Your email:

 

One of the neat things about ham radio is that there are a lot of different frequencies and modes of operation (AM, FM, Single-side-band, digital, etc.) than a person can try out.  Like anything we do a lot of, even ham radio can get a bit old after a while.  Same old same old…  I recently took the initiative to put some “spark” (pardon the pun) into my ham radio hobby.

My lovely wife, Jane (kd8krs) and I went to the Appleton, WI’s ham radio fest last weekend.  Really we just intended to take a quick walk through and see what was there.  On the way through I got to meet a few old friends which was cool.  One thing caught my eye.  “ham sticks”.  Those are cheap (and I really mean cheap – not inexpensive) ham radio antennas meant to be used on one specific frequency.  I think I paid about $14 for a 20 meter antenna.  My wife’s screwdriver antenna was more like $300 or so.  I also bought a mount for I think around $18.  So for about $32 I would be on the air on a specific frequency!

The ham stick is just that.  It is literally a hollow fiberglass road.  Around the outside is wound some thick wire.  A coil is formed near the top of it.  It has a bolt at the bottom and is threaded at the top.  The metal whip of about three feet slips through two set screws and protrudes down inside the hollow fiberglass “stick”.  The set screws are used to adjust the antenna to the resonant frequency for lowest possible SWR.  I got mine down around 1.6 across the entire 20 meter voice portion of the band.

I mean the antenna is “cheap” not only because it is inexpensive.  That is a virtue in an expensive hobby during a deep recession.  I also mean “cheap” because of the sturdiness of construction – or lack there of.  For example, there is no water seal at the top of the hollow fiberglass rod.  I wonder what happens when it fills with rain water that later freezes in winter?  I mean “cheap” because the antenna did not even include a lock washer to help hold the antenna on the mount through highway vibrations.

So for someone that requires THE best HF ham radio mobile antenna, the “ham stick” type is probably not for you.  BUT – for the person that wants to try out this frequency or that frequency  without spending an arm and a leg to do it – it’s just the ticket!

My first contact with the new antenna?  Holland – and I don’t mean the one in Michigan – on 100 watts mobile from the parking lot at work!  I was quite pleased.

I likely will buy a few more ham stick type antennas in the future to try out before investing more substantial dollars in more substantial equipment.  One neat thing about ham sticks is that you can buy a mount to turn two of them into a neat dipole!  We may give that a try later this winter.  If interested, google the words “ham stick antenna” and see what you find.  I believe “Ham Stick” is one brand of the type.  There are multiple companies that make them however.

Stay radio active!

Jon Kreski, AB9NN

http://www.HamRadioResources.com

http://www.Twitter.com/AB9NN

Your email:

 

Ham radio in northeastern Wisconsin got a bit more useful and fun recently with the introduction of a new linked repeater.  Green Bay already had repeaters linked in various ways.  One Green Bay repeater on 147.270 – it is linked to the Wabeno, WI repeater.  Other links involved IRLP and Echolink.  This new linked repeater is a bit more powerful however.  The new Green Bay, WI repeater at 443.400 (with a P/L tone of 100.0) is linked to the Wisconsin Interstate Network.  The network has a series of linked repeater scattered across Wisconsin and into Minnesota.  Here’s a list courtesy of http://www.winetwork.org/repeaterguide.htm :

City                      Freq.                   Tx-PL RX-PL     Call   Tail Beep 

1.         Baraboo, WI                 443.900 +        77.0     100.0               N9QIP             B

2.         Eau Claire, WI            442.800 +        110.9   110.9                 N9QIP             A

3.         Echo-Link                      All                        Digital                           N9QIP             E

4.         Madison, WI               441.400 +        123.0   123.0               N9QIP             U        

5.         Edgerton, WI             442.300 +        123.0   123.0               N9QIP             J

6.         Fond du Lac  , WI     442.400 +        100.0   107.2              N9QIP            F

7.         Galesville, WI             442.500 +        131.8   131.8                 N9QIP             G

8.         Green Bay, WI            443.400 +        100.0   100.0              N9QIP            P

8.         Hancock, WI              442.725 +        123.0   123.0   `           N9QIP             C

9.        Hollandale, WI            444.550 +        123.0   123.0               N9QIP             D

10.       Milwaukee, WI           443.275 +        127.3   ????                   N9QIP             K   *

11.       Minneapolis, MN       442.075 +        110.9   110.9                 KA9YPF         M

12.       Northfield, WI             443.550 +        131.8   131.8                 N9QIP             N

13.       Rice Lake, WI               442.100 +        110.9   110.9                N9QIP             L

14.       Richland Center,       442.700 +        131.8   131.8               N9QIP             X

15.       River Falls, WI           443.025 +        110.9   110.9               N9QIP             R

16.       Sayner, WI                   444.400 +        114.8   114.8               N9QIP             Y

17.       Tomah, WI                  444.800 +        131.8   131.8               N9QIP             S

18.       Watertown, WI       440.150 +        123.0   123.0               N9QIP             Z

19.       Wausau, WI              442.200 +        100.0   114.8               N9QIP             W

20.       Watertown VHF     145.190 -         123.0   123.0               K9LUK            E

21.       Green Lake VHF      146.955 +        123.0   123.0               K9WC             E

22.       Galesville VHF         147.000 +        131.8   131.8               N9TUU           E

23.       Hollandale VHF     146.655 -         123.0   123.0               N9QIP             E

• * Under Construction

This list does not show system status.  See www.winetwork.org

Updated  6/08/09

A large coverage map can be found here:  http://www.winetwork.org/win-16-new-mp.bmp

Being a linked repeater system you need to key the mike and wait for at least one second before speaking or part of your transmission will be lost.

The repeater network is linked into the EchoLink system as node number 18006.  So, you can listen to ham radio traffic via your computer or via your ham radio via any EchoLink repeater anywhere in the world.

Linked repeater systems are nice for those that want to talk long distances via a HT or mobile.  However, for those with scanners they can be a bit annoying.  Why?  If you’re not interested in traffic from people you don’t know then having your scanner stop on this frequency for an extended period can be annoying.

Stay radio active!

Jon Kreski, AB9NN

http://www.HamRadioResources.com

http://www.Twitter.com/AB9NN

 

Your email:

 

Recently ham radio operators from all over the United States of America participated in a “Simulated Emergency Test”.  I participated with the Outagamie County Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) group.  It was educational and fun!  I was assisted by the ever lovely Kd8KRS, Jane – my wife! 

The objective of the Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is to teach us all how to work in an organized network of radio communicators under emergency conditions.  When would this be used?  Well – cynics think only after World War III or something.  The more realistic see times for use of such skills on a much more routine basis.  In NE, south and western Wisconsin flooding is a time when we are called into action.  I am also a Skywarn (US Weather Service trained) severe weather spotter (not chaser).  The skills come in handy there.  If a tornado were to hit, then the skills may be requested during the damage assessment phase.  In the south and east these skills are used big time during and after hurricanes. The list goes on, but you probably get the idea.

This particular SET I thought was quite well thought out and organized.  We received an automated activation phone call and e-mail.  This was done by a “mass dialing and e-mailing” service.  Place one call and everyone on the call list is quickly notified.  We also could be notified via ham radio of phone service was out.  We met at Lion’s Park in Appleton outside the organization’s emergency communications trailer.  That is a nice travel trailer outfitted with several ham radios and antennas.  There we were logged in and given our objectives.

Several hams were dispatched to local hospitals to operate ham radios installed as back-up communications devices.  We were dispatched to our garage along with portable emergency antenna, mast, cable, support structure, power supply and ham radio.  We also were given an envelope with instructions to open it upon arrival on scene.

Our specific scenario was to establish communications for a swine flu clinic.  Problems we had to deal with were a person that passed out and stopped breathing.  We lost power.  The local repeater was over used and so we needed to move to other frequencies.  Vaccines did not arrive as anticipated.  People wanted to know how much vaccine we had, etc.. 

Once we arrived at home we quickly assembled our station.  Took about 15 minutes.  We happened to have a desk in the garage which came in handy.  We also grabbed a couple of chairs from the kitchen and settled in.  We opened our envelope to find a series of strips of paper that had been folded, taped and marked with a time.  Our instructions told us to open each message and act accordingly at the time indicated on each strip of paper.  That I thought was a nice touch.

Some of the fun was operating new ham radios and assembling the equipment.  And of course there was the nurse, “Marge Hoolihan” at one of the hospitals…  chuckle…  We had several messages to pass through the ham radio network.

After the event we assembled back at the park for a debriefing.  Lessons were learned.  And then we ate!  Everyone brought a dish to pass.  New friends were made.  Later we went home to warm up.  It was a cold October day to be sitting outside for more than an hour.  Our simulation by the way was for a swine flu clinic site.

I hope that the methodology used for this Simulated Emergency Test may be used by other hams in other parts of the country!

Stay radio active!

Jon Kreski, AB9NN

http://www.Twitter.com/AB9NN

AB9NN-9 on APRS Tracking via http://aprs.fi/?call=AB9NN-9&timerange=86400