Meeting Reminder: 13 Apr 2013

Posted on 2013-04-11 by KF7LTT-Stan

Just in case it got lost behind all the other announcements. Same place as usual! (See sidebar at right.)

We could sure use some member pictures, member pictures of events, and maybe use the Comments section to tell us how you got into Ham Radio; to help get new folks interested in the hobby. Or we could post your story from an e-mail?…

Note: The NMARES website is gone for now. Hoping to re-establish it on wordpress.com.

Reminder: If anyone has Club News or other things you think important to the members, by all means e-mail them to KF7LTT for posting here.

Jean asked me to pass this on via the website:

From: “ARRL Members Only Web site” Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2013 11:50:49 -0500 (EST)

Subject: Communications Academy 2013 – 04/13-14/14

Comm Academy 2013 Ad

The Communications Academy is and has been the premier training and networking opportunity in the Pacific Northwest. The theme: “Maintaining Readiness When Nothing Bad is Happening” realistically states the job of all EMCOMM leaders. We must keep our staff motivated and interested in honing their skills and keeping constant contact with our stakeholders. Hams new and old, EMCOMM or not will enjoy and benefit by this opportunity.

The 2013 Communications Academy our 15th will be held over the weekend of April 13th & 14th and you re invited! CommAcademy will be held at South Seattle Community College and features 30+ presentations on emergency response, emergency communications, radio basics, digital emergency communications, recent major disasters, and disaster preparedness. The theme for the 2013 CommAcademy is Maintaining Readiness When Nothing Bad is Happening. Lunch for both days is provided, morning refreshments are provided, there are raffles and door prizes and exhibitors will be onsite with radios, software , clothing and lots of other accouterments for what we do!

Registration for 2013 CommAcademy will open in mid-February at www.CommAcademy.org. Please join more than 250 of your fellow emergency communicators from the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada for a weekend of learning, camaraderie and information-sharing.

I’d like to thank the dedicated and hard working staff of the Communications Academy for making this fine training opportunity available.

——————————————————————–

ARRL Western Washington Section Section Manager: Monte L Simpson, K2MLS

Posted in Meetings | Comments Off on Meeting Reminder: 13 Apr 2013

Repeater Outages: Tuesday April 9 1000-1400 or so…

Posted on 2013-04-08 by KF7LTT-Stan

I am planning what will likely be a solo trip to the Shelton water tank site to do a little repeater work.

I will be going Tuesday April 9 at about 1000.

I expect that I will have the 2 meter and the 70 cm repeaters off the air for perhaps hour long periods during the two to three hours after 1000.

Brief test transmissions on the repeater output frequency may be made during the outage, but these will be made using non repeater equipment and there will not be any receiver listening on the repeater input frequency.  I will announce the interruption of service and the resumption of service.

Thanks

Larry Hughes

WA7GOK

Posted in Repeater | Comments Off on Repeater Outages: Tuesday April 9 1000-1400 or so…

Meshapalooza 2013

Posted on 2013-03-14 by KF7LTT-Stan

“Meshapalooza” is the Second MESH Networking Hands-on Workshop presented by Hamshare.com

~9AM to 5:30PM+ on Saturday March 16th, 2013. Lunch is from 12:30 noon to 1:30pm at local Auburn WA. Cafes.

Location, One East Main Street @ the Annex Bldg in downtown Auburn WA. Suite #380 up on the 3rd floor. Downstairs doors are open from ~8:45am to 9:00am

Program Starting off @ 9am with a One Hour Long “Show and Tell Presentation”

Subjects:  ( Revisions will happen )

— Applications to run “on and over” a Mesh Network; Neighborhood networks (What to use your WRT for)

— VoIP / SIP Telephony, Voice over IP on the Mesh Network

— Video “chat”, Video on the Mesh Network

— Pogoplug Ver 4 as a Linux Server

— Pogoplug as your DRATS Ratflector

— DSTAR Voice over the Mesh Network

— D-RATS / IRC, DRATS Data over the Mesh Network

— Breakout Networking Class; Basic network infrastructure (other router types, pros/cons of devices, and cabling choices)

— Breakout Class; High-level; discussing the various routers available to us and pros/cons of the models; Limitations to Cat5e / Cat6 cabling, differences between switches, and hubs,,,, etc.

— Breakout Class; Advanced firmware (JTAG / Custom builds)

— Breakout Class; Linux Introduction ( Bootable Linux on a 16GB+ USB 3.0 Thumb Drive)

– Debian can be downloaded from here: http://www.debian.org/CD/live/

and the Install instructions from here: http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/installmanual.

– Ubuntu can be downloaded from here: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

– How to create a USB flash media boot Linux:

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/debian-live-flash-drive-install-from-windows/

The instructions for the USB flash media are specific for Debian but can be used with any Linux distribution.

Using the USB Flash media is a great way to try out different versions and desktop environments to find the one you like the best.

— Breakout IRC Class

— Breakout Class; Long range / Backbone discussion (antennas, routers or other devices, physical locations where hardware is or could be installed)

— Breakout Class, Failover routing and/or meshing cabled links for directional antennas

— Mobile applications (active GPS tracking?)

— Applications – “What if.” or “Hey, what about..” Best discussed over Lunch and Dinner @ Local Cafes.

To Register and Sign-up, Please send:

1.- Your Name

2.- Your Call

3.- Your Phone#

4.- Your Email Address

5.- and the Workshop # 13525-MESH-P

To: Email.Hamshare@Yahoo.com

For Maximum Fun, Bring your WRT54G and your Bullets for upgrades and tweaking.

Also Bring your Mikrotik RB750 Routers. (+ Computer & Power supply, Power Strip and CAT5 Cables)

–

73 de Bill KL7BB 206-400-1723

Posted in Training | Comments Off on Meshapalooza 2013

Flood Watch: Mason County Tues-Thurs

Posted on 2013-03-11 by KF7LTT-Stan 
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
353 PM PDT MON MAR 11 2013

.THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A FLOOD WATCH
FOR RIVERS ORIGINATING IN THE OLYMPICS AND NORTHERN CASCADES FROM
THE SNOQUALMIE BASIN NORTHWARD FOR TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY
AFTERNOON.

WAC009-027-031-033-045-057-061-073-121100-
/O.NEW.KSEW.FA.A.0002.130314T0000Z-130315T0000Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CLALLAM-GRAYS HARBOR-JEFFERSON-KING-MASON-SKAGIT-SNOHOMISH-
WHATCOM-
353 PM PDT MON MAR 11 2013

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY
AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON...INCLUDING THE
  FOLLOWING COUNTIES... GRAYS HARBOR...CLALLAM...JEFFERSON...
  SKAGIT...WHATCOM...KING...MASON...SNOHOMISH.

* FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON

* RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TONIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH AT
  LEAST WEDNESDAY. TOTAL RAIN AMOUNTS IN THE OLYMPICS AND NORTHERN
  CASCADES ARE FORECAST TO BE 4 TO 7 INCHES. SNOW LEVELS ARE
  EXPECTED TO RISE TO AROUND 6000 FEET IN THESE AREAS AS WELL.
  LIGHTER AMOUNTS OF RAIN ARE EXPECTED ELSEWHERE IN THE CASCADES
  AND IN THE LOWLANDS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON.

* THE RIVERS WITH THE GREATEST THREAT OF REACHING FLOOD STAGE
  INCLUDE THE BOGACHIEL...SKOKOMISH...SNOQUALMIE...TOLT...AND THE
  STILLAGUAMISH RIVERS. THE LATEST FORECAST CALLS FOR THE HEAVIEST
  RAIN OVER THOSE RIVER BASINS. THERE REMAINS UNCERTAINTY IN THE
  RAINFALL FORECAST...THE POSITION OF THE ATMOSPHERIC RIVER AIMED
  AT THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST HAS CHANGED SOMEWHAT IN RECENT
  GUIDANCE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR FLOODING BUT
FLOODING IS NOT IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. MONITOR THE LATEST
FORECASTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND BE READY TO ACT
QUICKLY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED OR FLOODING IS OBSERVED.
Note: It may be time to make sure your batteries are charged
and your radio is working.
 
Posted in Preparedeness, Wx | Comments Off on Flood Watch: Mason County Tues-Thurs

Repeater Outages Friday, 8 March …

Posted on 2013-03-05 by KF7LTT-Stan

We have scheduled a trip to the N7SK repeater site for 1000 on Friday March 8.  We are typically there for about 2 hours (and then the calls from the “shes who must be obeyed” begin coming in).

Anyhow, this time we plan to turn the PolyPhaser lightening protector around, and measure power output and SWR in various ways.  Some of the operation will be into a dummy load and from my experience may still be heard by listeners.

We will be turning both the 2 meter repeater and the 70 cm repeater off for various periods.  Users should not expect to be able to use the repeaters for about 2 to 3 hours beginning around 1000.

With any luck the equipment will still work after we are done.

Larry

Posted in Repeater | Comments Off on Repeater Outages Friday, 8 March …