Winlink is a method of sending and receiving Email over amateur radio and can be used with attachments, position reporting, weather and informational bulletins and is used widely in interoperable emergency and disaster communications. You can learn more and download Winlink at winlink.org. Click the My Account tab and follow directions on the left to establish an account. For reference, we are also adding the local station information to our list of frequencies (here).
Author: White County ARC
WCARC Presented Proclamation
WCARC would like to extend a special “Thank You” to club member Mike Henry, KD4IID, for receiving a proclamation from White County E-911 and White County Office of Emergency Management on our behalf. Mike is a stand-out member of our club, and of the ham radio community as a whole. The local paper has published an article about the proclamation, featuring Mike, and can be found at the link below.
https://spartalive.com/stories/proclamation-presented-to-white-county-amateur-radio-operators,45168?
(photo credit: Sparta Live)
SKYWARN Spotter Classes
The National Weather Service in Nashville is offering online SKYWARN Spotter Classes.
Classes are FREE & for ALL AGES!
All classes will run approximately 1.5 – 2 hours
No prior training is necessary & registration is only required if noted.
NOTE: Classes may be canceled with short notice due to severe weather!
Head to https://www.weather.gov/ohx/skywarn for more information and to sign up.
Submitted by KD4WX
Severe Weather Awareness Week – Feb 28 to Mar 6, 2021
Tennessee Severe Weather Awareness Week will be Feb 28 to Mar 6, 2021. More information can be found here: https://www.weather.gov/ohx/swaw2021
Submitted by KD4WX
2021 Update
Happy New Year to all members of WCARC. Hoping everyone had a great holiday season and this notice finds you well.
There are two items we need to update everyone on regarding 2021.
1. Membership: Due to Covid-19 and the hardships presented to each of us over the last year, the executive council has discussed dues for the 2021 season. For 2021, we are waving all dues to WCARC. Our account is in good standing and we now have a reserve of money to help handle issues that come up during the year. That said, we think it is prudent to waive fees as a way of supporting those who have supported the club over the last two years. Also, if you know of anyone who would like to join, this is a great opportunity to join for a time at no charge.
2. Current club officials are:
President – William Raper, KW1LL
Vice President – Daniel Marcum, KK4MKZ
Secretary – Steve Kujawski, NN9J
Treasurer – Joan O’Connor, KF4DAM
White Co. EC – William Raper, KW1LL
If you are unable to attend the Over the Air meeting Tuesday (1/12) and would like to vote for anyone in any office position, please email your vote entry to me or the Secretary (Steve NN9J) and we will enter your vote. Currently the roster includes anyone on this email list. You may enter a vote for any one on the list to any position. We will also offer a chance to vote over the air on Tuesday. The results of the tally will be used to assign the new officers. The meeting will start after check-ins. The normal Net time is 7:30pm.
73,
William
KW1LL
Skywarn Recognition Day – December 5, 2020
Skywarn Recognition Day starts at 00 UTC Saturday, December 5th. It’s a 24 hour event for Skywarn spotters and Amateur radio operators to meet each other and learn more about NWS and Skywarn Program.
More information: http://www.arrl.org/skywarn-recognition-day
Submitted by KD4WX
International Amateur Radio Expo
Information to register for the virtual, international amateur radio expo. The event will take place August 8 and 9, 2020.
https://www.qsotodayhamexpo.com/
Submitted by KW1LL
On-Air Meetings and 2022 dues
In lieu of recent events regarding COVID-19, WCARC meetings will be held via radio on the 146.685 repeater until further notice.
The date and time remain the same, second Tuesday each month at 7:00 pm. The on-air meeting will take the place of the ARES net on this night. The 443.775 repeater will also be monitored during meeting time.
More information about the repeater frequencies and PL tones can be found on the “Nets/Repeaters/Frequencies” page on this website.
Additionally, for 2022 we are waving all dues to WCARC. Our account is in good standing and we now have a reserve of money to help handle issues that come up during the year. That said, we think it is prudent to waive fees as a way of supporting those who have supported the club over the last two years. Also, if you know of anyone who would like to join, this is a great opportunity to join for a time at no charge.
We hope everyone is safe and healthy, and hope to hear you on the air!
Weather Update – 3/12/2020
From NWS:
The Storm Prediction Center has updated their severe weather outlook for tomorrow to include most of Middle Tennessee in the slight risk area. (That’s 2 on a scale of 1 to 5.) The SPC writes that “All severe hazards appear possible,” meaning that there is the potential for large hail, damaging straight-line winds, and a few tornadoes. The best chance for severe storms appears to be during the afternoon and evening, along and ahead of a strong cold front that will be coming through tomorrow after dark. Severe weather season in Middle Tennessee runs from March through May, and we are definitely in it. Please make it a point to have multiple ways to get your warnings. Don’t rely on just one method, especially in the middle of the night.
UPDATE: It is very difficult to narrow down the timing to a more specific range other than “afternoon and evening” because there may be multiple waves of storms. There isn’t a specific time window when all the storms are going to come through. There will likely be some sort of squall line along or just ahead of the cold front, but there may also be scattered storms that develop hours in advance of the front. Please monitor your weather alert radio.
Submitted by KD4WX
Article: “International Space Station Resupply Mission to Carry New ARISS Ham Radio Gear”
From ARRL
Source: http://www.arrl.org/news/international-space-station-resupply-mission-to-carry-new-ariss-ham-radio-gear
02/28/2020
The scheduled March 7 SpaceX CRS-20 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will include the initial Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Interoperable Radio System (IORS) flight unit. The IORS is the foundation of the ARISS next-generation amateur radio system on the space station. The ARISS hardware team built four flight units, and the first will be installed in the ISS Columbus module.
A second flight unit expected to be launched on a later 2020 cargo flight will be installed in the Russian Service Module. NASA contracts with SpaceX to handle ISS resupply missions.
The IORS represents the first major upgrade of on-station ARISS equipment. The package will include a higher-power radio, an enhanced voice repeater, and updated digital packet radio (APRS) and slow-scan television (SSTV) capabilities for both the US and Russian space station segments.
The IORS consists of a custom-modified JVCKenwood TM-D710GA transceiver, an AMSAT-developed multi-voltage power supply, and interconnecting cables. Once at the space station, the IORS will be stowed for later installation.
Submitted by KD4WX
White County Amateur Radio Club 