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Greetings to all Amateur Radio Operators. This is Dr. Marc, N4UFP with the January 2010 South Carolina Section Manager’s Report! Please remember that the SC Section website can be found at: www.arrl-sc.org/ where my full SM report will be listed as well as up-to-the-date information on Amateur Radio in South Carolina!
Happy New Year to everyone! It is a pleasure and an honor to serve the amateur radio community in SC. Some of you may already know me – for the past seven years I have served as the section Technical Coordinator and had an opportunity to meet and provide technical assistance to many amateurs in our Section. Some of you may not, and I would like to extend an offer to all clubs in SC to come to a meeting and talk about what your Section appointees and the ARRL are doing for you. Please contact me at n4ufp@arrl.org, if you are interested. If there are specific topics you would like me to cover, let me know.
My duties as Technical Coordinator will now be taken over by Les Shattuck, K4NK. He is a very knowledgeable guy with lots of electronics experience. He has served our section and our division in a variety of capacities, including an earlier stint as Technical Coordinator, so I know that he will do a great job. If you need his assistance, contact him at K4NK@arrl.net
While on the subject of technical support, I would like to share the following information I received from Tammy, KI4PTJ, the Public Information Officer for the Columbia Amateur Radio Club:
The Columbia Amateur Radio Club will be holding a Programming Session on Monday, February 1st during their monthly meeting. They are inviting all hams to bring any equipment they have the needs programming (some radios are just scary) along with its accompanying manual and other hams in attendance will be there to assist with getting everyone up and running. This will be a great opportunity for any ham to come and get some help with their equipment. While Monday nights aren't always a great option, they did want to make this available to ALL hams, not just those that normally attend the club meetings.
If you would like further information, please contact Tammy at livi4461@sc.rr.com
The 37th Annual Charleston Hamfest/Computer Show and ARRL 2010 SC State Convention takes place Saturday, 6 February 2010 at the Exchange Park Fairground, 9850 Hwy 78, Ladson SC (32deg 59min 47.42sec N, 80deg 06min 31.72sec W). Doors open at 8:00 AM and close at 3:00 PM. We will have a guest speaker from the ARRL at the Hamfest forum this year, Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, Manager of Membership and Volunteer Programs. For more information, go to http://www.wa4usn.org/.
For those of you living in the western part of SC, the Dalton, GA Hamfest will be held on 27 Feb 2010 at the North Georgia Fairgrounds in Dalton. You can contact Harold Jones, N4BD, 706-673-2291, n4bd@windstream.net for more information.
The Section Emergency Coordinator, Charlie Miller AE4UX, would like to have an emergency communication vehicle rodeo at the Charleston Hamfest this year. The idea would be to have amateurs drive their communications vehicles to the Hamfest for display and demonstrations. For more details, contact Charlie at ae4ux@arrl.net
December 2009 National Traffic System Report for South Carolina by N4MEH, STM:
Net Reports
Net/Check Ins/Traffic/Sessions/Reported By
Anderson Radio Club 2M Net /915/33/31/ND2Z
Beaufort VHF ARES Net/46/2/5/KB1CTC
Blue Ridge Amateur Radio Net /2548/65/31/K4SUG
Carolina State Line Net/18/0/4/W8SC
Greater Pee Dee 2 Meter Net/707/50/31/K4DTT
Kershaw ARC 2 Meter Net /57/4/4/KF4UKC
Lancaster County 2 Meter Net/62/10/12/N4WMB
PALS Net /1118/74/31/KJ4BVM
SC SSB Net/1563/114/31/W4DDK
SC State ARES Net/186/6/4/KC4YI
York Co. ARS 2 Meter FM Net/692/4/53/KG4CDF
Station Activity Reports
Station/Sent/Received/Delivered/Originated/Total
K4GLT/104/89/0/0/193
N4MEH/9/42/0/4/55
W4DDK/2/32/1/2/37
Public Service Honor Roll
Station/Cat1/Cat2/Cat3/Cat4/Cat5/Cat6/Total
N4MEH/40/40/10/0/0/0/90
W4KLB/40/40/20/0/0/0/100
73 de Marc Tarplee N4UFP
ARRL
Section Manager, South Carolina Section
www.arrl-sc.org
Greetings to all Amateur Radio Operators. This is Marc, N4UFP with the February 2010 South Carolina Section Manager’s Report. Please remember that the SC Section website can be found at: www.arrl-sc.org/ where my full SM report will be listed as well as up-to-the-date information on Amateur Radio in South Carolina.
The 37th Annual Charleston Hamfest/Computer Show and ARRL 2010 SC State Convention is now history. The event was well-attended and had several new vendors this year. Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, came down from League HQ to give a wonderful presentation taken from his own experiences in amateur radio, Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, our new Vice Director explained an ARRL proposal to modify Rule 97.113 (more about that later), and Les Shattuck, K4NK, delivered his first presentation as Technical Coordinator to a packed house. The Hamfest staff were very courteous and helpful, a tradition for which the Low Country is deservedly very famous. Don’t forget to hold the first Saturday in February 2011 for the 38th Charleston Hamfest – see you there.
There has been a lot of discussion in recent months about rule 97.113 and its impact on the ability of amateurs to participate in emergency drills on behalf of their employers while on the job. As things currently stand, participation in such drills would be prohibited under 97.113, but the League’s Board of Directors has crafted a proposal to amend as follows (new language is underlined) to resolve this:
No amateur station shall transmit:
(3) Communications in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an employer, except that the station licensee or control operator may, on behalf of an employer, participate in emergency preparedness and disaster drills that include Amateur operations for the purpose of emergency response, disaster relief or the testing and maintenance of equipment used for that purpose. Amateur operators may, however...
The Board also established an Emergency Communications Advisory Committee to provide advice on EMCOMM issues and it will include a representative from each ARRL Division. Any amateur interested in becoming the Roanoke Division representative should forward his/her resume to me before 24 February. Each section manager will pass his recommendation along to the Director, who will make the final decision.
Currently the SC legislature is considering a bill to ban the use of wireless
devices in moving vehicles. Our SGL Dennis Fowler,
KG4JIA, is working with legislators to get an exemption included for amateurs
and he urges all of the SC amateurs to contact their legislators regarding this
bill.
January 2010 National Traffic System Report for South Carolina by N4MEH, STM:
Net Reports
Net/Check Ins/Traffic/Sessions/Reported By
Anderson Radio Club 2M Net /1015/30/31/K4NK
Blue Ridge Amateur Radio Net /2708/78/31/K4SUG
Carolina’s Net (JAN)/253/60/62/K4IWW
Carolina’s Net (DEC)/255/77/62/K4IWW
Carolina State Line Net/44/1/5/W8SC
Columbia ARC/212/0/9/KI4PTM
Grand Strand ARC 2M Net (DEC)/158/18/14/KI4HEE
Greater Pee Dee 2 Meter Net/762/44/31/K4DTT
Greenwood ARC 2 Meter Net (JAN)/125/4/4/W4DEW
Greenwood ARC 2 Meter Net (DEC)/147/5/5/W4DEW
Kershaw ARC 2 Meter Net /54/4/4/KF4UKC
PALS Net /1046/73/31/KJ4BVM
SC SSB Net/2095/146/31/W4DDK
SC State ARES Net/276/10/5/KC4YI
York Co. ARS 2 Meter FM Net/772/7/51/KG4CDF
Station Activity Reports
Station/Sent/Received/Delivered/Originated/Total
K4GLT/110/100/0/0/210
N4MEH/9/56/3/2/70
W4DDK/4/31/1/4/40
W4KLB/84/72/4/0/160
Public Service Honor Roll
Station/Cat1/Cat2/Cat3/Cat4/Cat5/Cat6/Total
N4MEH/40/40/10/0/0/0/90
W4KLB/40/40/20/0/0/0/100
73 de Marc Tarplee N4UFP
ARRL
Section Manager, South Carolina Section
www.arrl-sc.org
Greetings to all Amateur Radio Operators. This is Marc, N4UFP with the March 2010 South Carolina Section Manager’s Report. Please remember that the SC Section website can be found at: www.arrl-sc.org/ where my full SM report will be listed as well as up-to-the-date information on Amateur Radio in South Carolina.
Several amateurs have asked about cell phone bills banning mobile operation of wireless devices that are under consideration by the SC Legislature. At present, there are four bills under consideration: S642 and S954 in the SC Senate and H4190 and H4206 in the SC House of Representatives. The Section Government Liaison, Dennis Fowler, KG4JIA, is working with legislators to make sure that the bills will include appropriate exemptions for mobile use of amateur radio equipment. You may want to contact your State Senator and State Representative to politely and respectfully let them know why an amateur radio exemption is important. Details of how to do this are contained on the SC Section web page, http://www.arrl-sc.org.
Some amateurs have also expressed concern about bill H4282, which the SC House recently passed. This bill restricts texting while driving and does not represent any real threat to mobile amateur operations.
I want to thank those SC amateurs who volunteered to serve on the Emergency Communications Advisory Committee. I reviewed the candidates’ information and sent my recommendations to The Roanoke Division Director, Dennis Bodson, W4PWF, as did the other Section Managers. Director Bodson has made his choice and I am pleased to announce that the Roanoke Division representative on this committee will be our own Charlie Miller, AE4UX. Charlie will do a great job representing our Division. Congratulations, Charlie!
The Columbia Amateur Radio Club will once again be coordinating communications for the American Diabetes Association (SC) for their Tour de Cure ride here in SC. The event will be held Saturday, May 1st and the ride will start and finish at Little Mountain Reunion Park. This is an ALL DAY event and you do not have to be a member of the Columbia Amateur Radio Club to participate. If you are interested in working this event, please contact Tammy A. Livingston, KI4PTJ, the Public Information Officer for the Columbia Amateur Radio Club at livi4461@sc.rr.com
The FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Public Safety, and Homeland Security Bureau are seeking comments on the request made by the American Hospital Association for a blanket waiver to permit hospitals to use Amateur radio as part of emergency preparedness drills. This is your opportunity to let your voice be heard. Please click on this link to see posted comments http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/proceeding/view?z=ksxq4&name=10-54.
To make a comment, click on Submit a Filing in 10-54 |. This is an opportunity to "vote" and the final numbers are important. Comments are due no later than April 2, 2010. Reply comments are due no later than April 19, 2010.
February 2010 National Traffic System Report for SC by N4MEH, STM:
Net Reports
Net/Check Ins/Traffic/Sessions/Reported By
Anderson Radio Club 2M Net /732/6/28/K4NK
Blue Ridge Amateur Radio Net /2365/59/28/K4SUG
Carolina’s Net (JAN)/253/60/62/K4IWW
Grand Strand ARC 2M Net/129/11/12/KI4HEE
Greenwood ARC 2 Meter Net (JAN)/113/4/4/W4DEW
Kershaw ARC 2 Meter Net /55/4/4/KF4UKC
PALS Net /958/61/28/KJ4BVM
SC SSB Net/1892/111/28/W4DDK
SC State ARES Net/218/2/4/KC4YI
York Co. ARS 2 Meter FM Net/756/9/47/KG4CDF
Station Activity Reports
Station/Sent/Received/Delivered/Originated/Total
K4GLT/100/93/2/0/195
N4MEH/12/67/2/6/87
W4DDK/2/28/0/2/32
W4KLB/86/75/2/0 /163
Public Service Honor Roll
Station/Cat1/Cat2/Cat3/Cat4/Cat5/Cat6/Total
N4MEH/40/40/10/0/0/0/90
W4KLB/40/40/20/0/0/0/100
73 de Marc Tarplee N4UFP
ARRL
Section Manager, South Carolina Section
www.arrl-sc.org
Greetings to all Amateur Radio Operators. This is Marc, N4UFP with the April 2010 South Carolina Section Manager’s Report. Please remember that the SC Section website can be found at: www.arrl-sc.org/ where my full SM report will be listed as well as up-to-the-date information on Amateur Radio in South Carolina.
The FCC has posted a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in the Federal Register on 22 April 2010 and is seeking public comment on proposed changes to rule 97.113. The NPRM will allow under a narrow definition through the following proposed language:
(i) A control station operator may participate on behalf of an employer in a government-sponsored emergency preparedness or disaster readiness test or drill, limited to the duration and scope of such test or drill, and operational testing immediately prior to such test or drill.
The FCC is also seeking comment on the two other items that could become part of the amendment to 97.113:
7. Furthermore, we propose that the emergency tests and drills must be sponsored by Federal, state, or local governments or agencies, in order to limit the narrow exception to ensure that drills further public safety. We note, however, that there may be circumstances where conducting emergency drills for disaster planning purposes, even if not government-sponsored, would serve the public interest. Accordingly, we seek comment on whether we should permit employee operation of amateur stations during non-government-sponsored emergency drills, if the purpose of the drill is to assess communications capabilities, including amateur radio, in order to improve emergency preparedness and response.
8. A large number of agencies and organizations at the state and local levels coordinate with their local volunteer amateur radio operators to conduct drills and exercises in concert with other modes of communication. This joint activity is essential to allow for a practiced response on the part of the first responder community. Because some of those drills and exercises include transmission of amateur communications by employees of participating entities, we believe the proposed rule changes would be in the public interest, consistent with ongoing national emergency preparedness and response priorities. We therefore seek comment on the tentative conclusions contained herein.
I encourage you to comment on this NPRM, which has will have a big impact on amateur radio emergency communications. The closing date for comments is May 24. Please follow this link for more information: http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-seeks-comments-on-newly-proposed-rules-for-amateur-radio-operators-and-emergency-drills
The Blue Ridge Amateur Radio Society is holding the 48th Upstate Hamfest at Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds in Spartanburg, SC on 1 May 2010. Gates open at 8:00 am. For more info, go to http://www.brars.org/upstatehamfest/index.html
And finally, Dayton is just around the corner!! This year’s Dayton Hamfest runs from 14 -16 May 2010.
March 2010 National Traffic System Report for South Carolina by N4MEH, STM:
Net Reports
Net/Check Ins/Traffic/Sessions/Reported By
Anderson Radio Club 2M Net /939/32/29/KJ4BSJ
Blue Ridge Amateur Radio Net /2691/82/31/K4SUG
Carolina’s Net (FEB)/190/55/51/K4IWW
Carolina’s Net (MAR)/211/63/56/K4IWW
Carolina State Line Net/35/1/4/W8SC
Grand Strand ARC 2M Net /169/13/13/KI4HEE
Greater Pee Dee 2 Meter Net (MAR)/805/47/31/K4DTT
Greater Pee Dee 2 Meter Net (FEB)/704/49/28/K4DTT
Greenwood ARC 2 Meter Net /109/4/4/W4DEW
Kershaw ARC 2 Meter Net /65/4/5/KF4UKC
PALS Net /1082/73/31/KJ4BVM
SC SSB Net/2238/120/31/AJ4RK
SC State ARES Net/244/3/4/KC4YI
York Co. ARS 2 Meter FM Net/822/5/52/KG4CDF
Station Activity Reports
Station/Sent/Received/Delivered/Originated/Total
AJ4RK/10/9/8/5/32
K4GLT/83/79/2/0/164
N4MEH/9/61/1/1/72
W4DDK/3/29/0/3/35
W4KLB/155/138/10/0 /304
Public Service Honor Roll
Station/Cat. 1/Cat. 2/Cat. 3/Cat. 4/Cat. 5/Cat. 6/Total
N4MEH/40/40/10/0/0/0/90
W4KLB/40/40/20/0/0/0/100
73 de Marc Tarplee N4UFP
ARRL
Section Manager, South Carolina Section
www.arrl-sc.org
Greetings to all Amateur Radio Operators. This is Marc, N4UFP with the May 2010 South Carolina Section Manager’s Report. Please remember that the SC Section website can be found at: www.arrl-sc.org/ where my full SM report will be listed as well as up-to-the-date information on Amateur Radio in South Carolina.
Our Assistant Section Manager for Youth, Katie, KI4LSZ made her first trip to Dayton this year. Her impressions of the Dayton Hamvention appear in the Youth Report on the SC Section website.
The ARRL June VHF QSO Party takes place on 12 – 13 June. If you have never tried weak signal work on the 50MHz+ bands before, this is a great time to start. Even if you have only VHF/UHF FM gear, you can still make contacts. FM contest activity occurs on 2m on 146.49 MHz and 146.55 MHz and nearby simplex channels. Look on and around 223.5 MHz and 446.0 MHz for FM simplex activity as well.
The last weekend of June is Field Day! It is a wonderful time to get out into the outdoors and check out all your portable/emergency gear. I will be participating in Field Day with a local club under call sign W4YCC/8 from central OH and Dr. Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, the Roanoke Division Vice Director, will be traveling around NC and SC this year, visiting Field Day sites. He will be traveling with SC-SEC Charlie Miller, AE4UX, and their itinerary is as follows:
Aiken to Columbia via I-20 east, then east on I-26 to Charleston. After that, north along the coast on US-17 to Wilmington, NC, then west on I-40 through Raleigh to Greensboro. From Greensboro southwest along I-85 to Charlotte, then south on I-77 to Columbia. After Columbia, the home stretch on I-20 west to Aiken.
Any group that would like a visit from them along this route to send an e-mail to n2zz@arrl.org and ae4ux@arrl.net with their intended hours of operation (including setup!), detailed driving directions, and a contact phone number. Additionally, if there is significant interest elsewhere, they may decide to change their route to accommodate those requests. South Carolina (and now North Carolina!) are large states, and very difficult to travel a significant distance within the confines of one weekend. Their APRS beacon will be N2ZZ-10 again this year, and this time they’ll make sure they have fresh batteries!”
April 2010 National Traffic System Report for South Carolina by N4MEH, STM:
Net Reports
Net/Check Ins/Traffic/Sessions/Reported By
Anderson Radio Club 2M Net /786/27/26/KJ4BSJ
Blue Ridge Amateur Radio Net /2471/85/30/K4SUG
Carolina’s Net /197/64/57/K4IWW
Grand Strand ARC 2M Net /165/16/13/KI4HEE
Greater Pee Dee 2 Meter Net /842/50/30/K4DTT
Greenwood ARC 2 Meter Net /146/5/5/W4DEW
Kershaw ARC 2 Meter Net /64/4/4/KF4UKC
PALS Net /1083/75/30/KJ4BVM
SC SSB Net/2046/112/30/AJ4RK
SC State ARES Net/216/3/4/KC4YI
York Co. ARS 2 Meter FM Net/822/5/52/KG4CDF
Station Activity Reports
Station/Sent/Received/Delivered/Originated/Total
K4GLT/148/117/1/0/266
N4MEH/7/56/2/3/68
W4KLB/72/55/2/0/129
Public Service Honor Roll
Station/Cat. 1/Cat. 2/Cat. 3/Cat. 4/Cat. 5/Cat. 6/Total
N4MEH/40/40/10/0/0/0/90
W4KLB/40/40/20/0/0/0/100
73 de Marc Tarplee N4UFP
ARRL
Section Manager, South Carolina Section
www.arrl-sc.org
Greetings to all Amateur Radio Operators. This is Marc, N4UFP with the June 2010 South Carolina Section Manager’s Report. Please remember that the SC Section website can be found at: www.arrl-sc.org/ where my full SM report will be listed as well as up-to-the-date information on Amateur Radio in South Carolina.
Our Assistant Section Manager for Youth, Katie, KI4LSZ reports this month on the YL-ISSB System, whose national convention was held this June in Columbia, SC. She had a great time and is planning to attend next year’s convention in Los Angeles. Her full report appears under the Youth Report link on the SC Section website.
I hope everyone got an opportunity to operate during Field Day this year. I received messages from a number of Field Day sites, including: CDXA in Rock Hill, Florence Amateur Radio Club, Beaufort Amateur Radio Club, Greer Amateur Radio Club, Greenwood Amateur Radio Society, KTARC, Trident Amateur Radio Club, and the Oconee County Fire District. I want to thank all these organizations and their members for participating, and I would also like to thank Earl, KJ4BVM, who took several of these messages for me when I was unable to check in to the SC SSB net.
Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, Roanoke Division Vice Director, and Charlie Miller, AE4UX SEC SC traveled 920 miles this weekend, visiting Field Day Sites within North and South Carolina! They visited the following sites:
South Carolina
Columbia Amateur Radio Club
Trident Amateur Radio Club (Berkeley County)
Charleston Amateur Radio Society
Grand Strand Amateur Radio Club
North Carolina
Azalea Coast Amateur Radio Club (Wilmington)
Raleigh Amateur Radio Society
Capital Amateur Radio Society (Pittsboro)
Randolph Amateur Radio Club (Asheboro)
Guilford County ARES (Greensboro)
High Point, NC (went to American Red Cross location, but no one there!)
Anyone who participated in the other big operating activity this month, the ARRL VHF QSO Party, knows that conditions on 6m were unlike anything seen in at least 15 years. Many stations worked over 100 grids on 6m! Some contesters reported that the band was open to several regions of North America at once, with the big problem being how to decide which way to point the beam. There were several SC stations on the air during the contest and all seemed to be making lots of contacts. I hope everyone had fun and I would like to remind everyone that next month the CQ-VHF contest takes place 17-18 July 2010. This is a two band contest (6 and 2m only) and should be very exciting if propagation in July is anything like June.
That’s all for now. Until next month….
73 de Marc Tarplee N4UFP
ARRL
Section Manager, South Carolina Section
www.arrl-sc.org