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With hurricane Matthew’s track that effected Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba, it is probable there will also be issues in the Bahamas, Florida and points north along the coast as well as inland from the coast. The following frequencies have been posted, by Sean Kutzo of the ARRL, as frequencies that may be used by relief agencies and would be advisable to avoid for general contacts. Check http://www.arrl.org/home for information and links to current amateur radio activities. For information on the hurricane the National Weather Service http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ is a good place to view maps and forecasts.
Remember that 7.268 MHz & 14.325 MHz are used for the Hurricane Watch Net http://www.hwn.org/ and given the nature of the communications please refrain from operating nearby to prevent any interference with the relief efforts. Please do not check into the emergency or weather nets unless you have something relevant to contribute.
14.325 7.080
14.265 7.045
7.268 3.740
7.120 3.720
7.110
To The Members of the Atlantic Division,
We have an opportunity to positively affect Amateur Radio for years to
come. H.R. 1301, the Amateur Radio Parity Act, has unanimously passed
the House of Representatives and moved on to the Senate for
consideration. All you need to do is spend two minutes of your time to
send an email to your two Senators supporting the Bill. By doing so,
you will have helped the future of Amateur Radio by guaranteeing our
ability to have an effective outdoor antenna in a deed-restricted
community.
The number of people living in such communities grows exponentially
each year. Often, a ham homeowner has no choice but to live in a
community restricted by covenants. There are nearly 3/4 of a million
licensed hams in the United States, more than ever before. But that
may change if we are forced to live in a community that refuses to
allow an antenna.
Help yourself and help your fellow hams. Go to this link:
https://arrl.rallycongress.net/ctas/urge-senate-to-support-amateur-radio-parity-act
Enter your zip code and follow the prompts. The letters are there.
All you need to do is fill in the blanks, hit save, then send.
That’s it. Less than 2 minutes and you’re finished.
If you haven’t yet done so, please do so today.
Your voice counts!
Thank you.
73, Tom, W3TOM
ARRL Director – Atlantic Division
(301) 257-6225
Serving all of ARRL members in the Delaware, Eastern Pennsylvania,
Maryland/DC, Northern New York, Southern New Jersey, Western New York
and Western Pennsylvania ARRL Sections.
ARRL – The National Association for Amateur Radio™
——————————————————————–
ARRL Atlantic Division
Director: Thomas J Abernethy, W3TOM
w3tom@arrl.org
——————————————————————–
A surprising statistic in the U.S.A. for 2016, as of August 21 there have been 27 fatalities due to lightning, which is the total for 2015! It is difficult to definitively determine why so many people have been killed by lightning strikes so far this year. It could be that the word is not getting out. It could be that people are not hearing the information about the seriousness of lightning. It could be that people are just plain ignoring the fact that lightning is a major factor in deaths, especially during outdoor activities. Personally I believe it is the last possibility.
 Lightning strikes the Empire State Building and other buildings Please heed the warnings especially about moving indoors when you first hear lightning. I have first-hand experience when it comes to seeing the “bolt out the blue”. When the “bolt out of the blue” struck, I believe the storm was about 10 miles away. By the way, myself nor the other fellow who I was talking to heard thunder! Fortunately we were in his house but only about eighty feet from the tree that was struck. That was one lesson learned but everyone does not have the luck of a safe experience of a close strike to talk about.
Click on the photo of lightning striking the building for and interesting list of “Lightning Myths and Facts”.
Check out the National weather Service web site about the lightning strike statistics at:
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/fatalities.shtml
Also check out the web site on ways lightning strikes people at:
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/struck.shtml
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.”
Amateur radio clubs are all over the place, some make their presence known while others seem to hide from the amateur radio world. There are different reasons amateur radio clubs exist. Some appear to be very focused as to their reason for existence, while others try to be the club for all reasons. Some clubs even appear to exist only on paper for reasons known only to the person in charge. Clubs really should not exist just for an individual’s benefit, I believe that it is counterproductive.
Amateur radio operators who are in the locale of an amateur radio club that really is active should join and take advantage of this valuable resource. Experienced amateurs can also benefit by adding to building the resource. It is rather easy to find out if there is a club in your area and the style of club will quickly become apparent if you attend only a few meetings.
Take advantage of the experience and knowledge of amateurs who have been licensed for a number of years by getting involved in an active amateur radio club. It is rather true that the only question that is “stupid” is the one that is not asked. Join an active club, listen to what is going on and ask questions in order to build your knowledge about amateur radio. Having your questions answered, by knowledgeable people, will enhance your amateur radio hobby. You can even ask for help with an antenna installation. If there are folks in the club who are able to help, they are likely to be more than happy to help you get on the air with a good antenna installation. Face it, just because you passed a test does not equate to “knowing it all”, you will never know it all. This rationale applies to all aspects of life where a test is passed to attain a certification or license.
Life is a continuous learning event, for many people. Amateur radio is a very good hobby for learning. An active club can provide a good environment to learn, given that the right people are involved in the hobby to learn from in your area. Take advantage of the resources at hand – join and participate in an active amateur radio club whether you just passed your exam or getting back into the hobby or someone who is a seasoned well versed amateur.
Information released by the American Radio Relay League July 7, 2016 indicates that as of June 28, processing amateur radio and commercial applications by the FCC has either stopped or is proceeding slowly. The issue may be related to a problem with your license or upgrade being issued.
For the complete article on this issue go to: http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-investigating-amateur-radio-commercial-application-processing-glitch
 The Quad County Amateur Radio Club will operate Field Day June 25-26, 2016, at the Clearfield County Fairground Community Building, yes we’ve been there before. Operating hours are scheduled to be from 2:00 PM Saturday to 2:00 PM Sunday, antennas have to be installed after the VE exam session. All amateur radio operators are welcome as well as the general public. Since the public as well as a number of Clearfield County officials and TV stations have been invited, as Club secretary, I ask that members please wear their Club shirts if possible. Thank you – in advance.
Volunteer examiners are reminded that the exam session is scheduled for June 25, 2016 at 11:00 AM. 
Operations are scheduled to start 2:00 PM, Saturday June 25, continuing through the night, with the hopes of taking advantage of any changing propagation characteristics. There is to be a Get On The Air (GOTA) station activated. The GOTA station will give new hams and those not even licensed, the opportunity to experience operating the HF bands under the supervision of a licensed amateur radio operator.
Location Coordinate information: 41°01.840 N 78°26.540 W.
Follow the route depicted by orange arrows, on the map, after you turn off Rte. 322.
You can also try the inserted interactive map to zoom and obtain directions. You can use the satellite view on the small map to compare the orange arrow map to the right.
If you operate APRS, there will be an object beacon to help you locate the Field Day site.
Please consider what will make Field Day comfortable for you, like in the real deal you will be responsible for your own comfort and personal operating conveniences such as chairs, clipboards, pens, pencils, paper. flashlights, etc. – remember to mark your property -. The main equipment will be provided, such as transceivers and antennas. I do not recall that the building is handicapped accessible. If you have a spare HF radio or antenna to bring, all the better as a just in case but only 2 will be on the air plus the GOTA station. Additionally if possible, please bring along some type of food to share.
Plans are in motion to have breakfast Sunday morning and some picnic style food for later times.
To help with the items and food for Field Day, please down load the 2 page checklist and email the Club secretary (secretary@qcarc.org) as to the items that you will supply. I’ll try to keep all the updates current on the download list. If you have anything to add, please email your input to the Club secretary.
Amateurs who are attending the QCARC Field Day, please advise the FD Coordinator by email at secretary@qcarc.org . This info is for overall planning purposes.
Although we have recent memories of snow, the summer heat really is on the way. All too many times we hear of children or pets left in a vehicle during hot summer days, sometimes with a heartbreaking ending. There are days when the temperature may seem rather low but with the sun shining through the vehicle windows, the vehicle becomes a greenhouse and the interior can heat up quickly to dangerously high levels.
View more information on this serious topic that can effect everyone at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/heat/index.shtml
 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.”
The Quad County Amateur Radio Club will hold a “New Ham Radio Operator Event” at the regular meeting on June 17, 2016. The meeting will be held at the Penn State Du Bois Campus, Smeal Building at 6:30 PM. This event is open to those who recently obtained their amateur radio license and who have been licensed but inactive for some time. The meeting is also open to the public who may be interested about amateur radio.
The Quad County Amateur Radio Club, which serves amateur radio operators in; Clearfield, Jefferson, Elk and Cameron Counties, was founded in 1975. Regular meetings are held monthly on the third Friday, 6:30 PM at the Penn State Du Bois Campus. For more information visit the Club website at www.qcarc.org
Sometimes we peer out the window and the sky looks ominous then the wind picks up and possibly it begins to rain or hail. What may happen next can be a matter of protecting our life and property, a good reason to understand the difference between Watches and Warnings. Being prepared is a relatively simple matter, there are several good methods to personally become involved that will help yourself, your family and friends. The National Weather Service SkyWarn Spotter program is a great way to become actively involved and you do not have to be a weather background! A more passive manner may be purchasing a NOAA Weather Radio that will sound an alert when various forms of weather effect your locale. Cell phone are also a good method as many have an alert function built in as well as the availability of weather apps that can be configured to match your needs.
If you are having a problem setting up your system whether it is a NOAA Weather Radio radio or cell phone app, you can obtain help through the Quad County Amateur Radio Club, A Weather Ready Nation Ambassador. Check the announcement panel at the top of the home page for meeting dates and times.
 
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.”
Already this Spring has proven that we should be prepared for some of our wildest weather! One of the best aids in keeping abreast of developing weather issues is the NOAA Weather Radio system. Having a radio at home provides an advantage to be aware of upcoming severe weather. Some of the later models of amateur radio transceivers have the NOAA frequencies programed from the factory. For the latest NOAA weather radio operational information that may effect your area and what frequencies cover your area, check out the web site at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/ .
 Remember that saying, “Turn Around Don’t Drown”. There is more to that than just the rhyming of the saying, it really is life saving information! Ignoring that life saving information not only effects the people who decide to cross a flooded area but also the emergency responders whose lives are needlessly placed in jeopardy when they get involved in a rescue of someone that fails to heed the warning.
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.”
I expect that many of us have witnessed a scene very similar to the above photo. In our immediate area it is a natural event to have severe winter weather that impacts driving conditions, sometimes to the extent that we really should not be on the road. Often just postponing travel for an hour or two may enable road crews to treat the roads and give the chemicals time to take effect on the snow and ice to provide a safer traveling environment.
If you have to travel, be prepared. First off be sure you are aware of what you are getting into with severe winter weather driving. Be sure your vehicle is ready to go with a full tank of fuel and appropriate tires in good condition. Consider some additional items such as a small shovel, sand or traction mats, chains for times it gets really bad and even a very good blanket such as wool or a Mylar reflective emergency blanket. Remember to keep the cell phone charged too. Common sense helps but too often it is not so common!
Many amateur radio operators who travel have an additional resource at hand that will help with gaining a little more information about the weather. That resource can be the 2 meter transceiver which may have the capability to receive the NOAA Weather Radio announcements. Some transceivers even have a feature that will activate an alert when the NOAA radio station broadcasts their severe weather alert. Another useful service often provided through APRS digi-peaters are text alerts about road conditions that may relate to road closures due to various issues such as traffic accidents. Also some repeaters transmit bulletins relative adverse weather and road conditions.
For much more information that may make your winter and 
your travel safer check out the link
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/winter/index.shtml
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.”
This year the SkyWarn™ Recognition Day will be Sunday December 5. This special event started in 1999 by the National Weather Service and the American Radio Relay Le ague to recognize the contributions of amateur radio operators during SkyWarn™ events.
Operations are December 5 from 0000Z – 2400Z. This is not a contest but an operating event that encourages operators to contact as many amateur stations as possible, whether they are on the air at a Weather Service Office or otherwise. Stations exchange call signs, signal reports, locations, and a one or two-word description of the weather at their respective locations. Bands that are activated for this event are typically 80 meters through 70 centimeters using all modes, including digital.
Updated details are available on the National Weather Service SkyWarn™ Recognition Day web site http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mtr/hamradio/
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