[Nashua Area Radio Society]

This is my first posting so hopefully I did it OK…

Would it be possible to let other club members know on the website that a particular ham radio operator is listening to a particular frequency?  Lets say that you have the option of contacting that individual online prior to a CW QSO you could then talk about WPM spacing etc. and then try to have a QSO without the adrenaline freak out moment?  I don’t always know when I can get on the air so it would be nice as a newbie to talk to other newbies or experienced operators that have the patience to work with my lack of skill.

Thanks,

Mike AB1YK

[Nashua Area Radio Society]

Hi Mike,

I had a little time here at work this morning to look into this a bit before my day starts.  I called ARRL to find out how to handle the paperwork, so please let me know if this process sounds like what you experienced.

1)  New or Renewal ARRL Member fills out the first page or “Membership Application” of the attached form… [attachment file=5776] , member remits form and payment to our Club.  The person at HQ I talked to mentioned something about renewal notices that a person gets might be used to submit to Club too (?).  I can’t remember what a renewal notice looks like in the mail, I’ve been a Life member for quite some time.
2)  The Club gathers up New or Renewals, fill out the Reconciliation Form, and retain the benefit amount, when mailing in the “package” of applications.

If all the above sounds good, then I can see the process internal to the Club working like this:

– Member to remit form and full amount, as shown on form to the Club (cash or check made to “Nashua ARC”); Club cuts a check to ARRL, minus what it gets to retain, when sending in the package.  Apps/package to be processed monthly.

I do see a place on the Membership App, where a member can submit credit card info to pay the ARRL dues (minus retention fee), and member giving the Club the retention amount separately.  I can understand the hesitancy to put credit card info out on forms, so I am not expecting this to be the way to pay.

Remitting payment to the Club via PayPal hasn’t been worked out yet.  So, cash and check are the only options right now.

Attachments:

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[Nashua Area Radio Society]

Hi Joe,

I want to try to accelerate this option to join thru Nashua ARC.  Looking into it by this weekend.

[Nashua Area Radio Society]

You may still want to SAMPLE one of these files if you can pick out a few characters from the fray, then stop and retry listening to one of the much slower sessions such as 040.mp3 thru 046.mp3. The higher speed sample may sharpen your listening acuity making the slower speed easier to deal with.

You can also use the G4FON software to play any of the CD’s .TXT files at a wode ramge of different speeds, or make up your own audio quizzes.

Lastly, don’t forget to practice numbers, punctuation and prosigns. These are easy to overlook, which may explain why many folks feel less comfortable when they encounter them.

Also, don’t panic when you hear someting you don’t recognize as our alphabet is not the only one out there, and new prosigns can be added sometimes… Example: if you wanted to send an email address on the air such as: my email is [email protected] how would you send the “@” symbol? The new prosign consists of the letters A C sent together (sort of looks like an “a” with the tail of the “C” going around it.

Well: Practice, Practice, Practice.

[Nashua Area Radio Society]

The attached link on “Impedance Matching 101” by Ward Silver N0AX is somewhat long, but will provide some good explanations about various antenna matching solutions. Ward has worked with the ARRL to produce a monthly series of “Hands On Radio” articles for QST magazine.

Ward also provides a chart that explains the boundary limits for various L-Network configurations and shows how reordering the L-C components can find a workable solution (Ying-Yang diagrams). Note: the Ying-Yang image reveals the L-Network boundaries on a Smith Chart.

[Nashua Area Radio Society]

Sorry, I forgot to mention that the chart above ONLY applies to Novice and Technician Licenses. I’ll relist the allocations again in case someone wants to print a copy for quick reference.

Novice & Tech CW ONLY HF Privileges

•80M = 3.525-3.600 MHz: CW Only, 200W max
•40M = 7.025-7.125 MHz : CW Only, 200W max
•20M = NONE
•15M = 21.025-21.200 MHz: CW Only, 200W max
•10M = 28.000-28.300 MHz: CW Only, 200W max
•10M = 28.300-28.500 MHz: CW, Phone, 200W max

also see: http://www.arrl.org/graphical-frequency-allocations

[Nashua Area Radio Society]

•80M = 3.525-3.600 MHz: CW Only, 200W max
•40M = 7.025-7.125 MHz : CW Only, 200W max
•20M = NONE
•15M = 21.025-21.200 MHz: CW Only, 200W max
•10M = 28.000-28.300 MHz: CW Only, 200W max
•10M = 28.300-28.500 MHz: CW, Phone, 200W max

[Nashua Area Radio Society]

Band should be basically dead … 14052 kHz sounds good

[Nashua Area Radio Society]

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[attachment file=5664]

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[Nashua Area Radio Society]

Seeing the message expressed in Dots and Dashes is difficult.

BUT if you replace each dot with a DIT sound and each dash with a DAH sound, you’ll hear the rhythm of the DITS and DAHS in your mind and should almost instantly KNOW the letter.

Students need to focus on the rhythms, and TRY to avoid thinking or visualizing code in terms of DOTS and DASHES. DOTS and DASHES can’t be heard on your radio, only DITS and DAHS can. Layne’s message will be much easier if you attempt to “hear” the sound and not the visual image.

Any suggestions or feedback is welcome as students are in the best position to recognize class shortcomings, which can benefit future classes.

That said, Congratulations to all who took the class and much success on the air. Feel free to join in the SLOW CW net.

Oh, one last thing: “Practice, Practice, Practice”

73

[Author]

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