CENTRAL ILLINOIS RADIO CLUB
Short CIRCuits
>From the President's Mike...
Happy New Year 1998!
Have you made any New Year's Resolutions yet? Personally, I've
made a
few, but then again, too few to mention. Hmmm. That sounds familiar.
Whoa! Sounds like an Elvis tune ... Most of my resolutions aren't
related to Amateur Radio (work, home, etc.), so I won't bore you with
the details. But I do have some things I'd like to work on for 1998.
Perhaps you might want to do the same.
Amateur Radio, like many other organizations, be it a local group or
a
world-wide one, is a fragile thing and it only works with active
participation by its members. There are many benefits to being active;
besides being more fun, it's rewarding to help others in need; it's
challenging to try something different - like a new band, a new mode,
learn some code, study & upgrade, build something, give a program
- show
us what you know. We hams didn't get where we are today without interest
in something - radios, antennas, circuits, microwave, atv - the list
goes on & on. And of course, if you haven't come to a meeting(*)
or
helped at any events we worked lately & are able to - we're hoping
that
you do! (* More on that later).
It's kind of like dialing around 10M & saying the band's DEAD when
you
don't HEAR anybody working it - You'd be surprised how many comebacks
you can get if you just Called CQ a few times in a few spots. With
the
sunspots coming back and a lot higher MUF's, this should perk you
interest up. With all the other interests vying for your time - mostly
the dreaded box (TV), it's all too easy to stagnate (also first-hand
experience). Age isn't a barrier, either. We can all contribute. Do
something for yourself, with & for your friends in Amateur Radio
in
1998, so we can keep this hobby alive.
A couple of weeks ago, I had a friend, KW0L/Frank call & tell me
10M FM
was open. I hadn't had that experience since KB9IGT/Connie & I
got into
ham radio. My HF gear had been packed up for a little while - I just
had
to set it up & see what I could do - well, I did tag a couple of
repeaters in LA and worked a guy & a gal on simplex into TX!
In fact, one guy I talked to in LA was crossband linked off his 440
HT -
he sounded like he was right here! It was worth setting up the rig
-
another test to see how quickly I could be on the air if I had to setup
somewhere for an emergency. I guess I did pretty well in both
situations. And it was FUN!
* Occasionally, we talk about our members who are unable to be with
us,
for health or other reasons. Since we meet at regularly scheduled times,
would it be possible to transmit our meeting, like on a net, to those
unable to attend & not violate the 'broadcasting' rules? Of course,
we'd
have to follow the rules, but it was a thought to include those who'd
like to be there but couldn't; while, even the snowbirds could dial
us,
if we went HF. I'd like to hear some of your thoughts on this at our
next meeting.
How about doing a hamfest this year? Does anybody have any gear to
sell
/ trade and want to reclaim unused space in your shack? It's been a
couple of years since we had the last one where I bought my first HF
gear (at the golf course). Let's talk about it, too.
Are you Year 2000 compliant? Do you know? Do you care? What's all the
big hoopla about the Millennium? Well, according to an old computer
I
have (luckily not the one I'm on now), it says 1 second after December
31st in 1999, it turns into January 1, 1980. Say what? Besides, who
wants a '286 DOS machine to work into the next century - certainly
the
BIOS designer didn't think so - but heck, it works great for a packet
station. (Do any of you Internet Trekkies remember Packet? - Oh, yeah,
sure - you had 8-Track tapes you stuck in the side to make it go.....)
Speaking of compliance, has anyone done their REQUIRED station audit
yet? If you have, come to the meeting & tell us how you went about
it.
As we all know, it something the FCC wants to ensure people have proper
control of their emissions, RF that is. What I've read so far doesn't
seem that tough, and it's a good way to reassure yourself & others
that
we don't expose ourselves or others unnecessarily to the unknown effects
of electromagnetic emissions.
I hope your 1998 is your very best year you've had yet!
de Chuck / N9RZV
Central Illinois Radio Club
P.O. Box 993
Bloomington, IL 61702-0993
President: Chuck Kostelc, N9RZV
Vice President: Rick Kempf, WD9HRU
Secretary/Treasurer: Norman Huber, N9ZKS
The CIRC is a not-for-profit ARRL special service club whose purpose
is
to advance the service of Amateur Radio. Located in Central Illinois,
CIRC and its members welcome all to use the 146.94 repeater and
to
attend club meetings.
Submissions for the newsletter must be received by the 10th of the month
and may be snail or e-mailed to the editor at:
Norm Huber
19268 E. US Hwy 150
Bloomington, IL 61704-5855
e-mail nihuber@ice.net
Permission is granted to Amateur Radio-related organizations to
reproduce contents of Short CIRCuits provided full credit is given.
Calendar of Events
Weekly 2 Meter Net
Every Tuesday evening on the 146.940-
repeater at 9:00 p.m.
10/10 Breakfast
First Saturday of every
month at 8 a.m. in the Steak and Shake at
Vernon Ave. and Veterans (Just South of College Hills Mall).
CIRC Meeting
Fourth Wednesdays of the
month at 7:30 p.m. at the Red Cross building
in Bloomington (Just north of the airport).
Minutes From December
by Norm Huber, N9ZKS
We did not have any formal business discussed at the December dinner
meeting. We certainly did have fun. The meal was good and the
comradeship was welcome. Those who went away with prizes need to tell
everyone how great they were and how much fun they had. so we have
an
even bigger turn out next year. (Maybe not - it would improve the chance
of getting a door prize if just a few were to attend.)
Perhaps we need to do more of our meetings at places like Steak and
Shake, or a park with picnic fixings so we could bring the family and
enjoy the fun. It would be especially fun if there was a radio and
the
band was open!
Everyone should remember that next month (February) is the time for
the
annual cherry pie meeting. Let’s bring our appetites.
CLUB JACKETS
by Norm Huber
Would you like one of the jackets worn by some of our members with the
logo on the back (as shown on the masthead)? I would like to order
one
and I need some more members to fill a minimum order. We would have
to
pay a setup charge of $15.00 since it’s been so long since our last
order that the original screen has been lost. The prices, after set
up,
would be as follows:
Jacket with logo on back
$ 29.00
Name & call added to front $33.00
XXL size
add $ 2.50
XXXL size
add $ 4.00
Trivia Question
For the Trivia Question last month, which was: "What & where was
the
FIRST radio station licensed in the United States?"
The Answer is: KDKA, in Pittsburgh on October 27, 1920. They started
broadcasting six days after receiving their license.
INTERNET RADIO HOMEPAGES
By KB9PZA Eldon Akers
The use of Amateur Radio and Internet Programs that link the
two
together can make amateur radio more fun for an amateur operator.
The first I want to share is the use of voice on the internet
by using
a talk program that links you to other amateur operators worldwide.
The
most used Program is Internet Phone (IPHONE) By Vocaltec at
http://www.vocaltec.com/
To make a directory for Amateur these are
Private Chat Rooms on V.4.X go to Online Directory then to Chat Room
then to New/Private on form enter the name of room. Then check the
Private Chat Room and Join Automatically.
For V. 5.X go to Vocltec Community Browser and click on Chat
Room and
open Private open and fill out the form than Open. Then go to
where is
show the room and right click on it. At the prompt add it to Favorites
and go to Favorites you have put there.
Directory for Amateur are:
Ham Radio
HAM RADIO
Repeater Link
Rptrink
There are others I found but I find these the most useful ones.
If you want to talk to other repeaters on the internet you need
Rptrlink at http://mebcs.com/rptrlink
In December KB9PZA decided to make a webpage that let amateur
have
Mutu-Conf. on the internet by using iphone.
It is at:
http://www.qsl.net/kb9pza/iphone.html
You need to start Your internet Browser - with Iphone Started
- go to
the my page and click on the room name.
This is for Amateur use .Lets keep the pages of the Conf. Area Clean
.Thank You.
There are links to other webpages at my page (KB9PZA’s).
If you are in to APRS you will want to look at
http://www.k8sn.org/aprsa4.html
To see live data of aprs check http://www.aprs.net/usa.html
http://www.aprs.net/
Come to the January meeting and I will demonstrate some of these items.
A TRUE STORY
When I was told that I would be sent to Belgium for several
months by
my employer, I applied for a reciprocal amateur radio license for
operation there. Having no address there at the time, I used the address
of a friend of mine, Wes Bracken who lived in a suburb of Brussels.
When
the list of new licenses was circulated to local authorities, a judge
who also was a ham in Charleroi noticed my call, ON8VM, and went to
the
address listed to meet and welcome me.
I had not yet arrived so he and Wes agreed that when I did arrive,
Wes
and I would visit the judge.
We did and we spent a delightful evening at dinner in the mansion
where the judge was born, raised and lived. We retired to his study,
a
room with mahogany paneled walls after dinner.
In the course of our conversation he told of the brotherhood
of hams
that saved his life.
In the early 1940's, the German military might overran Holland
and
Belgium. They confiscated all ham equipment. The judge was about 17
years of age, so was too young to be taken away for forced labor. He
had
hidden equipment for a complete station, including wire for an antenna
when he gave up his main station equipment.
He soon set up a station in his garage (which was formerly a
carriage-house) and arranged an antenna that he could raise after dark
and lower when not in use. He ran a clandestine station for
communication between the Belgian resistance and the British military
in
England. This allowed the exchange of information and procurement of
supplies for the resistance forces.
A complicated schedule was set up with various days and hours
of
operation. These schedules were not always the same in order to prevent
the Germans from finding the station. The schedules and station location
were eventually learned through the use of sophisticated D.F.equipment
and code-breaking techniques. A raid was planned to coincide with the
next scheduled transmission. Only a few communications officers knew
about it and one was a ham.
When the raid was made, no equipment, antenna or operator were
found.
They were safely on their way to England by boat. The young ham stayed
there for the duration of the war.
Had the German officer-ham been guilty of treason or betrayal?
The
clandestine station was permanently silenced and the young ham was
not
executed.
W9EX - Floyd
Earthquake Awareness
by Norm - N9ZKS
People living in northern Illinois might be surprised when a discussion
of civil emergencies includes earthquakes. Tremors rarely occur in
their
part of the state. Travel southward, though, and the topic is more
acceptable. Most people have felt tremors once or twice in a lifetime.
Those living along the southern borders are especially
concerned--because just south of Illinois lies the New Madrid seismic
zone, the most active earthquake area in the central United States.
In the winter of 1811-12, three major earthquakes struck
the area of
New Madrid, Missouri, along the Mississippi River. No earthquake
centered in Illinois during historic time has been as great. Between
December and February, tremors were felt as far away as Washington,
D.C.
During that whole winter, nearly 2.000 more shocks occurred-all strong
enough to be felt up to 200 miles away in Louisville. Kentucky.
The three strongest earthquakes were rated as "very disastrous"
(see
table). By the end of the winter, New Madrid was devastated. According
to eyewitnesses. the ground rose in some places and subsided 20 feet
or
more in others. Large cracks appeared. Water spouts and sand plumes
or
"blows" erupted from the earth. Landslides were common, especially
along
the Mississippi River where banks collapsed into the water. In fact,
the
current flowed backward for a time, following an elevation in the
riverbed. Fortunately, the region was sparsely populated.
A relic sand blow near Cairo, Illinois, indicates the strength
or
severity of the earthquake in southern Illinois. Today, a repeat of
the
New Madrid quakes would result in "ruinous damage" to parts of southern
Illinois.
Since 1812. no shocks of this magnitude have occurred in the
Midwest.
One quake with an epicenter in the New Madrid area :
occurred in
January 1843. Its maximum intensity was VIII on the Modified Mercalli
Intensity Scale (see table). On this scale. VIII is generally the lowest
intensity associated with serious damage to manmade structures. Another
quake in October 1895, also located in the New Madrid region, had an
intensity of IX.
By contrast, earthquakes centered in Illinois have been infrequent
and
relatively mild-small shocks causing little or no damage. In fact,
many
historic earthquakes of Illinois (see
map on next page) are not
connected to the New Madrid seismic zone.
Regional intensities (Mercalli Modified Intensity Scale) suggesting
the
possible effects of an earthquake as severe as the 1811 quake - the
epicenter occurred along the New Madrid seismic zone. Source USGS
Map Regional intenstiles
Scouting and Radio
The club has been asked to provide communications at the Spring Camporee
at Lake Evergreen the 17 and 18 th of April. We would be needed during
the day on Saturday. They are planning to use the trail around the
lake
and want to have about 8 to 10 checkpoints the scouts would pass
through. The radio operators would report the safe arrival of the
groups. Are we interested?
Also, I Received the following note via email. It is reference to Garry
(AB9M) and my efforts at the fall Scout Camporee. It would be fun if
we
plan ahead and make sure the participants know where the station is
located.
I understand there will be four boy scout camps setting up the 3rd
weekend in October 1998.
Can we do it again???
Is it possible that we can arrange for two hams to be in each camp
With
2m voice and packet ability???
Please let me know! 73 Joe - kb9ezz
tokarz@waldo.ivcc.edu
Nets in the Area
Monday 9:00 P.M. 146.730
123.0 PL Open Net
Tuesday 7:00 P.M. 146.910 Tazwell
County ESDA Net
Tuesday 9:00 P.M. 146.940 CIRC
Open Net
Wednesday 9:00 P.M.
147.060 Open Net Has Newsline
Wednesday 9:00 P.M.
442.250 123.0 PL ARES Open Net
Wednesday Varies 147.100
Trader’s Net follows ARES
Net on 442.250
Thursday 9:00 P.M.
146.760 Open Net with Newsline
Thursday 9:00 P.M.
146.895 North central IL Traders
Net
Friday 7:30 P.M. 147.345
Open Net with Traders Net
Sunday 8:30P.M 147.075 Open Net with Newsline
(Please help me correct this list. I know it’s not up to date
at this
time. Norm N9ZKS)
Blomington-Normal Area Repeaters
Freq Callsign
Location PL
145.390 N9EZJ Lincoln
145.430 KD9F Gridley
146.790 K9CYW Bloomington
146.940 W9AML Bloomington
147.015 NX9M Normal 88.5 (open*)
147.150 WD9FTV Bloomington
147.345 K9ZM Lincoln
442.700 WB9UUS Normal 107.2 (open**)
443.325 KE9HB Gridley 107.2
444.350 W9EX Bloomington
107.2
444.975 N9FZF Normal 136.5
* Repeater is currently in open mode with pl for those with QRM
** Repeater RX with tight carrier squelch and loose tone squelch (107.2)
Local DX Packet Cluster Information
Bloomington Access and Transport node BMIDX1 (AB9M-7) 144.91
1200
baud
Champaign Access and Transport node ILDX1 (KA6A)
144.91 1200
baud
Champaign Network Node Server
CMIDXC (K9CW) 144.91 1200
baud
Connections to the network are made by first connecting to BMIDX1, then
connecting to ILDX1, then connecting to K9CW.
The primary purpose of BMIDX1 is to provide local access for DX Packet
Cluster.
1998 EXAM SCHEDULE
To all,
I have set the following dates for Amateur Radio Exam sessions for
1998.
The testing will be held, in the Community
Room, at the Bloomington
Public Library, 205 East Olive Street in Bloomington, IL. We
will meet
and open the room at 1:00 p.m. local time. Exams will start around
1:30
p.m. This will give us 1/2 hour to set up the room and discuss any
new
information before we start the exam session.
I am requesting that anyone who plans to sit
for an exam
pre-register by calling or contacting myself or one of the other
examiners. They may call my home and leave a message 309-662-3910.
If
I am not available and a message is left on the answering machine,
I
will put them down as being registered and will expect to see them
on
exam day. We just need to have some idea on how many to expect.
The
examine’s help with this will be greatly appreciated.
Walk-ins are ALWAYS welcome for Amateur
exams.
Here is the schedule for the 1998 year.
Saturday January 31st
1:30 p.m.
Sunday March
15th 1:30 p.m.
Saturday May
2nd 1:30 p.m.
Saturday July
25th 1:30 p.m.
September none
Sunday November 15th
1:30 p.m.
73's Ken NX9M
MORTON EXAM DATES
Bob Davis AA9MY
If there are any questions phone 309-263-8620 (day) or 309-925-3141
(evenings) My email is redavis@dpc.net
All Morton exams begin at noon on Saturdays at the Morton Public
Library.
Feb 21
Apr 18
Jun 20
Aug 15
Oct 17
Dec 19
Superfest Exams:
Also exams will be held Sunday at the Peoria Superfest on September
20,
1998.
Exams for this will be from 10:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.
73 de Bob AA9MY
________________________________
Norm Huber - N9ZKS