This is a free weekly news & information update from Courage Center Handiham System. Our contact information is at the end, or simply email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for changes in subscriptions or to comment. You can listen to this news online.

MP3 audio stream:
http://www.handiham.org/audio/handiham.m3u

Download the 40 kbs MP3 audio to your portable player:
http://www.handiham.org/audio/handiham.mp3

Get this podcast in iTunes:

http://www.itunes.com/podcast?id=372422406

RSS feed for the audio podcast if you use other podcasting software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/handiham

Welcome to Handiham World.

You can do it!

Today, just as we did last week, we are going to begin with Troubleshooting 101 as part of our initiative to help new ham radio operators (and even some of us older ones) learn how to do some basic troubleshooting for ourselves. Yes, it can be tempting to ask someone else to do things for us. This can become a bad habit when it keeps us from learning new things, especially things that we could - with a bit of practice - learn to do for ourselves. Knowing these basic things can serve us well in the future when no help is available.

Troubleshooting 101

Let's get to today's troubleshooting question:

I sometimes use my handheld radio in the car. I can hear the repeater just fine, but I have had complaints that other stations can't hear me. What's going on here? Is there something wrong with my HT?

Yes, I'm afraid there is a problem with your radio. The problem is that it has a terrible antenna. Before you complain that the radio has always worked quite well when you used it around the house, let me explain.

Handheld radios are meant to be portable so that they are easy to carry around. Haven't you noticed that people prefer smaller, lighter electronic devices? So what was once referred to as "a brick" - the venerable 2 meter HT - has evolved to a multiband miniaturized wonder that fits in the palm of your hand. The antenna on the old brink was just about the same length as the one on your new radio, though. These flexible "rubber duck" antennas are the ones that come as standard equipment with a new handheld radio. They have always been terrible antennas, but they are designed to be flexible so that they can bend without breaking and generally survive being dumped into a backpack, stuffed into a pocket, or crammed into a purse. A quarter-wave antenna for the 2 meter band should be around 19 inches long (48 cm), but the radio would hardly be portable with that big antenna, would it? The rubber duck antenna is inductively loaded so that it can be physically shorter but still act like an electrical quarter wave.

This seems like a great solution because now you have the equivalent of 19 inches of antenna in a tiny, convenient flexible stick. Ha, ha, that is a good one. Most of these rubber antennas are more like a "dummy load on a stick". They are inefficient and lossy. A rubber antenna that came with the HT is probably okay if you are in a good location and not far from the repeater and are not moving around. The rubber antenna can receive okay but is not going to win any awards, but transmitting efficiently is just plain not a happening thing. When you move the antenna around, every slight cancellation of signal from multipath reception becomes a near-dropout. It is even worse inside a car, where the body of the car can block part of the signal and you are nearly always moving. No wonder your friends are complaining about your signal - because it is terrible!

Yaesu HT and Larson quarter wave mag mount antenna side by side on a shelf.

I placed my tiny Yaesu VX5R HT with the somewhat bent from years of carrying it in my pocket next to an old Larson 1/4 wavelength magnet mount antenna. The ACTUAL quarter wave mag mount towers over the HT with its wimpy rubber antenna. If only there were a way to use a quarter-wave magnet mount antenna, or even a 5/8 wavelength mag mount antenna, with my HT it would sure solve my transmitting problem and make the HT more useful as a temporary mobile radio.

Of course there is a way; you just need to get the right adapter to mate the mag mount antenna's connector to your HT and you are in business, right?

Well, no - it's not quite that easy. For one thing, you might not have a mag mount antenna. And you may not be familiar with these kinds of temporary antennas, especially if you are not a driver yourself and you ride with a spouse or a friend. Here are some things to consider:

If you are going to move the antenna around a lot, such as using it on a friend's car then removing it after you get where you are going, there are tiny, highly-portable miniature mag mount antennas with small diameter coax (RG-174U) with a connector to fit directly onto your HT. Actually, I prefer these antennas over other mag mounts because the light, flexible coax will not put extra stress on your radio's SMA connector. MFJ makes the MFJ-1722 dual-band mag mount antenna and it is only around $15 - an accessory to your HT that is well worth the money.
If you already have a more conventional larger mag mount with RG-58 coax, I recommend an adapter with a short piece of RG-174U coax so that the flexibility of the cable allows for comfortably moving the HT about as you use it. Stiff coax will put excessive pressure on the HT's antenna connector and may eventually break it.
If you are using an HT with an SMA connector, you may want to consider a special connector adaptor that seats against the body of the radio, taking pressure off the antenna connector.
Pay attention to the routing of the feedline out the door. It may run through the gap between the door and the car's frame, but choose a spot where the rubber gasket around the door frame will close gently against the wire.
Avoid sharp bends when running coax.
For longer term installations, test the water seal around the coax entry point with a garden hose.
Place the antenna on the roof of the vehicle or on the deck of the trunk lid if the cable is to be run through the back seat and out into the trunk.
Be sure the magnet has a serious grip on the metal car body!
Avoid long, flapping runs of wire across the roof or trunk.
If you have an antenna that screws onto a magnetic base, be sure it is screwed on tightly before traveling!
Consider a small, easy to remove antenna that is placed just outside and above a back door. You can easily grab it off the roof and shove it on the back seat floor under a mat when you want to conceal the fact that you have a radio in the car or if you need the extra clearance to get into the garage. While you're at it, unhook the HT and put it in the glove box or take it with you.
If you are serious about using an HT in the car, you might also pop for the optional car charger. All the HT manufacturers offer them, and they can be in the glove box with an extra rubber duck antenna when not in use. You will likely need high power while operating mobile, and that can run your battery down quickly.

Once you start using a "real" antenna mounted outside the vehicle, you will wonder how you ever got by with an HT and the rubber antenna.

Email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with your questions & comments.
Patrick Tice, WA0TDA
Handiham Manager

A dip in the pool

It's time to test our knowledge by taking a dip in the pool - the question pool, that is!

Today we are taking a question from the General Class pool:

G2B01 asks: Which of the following is true concerning access to frequencies?

Your possible answers are:

A. Nets always have priority
B. QSO?s in process always have priority
C. No one has priority access to frequencies, common courtesy should be a guide
D. Contest operations must always yield to non-contest use of frequencies

The correct answer is C: No one has priority access to frequencies, common courtesy should be a guide. We could get into lots of examples where net users felt entitled to a frequency because they "always" meet there, people yakking on a repeater who feel that they own the frequency for as long as they want in spite of what other communications needs others may have - even emergencies, and of course the ever-contentious contester use of the bands during popular contests. Please let courtesy come to the fore here!

Remote Base Health Report for 16 May 2012

We have a website for the remote base software. You may check it out at:
www.handiham.org/remotebase.

W0ZSW is on line. Echolink is out of service on W0ZSW, but is available for transmit and receive via the W4MQ software.

W0EQO is on line.

Please check the latest operating tips on the remote base pages:
http://handiham.org/local/blind/w4mq_remote_base_software.htm

The link to the daily status update pages:
www.handiham.org/remote

Our thanks to volunteer engineer Lyle Koehler, K0LR, for his help maintaining the station databases and updates.

Letters

Letters will return next week.

This week @ HQ

Getting ready for Dayton!

Speaking of Hamvention®, guess what? Yes, the Courage Center Handiham System will be at Dayton again this year. In fact, we will be Hap Holly's next-door neighbor because the Handiham booth is at space 330 in the Silver Arena! Please plan to stop by to visit with us if you get to Hamvention. We are doing our best to keep up with phone calls and emails, but please be patient as we cannot answer every call and do have to depend on voice mail. I will be out of the office after noon on Wednesday 16 May and will not be back in the office until Tuesday, 22 May.

Dayton Hamvention® 2012
"Internationally Connected"
May 18-20 2012

The crowd at a previous Hamvention.

Last chance for Radio Camp - Call immediately! Camp is a better value this year because it is one day longer than last year, the tuition is cheaper, scholarships are available, and we will have our own dining hall. Camp is Saturday, June 2 through Friday, June 8 2012. Call 1-866-426-3442 to enroll.

Equipment! We also have a selection of donated radios available for campers to take home. If you are registering for this camp session, please be sure to let us know if you have an equipment request.

Ideas wanted: If you have ideas about how to market or improve Radio Camp, or if future camp sessions should be replaced with something else that will better serve Handiham members, please let me know by email or postal mail. Please, no phone calls as I am creating a file to store comments. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or write directly to Patrick Tice, Handiham Manager at our Courage Center address. If you prefer changes to Radio Camp, tell me:

Where it should be held.
When it should be held.
How long it should be.
What it should cost for a camper to attend.
What topics, courses, or activities should be included during the camp session.
What should replace Radio Camp if you think it should no longer be held.

The May 2012 DAISY format audio digest is ready for our blind members. Check it out in the members section. Members using NLS digital cartridges may receive the digest by Free Matter postal mail.

May QST and Worldradio audio digests are now also ready for our blind members who do not have computers, also in DAISY format, playable in your Library of Congress digital player. Handiham members who use these players and who would prefer to receive a copy of the monthly audio digests on the special Library of Congress digital cartridge should send a blank cartridge to us in a cartridge mailer (no envelopes, please), so that we can place the files on it and return it to you via free matter postal mail. Your callsign should be on both the cartridge and the mailer so that we can make sure we know who it's from. Blank cartridges and mailers are available from APH, the American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.

Digital Talking Book Cartridge Catalog Number: 1-02610-00, Price: $12.00

Digital Talking Book Cartridge Mailer Catalog Number: 1-02611-00, Price: $2.50

Order Toll-Free: (800) 223-1839.

May QST audio digest is now also ready for our blind members in DAISY format, as a digital download for your computer DAISY player or to place on your digital cartridge or other portable DAISY player. Visit the DAISY section on the website after logging in.

Members Only Website Update:

Handiham.org open enrollment is over, but Handiham members who do not have log in credentials for the site may request them by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . This step was taken to curtail the hundreds of account requests from spammers and other non-members each week.

Tonight is EchoLink net night.

Notice: W0EQO-R, node 309436 is back in service.

The Wednesday evening EchoLink net is at 19:30 United States Central time, which translates to 00:30 GMT Thursday morning.

The 11:00 daily net will be heard at 16:00 GMT.

The following EchoLink nodes are always connected to the Handiham Conference:

HANDIHAM conference server Node 494492 (Our preferred high-capacity node.)
NX0P-R, node 513917
KA0PQW-R, node 267582
KA0PQW-L, node 538131
N0BVE-R, node 89680

Other ways to connect:

IRLP node 9008 (Vancouver BC reflector)
WIRES system number 1427

More information about repeaters and nodes may be found at http://www.handiham.info.

A big THANK YOU to all of our net volunteers who keep things running so well.

Stay in touch!

Be sure to send Nancy your changes of address, phone number changes, or email address changes so that we can continue to stay in touch with you. You may either email Nancy at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call her at 763-520-0512. If you need to use the toll-free number, call 1-866-426-3442.

Handiham Manager Patrick Tice, WA0TDA, may be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at 763-520-0511.

Mornings Monday through Thursday are the best time to contact us.

Answers to many questions about radios, Echolink, nets, and the Remote Base stations are all at www.handiham.org.

Supporting Handihams - 2012.

Now you can support the Handiham program by donating on line using Courage Center's secure website. It is easy, but one thing to remember is that you need to use the pull-down menu to designate your gift to the Handiham program.

Step one: Follow this link to the secure Courage Center Website:
https://couragecenter.us/SSLPage.aspx?pid=294&srcid=344

Step two: Fill out the form, being careful to use the pull-down Designation menu to select "Handi-Hams".

Step three: Submit the form to complete your donation. If the gift is a tribute to someone, don't forget to fill out the tribute information. This would be a gift in memory of a silent key, for example.

We really appreciate your help. As you know, we have cut expenses this year due to the difficult economic conditions. We are working hard to make sure that we are delivering the most services to our members for the money - and we plan to continue doing just that in 2012.

Thank you from the Members, Volunteers, and Staff of the Handiham System.

Patrick Tice, WA0TDA, Handiham Manager
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Handiham Membership Dues

Benefits of membership:

www.handiham.org/membership

Handiham renewals are on a monthly schedule - Please renew or join, as we need you to keep our program strong! You will have several choices when you renew:

	Join at the usual $12 annual dues level for one year. Your renewal date is the anniversary of your last renewal, so your membership extends for one year.
	Join for three years at $36.
	Lifetime membership is $120.
	If you can't afford the dues, request a 90 day non-renewable sponsored membership.
	Donate an extra amount of your choice to help support our activities.
	Discontinue your membership.

Please return your renewal form as soon as possible. Your support is critical! Please help.

The Courage Handiham System depends on the support of people like you, who want to share the fun and friendship of ham radio with others. Please help us provide services to people with disabilities. We would really appreciate it if you would remember us in your estate plans. If you need a planning kit, please call. If you are wondering whether a gift of stock can be given to Handihams, the answer is yes! Please call Walt Seibert at 763-520-0532 or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Ask for a free DVD about the Handiham System.

It's perfect for your club program, too! The video tells your club about how we got started, the Radio Camps, and working with hams who have disabilities.

Call 1-866-426-3442 toll-free. -- Help us get new hams on the air.

Get the Handiham E-Letter by email every Wednesday, and stay up-to-date with ham radio news.

You may listen in audio to the E-Letter at www.handiham.org.
Email us to subscribe:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Handiham members with disabilities can take an online audio course at www.handiham.org:

	Beginner
	General
	Extra
	Operating Skills

That's it for this week. 73 from all of us at the Courage Handiham System!
Pat, WA0TDA
Manager, Courage Handiham System
Reach me by email at:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Nancy, Handiham Secretary:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Radio Camp email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

ARRL is the premier organization supporting amateur radio worldwide. Please contact Handihams for help joining the ARRL. We will be happy to help you fill out the paperwork!

The weekly e-letter is a compilation of software tips, operating information, and Handiham news. It is published on Wednesdays, and is available to everyone free of charge. Please email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for changes of address, unsubscribes, etc. Include your old email address and your new address.

Courage Center Handiham System
3915 Golden Valley Road
Golden Valley, MN 55422
763-520-0512
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Welcome to Handiham World.

You can do it!

Troubleshooting 101

Let's get to today's troubleshooting question:

I like using Echolink, and I've finally figured out how to forward the ports on my home router to my ham shack computer. The problem is that I can't use Echolink on any other computer in the house unless I change all those port forwarding settings or use a public proxy, which isn't always available. Is there anything else I can do to make Echolink a little more convenient?

Echolink is pretty addictive, and it's easy to understand why you would want to be able to use it all around the house, perhaps even on your laptop while seated out on the patio one of these nice upcoming summer days. As you discovered, when you set up your home router to forward ports as described on the Echolink website, the application will then only work on the computer you selected. The router will happily direct traffic through those open ports, but only to that one specific ham shack computer. As you discovered when setting up your home router, port forwarding is not something you can do on a moment's notice. You have to log into your router's web-based administration page, go to the advanced settings, and then the port forwarding section. When you make changes to the settings, the router may momentarily drop internet connectivity and perhaps even reboot. Then it will take a while for everything to settle down and work again. This can be a major aggravation if you have other users in your household or if your home phone is a VoIP system that depends on the internet being connected.

Let's examine our Echolink application's built-in Firewall test. You will find it by opening Echolink, going to the "Tools" menu, and arrowing to the "Firewall/Router Test". Once there, press <Enter> and the test runs automatically. If you are blind or just like keyboard commands because they are faster and better than the mouse anyway, simply press <ALT> and the letter "T" for the Tools menu, then <ALT> and the letter "F" for the Firewall/Router test, which will start immediately.

Since you have already told us that your ham shack computer has Echolink working, you should get this "Testing Complete" message that says "Firewall test results: PASS".

"Firewall test results: PASS".

It is important to know about this handy little tool that is built into Echolink because you are going to use it again on a fairly regular basis once you make a few simple changes to your router settings.

Now it is time to use your main computer, which is connected by a LAN cable (preferably) to the router, to open the router's administration page. Depending on your router's setup, you will need to log in, then go to the advanced settings page and then to the port forwarding page. This should all seem familiar as you have already done it once. Next, you will need to uncheck the port forwarding boxes that you already set up. Yes, I know it seems crazy, but it is a necessary step. Save the settings, then go back to the advanced settings page and choose "port triggering" or "application rules" this time. It is similar to setting up port forwarding, but there is a BIG difference: You are opening ports when the Echolink application calls for them to carry traffic, no matter which computer on your network is running Echolink. This means that when you open Echolink on your wireless laptop while on the patio, the ports will be open to that computer. When you close Echolink on the laptop and later that evening you go back into the ham shack to use your main computer, Echolink will then work on that one because the ports will be opened by the "trigger" of a call for traffic to that machine.

I happen to have a D-Link router, so a screenshot of the application rules (triggering) page shows that I have triggered ports 5198 and 5199 for UDP traffic and port 5200 for TCP traffic.

I have triggered ports 5198 and 5199 for UDP traffic and port 5200 for TCP traffic.

Now I can save the settings and after that I should be able to use Echolink on any computer on my home network without having to worry about port forwarding.

There are some things to remember:

Only one computer at a time can be running the Echolink application. If more than one computer is running Echolink, only one of them will actually connect properly.
When you close Echolink on one computer, it may take a few minutes for the network to resolve itself back to a neutral state. If you try to connect Echolink on another machine immediately, it may not work. Always allow a few minutes between switching machines - Both machines may be running and connected to the network at the same time, which is not a problem. It is only starting Echolink too soon after just closing it on another machine that can cause problems.
This is where we try our built-in Firewall/Router tests again:

If the network is ready, the tests will proceed normally with a "PASS" and you are good to go for Echolink fun!

Email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with your questions & comments. But for the record, please remember that I am NOT tech support for Echolink or your home networking equipment since you are there at home and I'm here in Minnesota. Reading the manual will get you way farther than calling me for sympathetic head-nodding.

Patrick Tice, WA0TDA
Handiham Manager

A dip in the pool

It's time to test our knowledge by taking a dip in the pool - the question pool, that is!

Today we are taking a question from the Extra Class pool:

E1E12 asks, ?To which of the following examinees may a VE not administer an examination??

Possible answers are:

A. Employees of the VE

B. Friends of the VE

C. The VE?s close relatives as listed in the FCC rules

D. All these answers are correct

The correct answer here is C, The VE's close relatives as listed in the FCC rules. In practice, the VE team leader will make decisions to assign or not assign some VEs based on other factors, such as whether a VE has also been an instructor in the club's licensing class which immediately preceded the exam session. This might be done to avoid any possible conflict of interest, but strictly speaking it is not a requirement.

Digital Update

Logging software: I often get requests for accessible logging software. It's hard to beat XMLog, which is an amateur radio logbook system for Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista, and Windows 7. It is free for amateur radio use. Get it at:
http://www.xmlog.com/

Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV, has a new beta "Eyes-Free" guide for the Baofeng UV-5R, a new and inexpensive Chinese handheld radio. "Baofeng" is pronounced "bow-fung". Find it here:
http://handiham.org/manuals/Baofeng/Baofeng-UV5R-eyes-free.rtf

Don't forget to send us an NLS digital cartridge in a Free Matter mailer if you have an NLS player. We will use your cartridge to keep you up to date with our audio digest and podcasts, as well as add whatever you request from our library, including the audio lectures and rig tutorials. Find out more at:
http://www.handiham.org/node/69

Only about 6 weeks left to study! Handiham Extra Class digital format lectures will be removed from our server at the end of June 2012. The new Extra pool is in effect for all examinations beginning on July 1st, and at that time we will begin posting the new lecture series. We will produce some new Extra Class lectures as well as modify parts of the old lectures when appropriate. The Extra Class is a large project for us, so the entire lecture series will take significant time to complete. Handiham members who wish to have their own complete copy of the existing lecture series should either download and save the individual lectures or send us an NLS cartridge. There is no way to place the lecture series in a single zip file for download due to the large file size.

Minnesota Radio Talking Book Services will be going from analog to digital format in the coming months. New radios will be issued to users. The service is also available via the internet as an audio stream.

Kenwood TS-590S: We are still in need of an audio tutorial and description of this new radio by Kenwood. If you can create any kind of digital audio help file, we would sure appreciate it.

Listen to our Net On Line: The Handiham net is on the air daily at 11:00 AM USA Central Time. Either of the following links will get you connected. No ham radio license or Echolink application is necessary to listen via these websites.

May Events by N1YXU

It?s almost the unofficial beginning of summer, and it?s hard to believe we are already in the month of May. I hope you find many interesting ham radio related activities to fill your calendar this month. Please be sure to let me know if there are any activities that you would like me to include in this monthly events update.

Until next month?.

Regards, - Laurie Meier, N1YXU
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Read the events column at:
http://www.handiham.org/node/81

Remote Base Health Report for 09 May 2012

We have a website for the remote base software. You may check it out at:
www.handiham.org/remotebase.

W0ZSW is on line.

W0EQO is on line.

Aurora'12 Weak Signal VHF+ Conference

On Saturday, May 12, Aurora'12 will be held in White Bear Lake, MN. 2012 represents the 29th year for this fun one day conference that is the largest gathering of weak signal VHF enthusiasts in the Upper Midwest. From 9:00 am to noon we will hold an antenna range for 2m through 10 GHz. From 1:00 to 4:30 PM there will be a number of technical papers presented. If you have an interest in learning more about the World Above 50 MHz, come and check it out. It's a great place to meet people, to ask questions, and to learn a thing or two. Registration is $5.00 and full information, including registration, can be found at:

http://www.nlrs.org/home/aurora

Letters

WA0CAF sent a note from Hap Holly about Hamvention®:

Hap Holly, KC9RP, has been recording ham interviews since the mid 1980s. However, few have been interviewed at the Dayton Hamvention due to excessive noise around the R.A.I.N. booth. Now all that has changed...

Hap Holly wants to interview you! R.A.I.N. Booth #329

Four years ago Auralex donated some of its acoustical panels to improve the soundproofing in the reading booth at Hap's employer, Horizons for the Blind (HFTB) at their former location. Guitar Center and Auralex joined forces to redo the sound booth in HFTB's new facility. James Vernon Lackey, one of HFTB's paid readers, rescued these discarded panels, and fashioned them into a very functional portable sound screen. This sound screen now enables Hap to resume conducting interviews out in the field including at this year's Hamvention, May 18-20.

What's your story. Visit us in booth #329, rest your aching feet and share with The R.A.I.N. Report's Hap Holly your ham radio story--how and why you got in. Just drop by the booth #329 and let Hap or any of the R.A.I.N. volunteers know you're there. If he's not in the middle of an interview, he'll be glad to have you join him in the booth and talk about your ham radio roots.
www.therainreport.com

QRP ARCI ACCESSIBILITY CHALLENGE-UPDATE

QRP ARCI issued an Accessibility Challenge in January, 2012. It was announced in the Winter 2012 QQ, the club website:
http://fdim.qrparci.org/content/view/128/

The core of the challenge is for QRPers to create a kit that can be built by our visually impaired hams. The rules are found at the website above. The intent was to make this a special category in the FDIM 2012 building contest. Entries would be on display at FDIM 2012 and a team of three judges would select the winning entries.

Since issuing the challenge, we have received feedback from a number of sources stating that a four month timeline was overly optimistic to perform all the needed steps to develop such a kit. We have discussed various alternatives and have decided to extend the timeline. The rules will stand as initially stated, however this will be a special category at FDIM 2013, thus giving a full year for the development and design effort.

This extension will also give time to adequately publicize the challenge and insure a high level of participation. We apologize for our overly optimistic start. Form your design teams and heat up the irons. We look forward to seeing the results at FDIM 2013.

Ken Evans, W4DU President - QRP ARCI

This week @ HQ

Getting ready for Dayton!

Dayton Hamvention® 2012
"Internationally Connected"
May 18-20 2012

The crowd at a previous Hamvention.

Radio Camp still has openings, so apply now. Camp is a better value this year because it is one day longer than last year, the tuition is cheaper, scholarships are available, and we will have our own dining hall. Camp is Saturday, June 2 through Friday, June 8 2012. Call 1-866-426-3442 to enroll.

Equipment! We also have a selection of donated radios available for campers to take home. If you are registering for this camp session, please be sure to let us know if you have an equipment request.

Ideas wanted: If you have ideas about how to market or improve Radio Camp, or if future camp sessions should be replaced with something else that will better serve Handiham members, please let me know by email or postal mail. Please, no phone calls as I am creating a file to store comments. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or write directly to Patrick Tice, Handiham Manager at our Courage Center address. If you prefer changes to Radio Camp, tell me:

Where it should be held.
When it should be held.
How long it should be.
What it should cost for a camper to attend.
What topics, courses, or activities should be included during the camp session.
What should replace Radio Camp if you think it should no longer be held.

The May 2012 DAISY format audio digest is ready for our blind members. Check it out in the members section. Members using NLS digital cartridges may receive the digest by Free Matter postal mail.

Digital Talking Book Cartridge Catalog Number: 1-02610-00, Price: $12.00

Digital Talking Book Cartridge Mailer Catalog Number: 1-02611-00, Price: $2.50

Order Toll-Free: (800) 223-1839.

Members Only Website Update:

Tonight is EchoLink net night.

Notice: W0EQO-R, node 309436 is out of service to to the lack of a proxy. If you can host a private proxy for us, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Wednesday evening EchoLink net is at 19:30 United States Central time, which translates to 00:30 GMT Thursday morning.

The 11:00 daily net will be heard at 16:00 GMT.

The following EchoLink nodes are always connected to the Handiham Conference:

HANDIHAM conference server Node 494492 (Our preferred high-capacity node.)
NEW! NX0P-R, node 513917
KA0PQW-R, node 267582
KA0PQW-L, node 538131
N0BVE-R, node 89680

Other ways to connect:

IRLP node 9008 (Vancouver BC reflector)
WIRES system number 1427

More information about repeaters and nodes may be found at http://www.handiham.info.

A big THANK YOU to all of our net volunteers who keep things running so well.

Stay in touch!

Handiham Manager Patrick Tice, WA0TDA, may be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at 763-520-0511.

Mornings Monday through Thursday are the best time to contact us.

Answers to many questions about radios, Echolink, nets, and the Remote Base stations are all at www.handiham.org.

Supporting Handihams - 2012.

Handiham Membership Dues

Benefits of membership:

www.handiham.org/membership

Handiham renewals are on a monthly schedule - Please renew or join, as we need you to keep our program strong! You will have several choices when you renew:

	Join at the usual $12 annual dues level for one year. Your renewal date is the anniversary of your last renewal, so your membership extends for one year.
	Join for three years at $36.
	Lifetime membership is $120.
	If you can't afford the dues, request a 90 day non-renewable sponsored membership.
	Donate an extra amount of your choice to help support our activities.
	Discontinue your membership.

Please return your renewal form as soon as possible. Your support is critical! Please help.

Ask for a free DVD about the Handiham System.

It's perfect for your club program, too! The video tells your club about how we got started, the Radio Camps, and working with hams who have disabilities.

Call 1-866-426-3442 toll-free. -- Help us get new hams on the air.

Get the Handiham E-Letter by email every Wednesday, and stay up-to-date with ham radio news.

You may listen in audio to the E-Letter at www.handiham.org.
Email us to subscribe:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Handiham members with disabilities can take an online audio course at www.handiham.org:

	Beginner
	General
	Extra
	Operating Skills

ARRL is the premier organization supporting amateur radio worldwide. Please contact Handihams for help joining the ARRL. We will be happy to help you fill out the paperwork!

Courage Center Handiham System
3915 Golden Valley Road
Golden Valley, MN 55422
763-520-0512
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Tags:

news

QRP ARCI ACCESSIBILITY CHALLENGE-UPDATE
QRP ARCI issued an Accessibility Challenge in January, 2012. It was announced in the Winter 2012 QQ, the club website (see
http://fdim.qrparci.org/content/view/128/ ) and various QRP lists.

The core of the challenge is for QRPers to create a kit that can be
built by our visually impaired hams. The rules are found at the website above. The intent was to make this a special category in the FDIM 2012 building contest. Entries would be on display at FDIM 2012 and a team of three judges would select the winning entries.

Since issuing the challenge, we have received feedback from a number of sources stating that a four month timeline was overly optimistic to perform all the needed steps to develop such a kit. We have discussed various alternatives and have decided to extend the timeline. The rules will stand as initially stated, however this will be a special category at FDIM 2013, thus giving a full year for the development and design effort.

This extension will also give time to adequately publicize the
challenge and insure a high level of participation. We apologize for our overly optimistic start. Form your design teams and heat up the irons. We look forward to seeing the results at FDIM 2013.

Ken Evans, W4DU
President - QRP ARCI
Tags:
May Events by N1YXU
May Events

It?s almost the unofficial beginning of summer, and it?s hard to believe we are already in the month of May. I hope you find many interesting ham radio related activities to fill your calendar this month.

Please be sure to let me know if there are any activities that you would like me to include in this monthly events update.

Until next month?.

Regards,
- Laurie Meier, N1YXU
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Table of Contents:

1. Events Highlighted by Handiham Members:

See the Handihams Repeater Net information, and if you?re in the area, be sure to check in.

2. Editor?s Pick of the Month:
If you take a look at the contests that are published for May, you will notice there are a few state QSO parties that are scheduled. These contests are always a lot of fun and a great way to get your WAS award. Be sure to check the days and times when these contests are scheduled.

3. Hamfests and Conventions:
For ARRL Announced Hamfests and Conventions, go to the following URL:
http://www.arrl.org/hamfests.html

4. Monthly Contests

5. Special Events:
ARRL Announced Special Events

6. Exam Sessions:

ARRL Exam Sessions can be found on the following website:
http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtml
Exam sessions can be found by state, country, or proximity to a specific US zip code.

W5YI Exam Session can be found on the following website:
http://www.w5yi.org/vol-exam.htm
Click on the state where you will take the exam. Examiners are listed by zip code within the state. Contact the examiner to determine the next exam session.

Detailed Information Follows:

Events Highlighted by Handiham Members

Handiham Repeater Nets:

**** 147.450 pl 114.8 ? Simplex Echolink node up in Faribult, 50 watts, call is NØVZC- L ****

Note: All times are CST unless otherwise specified.

Mondays
11:00 am - Handiham Net, Echo Link enabled, 145.450
7:00 pm - Courage Center Handiham Net, 145.450

Tuesdays
11:00 am - Handiham Net, Echo Link enabled, 145.450
7:00 pm - Minnetonka Radio Club,145.450
8:00 pm - AMSAT Net on 145.21, 145.45, and 444.0 repeaters

Wednesdays
11:00 am - Handiham Net, Echo Link enabled, 145.450
7:00 pm [First Wednesday of every month] ? Handiham NTS ? Training net for anyone who would like to be net control for Handiham nets. More information regarding this net is detailed below:

New training net meets on N0BVE 145.450 repeater, node 89680: There is a
new Handiham training net meeting the first Wednesday of each month at
19:00 hours Central Time. This works out to 01:00 hours GMT Thursday.
The purpose of the net is to train new net control stations in the
basics of running a net. If you have had cold feet about being a net
control station yourself, why not check in on the first Wednesday of
each month and get some pointers? Howard, KE7KNN, is the net manager and
you can contact him with questions by sending an email to
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , who will pass it on.

Thursdays
11:00 am - Handiham Net, Echo Link enabled, 145.450

Fridays
11:00 am - Handiham Net, Echo Link enabled, 145.450

Saturdays
9:00 am - QCWA Chapter #8 Net, 145.450
11:00 am - Handiham Net, Echo Link enabled, 145.450
7:00 pm - Ham Talk Net: Rain Dial-up report, Newsline, ARRL audio newsletter, This Week in Amateur Radio, Skywarn update on 145.21 and 145.450

Editor?s Pick of the Month
If you take a look at the contests that are published for May, you will notice there are a few state QSO parties that are scheduled. These contests are always a lot of fun and a great way to get your WAS award. Be sure to check the days and times when these contests are scheduled.

Contests

For an extensive list of contests that will take place in May, you should check out the following URL: http://www.ncjweb.com/contestcal.php.

May Contests:

The ARRL publishes a very concise listing of contests for given months. The contests are not just those sponsored by the ARRL. The contest name, dates, and rules are available via the following link: http://www.arrl.org/contests/

Special Events

Listed below are some highlights of the Special Events that are happening in May. If you would like to find more Special Events, please go to the following URL: http://www.arrl.org/events/search

? 05/10/2012 | 143rd Golden Spike Commemoration Celebration
May 10-May 12, 1500Z-2100Z, W7G, Ogden, UT. Ogden Amateur Radio Club. 28.355 21.285 14.255. QSL. OARC - W7G , PO Box 3353, Ogden, UT 84409. From the Golden Spike National Historic Site. Celebrating the 143rd anniversary of the Golden Spike ceremony that joined the rails connecting the Union and Central Pacific Railroads on May 10, 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory. www.ogdenarc.org

? 05/12/2012 | 2012 Mother's Day Special Event
May 12, 0000Z-2359Z, W8SP, Grafton, WV. Mountaineer Amateur Radio Association. Bottom of Gen bands 80 40 20 15 m phone CW bands and Novice 10 m phone subband. Certificate & QSL. Charles T. McClain, K8UQY, Rt 4 Box 161, Grafton, WV 26354. Commemorating the first official observance of Mother's Day at the International Mother's Day Shrine in Grafton, WV.

? 05/19/2012 | Bryan Amateur Radio Club Inaugural Armed Forces Day Appreciation at Camp Hearne
May 19, 1400Z-2300Z, W5C, Hearne, TX. Bryan Amateur Radio Club. 28.400 14.250 7.200. Certificate & QSL. Bryan Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 4442, Bryan, TX 77805. Armed Forces Day appreciation from Camp Hearne. Camp Hearne is a Museum located on the historic World War II POW camp, just north of Hearne, Texas on F.M. 485. Camp Hearne was former POW camp that housed 4800 prisoners of war during the World War II campaign and was active from 1942 to 1946. Camp Hearne is dedicated to ensuring the education and preservation of the history of their location and their part played in this crucial portion of American History. Bryan Amateur Radio Club is pleased to be invited to show some of the communications and technology used during this pivotal period and display some of the newer technology that were a direct result of this unfortunate armed conflict www.bryanarc.org/camphearne

? 05/26/2012 | 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge
May 26-May 27, 0000Z-2359Z, N6G, Healdsburg, CA. Will Pattullo. 21.265 14.265 7.265. QSL. Will Pattullo, 161 Presidential Cir, Healdsburg, CA 95448. ae6yb.tripod.com/n6g

? 05/28/2012 | Commemorating Memorial Day
May 28, 1500Z-2200Z, W0FSB, Waterloo, IA. Five Sullivan Brothers Amateur Radio Club. 21.240 14.240 7.240. Certificate & QSL. Vernon Mc Nulty, 4015 Independence Ave, Waterloo, IA 50703. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tags:
- events
White House Highlights STEM Innovators in the Disability Community as "Champions of Change"
WASHINGTON, DC ? On Monday, May 7th, the White House will honor 14 individuals as Champions of Change for leading the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math for people with disabilities in education and employment.

?STEM is vital to America?s future in education and employment, so equal access for people with disabilities is imperative, as they can contribute to and benefit from STEM,? said Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy. ?The leaders we?ve selected as Champions of Change are proving that when the playing field is level, people with disabilities can excel in STEM, develop new products, create scientific inventions, open successful businesses, and contribute equally to the economic and educational future of our country.?

The Champions of Change program was created as a part of President Obama?s Winning the Future initiative. Each week, a different sector is highlighted and groups of Champions, ranging from educators to entrepreneurs to community leaders, are recognized for the work they are doing to serve and strengthen their communities.

To watch this event live, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/live at 1:30 pm ET on May 7th.

The White House "Champions of Change" are:

Ralph Braun is the founder and CEO of The Braun Corporation. Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy in 1947, he began using a wheelchair for mobility. Determined to maintain his independence, he engineered the world?s first motorized scooter and followed with the first accessible vehicle a few years later. The company grew substantially over the next decades, and today, The Braun Corporation is the worldwide leader of wheelchair accessible vehicles and wheelchair lifts in the mobility industry. What started as a part-time business operated from his parents? garage has grown into an international corporation with over 800 employees. Ralph is now 71 years old and is the father of five adult children. He still lives and runs The Braun Corporation from his hometown of Winamac, Indiana with his wife, Melody.

Joseph Sullivan is president of Duxbury Systems, Inc., a small company that has specialized in software for braille since its founding in 1975, and which now employs two blind people and which provides braille translation software for more than 130 languages worldwide. He has also served on many braille-related committees, including the Literary Braille and Computer Braille Committees of the Braille Authority of North America, was chair of the technical design subcommittee of the Unified English Braille (UEB) project of the International Council on English Braille (ICEB), and currently serves on the UEB Maintenance Committee of ICEB. Joe believes that braille is the key to literacy for blind persons, that literacy is the key to an informed citizenry, and that an informed citizenry is essential to civilization.

University of North Texas (UNT) Biochemistry graduate student Nasrin Taei is developing a model peptide system to investigate the effects of mutations that cause sudden cardiac arrest in young adults. Her model system will be used for testing potential candidate drugs that ameliorate the structural effects of heart disease causing mutations. Nasrin is a member of Phi Theta Kappa an international honor society. As a STEM model, she tutored at the community college and mentored high school students, which led to her recognition at UNT as a Soaring Eagle. Nasrin is being honored as a Champion of Change for her humanitarianism and contributions toward discovering a treatment for heart disease and making a better future for people around the globe.

Maria Dolores Cimini, Ph.D. is the Assistant Director for Prevention and Program Evaluation at the University at Albany Counseling Center and has served as the Principal Investigator for over six million dollars in behavioral health projects funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the U.S. Department of Education during the past decade. As a scientist-practitioner, Dr. Cimini has been active in promoting access to STEM for students with disabilities, particularly young women with disabilities, through her work with the American Psychological Association?s Women with Disabilities in STEM Education Project for which she serves as Co-Chair and her mentoring of students and early career scientists on a national scale. Through her own experience as a scientist with a disability, she is helping our nation identify and enhance facilitators and address barriers to STEM education and career success for people with disabilities. Dr. Cimini is being honored as a Champion of Change for her work in enhancing access to the STEM disciplines by students with disabilities through her research, leadership, and mentoring efforts.

As a professional and a parent, Virginia Stern has been working for more than four decades to raise expectations of persons with disabilities, their families, educators, and employers, especially employers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Since 1977 she was a guiding force of the Project on Science, Technology and Disability of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). She recognized that talented students with disabilities needed more than legislation and STEM degrees to gain employment in their chosen fields. In 1996 Mrs. Stern and her colleagues developed the flagship program, Entry Point!, to provide paid internships and develop career skills in the private and public sectors for students with disabilities in STEM. Hundreds of Entry Point! alumni have joined and continue to advance in the STEM workforce of the nation.

Steve Jacobs is President of IDEAL Group. Steve is dedicated to enhancing the accessibility of STEM curriculum for students with disabilities. Steve?s company offers software that translates printed STEM materials into digital formats for conversion into speech and Braille. Steve?s company also developed fully-accessible STEM-enabled eBook reading software. Over the past 3-1/2 years, Steve?s company has become one of the world?s largest developer of mobile accessibility applications with five million installations in 136 countries. Steve is also working with many institutions to tech-transfer their STEM-related work to mobile platforms. These institutions include Smith-Kettlewell?s Video Description R&D Center, University of Oregon?s Mathematics eText Research Center, and Georgia Tech wireless RERC and sonification lab. Steve is a 1973 graduate of Ohio State University. Steve and wife Pauline have been married for 37 years. Pauline and Steve have two daughters, Shana and Jessica, and a granddaughter Brooke Christine? who is Steve?s boss.

Rafael San Miguel began his career at NASA working on the Space Shuttle program, and has spent the past 23 years as a scientist for The Coca-Cola Company. He also serves as a board member of the Atlanta Speech School, an 80-year old private institution focused on meeting the needs of those with speech and language based disabilities. Rafael, who has been profoundly deaf since infancy, creates awareness about disability by focusing on ability as he inspires young people to pursue education in science and math. Using his unique format that presents science in an exciting way, he has volunteered at schools both locally and in communities where he travels by connecting with underserved schools through the volunteer network of Points of Light. Rafael is now turning his energies toward a call to action and creating an initiative called the U.S. Science Project focused on inspiring individual scientists, businesses, legislators and community leaders to scale efforts for engaging in impact-driven volunteerism to begin to fill the science deficit in our nation through a volunteer Science Corps.

David H. Rose, EdD, is a developmental neuropsychologist and educator whose primary focus is on the development of new technologies for learning. In 1984, Dr. Rose co-founded CAST, a not-for-profit research and development organization whose mission is to improve education, for all learners, through universal design for learning (UDL). Dr. Rose also teaches at Harvard?s Graduate School of Education where he has been on the faculty for more than 25 years. He is the author or editor of numerous books and articles on UDL, and the winner of awards from the Smithsonian Museum, the Tech Museum, and others.

Christine Reich is Director of Research and Evaluation at the Museum of Science, Boston, one of the world's largest science centers. The Museum of Science brings science, technology, engineering, and math to about 1.5 million visitors a year through its dynamic programs and interactive exhibits. As Director of Research and Evaluation, Christine oversees a department that conducts research and evaluation studies related to various aspects of the Museum experience, but her passion and expertise focus on researching ways to advance the inclusion of people with disabilities in museum learning. Prior to her current position, Christine worked as a museum educator and an exhibit planner, specializing in the development of museums exhibitions and programs that are inclusive of people with disabilities.

George Kerscher began his IT innovations in 1987 and coined the term "print disabled." George is dedicated to developing technologies that make information not only accessible, but also fully functional in the hands of persons who are blind or who have a print disability. He believes properly designed information systems can make all information accessible to all people and is working to push evolving technologies in this direction. As Secretary General of the DAISY Consortium and President of the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF), Kerscher is a recognized international leader in document access. In addition, Kerscher is the Senior Officer of Accessible Technology at Learning Ally in the USA. He chairs the DAISY/NISO Standards committee, and serves on the USA National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) Board.

As a child in the New York Institute for the Education of the Blind in 1949, John Boyer found that contemporary scientific material in braille was almost non-existent. John has never lost the sense of frustration he felt when the braille resources available to him were insufficient to satisfy his hunger for more science education. John believes that is the motive for his life?s work. He obtained a master's degree in Computer science, with a minor in electronics engineering at the University of Wisconsin in 1980. His first company was a Braille publishing enterprise which served an international client base. Abilitiessoft, Inc., his current company, creates open source adaptive software which makes Web pages available to blind persons through a Braille display. The current project, BrailleBlaster, will allow the integration of text with Braille graphics such as maps and graphs into a format accessible to blind people.

Dr. Dimitri Kanevsky is a Research staff member in the Speech and Language Algorithms Department at the IBM T.J.Watson Research Center. Prior to joining IBM, he worked at a number of prestigious centers for higher mathematics, including the Max Planck Institute in Germany and the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, New Jersey. In 1979, he invented a multi-channel vibration based hearing aid, and founded a company to produce and market this device. He also developed the first uses for speech recognition as a communication aid for deaf users over the telephone, for which he received an award from the National Search for Computing Applications from John Hopkins to Assist Persons with Disabilities. In 1998 Dr. Kanevsky introduced the first remote transcription stenographic services over the Internet, and created the ViaScribe product speech recognition concept and system that allows automatic transcription of lectures in real-time and the creation of multimedia notes. At IBM he has been responsible for developing the first Russian automatic speech recognition system, as well as key projects for embedding speech recognition in automobiles and broadcast transcription systems. He currently holds 152 US patents and was granted the title of Master Inventor IBM in 2002 , 2005 and 2010. His conversational biometrics based security patent was recognized by MIT, Technology Review Magazine, as one of five most influential patents for 2003. His work on Extended Baum-Welch algorithm in speech, another initiative for embedding speech recognition in automobiles and his work on conversational biometrics was recognized as science accomplishment in 2002 , 2004 and 2008 by the Director of Research at IBM . In 2005 Dimitri Kanevsky received an Honorary degree (Doctor of Laws, honoris causa) from the University College of Cape Breton. He was elected a member of the Word Technology Network in 2004 and was a Chairperson of IT Software Technology session at Word Technology Network Summit 2005 in San-Francisco, Calif. He also organized a special session on Large Scale Optimization at ICASSP 2012 in Japan.

Henry Wedler is a graduate student at the University of California, Davis, working towards his Ph.D. in organic chemistry. Inspired by programs offered by the National Federation of the Blind in high school and with encouragement from professors, colleagues and others, Henry gained the confidence to challenge and refute the mistaken belief that STEM fields are too visual and, therefore, impractical for blind people. Henry is not only following his own passion; he is working hard to develop the next generation of scientists by founding and teaching at an annual chemistry camp for blind and low-vision high school students. Chemistry Camp demonstrates to these students, by example and through practice, that their lack of eyesight should not hold them back from pursuing their dreams. Henry was nominated by Douglas Sprei of Learning Ally, a nonprofit that produces accessible audio textbooks for blind and learning disabled students, which is an indispensable resource that allowed him to excel in school.

Sina Bahram is a PhD student in the Department of Computer Science at North Carolina State University. His field of research is Human Computer Interaction (HCI). Sina's primary interest is the dynamic translation of interfaces, with an emphasis on innovative environments being used by persons with visual impairment (PWVI) to facilitate learning, independence, and exploration. His other research interests focus on using AI inspired techniques to solve real-world user-centric problems. When he is not busy with his academic pursuits, Sina enjoys staying on the bleeding edge of technology and working with small, high-tech startup companies. Sina's passion for his field originally stems from the fact that he is mostly blind and uses assistive technologies such as a screen reader to navigate computer systems and technological devices. After experimenting in the fields of bioinformatics, privacy policy/law, and systems security, Sina discovered that his heart lies in helping users of all capabilities use computer systems more effectively and efficiently. He has worked in HCI full-time ever since.

The White House ? 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW ? Washington, DC 20500 ? 202-456-1111
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of Communications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2012
Tags:
- STEM

Handiham World for 02 May 2012

Courage Center Handiham World Weekly E-Letter for the week of Wednesday, 02 May 2012

MP3 audio stream:
http://www.handiham.org/audio/handiham.m3u

Download the 40 kbs MP3 audio to your portable player:
http://www.handiham.org/audio/handiham.mp3

Get this podcast in iTunes:

http://www.itunes.com/podcast?id=372422406

RSS feed for the audio podcast if you use other podcasting software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/handiham

Welcome to Handiham World.

You can do it!

Troubleshooting 101

I have my General Class license now, so I decided to put up a vertical antenna, which I ground-mounted, in my back yard. I have checked the SWR (standing wave ratio) and it is practically one to one. It is grounded with a ground rod right near the feedpoint, and I have kept the grounding wire short. I am putting out plenty of power with my 100 watt rig, but I am having a hard time making contacts? What is wrong here?

Vertical antennas have long been the subject of derision in many amateur radio circles. It is practically an article of faith that ?a vertical antenna is one that transmits equally poorly in all directions?. These operators have either tried vertical antennas themselves and had a poor experience or (more likely) they have heard some know-it-all pontificating on the awfulness of verticals and the awesomeness of just about any antenna other than a vertical.

Yes, the poor old vertical has gotten a pretty bad reputation. But is it justified?

I say no! And here's why.

The most common vertical antenna design is an electrical quarter-wave long. This means that a simple 20 meter vertical will be on the order of 16 to 17 feet tall (5 meters). There is no problem ground-mounting a vertical in most locations, and this kind of antenna is sometimes disguised as a flagpole in places where there are restrictions on traditional antennas. A ground-mounted vertical will certainly have other advantages, too. It will not require an expensive tower or other supporting structure. It will be easy to install and work on if it needs maintenance or adjustment because you can reach it without any climbing. You can trench the coaxial feedline under the ground to keep it out of the way. If it is mounted in the back yard, it will probably not even be visible from the street. No wonder this simple antenna seems so attractive!

But let's get back to your troubleshooting question. You have done well with your vertical antenna installation as far as it goes, but you have made a common mistake. You have assumed that a ground rod would suffice as a complete grounding system ? but it won't. When we work with RF (radio frequency) energy, we must remember that RF grounding is not the same as providing a simple electrical ground for low-frequency AC, DC, or lightning protection. Yes, a good electrical ground is an essential part of a well-designed antenna and feedline system. Now it is time to complete your vertical antenna installation with a good RF ground. That means installing radial wires extending from the base of the antenna outward in all directions. The ground rod should work as a common connection point. The coax braid is connected to the ground rod or the antenna's mounting post, both of which are tied together with a stout, solid conductor.

What is happening in your antenna system is that lots of current is flowing in the vertical element right near the feedpoint. This is normal and expected. There is also a lot of current flowing in the ground beneath and around the antenna, outward in all directions. That is because a quarter-wave vertical is like one side of a dipole system, except that the ground makes up the other half of the dipole. If you recall your General Class studies, you will remember that current in a half wave dipole flows most strongly right near the feedpoint.

Now, answer me this: If you put up a dipole with one leg made of a fully-extended wire and the other a very short wire connected to a big resistor, do you think that dipole would work as well as a dipole with both legs made of wire?

No? Why not?

?Well?, you say, ?It is obvious that the dipole with a big resistor in it will not work as well because there will be power lost in the resistor. The resistor will heat up, just like a dummy antenna.?

Yes, you are right! In fact, dummy load antennas are really nothing more than resistors designed to dissipate RF energy to keep it off the air while you run tests on a transmitter. A dummy load will have a near-perfect SWR, even though it is a resistor. Just because it has a low SWR does not mean that it is a good antenna. The problem with your vertical antenna system is that it is like that dipole with a resistor in one leg. The ground beneath the antenna has resistance to the flow of RF energy outward in all directions. The soil does have some conductivity, but it depends on moisture and composition. So the ground can be like a resistor. The ground rod you have installed goes straight down and does nothing to help RF flow in all compass directions outward near the surface of the ground.

The fix: A good radial system.

Radial wires are installed like the spokes of a wheel, outward from the grounded side of your antenna's feedpoint. They can be cut to a quarter-wave length for every band you plan to operate (if your antenna is a multiband vertical) or ? and this is more practical ? to whatever length is convenient to fit into the space you have. Mind you, this goes only for a ground-mounted vertical in an area with normal to good soil conductivity. If you are mounting a vertical over quartz rock with almost no soil, the tuned radials might be necessary. If you are in the USA Midwest with its rich soil, you can probably get by with random length radials in your ground-mounted system. The reason is that conductive soil pretty much detunes the radials anyway, so there is nothing to be gained by carefully measuring them. In fact, since most of the RF current will be flowing right near the feedpoint, it makes sense to provide it with a low resistance path there, close to the antenna.

Why? Think of the formula power dissipated = current squared times resistance. The higher the resistance in the ground, the more power will be dissipated as heat. You don't want that! What you want is for most of the power to be used to make contacts with other stations. The earthworms will be happier, too, because they don't need the extra heat. If most of the current flows in the ground near the antenna, then THAT is where you need to put the most radial wire. I have always simplified this concept when teaching about vertical antennas by using the following practical example:

You have a coil of wire to use for radials. It is 100 feet long and will provide the radial system for your 20 meter band quarter-wave vertical. The question is which of these choices would be better:

A. One long radial that uses all 100 feet of wire.
B. Two 50 foot radials running in opposite directions.
C. Three 33 foot radials spaced 120 degrees apart.
D. Five 20 foot radials spaced at 72 degrees apart.

If you were thinking about losses near the feedpoint, you would probably pick answer D. The reason is that you are putting more wire near where the loss is actually happening! In fact, the thing with radials is ?the more, the better?, not ?the longer the better?. Of course you would not want to go to extremes and assume that 100 one-foot radials would work. But in the real world, you want to get more wire down in the ground near the feedpoint. A dozen radials work better than four.

Installing and testing the system:

You don't need any special kind of wire for radials, but I recommend a coated (insulated) wire that is not springy and is strong enough to flex multiple times without breaking. Clean off enough insulation to make a good connection to the central grounding point, then run each wire out across the yard, approximating its final position. The wire only need be just beneath the sod. There is no reason to bury it deeper, so you can cut the sod with something like an edge trimmer and just poke the wire down into the cut. Before doing ANY digging, check to be sure you are not going to run into any buried utilities or your lawn's irrigation system.

Stomp the grass back down and you are good to go. Repeat for each radial. If you can go out 33 feet in one direction and only 15 in another, that's okay. Just make sure that the final installation is solidly connected to the ground rod and coax braid and all of the wires are out of the way of the lawn mower. The insulated wire will last longer in the ground than non-insulated wire. Once you get a taste of a hands-and-knees radial installation, you will not be eager to repeat it to replace rotted out wire any more than you have to. And if you tried to install springy radial wire, well, you know what that is like. Push one part in, another part pops out.

When the radial field is in place, a test will include an SWR check. If you find that the SWR has gone UP, you should not be alarmed. The feedpoint impedance of a vertical is generally well below 50 ohms, so it is quite possible that all that loss resistance in the soil had been adding to the impedance to make the end result a better match before than it is now! You should not worry unless the SWR is really high, though. In fact, the somewhat higher SWR is an indication that you have cut ground resistance and improved conductivity, thus increasing your antenna's efficiency. Turn on the rig, try calling some stations, and you will find out that more of your signal is going out onto the air!

Email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with your questions & comments.
Patrick Tice, WA0TDA
Handiham Manager

A dip in the pool

It's time to test our knowledge by taking a dip in the pool - the question pool, that is!

Today we are taking a question from the General Class pool:

G9B06 asks, ?Where should the radial wires of a ground-mounted vertical antenna system be placed??

Possible answers are:

A. As high as possible above the ground

B. Parallel to the antenna element

C. On the surface or buried a few inches below the ground

D . At the top of the antenna

The most correct answer here is C, On the surface or buried a few inches below the ground. There have been some experiments with radials mounted a few inches or more above ground, but this is considered impractical in most real world installations.

Digital Media Update

Don't forget to send us an NLS digital cartridge in a Free Matter mailer if you have an NLS player. We will use your cartridge to keep you up to date with our audio digest and podcasts, as well as add whatever you request from our library, including the audio lectures and rig tutorials. Find out more at:
http://www.handiham.org/node/69

Handiham Extra Class digital format lectures will be removed from our server at the end of June 2012. The new Extra pool is in effect for all examinations beginning on July 1st, and at that time we will begin posting the new lecture series. We will produce some new Extra Class lectures as well as modify parts of the old lectures when appropriate. The Extra Class is a large project for us, so the entire lecture series will take significant time to complete. Handiham members who wish to have their own complete copy of the existing lecture series should either download and save the individual lectures or send us an NLS cartridge. There is no way to place the lecture series in a single zip file for download due to the large file size.

Several users have notified us of a problem with Technician lecture 2, so we will be replacing that audio file as soon as we have time to re-do the lecture. In the meantime, Technician students should skip lecture two.

Wrong file: While doing some housekeeping on the server, I found the N7HVF review of the TS-480SAT radio in the TMV-71A folder. It has been relocated to the correct folder in the Manuals section.

Kenwood TS-590S: We are still in need of an audio tutorial and description of this new radio by Kenwood. If you can create any kind of digital audio help file, we would sure appreciate it.

Remote Base Health Report for 02 May 2012

We have a website for the remote base software. You may check it out at:
www.handiham.org/remotebase.

W0ZSW is on line. Severe weather moved through the area of W0ZSW yesterday, but there was no damage to the station or antenna. There will be thunderstorm static, especially in Southern Minnesota, today.

W0EQO is on line.

Letters

Aurora'12 Weak Signal VHF+ Conference

On Saturday, May 12, Aurora'12 will be held in White Bear Lake, MN. 2012 represents the 29th year for this fun one day conference that is the largest gathering of weak signal VHF enthusiasts in the Upper Midwest. From 9:00 am to noon we will hold an antenna range for 2m through 10 GHz. From 1:00 to 4:30 PM there will be number of technical papers presented. If you have an interest in learning more about the World Above 50 MHz, come and check it out. It's a great place to meet people, to ask questions, and to learn a thing or two. Registration is $5.00 and full information, including registration, can be found at:

http://www.nlrs.org/home/aurora

73, Jon
W0ZQ

How to Tell if a File is Malicious

WA0CAF likes a link:
http://tinyurl.com/44csfjr

He also likes one about how to report spam:
http://tinyurl.com/8428lxt

Railroad Mobile Event!

AE5WX writes:

I just got word that the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad will once again be doing the Memorial Day Troop Train on Saturday, May 26, 2012, and we'll be going HF mobile. I'm not sure what frequencies we'll be on yet... but if it's like last year, we'll leave Springdale, Arkansas around 8am, from the depot at 306 East Emma Avenue...heading south along the old Frisco mainline between Monett, Missouri and Fort Smith, Arkansas, with a final destination of Van Buren.

It's a day long, 134 mile scenic round trip to historic Van Buren, aboard one of our vintage passenger cars. With passenger cars dating from the early 1900s, the Excursion Train is comprised of enclosed coaches offering coach, club and First Class seating. The A & M also features the opportunity to ride in our classic caboose. Riders can sit back, enjoy the great views, and visit with friends and family as the train travels through the foothills of the Boston Mountains, across our three high trestles (approx. 120 ft high) and through the 1700 foot tunnel at Winslow. A live narration along the way covers local history and key points of interest.

If we do like last year, we'll operate on 20 meters, so you'll need a General Class or higher Amateur Radio license to make a contact with us. I'm not sure offhand whether we'll have a special event callsign, or use the club callsign, AA5AR. Last year, we operated from the Conductors Cabin of a restored 1927 Harlan and Hollingsworth Passenger Car...it was a bit cramped, but the bands were cooperative...especially when Judy, KF5ERQ (XYL of W5KRK) got on the bands...we were working Pennsylvania like there was no tomorrow!! A YouTube video of yours truly operating on the 2011 Memorial Day Troop train is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aEtSbHX7pw -- it was my first true HF operations in amateur radio, since my shack has antenna restrictions.

Lastly, I believe a special QSL card will be available.

Daryl, AE5WX

P.S. A quick reminder that the Trains And Railroad Net meets every Monday night at 8pm Central Time, on the K9QLP repeater, in Cedarburg, Wisconsin... and on Echolink via the N9LLT-L node (2356). If the N9LLT-L node is down at net time, the net will be on the AB9ON-R node (517774). With yours truly as the "Conductor" (Net Control), amateur radio operators with a Technician Class or higher license are invited to join us, where we discuss anything, and everything related to trains and railroading.

This week @ HQ

Radio Camp Update: We are always hearing from folks who ?will come to radio camp someday? or ?next year?. We need you now, and we still have plenty of openings, so apply now. Camp is a better value this year because it is one day longer than last year, the tuition is cheaper, scholarships are available, and we will have our own dining hall. Camp is Saturday, June 2 through Friday, June 8 2012. Call 1-866-426-3442 to enroll.

Where it should be held.
When it should be held.
How long it should be.
What it should cost for a camper to attend.
What topics, courses, or activities should be included during the camp session.
What should replace Radio Camp if you think it should no longer be held.

Thursday meetings: Handiham staff will be at meetings most of Thursday 03 May and unavailable to take phone calls. Please leave a message or email us and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

The May 2012 DAISY format audio digest is ready for our blind members. Check it out in the members section. Members using NLS digital cartridges may receive the digest by Free Matter postal mail.

Digital Talking Book Cartridge Catalog Number: 1-02610-00, Price: $12.00

Digital Talking Book Cartridge Mailer Catalog Number: 1-02611-00, Price: $2.50

Order Toll-Free: (800) 223-1839.

Members Only Website Update:

Tonight is EchoLink net night.

The Wednesday evening EchoLink net is at 19:30 United States Central time, which translates to 00:30 GMT Thursday morning.

The 11:00 daily net will be heard at 16:00 GMT.

The following EchoLink nodes are always connected to the Handiham Conference:

HANDIHAM conference server Node 494492 (Our preferred high-capacity node.)
NEW! NX0P-R, node 513917
KA0PQW-R, node 267582
KA0PQW-L, node 538131
N0BVE-R, node 89680
W0EQO-R, node 309436

Other ways to connect:

IRLP node 9008 (Vancouver BC reflector)
WIRES system number 1427

More information about repeaters and nodes may be found at http://www.handiham.info.

A big THANK YOU to all of our net volunteers who keep things running so well.

Stay in touch!

Handiham Manager Patrick Tice, WA0TDA, may be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at 763-520-0511.

Mornings Monday through Thursday are the best time to contact us.

Answers to many questions about radios, Echolink, nets, and the Remote Base stations are all at www.handiham.org.

Supporting Handihams - 2012.

Handiham Membership Dues

Benefits of membership:

www.handiham.org/membership

Handiham renewals are on a monthly schedule - Please renew or join, as we need you to keep our program strong! You will have several choices when you renew:

	Join at the usual $12 annual dues level for one year. Your renewal date is the anniversary of your last renewal, so your membership extends for one year.
	Join for three years at $36.
	Lifetime membership is $120.
	If you can't afford the dues, request a 90 day non-renewable sponsored membership.
	Donate an extra amount of your choice to help support our activities.
	Discontinue your membership.

Please return your renewal form as soon as possible. Your support is critical! Please help.

Ask for a free DVD about the Handiham System.

It's perfect for your club program, too! The video tells your club about how we got started, the Radio Camps, and working with hams who have disabilities.

Call 1-866-426-3442 toll-free. -- Help us get new hams on the air.

Get the Handiham E-Letter by email every Wednesday, and stay up-to-date with ham radio news.

You may listen in audio to the E-Letter at www.handiham.org.
Email us to subscribe:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Handiham members with disabilities can take an online audio course at www.handiham.org:

	Beginner
	General
	Extra
	Operating Skills

ARRL is the premier organization supporting amateur radio worldwide. Please contact Handihams for help joining the ARRL. We will be happy to help you fill out the paperwork!

Courage Center Handiham System
3915 Golden Valley Road
Golden Valley, MN 55422
763-520-0512
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Tags:

Aurora'12 Weak Signal VHF+ Conference
On Saturday, May 12, Aurora'12 will be held in White Bear Lake, MN. 2012 represents the 29th year for this fun one day conference that is the largest gathering of weak signal VHF enthusiasts in the Upper Midwest. From 9:00 am to noon we will hold an antenna range for 2m through 10 GHz. From 1:00 to 4:30 PM there will be number of technical papers presented.

If you have an interest in learning more about the World Above 50 MHz, come and check it out. Its a great place to meet people, to ask questions, and to learn a thing or two. Registration is $5.00 and full information, include registration, can be found at:

http://www.nlrs.org/home/aurora

73, Jon
W0ZQ

(Via the Dakota-Ham reflector)
Tags:
- VHF
- UHF
Handiham Volunteer Marv Mahre, W0MGI, SK
We are sad to report that Handiham volunteer Marv Mahre, W0MGI, is a silent key. Marv passed away on April 22, just two days shy of his 84th birthday.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Jackson Street Roundhouse; 193 Pennsylvania Ave., St. Paul, MN.
Friday, April 27
5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Memorial Service at 7:00 p.m.

Read more on the Stillwater Amateur Radio Association website:
http://news.radioham.org/node/4449

An article about Marv will appear in the upcoming May 2012 Signals from SARA Newsletter.
Tags:
- volunteers
VE Session Finishes with new hams and upgrades
Amateur Radio License Exam Session
Oak Park Heights MN 55082-6482

EXAM SESSION

04/26/2012
Sponsor: Stillwater ARA

I would like to thank the VEs who worked the April 26th exam session and particularly NØODK & W2FPX who offered to help, when I was finding a need to have VEs who had not been instructors for the recent Tech class. I also want to thank the instructors of that class for another great job. We had 7 students from the class test with us, and 5 were successful in earning their initial license. The 2 who were not successful, were close.

We had a total of 11 examinees, and 9 left with either a new license or an upgrade. At the end of the session we had 1 upgrade to Extra, 1 upgrade to General, and 7 new Technician licencees. Five of those new Techs, were a direct result of the recent class!

There were a total of 19 exam elements processed and the entire process ran much smoother than any session in recent memory.

Our next VE session will be June 7th at the HandiHam Radio Camp.

73,
Shel NØDRX (n0drx)
Tags:
- exams
Handiham World for 25 April 2012
Courage Center Handiham World Weekly E-Letter for the week of Wednesday, 25 April 2012

This is a free weekly news & information update from Courage Center Handiham System. Our contact information is at the end, or simply email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for changes in subscriptions or to comment. You can listen to this news online.

MP3 audio stream:
http://www.handiham.org/audio/handiham.m3u

Download the 40 kbs MP3 audio to your portable player:
http://www.handiham.org/audio/handiham.mp3

Get this podcast in iTunes:

http://www.itunes.com/podcast?id=372422406

RSS feed for the audio podcast if you use other podcasting software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/handiham

Welcome to Handiham World.

You can do it!

Today, just as we did last week, we are going to begin with Troubleshooting 101 as part of our initiative to help new ham radio operators (and even some of us older ones) learn how to do some basic troubleshooting for ourselves. Yes, it can be tempting to ask someone else to do things for us. This can become a bad habit when it keeps us from learning new things, especially things that we could - with a bit of practice - learn to do for ourselves. Knowing these basic things can serve us well in the future when no help is available. This next simple exercise is one that we will be practicing at this summer's Radio Camp. You can do it yourself once you learn a few basics.

Troubleshooting 101

I have set up my Echolink audio and it worked perfectly, but today when I tried using Echolink, the audio was really low or not working at all. What can be done?

Before we say anything more about this, I have to let you know that you are not alone. I like Echolink and use it nearly every day, but I still consider it to be a journey, so to speak. I have not quite arrived yet at the point where Echolink works perfectly each and every time. Audio problems are common and expected, so we have to learn how to troubleshoot them.

Your first test should be a visit to the Echolink Test Server. Find the test server by going to the Station menu (Arrow right from the File menu or use ALT-S) and when you hit "Station", arrow down to "Connect to test server". You should hear the familiar welcome message. After the welcome, get focus in the transmit box, toggle transmit with the space bar, and transmit a short test message. Toggle again and wait for your audio to be echoed back to you. If there is no audio, proceed to the "No Audio" troubleshooting. If there is low audio or too much audio so as to cause distortion, proceed to the "Audio Level" troubleshooting.

No Audio

If there is no audio at all, there are several things to check.

Volume: Is the volume turned up? Are your computer speakers powered up?

Microphone: Is the microphone plugged in? If there is an external microphone, whether USB or the 3.5 mm plug, it may have been unplugged by another user in the family, or you may have unplugged it and forgotten to plug it back in. Some microphones have their own mute buttons. Check to make sure the microphone is not muted. If you are using a microphone headset with 3.5 mm audio plugs, make sure that the headphone plug and the microphone plugs are not reversed. If you use a USB headset, plug it into the same USB port on your computer each time so that the machine does not search for USB drivers each time you plug it in.

Audio Mixer: The audio mixer in your operating system (usually Windows for Echolink users) might have the microphone either muted or the wrong audio input is selected. Windows users need to go to the Windows Mixer recording settings. Getting there is different depending on your version of Windows. We will not explore this, but it is something you should learn about your own computer and operating system. In the recording mixer settings, unmute the microphone and run the slider up if it is set at zero. Repeat the test server test and it should work fine. You can usually get to the mixer settings via the Echolink application itself. Go to the Tools menu, then arrow down to "Adjust sound device" and choose "Recording". This is an easy way to find the recording mixer!

Multiple audio inputs: As we mentioned, the wrong input may be selected in your Windows mixer. Be sure the correct input for the microphone you want to use is selected as the default device. Again, how you do this may vary depending on your operating system. You should learn how to use your operating system's mixer.

Echolink sound selection: The Echolink application has its own selection of audio input devices available from a pull down menu. You will find it on the audio tab in System Setup. The choices are "Input Device" and "Output Device". If the microphone selection is to be checked, the one you want to pull down is the "Input Device". If you have more than one input device, they should all be listed in the pull down. However, the first item listed is always "system default". That is the one you should select, because if you followed the directions we just gave you, you have already set the preferred microphone to "default device".

So why do we recommend using "default device" instead of one of the other selections? It is because selecting the recording device via the Echolink pull down does not always result in the correct device actually being used for audio input. This is a real mine field for users who have lots of audio devices. A computer could have a TV tuner, more than one microphone, a webcam with a built-in microphone, a line in device, and even a USB audio line to a transceiver. Don't laugh - I have had all of these things, and sometimes Echolink reported one microphone being the input when instead the audio was coming from the HF rig connected via USB. It is safer to set your preferred microphone up as the default device in Windows, then always choose the default device as the Echolink input via the Setup menu.

Final test: If you have followed the directions and everything is set up as described, repeat the test server test. Adjust levels if necessary. If there is still no audio, you may have to look further. There could be a fault in your microphone, usually with the cable or plug, or with the computer hardware or sound card drivers.

Low Audio

Microphone selection and positioning: As we already discussed, you must be sure that you are using the correct device. One fellow I know was puzzled by a low transmit audio condition. When I talked with him on Echolink, his audio sounded like he was far away from the microphone, yet he was wearing a headset microphone combo. The diagnosis was that the sound was being picked up by his laptop's built in microphone, which had been selected as the default audio input device.   If you are simply too far away from the microphone it can have exactly the same effect. Position the microphone closer to your mouth, keeping it slightly to the side. If the mic element must be very close to your lips, as is the case with headset microphones, use a foam wind screen to prevent puffs from making loud noises as you speak.

Beware of other software that takes over mixer settings: Voice dictation software can change your mixer settings to some predetermined level that is ideal for speech input computing. You may have your Echolink levels just perfect, then you open Dragon NaturallySpeaking®, enjoy a session of typing with your voice, and think nothing of it. But the next time you want to use Echolink, the microphone audio may be very low. This happened to me all the time, because I liked using my USB headset for both voice dictation and Echolink. Dragon would reset the mixer every time, unchecking the microphone AGC boost and changing the slider level. It might be best to select different input devices for these two software applications so one does not fight it out with the other for mixer level settings.

Mixer settings continued: Most of us will not use anything but the built-in software mixer, but there may be some users who use external hardware mixers. These can be great for those who like to really be in control of their audio. If you have an external mixer, be sure the microphone is plugged in and selected as the input device. Check the sliders to adjust the level. If the device uses external power, be sure it is powered up!

Every computer system is different. It is difficult for someone else to help you with your system, especially on the phone. So I have some "homework" for you. I want you to learn how to use the audio mixer in your own computer, and learn it well enough to set input and output levels. Some computers (probably most these days) have some kind of keystroke combination or actual dedicated keys on the keyboard to raise and lower the volume or mute the audio. Some laptops have a volume control that operates by spinning a wheel or holding down a specific key. You need to learn these controls and learn them well, because they will be used for lots of other applications like taking voice notes, doing voice dictation, playing music, listening to audio books or Internet audio streams, and much more. Wouldn't it be nice to learn the mixer settings so that you don't have to ask for help on these things as well as with Echolink?

Sure, it would! And you can do it.

Email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with your questions & comments.
Patrick Tice, WA0TDA
Handiham Manager

A dip in the pool

It's time to test our knowledge by taking a dip in the pool - the question pool, that is!

Today we are taking a question from the General Class pool:

G4A14 asks, "How should the transceiver audio input be adjusted when transmitting PSK31 data signals?"

Your possible choices are:

A. So that the transceiver is at maximum rated output power
B. So that the transceiver ALC system does not activate
C. So that the transceiver operates at no more than 25% of rated power
D. So that the transceiver ALC indicator shows half scale

Since we have been talking about setting audio levels, I thought this would be a good question to bring into the discussion. I'll bet some of you have not tried PSK31, so you may not have a clue as to how to set audio levels. Because the level can be controlled both by the computer's audio mixer and the radio's microphone level control, there are a couple of settings to look at. The first one is that you should know how to set your radio's readout to display the ALC (Automatic Level Control). In modern radios, this is a digital bar graph that may not be accessible to a blind user. The trick with sending data via the transceiver's microphone input is to keep even the slightest audio distortion from damaging the data stream. To do that, you want to keep the level fairly low, so that the ALC is not being activated. You want the cleanest audio possible, and processing the audio can introduce data errors. If your radio has a dedicated data port, this makes the change of distortion by the microphone ALC circuitry a non-issue. However, the mixer settings in your computer's operating system may still need setting. When getting ready to operate PSK31 for the first time solicit the help of a friend to check your signal at the received end.

Digital Media Update

On line publishing is now well-joined with QST in beta testing mode. Recently ARRL invited VEs who are registered with the ARRL VEC to view the new on line May 2012 edition of QST. Since I am a VE, I received the invitation and found that I enjoyed looking at the new digital version and comparing it to the print magazine. I had a bit of an advantage because I had already been through much of the print version already, having recorded parts of it for our blind members. Some pages in the digital version were different, though the page numbers were mostly the same. For example, the excellent article "Who was Bill Orr, W6SAI?" by Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, appears in both the print and digital versions on page 73.   But the two pages do not look exactly the same. In the print version, Eric's entire article fits onto page 73. If you turn the page, you will find an article about the new DXCC fee structure. In the digital version, Eric's article contains a "Digital edition only" inset on page 73. This inset is "More about Bill Orr, W6SAI". It includes some facts about W6SAI and a picture of him in his ham shack. This information does not appear at all in the print version, though there is a link in the text telling you where to find it on the ARRL website. Because the inset takes some space, Eric's article continues on the next digital page. That page is numbered 73a instead of 74. Also on page 73a is a copy of the new ARRL Frequency Chart reflecting the changes in the 60 meter band. To preserve the proper location of the DXCC article on page 74, a page 73b is also added, and it has a full page ad for ARRL publications. That way the digital edition and the print edition can be "in sync" again on page 74.

The digital version is easy and intuitive to a sighted computer user. Page turns are done by clicking an outer page corner or by using the arrow controls in the Flash-enabled browser application. I used Firefox for this test, but any web browser that supports a Flash plug-in should work just as well. There is a "page turn" sound (like a paper page being turned) set up by default. The page turns are also animated to make it look as if you are turning a paper page. Both of these features may be disabled in the user settings. The page turn sound may be especially annoying in a quiet environment where others are reading. Page turn animations are harmless if you have plenty of processing power, but if your computer is getting a bit long of tooth you may find that animated page turns are jerky or hang as the processor struggles to keep up.

Blind users will be wondering whether the digital QST is accessible with a screenreader. Our volunteer station engineer Lyle Koehler, K0LR, writes to me about that:

As for blind accessibility, here is what it says in the ARRL FAQs:

http://www.arrl.org/digital-qst-faq

Question: Do Blind Readers work on the digital edition of QST?

Answer: The new digital edition is not currently formatted for Blind Readers. ARRL is looking into a text-only version of digital QST with our vendor, Nxtbook. We hope to launch it later in 2012. QST is currently available through the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) in cassette format: http://www.loc.gov/nls/index.html .

At the present time, both NLS and Handihams offer versions of QST in DAISY digital format as well as tape cassette. Tapes are being phased out in favor of NLS digital cartridge versions, which are available both from NLS and Handihams. Both also offer DAISY downloads to registered and qualified blind users.

There is a provision for off line reading of the digital QST. The technology is Adobe AIR?, and you will need to download and install it automatically. Windows will ask your permission at some point, so it is necessary to have administrator privileges. This feature is useful if you want to read on an airplane with your laptop or if you will be somewhere without Internet access. Once AIR is installed, you need to install the magazine itself, and you will be asked for your ARRL login credentials. The magazine will then be downloaded and installed.

A "Contents" button in the toolbar at the top of the browser application allows for a quick listing of articles along with thumbnails of pages. This makes navigation from one article to the next easier since most of us hop around within the publication looking at articles as they interest us and saving others for later.

There are a couple of social media sharing buttons that don't seem functional in this beta version, but later on it should be possible to share articles on Facebook, Linked In, or Twitter. Hopefully Google Plus will be an option in the future.

Finally, there are ARRL membership and QST links that take you to membership information and QST archives. All in all, the web app is easy to figure out and use. I found myself wondering if the pages could be more scalable, but there is only a standard and somewhat enlarged option: Click to zoom in; click to zoom out - that's it. Some users may need more screen enlargement. The standard Firefox zooming feature that works on regular web pages is disabled in this app. If you have a small monitor, you might have trouble seeing the text clearly. Going to full screen mode in the application did help. In that mode, with the text zoomed, the font size was slightly larger than that on the printed page. Changing the monitor resolution degraded the text, making it a bit blurry. When digital publications are put together there is a compromise between high resolution images and file size. To strike a balance, the file size must be manageable for users with slower Internet connections but still good enough to allow for reasonable resolution.

The June issue is the one that will open up to the entire ARRL membership. When the system is up and running, members must have a valid ARRL website login to access this benefit. You can always find a link to the current digital edition and archives at www.arrl.org/new-qst. To login or register, go to www.arrl.org/myarrl.

Remote Base Health Report for 25 April 2012

We have a website for the remote base software. You may check it out at:
www.handiham.org/remotebase.

W0ZSW is on line.
W0EQO is on line.

Power change: We have returned to the full 100 Watts at W0ZSW. This is up from 75 Watts last week. W0EQO continues to operate at the full 100 Watts.

Please check the latest operating tips on the remote base pages:
http://handiham.org/local/blind/w4mq_remote_base_software.htm

The link to the daily status update pages:
www.handiham.org/remote

Our thanks to volunteer engineer Lyle Koehler, K0LR, for his help maintaining the station databases and updates.

Letters

Dr. Dave, KN0S, sent us this photo of him with his horse and black lab doggie!

He writes:

Have you ever worked an Equine Mobile? Neither have I -- yet. This is a photo of our latest pet horse: Strider, who is a retired but yet spirited 20 year old (on May 17th) Hunter Jumper Hanoverian Warmblood.

We had a brief but very pleasant visit with Walt Siebert, KD0LPX, when he was in the area last week too.

The Tour de Chesapeake is coming up on May 19th... we will be using the Middle Peninsula ARC APRS Repeater for the event. It should be fun!

73... Dr Dave kn0s

This week @ HQ

Radio Camp enrollment is about 1/2 complete. We still have plenty of openings, so apply now! Camp is a better value this year because it is one day longer than last year, the tuition is cheaper, scholarships are available, and we will have our own dining hall.

Equipment! We also have a selection of donated radios available for campers to take home. If you are registering for this camp session, please be sure to let us know if you have an equipment request.

The May 2012 DAISY format audio digest is ready for our blind members. Check it out in the members section. Members using NLS digital cartridges may receive the digest by Free Matter postal mail. The May Digest by digital DAISY cartridge will not go out until we receive Worldradio.

April QST audio digest is now also ready for our blind members who do not have computers, also in DAISY format, playable in your Library of Congress digital player. Handiham members who use these players and who would prefer to receive a copy of the monthly audio digests on the special Library of Congress digital cartridge should send a blank cartridge to us in a cartridge mailer (no envelopes, please), so that we can place the files on it and return it to you via free matter postal mail. Your callsign should be on both the cartridge and the mailer so that we can make sure we know who it's from. Blank cartridges and mailers are available from APH, the American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.

Digital Talking Book Cartridge Catalog Number: 1-02610-00, Price: $12.00

Digital Talking Book Cartridge: Mailer Catalog Number: 1-02611-00, Price: $2.50

Order Toll-Free: (800) 223-1839.

April QST audio digest is now also ready for our blind members in DAISY format, as a digital download for your computer DAISY player or to place on your digital cartridge or other portable DAISY player. Visit the DAISY section on the website after logging in.

Members Only Website Update:

Handiham.org open enrollment is over, but Handiham members who do not have log in credentials for the site may request them by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . This step was taken to curtail the hundreds of account requests from spammers and other non-members each week.

Tonight is EchoLink net night.

The Wednesday evening EchoLink net is at 19:30 United States Central time, which translates to 00:30 GMT Thursday morning.

The 11:00 daily net will be heard at 16:00 GMT.

The following EchoLink nodes are always connected to the Handiham Conference:

HANDIHAM conference server Node 494492 (Our preferred high-capacity node.)
NEW! NX0P-R, node 513917
KA0PQW-R, node 267582
KA0PQW-L, node 538131
N0BVE-R, node 89680
W0EQO-R, node 309436

Other ways to connect:

IRLP node 9008 (Vancouver BC reflector)
WIRES system number 1427

More information about repeaters and nodes may be found at http://www.handiham.info.

Stay in touch!

Be sure to send Nancy your changes of address, phone number changes, or email address changes so that we can continue to stay in touch with you. You may either email Nancy at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call her at 763-520-0512. If you need to use the toll-free number, call 1-866-426-3442.

Handiham Manager Patrick Tice, WA0TDA, may be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at 763-520-0511.

Mornings Monday through Thursday are the best time to contact us.

Answers to many questions about radios, Echolink, nets, and the Remote Base stations are all at www.handiham.org.

Supporting Handihams - 2012.

Now you can support the Handiham program by donating on line using Courage Center's secure website. It is easy, but one thing to remember is that you need to use the pull-down menu to designate your gift to the Handiham program.

Step one: Follow this link to the secure Courage Center Website:
https://couragecenter.us/SSLPage.aspx?pid=294&srcid=344

Step two: Fill out the form, being careful to use the pull-down Designation menu to select "Handi-Hams".

Step three: Submit the form to complete your donation. If the gift is a tribute to someone, don't forget to fill out the tribute information. This would be a gift in memory of a silent key, for example.

We really appreciate your help. As you know, we have cut expenses this year due to the difficult economic conditions. We are working hard to make sure that we are delivering the most services to our members for the money - and we plan to continue doing just that in 2012.

Thank you from the Members, Volunteers, and Staff of the Handiham System.

Patrick Tice, WA0TDA, Handiham Manager
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Handiham Membership Dues

Benefits of membership:

www.handiham.org/membership

Handiham renewals are on a monthly schedule - Please renew or join, as we need you to keep our program strong! You will have several choices when you renew:

Join at the usual $12 annual dues level for one year. Your renewal date is the anniversary of your last renewal, so your membership extends for one year.

Join for three years at $36.

Lifetime membership is $120.

If you can't afford the dues, request a 90 day non-renewable sponsored membership.

Donate an extra amount of your choice to help support our activities.

Discontinue your membership.

Please return your renewal form as soon as possible. Your support is critical! Please help.

The Courage Handiham System depends on the support of people like you, who want to share the fun and friendship of ham radio with others. Please help us provide services to people with disabilities. We would really appreciate it if you would remember us in your estate plans. If you need a planning kit, please call. If you are wondering whether a gift of stock can be given to Handihams, the answer is yes! Please call Walt Seibert at 763-520-0532 or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Ask for a free DVD about the Handiham System.

It's perfect for your club program, too! The video tells your club about how we got started, the Radio Camps, and working with hams who have disabilities.

Call 1-866-426-3442 toll-free. -- Help us get new hams on the air.

Get the Handiham E-Letter by email every Wednesday, and stay up-to-date with ham radio news.

You may listen in audio to the E-Letter at www.handiham.org.
Email us to subscribe:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Handiham members with disabilities can take an online audio course at www.handiham.org:

Beginner

General

Extra

Operating Skills

That's it for this week. 73 from all of us at the Courage Handiham System!
Pat, WA0TDA
Manager, Courage Handiham System
Reach me by email at:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Nancy, Handiham Secretary:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Radio Camp email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

ARRL is the premier organization supporting amateur radio worldwide. Please contact Handihams for help joining the ARRL. We will be happy to help you fill out the paperwork!

The weekly e-letter is a compilation of software tips, operating information, and Handiham news. It is published on Wednesdays, and is available to everyone free of charge. Please email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for changes of address, unsubscribes, etc. Include your old email address and your new address.

Courage Center Handiham System
3915 Golden Valley Road
Golden Valley, MN 55422
763-520-0512
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tags:
- news

TWIAR This Week in Amateur Radio.

TWIAR News Feed

This Week in Amateur Radio: North America's Amateur Radio News Magazine. Articles on amateur radio and news stories in the media featured here.

Space Weather Enterprise Forum 2012
As we approach the next peak of solar activity expected in 2013, our Nation faces multiplying uncertainties from increasing reliance on space weather-affected technologies for communications, navigation, security, and other activities, many of which underpin our national infrastructure and economy. We also face increasing exposure to space weather-driven human health risks as trans-polar flights and space activities, including space tourism and space commercialization, increase.
Jessica Rosenworcel and Ajit Pai Sworn in As FCC Commissioners
On Monday, May 14, Jessica Rosenworcel, and Ajit Pai, were sworn in by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski as FCC Commissioners. For the first time in almost a year, the Commission is once again at full strength. Rosenworcel, a Democrat, fills the seat vacated by Michael Copps who retired from the Commission earlier this year; her term runs through June 30, 2015. Pai, a Republican, replaces Meredith Attwell Baker, who left the FCC in June 2011; his term runs through June 30, 2016.
Messages in an emergency (British Columbia)
Local governments marked National Emergency Preparedness Week (May 6-12) by introducing a new communications trailer. Customized with countless donations and volunteer hours for just $26,000, the District 69 Emergency Communications Team can tow it to any secure location, unlock the door, turn on the battery, generator or plug it in and be relaying life saving information back and forth to the world in minutes.
Motorola radar tower demolished for office park (Arizona)
Crews over the weekend tore down a small piece of the Valley's technology history. The old Motorola radar tower at Elliot Road and Loop 101 was demolished to prepare the site for the Discovery Business Campus, a 136-acre mixed-use office park.
Behrend engineers' project could go into space (Pennsylvania)
The trio speaks the language of supercapacitors and charges cycles, and they offer informed views on how circuit boards can shed excess heat. When David Jesberger, Kathleen Nicholas and Jacob Sherk graduated May 4 from Penn State Behrend, they left speaking the language of engineers. But they also left behind a finished senior project that could soon be headed into outer space.
Radio Club are on the airwaves for 65 years! (Ireland)
BALLYMENA Amateur Radio Club has been transmitting since 1947 and last week they were officially recognised by Ballymena Borough Council for their 65 years of service to the community. Last Wednesday night members of the club were invited to the Mayor?s parlour to be presented with a plague for their achievement. Chairman Aubrey Kincaid gave a short speech to Mayor Hubert Nicholl explaining the club?s history.
Vessels navigate sea of troubles as wave of tension builds up
...And it's not just Chinese fishermen who have been affected by Manila's growing interest in the region. Disputes over Huangyan Island first made global headlines in May 1997, when Philippine military jets and gunboats harassed and cut short an expedition to the shoal by a group of amateur radio enthusiasts from around the world. "They said it was in their EEZ. But we were carrying maps from the Philippines, that indicated that Huangyan is part of China," recalled Chen Ping, 63, a member of the ill-fated group. His older brother Chen Fang had also led a group of radio enthusiasts to the island on earlier expeditions in 1994 and 1995.
In Surrey, network of radio operators will help in catastrophe (British Columbia)
So what happens if all that fancy communications technology we depend on crashes when a major earthquake or some other catastrophe hits? Surrey's civic government, RCMP, firefighters and Emergency Health Services have that problem covered, with a cheap and relatively low-tech solution: amateur radio.
The Hidden History of WTYJ at Georgia Tech
As I was researching a specific tidbit of radio history a few weeks back, I happened upon some intriguing stories about the early days of student radio at Georgia Tech. Today Georgia Tech is home to the 100,000 watt college radio station WREK at 91.1 FM; but back in the 1940s, plans were underway for its campus-only predecessor WTYJ.
Beijing cites Ham Radio in Scarborough Reef dispute
A website claims correspondance between the Philippine Amateur Radio Association and the ARRL supports Beijing's territorial ambitions in Scarborough Reef. Scarborough Reef, also known as Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc is located between the Macclesfield Bank and Luzon Island of the Philippines. It has seen several major DXpeditions over the years.

TIPSNET - INDEPENDENT AMATEUR RADIO GATHERING ---

TIPSnet RSS feed

TIPSnet is an Amateur Radio net (meeting) heard in New England, across America and Around the World Tuesday evenings at 7:30pm EDT (2330z). All Hams are welcome via RF regionally and VoIP on EchoLink (*TIPSNET* Conference Server) and IRLP (NODE #9122).

ARRL News

American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, information and resources.

The K7RA Solar Update

The average daily sunspot numbers for the past week rose nearly 25 points, or about 27 percent, to 117.3. The big day was Monday, May 14 when the daily sunspot number jumped to 156. This was the day after four new sunspot groups, numbered 1481 through 1484 arrived. Sunspot numbers for May 10-16 were 93, 102, 85, 138, 156, 125 and 122, with a mean of 117.3. The 10.7 cm flux was 130.7, 136.4, 129...
Enter the Seventh Annual ARRL Photo Contest!

Have you ever wanted to see a photo of yours in QST, the annual ARRL Amateur Radio Calendar or another ARRL publication? Well, here?s your chance! If you?re among the winners, not only will your photographic skill be propagated far and wide, but we?re offering $100 as the First Prize. The winning photo and three runners-up will be published in QST. All submitted photos will also be considered f...
Surfin?: Old Magazines and More Ducks

By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
This week, Surfin? tries to unclutter the house and learns about more open source software.
Old Magazines Fill My House
I have copies of every issue of QST going back to the mid-1960s, when I first became interested in ham radio. In addition to QST, I also have mass quantities of QEX, NCJ, CQ, Ham Radio, 73, Popular Communications and numerous other radio...
CQ Announces 2012 Hall of Fame Inductees

CQ magazine announced its 2012 Hall of Fame inductees on May 18, welcoming 16 new members into the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame, three new members of the CQ DX Hall of Fame and two new members of the CQ Contest Hall of Fame.
The CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame honors those individuals, whether licensed hams or not, who have made significant contributions to Amateur Radio, as well as those amateur...
Amateurs Asked to Listen for HORYU-2 Satellite

The Japanese HORYU-2 research satellite was launched May 17 at 1639 UTC as part of a mission that included the JAXA climate observation satellite Shizuku.
HORYU-2 was built by students at the Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT) and it carries the call sign JG6YBW. The satellite will conduct a variety of experiments including high-voltage power generation and space debris measurements.
Amateurs h...
New "PRB-1" Law Now in Effect in Ohio

On May 15, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed a bill into law granting comprehensive rights to Amateur Radio operators in that state. Several key players in the successful effort to enact a ?PRB-1? law in Ohio were present for the signing, including Section Manager Frank J. Piper, KI8GW; Rick Swain, KK8O; Bill Carpenter, AA8EY; Steve Katz, N8WL, and Constance Barsky, WD8ODC. ARRL Great Lakes Div...
Former ARRL Vice Director Jim Mozley, W2BCH, SK

James M. Mozley, W2BCH, who served as Vice Director of the ARRL Atlantic Division from 1986-89, died May 13 at age 89 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Syracuse, New York. A long-time resident of Camillus, New York, Jim was active in the ARRL Western New York Section as an Assistant Section Manager and as an Official Emergency Station. He also served as an Official Observer from 1991 ...
ARRL Responds to FCC Request for Comments on Impediments to Amateur Radio Communications

On Wednesday, May 16, 2012, the ARRL filed comments in response to the FCC?s Public Notice seeking comments on Emergency Communications by Amateur Radio and impediments to Amateur Radio communications. Known as Docket 12-91, the Commission is soliciting comments from the public as it writes the report they were directed to present to Congress as part of Public Law No. 112-96.
At the direction of...
The Amateur Amateur: Standoffish

By Gary Hoffman, KB0H
Contributing Editor
It was a matter of getting more metal into the air. That?s what started it all. I had hundreds of great ideas -- perhaps a dozen that I might actually be able to do -- but only three of four transceivers with which to do any of it. The real limitation, however, was that I only had two antennas up, and only one of those could see over the hill to my south....
Chatham Marconi Maritime Center

Marconi has just built his third of a five circuit wireless network connecting America with Japan and Europe at Ryder?s Cove in Chatham, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Just imagine being transported back to this exciting time almost 100 years ago when Marconi was still building his reputation as a pioneer of wireless telegraphy.
Read More

HF Radio Propagation Resource Center :: NW7US

HFRadio.org Propagation Center

Live Space Weather and Radio Propagation Information - Sunspot Cycle 24. Follow us on Twitter: @hfradiospacewx and @NW7US

Solar Report 0825 19 May 2012
Solar Flux: 132 | Ap: 8 | Kp 2
Observed Space Weather 0825 19 May 2012
132
Forecast Space Weather 0825 19 May 2012
132
Flares 0825 19 May 2012
(0825 UTC) 6h hi C1.1(0115Z 05/19) 24h hi C3.6(0753Z 05/18)
Sunspots 0825 19 May 2012
SSN: 118 (05/18/2012)
Solar Wind 0825 19 May 2012
Solar Wind: 402 km/s @ 4.0 protons/cm3 Bz: 2012 May 19 0823Z at 0.1 nT
Global Conditions 0825 19 May 2012
Global HF Propagation Conditions for 0700Z on 19 May, 2012
High Latitude: Normal
Middle Latitude: Normal
Low Latitude: Normal
Space Weather on Facebook
The Space Weather and Radio Propagation Center at HFRadio.org is on Facebook - Join the community and 'Like' the page:

Space Weather and Radio Propagation HFRadio.org Facebook Page
ACE-HF Pro is on Facebook!
Check out the new ACE-HF Pro Community Page on Facebook - Join the community and 'Like' the page:

ACE-HF Pro Facebook Page
Space Weather on Twitter
Follow our Twitter feed for hourly updates of space weather information and more:

@hfradiospaceweather - and also, follow @NW7US (Tomas)

Translate Now!