The Indianapolis Radio Club Newsletter Founded 1914 “The oldest continuously operating Amateur Radio Club in the United States” May 2009 Newsletter Upcoming Meetings: June 12, 2009: Annual equipment auction. August 1, 2009: Annual K9OOA Broadripple Hamfest/IRC Picnic Highlights from the April Meeting: Meeting called to order at 7:24 by Ron Cooper, WB9DKL. Ron started off the meeting with self introductions. There were 59 in attendance. Visitors and first time attendees were recognized. There were two brand new hams recognized, and Bob, W9PSE, gave them some handouts that he had put together. Jim, K9RU, announced that W9IMS would be going QRV this weekend, as well as a couple of other special events at the comm center this weekend. Tom, K9XV, announced that Field Day would be coming up, and to keep the date open. He asked how many bicycle riders there were in the room. Jerry, KC9DTB, announced his next voyage. Leaving Thursday, going to be out until June 1 or so. After checking in on the maritime mobile net, he plans on even numbered days will be on 14.285, odd days will be on 14.315. Ron announced that we need to sell 2 more bus tickets to break even. Dave announced that next month's meeting will be the annual auction. He announced that folks can send their listings of what they plan on having at the auction to the email reflector. Tom Chance, K9XV, next started the antenna forum. Tom said he was going to make the presentation available on the web site to minimize hand outs. This was the third antenna forum. Those that brought their antennas will be given the opportunity to talk about their projects. Chuck, W9IH, and Steve, KB9ZLG, gave a presentation on the K9AY antenna. It is primarily a low-band receive antenna. The K9AY is a good receiving antenna, much more compact than other low band receiving antennas. It only takes up a 30' diameter circle footprint. The QST, September 1997 has a diagram of the relay box. This is a good, low noise receive antenna for 160, 80, and 40 meters. Chuck also threw in a plug for the USS Indianapolis Museum ships on the air event, running 48 continuous hours on June 5 through 7. Chuck also gave a presentation on the DX Engineering 43 ft., Multi-band Vertical & MFJ 993B. Steve said the manual was a little vague in places. This antenna is a good option for those that don't have that much space for antennas, you just need room for radials. Next, Bob Begeman, W9KVK, showed some different antennas that he had made. One was a shortened 6 meter mobile antenna. Another was a combo 6 meter and 2 meter j-pole. Bob gave a good theory presentation on the antennas. Next, Bob Blake, N9FIM, presented his 4 element co-linear/j-pole. Due to the design, the SWR over the entire 70 cm band is 1:1. Next Dan, KE9Y, showed his 2 meter copper j-pole that he built on a camp-out. Tom talked about a 300 ohm twinlead 2 meter j-pole. He also talked about a 4 element 220 beam antenna that used arrows for the elements. Tom next talked about how to raise antennas on guyed towers. He stressed safety. He basically took a couple of guys off in order to raise the antenna, then connected guys back before climbing tower to attach antenna. Lastly, Tom talked about the coat hanger DTV antenna plans that Dave, K9RTT, found. Door prize tickets were drawn, with the last one being for a bus ticket to Dayton. Jeff Hammer, N9NIC, gave a short promo regarding MARS prior to adjournment. Meeting adjourned at 8:50. Ham Radio News: USS INDIANAPOLIS MUSEUM SHIPS ON THE AIR EVENT >From Chuck Crist, W9IH: USS Indianapolis Memorial participation during the World wide Museum Ships event. 2009. Friday June 5th-8th   (48 hours) We start setup at 6pm Friday nite Operations at 8pm.   Please come visit or operate as we honor the USS Indy, the survivors and crew during this Ham radio event. (CW ops bring your own key or paddle)   Any ops time is more than welcome.... we will have 3 stations running ... see the sign up sheet on the IRC website...www.IndyRadioClub.org/ussindy.htm   LOCATION: is the same as past years. (Canal downtown INDY) see IRC website for Map. Parking is on the north side of the IHETS building. Entry is on the SOUTH side (lobby entry). Look for the crane   See www.IndyRadioClub.org/ussindy.htm for current info and maps... FCC LOOKS TO RAISE VANITY CALL SIGN FEES AGAIN The FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order (NPRM) on May 14 seeking to raise fees for Amateur Radio vanity call signs. Currently, a vanity call sign costs $12.30 and is good for 10 years; the new fee, if the FCC plan goes through, will go up to $13.40 for 10 years, an increase of $1.10. The FCC is authorized by the Communications Act of 1934 (as amended) to collect vanity call sign fees to recover the costs associated with that program. The vanity call sign regulatory fee is payable not only when applying for a new vanity call sign, but also upon renewing a vanity call sign for a new term. Instructions on how to comment on this NPRM are available on the FCC Web site. License application and renewal information and links to the required forms are available on the ARRL Amateur Application Filing FAQ Web page. The FCC's forms page also offers the required forms. The links to the above-mentioned websites can be found at, http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/05/18/10825/?nc=1. HURRICANE CENTER'S WX4NHC ON-THE-AIR TEST SET The annual WX4NHC On-the-Air Station Test from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami takes place Saturday, May 30, 1300-2100 UTC. "The purpose of this annual Station Test is to test all of our radio equipment, computers and antennas using as many modes and frequencies as possible. This is not a contest or simulated hurricane exercise. New equipment and software will be tested, and we will also conduct some operator training," said WX4NHC Assistant Amateur Radio Volunteer Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R. Ripoll said that WX4NHC also will be testing new computers and software, as well as conducting operator training. "NHC Director Bill Read, KB5FYA, will be at WX4NHC, making contacts," he said. WX4NHC will be on the air on HF, VHF and UHF, plus 2 and 30 meter APRS. Suggested SSB frequencies are 3.950, 7.268, 14.325, 21.325 and 28.525 MHz, +/-QRM; WX4NHC reports that they will mostly be on 14.325 MHz and will make announcements when they change frequencies. WX4NHC also will be on the VoIP Hurricane Net 1700-1900 UTC (IRLP node 9219/EchoLink WX-TALK Conference) and on South Florida area VHF/UHF repeaters and simplex; APRS and e-mail will also be monitored. Stations working WX4NHC exchange call sign, signal report, location and name plus a brief weather report, such as "sunny," "rain" or "cloudy." Non-hams may submit their actual weather using the On-Line Hurricane Report Form. QSL to WD4R and include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Do not send cards to the NHC. Due to security measures, no visitors will be allowed at NHC during the test. INDIANAPOLIS VE Testing Schedule for Second half of 2009 ARRL TEST SESSIONS: Sponsor: Indianapolis Radio Club (W9JP) Where: All testing is at The Indianapolis Training Center, 2820 N. Meridian St, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46107. When: June 6, 2009 August 8, 2009, liaison is Dovid Ofstein (N9APE) September 5, 2009. liaison is Gale Wuollet (AA9WU) October 3, 2009, liaison is Gale Wuollet (AA9WU) November 7, 2009, liaison is Dovid Ofstein (N9APE) December 5, 2009, liaison is Gale Wuollet (AA9WU) Time: All testing starts at 9:00 AM Phone if needed; Gale Wuollet (317-849-8449) email - indy33windy@comcast.net or, Dovid Ofstein (317-908-5125) email - doctoro57@yahoo.com Walk-ins allowed SCIENTISTS PREDICT SOLAR CYCLE 24 TO PEAK IN 2013 At the annual Space Weather Workshop held in Boulder, Colorado last month , an international panel of experts led by NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) predicted that Solar Cycle 24 will peak in May 2013 with 90 sunspots per day on average. If the prediction proves true, Solar Cycle 24 will be the weakest cycle since Solar Cycle 16, which peaked with 78 daily sunspots in 1928, and ninth weakest since the 1750s, when numbered cycles began. The panel predicted that the lowest sunspot number between cycles -- the solar minimum -- occurred in December 2008, marking the end of Solar Cycle 23 and the start of Solar Cycle 24. If December's prediction holds up , at 12 years and seven months Solar Cycle 23 will be the longest since 1823 and the third longest since 1755. Solar cycles span 11 years on average, from minimum to minimum. An unusually long, deep lull in sunspots led the panel to revise its 2007 prediction that the next cycle of solar storms would start in March 2008 and peak in late 2011 or mid-2012. The persistence of a quiet sun also led the panel to a consensus that Solar Cycle 24 will be what they called "moderately weak." Although the peak is still four years away, a new active period of Earth-threatening solar storms will be the weakest since 1928. Despite the prediction, the scientists said that Earth is still vulnerable to a severe solar storm. Solar storms are eruptions of energy and matter that escape from the Sun and may head toward Earth, where even a weak storm can damage satellites and power grids, disrupting communications, the electric power supply and GPS. A single strong blast of "solar wind" can threaten national security, transportation, financial services and other essential functions. According to a recent report by the National Academy of Sciences that found if a storm that severe occurred today, it could cause $1-2 trillion in damages the first year and require four to 10 years for recovery, compared to the $80-125 billion of damage that resulted from Hurricane Katrina . WELCOME NEW MEMBERS New members at the May meeting were: Jim Barker, KC9PFY, Daniel Daly, KE9Y, Bryce Daly, KC9PKU, and new Life Member Darren Murphy, KC9OMO FEEL FREE TO SHARE OUR NEWSLETTER If you belong to any other radio groups, please feel free to share our newsletter with them. They can also sign up to be on our mailing list by filling out the form available at http://www.indyradioclub.org/rqstnewsletter.htm. SEND ME YOUR HAM RADIO NEWS If anyone has any items for the newsletter, please send them to Ken Bandy at kj9b@arrl.net Signals from the Past: >From the May, 1978 Amachewer: RELAY CHATTER Would you say that frequent changing of fuses is a RE-CURRENT problem? Do you find changing batteries in your transistor radio is a RE-VOLTING chore? OHM my aching back, what hum bug. Upcoming Area Radio Events: * June 5 – 7: USS Indianapolis On the Air with Museum Ships event. See article above for more details. * August 1: Ernie Pyle Island (IN008L) on the air! From Cagle’s Mill Lake in Owen County, Indiana. Station W9I will be on the air to commemorate the 109th birthday of Ernie Pyle, operating CW and SSB on the 10 – 40 meter bands. * August 1: Annual Indianapolis Radio Club Broad Ripple Hamfest and picnic. More info to come later. 2009 IRC Officers: · President: Ron Cooper, WB9DKL - ..EMAIL wb9dkl@sbcglobal.net · Vice Pres.: Dave Miller, K9RTT - ..EMAIL dmiller@ivytech.edu · Secretary: Ken Bandy, KJ9B - ..EMAIL kj9b@arrl.net · Treasurer: Jay Willever, K9LJW - ..EMAIL k9ljw@arrl.net · Chief Operator: Steve Wendt, KB9RDS - ..EMAIL kb9rds@arrl.net · Dir. at large: Tom Chance, K9XV - ..EMAIL k9xv@arrl.net · Dir. at large: Bob Osterhous, W9PSE - ..EMAIL rosterhous@iquest.net · Dir. at large: Bob Begeman, W9KVK - ..EMAIL w9kvk@juno.com · W9JP Trustee: Don Hemenover, N9DOO – EMAIL don9doo@lightbound.com