• HamRadio

2010 info:

Why Amateur Radio?

So, why should you care about amateur radio, anyway? The internet lets you talk with people halfway around the world, after all. Ham radio can do it without the infrastructure in many cases, that's why. There's no backbone to pay for, no fiber to cut, no routing tables to corrupt, and no peering to dispute. That's why hams are so important in emergency response -- their radios work when phones don't. But radio amateurs today can also leverage modern infrastructure, interconnecting what were once short-range radio equipment over the internet to other like minded radio amateurs using similar radio equipment. The community of wireless telecommunications geeks is what makes this collaborative experimentation possible, as it was back in the days of Marconi's first experiments.

Many hams are also storm spotters, and some engage in games like "fox hunting" to hone their direction-finding skills. You don't need to learn Morse Code to become a ham, even for the advanced license classes. (But if you enjoy Morse Code, you can still use it--plenty of people still do!) The sheer diversity of the hobby is what makes it so attractive to many. It's a fun hobby, and you should stop by the station and check things out!

Amateur Radio also is supportive of the hacker-ethic. Many radio amateurs build their own radios or modify off the shelf hardware to improve them or do something they were never intended to do.

Special Event Station?

Notacon's ham radio HF station is returning again, under the callsign N7C.

This station will use a Kenwood TS-480SAT, run by remote control. It's not practical to place the control position near the antenna, so there's a little network-fu to ship the controls and audio downstairs. We'll have some gear for local communication set up downstairs as well.

License Exam Session

CWRU's ham radio club has volunteered to host the Sunday morning (09:00) exam session. Anyone applying for a new license is strongly encouraged to apply for an FCC Registration Number online, so you won't have to trust anybody with your SSN on paper. There will be another session held Thursday evening (20:30, Hanna Room) to accommodate those who expect to be asleep, hung over, or still drunk during the Sunday session. Practice exams, constructed from the same question pool as the real ones, are available on several sites including aa9pw.com and qrz.com. -- Bunsen, updated 12 April 2010

Earl N8KBR has produced some study guides for those who prefer notes to study from. -- souterrain, 12 April 2010.

I am an ARRL-Accredited extra class VE. If you want an extra body at a session, drop me a line. -- AF4H 1NF0, 13 March 2010

Talk-around Frequency

All licensed radio amateurs are encouraged to use the Notacon talk-around frequency, 446.1 MHz. We should also have a crossband repeater to link a 2m talk-around frequency with the 70cm frequency. Watch for changes in this, as we've had interference issues in the past.

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2009 info:

N6C

Notacon's ham radio special event station continues for another year, this time under the callsign N6C.

N6C will use a Kenwood TS-480SAT, run by remote control. It's not practical to place the control position near the antenna, so there's a little network-fu to ship the controls and audio downstairs. We'll have some gear for local communication set up downstairs as well.

So, why should you care about amateur radio, anyway? The internet lets you talk with people halfway around the world, after all. Ham radio does it without the infrastructure, that's why. There's no backbone to pay for, no fiber to cut, no routing tables to corrupt, and no peering to dispute. That's why hams are so important in emergency response -- their radios work when phones don't.

Many hams are also storm spotters, and some engage in games like "fox hunting" to hone their direction-finding skills. You don't need to learn Morse Code to become a ham, even for the advanced license classes. It's a fun hobby, and you should stop by the station and check things out! N6C is in the Roxy room, between the ConSuite (Hanna) and Hackerspace/hardware hacking room (Embassy).

License Exam Session

If you're interested in getting your amateur radio license, or upgrading, there will be an exam session from 9:00 to 11:00 AM Sunday in the Stillman room. The exam fee is $14, and we recommend registering for an FRN on the FCC website ahead of time, so we won't need your SSN on the paperwork. Information about licensing and practice exams are available online, and hams hanging around the station will usually be happy to help you learn.

In progress

Bunsen will probably have his mobile rig set up in the Roxy room as a low-power crossband repeater, to link our usual 446.100 talk-around frequency to one on the 2m band (146.415 was suggested previously).

We may be able to get a TM-D700 on the roof again, depending on software. This would make local-but-outside-the-hotel contacts much easier.

Stormgren may be bringing an APRS setup.

We can try to work a satellite pass or two from the second-floor terrace. Bunsen will have an Arrow antenna and appropriate gear to hook up to either his handheld or mobile rig. This could also work with a rooftop V/UHF station if the control system cooperates.

We've been invited to use LEARA's 146.880 (-, 110.9 PL) repeater during the con, of course being respectful of the Saturday evening SSTV net. That may be a good way to let locals know about the Thursday free preview and Sunday exam session.

• -- Bunsen, 6 April 2009

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Are you a licensed ham? Want to loan equipment or share the station control duties? Sign up below:

2008 info:

N5C

Wow, it's about time I looked at this page again. Great to see that somebody else thought of it before me! The station will be set up similarly to last year (connectivity between the roof station and 2nd floor room isn't definite yet, so that may change), but with more testing and workingness. The station's callsign is gonna be N5C. HF digital work should be easy enough to do, but I'm all for having a backup plan, so go ahead and make sure your IC-718 setup works. Also, we're planning on doing a VE session on Sunday morning again. -- Bunsen, 21 February 2008

License Exam Session

More commonly called a VE session, it's a place where you can take the exam to become a licensed amateur radio operator. Study materials are available on the Internet. Once such practice exam is available at QRZ.com. -- SouTerrain, 28 March 2008

I've found AA9PW's practice exam generator useful as well. -- Bunsen, 1 April 2008

VE exam session at 9:00 AM Sunday. Note that we have to have either your social security number (ick) or your FCC Registration Number (FRN) which you get by registering on the FCC website. If you know potential examinees, please pass the word to them to do this. -- pjustice, 22 March 2008.

Talk around frequency

Last year we used 446.1 MHz, but it seems at least one person below is bound to 146 MHz only. I personally prefer UHF in urban environments. Suggestions? Maybe a crossband rig, if someone has it, to link 446.1 MHz to, say, 146.415 Mhz? -- SouTerrain, 28 March 2008

We didn't get very much use out of the VHF/UHF rig (the TM-D700) last year, since the only control software I could find that speaks its dialect is clumsy as hell. I was thinking about setting it up as a crossband repeater and just leaving it there, to give folks in the hotel with HTs some reach and let us do talk-ins. We'll need to rig up some kind of secondary control if we do that, though. If we just want to have two intra-hotel talk-around frequencies, then we can just set up a crossband rig in the N5C room, or its owner's hotel room, running at low power. -- Bunsen, 28 March 2008

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Are you a licensed ham? Want to loan equipment or share the station control duties? Sign up below:

2007 info:

• Notacon has an official Special Event station callsign this year, N4C! It's our fourth year! How cool is that?

N4C will consist of a Kenwood TS-480SAT and TM-D700, run by remote control. It's not practical to place the control position near the antenna, so there's a little network-fu to ship the controls and audio downstairs. It probably qualifies for AnythingButEthernet.

So, why should you care about amateur radio, anyway? The internet lets you talk with people halfway around the world, after all. Ham radio does it without the infrastructure, that's why. There's no backbone to pay for, no fiber to cut, no routing tables to corrupt, and no peering to dispute. That's why hams are so important in emergency response -- their radios work when phones don't.

Many hams are also storm spotters, and some engage in games like "fox hunting" to hone their direction-finding skills. You don't need to learn Morse Code to become a ham, even for the advanced license classes. (That just changed!) It's a fun hobby, and you should stop by the station and check things out! N4C is in the ConSuite, where you'll find refreshments and knowledgeable ham operators.

Are you a licensed ham? Want to loan equipment or share the station control duties? Sign up below:

Talk around, 446.1 MHz?

How about an established talk-around frequency? Last year, I didn't realize there were many hams around until late in the con. Since most have dual-band HTs these days, so how's 446.1000 MHz? If local practice dictates otherwise, other suggestions? --SouTerrain, 13 March 2007

Since my HT is 70cm only, I'd definitely prefer a 70cm talk-around. --N8JKD, 13 April 2007

Antennas

• What kind of antennas will the HF gear use? --SouTerrain, 13 Apr 2007

  • The current plan is a big long whip (102"?) and an autotuner. I don't think the whip's been purchased yet, so if you've got other ideas, feel free to suggest something. --Bunsen, 13 Apr 2007

    • Where is this antenna going? Roof? If you have room for it, why not a random wire? What kind of autotuner? --SouTerrain, 19 Apr 2007

      • The antennas and radios are going on the top of the building. I'm not sure what model the tuner is, but I believe it's made by LDG. Random wire might work, but we've already got easy mounting (apparently a former satellite dish mount) suitable for a vertical. Feel free to drop in to IRC to discuss it; pjustice is the guy providing the tuner and antenna ideas. --Bunsen, 20 Apr 2007

2006 info:

• Here's the lowdown on Ham activity in the area.

According to N8AUC, President of LEARA and Trustee of the 146.88 and 444.700 repeaters:

In reference to using 146.88 in a non-official status as a Talk In station, to guide lost motorists heading to the con (or anywhere else, really): ... But, if you're gonna have someone hanging around just in case, then that's perfectly fine.

If anyone gives you any flak, which I highly doubt, then tell them you talked to me, and I said it's OK. ....

The easiest repeaters to hit from where you'll be, are indeed LEARA's 146.88 (-) and 444.700 (+) repeaters. They are located in Lakewood, OH, about 7 miles west of downtown. But due to the curvature of the Lake Erie Shoreline, it's line of sight directly across the water to hit the repeaters. (Look just south of due west and you'll be looking at them!)

Note that all of LEARA's repeaters normally require PL to access them. This isn't to keep hams out, it's to keep out of band junk from getting in. All LEARA repeaters are Open Repeaters, meaning they are available for use by any properly licensed amateur (Technician Class or higher). 146.88 requires a PL of 110.9Hz for access, and 444.700 requires a PL of 131.8Hz.

Friday you might have a problem conflicting with afternoon drive time usage on 146.88, but 444.700 is highly underutilized. There are not any public service events running that weekend that I know of. If you're looking for a simplex freq to use as a talk around, I'd recommend using one on the 70cm band. It penetrates buildings better, and is less susceptible to interference from dirty commercial paging transmitters.

Packet is pretty much dead in this area. And there aren't any dedicated SSTV repeaters in the area. But.....

As for nets and other activities, you might enjoy our bi-weekly SSTV net on the 146.88 repeater, held Saturday night at 8PM. Your week is an "on week" for the SSTV net. Feel free to join in. Most guys are doing the sound card thing for SSTV. And I'd just bet you'll have a laptop with you. Add a couple of audio cables, and you're set.

Our club net is held on Thursday nights at 8PM on the 146.76 repeater. It's kind of a rag chew net, with news of hamfests, VE sessions, and other events. There is also usually a trivia question just for fun.

That one is easy to hit (remote input at the Lakewood site), but the transmitter is near the intersection of I-271 and I-480 on the southeast side of town. This time of year tropo ducting across the lake is not uncommon, and sometimes along the lake shore the Detroit 76 repeater can be stronger than ours. 146.76 also requires 110.9Hz PL for access, and you'll want to know that in the event of severe weather, 146.76 is home to our local SkyWarn net. Listen for the morse code letter S(standby) or W(alert) for the courtesy tone to know the skywarn status.

Both nets are open to all licensed amateurs. So feel free to join in if your schedule permits.

Echolink activity will be via the ###### node.