Section News

It is with great pleasure that I report the recent appointment of Mr. Mike Sigelman, KØBUD, to the position of Public Information Coordinator for the Minnesota Section. Mike has been a major contributor to amateur radio in Minnesota for many years.

From the day that Mike Sigelman, KØBUD, first entered amateur radio he has always been spurred on leading amateur radio events from Field Days, to picnics and Clubs!He continues to that goal to this day where he serves as President of the Twin City FM Club, Board Member of Twinslan, and active in many other amateur radio activities including Assistant to the Dakota Division Director for the ARRL.

Mike is active in contesting and DX as well as serving as Net Control for several nets. Mike is a Journalism Grad from the University of Minnesota where he holds a Masters Degree and spent a great deal of his career in broadcasting as well as in the financial world. He is a crusader for the amateur hobby and enjoys it as much today as he did when he was first licensed in 1954.

Please welcome Mike to this position on the section cabinet. In this position, he will be responsible for the section PIO activities and assist with development of a speakers bureau to present amateur radio to other groups and organizations.

Stillwater Amateur Radio Association (SARA)

“Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald” Split Rock Lighthouse Special Event October 31 – November 2, 2008

November 10, 2008 marks the 33rd anniversary of the sinking of the iron ore carrier and loss of her 29-man crew.

Special Event Schedule:

SARA is planning to operate two HF stations at Split Rock Lighthouse, Split Rock State Park (Minnesota) October 31- November 2, 2008.

N8F & K8F (Stu Rockafellow Amateur Radio Society): Operating from Whitefish Point Lighthouse and Paradise, MI. www.qsl.net/w8njh

W8F (Livonia Amateur Radio Club): Operating from the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle in Detroit, MI. www.livoniaarc.com

Friday, 10/31 (~2:00 - 6:00 PM)
Saturday, 11/1 (10:00 AM - 8:00 PM)
Sunday, 11/2 (10:00 AM - 8:00 PM)

Primary: 3.860, 7.260, 14.260, 21.360
Secondary: 1.900, 18.160, 28.360
Frequencies are listed in MHz and + or – 10 KHz
The standard mode will be SSB. SARA also plans to operate SSTV, PSK and CW occasionally.
(N8F & K8F stations will operate on above frequencies the following week.)

QSL & Club Info:
QSL to WØJH for 8.5” x 11” certificate, send SASE.
For an unfolded certificate, use a 9” x 12” SASE.
For complete QSL and Club info look in: November issues of QST, World Radio & CQ

Another technician license class option is available for the folks that wish to spend more time in self study and less time in class. The opportunity will be available for a week-end class to be held again at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center from December 12, 13, and 14.

The complete announcement is available here. The class is Friday evening (6:00pm to 9:00pm), Saturday and Sunday (8:00am to 5:00pm). The study materials will be the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual. There is no charge for this class except the study materials and the examination charge.

The Saint Paul Radio Club (SPRC) will be holding a course where you can learn everything you need to earn your Technician (entry level) FCC Amateur Radio License.

The Technician license is your gateway to the world-wide excitement of Amateur Radio.

Classes begin Monday, October 13 at 7:00 PM and run for eight Monday nights, ending on December 1. They are free pf charge, but you should buy a book to study. It is the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual for the Technician Class. It is available from the Radio City store in Mounds View, or at the first class in Roseville.

Classes are at The Roseville Fire Hall, 2701 North Lexington Ave. in Roseville. This is about one mile north of Highway 36, and one block north of County Road "C".

If you have questions, contact: Allan Klein, WØNLY at 651-291-8815 (leave a message) or allankmn(at)cs.com.

Stillwater Amateur Radio Association to sponsor class for General Class license.

The class will be held at Courage St. Croix in Stillwater, MN. Directions on how to get there are available at SARA's web site--www.radioham.org

The class begins on 25 September and ends on 20 November, with the VE session being held on 4 December. Class meetings are from 7 pm until approximately 8:30 pm or so.

This class is for the General Class license, and will be using the new ARRL General Class License Manual, 6th edition.

Interested parties can contact me at 436-8811 (H) or via e-mail at (k0gw AT arrl DOT net).

The RARE Expo was the brainchild of Scott, KØMD; Stan "always smiling" AIØM; John, N0HZN,and Kari Ann, KCØWIP. They started with a skeleton committee and that's the way they ended it. A mighty small crew. The Expo was a combination of a DX Expo, ARRL Convention and a hamfest. What a job they tried to accomplish! To marry all those efforts into one Show! Almost impossible but they labored on and did it. Some 400 amateurs filled the halls from throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin and even some amateurs from Iowa and Missouri . They clamored to the meeting rooms of the College to bring the first RARE Expo to a successful conclusion!

The RARE Expo people got name manufacturers, some of which canceled at the last minute, as well as some retailers and hallways filled with some flea market as well as lots of great seminars on subject anyone could enjoy: including some great ARRL speakers, antennas, emergency services, digital, DX, contesting and lot's more! Sure, there was some disorganization of letting people know what seminars were, where and what they cost. The people at the front desk were confused but hey, it's their first year with a hybrid Show!

I want to congratulate these fine folks. In light of some criticism that it didn't have enough flea market and it didn't have "this or that", they did the best they could. They asked for help of other amateurs from other areas and got little help! I don't understand that. I do know that its always easy to criticize the efforts of others but its not easy to carry off a giant undertaking like these people did. They did a great job! Yes! They turned a small college into a gathering for everyone. Yes, they needed maps of the activities but that gives them room for improvement for next year. And I hope there will be a next year. The Rochester team deserves to grow, get your support and enjoy the fruits of success for the well-being of amateur radio. The folks at the Rochester Radio Club did provide invaluable assistance to the event with manpower to do all of the tactical and logistics and made the event go smoothly.

On August 13, 2008 around 3:30pm severe weather moved into the area from the north starting in Marshall, MN. During this severe weather the Murray County ARES team setup a booth at the Murray County Fair with a mobile radio for 2M and HF. The booth was setup by Arl Weinrebe (KDØBJW) and his daughter Desirae (KDØDWB) along with myself the night before.

As the severe weather moved into Lyon County (Marshall, MN) and Murray County went into a Severe Thunderstorm Warning, Dan Anderson (KDØASX) , our ARES District 5 EC, called a Skywarn Net on the Slayton, MN repeater and became Net Control. At the time we had five Skywarn trained ARES members in the field reporting what they saw. As the storms moved south at a fast pace we transferred our Skywarn net from the Slayton, MN repeater to the Worthington, MN repeater which is on the MN and IA border. This allowed us to get reports and warn the amateur radio operators in IA of the storm coming at them. Arl (KD0BJW) was Net Control and handle the transfer of net control to the Worthington, MN repeater and did a fantastic job along with Rick Hansen (KDØBJY).

The success story comes as the Murray County Sheriff (Steve Telkamp) and the County Fair board, and 30 people were at our booth at the fair listening to our weather reports from our ARES spotters. Based on the quick and accurate reports coming in the Sheriff Telkamp decided to evacuate the county fair. Most of the public never knew we provided this service using Amateur Radio. The Murray County Medical Center in Slayton, MN also was listening to our reports prepared the hospital and its patients for severe weather before it arrived. We have three trained hospital staff on Amateur Radio. They commented the day after we provided faster reports than public radio, TV and did not want to wait for a call saying severe weather was in the area. The next day the sheriff’s office received comments from the pubic in thanking us for our valuable service to the community using Amateur Radio.

During a rough day in weather (two Tornado warnings in Murray County) our team was able to provide fast weather reports to the region and warned many people that day. With the support of the Murray County Sheriff’s office we provided additional reports for them along with the county fair public.

There were many people involved in this and I appreciate all of them for really helping that day and providing a valuable service for our region. Many thanks go to Dan Anderson (KDØASX), Arl Weinrebe (KDØBJW), Desirae Weinrebe (KDØDWB), Rick Hansen (KDØBJY) and the Murray County ARES team.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Kevin is the ARRL EC for Murray County

In May, the ARRL Executive Committee reviewed grant applications for the ARRL's Education & Technology Program (ETP), awarding nearly $14,000 to nine schools. More than 300 schools across the country have received support from the ETP in the form of grants for equipment, curriculum and resources, as well as teacher in-service training through the Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology. The Executive Committee reviews applications for equipment and resource grants twice each year, in December and May.

Washington Technical Middle School, St Paul, Minnesota: The lead teacher for this program attended the Teachers Institute this summer. The program in the grant application is supported by the local ham community, including a retired Vice Director, Twila Greenheck, NØJPH. The school has already started on their program development by obtaining and using the Solder 101 24-hour Clock Kit that is part of the ETP resource portfolio.

The SPRC (St. Paul Radio Club) has been working on this project for nearly a year and our hats off to them for the success of this project. In addition to Twila Greenheck - NØJPH, Allen Klein - WØNLY (coordinator) and Don Greenheck - NØJPG have, been involved. Other participating members include Orcy Lyle - WØQT, Mert Nellis - WØUFO, Steve Huntsman - AAØP, Jay Maher - NJØM, Keith Miller - AGØH, John Hunt - KGØJD, Manny Block - WØAG, Don McInerney - NØBM, Fred Christianson - KCØOQQ, Don Holmberg - WXØZ and Tom Menas - K3WT and Jay Bellows - KØQB.

The goal of the Amateur Radio Education & Technology Program is to improve the quality of education by providing an educationally sound curriculum focused on wireless communications. The project emphasizes integration of technology, math, science, geography, writing, speaking and social responsibility within a global society.

This is the biggest amateur radio event of the year and you want to be there!!
It is a Division Convention, a DX expo, hamfest all rolled into one great time.

We pleased to announce the appointment of Cal Darula, KØDXC, as the new Assistant Section Manger for youth in Minnesota. Cal, now thirteen, became an amateur at the age of ten and enjoys contesting and is an avid Morse code practitioner. Cal is also an author and his most recent article is in the recent ARRL, "National Contest Journal" (NCJ).

Cal will represent youth on the Section Manager's Cabinet and will help to recruit youth into amateur radio by his example and actions.

Cal is scheduled to speak at the upcoming Dakota District Convention, Hamfest and DXCC Conference to be held in Rochester, MN, August 8, 9, 10, 2008.

On Saturday June 28th at 1:00PM, Greg Urban, KGØU, President of the Crow
River Area Amateur Radio Club will present a proclamation signed by Governor
Tim Pawlenty proclaiming June 28 and 29 as "Amateur Radio Operation
Recognition Days" to Jay Bellows, KØQB, ARRL Dakota Division Director.
This is the second year the Crow River Club has requested and received the
proclamation. Last years proclamation is on line at:
http://w0crc.org/files/MNProclamationForHamRadio2007.PDF.

Please go the ARRL website at: http://www.arrl.org/contests/announcements/fd/locator.php and post your field day site location so that others my easily find it. This is an easy task that will may allow others, like myself, to find your site as I am making my rounds around the area. I try to visit as many sites as it is possible to do during field day and I know that Jay Bellows does also.

Don't forget to send me traffic on field day to get your extra points. It need not be delivered on that day but entered.

Also, check the field day rules for bonus points for creating NTS traffic. Bonus points are a big thing in the total, especially if propagation is bad. That is a real possibility.

Skywarn and Technician License Classes
Offered by Stillwater Amateur Radio Association

SARA's 2008 Skywarn session is scheduled for Saturday, March 1 at Boutwell's Landing in the theatre. The time is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Also, this Spring SARA will again offer its free course for people interested in obtaining their Technician licenses. We are using the new ARRL Ham Radio License Manual. This new License Manual is friendlier than past versions, and groups the questions by topic, rather than by their order in the Question Pool.

The Tech sessions begin on Thursday 6 March, and continue until 8 May - when we will hold the VE session.

Please feel free to publicize this info on the nets or anywhere else where someone might be interested.

Please direct any questions to WØOXB or KØGW at their ARRL dot NET addresses. -- de KØGW

Sponsored By: Crow River and Meeker County Amateur Radio Club and the Litchfield Fire Rescue Squad

Dates: Feb 19 (Tues), Feb 22 (Friday), Feb 28 (Thursday), March 4 (Tues), March 10 (Mon), March 13 (Thursday), and March 18 (Tues)

Time: 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Location: Litchfield Fire Rescue Building
214 North Miller Avenue
Litchfield, Minnesota 55355

Cost: $20.00 for the "Tech License Manual", $10.00 for miscellaneous expenses and $14.00 for the VE test Date

For more information call Roger Vacek WØDEU at (320) 587-8736

Put February 16, 2008 (Saturday) on your calendar for the "Cabin Fever Reliever" Hamfest in St. Cloud. This event will be the first hamfest event for 2008 and it promises to be great. Who knows, it might be the first such event of the new solar cycle !! (cycle 24)

The class was a resounding success with 49 students and 46 that succeeded in passing their exams. A nice addition to the ham community. It was suggested during the class that the students look into joining a local club to get some mentoring and orientation and help getting on the air.

Our thanks to all of those that participated in teaching the class and we will probably repeat with another class in March.

You can prepare for your first Amateur Radio License in just days. The course is based on the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) book "Ham Radio License Manual, Level 1, Technician" (1st edition). Students will need to purchase the textbook on their own. The book we will be using is “The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual, The American Radio Relay League, Inc. (ISBN: 0-87259-963-9) #9639”. The text is available at Radio City; 2660 County Road I, Moundsview, MN 55112 (1-800-426-2891) for $24.95 and their website is www.radioinc.com. It is also available through the ARRL at www.arrl.org. Course Preparation is important. Please take the time to read the book in advance of the classroom sessions.

Amateur radio operators "Hams" who hold the FCC Technician Amateur Radio License have privileges on all Amateur frequencies above 50 MHz. With the Technician license you can operate FM voice, SSB, Amateur TV, Satellite, IRLP, and many other modes. The most popular mode is FM voice on the 2 meter VHF and 70 Cm UHF bands

Technicians can help the community by assisting in public service events, search and rescue, and disaster communications. Hams have fun communicating with each other and by participating in field day and other group events.

The instructors for the course are all licensed Hams. A team teaching approach will be used so that you will always see a familiar face.

There is free parking and a Cafeteria available on site. The VA Medical Center is located near the crossroads of Hiawatha Avenue/Highway 55 and the Cross-town Freeway/Highway 62 at One Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417 (www.mapquest.com). The city bus and Light Rail Train stop in front of the VA Medical Center.

Pre-registration is required and interested students should contact David.Adriansen@va.gov via e-mail or at (612) 467-3019 to register for this course. The course is free except for the cost of the book and a small exam fee.

If you are not an Amateur Radio Operator (Ham) and are interested in SKYWARN operation and/or other volunteer communications services, this is the opportunity to get your entry-level ham license to fully participate in reporting severe weather conditions. You can become an Amateur Radio Operator – no matter what your age, gender or physical ability.

The Amateur Radio Association of Bloomington and The Bloomington communications Group are sponsoring a weekend Technician class on February 8, 9 & 10, 2008.

Volunteer Examiners will hold a Federal Communications Commission license exam immediately following the class on Sunday at 2 pm.

The class will be at the Bloomington Civic Plaza located just west of I-35W on 98^th Street. The charge for the class will be $50.00, which includes the VE exam fee, Saturday and Sunday lunch (pizza) and a one-year membership in the Amateur Radio Association of Bloomington.

If you plan to attend the course, please notify us soon to reserve your seat. To register, please contact Bob Wargo (KC0WCO) at bmwargo@gmail.com by January 25^th to make your reservation. Please make checks payable to A.R.A.B.

“Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald” Special Event at Split Rock Lighthouse (Nov. 2-5)

For the third consecutive year, SARA will be heading north to participate in this commemorative event. The iron ore carrier sank with all 29 of her crew on Nov. 10, 1975 in Lake Superior only 17 miles from Whitefish Point, MI.

About 15 SARA members will be operating stations near the Split Rock Lighthouse (ARLHS USA 783), on: 3.860, 7.260, 14.260, 21.360 MHz (+ or - QRM)

There will be check-ins from time to time on the PICO and Minnesota Phone Nets.Look for the Special Event Station nightly at 8:00 PM on 160m (~1.900 MHz).

This year SARA plans to operate on SSB, PSK31, SSTV and CW. They also plan to have EchoLink capabilities via the LSAC I system gateway in the Two Harbors area. Hams from all over will be able to contact the Special Event Station via HF and via EchoLink enabled HF, VHF and UHF stations and also via their computers. In Washington County Minnesota, 2m simplex access will cover almost all of the county and in most cases to a fair distance beyond the county boundaries. Information on the VHF frequencies and access procedures will be available on SARA’s web site (www.radioham.org).

If you’re in the log, send an SASE to: WØJH, 1618 West Pine St., Stillwater, MN 55082

The Stu Rockafellow Amateur Radio Society will be operating a special event station simultaneously from the Whitefish Point Lighthouse (MI) as N8F and Paradise, MI as K8F. The Livonia Amateur Radio Club will operate W8F on Belle Isle, MI (near downtown Detroit).

Get ready for a big fun night this coming Tuesday, September 11 at the Twin City FM Club meeting! It's a great way to kick off the fall season of ham radio and hear one great talk by Lyle, KØLR speaking on "Software Defined Radio, The New Excitement in Ham Radio!" Lyle and several local amateurs will join him to introduce you to this excitement in the hobby you design your radio for you! The meeting starts at 7:30 PM at the Golden Valley Safety Center, off Winnetka Ave. on Golden Valley Road in Golden Valley! You will have one fun night Tuesday!

There is still some room left for a few more good people to work the Twin City Marathon on Sunday, October 7 8aM to 1PM! This is a chance to get in on one of the largest area amateur radio local service events and be ready for some fast emergency communications! You need a handheld for two meters, an extra battery pack, a warm jacket and some four hours to be part of a true and valuable public service event. Some 8,000 runners from all over the world depend on your help that day along the race route from Minneapolis to St Paul and on to the State Capital. If you want to be part of the Twin City Marathon Emergency crew send a message to K0BUD@arrl.net. October 7 is a big day for area amateur radio. Be part of it!

Don't miss the few remaining hamfests and gatherings our area for this year. We have a short list and here is a few:

We bring you the 76 Saturday Swap Shop area VE Exam Calendar every Saturday. Here comes the VE Exam schedule for September:

If you have a Tech Class License and here's the good news on the details on the Fall Twin City FM Club General Class! The class is under way but you can still get in on the class next Monday at the Courage Center on Golden Valley Rd in Golden Valley! Get more info for the TCFMC General Class by calling and leaving a message for Tim at 952-593-9641. You can also drop a note to Tim at tarimond@aol.com You won't believe the fun you are missing not having the General Class ticket. Sign up now and get ready for the hot fall contests.

The TCFMC Ground Wave Contest is back and staged for Sat October20^th from noon to 7 pm local time. It's the fun event and covers 6 meters and 10 meters. Contest operating frequencies: 10m from 28.300 to 28.400 , and 6m from 50.125 to 50.200 SSB and CW. There's a great engraved plaque for the winner in each of three categories: Rover/Mobile, fixed/portable and 6 meter only! Get bonus points for working the club TCFMC station WØEF, running a single element antenna, or using QRP. Join in and help wake up 10mtr and 6mtr for just 7 short hours October 20^th, noon to 7 pm.

The class begins Monday September 10 at 7PM. And what a great place for the new TCFMC General classes. . . At the Courage Center on Golden Valley Rd in Golden Valley!

Sign up now for the TCFMC General Class by leaving a message for Tim at 952-593-9641. Some of the Twin Cities area's top hams will teach the class to help you upgrade to the General Class License. The General class is limited to just 12 people.

You can also drop a note to Tim at tarimond@aol.com Sign up now and get ready for the hot fall contests. Call 952-593-9641.

Amateur Radio Classes Announced (8/20/07)

Skip Jackson - KSØJ

It's time to go back to school!!

Two amateur radio classes have been announced and registration is now open for those folks interested in learning the material to pass either the Technician or the General Class exams and get their license or upgrade.

The St. Paul Amateur Radio Club (SPRC) will hold a technician course beginning, September 10 for eight weeks on Monday nights through October 29. These classes will be held between 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm in the Hickory Room of the Roseville Fire Hall, 2701 Lexington avenue. This location is about one mile north of highway 36, just north of Ramsey County Road "C".

This course is designed for beginners and is taught by an experienced team of instructors whose past students have had a very high success rate on exams. The class is informal and there is always plenty of time for questions.

There is no charge for the class but participants should plan on buying the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual for the Technician Class. This manual will be available on the first night of class, but can be ordered online from the ARRL website. Just click on the ARRL diamond over to the left. This book may be available from local bookstores and from Radio City store in Mounds View.

If you have any questions about the SPRC class or to register, call Allan Klein at 651-291-8815.

The other announcement is from The Stillwater Amateur Radio Association (SARA). They will be running a course of study for the General Class amateur radio license. The class will be held at Courage St. Croix on Curve Crest Blvd in Stillwater and will begin on Thursday 13 September at 7 pm. There will be a total of 9 weekly meetings (skipping October 11) culminating in the VE session on 15 November.

The course will use the new ARRL General Class License Manual. There is no cost for the
sessions, and all amateurs are welcome, including those who are not members of SARA. (The VE session will require the standard mandated fee).

SARA also plans to offer Technician Class study sessions in Spring, 2008, but the exact dates have not yet been determined.

Anyone interested in further information may contact K0GW at his ARRL.NET address. Information about SARA, including map and directions to Courage St. Croix, may be found on the SARA web site at www.radioham.org

Letter From Your Technical Coordinator (7/10/07)

John Thomas - W3FAF

Well, with the requirement removed for Morse proficiency to gain access to HF operations, it appears to have changed in its basic nature for the newer operators. As a CW operator, I find that many new CW operators on HF do not understand the mode or its operations. In fact, I do believe it is becoming another “digital” mode where you obtain a Morse converter such as the Hamscope program available as a free-ware download on the internet and simply “fire up” on the CW bands. This is a scary proposition to the present CW operators using the HF bands. As in all Ham Radio modes, there is a learning period necessary perhaps by listening first to see how things happen. I notice that many /AG stations simply zero-beat a station and start calling CQ. This is interesting and may work in some cases but it is generally considered inconsiderate to the station already on the frequency. I don’t feel that this is malicious interference at this point in time since these folks are new to HF CW. As always, before transmitting listen, listen, listen…and perhaps listen some more.

I welcome new CW ops even they use a computer to do what the old timers do in their heads. Even with this mode, CW will eventually become recognizable to the operator. In fact, this is probably a good learning tool if the new CW operators use it at slow speeds where there is a chance they may acquire a deeper knowledge of the CW operations and perhaps build their own copy speed. Good luck to all and I hope to work some of these /AG stations.

73, John

Well, it is official. Handiham Radio Club President Linda Reeder, N7HVF,
has published special event information on the ARRL website for the on the
air celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Courage Handiham System. Of
course we will have more about this upcoming operating event in future
issues, but you might as well be among the first to know, so here are the
details just as they appear on ARRL Web:

Aug 25-Aug 28, 1400Z-0200Z, Lake George, MN. Courage Handi-Ham System,
W0EQO. 40 Years for Handihams. SSB 14.340 7.240 CW 14.140 7.040.
Certificate. Avery Finn, 3915 Golden Valley Rd, Golden Valley, MN 55422.
Using call signs W0EQO and W0ZSW.

I ask you to notice the dates of the event. Hmmm, let's see... What happens
every year in late August? Anyone? Raise your hands if you know the
answer! Okay, you in the back row -- do you know the answer? Yes, that's
right -- Handiham Minnesota Radio Camp. This year, Radio Camp runs from
Friday, August 24 to Friday, August 31. The operating event will start on a
Saturday, which should be just perfect for anyone who has the weekend off
from work and who wants to contact the Radio Camp special event stations.

Most special events have just one callsign, but we have decided to use both
W0ZSW, the official Handiham Radio Club callsign and W0EQO, the usual Radio
Camp station callsign because both of these calls belonged to important
historical figures in the Handiham System. We will tell you more about that
later on as we get closer to the operating event.

Don't forget the Brainerd Hamfest coming up on July 14, 2007. It's once again at the Armory in Brainerd. The regional hamfests have been a very good success this year and this looks to be a good one coming up as well. Please get the details at the link at http://www.brainerdham.org/hamfest/index.html

The next program at the Twin City FM Club comes along just in time for your summer building projects. And you will love it. So get the next meeting on your calendar because it's time to try that antenna idea that you have been thinking about all winter. If you want to test out that antenna without even climbing a ladder, you won't want to miss the fascinating presentation "Antenna Modeling, Let Your Computer Do the Work" with John Platt, W0ZQ.

John has long been known in our area for his brilliant work on UHF/VHF and antenna design. Now you will see his great brand new talk on Tuesday, May 8 at the next Twin City FM Club. Jon will provide a brief background on antenna modeling, what it can and cannot do, and walk us through several examples using the EZNEC antenna modeling program. He'll start with simple dipoles and end with stacked Yagis. The meeting starts at 7:30 PM on May 8th at the Golden Valley Safety Center near Golden Valley Road and Winnetka in Golden Valley. Get ready to take lots of notes because you will want to try out John's ideas and approach to antenna modeling!

The Amateur Radio Association of Bloomington held a 'crash' course for the
Technician License this weekend - 4/20 to 4/22 followed by a VE session
coordinated by Dan Royer, KEØOR, on the 22'nd.

15 students enrolled; 15 passed their Technician test and two went on to
pass the General test. 100% success! An excellent group of students. The
great staff of instructors included KCØSOR, AAØP, KØUWC, WBØVHF, KCØTAP,
ACØGH, NØMK, KMØD, NØPI, ABØYQ, KCØWAR and KØLEJ with support provided by
the rest of the club.

Over 700 PowerPoint slides were used; these were produced from material
provided in the ARRL Instructor's Manual, The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual,
the Question Pool, participant's knowledge and various personal collections.

The Amateur Radio Association of Bloomington has given the weekend class
every year since 2004 when 9 of 10 passed, 2005 had 8 of 12 pass and 2006
had 17 of 18 pass. That's 49 new hams total!

We charge $45 for the class, which includes unlimited coffee and soft
drinks, pizza for lunches, rolls for breaks, supplies and the VE fee.

Remember the Arrowhead Radio Amateur Club Hamfest, Saturday, May 5th, 2007. It is located at the regular spot at the "Head of the Lakes Fairgrounds" right next to the Superior, WI Airport. The event runs from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm and the admission is $6.00. (12 & under are free) Parking is easy and free for most vehicles. (That's what they said.)

We are living through one of the major changes in Amateur Radio in the recent years and we all hope it will be for the better. I think it will be. With these changes we can expect a lot of new and inexperienced operators coming onto the bands where they are not accustomed to operating. Many will make mistakes as we all have done. We should be patient and adopt the position more of mentor rather than critic. Our creed states that we should be helpful and friendly. Remember the Amateur’s Code? http://www.arrl.org/acode.html

In response, we will be turning up the Official Observer effort in our section. We have not had an Official Observer Coordinator in Minnesota for about five years. I am pleased to announce the appointment of John H. Thomas, III, W3FAF, to that position starting immediately. That is a position that John has held before and he has graciously agreed to take this appointment. John does hold the position of Technical Coordinator and will continue to do so until a new appointment is made to fill that job.

It is necessary to recruit some additional Official Observers as well. If you like to spend some time spinning that big dial on your radio, and want to be helpful, think about becoming an OO. It requires you need to take a short course at the ARRL and complete a real easy open book test to qualify. There are some other requirements as well. Remember, this not the “Ham Band Police” but it is how amateur radio monitors itself. It is our objective to improve ourselves and help the newcomer. Interested? Send an email to John at w3faf@arrl.net.

This is a scary proposition to the present CW operators using the HF bands. As in all Ham Radio modes, there is a learning period necessary perhaps by listening first to see how things happen. I notice that many /AG stations simply zero-beat a station and start calling CQ. This is interesting and may work in some cases but it is generally considered inconsiderate to the station already on the frequency. I don’t feel that this is malicious interference at this point in time since these folks are new to HF CW. As always, before transmitting listen, listen, listen…and perhaps listen some more.

John H. Thomas, III, W3FAF
Technical Coordinator/OO Coordinator
Minnesota Section ARRL

The St. Paul Radio Club has a general Class (upgrade) license class scheduled to begin Wednesday, March 14th, 2007. This class will meet for seven weeks on consecutive Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. The location is the fire station at the Roseville City Hall location at County Road "C" and Lexington Ave.

Please contact Brian, NØBM for information and to secure a reservation. The reservations are limited so act soon !! His number is 612-860-0048.

The study materials are the ARRL General Class License Study Manual and the classes will be intended to be a discussion group format. The students are expected to study the materials in advance of the classes. So now is the time to get your General !!

Saturday , February 3^rd is your opportunity to put Minnesota on the air in the 9^th annual Minnesota QSO Party. This event is becoming one of the premier QSO parties in the country with activity increasing every year. There are lots of ways to participate (HF, VHF, CW, PHONE, MOBILE, MULTI-OP, and QRP). For the 3^rd straight year, all 87 of Minnesota counties are committed to be on the air that day. People all over the country will be looking for Minnesota QSOs so be sure to get on the air that day. All the details, rules, awards, and even free logging software can be found at http://www.w0aa.org/mnqp.htm . See you in the party!

The Stillwater Amateur Radio Association (SARA) will hold some amateur radio classes for any interested party. This club will hold Technician license classes beginning on March 8, 2007. Watch this news page for further information. Remember, CW will no longer be required after February 23, 2007 for any class of license.

Beginning Thursday, January 25, SARA will hold CW classes for both beginners and for those wishing to increase code speed and proficiency. Contact W9LHG at ARRL.NET for information and to register. These classes will be held at Boutwells Landing at 7:00 pm. Boutwells Landing is located at 5600 Norwich Parkway in Stillwater.

The St. Paul Radio Club held a Special Event, on September 16^th, 2006, to commemorate the 75^th Anniversary of the club. The Special Event was held in the OSS Science Building at the University of St. Thomas and was hosted by the University of St. Thomas Radio Club.

Two stations were running at the Special Event, using a Yaesu FT1000MP and an Icom 751A. Antennas were erected by the St. Paul Radio Club on the roof of the four-floor OSS Building. The antennas consisted of a Cushcraft R8, which belongs to the St. Thomas Radio Club, and a Barker & Williamson folded dipole, which was in place temporarily for the Special Event.

Modes & Bands: An analysis of the printout of the logs from the September 16^th Special Event shows that 178 contacts were made. Of the 163 HF contacts, 145 were SSB (almost all on 20m) and 18 were CW (half on 30m and half on 40m).

HF Bands: Contacts were made with 30 states and D.C., all in the contiguous United States.

Washington state had a whopping total of 24 contacts, or 17% of the total number of HF contacts, all on SSB. The Washington state contacts were made throughout the day, all on SSB, and were not specific to either antenna.

Most of the Washington state contacts were in the northwest quarter of the state. Surrounding states did not show a large number of contacts. British Columbia, Canada, just north of Washington state, had 4 contacts. If the Canadian contacts are added to the United States HF contacts and the 4 British Columbia contacts are lumped in with the 24 Washington state contacts, it looks like 19%, or about a fifth of HF contacts, were made from the area of the North American continent where the United States meets Canada.

The 8 foreign countries contacted included Canada, Bulgaria, United Kingdom (2 contacts), Germany, Italy (2 contacts), Holland, France, and Costa Rica. Canadian contacts occurred throughout the day. The overseas contacts were all made well within a three-hour period between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

The 9 Canadian contacts represented contacts made with British Columbia on the western coast and Nova Scotia on the eastern coast, and included contacts with four of the provinces in between. Certificates were sent to stations requesting them.

1A4, Sovereign Military Order of Malta
SMOM will be active this week with a new prefix. Look for 1A4A to be active between January 2-8th. Activity will be on 160-2 meters, SSB/CW/RTTY mode, on three stations. For updated information and details about the DXpedition and "The Order Of Malta", please visit http://www.1a4a.org or http://www.orderofmalta.org

3W/XV, VIETNAM.
Champ, E21EIC, is expected to be in Hanoi December 31st and stay until January 7th. Watch the bands.... You never know.

5H, TANZANIA.
Vlad, UA4WHX, is currently active as 5H3VMB/5 from the Lindi/MTWARA Region Group (AF-074)--a rare IOTA He has been active on 80/40/30/20 meters CW, and on Sunday he was on 17 meters SSB.

9N, NEPAL.
Stig, LA7JO, continues to be very active from Kathmandu as 9N7JO. He has been active on 80/40/30/12 meters CW as well as 20/17/15 meters PSK. A few reports indicate that he will be "active from Nepal
'on and off' at various periods during 2007."

DX0, SPRATLY ISLANDS.
Members of the Philippine Amateur Radio Association(PARA) will be active as DX0JP from the Kalayaan Island Group (AS-051), Philippines, February 1-14th. Look for more info to appear at:      http://www.para.org.ph/news

JT, MONGOLIA.
Ken, K4ZW, will be active as JT1/K4ZW from January 15-25th. Activity will place an emphasis on the lowbands and in particular 160 meters.

VK9N, NORFOLK ISLAND (Update).
Members of the Bavarian Contest Club (BCC) will once again be on tour as VK9DNX from Norfolk Island (OC-005) between February 15th and March 3rd, 2007. Activity is planned for 160-10 meters on CW, SSB and RTTY.   See the DXpedition's Web site at: http://www.df3cb.com/vk9n

VU7, LAKSHADWEEP ISLANDS (VU2RG News)
* Activity from the second VU7 operation should begin in about two weeks. For up-to-date details, visit the VU7RG Web page at: http://www.vu7.in/
* There is a team of pilots for the VU7RG operation. The pilot for Region 2 is Donald Greenbaum/N1DG.

XT, BURKINA FASO (Update).
The F6KOP ARS of Provins group will be heading to Burkina Faso for their XT2C operation, January 6-20th.   Visit the XT2C Web page at: http://xt2c.free.fr/

Coming up:
CQ 160-Meter CW Contest (January 27-28th)
ARRL DX CW Contest (February 17-18th)

The ARRL has announced the creation of the Affiliated Club E-Letter. This club newsletter is available now to all members and is news for and about clubs. Please go to this site, for information.

Published editions of the Club News are posted on this site after they are sent to subscribers.

“Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald” Special Event
Split Rock Lighthouse
November 3-5, 2006

Eighteen members of the Stillwater Amateur Radio Association (SARA) participated in this special event that took place on the north shore of Lake Superior – about 50 miles north of Duluth. SARA operated three WØJH stations over a three-day (~20 hour) period to commemorate the sinking of the famous ore carrier 31 years ago.

“SARA members really pitched in to make this event fun for attendees as-well-as for those we who contacted us.” Over 1,100 stations were logged while working 160, 80, 40, 20 and 15m. Special TNX goes to Jeff Nast (KCØMKS) of the Arrowhead Amateur Radio Club for assisting in creating an EchoLink gateway via 6m. Linkage with the Lake Superior Amateur Coalition (LSAC) system allowed North American EchoLink stations and operators within RF range of SARA’s 2m repeater (Stillwater) to check in. This may have been a first for a special event station to have EchoLink capabilities! (Imagine the thrill of working over 200 miles with a 2m handheld!)

A handsome, color QSL certificate (8.5” x 11”) will be available in about 6 weeks.

If you’re in the log, send an SASE to: WØJH, 1618 West Pine St., Stillwater, MN 55082.

Check out SARA’s web site for more info about the special event, including station/antenna descriptions, photos and history of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

SARA Participants:
Chuckie Engebretson (KCØNMX)	Bob Kyvig (WAØROH)	Keith Miller (AGØH)
Dave Glas (WØOXB)	John Lyon (W9LHG)	Lyle Miller (WB9OKQ)
Jerry Groeneveld (NØMR)	Mary Mann (NØDXH)	Cullen Murphy (KCØMXC)
John Harvard (KCØUHY	Shel Mann (NØDRX)	Mike Paskeuric (NØODK
Gary Hosler (WØAW)	Jim Mazzoni (K3SJW)	Eliot Ricciardelli (KEØN)
Jill Kyvig (KCØUPC)	Jack Miller (WØJEM)	Lance Williams (KBØRGS)

KH8, AMERICAN SAMOA.
A new KH8 operation is almost ready to begin. Look for KH8Q to be active from December 1st to December 14th. The operators include former local Pete/N0FW. They will be active on 160-10 meters, CW and SSB, including the ARRL 160m and 10m Contests. QSL via W8QID only, NOT the KH8Q mailing address.

VU7, LAKSHADWEEP.
The next big DX event is going to be having VU7 on the air. There are now both December and January operations being planned.

The December operation is sponsored by the Indian Amateur Radio Society--ARSI. You can get some information about their plans at: http://arsi.info/vu7/index.shtml It appears that they will try to be active for the entire month of December.

You can likewise get some of the details of the January operation at: http://www.vu7.in/ This group will include W0GJ and other operators familiar to us in the MN Section. Their operations are currently scheduled to begin on 15 January 2007.

S9, SAO TOME
S9SS going QRT February 2007! Charles Lewis will retire and finish his work as VOA station manager on the Island of Sao Tome. His S9SS LOG is uploaded to LoTW. Paper QSLs can be confirmed by his QSL manager N4JR.

S9SS log on-line can be seen at: http://s50u.s50e.si Also, by the end of February, more than 80000 QSOs will be sent to: http://logsearch.de/ Charles is a great, patient op, and he takes time to get the weak ones. His QSL manager is also great, so get him while you can!

WØJH Operating Schedule:
Friday, 11/3 (8:00 AM - 10:00 PM)
Saturday, 11/4 (8:00 AM - 10:00 PM)
Sunday, 11/5 (10:00 AM - 2:00 PM)

Fourteen SARA members will be operating 3 portable stations near the Split Rock Lighthouse (ARLHS USA 783), on: 3.860, 7.260, 14.260, 21.360 MHz (+ or - QRM) We are also in the final stages of planning for Echolink communications between the Twin Cities Area (W0JH) and the Special Event Station. This event has been with the encouragement and cooperation of the LSAC system owners/operators.

Final details will be announced on www.radioham.org. Skeds on other frequencies can be arranged with SARA members.

See announcements in QST, CQ and World Radio The Stu Rockafellow Amateur Radio Society will be operating a special event station simultaneously from the Whitefish Point Lighthouse (Michigan) as N8F.

This Fall, SARA will offer licensing classes for the General and Extra Class licenses. As we have done before, we are offering these two courses as self-directed, facilitated study groups or seminars. The basic idea is that, by the time you are preparing for either of these licenses, you don't need (or maybe even want!) the structure afforded by a full, instructor-led "lecture" course. Instead, by studying together with a group sharing the same goal, students find they become more engaged and get more out of their study. Of course, we don't just leave the group on its own-one or more "facilitators" will meet with the group, to help with the more-difficult questions.

Here are the practical details: We will hold a brief organizational meeting for both classes the evening of 19 October at 7:00 pm, at this coming Thursday's SARA "eyeball" session at Courage St. Croix. Assuming we have enough people (more than one?) for each study group, the groups will then organize their meetings, and assign responsibility for members to cover the different chapters of the license manual. Groups have usually chosen to meet on Thursdays at CSC, but they are free to meet wherever and whenever is convenient for the group. I will provide each group with a starting point of material to be covered in each meeting, but the groups are free to study as they think best.

Note: I have already had enough people express interest to hold the General Class sessions, so we definitely will be holding this course!

Past participants say that you really learn a lot, studying this way. If you're interested in working toward an upgrade, please mark Thursday, 19 October on your calendar. If you are interested in participating but can't attend that meeting, let me know by e-mail (my call at arrl.net) or give me a landline call (651-436-8811), and I'll be sure you are on the list.

3C0, ANNOBON ISLAND.
Elmo, EA5BYP, informs OPDX that his next DXpedition is to the Island of Annobon (Pagalu). He will arrive via Malabo-Bata-Annobon on October 20th, and will remain on the island for 15 days and be active as 3C0M. His equipment will be a line amplifier, two HF equipment, a yagi antenna and dipoles. Elmo will be on air on SSB (80-10m), RTTY (20-15m) and CW (160m). He reports that making a radio DXpedition to Annobon Island has been a very difficult and complicated enterprise. This DXpedition is costly for only one operator, and he is looking for help in funding his operation.

9N, NEPAL.
Tohru, JA0UMV, will be active from Katmandu as 9N7MV between October 26-30th. This is his second DXpedition from Nepal. Activity this time will be on 40/30/20/17/15 meters only, SSB, CW and possibly RTTY. He will participate in the CQ WWDX SSB Contest as a Single-Op/All-band/ Low-Power entry. Tohru will operate CW outside of the contest, so look for him on the following suggested frequencies: 7017, 10117, 14027, 18077 and 21027 kHz. QSL via his home callsign: Tohru Kataoka, 15-9 Sakae, Kamo, Niigata 959-1382 JAPAN.

V6, MICRONESIA (Also KH2).
Four members of the Yamato Club (JA1ZEK) will be active from three different islands of Micronesia between November 1-13th. Their planned schedule and destination is as follows:
November 1-6th - Kosrae Island (OC-059)
November 7-8th - Pohnpei Island (OC-010)
November 9-13th - Chuuk Island (OC-011)
November 14-15th - Guam Island (OC-026)
They will set up two stations and operate on 160-10 meters, SSB, CW and RTTY.

The date is November 3, 2006 and the location is the University of St. Thomas, Murray-Herrick Campus Center.

The cost is only $12.00 per person. For information, call 651-483-1214 or email to sprc@att.net

Kelly Olson, the Society's directory, pin pointed space for our station in the Fire Equipment Museum on August 7th. This is first-rate facility with commercial power and 24/7 security system. Straw bosses Vern Davis (KBØZBU) and Dean Johnson (KAØRMP), activated the volunteer rigging crew who were eager to start work before the day got any hotter.

After much humming and hawing from the group, Bill (KCØOEW) said: "Enough philosophizing, let's get to work." Ray (KGØUG) threaded his fishing rod and tossed a line into a nearby tree - that was the first leg of the 40-meter dipole. Never mind that a couple of puzzled and laughing "Carnie's" observed Ray's ritual. They returned to their road show muttering, "who ever heard of tree-bass?" Then Vern attached the home brew yagi television transmit antenna at the corner of the railroad depot, aiming at its receptor 200-yards away located next to the little white church near the fair's main gate. Soon thereafter, in 90-degree sunshine, the 40-meter an 80-meter antennas were stretched into position, with its apex atop a 20-ft mast. The first radio contact (2-meter) was with Bob (KØHIV) and Jan (WØLUX) in Spring Valley.

Vern's television camera captured the steady stream of visitors looking at the antique fire engines; their images were beamed to the monitor at the main gate. Vern and fellow TV enthusiast Jim Budd (KCØEQY) wisely decided to turn-off the audio from the viewing public. As noted talk show host Art Linkletter said: "Kid's say the darndest things." The spectators were impressed with the state of the art technology available in ham radio.

The fair-goers listened intently to Mary (KBØSVG) in her role as net control station operator for the high frequency "28410Khz Shotgun Net." The chatter between the operators is often entertaining and the audiences love it. The little kids had fun mugging for the television camera. The 2-meter rig (motorcycle battery power) was under the control of Al (NØRZO). Vince (KCØNPG) did a show and tell with his PSK-31 outfit. Many club members completed hf/ssb and cw contacts utilizing the club's callsign. Dean transmitted messages to the Minnesota Section Net and the Region Ten cw Net. Cora flashed her WØLYN name tag to the public; Carl's (WAØRLY) camera was on the verge of melt-down; Officer Mike (KCØUWF) was informed that the club's antenna trailer now has current license tabs; Hmmm, who would pay the ticket if one were issued? Roger (KBØSON) earned sweat equity in the project while his wife spent time in the Bingo tent. Thanks Mrs. Olson.

Vern's 9-volt practice key code tone oscillator was an attention getter with young visitors. They were shown how to tap out their name using international Morse code and kids performed beautifully. Each one departed with big smiles and pockets full of free dits and dahs.

John's (KBØSPM) professional sign artwork, an 8-foot long AARC banner, directed people to the "shack." Visitors came from near and far, such as Rochester, Albert Lea, and Deb (WBØCWZ) and her ham family from south of the border (Iowa). A gentleman from Michigan claimed to be a member of the Port Huron Amateur Radio Team (you can figure the acronym or abbreviation for that club). They all said it was good to see amateur radio at the fair. They departed with a hearty "73."

President Al Bush, with his wife Maryann, collaborated with Sam (KCØKVX) updating and printing a club brochure as handout literature at the fair. The single page, color photo, thumbnail sketch of our club's goals and activities, is a gateway invitation to explore amateur radio.

The friendly camaraderie and chatting that took place between the hams impressed a volunteer fair-worker to ask, "how can I become a ham?" She returned the following day to pick up a donated amateur radio license manual. Two days later she came back to the "shack" stating she was almost finished reading the book. Yes, we have her name and we'll encourage her to become a ham.

The popular consensus is: the county fair project was a success. The Austin group had fun being publicly identified with amateur radio, we operated our equipment in a safe and law-abiding manner, and our friendly and helpful chatter is manifestation that we are willing to assist others in developing their interest in the amateur radio world. The club members can rightfully, and proudly, pat themselves on the back for doing an outstanding job of supporting this club project. Well done!

Director Kelly and her staff, Edna and Mary, have invited the Austin Radio Club for a return engagement next year. For that invitation we are grateful. See you next year at the fair.

9M0, SPRATLY ISLANDS.
Twenty operators are going to Layang Layang Island between March 9-20th (2007). They plan to be active on all bands and modes, with 2-4 stations active 24 hours a day.

JT, MONGOLIA.
Czech operators are active as JT800OK from Ulaan Baatar, now through October 8th. Activity is planned for 160-10 meters CW, SSB, RTTY, PSK31 and SSTV. QSL via OK1XC. Visit their Web page for pictures and online logs at: http://www.shop73.com/jt800ok These guys are definitely workable from MN, and are very good ops.

TU2, COTE D'LVOIRE.
Jean Luc, F5LDY, is now active as TU2/F5LDY from Republic of Ivory Coast until about September 2007. Visit the his Web page for update, logs and pictures, at: http://f5kee.free.fr/tu2-f5ldy/tu2ldy.htm He doesn't have high gain antennas, but his signal is definitely copy-able in the U.S. Usual problems getting through the wall of Europeans.

VU7 LAKSHADWEEP.
The Indian NIAR now has a web site up at http://www.vu7.in/ They plan to operate as VU7RG from "3 excellent equipped and well organized sites" from 15-25 January 2007. MN's own W0GJ is part of the advisory committee for the event.

XF4, REVILLAGIGEDO.
A Mexican and German team of operators is planning a DXpedition to Socorro Island (NA-030), in the Revillagigedo Islands group, to take place between October 17th and November 3rd. The announced callsign will be XF4DL. Activity will be on all bands, CW, SSB, Digital, EME and the satellites. QSL via N6AWD for North-America. Visit their Web page at: http://www.xf4dl.xedx.org/

DX MAGAZINE'S 2006 MOST WANTED SURVEY is now posted on the Web at: http://www.dxpub.com

The results of this survey are used by major DXers and DXpeditions to decide on where to go for coming DX events. This is your chance to influence those choices. You don't need to subscribe to DX Magazine--all hams are encouraged to fill out the survey.

DX Magazine's Editor Carl, N4AA, states, "Just click on '2006 SURVEY' and you will see the form. PLEASE be careful to select the correct CONTINENT and/or NA TIME ZONE. If you make a mistake, submit it again correctly. I will delete any surveys that are improperly marked for these two items." PLEASE NOTE: Swains Island is not listed. Carl states, "My apologies for that. The form was already in print, for the magazine, before it became a reality. To simplify compiling the results, I left it off the web list as well. I am going to assume that the majority of you need KH8/S. However, if you wish, you can add it in the ADDITIONS & COMMENTS box at the end of the survey form."

Stillwater Amateur Radio Association (SARA)

Friday, 11/2: 2:00 - 6:00 PM

Friday, 11/2:
2:00 - 6:00 PM