2010 Bagels & Bluegrass Event

Bagels and Bluegrass Bicycle Century Tour

October 16, 2010

The Bagels and Bluegrass Ride across Southwest Tennessee is a bicycle ride featuring Southwest Tennessee’s State Parks and scenic roads. The 100 mile route has a total climb of greater than 2,000 feet. The ride begins with a breakfast of bagels at the staging area located at Jackson State Community College, on the corner of State Highway 412 (Parkway) and US 70 in Jackson, Tennessee. Featured stops include Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Area, the largest Middle Woodland Indian Complex in the Southeast, consisting of at least 15 earthen mounds; and Chickasaw State Park, near Henderson, Tennessee. End the day with dinner at the college.

WTARS has provided communication services for this event for many years. It is a challenge to keep track of 100+ bicyclists covering four different routes ... especially when the riders decide to change routes sometimes at will. Nevertheless, it is always fun and is a good practical exercise for our amateur radio operators.

This year, the following operators participated in the communications part of the event:

Chris Wray - KD4MPN
Chris Brazzell - KFRWNB
Gary Griffin - KI4UXO
Mike Winslow - N4GMW (Harley-Davidson Mobile)
Randy & Sharon Bennett - W4RFB
Jimmy Owen - W4JHO
Stephen & Rebecca Vandiver - KJ4TRB
Greg Flannagan - N4GMF
Tom Goodman - AI4DB

Many thanks to these amateur radio operators for their professionalism and proficiency in the art of Ham Radio!

A special thanks to the Boy Scouts of Henderson Troop 25 for their assistance at the Pinson Mounds station.  They did an outstanding job of recording rider numbers as they passed through the park.

G. Michael Winslow - N4GMW

The Casey Jones Day Special Event Amateur Radio Station

Hosted by

West Tennessee Amateur Radio Society

WTARS

May 1, 2010

The West Tennessee Radio Society will be operating a Special Event Amateur Radio Station (WF4Q) from the Casey Jones Museum located in the Casey Jones Village US Hwy 45 By-Pass & I-40 in Jackson, TN on May 1, 2010 from 10:00 am till 4:30 PM (CST).

Listen on 40 Meters (7.235) / 20 Meters (14.255) / 15 Meters (21.305)

Custom QSL Cards will be mailed to all contacts we can identify.

Come join the fun!  Tour the Casey Jones Museum

Special thanks to Lawrence Taylor, Director – Casey Jones Museum

Notes from the February 2010 WTARS Meeting

Hello WTARS Members:

Thanks to all who were able to attend the February Monthly Business Meeting of the West Tennessee Amateur Radio Society to show your support and be involved in the activities of your club.  We had a great turnout and it was great to see each and every one of you.

For those who were unable to attend the meeting this past Thursday, here are a few notes to get you caught up on WTARS activities.

Several events and functions were proposed for the 2010 year and were approved and sanctioned WTARS events.  They are as follows:


May 1, 2010 - Casey Jones Special Event Station - Casey Jones Museum - Jackson, TN

April 17, 2010 - The Andrew Jackson Marathon - Union University - Jackson, TN

June 25 - 27, 2010 - ARRL / WTARS Annual Field Day - Brown's United Methodist Church - Jackson, TN

October 2, 2010 - Bagels & Bluegrass Bicycle Marathon - Jackson State Community College - Jackson, TN

October 9, 2010 - WTARS BBQ - Residence and compound of G. Michael Winslow, N4GMW - 626 Hwy 412 E, Jackson, TN.  BBQ will be provided, everybody bring a dish and drinks.


Please put these dates on your calendar and plan to come and participate and have fun.  Other events can be added as opportunities arise, so if you have something you would like to propose to the club, please come to a meeting and present it to us all. 


At this meeting, Chris Brazzell presented a project to WTARS for March of 2011.  Chris proposed that WTARS host a regional ham fest to be called the Hub City Ham Fest.  Ideas were discussed and there was enough interest to establish a Ham Fest Committee chaired by Chris to further explore the feasibility of WTARS organizing and hosting an event of this type.  If we can, we hope it would become one of the best in the Mid-South in a few years while generating a recurring stream of badly needed income into the club treasury.  Chris and his committee are to report more detailed information to the Club at the March 4th 2010 meeting.  Be sure to attend and give us your input so we can decide whether or not to move forward with this project. It is one of such scope that everyone will be needed and have a role.


The Executive Committee, consisting of:


Mike Winslow, President
Chris Wray - Vice President 
Tom Goodman - Secretary
Phillip Julian - Treasurer
are receiving comments and input on the revision of the WTARS By-Laws.  If you have comments or concerns you would like addressed, please submit them, in writing, to Mike Winslow at gmwinslo@bellsouth.net


We all look forward to an exciting and rewarding year ahead and we need your attendance and involvement to make it so.


G. Michael Winslow
WTARS President 2010

WTARS Meeting Rescheduled to Jan 21st, 2010

Due to a potential winter storm with blowing and drifting snow and dangerous temps, we have re-scheduled our January monthly WTARS meeting to Thrusday January 21, 2010 at the same place, JSCC Tech Center at 7:00 pm.

The February meeting will be the regular date and time (1st Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm).

This was done out of an abundance of caution.  What business that needs to be transacted can wait a couple of weeks.

Thanks & 73,
GMWinslow - N4GMW

It Seems to Us: Not an Emergency Radio Service?

Editorial from QST Jan 1 2010

By David Sumner, K1ZZ
ARRL Chief Executive Officer

January 01, 2010

---

The FCC raised a few eyebrows by including the following sentence in its Public Notice DA 09-2259 (see page 72, this issue): "While the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communications service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications, is one of the underlying principles of the amateur service, the amateur service is not an emergency radio service [emphasis added]."

---

We might take umbrage at that, but the fact is that you'd be hard pressed to find a definition for "emergency radio service" -- or any other radio service that would qualify as one. The ITU Radio Regulations make no use of the term; rather, the ITU defines "safety service" as "Any radiocommunication service used permanently or temporarily for the safeguarding of human life and property" and offers radionavigation and other safety services a bit of extra protection against harmful interference. The ITU recognizes that a wide variety of radio services including the amateur and amateur-satellite services play a role in public protection and disaster relief (PPDR).

Even the FCC itself no longer uses the term "emergency radio service." There was once a Special Emergency Radio Service (SERS) but it disappeared a decade ago in a consolidation of Private Land Mobile Radio services. SERS spectrum is now part of the Public Safety Pool.

So, let's not waste a lot of energy worrying about what the FCC thinks we are not. Like many other radio services, the amateur service sometimes provides emergency communications. That's not our day-in, day-out function, but neither is it the daily function of any other radio service that's defined in the FCC rules. The point that the FCC presumably was trying to make is that we are not just an emergency radio service. We have a much broader mission as "a voluntary, non-commercial communication service authorized for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by licensed persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest." Our "self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations" are what create our value to the public. That value doesn't come from our licenses; it comes from the knowledge we have acquired, the skills we have developed, and the stations we have constructed in pursuit of our "personal aims" in the field of radiocommunication.

The result is a radio service that is uniquely equipped to serve in emergencies. If we're not an "emergency radio service" it is only because we are so much more.

Watch the Band Edges!

Following the relocation of most broadcasting stations from the 7100-7200 kHz band there has been a significant increase in DX activity by US amateurs on 40 meter phone. Judging from what we're hearing and what others are reporting from around the country, a reminder about band edges is in order.

When in SSB mode, most transceivers display the frequency of the suppressed carrier. This can be a bit confusing, because ideally your station isn't emitting any energy at all on that frequency. All of your transmitter power is going into the voice passband that extends roughly from 300 to 3000 Hz on one side or the other of that frequency.

The bottom edge of the US phone band for Amateur Extra and Advanced licensees is 7125 kHz. Without getting into hair-splitting debates about how wide your SSB signal might be compared to others, if you're operating on lower sideband (LSB) with a carrier frequency below 7128 kHz you're out of the band because some of your transmitter power is below 7125 kHz. For General licensees the band edge is 7175 kHz, so the lowest carrier frequency a General can use on LSB is 7178 kHz. At the top edge, as long as you're on LSB the situation is different; if you're confident that your opposite sideband and carrier suppression are up to snuff you can snuggle up to the band edge of 7300 kHz.

Two other bands where "falling off the edge" is too common an occurrence are 20 and 17 meters, and here -- because upper sideband (USB) is the norm on these bands -- the problem occurs at the top end. Carrier frequencies above 14,347 kHz and 18,165 kHz respectively are verboten. On these bands the lower band edge is not generally a problem because on USB, the carrier and lower sideband are suppressed.

As station licensees and control operators we are responsible for the proper operation of our stations. If a DX Cluster spot lures us out of the US phone band that's our fault, not the spotter's. If a DX station is on 18,160 kHz and is listening "5 to 10 up" it's our fault, not his, if we go up more than 5. And as long as we're talking about 17 meters -- a great band, by the way -- US amateurs must remember that RTTY and data modes are not allowed above 18,110 kHz, even if a RTTY DX pileup extends above that frequency. And remember, too, that if you're generating a RTTY or data signal by injecting audio into an SSB transmitter your actual operating frequency is different from what's shown on your display. How much different? Only you and your software know for sure!

WTARS Makes ARRL Newsletter

ARRL Club Newsletter


December 18, 2009
_________________________________________________________

Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, Editor


IN THIS ISSUE:


+ WTARS Helps a Member Return To Airwaves Dayton

____________________________________________________________



WTARS Helps a Member Return To Airwaves

By Lee Towater, KF4NZV

E-mail: kf4nzv@arrl.net


The West Tennessee Amateur Radio Society < www.wtars.org > is pleased

to announce the return of Gary King, W4WKZ, to the amateur radio

waves. Gary, who is legally blind, has been off the radio for almost

two years. Gary had been a very active part of the amateur radio

community. He was an active participant in the daily weather

reporting of conditions from his home in Medon, TN to the National

Weather Service in Memphis, TN. He has not been able to make reports

via ham radio due to damage to his antenna system nearly two years

ago.

The story began back in November 2008 when a long time friend, Bob

Alper, W6KT, came to visit Gary. He noticed the damage to Gary's 60

foot tower and antenna array. Gary, not being able to make the

repairs himself, was left with no way to use his ham radio equipment.

Bob quickly got in contact with Philip Julian, KG4NVN, the treasurer

of West Tennessee Amateur Society (WTARS) here in Jackson. Bob and

Philip worked together to make a plan for repairing Gary's tower and

antenna system.

During the summer heat of July 2009, a group of WTARS members

assembled at Gary's home to begin the repair project. The group mixed

and poured more than 880 pounds of concrete, by hand in a 5 gallon

bucket, to make a new base for the existing tower. During the next

four months a new antenna system and other tower installation items

were purchased.

On December 5, 2009, the group reassembled at Gary's home to

complete the repairs. Philip, KG4NVN, contacted local crane owner and

operator Randy Rushing of Rushing's Crane Service. Randy happily

agreed to bring his equipment out for the installation of the new

antennas. All of Randy's expenses were donated to the project which

helped tremendously due to the fact WTARS was operating basically on

a $0 budget for this project. Randy is known throughout the community

for his willingness to serve others during local emergencies and

disasters. Randy is a part of the Baptist Disaster Relief Ministry.

The group installed a Diamond X50 dual band vertical. This antenna

will give Gary the coverage he needs to reach the local repeaters and

ample simplex coverage. They also installed a home brew HF multi-band

wire antenna built by Randy Bennett, W4RFB. The wire antenna was

installed on a pulley system allowing for easy lowering and raising,

eliminating the need to climb the tower, to tune or make adjustments

as needed.

At the end of the day Gary was back on the air. WTARS has given

Gary back the joys he once had in the amateur radio hobby. WTARS

would like to give a special thanks to Philip Julian, KG4NVN, for

taking the lead on this project. Philip spent a countless number of

hours in preparation for this project. We also give a special thanks

to Randy Rushing of Rushing's Crane Service in Jackson, TN for

providing the bucket crane to complete the installation.



-----



From the Editor: The WTARS example above shows what a dedicated club

can do to assist fellow members and Hams. Even a quick, visual

inspection of an antenna system can save life and property. Maybe

there are hams around your club who could greatly benefit from simple

assistance so that they may fully enjoy all that Ham Radio has to

offer?

The Gary King (W4WKZ) Antenna Project

On December 5th, 2009 members of the West Tennessee Amateur Radio Society completed a community service project to assist a fellow Ham, disabled by blindness, repair his aging tower and replace the damagaed antenna array with new equipment.

Gary King (W4WKZ) has been a long-time Ham Radio operator in the Medon, Tennessee area.  The past few year's storms had severly damaged his antenna array which consisted of double 11 element two-meter beams and a Mosely, Jr. three element beam.  The tower was in poor repair, with the base of the Rohm 25 rusted off at the ground.  As it was, his station was unusable.

The frist step of the project was to secure the base of the tower and guide-wires so the old array could be removed.  You can see from the photo what sad shape is was in. 

To the secure the base of the tower, without having to drop it and start from scratch by digging a new foundation and re-assembling the structure, it was decided to pour a concrete base over the exisitng footing and brace the tower using 2-inch pipe as shown.  Now picture a bunch of middle-aged Hams in the heat of summer (90's +), cardiac prospects all, mixing and pouring a base approx one foot thick in a 6' X 6' x 6' triangle.  By the way, the mixing and pouring (11 bags 80 lb bags of concrete) was done with a 5 gallon bucket, a hoe, and garden hose.  A sight to behold, indeed!

After the base dried and cured, an inspection of the tower was made and it was determined, that although much more stable than before, was still in questionalbe shaple to climb.  Therefore plans were made to secure a bucket truck to remove the old array and install the new antennas. 

Randy Rushing of  Rushing Crane of Jackson, Tennessee and Andy Russell - KJ4CLS, kindly donated the use of a extended boom bucket truck for all the aerial work.  We are very grateful for thier help for we could not have completed this project without them.

In order to reduce the possibility of ever having to go back up that tower, the two-meter beams were replace with a Diamond dual band vertical which will cover the area that Gary would like.  At a heght of about 60 feet, this was accomplised.

The HF tri-element (which was missing an element) was replaced with a multi-band di-pole wire antenna built by Randy Bennett (W4RFB).  This was attached via a pulley system to allow the lowering and raising of the the antenna, without climbing, for repair and tuning.  Gary does not have an antenna tuner.

At the end of the day, all was installed and the W4WKZ station was once again operational and is now providing hours of Ham Radio pleasure to and old Ham who missed the hobby and unable to repair the damage himself.

Thanks to all participants in this project.  This list is long and I am afraid that I would accidently leave someone out.  Nevertheless, I would like to say a special thanks to Phillip Julian - KG4NVN - who conceived, planned, largely funded, and brought this project to fruition, once again confiming the fact that Hams as some of the best people you will ever meet.