The Peanut Whistle
The Monthly Newsletter of the Amateur Radio Club of Parker County
ARCPC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 25 NO. 10
PRESIDENT
JACK NIXON KG5BBV
VICE PRESIDENT
JAY COX KG5BZW
OCTOBER 2015 ISSUE
Joel Page KW5JP receives past President’s plaque
Photo by Will Teague W5KD
SECRETARY-TREASURER
WILLIAM NEWMAN WL9N
DIRECTORS
JOEL PAGE KW5JP
WILL TEAGUE W5KD
W5PC TRUSTEE-QSL MGR
WILL TEAGUE W5KD
WEBMASTER
WILLIAM NEWMAN WL9N
PUBLIC INFORMATION
PHIL DALTON W5PRD
EDUCATION CHAIRMAN
BARRY CAMPBELL K2BC
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
CLUB HISTORIAN
WILL TEAGUE W5KD
PROGRAM-ACTIVITIES
VACANT
FIELD DAY 2015
PHIL DALTON W5PRD
HAM FEST 2016
JAY COX KG5BZW
CHAPLIN
CLAY RILEY KC0BWR
HOSPTALITY
JUDY WOLF KB5JEY
REGISTERED AGENT
JERRY THOMPSON W7JT
RACES-ARES
ALLEN BEADLE KB5AB
TONY GUESS N5NRU
BILL NEWMAN WL9N
VE TESTING
DOUG MAY WB5VQQ
ARRL
WEST GULF-NTX STAFF
DAVID WOOLWEAVER K5RAV
JOHN STRATTON N5AUS
NANCY MCCAIN K5NLM
Joel Page, KW5JP served as ARCPC President for the 2014-2015 term. Joel was
very involved with the club during that time. He spent many hours working with
others to plan, set up and oversee the annual ARCPC Hamfest. He was also involved
with the annual ARRL Field event in June. He is always there to help in any way
with club activities and those interested in becoming licensed. He also helps with
testing of others as an ARRL Volunteer Examiner (VE).
In the photo above ARCPC President Jack Nixon, KG5BBV presents the past President’s plaque to Joel Page, KW5JP. Here’s a brief bio for Joel.
After his schooling, Joel spent six years in the Army Security Agency installing and
maintaining high frequency and microwave radio systems. After military service, he
spent 12 years employed by Exxon and 25 more years employed by Union Pacific
companies. At these organizations he was responsible for designing, installing,
maintaining and managing both radio systems and voice and data networks. He
holds an Extra Class Amateur Radio license, a General Class Commercial Radiotelephone license and is an ARRL Volunteer Examiner. Besides amateur radio, he enjoys helping other hams and building and repairing ham equipment; and, spending
time with his family and grand-daughter.
October 2015
The Peanut Whistle
Volume 25 No 10 Page 2
SEPTEMBER 2015 ARCPC MEETING MINUTES
The Regular Monthly Meeting of September 08, 2015 was called to order at 7:10 pm by President Jack C.
Nixon Jr., KGSBBV. The Invocation was given by Doug May, WB5VQQ, and afterwards Vice-President
Jay Cox, KG5BZW lead in the Pledge of Allegiance which was said by all in attendance.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: A total of 17 members were present for the meeting, however there were no
guests in attendance this month. There were no reported upgrades or new calls. Some time was taken to
share information on members and their families who are experiencing sickness and distress – and to keep
them in our thoughts and prayers. Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) Doug May, WB5VQQ reported that during last
month’s scheduled Club VE date on August 17th - three applicants passed amateur license examinations for the Technician
license – and one individual also then took and passed the General license examination. President Nixon presented Joel Page,
KW5JP with a commemorative plaque for his outstanding service as the Club’s President during Year 2014-15.
OLD BUSINESS: A motion was made to approve the Minutes for the August 11, 2015 Regular Monthly Meeting as printed in
the newsletter by Joel Page, and a second by Elizabeth Hunkele, N5ONE. President Nixon initiated floor discussion on plans
for the 2016 Club Hamfest. Vice-President Cox stated he was working on updating the brochure for the event but needed more
information. The potential success of such Club fundraising events was actively discussed. Many members cited changes over
the years in the public interest in Hamfests, that new and used radio equipment sales are now more easily facilitated over the
Internet, and the problem with drawing vendors due to the size of our event and the marginal profits they might realize versus
their expenses to attend. It was suggested that the Club change the traditional date of the Annual Hamfest from Spring to Fall
(before November 1st) to lessen our competition with other similar events and attempt to increase its fundraising success.
Vice-President Cox will research the logistics involved in changing the date – and report back at next month’s regular meeting.
SECRETARY-TREASURER REPORT: Secretary-Treasurer William Newman reported on the current membership status
stating the Club as of September 7th has 29 paid members, 2 paid associate members, and 17 life members for a total of 48
active members. He added that 26 full members and 2 associate members that were members in the last fiscal year had as of yet
not paid their 2015-16 annual dues which were due on June 30th – and were sent Dues Notices in the form of e-mail or written
postal correspondence. He further reported on the Club finances. There were three outstanding bills received that require payment, two for USPS postage reimbursement in the amount of $24.50, and one for the past president plaque in the amount of
$35.00.
NEW BUSINESS: President Nixon briefly summarized the upcoming ‘BankHead Military Vehicle Convoy On-The-Air’ Special Event as outlined at www.ConvoyOnTheAir.org. He related that the convoy is scheduled to travel through the Weatherford
area on October 06th and will be stopping at the National Vietnam War Museum, 12685 Mineral Wells Highway - for lunch.
He suggested this would be a good opportunity for the Club to be involved in a public service opportunity through visibility and
amateur radio operations at the location. Will Teague, W5KD spoke on the informal use by some Club members of the Yahoo
Group for exchanging information and posting files. He indicated there was a need for a volunteer from the Club to become the
second Yahoo Group moderator – Jerry Thompson, W7JT accepted the responsibility. Jack Nixon, KG5BBW reminded members that Club documents should not be ‘officially’ posted in more than one location, which prompted brief discussion on how
this currently occurs. He also recommended that Club ‘Special Events’ be updated on the Club’s website on a regular basis.
President Nixon entertained new commentary on the status of the Club membership. There appeared to be a consensus on the
need to amend the Club Bylaws – Article XI – Membership – Section 6 – relating to club members dropped for non-payment of
dues. It was agreed as this concerns all Club members to continue the matter until the next regular meeting on October 13th –
when recommendations for a possible amendment will be entertained. Will Teague was directed to re-format the Club’s internal record-keeping documents to more easily identify the current status of all members.
EQUIPMENT REVIEW & TRAINING: Joel Page gave a short show-and-tell presentation on two radio-related measuring
components – a frequency counter and two line volt and ammeter - that can be easily and inexpensively built (approximate $50
each). These product kits as well as many others are available from Quicksilver Radio www.qsradio.com .
Alene May, KD5NNQ won the 50/50 raffle in the amount of $7.00. At 8:25pm a motion was made to adjourn by Elizabeth
Hunkele, and seconded by Alene May.
Respectfully submitted,
By William Newman WL9N
Secretary/Treasurer
October 2015
The Peanut Whistle
Volume 25 No 10 Page 3
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ARCPC HOSPITALITY
October, 2015 Meeting
Upcoming Ham Fests/Conventions
10/03/2015 | HamEXPO
Location: Belton, TX
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Temple Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.tarc.org/hamexpo/
Learn More
Noble Stidham Memorial Clubhouse
Hamfest/Convention
10/17/2015 | Lubbock ARC's Second Annual Hamfest
Location: Lubbock, TX
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Lubbock Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://K5LIB.org
Learn More
Ardmore Convention Center
Hamfest/Convention
10/23/2015 | Oklahoma State Convention (Texoma
Hamarama)
Location: Ardmore, OK
Type: ARRL Convention
Sponsor: Texoma Hamarama Inc.
Website: http://www.texomahamarama.org/
Learn More
Aransas Pass Civic Center
Hamfest/Convention
10/31/2015 | South Texas Hamfest
Location: Aransas Pass, TX
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: South Texas Hamfest Association
Website: http://www.southtexashamfest.org
.
11/07/2015 | Enid ARC Hamfest
Location: Enid, OK
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Enid Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.enidarc.org/
01/09/2016 | San Antonio Radio Club Fiesta
Location: Schertz, TX
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: San Antonio Radio Club
Website: http://w5sc.org
Refreshments
Judy Wolf
KB5JEY
Jake Sez!
“ Enjoy life...this is not a dress rehearsal”
ARCPC VE TESTING
VE testing for all license classes and upgrades will be conducted on the third Monday of each month, except November
and December.
Time: 7:00 PM (Walk-ins allowed)
Contact: Douglas E. May WB5VQQ
(817) 613-7289
Email: dougmay@uwmail.com
VEC: ARRL/VEC
Location: What-a-Burger off of I20
Weatherford TX 76086
Mark Davis
shown in the photo to the left did
something that
you don’t see
very often. At our
last test session
Mark took and
passed all three
license classes at
one setting. This
is quite an accomplishment and
shows what a
little study can do
for you if your
are interested in
getting you ham
radio license.
Congratulations
to you Mark from
the ARCPC
membership.
October 2015
The Peanut Whistle
Volume 25 No 10 Page 4
ARRL/FCC
ARRL VEC Reminds License Applicants: The FCC is Now Paperless!
The ARRL VEC is reminding Amateur Radio license applicants that the FCC no longer routinely
prints or mails license documents. In an effort to streamline its procedures and save money, the
FCC went "paperless" in February 2015.
"Customer contact with the VEC has tripled since this change, as many amateurs have not heard of
the change or do not understand the FCC procedures for obtaining a license copy," said ARRL VEC
Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM. She said the most frequently asked question comes from Universal Licensing System users who have applied for renewal or modification, but then think the transaction was not completed because they did not get a new copy of their license in the mail.
"Once we look up the info, our answer is nearly always that the requested transaction actually was completed
and appears in the FCC database, but they won't be getting a copy of the updated license in the mail," Somma
said. Less frequently, her department hears from exam applicants who ask why they did not receive a copy of
their license after they passed the test.
To help clarify things, Somma has created a web page, How to Obtain an Official FCC License Copy, devoted to
explaining the various ways a licensee can get an official license document from the FCC. An official license
displays the FCC logo and the "Official Copy" watermark across each page. A printer-friendly version of the
instructions is available on the ARRL website.
Somma said the easiest way for a license holder to obtain a license copy is to call the FCC at (877) 480-3201.
Licensees can also download and print their own official license copy by logging into the Universal Licensing
System (ULS) using their FCC Registration Number (FRN) and password, then clicking on "Download Electronic Authorizations" in the menu on the left. The ULS has also added a green informational banner that says,
"Change your paper authorization preferences here, or download your official electronic authorizations now."
Somma points out that the green banner is only temporary, and it eventually will go away.
At least for now, though, clicking the "here" hyperlink will take you to the Paper Authorization Preferences"
page. To continue receiving paper license documents, click "Yes." Clicking the "now" hyperlink will take you to
the "Download Authorizations" page.
Click on "Download Electronic Authorizations" in the ULS menu on the left side of your account page to access
the "Download Authorizations" page.
On the "Download Authorizations" page, scroll down to the "Filter by Radio Service" box (remember, the ULS
is not just for the Amateur Service). First, highlight your call sign and then click "ADD>" to put your call sign
into the "Authorizations to Download" column. Scroll down a little further and click "DOWNLOAD>" to create
an official FCC license PDF document that can be saved or printed.
When modifying, renewing, or requesting a duplicate license copy, a licensee who already has an FCC Registration Number (FRN) and provides a valid e-mail address under "Applicant Information" while logged into the
ULS system will receive an official ULS-generated electronic authorization via e-mail.
All Amateur Radio exam applicants should include a valid e-mail address on their NCVEC 605 form, in order to
receive a copy of their license electronically.
Editor’s Note: Above Article was taken from the ARRL Website.
October 2015
The Peanut Whistle
Volume 25 No 10 Page 5
MARS (Disaster Exercise)
MARS Invites ARES/RACES Participation in Coronal Mass Ejection Disaster Exercise
A disastrous coronal mass ejection (CME) will be the focus of a national Military Auxiliary Radio System
(MARS) communication exercise in early November, and MARS is hoping to collaborate with Amateur Radio
Emergency Service (ARES) and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) groups. The MARS exercise
will get under way on November 8 and continue into November 10. It will be a quarterly contingency HF exercise
in support of the US Department of Defense.
“The exercise scenario will simulate a CME event and focus on actions that radio operators should take prior to
and following a CME event,” explained Army MARS Program Manager Paul English, WD8DBY. “One thing we
want to continue to work on is the interface with the greater Amateur Radio community.”
CMEs are huge explosions of gas, plasma, and electromagnetic radiation from the Sun, which are responsible for
geomagnetic storms. Solar flares can accompany CMEs, but they are not the same thing. A CME can take anywhere from 1 day to 3 days to reach Earth. CMEs occur all the time, but most bypass Earth with minor effects. A
major CME that hits Earth directly could damage or destroy satellites as well as terrestrial communication and
electrical power infrastructure.
English said the November would simulate a radio blackout as well as infrastructure damage. “During the exercise,
we will simulate the blackout with a 3 hour pause, and then we will bring stations back on air and begin handling
requests for information,” he told ARRL. Training objectives for this exercise will include understanding what a
CME is and how much forecast lead time can be expected; the effects associated with a CME, and what precautions radio operators take to protect their equipment, prior to a severe CME.
After the simulated CME, operators will assess its effects and begin reporting that information. This will involve
“interoperation with Amateur Radio operators and groups to assist in assessment. Amateur Radio operators,
ARES, and RACES are encouraged to participate in this exercise. Contact MARS and provide your contact information, if your organization group is interested.
Editor’s Note: Above Articles were taken from the ARRL Website.
October 2015
The Peanut Whistle
Volume 25 No 10 Page 6
News Briefs
Radio Amateur-Deputy Sheriff Shot and Killed in Florida.
An Okaloosa County, Florida, deputy sheriff. who was also a radio amateur. died of gunshot wounds after serving a domestic
violence restraining order at an attorney's office in Shalimar,
where he lived. William J. "Bill" Myers, KK4KF, was 64.
NorthEscambia.com reported on September 23, "Deputy Myers
was walking outside when he was shot multiple times in the back,
including a gunshot wound to the rear of his head." An Associated Press account said the shooter, identified as Joel Dixon Smith,
33, was supposed to be turning over any firearms in his possession, but apparently shot Myers with "a concealed weapon."
Bill Myers, KK4KF. [Photo courtesy of the Okaloosa County
Sheriff's Office
According to the news account, Myers was a law enforcement
veteran who had rejoined the Sheriff's Office in Okaloosa County
to earn money to take his granddaughter and family to Disney
World. On its "Officer Down Memorial Page," the Sheriff's Office said, "Deputy Myers had served with the Okaloosa County
Sheriff's Office for a total of 26 years. He had retired from the agency after serving 25 years and then returned as a
part-time deputy in January 2015 to assist with serving civil papers."
The suspect was later shot by authorities after barricading himself in a motel room, and he later died.
Okaloosa County Sheriff Larry Ashley called Myers "a treasured part of this agency's family since 1989" who had
"served this community with distinction for decades." Myers had also worked as a US Postal Service rural carrier.
A ham since 1986, Myers was a US Air Force retiree and former air traffic controller. He enjoyed operating CW,
was a member of the FISTS CW Club, and in recent years often ran QRP. One of his sons is also a ham. -- Thanks
to Jay Camac, N4OX
Retired US Navy-Marine Corps MARS Chief Bo G. Lindfors, N9UH, SK
The retired chief of the US Navy-Marine Corps Military Auxiliary Radio System (NMC MARS), Bo G. Lindfors,
N9UH, of Yorktown, Virginia, died September 15. An ARRL Life Member, he was 70. A native of Finland, Lindfors came to the US when he was 6 years old. After high school, he was accepted into the US Naval Academy and
subsequently served for 26 years in the US Navy, rising to the rank of Captain. His military service included tours
as commanding officer of a Landing Ship Tank (LST) and the USS Enhance. Before he retired from the Navy in
1993, Lindfors had been awarded the Navy Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, and the
Navy Achievement Medal. He became US Navy-Marine Corps MARS Chief in 1997, after having served as a
MARS volunteer.
Retired US Navy-Marine Corps MARS Chief Bo Lindfors, N9UH.
"As Chief, Capt Lindfors successfully made significant improvements to a program that many considered to be
obsolete and overcome by modern technology," said a Navy-Marine Corps MARS bulletin announcing Lindfors
death. "Through Capt Lindfors' outstanding leadership, NMC MARS improved interoperability with Army and Air
Force MARS, reorganized NMC MARS regions to align with the Federal Emergency Management Agency schema, and expanded the use of HF Automatic Link Establishment and other radio technology."
Navy-Marine Corps MARS members observed 1 hour of radio silence on September 19. A memorial service with
full military honors was held that same day in Newport News, Virginia.
The US Navy-Marine Corps MARS program is being phased out, and its operational mission will transition to the
other MARS service branches by the end of September. -- Thanks to Tom Pendarvis, W0MTP/NNN0YNQ
Editor’s Note: Above Articles were taken from the ARRL Website.
Membership Application/Renewal form 2015-2016
W5PC
www.w5pc.org
A
P.O.
W
,I
.
1795
,
76086
PARKER/PALO PINTO INFORMATION NET
Mondays at 7:00 pm on 147.040 (Tone 110.9) Alt: 146.900 or 443.800
WC5C Net
Thursdays at 8:00 pm - 8:45 pm on 147.1600+ (Tone 110.9)
MEETINGS
The Amateur Radio Club of Parker County holds general membership meetings
Throughout the year on a monthly basis the second Tuesday of each month beginning at
7:00pm at Harberger Hill Community Center, 701 Narrow Street, Weatherford, Texas
76086.
AMATEUR RADIO CLUB OF PARKER COUNTY MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
NAME: ____________________________________________ CALL SIGN: __________________
LICENSE CLASS: (E)(A)(G)(T)(N)
ARRL MEMBER: (YES) (NO)
STATUS: (NEW) (RENEWAL)
(CIRCLE APPLICABLE ANSWERS ON ABOVE LINE)
ADDRESS: ___________________________________ EMAIL ADDRESS: _________________
CITY: _______________________ STATE: __________ ZIP (plus 4): ____________—_________
PHONE: HOME: _____________________________ WORK: _____________________________
INIIATION FEE: One time initiation fee per family - $5.00
(+ 1 same household or full time college
ANNUAL DUES: $10.00. HAM FAMILY MEMBERSHIP: $15.00
student)(Add an additional $5.00 if you
wish to receive a hard copy of the newsletter).
HAM FAMILY MEMBER NAME: _____________________________________
CALL SIGN: ______________
Cut out and mail this application to the ARCPC Secretary/Treasurer along with you check or money order for
the amount due. Or, bring it to the next regular club meeting.
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS ARE DUE IN JUNE