Make a Homebrew Slinky antenna

The fellow in this video shows how to make the slinky antenna.  He shows what material is needed and walks you through the antenna's creation.

ARES & AMATEUR RADIO CLUB SUPPORTS 'RUN FOR THE CROSS' 2013 CALHOUN, LOUISIANA

It has been a very busy couple months for me.  We went from going to the Hamfest in Jackson, MS one weekend, to Rayne, LA two weeks ago.  Last weekend I went to basic and advanced storm spotter - Skywarn classes,  then  Friday, March 22, we went to a funeral for a fallen U.S. Army CW2 in  Winnsboro, LA.  Finally, today I, along with our ARES group, went and provided communication support for The Run for The Cross at First Baptist Church in Calhoun, Louisiana.

The turnout was very good, despite the clouds and cool weather.  When I was in the army, these were the kinds of mornings I liked running.

We had nine check points plus a Net Control Station and a floater.  We also had a guest assist us who is very interested and seems motivated to get his tech ticket.

W5KGT drove the ARES van, Duffy - KD5IGZ- drove his ambulance, Mack - KA5JNL - gave me a ride to the event.  Other hams present were Randy  (KE5ESU ), BOB (N5ARM), Clalud (KD5ITA), Greg (KF5GDG), Thomas (KD5OQC) and one or two more whom I can't remember.

I was situated at check point 9, which was the finish line.  The way I understand this, a company or a club supplies the logistics and overhead for the funish line, the  orange cones marking the route, time keeping, and mile-marking. 

Several times into the event, I was asked where the last runners were, so I'd get on the radio and ask for an update.  I was told where the turn-around points were, and automatically assummed they were the half-way points for each version of the run, either 5k or 10k.

Since there was some space between check points, I think it would have been a good idea to have a ham ride in the rear vehicle to relay end-of- the-field updates.

We managed fine, though.  At the end of the race, a Deputy Sheriff told one of the hams he was going to pick up two straggelers who had not yet crossed some train tracks.  Apparently, according to the Deputy, a train was held up waiting for the two.

Using our system, we did have an accurate tab on the back of the field, but it wasn't as 'real-time' as it could have been.  Maybe this is something we can do next year.

This is my second year helping these folks with this project.  I hope I get to do it again next year.

The staff was very nice and offered us sausage on a stick as well as an event t-shirt. 

WATCH THIS HAM BABE INTRODUCE THIS AMATEUR RADIO DIY VIDEO BEGINNING IN DAYTON, OH

This is a pretty good video.  Have you ever heard of a "mesh network"? 

It sounded a little like the stuff I operated in the army.  We had a node center, which had LOS stations connected to it; which made up the backbone of the network.

A separate station enabled subscribers to enter the network backbone and place digital phone calls.

Here is the video:

CQ CQ: LA TECH AMATEUR RADIO CLUB HOSTS NWS STORM SPOTTER SKYWARN CLASSES 3/16/13

Mack (KA5JNL) and I traveled to Ruston, Louisiana this morning to attend Skywarn classes.  (Pictures below)

The Louisiana Tech University's amateur radio club, callsign w5HGT, sponsored the event  where a volunteer from the National Weather Service gave us all the low-down on severe weather.

I met some really friendly young people who seemed to abound in energy; except for maybe one young lady as you'll see in one of the pictures.  ha ha ha......

The club president is John, W1NGZ.  He's a pilot whose call sign looks like it spells 'wings'.  (That's a good one!)


I shot these pictures because I felt the LA Tech club members would like a record of their wonderful efforts.  I intend to share all of these with the club.

Here is a really short video of  John, w1NGZ, getting the class kicked off.

ATTN: MONROE HAMFEST, LOUISIANA, 2013 INFORMATION

You might not be able to read the Picture of the flyer above so heere are the important details.

DATE:  Saturday April 20, 2013

PLACE:  Barak Shrine Temple - Off I-20, take exit 120 then turn towards the east on  Frontage  road.  It runs parallel to I-20,  on the East side of Monroe.  It is about a mile past Sams Club on the right.

If you had not been here before, Frontage road runs parallel to I-20 on the south side of the interstate.  It is the Garrett Rd. exit which is on the east side of Monroe.

We do have some nice door prizes, main prizes,  great food and abounding friendships that will make this a memorable hamfest.

I hope to see you there!

watch: will 2013 be a Good Year for uhf and vhf propagation?

We all know the relationship between sun spots and radio propagation, right?  Well a leading scientist studying this stuff says we are likely to see another peak in sun spot activity.

Watch:

2013 RAYNE, LA HAMFEST - VIDEO AND A FEW PICTURES - REVIEW

I went to the hamfest in Rayne, La (just below Lafayette I'm told) this past Saturday. 

I rode down from West Monroe with Randy-KE5ESU,  MACK-KA5JNL and Jim-AB5YS.

We arrived around 9am and were happy to see lots of tables covered with merchandise both new and used.

I always enjoy looking at  gear of all types.  I like looking at the old boat anchors as well as the new stuff.

I don't remember the call of this one guy I saw.  I was standing at one tabel looking at some formerly military radio gear.  I was asking question to the guy who was selling it when I found out he was priormilitary. 

I asked him about when he was 'in' to which he gave his reply.  I asked where he was stationed to which he replied, Ft. Polk, la. 

I said, "I was there at that time."  Then his voice registered in my memory.  I said, "Chuck?"  He said, "Dan?"  I said, "Yes1. How you doing, man?


I was in the Army with this guy.  Once, while eating dinner (he never fails reminding me)  he choked on some food and I (according to him) saived his life.

Yes, although I like gear, I think the greatest element of going to a distant hamfest is meeting hams I've only heard on the radio.  It's quite interesting matching voices with faces and real people.  Seeing how wrong I wass, in terms of how I imagined people looked compared to how they actually look is really something.

I met Herman-KN5GRK for the first time.

Here's a video and a few Pictures I took.