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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:
 Every year, hams around the country start gathering their radios and warming up their grilles to get ready for the annual ARRL Field Day. This year, the Quad-County Amateur Radio Club has joined forces with the Punxsutawney Area Amateur Radio Club to participate in a very special 40th Anniversary Field Day operation at the Punxsutawney Municipal Airport in Jefferson County.
In honor of the Club’s 40th Anniversary, the Quad-County Club will use the special-event callsign N3Q. The GOTA station will be operating with the Punxs’y Club callsign K3HWJ as in the past.
Of course there will be hotdogs with legendary “BUX” sauce, made from the secret recipe created by Dick Flanders WA3BUX (SK), served at every Field Day since the Club’s origins! Other food will be available, and everyone is encouraged to bring something to share with the group.
Plans are to operate around the clock, and to have a GOTA station set up for new hams, inactive hams and the public to operate. Additionally a VHF station will be set up to operate on 6-meter and 2-meter SSB/CW/Digital modes.
Most importantly, a good time will be had by all, as we once again demonstrate to public officials and all of our guests how hams are always ready to work together to set up top-notch radio stations away from the comforts of home and communicate with each other across the miles, to serve our communities.
T he DuBois Diner was the host for this year’s Quad-County Amateur Radio Club Spring Banquet. This year’s Banquet was special for several reasons. First, this year is the 40th Anniversary of the Club, which was founded in 1975. Second, the food and service was GREAT – Thanks to the staff of the Diner, and to Brie, our server. And then there were our guests… Tim Duffy K3LR, the ARRL Western Pennsylvania Section Manager spoke  about the value of clubs and the ARRL’s focus on local clubs. Our Featured Speaker was Matt Welsh W3DEC from the Cleveland area. May of us know Matt as a sales agent at Amateur Electronic Supply’s Wickliffe store.
The dinner was served from the Diner’s extensive menu and everyone was pleased with their meal. MC Joe Shupienis W3BC, who is the club’s founder, recounted highlights from the Club’s long history, and made a tribute to the Founding members, many of whom are now Silent Keys.
More photos:
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.”
Tri-State Radio Fest
10th Annual Antique Radio Flea Market and Auction
Vintage TV, Amateur Radio, Audio & Phonograph (No Computers.)
Open to buyers from 8:30 am – 12:00 noon
-Entrance fee $5.00
Check-in for auction items 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Auction to begin at 12:00 noon
Auctioneer: Richard Estes-www.estesAuctions.com
Raffle Prize—restored Atwater-Kent 206
Featured: Contest – Atwater-Kent radios
Center Stage Banquet Hall
1495 Old Brodhead Rd, Monaca, Pa 15061
- I-376 “Beaver Valley Expressway, Exit 39, Route 18 North (13 miles North of Greater Pittsburgh Airport)
- Near the border of Pennsylvania & Ohio
- Near the Beaver Valley Mall, food and lodging close by
- Look for TSRF signs leading the way
Sponsored by:
Pittsburgh Antique Radio Society (PARS)
The Buckeye Antique Radio and Phonograph Club (BARPC)
For more detailed information, Visit : www.PittAntiqueRadios.org or call :
Chris Wells 724-942-1113
Andy Manko 412-884-6194
Tom Dixon 412-343-5326
 HAPPY BIRTHDAY QCARC! On April 18, 1975, a group of about 30 local hams gathered at the DuBois High School for the first meeting of what would become The Quad-County Amateur Radio Club. From that auspicious beginning, the club grew in membership and activity. The members of the new club took part in Field Day that very first year from a hilltop in Clear Run. Later, the club placed the WR3AGV repeater at that location, coordinated on 146.13/73 MHz.
Traditions that continue to this day are monthly meetings at 7:30 pm on the third Friday of each month, Club Banquets, Field Day, and a number of Public Service activities, involving multiple served agencies, such as DuBois and Sandy Township Police Departments, the Red Cross, the Boy Scouts, and local schools. Club Founder, Joe Shupienis W3BC (then WA3IHK) conducted dozens of licensing and upgrade classes that continue to this day, in DuBois, Clearfield, St. Marys, Ridgway, Kersey, Punxsutawney and Reynoldsville.
In the 1970s, the club held meetings in several communities throughout the Quad-County Area, such as Sinnemahoning, Punxsutawney and Reynoldsville, but found that it was more convenient for everyone to keep the meetings in the more centrally-located DuBois area. In 1991, meetings moved to Clearfield at the County offices, and over the next couple decades the membership, meeting participation and activities declined, as the club became “the Clearfield Club.” New clubs formed in Jefferson, Cameron and Elk counties in reaction to the long travel distances the move created.
In 2011, the club decided to conduct Field Day operations in a location accessible to the general Public, and moved operations from a small, crowded room in the Clearfield County Emergency Operations Center to a public pavilion at the Clearfield County Fairgrounds. In November, the Club held its final meeting at the EOC, and once again began holding meetings in DuBois. Currently, we hold our monthly meetings at the Penn State DuBois Campus, which provides plenty of free parking, handicapped accessibility, and outside space for experimenting with antennas and hidden transmitter hunting before the meetings.
 Don KB3LES shows us how happy he was to find the fox!
 The QCARC extends condolences to Peach Caltagarone, AB3OG, our President on the passing of his wife Barbara.
Barbara A. Caltagarone, 57, 603 Jackson St., Reynoldsville, died at 5:51 p.m. Thursday, April 9, 2015, at Christ the King Manor, DuBois.
Friends will be received from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Monday, April 13, at the Bernard P. Snyder Funeral Home in Reynoldsville. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 14, at the funeral home with the Rev. Steven J. Hendrickson officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Reynoldsville.
Memorial donations may be made to the Reynoldsville Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 247, Reynoldsville, PA 15851. –
See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thecourierexpress/obituary.aspx?n=barbara-a-caltagarone&pid=174614115#sthash.8gj12EHV.dpuf
 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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