Short Skip - June 2022

​By Tim McGillen/N9CA   2022 LCARC President
June 2022
Hi Everyone,
 
*To explore items in “ShortSkip”  issues “click” on the blue internet links
Hope you’ve had a chance to enjoy the increased band openings. 10 meters,12m, 15m, and 17m has been open almost every day from the US to Central and South America in the morning to early afternoon via TEP.
F2 propagation from the US in the late afternoon and evenings into New Zealand, and Australia.
TEP was my subject of April’s issue of “ShortSkip”.   Check real-time US propagation at    www.DXmaps.com  (just click the link)    
 
June’s Club Program: “DMR Ham Radio, DMR Vocabulary, DMR Code Plug Programing” presented by Robert Clark KA0WAS
 
June’s LCARC Meeting will be a hybrid. On Friday, at 7:30pm June 10th, you may attend the meeting live, at: Lake County Government EMA/HLD building at 2900 W. 93rd Crown Point In 46307. Or you can connect virtually by ZOOM. The ZOOM meeting link will be posted at www.W9LJ.org.
You do not have to be a Club member or a ham to attend or to log into the ZOOM meeting portion. Masks are highly recommended if you attend in person.
 
Coordinated Listening Event (CLE)
         Days:     Friday 27 May - Monday 30 May
     Times:   Start and End at midday, your LOCAL time
     Range:   350.0 - 369.9 kHz   
 It's CLE time once again. This is a challenge for all newcomers to NDB listening and the ultimate test of your medium frequency receiving capabilities. Can you meet the challenge?
'CLE's are 'Co-ordinated Listening Events, and NDB DXers around the world focus their listening time on one small slice of the NDB spectrum.
It's back to an 'almost normal' activity but with a slightly wider frequency span: 350.0 - 369.9 kHz.
When tuning for NDBs, put your receiver in the CW mode and listen for the NDB's CW identifier, repeated every few seconds. Listen for U.S. NDB identifiers approximately 1 kHz higher or lower than the published transmitted frequency since these beacons are modulated with a 1020 Hz tone approximately.
For example, 'AA' near Fargo, ND, transmitted on 365 kHz and its upper sideband CW identifier was tuned at 366.025 kHz while its lower sideband CW ident could be tuned at 363.946 kHz. Its USB tone was actually 1025 Hz while its LSB tone was 1054 Hz.
Often, one sideband will be much stronger than the other so if you don't hear the first one, try listening on the other sideband.
Canadian NDBs normally have an USB tone only, usually very close to 400 Hz. They also have a long dash (keydown) following the CW identifier.
All NDBs heard in North America will be listed in the RNA database (updated daily) while those heard in Europe may be found in the REU database. Beacons heard outside of these regions will be found in the RWW database.
For full CLE article and contest entry details visit:  https://www.amateurradio.com/hunting-for-ndbs-in-cle280/?awt_a=4inN&awt_l=80164&awt_m=3W0vgsz.YTrzbnN#:~:text=It%27s%20CLE%20time,following%20CLE%20info%3A
ARRL June 4-5th Digital Contest
Contest Objective: Amateurs worldwide contact and exchange QSO information with other amateurs using any digital mode (excluding RTTY) that supports the 4-digit Grid Square exchange — attended operation only -- on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10 and 6 meter bands (Technicians are limited per FCC Rules to the 10 and 6 meter bands). Any station may work any other station. Stations may only be worked once per band, regardless of mode. Automated operation is not permitted -- each claimed contact must include contemporaneous direct initiation by the operator on both sides of the contact. 


Dates: First full weekend of June (June 4-5, 2022).
Contest Period: Begins 01:00pm CDT Saturday, ends 06:59 CDT Sunday,
Contest rules are now maintained as a single downloadable document.
Click Here for the complete ARRL International Digital Contest rules (PDF)
For contest information contact contests@arrl.org or (860) 594-0232
 
ARRL June 11th-12th 2022 VHF Contest
 Objective: For amateurs in the US and Canada (and their possessions) to work as many amateur stations in as many different 2 degrees x 1 degree Maidenhead grid squares as possible using authorized frequencies above 50 MHz. Stations outside the US & Canada (and their possessions) may only work stations in the US (and its possessions) and Canada.
 
Dates: The second full weekend in June. (June 11-12, 2022)
Contest Period: Begins 1:00pm CDT Saturday, ends 9:59 CDT Sunday.
Contest Rules are now maintained as a single downloadable document.
Click Here for Complete ARRL June VHF Contest Rules (PDF)
For contest information contact contests@arrl.org or (860) 594-0232
 
All legal modes are permitted (while CW and SSB/Phone are most common, MSK144, FT8 and FM-Only are gaining popularity - other popular modes include PSK31, FSK441 and JT65).
 
*For Cabrillo file mode definitions, Digital modes should be represented as "DG" (for all things digital), SSB Phone as "PH", FM voice as "FM", and CW as "CW".
*Stations in KH0-9, KL7 & KP1-KP5, CY9 and CY0 count as W/VE stations and can be worked by DX stations for contest credit.
 
ARRL FIELD DAY June 25-26 2022
Rules & Resources | Facebook Group | T-shirts & Gear | Join ARRL

*Some New Rules Going into Effect This Year for ARRL Field Day 2022
 
CONTACT ME IF YOU WANT TO JOIN A LCARC FIELD DAY OUTING
 
Objective: To contact as many stations as possible on the 160, 80, 40, 20,15 and 10 Meter HF bands, as well as all bands 50 MHz and above, and to learn to operate in abnormal situations in less than optimal conditions.

Field Day is open to all amateurs in the areas covered by the ARRL/RAC Field Organizations and countries within IARU Region 2. DX stations residing in other regions may be contacted for credit, but are not eligible to submit entries.

Each claimed contact must include contemporaneous direct initiation by the operator on both sides of the contact. Initiation of a contact may be either locally or by remote.
 
A virtual wealth of Field Day Information available at www.ARRL.org Type Field Day into the upper right “search” space on the website
 
The Porter County Club is planning an outing. www.PC-ARC.net
 
Upcoming Hamfests

06/05/2022 - Starved Rock Radio Club Hamfest
Location: Mendota, IL
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Starved Rock Radio Club
Website: http://www.w9mks.org


06/11/2022 - Monroe County IN HamfestLocation: Bloomington, IN
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: BARC, SIARA, K9IU
 
06/05/2022 - Starved Rock Radio Club Hamfest
Location: Mendota, IL
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Starved Rock Radio Club
Website: http://www.w9mks.org
 
Nearby VE Testing
06/18/2022 | Valparaiso IN 46383-4820
Sponsor: Porter County ARC
Location: Valparaiso Public Library
Time: 9:00 AM (Walk-ins allowed)
 
On-Line VE Testing Sources
 
http://www.arrl.org/online-exam-session
www.hamtestonline.com
2022 LCARC CLUB MEMBERSHIP
The LCARC always welcomes new members. If you have never been a Club member, the cost to join for the year 2022 is; zero. Go to www.W9LJ.org and submit an email membership request. You can also print a form out and mail it to us.
LOCAL HR NETS

Courtesy of KC9UNS   www.tinyurl.com/chicago-ham-nets
The LCARC Information NET    Every Wednesday - at 8:00pm. 147.000 and 442.075 (pl 131.8)   Informal, informative, and fun. A great way to stay connected with local hams. Typically 30 minutes long.
ARES NET   Tuesday evening at 7:00pm. N9IAA repeater 146.685 MHz PL 173.8  http://www.ARESD1.com


On-Line EmComm WINLINK Digital Training


http://www.EmComm-Training.org



73, Tim/N9CA
Q: When was the now eliminated Amateur Radio “Advanced License” first offered?
After WW I, Just before WW II, Shortly after WWII, January 1970
A: shortly after WW II
Q: What were BBC television stations used for in WW II?
Transmitting encrypted messages, Jamming German propaganda stations, Jamming German navigation systems, Secret sub-band communications
A: jamming German Navigation