Afraid of Heights? Look at these Crazy Tower Climbers!

Tower Climbing Video 1:  CLICK HERE!


Tower Climbing Video 2:
 

Tower Climbing Video 3:


Not 'Exactly' Tower 'climbing' Video 4:


Video: 5 - You Absolutely will not believe these tower views!

Snowstorm Hams: Great Examples of Our Ranks

When the snow fell atop John R. Brandon's North Hall County home, he opened the door, moved outside, and recorded the weather with precision.

He observed the precipitation type and strength as it descended. He measured snow depth, and described how it was coming down, heavy or light. He also watched how, if at all, ice developed.

Then Brandon returned to his home, waited for the top of the hour and monitored his radio…. Rest of Article
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My comments:

We Amateur Radio Emergency Service and Skywarn operators should feel proud of ourselves. We are earnest, dedicated, and committed to helping.
This story is only one of a countless number of activations that occur each year.

When the Haiti earthquake happened, I personally stood by my radio for hours listening to designated emergency frequencies. I listened for distress calls as well as health and welfare messages that might have went in or out of the affected area. I listened incase a relay was needed.
Tornados, forest fires, floods, toxic spills, terrorist attacks, and yes, even snow storms: we will be there to help if we can.

Possible Answer to Unreasonable Municipalities & Homeowner's Associations

Since my links (in an earlier post) to HR81 are not working, I decided to post the entire bill here for you to read. 

I suggested to a fellow ham in my area to print out a copy of this bill to read at his inquisition to be held at his city courthouse.  Apparently, one of his antennas was 4 feet too high!  He cut 4 feet from it, and the city still wants him to testify as to the purpose, need and possible occasions in which Amateur Radio is useful.

Here's the bill:

H.R.81 -- Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2011 (Introduced in House - IH)


HR 81 IH
112th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 81

To promote and encourage the valuable public service, disaster relief, and emergency communications provided on a volunteer basis by licensees of the Federal Communications Commission in the Amateur Radio Service, by undertaking a study of the uses of amateur radio for emergency and disaster relief communications, by identifying unnecessary or unreasonable impediments to the deployment of Amateur Radio emergency and disaster relief communications, and by making recommendations for relief of such unreasonable restrictions so as to expand the uses of amateur radio communications in Homeland Security planning and response.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 5, 2011

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To promote and encourage the valuable public service, disaster relief, and emergency communications provided on a volunteer basis by licensees of the Federal Communications Commission in the Amateur Radio Service, by undertaking a study of the uses of amateur radio for emergency and disaster relief communications, by identifying unnecessary or unreasonable impediments to the deployment of Amateur Radio emergency and disaster relief communications, and by making recommendations for relief of such unreasonable restrictions so as to expand the uses of amateur radio communications in Homeland Security planning and response.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2011'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:

(1) Nearly 700,000 amateur radio operators in the United States are licensed by the Federal Communications Commission in the Amateur Radio Service.

(2) Amateur Radio operators provide, on a volunteer basis, a valuable public service to their communities, their States, and to the Nation, especially in the area of national and international disaster communications.

(3) Emergency and disaster relief communications services by volunteer Amateur Radio operators have consistently and reliably been provided before, during, and after floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, earthquakes, blizzards, train accidents, chemical spills, and other disasters. These communications services include services in connection with significant examples, such as hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Hugo, and Andrew; the relief effort at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon following the 2001 terrorist attacks; and the Oklahoma City bombing in April 1995.

(4) Amateur Radio has formal agreements for the provision of volunteer emergency communications activities with the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Weather Service, the National Communications System, and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, as well as with disaster relief agencies, including the American National Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

(5) The Congress passed Public Law 103-408 which was signed by the President on October 22, 1994. This included in section 1 the following finding of Congress: `Reasonable accommodation should be made for the effective operation of amateur radio from residences, private vehicles and public areas, and the regulation at all levels of government should facilitate and encourage amateur radio operation as a public benefit.'

(6) The Congress passed Public Law 109-295 which was signed by the President on October 4, 2006. This included a provision in the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations legislation for fiscal year 2007 that directed the Department's Regional Emergency Communications Coordinating Working Group to coordinate their activities with `ham and amateur radio operators' among the eleven other emergency organizations such as ambulance services, law enforcement, and others.

(7) Amateur Radio, at no cost to taxpayers, provides a fertile ground for technical self-training in modern telecommunications, electronic technology, and emergency communications techniques and protocols.

(8) There is a strong Federal interest in the effective performance of Amateur Radio stations, and that performance must be given support at all levels of government and given protection against unreasonable regulation and impediments to the provision of these valuable communications.
SEC. 3. STUDY OF ENHANCED USES OF AMATEUR RADIO IN EMERGENCY AND DISASTER RELIEF COMMUNICATION, AND FOR RELIEF OF RESTRICTIONS.

(a) Authority- The Secretary of Homeland Security--

(1) shall undertake a study on the uses and capabilities of Amateur Radio communications in emergencies and disaster relief; and

(2) shall report its findings to Congress not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) Scope of the Study- The study required by this section shall--

(1) include recommendations--

(A) for enhancements in the voluntary deployment of Amateur Radio licensees in disaster and emergency communications and disaster relief efforts; and

(B) for improved integration of Amateur Radio operators in planning and in furtherance of the Department of Homeland Security initiatives;

2)(A) identify unreasonable or unnecessary impediments to enhanced Amateur Radio communications, such as the effects of private land use regulations on residential antenna installations; and
(B) make recommendations regarding such impediments; and

(3)(A) include an evaluation of section 207 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-104, 110 Stat. 56 (1996)); and

(B) make a recommendation whether that section should be modified to prevent unreasonable private land use restrictions that impair the ability of an amateur radio operator licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to conduct, or prepare to conduct, emergency communications by means of effective outdoor antennas and support structures at reasonable heights and dimensions for the purpose, in residential areas.
(c) Use of Expertise and Information- In conducting the study required by this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall--


(1) utilize the expertise of the American Radio Relay League, representing the National Amateur Radio community; and


(2) seek information from private and public sectors for the study.

New Amateur Radio Bill Introduced in Congress

01/10/2011  -From the ARRL News Desk -
The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act, which died at the end of the 111th Congress, has been reintroduced in the 112th Congress as HR 81. The sponsor is Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18). The new bill -- which was introduced on January 5 -- has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce...more

 The bill is supported by the ARRL, and after reading it, I think it is well intentioned. 

The bill officially recognizes Amateur Radio as a valuable resource in times of crisis; the language of which supports Radio Amateurs and their equipment.  The bill further provides language that seeks to remove impediments to Amateur Operation;  I assume from unreasonable entities such as homeowner associations.
Here is the link to the bill that's been introduced:  HR 81- TEXT OF LEGISLATION

LA Section Ham Of The Year

Congratulations to Herman, NK5GRK, for his dedicated service to ham Amateur radio and his well deserved distinction of Louisiana Section Amateur of The Year!

I am proud to say I get to hear and spead him on the HF bands on a regular basis, and know him to be a terrific ham.

He is the kind of ham I try to emulate. Link to ARRL News Story which contains Herman's autobiographic history.


Photo of KN5GRK being handed his award plaque:

Ham Radio Antenna Types - A Brief Rundown

Any corrections to my views are greatly appreciated.


There are Horizontally or vertically polarized antennas. The RF patterns of these are perpendicular to one another.


There are Wires, and there are antennas constructed from tubing made from a variety of electrically conductive materials.


Wires are called names like dipoles, doublets, G5RVs, bazookas, loops, and others. Wires when strung out horizontally to the ground are considered to be horizontally polarized. Wires that are suspended in the shape of an inverted “V” have a more vertically polarization. Loops in many instances are horizontal.


Antennas made from tubing don’t necessarily have categorical subtypes except for Beams. However, tubing is used to build vertical HF antennas such as the “Butternut” and the “IMAX 2000”. I’ve seen copper tubing, as well as steel whips used to build J-Poles for UHF and VHF radios.


People say that vertical antennas have a more narrow RF takeoff angle, so they are well suited in many cases for DX (out of country) contacts. Horizontal/Vertical beams however have the advantage of being able to concentrate a signal toward a source, to hear that source better, all while decreasing the interference of signals coming from the sides of the antenna.


Vertical antennas are Omnidirectional. This means they transmit in all directions. Horizontal wires and beams are “directional” antennas.


To view my antennas, use the link in my sidebar.

 If you’d like to add any information, or change any of my comments, leave me a comment. And, by all means, please sign my guestbook.

What I get to do with my Ham Radio Hobby

I get to talk to people all over the world! I have monitored important information on ham radio before television news sources picked up on them. I related information pertaining to a Father John in Haiti following the terrible earthquake.

I called for stations inside the earthquake zone incase they needed help within the area.


I get to participate in Skywarn networks to pass information related to severe weather to the national weather service so they can compare their forcast with actual weather conditions. I have helped protect life and property by getting help to storm affected areas.

Each week, I participate in an Amateur Radio Emergency Services Net. These nets keeps us practiced for emergency situations. I also serve as the net control station (NCS) for the 5th region traffic net. This net takes in station throughout the deep south. AL, AR, North Florida, LA, MS, OK, TN, North TX, South TX, and West TX. This net passes traffic (messages) via the National Traffic System (NTS), into, out of, and throughout the 5th region.

I get to participate in ham radio contests that let me improve my communication skills and have fun making contacts with stations that are literally, on the other side of the world with only 100 watts!


I get to play with different modes of communication too: morse code, PSK31, Dstar, to name a few.

I get to help out with special event stations. Last fall, we set up with the traveling Vietnam memorial wall and provided communications for as volunteers, for the museum staff where the event was taking place. We are encouraged to be visible and be involved as a community public safety asset aligned with other public safety services such as Sheriff and fire departments.


In fact, we’ve participated in the Monroe Public Safety Expo for the past 3 years.


Some people backpack HF radios to plateaus of mountains to make QRP (low power) contacts.


As you can see, I do a lot of stuff because of ham radio. I am not alone either. One thing about ham radio I haven’t really spoke of is the people. Hams are wonderful people who know how to be respectful and have a good time. I now have good friends who are hams, because of ham radio.


Tell me about your ham hobby. What do you get to do? Leave a comment, or sign my guestbook please.


Thank you for visiting.

ARRL Audio News (on iTunes) is Great for Blind Hams

From the ARRL news desk 01/06/2011
The ARRL Audio News is once again available through iTunes, beginning today. You can find the URL for the Audio News’ RSS feed here. To download and subscribe to the Audio News at iTunes, log into your iTunes account and go to the “Advanced” pull-down menu. Click on “Subscribe to Podcast,” insert http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/aan.rss in the dialogue box and click “Okay.” You are now subscribed! Read More...

On the Freewheeler’s net, we had a record 102 check-ins on New Year’s eve night. KC0MQS called the net;, and despite some loud static crashes, he managed to call in 102 check-ins.


At midnight, KE5GGY joined in to add to the great new year wishes, and everyone had a great time ringing in the new year.


We held the net on 3.916 Mhz, and it lasted until around 1:30am central time.


This was a great net. Everyone who checked in was respectful and operated with good amateur radio practice.


If you didn’t participate, the freewheelers operate every night except Saturday from 10:00pm to about 12:30 pm central time.


There is a different NCS each night. Monday it is Tom W5CCT, Tuesday it is KI4BIY, BILL. Wednesday, it is Jim, KC0MQS Thursday we have WA4YPN, and Friday we have Kurt, AB0UA. Sunday it is K9VDO, Jim who calls the net.


We have a great time.
Each NCS does a great job, and when you check in for the first time, you get a welcome like you won’t get any where else.


This is how the net works: You can get your self checked
by tossing your callsign in when checkins are asked for.

Also, there is a internet check in list. If y9ou want to participat on hf with the freewheelers you have to go to yahoo groups. Search “Freewheelersnet”. Then use your call sign when you register.

After doing this, after your call is accepted, you can click on “database”, then “check-in list”. Then click “Add Record”.


Then you put short time (S) or full time (W).  Put in your call sign, your name, state, comment, and day. This is self explanatory.

Net control will call each checked in callsign; first from the internet checkin list. When he hits the bottom of the list, he'll ask for checkins. 

Then, he'll call each of those one at a time.  When it's your turn, you can make your comments. 

You can say what's on your mind.  What you had for supper, talk about hunting, what ever you want.  We don't discuss politics or religion to avoid points of contention and arguements.

Usually, the NCS will take the short timers first, then the full timers.  The full timers will get to make a round or two, and a 73 round.

Here it is, Saturday night. I’ve been drinking wiskey. I’m feeling pretty good right now.