The next business meeting will be held on November 7^th, 2005 at 7:30 PM in the basement of the Cape Girardeau County Office Building.

The Southeast Missouri Amateur Radio Club, WØQMF, meets the first Monday of every month at 7:30 PM (Ragchew starts around 7:00 PM) Meetings are in the Emergency Preparedness County Office Building, On the Courthouse Square in Jackson, Mo

ARRL VE testing sessions are held after each monthly meeting for those interested in obtaining or upgrading an Amateur Radio License. The fee for testing is $14.00.

Don’t forget to have in mind anyone you want to nominate for Club officers for 2006. Nominations are at the November meeting

3.Which region of the ionosphere is mainly responsible for absorbing MF/HF radio signals during the daytime?4. What is a skip zone?

8.What type of filter should be connected to a TV receiver as the first step in trying to prevent RF overload from an amateur HF station transmission?9.If two equal-value inductors are connected in parallel, what is their total inductance?

10. If a current of 3 amperes flows through a resistor connected to 90 volts, what is the resistance?

11. Why is the concept of "duty cycle" one factor used to determine safe RF radiation exposure levels?

13. What factors must you consider if your repeater station antenna will be located at a site that is occupied by antennas for transmitters in other services?

14. Where would you find the applicable RDD RF radiation maximum permissible exposure (MPE) limits defined?

RANCHO PENASQUITOS – When lunchtime rolls around on Thursdays, members of the Mt. Carmel High School Amateur Radio Club can be found in the new science building, "hamming" it up.

The students aren't your average wise guys or "shock jock" wannabes. These "hams" are amateur radio operators – people whose technological prowess can be of critical assistance in life-or-death situations.

When the Cedar fire swept through parts of the county in 2003, knocking out cell phone towers, ham radio operators helped relay information via the 100-year-old communications system.

More recently, amateur radio operators throughout the Gulf Coast states helped locate hurricane victims who were stranded or required assistance.

John Earnest, faculty adviser to the Mt. Carmel club, said the government relies heavily on ham radio operators in such situations.

"Amateur radio operators know how to use a radio and they know how to communicate clearly, because they do it all the time," Earnest said. "They've got really good equipment, it works and it's free The Amateur Radio Service is actually written into the (government's) emergency response plan."

Sophomore Marc Russell said amateur radio communications were used during a recent Rancho Peñasquitos canyon fire.

"They were talking over the radio and informing people where it was and how fast it was going," said Marc, 15. "It's a lot better reception. Those handhelds only go like a mile."

Marc said he developed an interest in ham radio from his grandfather. He wants to pursue a degree in engineering.

In an age of wireless Internet connections, amateur radio has been kept alive through family participation, Earnest said.

"I have two children that are licensed amateur radio operators. My dad's a licensed amateur radio operator It gets you together with people in your family."

The Mt. Carmel club was formed by student Sam Szarka in 2000. Szarka maintains a Web site for the enthusiasts, called www.hamquick.com. It includes tutorials for budding ham radio operators.

"I have had students that have not bought a single book, haven't gone to any other Web sites," Earnest said. "They've just used his Web site."

At one time there were 20 members in the club. There are currently five: Marc; Gabe Hante, 16; Doug Martin, 16; Cole Peters, 16; and John Peterson, 15.

Earnest is hoping to spur renewed interest in the club. He is adding a 20-foot-tall antenna to the top of the science building to increase the hams' range.

Students do not receive credit for the extracurricular club, but they are exposed to scientific concepts, Earnest said.

"They're learning about all the different layers of the atmosphere that you can use to bounce radio signals off of," he said, "things that they wouldn't learn because it's not in the curriculum."

Much of the club's equipment was donated by the Palomar Amateur Radio Club, including a new computer program that will alert the club to satellites orbiting high above the school, Earnest said.

"You can even program it to sound an alarm on your computer that says a satellite's getting close, get to your radio," he said. "The satellite takes the signal and then relays it to other parts of the Earth."

Using high frequency radio and satellite technology, the club has communicated with amateur operators in Australia, Japan and South Korea, Earnest said.

"I talked to a guy in Russia once," Earnest said. "I had a student from Russia, and he could tell me what the other guy was saying."

The regular monthly meeting of the SEMO Amateur Radio Club was called to order by President Willie Sandin at 7:30 P.M. in the meeting room of the Cape Girardeau County Administrative Building.

The Treasurer reported no activity with the total funds the same as last month at $865.58. Her report was approved as given.

The President reported that the only problem with the .685 machine is that it is not receiving on the high antenna until the multicoupler is delivered and installed. The company has advised that the shipping is from Shreveport Louisiana and as a result of the hurricane has been delayed.

President Sandin thanked Charles Schroeder for the great job he did with the newsletter and thanked John Clark for taking over the responsibility since Charles had to quit publishing it for personal reasons.

John Clark and Ernest Chiles are taking over VE responsibilities due to Gerald Grasso's health.

John Frye made a motion seconded by Dave Golightly to not have the fish fry this year. The motion carried.

Dave Golightly is to check on K9YP and see if he is still going to present a program on weather spotting for the club.

Discussion on where to change meeting date and time. The issue is to be voted on at the November meeting.

Martha Vandivort is to reserve room for Christmas Party on December 18 at Delmonico's.

George Britt made a motion to adjourn which was seconded by Bob Seabaugh. The motion carried and the meeting adjourned for social hour at 8:15P.M.

QRZ - Used to determine if anyone is using the frequency or if someone is calling

And here’s one for those of you who think repeater coordination is something you can do at your own discretion, or pass on if you don’t want to be published in the Repeater Directory......

This letter was issued to your address of record (Oakhurst) on September 1, 2005, but returned as undeliverable by the Post Office.

The enclosed complaint alleges that you are operating an uncoordinated repeater on 449.42 MHz in the Ocean Beach area that is causing interference to the coordinated KE6TZF repeater on the same frequency. The complaint indicates that you have been made aware of the interference and the apparent lack of coordination, but that you have declined to resolve the interference.

Section 97.205 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. §97.205, states that where there is interference between a coordinated and an uncoordinated repeater, "the licensee of the uncoordinated repeater has primary responsibility to resolve the interference". Section 308(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §308(b), gives the Commission the authority to request information from a licensee regarding the operation of a radio station. Accordingly, you are requested to respond to this letter within 20 days from the above date, furnishing the following information.

1) Is your repeater WB6NIL coordinated for operation on 449.42 MHz at Ocean Beach? If so:

b). State the circumstances, if any, under which you are operating the repeater in a manner not consistent with the coordination.

2) If your repeater WB6NIL is not coordinated, or if it is coordinated but is not being operated in compliance with the coordination, state what, if any, action you have taken to obtain coordination.

3) Have you received complaints regarding the operation of the WB6NIL repeater on 449.42 MHz? If so:

a) State the details of the complaints, if they were oral; and state what action, if any, you took to resolve them.

b) If the complaints were in writing, state what action, if any, you took in response to the complaints and furnish a copy of each complaint.

4) Describe in detail the configuration of the WB6NIL repeater system, including all sites, links and addresses, using diagrams where necessary.

In an inquiry of this type, we are required to advise you that Congress has made punishable a willfully false or misleading reply and that the information you submit will be used to determine what, if any, action to take in this matter. See 18 of the United States Code, Section 1001. Please address your response to 1270 Fairfield Road at the above letterhead address.

SANTA CLARITA - They ply their skills rigorously, yet remain unseen - that is, until something very bad happens. Then they are instant heroes.

Ham radio operators are deft at restoring communications when a strong earthquake or hurricane severs land and cell-phone links, electricity or Internet connections.

"Within 30 minutes of the 1994 (Northridge) Earthquake, I had my radios operating. I was in communication virtually around the world," said Brad Marckwardt, a ham radio operator and Santa Clarita city radio officer.

About 80 volunteer ham radio operators who are members of a countywide disaster communication network are ready at a moment's notice to answer the call from the city, the county and sheriff's and fire departments.

They own and maintain their equipment, and the Federal Communications Commission allows them to operate on a wide range of frequencies free because of the public service they provide.

When City Hall stopped shaking after the Northridge Earthquake, the phone lines were down. A couple of ham radio operators employed by the phone company yanked wires from the unsafe building and set up an emergency operation center outside.

Team members are trained in state emergency management techniques. They practice drills often and meet once a month at City Hall to fine-tune their linkages.

The Sheriff's Department screens applicants before issuing identification cards.

The local chapter of the Los Angeles County Disaster Communication Service is ready to deploy its members to schools in the event of a major earthquake.

About 1,000 licensed amateur ham radio operators live in the valley. They rely on the atmosphere to bend the radio waves they use to transmit messages.

"I can have a chat with a guy in Australia using no more power than it takes to light a light bulb," Marckwardt said. He says the system is more resilient than the Internet, which can be temporarily felled by the failure of one component.

While its parts may be low-tech, ham radio operations appeal to high-tech folks.

Millionaire businessman Gregory Olsen, who recently orbited Earth on the International Space Station, talked to high school students in New York via ham radio when the station glided over Australia.

"If this mode doesn't work, if I can't talk this way, I'll find another way," said Mike Mazzetti, assistant city radio officer. "People who use cell phones just push a button."

The team maintains its own repeaters on the hills overlooking the city. Repeaters are ham radio towers that broadcast signals over a vast expanse. The units are reinforced with battery systems and seismic strapping.

"If a repeater goes down, we go to another one, talk without it, or we can put up another one," Mazzetti said. "Or drive up to a hill, put on a battery or have a solar panel."

When phone service is restored, they can pull up a chair and man the lines. The redundant communication system offers the city a crucial sense of security, said Donna Nuzzi, the city's emergency services supervisor.

"We can interface our radios with the Internet and dial up ham radio operators and repeaters all over the world," Marckwardt said.

His 5,000-watt generator ties into his home's power line. Fancy setups can cost more than $10,000, but for less than $150, an operator can set up shop. Years ago, knowledge of Morse code was essential for sending messages. Voice and other technologies, like computer-to-computer or satellite communications, have eclipsed the skill, though it is still used.

Marckwardt is concerned that young people, who are so reliant on cell phones and instant messaging, may be uninterested in learning his craft, which could eventually become obsolete.

He encourages anyone interested in learning how to operate a ham radio to call him at (661) 254-4600.

Trivia Answers

1. 30 volts

2. 11 Years

3. The D region

4. An area that is too far away for ground-wave propagation, but too close for sky-wave propagation

5 They can be easily reflected by the building

6. A stable high-pressure system

7. Troposphere

8. High-pass

9. Half the value of one inductor

10. 30 ohms

11.It takes into account the amount of time the transmitter is in operation at full power during a single transmission

12. The body's ability to absorb RF energy varies with frequency

13. Your radiated signal must be considered as part of the total RF radiation from the site when determining RF radiation exposure levels

14. FCC Part I and Office of Engineering and Technology (OET), Bulletin 65