July 2014 – PADUCAH AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION

July Monthly Meeting

Monday night was our monthly meeting and we had another decent turnout with 21 in attendance.

Our 2014 W4NJA Field Day scores were passed around for everyone to view. Final FD score was 5,810, and we made 1,375 QSO’s. We also
achieved WAS this year, working the elusive Rhode Island! Congratulations and thanks to all who attended Field Day! If you haven’t seen this years scores you can check them out here.

Bruce Huyck VE, noted that those with expired Amateur licenses can take the Element 2 exam, or Technician Class, to regain their former Amateur Radio license, according to the new FCC rules. Also, the new question pool is out July 1st. Bruce added that the ARRL website has free practice exams you can take, that now refer you to the test manuals for more background theory on the questions.

Our website is now Ad-Free! On occasion our site would put an ad in the posts which was not control by the club. As of Wednesday, July 16th those ads should no longer appear.

Net control operators have been set for the next 4 weeks. To view the NCO’s click here.

Daniel, KG4JXH mentioned the 443.000 KD4DVI repeater is available and has great area coverage. All hams are encouraged to use the repeater. Also, starting this coming Thursday at 9PM on the W4NJA 147.060 repeater Daniel will be starting regular Thursday night nets. These will be general ragchew nets and any radio friendly topics are welcome.

Paul Smith also noted the second week of the ARRL Centennial and W1AW/4 Kentucky is coming up July 30, and those interested in operating in it should contact Tim Totten, N4GN via email.

Logan, KG4VKB gave an excellent presentation on Echolink. For those not familiar with Echolink it is a computer-based Amateur Radio system distributed free of charge that allows radio amateurs to communicate with other amateur radio operators using Voice over IP (VoIP) technology on the Internet for at least part of the path between them. For more information on Echolink visit their website at this location. Thanks again Logan, great job.

Get on the radio!

73’s Rob KC9VFV

Rules & Regulations

Co-sponsor HR.4969, the “Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014”

HR.4969 would require the FCC, within 120 days of the Bill’s passage, to amend the Part 97 Amateur Service rules to apply PRB-1coverage to include homeowners’ association regulations and deed restrictions, often referred to as “covenants, conditions, and restrictions” (CC&Rs). PRB-1 states that local governments cannot preclude Amateur Radio communications; they must “reasonably accommodate” amateur operations, and the state and local regulations must be the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish a legitimate governmental interest.

Presently, PRB-1 only applies to state and local zoning laws and ordinances. Since PRB-1 was enacted, the FCC has said several times that it would prefer to have some guidance from Congress before extending the policy to private land-use regulations. HR.4969 will provide that guidance, and give PRB-1 the force of Federal law.

Radio amateurs, while providing a valuable and necessary service to their communities, are frequently and increasingly precluded from installing necessary equipment (antennas, coax, etc) by unreasonable private land-use restrictions, including restrictive CC&R covenants. The net effect of HR.4969 passage will be to suppress those unreasonable restrictions and allow licensed amateurs to install reasonable equipment for practicing our hobby and having the means to serve our communities.

Sign Petition

Field Day

Field Day Update

W4NJA Field Day Score Update

Our 2014 Total Estimated Score will be:

Bonus Points 1,230

QSO Score 4,468

GOTO Score 112

——

Total 2014 Estimate 5,810

Historical Analysis

Year QSOs Score

2014 1,375 5,810

2013 1,965 7,380

2012 1,317 5,118

2011 1,292 4,748

2010 1,281 4.402

2009 921 3,762