DCARC News

Volunteers from the DeKalb County Amateur Radio Club will present amateur radio exam preparation classes on January 20 & 21, 2012.

Technician Level (beginner) classes will be held at the Fort Payne Fire Department Training Center, located on 14th St NE, Fort Payne.

General Level (must already have technician license) will be held at the DeKalb Ambulance Service as follows:

Following the exam, volunteer instructors will hold a free class offering hands-on experience in programming and use of handheld radios.

The class is sponsored by the DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency Citizen Corps, under a grant provided by Alabama Department of Homeland Security. All study materials, test materials, and exam fees will be provided free to the attendees.

Be advised that we've changed locations this year from the Fischer Rescue Squad facility to the new Jacksonville State University Little River Canyon Center on AL 35, just west of the Little River bridge on Lookout Mountain. (Many thanks to the National Park Service and Canyon Center management for offering use of their facility.)

I've posted the location on the Field Day locator page (http://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator), and the spot looks pretty accurate. I

Through the generosity of the Jacksonville State University Little River Canyon Center's management, this year's Field Day will be held on 25-26 June at their new facility on AL 35 just west of the Little River bridge on Lookout Mountain, east of Fort Payne. Directions to the site are on the Center's website (http://www.jsu.edu/epic/canyoncenter/cc_directions.html); the lat-lon coordinates are: N34.39848, W85.63462 (34.39848, -85.63462). Talk-in will be on the Fort Payne 2m repeater -- 147.27 MHz; +600 KHz offset; PL 100.0 Hz.

Ample trees are available for antenna supports in front of the building, and their restrooms and kitchen will be open to us overnight.

We plan to use our regular Field Day format: three QRP HF transmitters operating from battery/solar power and a 'free' VHF station. Station setup will begin at the facility with a safety meeting at 8:30 am on the 25th. Everyone is welcome to help set up, participate, observe, critique, or just enjoy a burger Saturday night. Typically, we have a critical shortage of folks to help log contacts and operate in the wee hours of Sunday morning, but come out anytime you can.

If you plan to stop by for dinner Saturday evening, please let me know in advance so we can have the right number of burgers and hot dogs. The main course and buns, etc. will be provided; however, if you can, please bring a side dish. Please let me know in advance if you're coming for dinner so we can have the right number of burgers and dogs on hand.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. This looks like it's going to be a good one.

Come on out and observe or operate, and enjoy dinner...or breakfast.

Cheers,
Tom Whitehurst, KC5UN/4
DCARC Field Day Commissar

At the January 2009 club meeting, the club voted the change the yearly club dues to $12.00 for regular member.

The next DCARC meeting will be held at the DeKalb Ambulance training facility. The location is near the corner of Hwy 35 and Airport Road. From the red light at 35 turn on Air Port Road, and DeKalb Ambulance is just a few buildings down on the left. The training facility is around back.

Get Your Amateur Radio Technician License!!
Become a vital link in the emergency communications community!!!
Have Fun! It¡¦s a hobby!
For details or to register call 845-8569
Soda vending machines on-site.

February 27th 2009 6-9 p.m.
February 28th 2009 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
DeKalb Ambulance Service Training Room
Airport Road, Ft. Payne

DeKALB COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
111 Grand Avenue, SW, Suite 21
Fort Payne, AL 35967
Office (256) 845-8569 ƒ³ Fax (256) 845-8790
Michael D. Leath, Director

Pre-registration recommended
CLASS LIMITED TO FIRST 30 REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS
Walk-ins will be accepted only if seating is available
Saturday afternoon test session only 2:30 p.m. all levels
No charge for class or test session.
Call, fax or email registration to ema@dekalbcountyal. us

Happy 2004! January is time to pay your yearly club dues. Full membership dues are $20.00, and family dues are $5.00 for each member after the initial full membership. The DCARC offers many great meetings, interesting activities, events, a full-featured repeater system and much more. You are welcome to join our club!

As we come to the end of 2003, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the entire DeKalb County Amateur Radio club for a job well done.

Our growth, the achievement of our club goals, and the vital contribution we are making to our community and amateur radio. These are all reasons to be proud to be a part of DeKalb County Amateur Radio club.

We had so many accomplishments in 2003, it would be impossible to list them all, but there are a few highlights that I would like to mention.

We conducted another successful swap meet. Each year bringing more friends and visitors to Fort Payne.

We provided communications throughout the year and especially in the spring assisting the EMA, NWS and local citizens. We forged new alliances with the local Red Cross and DeKalb 911

We conduced another successful field day. Everyone pulled together as a team to setup in a new location to build and sharpen our communications skills.

And the new club event of the year, the Worlds longest yard sale special event. Many club members as well as other amateurs worked together to make this event a huge success. We learned so many things from conducting this event.

We learned and demonstrated that the DeKalb County amateur Radio Club can setup, operate and maintain a communications station for nine continuous days in duration.

We learned how to tactfully handle aggressive stations trying to take over the frequencies that we using.

We learned to plan and work as a team to install six antennas, numerous radios computers and other necessary equipment for this station.

We met and built a good relationship with the State Park personnel including the new park superintendent.

We learned and improved our public relations skills talking with many non-amateur visitors about amateur radio and the club.

We learned that having spare equipment is important. We experienced and overcame several equipment problems during the special event.

On a more somber note, I ask you all to remember Jim Carnathan, KG4SSI, our fellow club member who lost his life this year. Jim was a hard working club member and a friend to many of us. In his death we learned just how giving and multi faceted Jim was. How many friends he had and the many lives he touched all in a positive way.

Ultimately, the successes we have enjoyed as a club come from the individual talent, hard work and diligence of each club member.

Next year we will have a new club president. I want everyone to get behind Penny as you have done with me. As far as I know Penny is our first woman president. I know Penny will do well.

Thank you again for your contributions throughout 2003 and please enjoy a safe and happy holiday season with your families and friends. I am looking forward to another outstanding year in 2004.

Everyone had fun at the prize winning DCARC VFW fair booth this year. Many visitors stopped by our booth and the entire fair was a great success.

The Spotter Training Course was a great success! Thanks to Tim Troutman of the National Weather Service, Huntsville!

The World's L o n g e s t Yard Sale Special Event Station was a huge success!! Over seven hundred contacts were logged for our first year. The operators and workers learned a great deal from this event. The club wishes to thank everyone that contacted our station!

Congratulations to the DCARC!! On April 2nd, 2003 we became an ARRL Affiliated Amateur Radio Club!

This affiliation will help our club do more for our community and amateur radio. We are now among 22 Alabama and over 2000 nation wide Amateur Radio clubs that are ARRL affiliated!

The 2003 storm spotter class went well! Aside from some technical difficulties with the video projector everyone learned a lot and had a good time. Sixteen people selfishly spent a couple of hours last Tuesday to learn or brush up on their severe weather skills.

After the class everyone toured the EOC radio room and talked with Ricky Little.

April is one of the our biggest severe weather times of the year, hopefully by taking this class and participating in the nets, we will be prepared.

Matt Zika from the new Huntsville weather office gave a great presentation and class for us. Barbara made a big plate of cookies and muffins for a break snack, and they were good!!! The club thanks Barbara and Mike for their efforts!!

We have scheduled the last Spotter Training Course of the spring in Fort Payne Alabama.

What a great February club meeting!! Over twenty people in attendance and everyone continues to like Ryan’s as a meeting place! Our special guest was the ARRL Southeastern Division vice-director Sandy Danahue, W4RU. Sandy passed on a message from ARRL Vice-president Joel Harrison to our club.

Barbara volunteered to be our 2003 Tailgate coordinator. Let’s help Barbara to put on the best Fort Payne Alabama tailgate yet, June 14^th Pass the word!!

New tailgate flyers was passed out and we need to advertise the tailgate every chance we get.

Penny showed a Traditional Granny Square Afghan that she made and donated to the club for a fund raiser. What a beautiful Afghan and a generous donation from Penny! The club voted to purchase raffle tickets and sell them for $2, then have the Afghan drawing at our June 14^th tailgate. Tickets will be made ASAP so everyone can start selling them!

Many special event and club logos were submitted. The special event committee will decide on a special event logo and the club will vote on a club logo at he next meeting.

What a great first club meeting for 2003! We filled up the meeting room at Ryan’s and what a great place to meet and eat! We had an eventful meeting, we received a status report from all the committees, several people paid their dues and much fun and food was had by all. The club voted to put on a NEW special event in August, more information will be announced later.

It’s my pleasure to announce the 2003 Kick-off club meeting for the DeKalb County Amateur Radio Club (DCARC)!! You are invited to join us Tuesday January 28^th, at Ryan’s in Fort Payne Alabama, 6p.m. for dinner and 7p.m. for the meeting!

And added the popular Amateur Radio news and information show, This Week In Amateur

Everyone was happy and had much fun at the activities, especially at the Club Christmas Dinner and VFW fair!!!!

Field Day, everyone had great fun, experimenting, radio operating and fabulous food!

Mentone satellite remote receiver antenna moved to the 110’ level on the tower!

Enhanced main repeater equipment and the addition of a voting system for the satellite receivers!

And, we had many interesting technical presentations and door prizes at our monthly meetings

Last year we started several committees that have worked out well. These committees give club members ownership and enable them to plan activities then present organized details to the club at regular meetings.

You are invited to join in on our fun at the DCARC! At club meetings you can learn more about all the club activities, technical topics, meet new amateurs and catch up with friends. You can also renew or begin a new club membership. Checkout our web site for much more info, photos and activities, www.dekalbamateurradio.com

Please pass this along to anyone that may be interested in our 2003 Kick-off club meeting.

The PL tones for all our satellite receivers are now set to 100Hz and they are being voted. Some adjustments are needed to make our repeater system sound it’s best and they are currently going on. Continue to use the repeater as normal.

Happy 2003! January is time to pay your yearly club dues. Full membership dues are $20.00, and family dues are $5.00 for each member after the initial full membership. The DCARC offers many great meetings, interesting activities, events, a full-featured repeater system and much more. You are welcome to join our club!

There is now a 6 meter repeater in the area that is open for amateur use. The frequency is 53.190 minus offset, PL114.8Hz. More information can be found in the repeater section of this web site.

The Fort Payne to Huntsville Alabama link in now operational. The Huntsville repeater is 442.775 PL 203.5Hz and is available 24 hours a day.

The repeater system remote receivers are currently operating and being voted on. The receivers can be accessed with a temporary tone of 114.8Hz. Soon we will have all four receivers operating on 100Hz. I appreciate your patience until this process is complete.

A great time was had by all that attended our 2002 DeKalb County Amateur Radio Club Christmas Dinner!!! The State Park Lodge offers a nice rustic Christmas location, big lobby, great restaurant and plenty of parking. DeSoto State Park, a true jewel of the Alabama State Park system!

I've though for quite some time now that a Special Event Station would be a fun and beneficial group activity. Any special event would be fun for the club and also good practice for Field Day.

The question is, what would be the best event to not only be fun and good practice, but would also bring attention to amateur radio as a whole and our group in particular. My first thought was that the longest yard sale sounds like the perfect choice.

I'm sorry that I missed the meeting. I started wondering why someone else isn't doing it. That seems to be the case with all the other Special Events. The only answer that I can come up with, and I'm sure someone pointed this out at the meeting is that it always falls on the same weekend as the Huntsville Ham fest. Decisions,!

Welcome to the DeKalb County Alabama Amateur Radio Club first official web site! We are proud to serve our community, state, country and beyond using our skills with amateur radio communications. Amateur radio a fun hobby full of rag chew enjoyment and technical experimentations, but more importantly, we support public service agencies providing communications when called upon. We hope that this web site will interest more people in Amateur Radio and our local area. Please surf through our site to learn more about our favorite community and amateur radio, feel free to visit and let us know how you liked it.