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DX Operating & Contesting: DX or DXing is the act of contacting distant stations, especially across the globe, and can include awards. Contesting, which can include DXing, is a competitive way that radio amateurs can see how many stations they can contact following the rules for that specific contest. More info can be found on the ARRL website for Chasing DX and Contests. This topic will include popular contests, tips, and tricks for DXing and contesting, and personal testimonies from members about contests they've participated in.
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Skywarn: A volunteer program through the National Weather Service (NWS). NWS collects reports across the country to help with weather reporting “ground truth.” Reports are used by emergency and public safety organizations. The network is monitored when there is a “Weather Alert”. The net is activated when there is a “Weather Alert”. Specifically for ham radio, SKYWARN uses ham radio operators to communicate with spotters and organizations. More info can be found on the SKYWARN website.
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Winlink: A way for you to send and receive emails and ICS Forms over HF, VHF, UHF radio. It is heavily used in emergency communications, even when the internet and cell networks are down. Extensive support is available at https://winlink.org and YouTube.
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Arduino, Ham-Pi and Other Cutting Edge Ham Interests: Arduino is an Open Source hardware and software project that produces microcontroller boards which can be used in applications for ham radio, such as creating a CW keyer, fox hunt transmitter, QRP transceiver, etc. A similar device is the Raspberry Pi, a single-board computer that can be used with the software to run digital modes, Packet, Winlink, etc. More info can be found here: https://mawcg.org/ham-pi/ Topic will also cover similar software and devices.
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Antennas - VHF, UHF, HF and above: Topic may include how to build your own and should showcase the different types used by our members, including how they are deployed (trees, roof, tower, etc).
As Wilson says: You can't talk to anyone unless your transmitter's output can be radiated. Almost anything will radiate, but the difference in radiating "something" and radiating your power efficiently is vast. Beware of commercial antennas claiming great results with minimal work. Good antennas aren't necessarily difficult to erect, so let's quickly go over the basics and illustrate with examples of good and bad.
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Antennas in HOAs: Will cover how to talk to an HOA to allow the use of antenna, as well as what is known as "stealth" antennas that look like flag poles and other ways to disguise antennas.
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Battery Types, Applications and Maintenance: Basic cell chemistries and how to charge each type, assembling cells into batteries, rapid and slow discharging, energy density of the various cell types, by weight and by volume, proper batteries for your radio, especially matching battery voltage to the radio's voltage requirement.
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Remote Operating - Equipment, Antennas, Battery/Generators, etc: Radio equipment can be packed into “Go Kits” that are useful for remote emergency communications, contests such as “Parks On The Air” (POTA) and “Summits On The Air” (SOTA) and “Field Day”.
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Mobile Operating: Ham radio in the car! includes CB, FRS, GMRS, MURS, HF, VHF, UHF, and StarLink from a vehicle.
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Traveling with Amateur Radio: Tips and tricks for traveling with your radio equipment (how to safely travel and protect equipment, including flying on a plane and TSA checks). Also can cover the national simplex hailing frequencies (146.5200 and 446.0000) and helpful resources such as RepeaterBook (app, website, etc).
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Logging Programs: Will cover popular logging programs such as N1MM, N3FJP, and others. How to use them and other tips and tricks.
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Personal PACE Plan: a PACE plan is a list of your Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency methods of communicating with your team. For a personal plan, this may include an ordered list of ways of contacting immediate and extended family in case of disasters.
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Propagation, Sunspots, SFI, A and K Index, etc. Propagation covers how radio signals interact with the atmosphere and land, such as reflecting off of the atmosphere to line-of-sight propagation. Sunspots increase the ionosphere's ionization, making HF bands travel farther. SFI (Solar FLux Index) is the number of solar flares, and measures the amount of radio noise, while the A and K Index measure magentic field activity and can be used to predict the "conditions" of an amauteur radio band. Topic will go over these, as well as how they affect daily usage for hams, and how hams can use them.
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Station Safety and Grounding (power, lightning, etc.) A presentation topic focusing on material from numerous Amateur Radio and industry sources to present a comprehensive picture of basic grounding and bonding practices related to ac electrical safety, lightning protection, and the management of RF currents and voltages in the typical ham station. The ARRL book titled "Grounding and Bonding for the Radio Amateur" is intended to be of the most use to new station builders and those upgrading an existing station.
https://www.arrl.org/grounding-and-bonding-for-the-amateur
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Radio History & Equipment: A quick look at the work of the scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and hucksters producing radio related devices. from about 1900 to the present. What worked, what didn't, and what was fake. How radio shrunk the country and laid the groundwork for TV.
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Radio Theory from Xtal Receivers to SDR (Software Defined Radio): 150 years of radio technology, from incredible scientific and mathematical insight, clever, but ineffective, attempts to develop functional receivers, the invention of vacuum tubes and the golden age of radio, into the 1950s, to the arrival of solid state devices and the integration of computers into communication systems, with results unimaginable to radio pioneers
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Nets (And Ideas for New Nets): Nets are usually scheduled on a certain frequency on HF, VHF, or UHF. It’s a great way to interact with others and share information. Examples include OCRA's 10m net (28.450) on Mondays.
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Digital Modes (FT4, FT8, APRS, etc): Digital modes use your computer to modulate a radio signal. These modes use less bandwidth than voice modes, and with built-in error correction, are great for weak signal contacts, often getting through where voice cannot. Older modes such as RTTY and Packet Radio required a dedicated Terminal Node Controller or other hardware to interface the radio and the computer. Newer modes and improved software now use a sound card for modulation, directly interfaced with the radio, a simpler setup. PSK31 is a good conversational keyboard-to-keyboard mode, best for QSO's. FT4 and FT8 excel in weak signal work, but are limited to very short messages, they are more suited to contesting and minimal exchange DX'ing. APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System ) is a more visual mode that displays station positions on maps, useful for tracking mobile stations, and reading local weather data, bulletins and such, with some messaging capability.
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StarLink: A satellite internet service that uses Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of satellites to provide broadband internet across the globe. An variety of equipment can be used. More infirmation can be found on the Starlink website: https://www.starlink.com/us
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AllStar & Nodes: AllStar is a linking of repeaters, remote stations, and hot spots through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) across the world. A node is a computer that connects your radio to the AllStarLink network. Several of the repeaters through OCRA & DFMA can be connected by AllStar. Mor einfo cna be found here: https://www.allstarlink.org/
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440 Backbone: Also known as the Caorlina 440, it is a group of linked repeaters that go across North Carolina and work on the 70cm band. Many clubs use it for nets, and is also used for SKYWARN and AuxComm. More info cna be found here: https://carolina440.net/
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DMR & NCPRN: DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) is a popular radio standard for voice and data. You need a DMR radio to use it, as analog radios are not compatible. NCPRN is a collection of repeaters that all use DMR. It covers SC, NC, and southern VA. See https://ncprn.net/ for more info.
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M17: an open-source digital mode for amateur radio primarily designed
for VHF voice communications. Links between M17 and other digital voice modes such as DMR, P25, System Fusion, D-Star, AllStar, Echolink, and ILRP are stated as possible. M17 protocol visibility has been brought forth by the new CS7000 M17 UHF HT Radio from Connect Systems having just arrived in the market place. This radio supports multiple protocols, analog voice, DMR and the first amateur digital radio designed for the M17 protocol.
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GMRS Networks: General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) is a personal 2-
way communications radio. Transmitting on GMRS requires an FCC license
($35/family for 10 years) but no test is required. HTs are available for less than $50. This makes them ideal for families, off-roaders, farmers, and
neighborhoods. A “Hub and Spoke” model is a great way for neighborhoods to
communicate, even when there is no cell phone or internet.
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Mesh Networks: A type of network where each device connects directly
to others, creating multiple pathways for data to travel. If one device fails, traffic re-routes through other devices. Examples include AREDN, GoTenna /
Meshtastic / Beartooth devices.
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SARTopo: A powerful mapping and incident management platform
widely used for search and rescue, and disaster response. SARTopo can be used to map information from Winlink. CalTopo is the same mapping platform that is focused on recreation use. used more for planning and mapping assignments and printing maps. Many times it is used with iTAK.
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iTAK: STands for iOS Team Awareness Kit, also known as ATAK Android and WinTAK Windows). Provides real-time mapping, situational awareness, and team coordination. Originally developed by the US Department of Defense, iTAK is growing in popularity for Search and Rescue. ITAK is more tactical, real-time team awareness and coordination with live tracking, and sensor feeds. Many times it is used alongside SARTopo.