TROJAN ARC HARMONIC

NOVEMBER 2003

Editor Bruce Frahm KØBJ Send articles to k0bj@arrl.org

Publisher Mike Albers KØFJ Subscription requests to k0fj@arrl.net

MEETINGS 2^nd THURSDAYS 7PM K-N COMMUNICATIONS

HAM LUNCH NOON FRIDAYS MONITOR .82

WORK NIGHTS AS SCHEDULED

WØWOB REPEATERS

146.22/.82

444/449.65 156.7 PL

WØWOB IRLP Node #3608

145.65 156.7 PL

KØFJ-2 APRS DIGI 144.39

KØFJ-1Ø APRS I-Gate

WØWOB APRS Weather Node

NØOXP APRS Weather Node

IRLP NODE DOWN As discussed recently a security problem with Linux in a LAN environment, as our IRLP node has been, has come to light. This has been exploited by a few hackers at other IRLP sites and the Colby node was taken offline a few weeks ago. K0FJ has ordered a Linux update and may need help with some other items to complete in order to get things going here again. We’re contemplating a move to the .82 repeater to extend coverage of IRLP and make the local users of the node audible to everyone monitoring the system, unlike it was set up on simplex. It’s not been determined whether the current controller would work to handle the audio and blank local IDs, etc. This will be a major discussion item at the upcoming meeting. A couple hams from outside the area have inquired about our situation so there is some interest out there even beyond local coverage hoping our system goes back online soon.

N5TY BALLOON PROGRAM Ex Thomas County ham Ken Knudson N5TY was in Colby recently and joined the Ham Lunch crowd. Thanks to a projector provided by K0FJ, Ken showed slides from the Dallas area balloon launch this summer. The JPGs were from a 35mm camera carried by the balloon so the photos were sharp compared to typical ATV downlinks. A new vane/tail on the balloon worked well in stabilizing the platform and it unexpectedly came in handy when part of the payload broke free of the assembly. Some radio and ATV gear and the vane fell 95000 feet in 12 minutes, and lived to tell the tale! It was found by identifying ground objects in the downlink video. The vane slowed the descent just enough to make impact survivable. Ken left the club an extensive CD of the flight.

SKYWARN RECOGNITION DAY DEC 6 The popular multi-station operating event is coming up soon. We’ll discuss equipment and ops at the meeting. Goodland WCM Dave Floyd N5DBZ has a great web article on SRD at http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/11/06/100/?nc=1

CHRISTMAS PARTY AT MONTANA MIKE’S A reminder that our regular Dec. 11 club meeting will be the Christmas party at Montana Mike’s. We’ll gather at 6PM and eat about 6:20 in their semi-private room. Ordering will be from the menu and separate checks will be ok. We’ll be emailing or calling for a count of expected attendees in order to advise the restaurant a few days prior to the party.

K0BLU/K3RRY ANTENNA PROJECT Gil and Char picked up their 35’ crankup US Tower from the Lincoln KS factory and depending on weather and warm body commitments, we’re penciling a November 22 antennas raising party. The tower weighs 300+ pounds so 4 or so folks to install antennas and raise the contraption would be a good goal. We’ll count noses at the meeting.

Round One was hole digging last month. K0QP K0BJ AC0J K0FJ formed a work detail to dig a 4 x 4 x 5’ hole for the tower’s base, but Gil gave himself a workout and had the hole nearly half done by the time the ‘younguns’ showed. A good morning was had by all and lunch at the Frontier Café hit the spot (the author remembers a Wheat Belt Radio Club Christmas party at the Frontier about 35 years ago….). The Oberlin Redimix guy assembled a rebar cage and leveled the base for Gil and Char’s project after the Trojan party was back home. Gil paid for his brave digging efforts with some finger problems. Oh yes, the new tower will be holding an A3S, a 6/2 meter yagi and maybe some other goodies. With the sun coming alive again a couple weeks ago, this might be even more of a pleasure to use than originally expected.

WA0GBN MOVING SHACK

This item got a bit garbled last month. Darel has or soon will complete a move of his shack. We’ll have to get word from him on how he likes it but in the meantime, he and Pat are departing for their Puerto Rico cruise near the end of the month.

BOB AND CORINNE IN MOZAMBIQUE A couple skeds have been tried to work this missionary couple who our VEs tested this summer, to no avail so far. They are emailing via HF packet and can be reached via internet at kc0qax@winlink.org I don’t have info on their callsign. The most recent sked has been 1900Z on 21.355, switching to 14.285 at 1910. During the diedown from the big flare last week, that part of the world was coming in great at that time.

MT SUNFLOWER IN SPRING….. At the Scott City hamfest/picnic another special event with the SHARC club was discussed. On suggestion of WA0CAL, we’ve been looking into possibly activating Ft. Wallace for a change. This is on private property but we have a lead on possible permission. K0FJ and K0BJ are researching this and will report to both clubs when things become more clear.

APRS CAPERS - DE KØFJ –

CONTEST CAPERS Various news tidbits on this front. The Islands on the Air operation last July has been adjudicated. The N1DX team of K0BJ W0NO and K1TWF operating from Block Island RI managed to take 1^st place in North America Multiop. They squeaked by an operation from Montserrat that bested their QSO total by over 35%. But the Caribbean team didn’t work as many island multipliers, and only about 14% of their contacts were with 15 point island stations. The Blockers worked 25% island shacks, and edged out the top challengers by 1.4%.

Sweepstakes is upon us and K0BJ traveled to the Multi-2 station of Alan W0NO se of Beloit. The gang worked a little more than 1100 stations, and came up one shy of a clean sweep due to missing Yukon/Northwest Territories. YV1JA only went into a handful of logs Saturday night, so CW clean sweeps will be scarce this year. Form preliminary rumors the group is now at 10^th place, so their usual placing in the Top 10 is definitely in jeopardy. Sideband version comes up this weekend and Bruce will be back with the team, while Mike K0FJ will be there for the last ¼ after he and Patti N0OXP help son Dave K0KHP with a house move in Wichita.

The Mike/Bruce duo got together for the Worked All Europe teletype contest last weekend. Conditions were fair Saturday and bad Sunday, but the guys plugged on and made over 600 Qs. AC0J came by for a while Saturday evening. This is a unique contest where reporting on previous QSOs with a station in another continent will be worth as much points as making the original contact. If it sounds a little hectic, it is, but it’s a fun way to gain competence in exchanging information – the heart of public service communications. The 3830 internet rumor mill has the guys in 1^st (and only) place in USA Multiop, but 2^nd to a Nova Scotia group which undoubtedly had at least fair conditions to Europe both days.

BANDSCAN Our condolences to Gil K0BLU and Char. Gils’ 24 year old nephew Greg Letts N9PCC became a Silent Key due to leukemia and complications. BT K0BJ and family have been tripping over a litter of kittens. After desperately trying to pawn them off to acquaintances, they discovered at Ham Lunch that K0QP and Carol have need of some mousers. Problem solved! BT K0BJ finished off one of his antenna projects. The 64’ tower has a new sturdy mast, the TH5 has been reinstalled and the long-grounded A3WS WARC band beam sits atop them all. 40 and 6M yagis still await raising, but things are at least moving. BT

NEXT MEETING NOVEMBER 13 7:00PM K-N COMMUNICATIONS IRLP, SRD operating event, Oberlin tower project

The Trojan Amateur Radio Club is a general interest educational and public service ham club. We maintain 2M and 70cm FM repeaters, APRS packet digi and I-Gate and IRLP link. Dues are $15/annually, payable to Mike Albers KØFJ 145 E. Cherry St., Colby KS 67701. Material from the Trojan Harmonic may be freely copied; attribution is appreciated. News requests to KØBJ, PO Box DX, Colby KS 67701 or bfrahm@colby.ixks.com. Subscription changes and requests to KØFJ k0fj@arrl.net. Club website at http://www.carrollsweb.com/bfrahm/trojanarc.htm