ARRL Audio News September 6, 2024

This is ARRL Audio News, your weekly summary of news highlights from the world of amateur radio.

If you retransmit audio news through a repeater, listen for the Morse Code K character,

followed by four seconds of silence.

That's your cue to stop transmitting so that your repeater timer can reset.

I'm John Ross, KD8IDJ, and this is the ARRL Audio News for Friday, September 6, 2024.

A new and faster way to communicate during emergencies is being planned by the Utah section of the ARRL Ares Group,

which serves Salt Lake County, the most populous area in Utah.

ARRL Utah section public coordinator Scott Rosenbush, K7HSR,

said that discussion and planning for mesh networks using ARDN,

amateur radio emergency data network technology, is on the drawing board.

A recent meeting and presentation by Brett Pruitt, K7BDP, Utah section emergency coordinator,

was attended by a large group of Ares amateur radio operators.

More than a dozen Salt Lake County hams have already invested in ARDN technology,

with an interest in helping to create and support an emergency mesh network in that county.

Southern Utah Ares groups have already created a five-county mesh network

that can be used for emergency communications.

We hope to ultimately connect to Starlink and run the mesh network over that, said Pruitt.

On November 2, we will have an exercise with hospitals in the northern and southern Utah Ares groups,

using the ARRL.

After that, if Starlink is more readily available,

we will run the drill again without the internet to fully test the new technology.

Pruitt said the goal is to have everything working by early 2025.

The needs of participating agencies have evolved to require more than analog voice

and low-speed data modes, said Rosenbush.

High-speed mesh networks using ARDN software will allow amateur radio

to play a larger part in supporting these agencies in emergencies.

The Utah section is working to extend this technology, said Rosenbush,

Our hope is to bring this technology to other parts of the state

to increase the communications capability and value of amateur radio to partner agencies.

In late August, Hawaii's Big Island was threatened by three major tropical storms,

and amateur radio operators were preparing to assist as that threat grew more intense.

Russell Roberts, KH6JRM, Public Information Officer, Hawaii County ARRL Pacific Division,

said that beginning August 23, storm water,

watches and warnings were being issued for Tropical Storms Hone, Gilma, and Hector,

all turning off the island's southern coast.

By August 31 and September 1, Hone had become a Category 1 hurricane

with winds over 75 mph, occasional gusts of 100 mph, and heavy rain.

Gilma was next as a Category 1, but later intensified to a Category 3 hurricane,

dropping 28 inches of rain, flooding roads with high winds

that brought down trees, power, and communication lines.

We had three amateur radio emergencies,

Ares operators on the net for about 24 hours beginning August 30,

and they handled 41 contacts, said Roberts.

Some repeaters were out of fuel, so we switched to HF to pass traffic and assess the damage.

The hurricanes and Tropical Storm Hector never made landfall,

but while there were no fatalities or injuries, the damage was severe.

Nearly 30,000 residents were affected.

Power is still out over 200 customers, and cleanup and road repair is active now.

We were very fortunate, said Roberts.

There was concern that a fire warning would need to be issued for several parts of the island,

but the approaching weather brought rain and lowered temperatures.

The Hawaiian Islands Grid Madness 2024, a VHF-UHS Simplex event,

will take place on Sunday, September 22, from 1300 to 1700 HST.

The four-hour event is designed for ENCOM practice and for fun.

Amateur radio operators will have a chance to test their equipment, coverage,

and operating systems.

Using FM Simplex on 6 meters, 2 meters, 1.25 meters, and 70 centimeters.

All licensed amateur radio operators in the state of Hawaii may participate.

Complete rules and information are available at Gridmasters 2024 Info Packet.

The Hawaiian Islands Gridmaster Madness 2024 is sponsored by the Emergency Amateur Radio Club of Hawaii.

September is National Preparation Month,

and ARRL is working to help radio amateurs,

have a plan for family resilience.

Many hams enjoy public service as part of their operating.

Being ready to activate for a served agency through the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service, ARIES,

involves not only being licensed and trained, but also prepared and equipped.

ARRL Director of Emergency Management, Josh Johnson, KE5MHV,

suggests that hams and their families have a go-bag.

He says there are a few things to consider.

You need to be able to function while activated,

so that means you need a kit for your needs and a kit for your radio,

if your family is impacted by the situation,

they also need to have some gear at the ready.

On the ARRL website, there is an emergency prep kit checklist.

It lists the common items, such as food and water for several days,

a first aid kit, medications, charges for your devices, and other useful items.

Having a kit for your radio is useful as well.

Go kits will vary based on function and need for the field, said Johnston.

Most kits should include a dual-band HT or mobile radio with an antenna,

a power supply, and all necessary cables and cables,

and connectors.

Every kit should include a notepad or paper, and some type of pens or pencils as well.

You should have a power source and power cables.

If you're working HF, then you will need an HF radio and antenna.

And if you want digital capabilities, then a computer with software, preloaded, will

be desired.

Other things you may want to incorporate include tape and tools, spare batteries, headphones,

flashlights of some sort, cell phone chargers, and a multimeter.

Other items that won't fit in a bag, but may be needed, include a generator, and a

working surface, like a small folding table, a chair, and some type of shelter.

And if you need a bag for your go kit, consider the ARRL Gray Canvas Backpack.

That's $30 in the ARRL store.

Pacificon, hosting the 2024 ARRL Pacific Division Convention, will be held on October 18th

through the 20th at the San Ramon Marriott in San Ramon, California.

The three-day event, sponsored by the Mount Diablo Amateur Radio Club, features a variety

of meet-and-greet events.

You can also challenge others, and get a free trial and experience in the arts and crafts

of the Pacificon Pacific Division.

The Pacificon Pacific Division can be heard in the här and har High School and High School

ウال.

The Pacificon Pacific Division is a regional amateur radio club that features a full slate

of forum presentations on a wide range of amateur radio topics.

ARRL national instructor Gordon West, WB6NOA will be on hand as well.

There will also be an opportunity to hear about and discuss important national amateur

radio issues with ARRL officials and staff.

For more information, visit the Pacificon website at pacificon2024.com.

Ruth's Page KK5DO is here now.

With this week's Pacificon Pacific Division report, we'll be back shortly.

We'll be back in a couple of minutes.

is here now with this week's AMSAT report. Bruce? Thanks, John. There were seven CubeSats deployed

from the ISS on August 29th. Six of them have IARU amateur satellite frequency coordination.

Three of them carry APRS digipeters on the APRS frequency of 145.825 megahertz.

CosmogirlSat uses the callsign JS1YOI and operates on the APRS frequency. It also has UHF

store and forward on 437.120 megahertz using GMSK4K8. You guessed it. The satellite was built

by the Cosmogirls Amateur Radio Club, which are all Japanese women. Sagan Sato also operates on

the APRS frequency.

It carries an infrared camera and a gamma ray detector. The UHF frequency is 437.050

megahertz using GMSK4K8 as well as CW. Sakura is another satellite on the APRS frequency.

Like the first two, it has UHF on 437.375 megahertz GMSK4K8 and will monitor

sunspots and solar flares. The final three satellites with amateur radio frequency

coordination are Binar 2, Binar 3, and Binar 4. They operate on 437.700 MHz, 437.850 MHz,

and 437.925 MHz, respectively. The satellites all have CW, OQPSK 100-38.4 kbps, and GFSK 19.2,

9.6, and 1.2 kilobits. The satellites are going to test radiation shielding materials.

This is Bruce Page, KK5DO.

Back to you, John.

And thanks, Bruce, for that report.

In radio sport this week, more great contests. On September 5th and the 6th,

Walk for the Bacon QRP contest. That's CW. September 5th, the NRAU 10-meter activity

contest. CW phone and digital. September 7th and 8th, the All Asian DX contest. That's phone.

September 7th, Wake Up QRP Sprint. CW. September 7th and 8th, the SARL VHF UHF

FNC.

That's phone. The SARL Field Day contest. CW phone and digital. That's also September 7th and 8th.

And the IARU Region 1 Field Day. Single sideband is phone. And the RSGP SSB Field Day. That's phone.

All on September 7th through the 8th. Then on September 7th, the Ohio State Parks on the Air.

That's phone. And on September 7th and 8th again, the IARU Region 1 145 MHz contest. CW phone and

digital. And remember, you can visit the ARRL contest.com.

That's calendar for more events and information.

Upcoming section state and division conventions on September 8th, the ARRL Southern New Jersey

section convention. That's in Mullica Hill, New Jersey. September 20th through the 22nd,

the Duke City Ham Fest sponsoring the ARRL New Mexico State Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

September 21st through the 22nd, the Midwest Superfest sponsoring the ARRL Illinois section

convention in Chillicothe, Illinois.

And on September 28th, the Red River Radio Amateurs Ham Fest sponsoring the ARRL Dakota Division

Convention. That's in West Fargo, North Dakota.

And just a quick reminder, ARRL is seeking well-documented technical summaries from

individuals or groups that air the ARRL Audio News on their local repeaters. Send along your

story or article and any photos to ARRL Audio News at ARRL.org. Your story may help another

repeater group join our large audio network. You'll find a list and schedule for the ARRL Audio

News at ARRL.org as well. ARRL Audio News is recorded every Friday and includes a spoken

summary of the week's top stories, just like you heard today. It is available as a podcast hosted

by Blueberry.com and is also posted each week to the ARRL website as a downloadable audio file in

the MP3 format. And final this week, thanks to the Morongo Basin Amateur Radio Club, W6BA in

Yucca Valley, California, for airing the ARRL Audio News on their repeater. 7-3.

And that concludes ARRL Audio News for this week. Our thanks to all contributors to this week's

report. ARRL Audio News is produced by the American Radio Relay League, the National

Association for Amateur Radio. For more information on amateur radio or the ARRL,

visit us on the web at ARRL.org. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter by searching for

ARRL. If you have a question or comment about ARRL Audio News, email us at audionews at ARRL.org.

This program is copyright ARRL, all rights reserved. 73, and thanks for listening.