K9YA Telegraph – A free monthly ham radio eZine

The Robert F. Heytow Memorial Radio Club has published its general interest amateur radio eZine, K9YA Telegraph, since 2004.  The K9YA Telegraph contains new, never before published articles, pictures and cartoons of interest to all radio amateurs and is read by hams in over 100 countries.

Subscribing to this monthly publication is free and can be done by going to the following link:  Subscribe to K9YA Telegraph

Each month you will receive an e-mail, which will contain a hyperlink to download the current issue. To view the publication, subscribers must have Adobe Reader version 7.0 or newer installed on their computer. 

Unlike other publications, subscribers only have access to the current month’s issue for approximately two weeks, so it is a good idea to download the PDF when you receive the monthly email.  There is also a limited number of back issues available to subscribers, but occasionally the subscribers are given access to more back issues as a special treat. 

To learn more about the K9YA Telegraph and the Robert F. Heytow Memorial Radio Club, visit their site at http://k9ya.org.

-via NT9E

Minutes – June 2020

Meeting Minutes of June 2, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic prevented the club from meeting in person. The June meeting was held via Zoom.

President Mike Metroka WB8BZK called the June 2020  meeting to order at 7:05 PM followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Dave Holmgren K9AT.

Board members present were John Dewey KA9CAR, Gary Dembski W9GD, Dean Hettel WD9FOO, Dan Larson KD9M, Mike Metroka WB8BZK, and Mike Salak KC9Q. Ralph Iden WB9ICF was unable to attend the meeting.

A total of 36 members were in attendance.

Approval of Minutes

There was no April 2020 meeting of the club, but the meeting minutes from the February 2020 meeting were previously posted to the MCWA website for review.  John Cankar W9JM motioned to approve the minutes with John Dewey KA9CAR seconding the motion. The motion was approved by unanimous vote.

Membership and Financial Reports

Dean Hettel WD9FOO presented the membership and financial reports for May.  As of May 31, 2020, MCWA has a membership of 119 members, 118 full members and 1 associate member.

May Finances

Opening Balance 6,837.85  
Deposits 50.00 Dues
Expenditures 21.00 DigitalOcean website hosting (Jun-Sep)
  207.57 “Alternate Field Day” prizes
Interest 0.05  
Final Balance 6,659.33   

A motion to approve the financial report was made by Dan Larson KD9M with a second by Joe Szczubelek K9DMV. The motion was approved by voice vote.

License updates

At the end of May, HRO hosted an in-person VE testing session where the following MCWA members obtained their license or upgraded their existing licenses.

      • Eric Padilla passed his Technician exam and is now KD9PLJ.
      • Dean Hettel WD9F00 has upgraded to Extra class.
      • Bill Wacaser KD9GIU upgraded to General and then to Extra!

 In addition, Glenn KD9MGH, who recently upgraded to Extra class, has a new call sign, K9OK. 

Congratulations to Eric, Dean, Bill, and Glenn.  Well done.

Awards

Congratulations to Mike Metroka WB8BZK for his completion of 15m WAS, which also completes his 5-band WAS.  Mike recently received a paper QSL from a 2016 West Virginia RTTY QSO that completed the 15m WAS award and is awaiting confirmation from ARRL HQ once they start processing their incoming mail. 

Announcements

Nomination Committee

Jim McDonald N7US has been appointed the Nomination Committee Chairperson for this fall’s election of MCWA officers and directors. Jim will be working with the two Directors at Large, Gary Dembski W9GD and Mike Salak KC9Q to develop a slate of candidates for the election.

As reported earlier, the committee will announce the slate of candidates at the August meeting with the election occurring at the September meeting. This change will provide time for the membership to consider the candidates and to offer additional nominations, if desired.

August VE Testing

The scheduled August VE testing in Woodstock has been canceled due to the COVID pandemic. The coordinators are investigating alternatives that provide a safe testing environment for everyone, but they have not yet found a practical solution to execute this type of session yet. 

Upcoming events

Dave Whaley NT9E announced that the annual 13 Colonies Special Event is coming up July 1 -7, 2020.  It is a fun event that a number of MCWA members have enjoyed in the past.  More information is available at the 13 Colonies website (www.13colonies.us) or KU2US’s QRZ page.

John Kalenowsky K9JK mentioned that the June VHF Contest will be coming up on June 13-15 from 1800 UTC Saturday through 0259 UTC on Monday. He added, “Microphones are still allowed on 6m, they haven’t been banned.”, a light-hearted reminder that besides FT8 and other digital modes,  SSB, FM, and CW contacts are encouraged.

Hamfest/Conference Reports

All area hamfests and events have been canceled for May, with some events still scheduled for June. On June 13th, the Fox Cities ARC will be holding the Sunshine Hamfest in Kaukauna, WI.  More information can be found at the FCARC website (fcarc.club/sunshineswap.php).

Heil Ham Radio Day, a free virtual event,  was held Saturday, May 9th. No meeting attendees attended the event.

With Hamvention canceled this year, Contest University went virtual this year and was free.  Over 2,000 people attended the day long event and the MCWA members who attended the event found it great and were very impressed with the topics and quality of the talks. The recording can be found by searching for “Contest University” on YouTube. The slide decks are found at the Contest University website (www.contestuniversity.com).

Hamradio 2.0 held their online YouTubers Hamfest 2020 on May 23rd featuring a number of interesting talks containing lots of good information. The videos can be viewed on Hamradio 2.0’s YouTube channel.

Upcoming MCWA Presentations

Our members have enjoyed and learned much from our meeting programs because of the wealth of knowledge and experience of the presenters. Everyone has something to share that will benefit others. Would you consider sharing your knowledge and present a talk at an upcoming meeting?

    • July 7, 2020 – 6m Meteor Scatter Communications by Mike Metroka, WB8BZK
    • August 4, 2020 – So You’d Like To Run A Repeater – Hints & Tips by Ken Farver, KB9I
    • September 1, 2020 – Building & Testing the SATNOGS Rotor by Ralph Iden, WB9ICF & Officer and Board of Director election
    • October 6, 2020 – DXing by Jack Hudson, W9MU

Old Business

Field Day Report

Great news as Illinois has entered Phase 3 of the COVID recovery plan. This means that the club will be able to have Field Day at the Rush Creek Conservation Area, the site of the past two MCWA Field Days. The club will have two HF stations and a VHF station and will be operating SSB, CW, and Digital modes. .

Social distancing practices will be used at Rush Creek, which includes a limit of the number of participants on site at any one time. Operators should plan to bring their own headset, keyboards, etc. Gloves, wipes, soap & water, and disposable covers for keyboards and mice will be provided. 

There will be a limit of 10 participants at any one time at the site. Dean Hettel WD9FOO will be handling registrations to ensure that the limit will not be exceeded. All are welcome, however no walk-ins will be allowed, so contact Dean to sign-up to let him know that you will be there.

At the last meeting of the Board of Directors, the Board approved a Field Day budget of up to $750 and approved expenses up to $300. Any expenses above $300 requires membership approval.

A motion was made by Mike Metroka WB8BZK to approve the balance of the 2020 Field Day budget up to an additional $450 for total of $750, the amount the Board approved. Pierre Berube K9EYE seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

MCWA Alternative Field Day Activity

The Board recognizes that not everyone will be comfortable with attending or be able to attend the Rush Creek in-person FD. Therefore, MCWA members will be able to operate Field Day from their homes, have their scores affiliated with the club, and have some friendly competition with prizes. Recognition will be given for all who join in on the fun.

The details of the various FD classes and rules were discussed as well as how to report your scores and let the ARRL know that your station is affiliated with MCWA. Mike will be sending out a follow-up email that covers the specifics.

Prizes will be awarded in each of the home station categories:

    • First place – MCWA embroided hat
    • Second place – ARRL Field Day mug
    • Third place – ARRL Field Day mug

Top finishers will also receive a certificate recognizing their achievement.

New Business

There was no new business.

Wrap up

The program for the evening will be “Inexpensive Test Equipment for Hams” presented by Gary Kaatz W9TD which will begin immediately following meeting adjournment.

The next regular meeting will another virtual Zoom meeting on Tuesday, July 7th 2020. Members watch your email for your meeting invitation.  The meeting will open around 6:20 PM to allow new users to join and the meeting will commence at 6:30 PM.

A motion to adjourn was made by Dave Whaley NT9E and seconded by Mike Ophus KD9DLL. The motion was approved by voice vote and the meeting was adjourned at 7:51 PM.

Prepared by Ralph Iden WB9ICF, MCWA Secretary

Joseph (Joe) Szczubelek, K9DMV – SK

It is with great sadness to announce that Joe Szczubelek, K9DMV, became a silent key on June 18th, 2020.

Joe was a long time member of MCWA having participated in many MCWA activities over the years including Field Day outings. Up until his sudden death, Joe was looking forward to participating in the MCWA Field Day at Rush Creek the following Saturday.

He loved DX with a passion and would often check into the EN52 6m and the McHenry 10-10 nets.

Joe would have been 74 on July 1st. We will miss you.

Joe, K9DMV, getting it done at the 2014 Field Day as other MCWA members observe.

 

 

Minutes – May 2020

Meeting Minutes of May 5, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic prevented the club from meeting in person. The May meeting was the club’s first virtual meeting and was held via Zoom.

President Mike Metroka WB8BZK called the May 2020  meeting to order at 7:32 PM followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led once again by Dave Holmgren K9AT.

Board members present were John Dewey KA9CAR, Gary Dembski W9GD, Dean Hettel WD9FOO, Dan Larson KD9M, Mike Metroka WB8BZK, and Mike Salak KC9Q. Ralph Iden WB9ICF was present for the pre/post meeting portion, but was called away to address a work matter.

A total of 41 members were in attendance.

Approval of Minutes

There was no April 2020 meeting of the club, but the meeting minutes from the February 2020 meeting were previously posted to the MCWA website for review.  Joe Robin N9OK motioned to approve the minutes with John Cankar W9JM seconding the motion. The motion was approved by unanimous vote.

Membership and Financial Reports

Dean Hettel WD9FOO presented the membership and financial reports for March and April.

On March 31, 2020, MCWA had a membership of 114 full members and 1 associate member for a total of 115. 

As of April 30, 2020, MCWA has a membership of 117 members, 115 full members and 2 associate members.

March Finances

Opening Balance 7,055.81  
Deposits 71.26 Dues
Expenditures 162.00 Field Day site rental
Interest 0.09  
Final Balance 6,965.16  

April Finances

Opening Balance 6,965.16  
Deposits 40.00 Dues
Expenditures 23.91 2020 Dinner Raffle prizes
  15.09 Sympathy cards and postage
  128.37 Website reconstruction expenses
Interest 0.06  
Final Balance 6,837.85  

A motion to approve the financial report was made by Dan Larson KD9M with a second by Joe Jaax W9JCS. The motion was approved by voice vote.

Bill Lieberum, KB9IWH SK

It is with great sadness to report that Bill Lieberum, KB9IWH became a Silent Key on April 8th, 2020.  When notifying the club, Dave Cooper KA9OZP said Bill belonged to MCWA for a number of years and had served as President prior to moving to Pennsylvania.  The club offered a moment of silence in remembrance of Bill.

Announcements

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in hamfests, conferences, and VE testing being canceled and for organizers to search for alternatives.

Heil Ham Radio Day will be held Saturday, May 9th starting at 1 PM CDT.  It is a free event, but you need to register ahead of time.  More information on the Heil website (heilhamradio.com).

Contest University is going virtual this year and it will be FREE!  If you are planning on attending this event, you must register by Thursday, May 14th.

Virtual VE Testing is not prohibited according to the FCC in a Public Notice released on April 30, 2020 clearing the way for VE coordinators to develop virtual testing methods. Trials are underway and it can be expected that remote testing will be available in the very near future.   MCWA knows of a number of people, including new member Eric Padilla, that are very excited to sit for the exam.  Mike Metroka WB8BZK was in contact with VE Coordinator Steve Maresso KB9OLD who confirmed that in-person VE testing in May was canceled, so virtual testing will be an option once the process is in place.

Hamfest/Conference Reports

All hamfests and events are canceled for May, with some events still scheduled for June.

Upcoming MCWA Presentations

Our members have a wealth of knowledge and experience that other members are eager to receive. Everyone has something to share that will benefit others. Would you consider sharing your knowledge and present a talk at an upcoming meeting?

    • June 2, 2020 – Inexpensive Test Equipment for Hams by Gary Kaatz, W9TD
    • July 7, 2020 – QSLing by John Cankar, W9JM
    • August 4, 2020 – So You’d Like To Run A Repeater – Hints & Tips, Ken Farver, KB9I

Old Business

Field Day Report

The Field Day committee met this past week and voted unanimously to continue to hold an in-person FD event at the Rush Creek Conservation Center in Harvard.  MCWA will be operating two HF stations and one VHF station  (CW, SSB, and Digital).

A number of reasons could lead to the cancellation of an in-person FD such as the Conservation District revoking the lease, restrooms being closed, State restrictions extending into June, etc. A backup plan to have members get on the air from their homes using their own call and submit their entry to the ARRL with MCWA as their affiliated club is being considered.

Social distancing practices will be used at Rush Creek, which includes a limit of the number of participants on site at any one time. Operators should plan to bring their own headset, keyboards, etc.

The committee has been monitoring what other local area groups are planning based on the current situation.

      • Fox River Radio League – On
      • Lake County RACES – Status unknown
      • Palatine RACES – Status unknown
      • McHenry County Races – Status unknown
      • Schaumburg ARC (SARC) – On
      • SUFARS – Monitoring
      • The 415 – On, but monitoring
      • Wheaton Community Radio Amateurs (WCRA) – Monitoring and developing contingency plans

John W9JM reported that the Northshore Radio Club will not be operating a club station this year, but encourages members to operate from home and specify Northshore as their affiliated club. All in-person events for the remainder of the year have been canceled.

Pierre Berube K9EYE added that SARC has canceled Field Day because of Kermit’s (W9XA)  letter and that Busse Woods is closed.  SARC’s website says all in-person meetings are canceled through May 30, 2020, but doesn’t indicated the current status of June’s Field Day.

New Business

There was no new business.

Wrap up

Dan Larson will be presenting “MMANA Antenna Modeling Software” immediately following the adjournment of tonight’s meeting.

The next regular meeting will another virtual Zoom meeting on Tuesday, June 2nd 2020. Members watch your email for your meeting invitation.  The meeting will open around 6:20 PM to allow new users to join and the meeting will commence at 6:30 PM.

A motion to adjourn was made by John Cankar W9JM and seconded by Ed Finnegan K9ECF. The motion was approved by voice vote and the meeting was adjourned at 7:57 PM.

Prepared by Ralph Iden WB9ICF, MCWA Secretary

FCC: Virtual VE testing is permitted

With in-person Volunteer Examiner (VE) testing canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) stated in a Public Notice dated April 30, 2020 that VEs can administer tests in a remote manner.

The FCC grants VE Coordinators leeway as to how tests are administered and proctored. This notice is good news for those wanting to sit for an amateur radio exam, but were not able to do so because of the pandemic.

The full text of the notice follows.

FCC Public Notice (04-30-2020)