How to receive SSTV from Space Station
In this video Randy Hall K7AGE shows you how to receive Slow Scan TV (SSTV) images from the International Space Station (ISS) from December 26-31
Several times a year SSTV images are sent from the ISS. In December 2021 from the 26th through the 31st SSTV images will be transmitted.
A simple two-meter amateur radio, or scanner, is able to receive the signal on 145.800 MHz. You can receive the signal using the antenna on an HT, mobile antenna, or a vertical antenna mounted outside.
I show you how to learn when the ISS will be in the range of your station.
Heavens-Above is a good website to use and it will generate a list of passes for your station.
To decode the SSTV signal you will need software on a computer or portable device. I show MMSSTV on my Windows computer decoding the SSTV signal. I also show decoding SSTV on my iPad.
Watch How to receive SSTV images from the ISS
https://youtu.be/YgY3saXXTXs
Amateur Radio Get Together This Weekend
On Saturday at 15401 SW 212 St there will be a friendly get together of amateur radio enthusiasts for fun drink and BBQ.
Bring whatever delights that are your favorite to eat and drink.
There will be plenty of food!!!!
It starts at 11am and will run to whatever.
The group will be monitoring on 444.400
Have fun and enjoy!
Junior Orange Bowl Parade needs Radio Operators
The Junior Orange Bowl Parade is coming back to Downtown Coral Gables! The event will take place Sunday, December 12th, which puts it just under 2 weeks away!
Once again, the committee looks to the amateur radio community for assistance in making this event possible!
They are looking for us to provide some more information from along the route than before, and more information about that will be provided when the final information is sent.
If you are able to participate this year, please contact Brandon Watson n4bgw89@gmail.com so he may begin to fill spots along the route.
They are looking forward to another successful event!
Miami Marathon Looking for Radio Operators
The Miami Marathon is back after a Covid break, and will take place on Sunday February 6, 2022 !
I hope that you will be able to participate, either for the first time or again, in this major community event. Ham volunteers handle a huge volume of emergency, medical, and logistical information and play a key role in the operation of the Marathon.
We do this by using a net control to efficiently and quickly manage communications with hams at each of the 22 aid stations, in principal race vehicles, as shadows to race officials, and many other important locations.
This is the 20th running of the Marathon, and it has grown to be one of the top racing events in the country with more than 25,000 runners. Hams have played this key role since year one. Together, we raise millions of dollars for many great charities and sponsor health and fitness programs for thousands of our South Florida middle school students.
This is our chance to again demonstrate the importance and value of Ham Radio to our community and on a global scale. This is the type of positive publicity that we need to fight the constant battles to save our share of the spectrum.
If you haven't done so already, Please let me know if you can join the communications team for a few hours on Sunday February 6 ! It is a lot of fun and you get a cool shirt !
Contact: bnemser@nemal.com
Winterfest Boat Parade looking for Radio Operators
The Winterfest Boat Parade will be celebrating their 50th year and we will be celebrating with the best parade ever!
We are in the process of signing up our ham radio volunteers for the various positions along the 12 mile parade route. You will have an assignment, either a bridge or land assignment, and call in certain information to our net control operators over the ham frequencies. Depending on your assignment, you will need to be at your post around 4:00 pm or later. Most hams arrive early to get a parking spot, then go get a bite to eat with others in their assigned area and then go back to the bridge.
• Wednesday, December 8, 2021 – Ham Radio Operator and Control Boat Training – Late afternoon – 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm – Includes dinner!
• Saturday, December 11, 2021 – Winterfest Boat Parade! The Greatest Show on H2O!
We will be installing the radio antennas at 9:30 am on Monday, December 6th. If you are able to help with that, we would appreciate your assistance.
Please email Carol at KJ4AWB@arrl.net with the following information:
• Your full name
• Your call sign
• Your preferred email address
• Your snail mail address
• Your preference of locations if you’ve worked before
• Your CELL phone number
Club Antenna Project Update
Well we finally did it! We got an HF antenna engineered, tested and installed thanks to a great team of members.
I will list all involved with the install at the end of this update but special mention to the two members that headed up the effort and coordination to get the job done. Alain K4KKC and Charlie N4CRE .
The plan was to spend the evening (overnight) after the Friday meeting to build the antenna and do the install during daylight on Saturday. The antenna selected was a "Off Center Fed" diploe to hang at peak about 60 feet off the ground at center and about 20 feet at its end. Total length with supports is greater than 1/2 a football field! Tower climbing, tree climbing, rigging and roof running were all skills and tasks tested during the event. And that was during daylight. During the evening until at least 3am, tasks included erecting a 30+ foot mast to support the construction and testing of the antenna. Quality wire, 6to1, 4to1 and 1to1 baluns were tested to produce the best results. A VNA (vector network analyzer) and a Rig Expert analyzer were used to record results as the antenna lengths were adjusted. Once the best combination was tested and approved the system was hardened to survive the harsh elements of the Florida sun and rain.
23 year old rum added cheer to the celebration.
On Saturday a 6 foot aluminum extension was installed at the 60 foot height of the tower to support the pully that will hoist the antenna system in palace and allow easy access for maintenance and experimentation. Tree savers with pullies and weights to allow for wind movement and tension protection were installed at each end. DONE!
Also to add to the list of tasks, the club shack was ridden of "stuff" we have collected over the years via the free flea which unfortunately did not gain much interest in the local amateur radio community. We were the only vendor. Club members had their pick of some pretty cool stuff like high tech testing equipment, beam antennas, mikes, radios, books, and cables.
We also made some space for a new club member to set up a GMRS repeater in the very near future. That will be another update soon, so stay tuned for that and hopefully promising reports on HF contacts with our new antenna.
If you have any let me know and I will add you to the dropbox share list.
Participants:
Luis "Cutter" WD4JKX
Jaime KG4OXO
Logan W0LAB
Charlie N4CRE
Milton KI4AZX
Oscar KN4YHH
Ivan KX4FOX
Chester KM4EAB
Jeff N4ODB
Jose FIU Army Vet
Neil KO4DVG
What’s That Signal?
Have you ever been spinning that VFO and heard something that you did not recognize? Maybe it was something you never heard before or the scope was showing a pattern that puzzled you? Well, chances are you are not the first or last to experience that signal.
The Signal Identification Wiki is a repository of hundreds of signal descriptions, photos and even audio that you can use to reference and, of course, identify almost everything you come across on the airways. Since it is a wiki, you can also expand on existing entries or create a new one that may not be on the site. It is a pretty great place to spend some time expanding your knowledge. Enjoy!
EARC – After Meeting
You may be scratching your head and asking... After meeting? Is that a typo...? Well it is certainly not. Well before the pandemic, EARC club members and club friends would attend the monthly club meeting held on the second Friday of every month at the John D Campbell Agricultural center at 7:30 PM. We go over club business hold testing sessions and talk amongst like minds about Amateur radio, QSO's made, projects in progress and the latest gossip..ehem on goings on the local repeaters. At sometime between the adjournment of the meeting and shop talk, a subset of these hams would escape to a local pizza place to partake in libations, good grub and other shenanigan's.
In comes the pandemic, and as some would have guessed it, the meetings alongwith after meetings went stage left. One would think that starting backup old quirky traditions would be slow, but it couldn't be further from the truth. Meetings started up again on May 14th and surprisingly so did all the other activities. Some challenges on the first visit to our favorite "After Meeting" location could not slow us down. Because of Covid, Son of a Pizza, would not allow our large party due to being a bit late on our reservation. Normally that would be the end of that... But not for this group, a few "To Go" orders and a quick visit to the grocery store and we had ourselves a full swing tailgate party in a nearby field outside our favorite venue. A great time was had and since then things have gone back to normalcy.
Last meeting was no exception, a group of us met at Son of a Pizza after our club meeting and had a grand old time. Good friends, good food and great times!! Definitely looking forward to the next one! Come and JOIN US!!
Everglades Radio Club Minutes – July 9, 2021
President’s Report: Steven Taylor, W1HQL
Secretary Report: Secretary, Bill, KG2CS
Vice-President: Robert, W4THM
Treasurer: Pete WB4DB
Introductions/New Business:
Meeting opened @ 2015 hours.
Apologies for starting late due to special testing circumstances.
Meetings will be on schedule at 7:30 PM moving forward.
Introductions:
Minutes from previous meeting and Treasurers Report read.
Motion to accept and read and second by membership. Reminder to sign in.
Any logs from Field Day that have not been forwarded to Pete WB4DB please do so ASAP.
Current stats from Field Day: 281 contacts Across 76 Sections
Additional Points: Safety Officer, Town Official present, Public Information Station
Also send in any photos you may have. Discussion regarding having another Special Event for the 74th anniversary of Everglades National Park.
Brief discussion to think about the idea. Steve Taylor W1HQL will reach out to the Park department to see if entry fees can be waived for the event. (They have been waived in the past Ed.)
Alternate locations can be considered. Discussion regarding getting the HF station up and running at the club. Membership was encouraged to come up with ideas to get an antenna up that does not require maintenance and can remain in position so that the station can operate without any setup and preparation. Discuss more at the next meeting.
Show and tell by Alain K4KKC demonstrating the use of a product???(name) to mitigate corrosion on antenna parts especially when two dissimilar metals are in contact with each other.
20:45 Meeting adjourned. Testing: A new General Leonardo, KN4OIP. Congratulations!
Thank you Steve W1HQL for wearing all the Hats!!
Respectfully submitted,
Bill, KG2CS
Don’t forget SouthCARS 7.251. 8 am to 1 PM every day of the year.
ARES: 8:00 Saturday 3.940. Or Maritime Mobile Net 14.300. They take general check-ins. Also, both Tuesday night nets are 444.800.
And check in on the local 2 meter and 440 nets.
ARRL Field Day 2021
Come out and join the Everglades Amateur Radio Club, W4SVI, for our annual ARRL Field Day. We will be meeting at the John D. Campbell Agricultural Center on Saturday, June 26th and Sunday, June 27th. Although ARRL Field Day officially starts June 26th at 2 PM local time, come early and take advantage of our popular Flea Market starting at 8 AM.