Every year, thousands of Scouts get on the air to talk to other Scouts around the world via Amateur Radio. This activity first got started long before the days of social media, cell phones and Internet access, and is more popular today than ever before!
The Quad-County ARC is planning to set up a station and invite local Scouts to talk to their counterparts across the country and around the world on the weekend of October 19th and 20th. QCARC Vice President and Scouting Liaison Officer Peach Caltagarone, AB3OG has graciously offered the use of the hilltop cabin at Hummingbird Speedway in support of this event.
The plan is to open the station to the Scouts and their parents with several hams and Scout leaders present at all times the station is open to assist the Scouts in getting on the air and making radio contact with other Scouts worldwide. Volunteers are needed to make this a successful event.
Mark your calendars for the weekend of October 12 and 13th. The Pensylvania QSO Party is “The Friendly Contest” and an on-the-air activity that is a lot of fun. Each year, you can represent your county as other hams try to work a “clean sweep” of all 67 counties, and our Quad Counties are some of the most sought-after!
Here's your chance to see how it feels to be a ham some place in the Western Pennsylvania Section that's important for a change!
You can operate from your home (be sure to list Quad-County ARC as your club when you submit your log!), or we may get together at a central location and try to set an all-time record high score for one of our counties as a multi-operatior, multi-transmitter entry.
Even if contests aren’t your thing, you should give the PA QSO Party a shot anyway, since it’s more like an on-the-air “Old Home Week” reunion rather than a hard-core contest. Every year, you will find lots of former Pennsylvania hams who enjoy talking to us back in the old home state, and you’ll also run into a lot of old friends you haven’t talked to in years! You might even run into a ham down the street who you’ve never heard on the air before. You’ll never know just who you may run into unless you get on the air and join in the fun.
The 2013 QCARC Fall Picnic will be held at Ed Golla’s QTH on PA-310 (between Reynoldsville and Panic) at 1:00 pm on Saturday, September 7th. (Rain Date is Saturday, September 14th). This was the site of many happy Quad-County Field Day operations and picnics. Thanks to the generosity of Ed Golla, Jr. K3AHS, we have been invited to return to the home of so many happy ham radio activities.
Everyone is invited — Club members or not, hams or not. As with all of our activities this is Family Friendly! There will be free hot dogs and burgers, along with chips, soft drinks and condiments provided by the club. If you wish, you may bring food to share, but it’s not a requirement. This will be a wonderful opportunity to spend some time with your ham radio friends, old and new. Please plan on attending.
Directions
From Reynoldsville: Take PA-310 south for 3.5 miles. Watch for the Quad-County sign on the right at the driveway (1.8 miles beyond the Lakelawn Cemetary entrance). Proceed up the driveway past the gray house (with a “G” on the chimney) and back through the field along the trees to the picnic grounds. Talk-in on the 147.315 Quad-County repeater.
From Punxsutawney: Take PA 310 north for 9.0 miles. Watch for the Quad-County sign on the left at the driveway (2.1 miles beyond the Amish Restaurant / old PA-952 intersection). Proceed up the driveway past the gray house (with a “G” on the chimney) and back through the field along the trees to the picnic grounds. Talk-in on the 147.315 Quad-County repeater.
The Quad-County Amateur Radio Club is pleased to sponsor a Skywarn training session, conducted by the National Weather Service office in Moon Township, PA. The date is 6:00 pm on Thursday, April 4th, 2013 at the Reynoldsville Fire Hall, 411 Jackson Street, Reynoldville, PA 15851.
This official Skywarn Observer training is now required for all applicants for the ARRL EC-016 course for ARES and Emergency Communications leaders.
This is the only Skywarn training in Jefferson County scheduled so far this year. The Reynoldsville location is conveniently located near the center of the county, just 12 miles from Brookville, 13 miles from Punxsutawney, 12 miles from Brockway and 11 miles from DuBois (although Clearfield County residents should attend a session conducted by the State College NWS.)
Those taking this course will learn how to identify and report severe weather to the National Weather Service as a Skywarn Weather Spotter.
The Quad-County Amateur Radio Club is pleased to offer free upgrade classes for those wishing to prepare for the General and Extra Class exams. Classes will be held on Friday evenings at the Reynoldsville Ambulance building, on Main Street in Reynoldsville. Classes will begin at 6:30 pm, and will be held every Friday beginning February 8th, with three exceptions: Feb. 15th and Mar. 15th, which are the QCARC meeting nights, and Mar. 29th which is Good Friday.
Back by popular demand, as an added bonus we will offer optional Morse Code training beginning at 6:00 pm for those who are interested. Even though code is no longer required for any license, there is quite a bit of CW activity on the bands, and this unique skill is very useful to round out your abilities. Completely optional, this training will enable Technicians to operate legally on the 80, 40, 20 and 15 meter HF bands using CW. If you have any musical ability at all, the method we will use is guaranteed to get you up to speed or double your tuition back!
A VE Test session will be scheduled for a date following the completion of the class at a date, time and place to be announced.
ACTIVE SUNSPOT: One of the biggest sunspots of the current solar cycle is now turning toward Earth. Named AR1654, the active region is crackling with medium-sized (M-class) flares and could be poised to break the recent spell of calm space weather around our planet.
The plans have been finalized for the 6:30 PM December 15th dinner. The new owner of The Arrowhead has initiated a prime rib buffet since purchasing the business. We have agreed on adding a tray of sliced turkey breast and a tray of stuffing to the regular fare. We will have our own table. The price is $13.99. Reservations may be made via email to treasurer@qcarc.org, or by contacting W3DWR after the Sunday night net.
CQ World Wide DX Contest (SSB) — 0000 UTC Saturday October 27 to 2359 UTC Sunday, October 28, 2012 (Friday evening at 8 until Sunday evening at 8).
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work 100 countries in one weekend? Would you like to sharpen your operating skill? Do you want to try your hand at contesting and see if you have what it takes?
Well, this weekend is a great opportunity for you to do all that and more! And not only that… there’s food! Peach AB3OG has invited everyone back to Hummingbird Speedway this weekend to take part in the CQ WW DX contest. W3BC and W3TM are providing the radios and other equipment, and Peach will make the racetrack food concession available for our use.
This will be a multi-operator, multi-transmitter station, and will be pretty much like another Field Day, except everybody will be trying to work DX. That should be pretty easy, since the bands have been very good, and the solar forecast calls for continued good DX conditions, day and night. You are invited to come out and stay as long as you want. Take your turn on the air, or just sit back and watch — we’re not in it to win it, instead, our reason for doing this is to give our members and other interested hams the chance to learn how to become a successful contester.
Think of it as “On-the-Air Training.”
Our goal is to make 1 million points, but more importantly we hope to have fun, food and friendship! Please plan to take part if you can, and don’t feel obligated to do anything except have a good time!
The Quad-County ARC and the Punxsutawney Area ARC are both sponsoring a Ham Radio Fall Picnic from noon to ??? on Saturday, September 29 at the QTH of Ed Golla. This was the site of many happy Field Day operations and picnics. Thanks to the generosity of Ed Golla, Jr. K3AHS, we have been invited to return to the home of so many happy ham radio activities.
The picnic is for members, former members, non-members, guests and anybody interested in our clubs or amateur radio in our area. The clubs are providing hamburgers and hot dogs, with condiments and soft drinks. You are encouraged (but not required) to bring a covered dish to share with the group. This will be a wonderful opportunity to spend some time with your ham radio friends, old and new. Please plan on attending.
The picnic will be held, rain or shine, [or wind! -Ed.] and in case of blizzard, shovels will be provided.
Directions
From Reynoldsville: Take PA-310 south for 3.5 miles. Watch for the Quad-County sign on the right at the driveway (1.8 miles beyond the Lakelawn Cemetary entrance). Proceed up the driveway past the gray house (with a “G” on the chimney) and back through the field along the trees to the picnic grounds. Talk-in on the 147.315 Quad-County repeater.
From Punxsutawney: Take PA 310 north for 9.0 miles. Watch for the Quad-County sign on the left at the driveway (2.1 miles beyond the Amish Restaurant / old PA-952 intersection). Proceed up the driveway past the gray house (with a “G” on the chimney) and back through the field along the trees to the picnic grounds. Talk-in on the 147.315 Quad-County repeater.
We have scheduled a VE Test Session for Thursday, October 25 at 6:00 pm. Walk-ins are welcome and all classes of exam will be given.
This is an ARRL VEC session, and there will be a $15.00 fee to take as many different exams as you can, including instant upgrades.
Place: American Red Cross PA Heartland Chapter, 209 N. Brady Street, 2nd Floor (above Planet Bike.) Use the rear entrance from the parking lot and take the elevator.
For more information, please contact Joe W3BC at 814-371-3235.
The Baker Trail Ultra Challenge is a 50+ mile foot race. We have offered our services to the race organizers. We will be responsible for helping to provide communications at the 11 Aid Stations along the route. Here is a map of the locations:
It’s that time of year again—time to put on the old feedbag and spend a night out with your ham radio friends! We will meet in the upstairs Banquet Hall of the DuBois Diner at 6:00 pm on Saturday, May 5. Plenty of free parking in the back of the diner, and you can take the elevator or climb the stairs.
Our guest speaker is Mike Sapp, WA3TTS, a technical writer from Pittsburgh, who will fill us in on his recent work with Amateur Radio beacons, including his world-famous 6-meter beacon on the old KDKA-TV antenna.
The menu is a buffet, featuring Stuffed Chicken Breast and Beef Pot Roast with potatoes and carrots, salad and beverage for $13.99 per person, plus tax and an 18% gratuity. It works out to $17.50 per person.
The main door prize will be a brand-new Baofeng UV-5R dual-band portable transceiver.
Plan on attending one of the best ham radio social activities in the area. We hope to see you there!
Please make a reservation by sending an email to banquet@qcarc.org, or on the air during a net!
(Or fill out the convenient form below and hit the [Submit] button.
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Every year, thousands of Scouts get on the air to talk to other Scouts around the world via Amateur Radio. This activity first got started long before the days of social media, cell phones and Internet access, and is more popular today than ever before!
