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The current American Radio Relay League Special Service Club renewal certificate was received at the August meeting of the QCARC. Members can be proud of the Club’s continuing involvement in Public Service, Training, VE Exams, Mentoring, etc. that enable the Club to continue to maintain the Special Service Club designation.
What is Special Service Club?
To quote the ARRL –
“A club that exists to go above and beyond for their communities and for Amateur Radio is what defines a Special Service Club (SSC). They are the leaders in their Amateur Radio communities who provide active training classes, publicity programs and actively pursue technical projects and operating activities.”
We have been invited to the Super 322 Drive-In Car Show again this year to set up a station. Set up time 9:00 AM, Sunday August 16. Weather forecast looks good bring your sunscreen and a lot of water to keep hydrated. I understand there are food vendors on site too.
Location is east of Clearfield on the North side of Route 322, on your left approximately 1 mile east of the traffic light in front of Gio’s (intersection Rte 322 & Rte. 970). West bound – on your right approximately 1.7 miles west of the Bigler traffic light at the Bigler Mini Mart (intersection Rte. 322 and Allport Cutoff road). Talk-in: 147.315, N3QC repeater.
Here is the car show web site for more information such as the car and truck categories.
http://www.super322drive-in.com/upcomingevents.htm
The tour is scheduled for August 9 beginning at 11:30 AM.
The address is 328 Innovation Blvd, Suite 330, State College, PA 16803. Upon arrival in Innovation Park, turn left and the building is the last one on the left hand side before the construction (look for the building with all the satellites on the roof). There is visitor parking right by the entrance, the office is on the 3rd floor. Since it is a weekend, the mail door may be locked, but just use the call box near the door to let them know you are there. Google maps plots the location very well and a GPS with current maps should get you there easily too.
Please email me, WA3UFN at comcast dot net, to advise that you will be attending as I need to give an approximate attendance to the National Weather Service just for planning purposes. This is open to members, family and friends. If you would like to car-pool also advise in the email, I’ll try to coordinate that aspect. We can try 146.49 simplex, as a talk around frequency while enroute or if you need assistance otherwise use the State College repeater, 146.76, access tone 146.2 Hz.
Any questions use my email as well.
The colony stations will operate from Tuesday June 30, 9:00 AM Eastern (1300 UTC) until Sunday night July 5, Midnight Eastern (0400 UTC July 6). Operations will be on CW, SSB, RTTY … Each year very attractive certificates are sent to those who submit a log, they are a nice addition for folks who collect and display them. It actually is a rather popular special event that started in 2009, with participation growing every year. This is an operating event that you can make as intense as you want and can spread your operating time out over days. One of the things that make it rather fun, at least to me, is finding a station just as they come on the air and you’re the first or one of the very first to make the contact! For all the longer it takes listen for a station tuning up, it may be one of the the colony stations that you can log without working through a pile-up.
For all the details check out the event web site: http://www.13colonies.info/
The National Weather Service has issued Hazardous Weather Outlooks and Flood Watches for heavy to record rainfall for most of PA beginning late Friday. With the forecast heavy rain, water ponding and areas that may be effected by flash flooding are a concern for safety. Please be cautious while setting up your Field Day event for areas that could be effected.
Also with thunderstorms forecast remember – “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors”.
Keep a closed watch on your area’s current weather. A NOAA Weather Radio with the alert function set up would be a good idea. SkyWarn spotter activation may be needed.
 The Quad-County Amateur Radio Club is a WRN Ambassador “Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador™ and the Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador™ logo are trademarks of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, used with permission.”
Remnants of tropical storm Bill may eventually effect PA.
The Quad-County Amateur Radio Club is a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador
When a thunderstorm rolls your way there is little you can do to protect yourself outdoors.  The best action is to try to move indoors or into a vehicle when you hear the first clap of thunder. NOAA Weather Radio can be you best link for severe weather information when you’re outdoors as well as indoors.
Whether you’re attending a little league baseball game or a professional sporting event, the same rule applies: When Thunder Roars Go Indoors! It is never safe to be outside when lightning is in the area. weather.gov/lightning/ #LightningSafety
- Avoid open fields, the top of a hill or a ridge top.
- Stay away from tall, isolated trees or other tall objects. If you are in a forest, stay near a lower stand of trees.
- If you are in a group, spread out to avoid the current traveling between group members.
- If you are camping in an open area, set up camp in a valley, ravine or other low area. Remember, a tent offers NO protection from lighting.
- Stay away from water, wet items, such as ropes, and metal objects, such as fences and poles. Water and metal do not attract lightning but they are excellent conductors of electricity. The current from a lightning flash will easily travel for long distances.
The Quad-County Amateur Radio Club is a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador “Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador™ and the Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador™ logo are trademarks of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, used with permission.”
Even though our immediate area is typically not seriously effected by hurricanes, as amateur radio operators we can still offer assistance when a hurricane strikes. Often times there is a need to handle traffic for the effected areas that the hurricane impacts, amateurs can assist by listening to the recognized Hurricane Watch Net frequency of 14.325 MHz for any traffic that they can process.
This year Amateur Radio station WX4NHC stationed at the National Hurricane Center will conduct its station test May 30, 14:00 UTC through 22:00 UTC. This test is to check the station equipment, antennas and other systems prior to the start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season that begins June 1 and continues through November 30. Details of the event can be read at http://www.arrl.org/news/view/wx4nhc-at-national-hurricane-center-to-conduct-annual-station-test-on-may-30
As a Weather Ready Nation Ambassador, the Quad-County Amateur Radio Club encourages everyone to take some time to read up on the hurricane information at:
America’s PrepareAthon! is a nationwide, community-based campaign for action to increase emergency preparedness and resilience through hazard-specific drills, group discussions and exercises conducted at the national level every fall and spring.
Please consider taking 5 minutes to view the video, “IT STARTED LIKE ANY OTHER DAY.”, attached to the America’s PrepareAthon! link below. It could have a dramatic impact on your life, the lives of your family and your friends.
Source: America’s PrepareAthon! – America’s PrepareAthon!
“Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador™ and the Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador™ logo are trademarks of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, used with permission.”
 As of approximately 2:00 PM, 4/8/2015 the analog only UHF repeater was replaced with a Yaesu System Fusion Analog/Digital repeater. This is the same type repeater as used for the 147.315 repeater.
You can still communicate as you have in the past, you will not have to buy a new radio, your radio will not be obsolete. The main difference is that at various times you may hear a noise similar to buzzing or a static like noise, this is likely a digital conversation. The digital conversation noise can be eliminated by setting up your radio’s receiver with a tone squelch of 173.8 Hz. The digital side of the repeater does not transmit the 173.8 Hz tone, therefore your radio will stay quiet until another analog FM radio transmission is received by the repeater. If you want to use the repeater, just talk as you have in the past. The repeater has the capability to automatically detect what type of signal it is receiving and switch to the proper mode to enable you to talk to anyone whether they have a digital radio or the traditional analog FM. Also if you happen to hear or know there is a digital conversation on the repeater you can join the conversation just as you have in the past. When the repeater “hears” your analog FM signal it will switch to your mode and the folks who are using the digital mode will be switched to your analog FM mode. Everyone on the repeater will be able to talk, all automatically!
If you need help setting up your radio with tone squelch, check with one of the officers in the Club, they will be able to direct you to the right ham to help you.
A Basic SkyWarn® class is scheduled at the Clearfield 911 Center, April 9, 19:00. This class is being administered by the State College NWS Office.
You MUST PRE-REGISTER for this course on this web page: www.clearfieldcountyarc.org/wordpress/clearfield-skywarn-training-class/
Classes are free and open to the public
Attendees under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian
Classes typically last about 90 minutes
Bring a pen/pencil to the class, current spotters bring your card/spotter number
If possible, bring the Latitude and Longitude of your home (see instructions on this page to obtain your coordinates): http://www.latlong.net/convert-address-to-lat-long.html
 It is official, the Quad-County Amateur Radio Club is a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) effort to formally recognize NOAA partners who are improving the nation’s readiness, responsiveness, and overall resilience against extreme weather, water, and climate events.
You may ask, what does this mean for the Club. Basically the Club provides outreach services relative to creating a Weather-Ready Nation to communities and organizations. Also within our own organization such as, disseminating severe weather information on APRS and the Club repeaters, where we are already active. As well as the continuation of training for our members.
The Club has been involved in the SkyWarn® program for a number of years, this is just part of the next step in taking what we know and have experienced in weather preparedness to the next level of sharing that knowledge and experience.
There will be more information and a Q&A session at the March 20 meeting.
For additional information you can access the Weather-Ready Nation web site at: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/com/weatherreadynation/
“Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador™ and the Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador™ logo are trademarks of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, used with permission.”
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