The Koolau Amateur Radio Club Newsletter for February 1999

-ANNOUNCEMENTS-

NEXT MEETING: Febrary 13, 1999 @ 0930 at Ho"omaluhia Park Visitor's Center- Be there! Our February Guest Speaker will be Kevin Richards, Safety Supervisor at Castle Hospital.

At the Next Meeting the Exchange Box full of magazines, catalogs, parts and books will be there. Come and take some of these magazines and items home or donate some for others. "Show and Tell" needs you to bring something from your shack to show those attending, while you tell about it. Remember, you can not win the prizes, contribute your special ideas and catch up on the latest from your ham friends if you do not attend.

The donut and coffee agents have their assignments...Thanks to Walt for last month's coffee, and Greg for the donuts. Greg thanks you all for eating them so he did not have to take them home and eat them. Thanks also to all that made donations that are used to fund the next month's effort.

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

KARC DINNER- Wednesday, February 17th, 7:00 PM

The Flamingo Restaurant in Kaneohe, located at the Windward City Mall is the site of this year's gala event. We have the same choices as before: chicken cutlet, mahi or teriaki steak. The remainder of the meal is green salad with choice of dressing, dinner role, hot vegetables, and choice of rice, mashed potatoes or french fries. The dessert is choice of jello, pudding, ice cream or sherbert. Your choice of tea, coffee, orange soda, fruit punch or water. The cost will be $14.00 including tax and tip. Your reservation automatically enters you for the prize drawings.

This year's banquet coordinator is Greg, WB6FZH. You can mail your check to Greg with a notation of your choice of main course, or bring it to the KARC meeting on Saturday the 13th. Last minute attendees can bring their payment with them, but should contact Greg at 236-4449 with their main course preference. Guests and family are always welcome! Mail your checks (payable to KARC) to Greg Greenwood, WB6FZH, 46-005 Nana Place, Kaneohe, HI 96744.

MINUTES- January Meeting

OAHU SIMPLEX PLAN- 2 Meter Band

You will find the Civil Defense Distric Boundary Map in this issue. It is another useful thing to put with your emergency radio equipment. It shows the frequencies assigned for simplex traffic and activity during emergencies and the location of repeaters designated for traffic. The 146.505 and 146.490 are the primary Windward frequencies. There are six other simplex frequencies for different geographic areas and 2 alternates. This way traffic can be passed area to area when repeaters are down or otherwise occupied.

Consider joining ARES, Oahu CD or RACES to help when the big one hits... check the EMERGENCY COMMINICATIONS section of the KARC WEBSITE for contact persons and webpage links. If you do not have internet, contact any of your KARC officers who can assist you.

Windward HAMS NEEDED TO SET-UP AND OPERATE VHF/UHF/HF Shelter STATIONS

KARC Director and CD volunteer, Clem Jung- KH7HO, is establishing stations for the emergency shelters. This is a very important task, as our radio signals will be needed to coordinate the safety of ourselves and fellow citizens.

Clem needs volunteer radio operators, equipment and antennas for shelters located at Pope Elementary School, Kalahaeo High School, Castle High School and Kahaluu Elementary School.

There are no existing stations or operators at these locations, this is an urgent situation. Help establish these important communications, even if you are not sure that you can man the station, perhaps you could help with the planning, antennas, cables, batteries and other tasks related to this important project. Contact Clem at 261-2368 for further information.

Free DIGITAL SEMINAR!- February 13, 1999

WINDWARD REPEATER NEWS

The 145.15(-) repeater is now more sensitive and powerful Kenwood with a new Kenwood Commercial model (55watts). The Wednesday 8 PM Net is active at 8:00 PM on Wednesday night. Come by and hear where your signal goes.

In Late February located in Enchanted Lakes (QTH of 145.15 machine) a 444.425(+) KH7XX will be up and running, connected to the 145.29 BYU repeater.

The 147.24 repeater, WH7H, in the Koolau range has an open autopatch, "*" plus the phone number "#" to hang up.

ANTENNA CONSTRUCTION- "ZL SPECIAL" Build it for 20, 15 or 10 meters

The "ZL Special" was called that because it was used from one point in the world to enable communications with ZL stations. You can call the a "Mainland Special" or anyother name you like...Just follow the simple instructions and you can easily build this 5 db gain beam antenna. It can be installed indoors or outdoors depending on your imagination. WB6FZH built one of these in 1964 out of a 2x4 boom with 2x2 elements with bamboo poles for the elements. It took 2 weeks for his Mom to find it on the roof of the potting shed, by then he had worked several new countries on 15 meters. This article will focus on this 2 element beam antenna, made of 300 ohm twinlead and fed with 75 ohm twinlead, or coax when a 1:1 balun is used (50 or 72 ohm). Just point the Director in the direction that you want the signals to boom in from and enjoy your beam. NOTE: Maximum power is about 150 watts output.

The Director is fed at points "G" "G" in parallel with the phasing line that has a half twist in it where is is connected to point RR on the reflector element. Electrically the antenna you are building is a big loop of wire. You cut the A, B and C lengths of 300 ohm foam twinlead to size for the band you have selected, marking them with masking tape (A, B & C)

Next, you strip 1/2" of insulation off and solder the each end of "A" together, (you now have it shorted at each end) now, fold it in half (to find the center) and cut one side's wire at that mid-point and carefully expose each end 1/2" at that center location. Now, do the same thing with reflector "C".

Now phasing line "B", strip 1/2" insulation off each end of the length. Later, one end will be connected to the Driven Element at the feed point and the other, after one-half twist to the reflector. All connections will be taped with a good quality electrical tape and sprayed with poly-spray to keep the weather out.

If you have a wooden frame dwelling, you can mount this in the attic after using a compass to plan the position of the director, and aligning it with the reflector, remember the 1/2 twist in the phasing line. Be sure to keep your antenna away from AC wiring so noise and coupling will not be a problem. Marking the ends of A & C with colored tape on the corresponding left or right sides will help you keep it oriented when installing it. you can carefully tie or staple it in place inside, or like WB6FZH build a lightweight wooden, plastic or fibreglass support assembly and tape the wire elements into place.

20 meters: A=31'4", B=8'8", C=33'0", 15 meters: A=20'10", B=6'3", C=22'0", 10 meters: A=15'7", B=4'3", C=16'5". Radio Shack has Foam 300 ohm twinlead that will work for this project. HRO or your favorite radio supplier will have a 1:1, ballanced to unballanced balun. NOTE: you can use 50 or 75 ohm coax to feed the balun without significant mismatch. You may use a tuner to improve the match. Yes, you can fold or droop the ends a bit, but you must keep the phasing length and the elements fairly parallel. See the diagram for details.

ANTENNA CONSTRUCTION- "ZL SPECIAL" Build it for 20, 15 or 10 meters

The "ZL Special" was called that because it was used from one point in the world to enable communications with ZL stations. You can call the a "Mainland Special" or anyother name you like...Just follow the simple instructions and you can easily build this 5 db gain beam antenna. It can be installed indoors or outdoors depending on your imagination. WB6FZH built one of these in 1964 out of a 2x4 boom with 2x2 elements with bamboo poles for the elements. It took 2 weeks for his Mom to find it on the roof of the potting shed, by then he had worked several new countries on 15 meters. This article will focus on this 2 element beam antenna, made of 300 ohm twinlead and fed with 75 ohm twinlead, or coax when a 1:1 balun is used (50 or 72 ohm). Just point the Director in the direction that you want the signals to boom in from and enjoy your beam. NOTE: Maximum power is about 150 watts output.

The Director is fed at points "G" "G" in parallel with the phasing line that has a half twist in it where is is connected to point RR on the reflector element. Electrically the antenna you are building is a big loop of wire. You cut the A, B and C lengths of 300 ohm foam twinlead to size for the band you have selected, marking them with masking tape (A, B & C)

Next, you strip 1/2" of insulation off and solder the each end of "A" together, (you now have it shorted at each end) now, fold it in half (to find the center) and cut one side's wire at that mid-point and carefully expose each end 1/2" at that center location. Now, do the same thing with reflector "C".

Now phasing line "B", strip 1/2" insulation off each end of the length. Later, one end will be connected to the Driven Element at the feed point and the other, after one-half twist to the reflector. All connections will be taped with a good quality electrical tape and sprayed with poly-spray to keep the weather out.

If you have a wooden frame dwelling, you can mount this in the attic after using a compass to plan the position of the director, and aligning it with the reflector, remember the 1/2 twist in the phasing line. Be sure to keep your antenna away from AC wiring so noise and coupling will not be a problem. Marking the ends of A & C with colored tape on the corresponding left or right sides will help you keep it oriented when installing it. you can carefully tie or staple it in place inside, or like WB6FZH build a lightweight wooden, plastic or fibreglass support assembly and tape the wire elements into place.

20 meters: A=31'4", B=8'8", C=33'0", 15 meters: A=20'10", B=6'3", C=22'0", 10 meters: A=15'7", B=4'3", C=16'5". Radio Shack has Foam 300 ohm twinlead that will work for this project. HRO or your favorite radio supplier will have a 1:1, ballanced to unballanced balun. NOTE: you can use 50 or 75 ohm coax to feed the balun without significant mismatch. You may use a tuner to improve the match. Yes, you can fold or droop the ends a bit, but you must keep the phasing length and the elements fairly parallel. See the diagram for details.

1999 KARC ACTIVITIES & EVENTS-

There was renewed interest in Transmitter Hunt on 2 meters, Operating Public View Ham Radio Stations, and Satellite Radio Activities.

CONTESTS- ARRL DX/CW Feb. 20/21 & CQ 160/SSB Feb.26/28

FEBRUARY- NA Sprint - QRP Field Day

MARCH- ARRL DX/SSB

VE TESTING- NEXT VEC Testing Date- After the March KARC Meeting!

KARC Board Member, Sid, AH6HH and his team will be testing immediately after the KARC meeting. Testing Period: 11:30AM to 2:30PM. Contact Sid at 261-7916 for further information.

SWAP and SELL-Your Free Listings Here!

ICOM HF Transciever: IC-S700- AH6OZ, Walt 263-3872

75A2 RX, C-21 CW XCVR and WW2 Radios - WB6FZH/KH6, Greg 236-4449

View out the Window of MIR- Prioida Module

SPACE & Satellite NEWS- SSTV IMAGE from MIR Recieved in Kaneohe

MIR Space Station is transmitting SSTV(Robot 36 format) on 145.985 (fm mode) . There are Win95/Win3.1x & DOS programs that will decode it into a picture using a "Hamcomm" type serial interface between your 2 meter rig speaker with a DOSProgram,"ezsstv" and just cables for WIN95SSTV from your 2Mtr rig speaker to your soundcard input. See http://www/ultranet.com/~sstv/ for software and serial interface information. The SSTV will be found for a while on the weekends and holidays, with packet on when SSTV is not in use. Enjoy MIR now, it will not be there forever! Information at next KARC Meeting.

Greg, WB6FZH/KH6, used the DOS program, 486/33 IBM PC, Homebrew Serial Adapter, Kenwood 251a 2Mtr rig and Eggbeater Antenna to capture the picture above. For full information, see the MIR SSTV IMAGE webpage at http://members.aol.com/greg6fzh/kh6sstv.htm

ELMER CORNER- 2300 mile away KARC member reaches out!

KARC NEWS learned recently that KARC member Sid Sneidar, AH6HH, had been exchanging e-mail with a California resident who had asked a question on the AMSAT BBS-Mail Reflector. The Californian was trying to prepare for the 5 WPM code test, but did not have any local amateur to "Elmer" him.

So...Sid, AKA "Elmer", sent him a two page list of tips, hints, and suggestions for practice and taking the test. About 2 weeks later a posting appeared on the AMSAT BBS and people around the world read that he had passed his 5 WPM code test and it was largely due to "Sid in Hawaii" who "Elmered" him at a distance through cyberspace. Sid said that it was well worth the effort!

QRP COLUMN- On Vacation

KOOLAU AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

CLUB OFFICERS

DIRECTORS

PROGRAM CHAIRMAN- Howard, WH6LF 247-0775

NEWSLETTER

CLUB MEETINGS

MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN- Jerry Mulherin, WH6BKQ, 235-3042, email:jerham@aloha.net

MAILING ADDRESS- KARC c/o J.Mulherin, 45-145 Mikihilina St., Kaneohe, HI 96744

VEC TESTING

2 METER ACTIVITY

CLUB CALL: KH6J

KARC WEBSITE