Do you have a general or advanced class amateur radio license? Would you
be interested in upgrading to an Extra Class license?

The Grand Rapids Amateur Radio Association will hold an Extra Class
License class this winter on Wednesday nights starting on January 4,
2012 at 7:00 PM for ten weeks. On March 14th, the 11th week, there  will
be an official ARRL Extra License testing session. The cost will be $20
for the classes and you should have a copy of the ARRL Extra Class Manual.

The class will be held at the American Red Cross Building, 1050 Fuller
Avenue, Grand Rapids.

More information at http://www.w8dc.org/

A direct link to sign up for the class:
      http://tinyurl.com/2012ExtraClass

If you have any questions or would like more information, you may
contact the instructor:

Tom Bosscher, K8TB at 616-662-1080 or email k8tb@....

 

My Christmas Letter..

 

I don't want much for Christmas, I just want the person reading this to be happy .

Friends are the fruit cake of life- some nutty, some soaked in alcohol,some sweet but mix them together and they're my friends.

Send this to all your fruit cakes.

 

God Bless

73s
Jim
KC8PCJ
In God I Trust.
If there no Light at the end of the tunnel, Just march right down there and turn it on.

Each year I marvel at reports from the New Years Day fox hunts in Manchester,
Connecticut.  See http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ctfoxhunter/

This year they had eleven teams and they all finished to find some hot turkey
soup at the end.  Length:  4.6 air miles.  Weather: sunny and (sort-of) cold.

Some year, we should probably try something like the Manchester hunt.  It looks
like they have a lot of fun!

Nuts...Let's not do not something LIKE it...

		 LET'S DO THE MANCHESTER HUNT NEXT YEAR !!

This could be the reason I have to miss out on going to my In-laws
next Xmas...

Great Plan, Mike !

=======================  JHR  ==========================



On 1/3/2012 11:01 AM, W8DER wrote:
>
> Each year I marvel at reports from the New Years Day fox hunts in Manchester,
Connecticut.

> Some year, we should probably try something like the Manchester hunt.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From the Netherlands, there is a ham who has introduced an updated
version of a doppler DF unit. You can use the same antennas that are
used for the Ramsey, build up his simple board, and plug it into your
laptop, and use his free program.

      Even though I enjoy manual beam hunting, I'm going to contact him
to see if I can if he supplies a PC board. This could be a good jammer
hunter project. We could also park these at fixed locations and loot at
them via the 'net.

http://www.pi4wag.nl/index.php/pseudo-doppler-radio-direction-finder

      73 es dust off those beams..

             tom k8tb

> On 2/14/2012 1:30 PM, Terry Dunlap wrote:
>> Is it April 1st yet?
>>
>> http://news.discovery.com/tech/spray-on-wi-fi-120214.html
>>
>> 73 de Terry KK6T
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk@...
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk@...
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>

The mountains east of San Diego, California will be the site of USA's annual
championships of on-foot transmitter hunting during the week and weekend after
Memorial Day, 2012.

Activities will get under way on Wednesday and Thursday, May 30 - 31, when an
optional two-day "training camp" will take place.  The official championships
opening will take place on Friday, June 1 with practice and equipment testing
sessions. The two-meter contest will take place on Saturday, June 2, after which
all will gather for a banquet in the evening.  Sunday's schedule includes the
80-meter contest and an awards ceremony, timed to end in mid-afternoon to
accommodate those who must hurry home.

Primary sponsor of the Twelfth USA ARDF Championships is the Los Angeles
Orienteering Club.  Chair of the organizers is Marvin Johnston KE6HTS.

These championships are a qualifying event for ARDF Team USA, which is forming
to compete at the Sixteenth IARU ARDF World Championships in Serbia during
September.  Team members will be selected based on performance in these 2012 USA
Championships and the 2011 USA Championships near Albuquerque.

National ARDF Championships are for individuals only.  No teaming or assistance
on the course is permitted.  Participants are divided into six age categories
for males and five age categories for females in accordance with standard IARU
rules.  Medals for first, second and third places will be awarded in each
category on each band.

Even if you have never competed in an ARDF event before, you are welcome at the
USA and IARU Region 2 Championships.  The courses will be open to all, beginner
and expert alike, with or without a ham radio license. USA's best foxtailers are
expected to attend and they are always helpful to newcomers.  The training camp
is an outstanding opportunity and highly recommended for first-timers.

The official event Web page will be available soon with lodging information and
registration forms.  In the meantime, the latest information is posted at
www.homingin.com.  For questions and regular updates, you can subscribe to a
special group mailing list for participants and others interested in these
championships by sending e-mail to usa2012ardf-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Joe Moell K0OV
USA ARDF Coordinator
www.homingin.com
k0ov@...

www.google.com

      Every ham will enjoy this.

It is Heinrich Hertz's 155th birthday...

                   tom k8tb

Yup!  It's time again.
It's time to dust off that old tape measure antenna and get ready for the first
fox hunt of the year.

Don't miss the MARCH FOX HUNT, Saturday, March 31, 2012 from 9:00
AM to 11:00 AM.

Starting Location is the Family Fare parking lot at the intersection of 28th
Avenue and Port Sheldon in Hudsonville/Jenison.

Your Fox team will be K8JHR and AJ8W, the winners of the "Almost Halloween" Fox
Hunt.

More information to come.  Also see http://www.MichiganFoxHunter.com  for
updates.

We are hoping for your inputs on the proposed additional fox hunting frequencies
as described on the http://www.michiganfoxhunter.com web site.

Please let us know what you think -- here or email to
frequencies@...

Mike

We have posted more information about the March 31st fox hunt on the
http://www.michiganfoxhunter.com website.

(How can they have two foxes on one frequency?)

> [Reply only to k8je@...]
>
> Please contact me regarding the following request -- Jim, k8je@...
>
> Do you live in a community that is covered by CC&Rs?  Have you been
> prevented from putting up an outdoor antenna (wire, vertical or beam)
> whether on HF, VHF or UHF?  Has this inability to put up an antenna
> prevented you from participating fully in emergency communications
> activities during disasters?  If your answer is yes, ARRL wants to hear
> about your experience.  What you encountered and the difficulty it
> presented to you in providing public support/emergency communications
> service may be the information needed to help amateurs get relief from
> overly restrictive CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions) in home
> purchase or lease contracts.
>
> A provision of Public Law 112-96 instructs the FCC, in the context of
> Amateur Radio emergency communications capabilities, to conduct a study
> to identify, among other things, “impediments to enhanced amateur
> radio service communications, such as the effects of unreasonable or
> unnecessary private land use restrictions on residential antenna
> installations.”  The FCC will be seeking input very soon, but because
> time will be short we are asking you to begin thinking about it now.  We
> are particularly looking for stories about situations in which you as an
> Amateur Radio operator could have provided valuable service through
> Amateur Radio but your assistance either was prevented or diminished
> because of overly restrictive CC&Rs.  We know situations of this type
> have occurred during power outage, snowstorm, tornado, flood,
> earthquake and other crisis relief effort.  If you are willing to write
> to the FCC about your experience, please let me know.  We are not ready
> at this moment to ask for letters, but a request for them will come
> very soon.  If you need help in composing your letter, this help will
> be given to you.
>
> Please be aware that our request for letters does not relate to actions
> taken by a branch of government such as a city, township or county.  The
> letters will relate only to limitations placed by home-owners
> associations and similar private groups on the installation of outdoor
> antennas.
>
> If you or someone you know has had overly restrictive CC&Rs prevent you
> from responding to or seriously limited your ability to help during
> relief operations, please let me know.  If you are willing, please
> include your telephone number so I or another ARRL official can call
> you if this proves desirable.
>
> Over the years, many members have asked when ARRL is going get some
> relief from overly restrictive CC&Rs.  The answer is that the League
> has been trying different approaches to accomplish this.  Now that
> Congress has mandated a study of the problem we have an opportunity to
> document it.  The study itself will not make the problem go away but
> should provide a public policy basis for the relief we need.  The time
> is rapidly approaching for you who have experienced the heavy hand of
> oppressive CC&Rs to come forward to help transform them into reasonable
> guidelines.
>
> Tnx es 73,
>
> Jim
>
> Jim Weaver, K8JE
> Director, Great Lakes Division
> 5065 Bethany Rd.
> Mason, OH 45040
> Tel. 513-459-1661; e-mail K8JE@...
> ARRL:  The reason Amateur Radio Is
> Members:  The reason ARRL is
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> ARRL Great Lakes Division
> Director: James E Weaver, K8JE
> k8je@...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> To unsubscribe from messages, go to:
> http://p1k.arrl.org/oo/13bd674b184c29d3f9efc8f4e87315b3

Well here it is, the first hunt of the season, and my hunting license has been
revoked for tomorrow. My chances for putting more food into the freezer are
lost. I need to op a funeral at 1100.

Laryn K8TVZ

 

Well here it is, the first hunt of the season, and my hunting license has been revoked for tomorrow. My chances for putting more food into the freezer are lost. I need to op a funeral at 1100.

Laryn K8TVZ

I won't be there, either...   but I am sure they won't
              even SAY they miss ME !



===================   K8JHR  ==========================


On 3/30/2012 8:42 PM, K8TB wrote:
> Gee Laryn, we'll miss you. Ya, that's it. We will say we will miss
> you... :)
>
> ol tom k8tb
>
___________________________________________________

At last Saturday's Michigan Section ARRL Amateur Radio Leadership
Workshop in Kalamazoo, it was suggested that we start a new Yahoo
Discussion Group to further our efforts to grow the ham radio hobby.
Dan, KB6NU, took on this task and as of this morning, the new Yahoo
Group is Active.  Dan's description reads as follows:


"This group is for amateur radio operators interested in becoming better
leaders of their amateur radio clubs, especially those who have attended
an Amateur Radio Leadership Workshop. We will discuss a wide range of
topics, including:
- Why amateur radio clubs exist.
- How to recruit and retain members.
- How to organize amateur radio clubs."

We hope that everyone interested in ham radio leadership will join and
contribute their ideas.  A link to the site is below.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/amateurRadioLeadership/

Fox Hunters,

I'm happy to say that the Arduino Robo-Fox is ready to go, so this will
be a two transmitter hunt.  The Robo-Fox will be set to go off at 9:00
and I will transmit right after that at 9:01 to signal the start.  I may
not be in my vehicle but you will be able to tell it is me.  The object
should be to find the Robo first and remember the number that will
be on the top, as proof of finding the Robo.  Happy hunting.
Larry De Blaay WD8PAP de Saturday's FOX

For more information, see http://www.michiganfoxhunter.com

The Monroe County Radio Communications Association has released their
schedule of Fox Hunts:

http://nic-nac-project.org/~bcspro/

Six hunts are planned, and, these are nice folks, and they are very
good. Choose your weapons, er, antennas carefully.



MCRCA 2012 Fox Hunt Schedule

Hunt 1 May 26
Hunt 2 June 9
Hunt 3 July 14
Hunt 4 August 11
Hunt 5 September 8
Hunt 6 October 13

JOIN THE FUN !!!

What: MCRCA Foxhunt
When: Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 9:00 am � 12:00 pm
Where: American Red Cross (where we have our monthly MCRCA meetings)
1645 N Dixie Hwy
Monroe, MI 48162-5231
Who: MCRCA members, friends, family, curious onlookers, or anyone
interested in foxhunting

Equipment necessary: 2 meter radio set to 146.46 MHz (simplex)

Advanced equipment could include (but not limited to � limited only by
your imagination):
Directional antenna
Attenuator
Map of Monroe County
Compass
Protractor and straight edge for drawing on the map

Basic instructions:

o We will start in the parking lot at the Red Cross where you will be
given instructions for the foxhunt.
o We will divide into teams in a random fashion.
o Each team will be given a sealed envelope � make sure it stays sealed!!
o Inside this envelope will be the location of where the fox is located.
o Your job is to find the fox without reliance on these instructions.
o If you open the envelope you will receive the same points as those who
do not find the fox.
o On the outside of the envelope, write the call signs of the member of
your team.
o Use the names of individuals who are not licensed.
o Write the starting mileage on your vehicle to the nearest 1/10th of a
mile.
o If your odometer does not support 1/10th mile increments, use your
trip odometer.
o The fox will transmit on 146.46 at one minute intervals (1 minute on
and one minute off)
o Determine the direction of that transmission and find the location of
the fox.
o When you find the fox, record your ending mileage on the envelope (the
one that is hopefully still sealed)
o You will be given instructions for a place to go so others do not see
you.
o The team that finds the fox in the least amount of mileage is the
winner � regardless of how long it takes (within the time limit of the
hunt).
o Points will be awarded to each member of the team as follows:

Place Points

1st-----------7 This team will be the fox at the next hunt
2nd----------4
3rd-----------3
4th and up----2
DNF---------1
The Fox------3

o If you don�t find the fox by the end time of the hunt (12:00 pm) open
the envelope and go to the fox.
o Points awarded will be accumulated for the season contest.
We are here to have fun. Be safe. Promote amateur radio to those who may
not have their ticket yet.

Hope to see you all there !!!

Registrations are now being accepted for USA's annual championships of on-foot
transmitter hunting, which will take place during the week and weekend after
Memorial Day.  The site will be the forests near Mt. Laguna Village, about 45
miles east of San Diego.

Activities will get under way on Wednesday and Thursday, May 30 - 31, when an
optional two-day "training camp" will take place.  The official championships
opening will take place on Friday, June 1 with practice and equipment testing
sessions. The two-meter contest will take place on Saturday, June 2, after which
all will gather for a banquet in the evening.  Sunday's schedule includes the
80-meter contest and an awards ceremony, timed to end in mid-afternoon to
accommodate those who must hurry home.

Even if you have never competed in a formal ARDF event before, you are welcome
at the USA and IARU Region 2 Championships.  The courses will be open to all,
beginner and expert alike, with or without a ham radio license.  USA's best are
expected to attend and they are always helpful to newcomers.  The training camp
is an outstanding opportunity and highly recommended for first-timers.

National ARDF Championships are for individuals only.  No teaming or assistance
on the course is permitted.  Participants are divided into six age categories
for males and five age categories for females in accordance with standard IARU
rules.  Medals for first, second and third places will be awarded in each
category on each band.

The official event Web page at www.homingin.com has the registration form.  It
is important for participants to register right away. The organizers need an
accurate head count and assurances that there will be sufficient attendees. 
It's also important to make reservations now if you want to stay at the event
headquarters, which is Laguna Mountain Lodge.  (Nearby camping is also
available.)

Transportation and lodging information is on the event Web page, as well as the
daily schedule, competition rules, transmitter and map information.  For
questions and regular updates, you can subscribe to a group mailing list for
participants and others interested in these championships.

If you have been attending and enjoying your local on-foot transmitter hunting
sessions, it's time now to take the next step.  We look forward to seeing you at
the USA Championships!

Joe Moell K0OV
USA ARDF Coordinator
www.homingin.com
k0ov@...

Anybody going to Dayton?

 

Anybody going to Dayton?

We are leaving Thursday night to drive down and then camping out there. I am
going to try and find a nice attenuator and perhaps stop by the foxhunting
forum. We are hoping to have another foxhunt this fall here in Petoskey in
conjunction with our swap.

73
Dirk - KG8JK

--- In MichiganFoxHunter@yahoogroups.com, W8DER <mike@...> wrote:
>
> Yes, I will be in Dayton!  I have to drop my wife off in Columbus and I
> am on my own!
>
> Mike@...
>
> Check out the great plug that the Grand Rapids Guys got in the May 2012
> CQ Magazine, page 33, 34.
>
> On 5/8/2012 12:46 PM, kg8jk wrote:
> >
> > Anybody going to Dayton?
> >
> >
>

 

We are leaving Thursday night to drive down and then camping out there. I am going to try and find a nice attenuator and perhaps stop by the foxhunting forum. We are hoping to have another foxhunt this fall here in Petoskey in conjunction with our swap.

73
Dirk - KG8JK

-

The BCARC will hold it's first Fox Hunt of the year on Tuesday, May 15. The hunt
will commence from the Branch County 911 Communications Center located at 141 E.
Chicago Rd near the airport on US 12 on the West side of Coldwater. Instructions
at 1845 with the first Fox transmission at 1900. Time limit 1.5 hours and this
is a competitive hunt where all teams complete with each other. Helmets and pads
optional.

First team to locate the fox within the time frame wins. Also there will be a
2nd and 3rd place winner as well. This hunt does not consider mileage - - -
fastest team to locate the fox without speeding tickets will be the winner.

We hope to see you there!

Questions or comments to wb8r@...

Get the beams ready. We will be having another Fox Hunt.

At 1 pm, after you have spent all your money at the IRA swap this Saturday,
(www.w8ira.org), one of the areas most consistent fox hunters will be,
well, hiding.

K8TVZ. You've heard of him. Now, you will have to find him.

This will not be a "find the floating bottle in the Grand River" type
hunt. Laryn will be transmit clean and mean. OK, clean.

Find Mike, W8DER and the others around 12:30 pm or 12:45 pm to check in
and have your mileage logged.

Normal frequency of 145.53 Mhz.

See you there.

      Tom K8TB