites" of Hawaiian Hams, US Mainland and Amateurs Worldwide.

This is your KARC Website, Greg says he tried very hard to give it a good start. As it is used, certainly there may be changes required. After a while, a structure may be needed to make sure the site is reflecting the needs of the club, and that the normal updating is taken care of in a timely and orderly way. It has been constructed in such a way that it has alot of flexiblity and can be easily modified. Greg believes that like it or not, this website is necessary to take KARC into the future for growth. Of course, these are words from a guy that operates radios older than he is (49) with tubes that glow-in-the-dark or QRP CW radios that you can hold in one hand.

We must look forward to future with new members coming to us from the internet, because of their use of personal computers. In case you have not noticed, the inside of new Amateur Radio equipment is more computer than radio now. Radio is not the novelty and mystery it used to be, the public has a lot of misconceptions of what happens when the power and dial-tone is gone and the cell site is out of commission. Our community needs us and we need them, if we want to hold on to frequencies and privileges that the commercial communications interests are lobbying to take from us. Our strength will be our demonstrated value to society in time of need, and the public relations generated by the few will be our only hope to resist the open checkbooks of industry.

KARC Supported VE Testing Program Ends

A note on the door and a telephone recording refering the caller to the FCC & ARRL greets those interested in the VE Testing Program at Windward Community College. The long running program run by Joe Keola, KH6BFZ, has ended. The club has not been contacted by Joe with no answer to a letter and phone calls not been returned by press time. The program has taken much of Joe's time, and resulted in many examinations and licensed hams. His legendary and tireless effort was greatly appreciated and did much to keep Amateur Radio alive and well in "Paradise."

VE Testing and KARC's financial support will be discussed at the up-coming February KARC meeting. Several club members are now, and previously have been involved with VE Testing. Joe's listing on the KARC website for testing was revised indicating the program is in "recess" and information would be posted about a new program soon. Presently anyone who e-mails their name will be placed on a list and advised.

CONTESTS

FEBRUARY CONTESTS- ARRL DX, CQ WW 160, RGSB 7mhz, CQC QRP QSO Party

MARCH PREVIEW- ARRL DX, CQ WW WPX, QCWA QSO Party

SPACE NEWS---MIR/New Crew & TNC

Andy Thomas, KD5CHF, his two crew members, and the 3 members of the old crew (6) are all orbiting for the next few weeks. The new TNC for packet is not properly configured. It thinks there is a signal present due to a dc voltage always present at the radio. As a consequence it is busy until the internal 3 minute timer cycles it off. This will be reprogramed later, as there are more important activities aboard MIR. The crew is busy with housekeeping, repairs and experiments, but will find time to interface the TNC with the computer and make the required adjustments. The Ham Radio station has been moved to another module for the time being while things get squared away. It is possible that casual voice contacts may take place from time to time.(Thanks AMSAT & SPACENEWS

W1FB, Doug DeMaw, Silent Key

You may not have ever met Doug, but you probably read something he wrote. He was one of the most prolific technical writers in radio-electronics. His writings will be read by young and old for years. Doug wrote hundreds of articles and many books. He was on staff at the ARRL from 1965 to 1983 and wrote for many publishers. He succeded the legendary George Grammer as the Senior Technical Editor and Technical Department Manager. In recent years he wrote and edited many Amateur Radio and other technical books. These include the QRP Notebook, Solid State Design for the Radio Amateur, ARRL Electronic Data Book and W1FB's Antenna Notebook. He was active in County Government in Michigan as an elected County Commissioner. Doug is gone, but he left a legacy of information to Amateur Radio.

QRP COLUMN- WB6FZH/KH6- Review: Wilderness Radio SST 2w CW XCVR

All the QRP magazines articles, newsletters and journals are full of lots of equipment reviews. I have decided to present the highlights of a CW transciever kit that deserves some attention. It works well, it is simple, it only costs $85.00, it is simple, it takes about 5 or 6 hours to build, it is simple, it is all on one circuit board (controls and all), it is simple, and is housed in a .050 aluminum box (1.5 x 3.25 x 3 "). You may be tired of reading the word simple, but the name of the radio is the "Simple Superhet Transceiver"(SST). This 2 watt energy-efficient CW transciever has only about 80 parts! It is availiable in 20/30/40 meter single band models.

It is Designed by Wayne Burdick, N6KR, and marketed by Wilderness Radio. This radio has a superhetrodyne receiver with 4 section a crystal filter resulting in very narrow bandwith and selectivity. It has very limited frequency tuning, as it is a VXO design (Variable Xtal Oscillator), and tunes only a few Khz on the band chosen. [7032-7041, 14.043-14.060, 10.113-10.123 other freqs availiable]. No matter, it is plenty of coverage for lots of Ham Radio Fun!

The front panel of the SST; main tuning, AF gain, "walkman type" headphone jack, and bright red LED. The LED is an AGC detector & quasi "S"meter). The back panel; ON-OFF slide switch, BNC antenna connector, RF gain control, key jack, and dc power input. All parts, jacks, controls, etc. are on the circuit board, no external wiring! It uses varactor tuning, in other words, you will be turning a potentiometer to vary the frequency.

The power output is 2 watts, it is QSK break-in CW with monitor tone, It comes with an instruction manual that allows even those with minimal building experience to build this radio. The manual has sections on operation, trouble-shooting, modifications, circuit theory, circuit detail, assembly and alignment. The current drain on receive is 20ma, key-down on transmit 250ma maximum for 2 watts out (12v dc power) if you want to use a long-life 9v lithium battery output will drop to about 1 watt.

For further information, contact Wilderness Radio, PO Box 734, Los Altos, CA 94023-0734, Telephone: (415) 494-3806. [$85.00 + 3.00 shipping]. Request a catalog of their other Kits and accessories.

Last weekend I contacted a station in Arizona on 20 CW who was running 1 watt ouput with one of these SST radios..he heard my 5w from my vertical 559, I gave him 549. This is a simple radio, the SST. 72/73 Greg

FOR SALE