Georgia Section On My Mind

August, 2006

Greetings, All.

Not much to report in the way of July Highlights or Club News this month. The highlight for Team Swiderski was a long-overdue vacation trip to Maryland, (and YES, you CAN "go home again", though it's a little gut-wrenching to travel the by-ways of your childhood and face all the ghosts of those people, places, and times that have changed or are long gone) which meant that we didn't make it to our usual round of club meetings here in Georgia. There was a tailgating Hamfest in Gainesville, sponsored by the Lanierland ARC while we were gone, and though I didn't hear any reports on it, I know that it was another fun and successful event.

Just a couple of items to mention before getting on with the newsletter: the really cool-looking GA Piglet tee shirts are now available, and can be ordered from our www.arrl-ga.org website. I should also have some of them with me at the Ellijay Hamfest, (August 12) so you can come see me there to buy your shirts, and save yourself the shipping and handling costs, to boot. Kermit said, "It's not easy being green", but it'd sure be great to see an ocean of these cheerful lime green shirts on all of our young and young-at-heart attendees at future Hamfests and ham activities around Georgia. It's a great way to show support for our young hams. As it says on the back of these shirts, "Amateur Radio Rocks!" So do these shirts. Get 'em for your kids, your grandkids, yourself. I love mine.

Talking about young hams, the time has come to get those nominations in for this year's GA Section Youth of the Year Award, which I like to lovingly call, "The Golden Piglet". We have a lot of terrific young hams all over the state, and this is one way to recognize them and thank them for their participation and contributions to the hobby. Whether you're nominating yourself, your child, grandchild, or an outstanding young ham in your local ham club or ARES group, we urge you, please, to take the time to submit that application. More details can be found under the "Piglets" section of this newsletter, and you can find a downloadable nomination form on our website.

This month's one-liners fall under the category of "Little Known Computer Viruses". OK, folks, let's get on with it and see what's been happening, and what's coming up right around the corner...

PAUL REVERE VIRUS:
This revolutionary virus does not horse around. It warns you of an impending hard disc attack....
one if by LAN, two if by C.

CLUB NEWS

BILL GREMILLION MEMORIAL RC --- Some club members will be teaching a technician class for the benefit of GA Defense Force members on August 19-20, at the National Guard Armory in Newnan, followed by a VE session.

COLUMBIA COUNTY ARC --- The highlight of the July meeting involved a "show and tell" of various 2 meter antennas that had been built by some of the club members. There were a couple of diamond antennas, and a couple of J poles, and then there was this one other antenna... That "one other antenna" was probably the cheapest (make that "economical"....) to build, and was definitely the most unique build of them all. It was designed and built by LEE DAVIS, WD4PEL, who chose to re-cycle his empty V-8 cans into a second life as an antenna. Six cans were soldered together, with a 19" whip on top. SWR was reasonable, too. Cool, huh? (Gee, do you think that qualifies as a "beverage antenna"??)The best SWR readings across the 2M band were achieved by the J Pole that had been built by J.C. CRAWFORD, W4QK.

GWINNETT ARS --- At the July meeting, ANDREA HARTLAGE, KG4IUM, our ASM for Youth, gave a presentation on all of the great Youth Activities (which she, by the way, coordinated!) at this year's Dayton Hamvention. (sorry we missed it!) Coming up at the August meeting, ROBIN CUTSHAW, AA4RC, will be providing a program on all you ever wanted to know about AMSAT, but were afraid to ask. Plans are also underway for next year's TechFest, which has been scheduled for January 13.

MILLEDGEVILLE ARC --- Club elections were held on July 15, and CONGRATULATIONS go out to these newly, duly elected officers: President- CHARLES PENNINGTON, K4GK; VP- HERB INGLES, W1DOG; Secretary-Treasurer- BILL MILLS, KC4AA; and Repeater/ Callsign Trustee- HERB INGLES, W1DOG. Best wishes for a fun and successful year.

THOMASVILLE ARC --- Field Day was even more fun than usual this year for these folks, as they were joined by an exuberant group of youngsters, AKA the "Hamsters", all of whom are working on getting their licenses. (Nothing like the excitement and curiosity of young people to help us see things through "new eyes") Thanks to the gentle Elmering provided by many of these club members, two of the Hamsters are now licensed, and the others came reeeeeal close at the VE session provided by the club. Coming up at the August 5 meeting, members will be learning all about digital communications in a program presented by PAUL EAKIN, KJ4G.

CLUB LEADERS, WANT SOME HELP? Check this out for some helpful resources for your club: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/resources-for%20clubs.html There's a LOT of terrific information here, including access to information on newly licensed hams in your area. Access to the New Amateur page is through Members Only, and is restricted to the club president, contact person and newsletter editor of affiliated clubs. Contacting new hams in your area to welcome them to the hobby and to invite them to your club meetings and activities is a great way to help grow your club's membership.

AT&T VIRUS: Every three minutes, it tells you what great service you are getting.

HAMCRUISE UPDATE

Back in February, I shared some information with you about something called Ham Radio Cruise 2006, which will be a seven-day cruise, from December 3-10, leaving from Fort Lauderdale, FL, on the Caribbean Princess, and going to the Eastern Caribbean. This has been organized BY a ham, VERNON FIX, W4THN, and it's been organized specifically FOR hams, with amateur radio stations being onboard, as well as various ham activities and forums. As if that weren't enough, Bermuda has already agreed to provide free operating licenses to the hams on this cruise. More than 60 hams have already signed up to have a little fun in the sun with their fellow hams on this cruise, and Vernon wanted me to remind you all about this great opportunity once again, and to let you know that the cutoff date for taking advantage of the special rates being offered to hams is September 4. (After that, the prices will go up) For more information, see www.hamradiocruise2006.com

MCI VIRUS: Every three minutes, it reminds you that you're paying too much for the AT%T virus.

ARES NEWS

CENTRAL DISTRICT NEWS --- CHRIS EDWARDS, AE4XO, will be teaching a class for all interested ARES members on Saturday, August 5, beginning at about 10AM, at the Medical Center in Milledgeville, instructing them on the usage of digital modes like APRS and WinLink.

GWINNETT COUNTY ARES --- The July meeting included a very informative presentation on pandemic flu. We've all heard that the probability of another occurrence is very high, but did you know that there are some things that you can do to prepare for it, and to better protect yourself and your families? See www.pandemicflu.gov for more information.

JONES COUNTY ARES --- CONGRATULATIONS to newly appointed EC HERB INGLES, W1DOG, and many thanks to him for taking on this new position.

PAULDING/DOUGLAS COUNTY ARES --- EMORY GORDY, W4WRO, has done a fine job these past few months as the EC for this fine and growing group. But, as he put it, he is now faced with an "opportunity of a lifetime" and must step away from ARES for a while so that he can take full advantage of that opportunity. THANKS, Emory, for all that you've done, and we all wish you the very best of luck with your new challenge. Stepping up to take over the position of EC is the very capable DAVE FULLER, K4DMF, who commented that Emory had left some very big shoes to fill. (Well, that may be, but Dave has some pretty big feet himself....) Thanks, Dave; we all appreciate your willingness to serve.

THOMAS COUNTY ARES --- In the middle of July, when an elderly man with dementia wandered off from his home and remained missing overnight, EC MIKE BROWN, KE4FGF, and his fledgling ARES group were put to the test. And they passed with flying colors. At the request of BILL SCHMITT, KI4JOG, one of the Search and Rescue team members, the Command Post contacted Mike to provide ham support. Mike and BUDDY PEEPLES, WD4CJI, immediately responded to the request, and ably proved that the communications provided by amateur radio was far superior to that provided by the FRS units used by other rescue team members. (Not a big surprise) As a result, a couple of the K-9 S&R members have since requested help with getting their amateur radio licenses. That's great news. And even greater? The gentleman was found, a bit dehydrated, but otherwise, safe and sound. Mike noted that, "Amateur radio gear may be added to the Command Post, now, in order to enable the Thomas county ARES folks to get on the air even faster in the future. Following the stand-down after the man was located, the Director requested our help to better lay out and rig out HIS radio gear as it didn't perform as well as he'd hoped and we also were told we could add our own equipment to the Command Trailer's Communications room so our deployment when needed could also move quicker." A happy ending, all the way around. It's also of some interest that the Thomas county ARES group spans county, and even state lines, drawing its membership from Thomas, Grady, and Decatur counties in Georgia, as well as the Florida counties of Leon and Jefferson. These guys know how to "get 'er done"!

NEW ADEC --- ROBIN CUTSHAW, AA4RC, has accepted the position of assistant DEC for Georgia Public Broadcasting, and will be helping GPB DEC JOHN DAVIS, WB4QDX, with the task of matching up radio clubs and ARES groups with GPB tower usage. It's quite a task, and our thanks go out to both John and Robin for their hard work to benefit the amateur community and improve statewide communications capabilities in times of emergencies.

*** CHARLES PENNINGTON, K4GK, announced on the Statewide ARES net (Sundays at 6PM, on 3.975 MHz) that the FIRST Sunday of every month has been designated as "emergency power" day. ALL are welcome to check into the net, but members are encouraged to use an emergency power source, and to say what that source is when checking into the net. This provides you with another regular opportunity to test those batteries and generators, etc. GREAT idea!

*** REMINDER: The metro Atlanta district ARES net is held on the first Sunday of every month at 4 PM, on the 146.820 repeater. (And thanks again to the Atlanta ARC for the use of their repeater.)

*** This information came from multiple sources, and it regards a new website operated by the state of Georgia that provides a multitude of information about emergencies and disasters. See http://www.georgia911.org/

GOVERNMENT ECONOMIST VIRUS:
Nothing works, but all your diagnostic software says that everything is just fine.

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH

For the third straight year, Homeland Security has declared September to be National Preparedness Month, and will work together with a host of public and private sector organizations to sponsor this important effort. The major purpose of it is to encourage Americans to become aware and better prepared for emergencies in their homes, their businesses, and their schools. This year's focus will be on family emergency preparedness, and so far, more than 200 national, regional, state and local organizations have already agreed to take part, including the ARRL.

The newly updated Ready Campaign Web site is available at www.ready.gov. Ready, a national public service advertising campaign was launched in February 2003 to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies. The campaign encourages individuals to use www.ready.gov to learn how to get an emergency supply kit, make a family emergency plan, and be better informed about the types of emergencies that are most likely to occur in their area.

AMATEUR RADIO PUBLIC AWARENESS DAY will be observed on September 16. Maybe your club or ARES group could start making arrangements NOW to set up an amateur radio demonstration somewhere in your community that day? And don't forget the ARRL Simulated Emergency Test (October 7 -8, a focal point weekend) among other events -- as a demonstration of Amateur Radio's readiness and active role in National Preparedness Month, 2006.

NPM leaders have stressed that, although September is the month to focus on, preparedness activities and events (personal and community) are encouraged at any time. Being prepared isn't just a one-month event; at best, it's an ongoing state of being.

FREUDIAN VIRUS: your computer becomes obsessed with its own motherboard.

ARES REPORT DE DSEC STAN EDWARDS, WA4DYD

The following is reported for June 2006:

Membership: 1,218 Change since last month: 37

Total Net Sessions: 109
Drills, Tests, Training Sessions: 124 Man-hours: 2,668
Public Service Events: 11 Man-hours: 282
Emergency Operations: 7 Man-hours: 276
Misc. Events: 23 Man-hours: 612

Total Events: 165 Total Man-hours: 3,838

Reporting by District:

West Central 100.0%
Metro Atlanta 81.8%
Northwest 46.2%
Southeast 21.4%
Central 20.0%
Southwest 15.0%
East Central 14.3%
Northeast 13.3%

Total Reporting 23.4%

The following jurisdictions reported for April: Bartow, Bibb, Butts, Carroll, Charlton, Clarke/Madison, Clayton/Hentry, Cobb, DeKalb, Dodge, Douglas/Paulding, Effingham, Fayette, Floyd, Fulton-North, Gilmer, Grady/Thomas, Gwinnett, Hall, Houston, Lee, Murray/Whitfield, Muscogee, Newton, Peach, Polk, Rockdale, Toombs, Ware, Washington, Wayne, and Worth.

ADAM AND EVE VIRUS: Takes a couple of bytes out of your Apple.

NET REPORT DE JIM HANNA, AF4NS, STM

PUBLIC SERVICE HONOR ROLL

STATION ACTIVITY REPORTS

Traffic handled (QTC):

***SID "HUTCH" HUTCHINSON, WB4GGS, one of the hottest fists in Georgia, earned himself yet another listing in QST's Brass Pounders column, with 252 messages sent, 250 received, and 2 delivered.

*****NOTE: Don't forget the South CARS net, which meets every day from 8 AM until 10 AM and again from noon until 2PM, on 7.251 MHz. A friendly, welcoming group of folks. Especially great company while on the road. I understand that a Trader's Net meets on this same frequency on Wednesday mornings at 10 AM.

***** Other GREAT nets:
QCWA: Saturdays at 9AM on 3.8575 MHz
SE 6M SSB Net: Sundays at 9 PM on 50.145 MHz
SE AM Net: Tuesdays at 7:30 PM on 3885 kc (AM nets ALWAYS meet on kcs...)
Hole in the Wall Net: Wednesdays at 9 PM on 50.135 MHz

"In days of old, when ops were bold and sideband not invented, the words were passed by pounding brass,
and all were quite contented." Anonymous

POINTS TO PONDER

The reports on RILEY HOLLINGSWORTH's address at this year's Dayton Hamvention indicate that he still has some concerns about some of the on-the-air behavior demonstrated by some of our fellow amateurs. So, it's time for a re-run of some of Riley's "Words of Wisdom", as presented in a similar address at the Hamvention in 2002:

1. Amateur radio spectrum is valuable.

2. We have vast privileges regarding mode, power and activities, whether contests or nets or DX or just talking.

3. Most of the world either hates us, or thinks we're rotten and don't appreciate anything we have, and those countries have ONE VOTE at International radio meetings, just like us.

4. There wouldn't be an Amateur Radio Service if it weren't supported by the governments of the world as a whole.

5. We should operate as if someone listening to us would want to find out how to become an Amateur Radio operator, not be turned off by it, laugh at us, or turn the receiver off in disgust.

6. We DON'T really have to keep any of this in mind... we do only if we want Amateur Radio to survive and if we want to pass on this wonderful legacy in at least as good a shape as we got it.

7. For screwing around, there's many alternatives, such as CB, Internet, Walkie Talkies from Toys R Us, and Gameboys.

"We can't regulate stupid." Bill Cross, W3TM, FCC

TEXAS VIRUS: Makes sure that it's bigger than any other file.

NEW EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS BILL INCLUDES ROLE FOR HAMS

The following is from the July 28 ARRL Newsletter, and it bears repeating, to be sure that all of you have seen it:

A bill to enhance emergency communication at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) includes Amateur Radio operators as part of an overall effort to provide interoperability among responders. The 21st Century Emergency Communications Act of 2006 (HR 5852), an amendment to the Homeland Security Act of 2002, passed the US House this week on a 414-2 vote and has gone to the Senate. Its sponsor, Rep David G. Reichert (R-WA) -- who chairs the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Science and Technology -- says his legislation is designed "to improve the ability of emergency responders to communicate with each other" -- interoperability.

"Until the events of September 11, 2001, many people in this nation believed and assumed that first responders from different disciplines and jurisdictions could actually talk to each other," Reichert -- a former police officer -- told the House in support of his bill. "It wasn't happening. It is still not happening today. Unfortunately, that was not the case then, and, as demonstrated by the inadequate responses to Hurricane Katrina, that is not the case today."

Reichert told his colleagues that the inability of first responders to communicate with each another effectively led to the loss of many lives along the US Gulf Coast last year. "This is simply unacceptable," he said.

His measure also would require the DHS to strengthen its efforts to improve emergency communications. HR 5852 calls for Amateur Radio operators to be part of a "Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Group"(RECC Working Group) that would be attached to each regional Department of Homeland Security office. The RECC Working Groups would advise federal and state homeland security officials.

In addition to radio amateurs, membership in the RECC Working Groups would include state and local officials; law enforcement, first responders such as fire departments; 911 centers; hospitals; ambulance services; communications
equipment vendors, telephone, wireless satellite, broadband and cable service providers; public utilities; broadcasters; emergency evacuation transit services; state emergency managers, homeland security directors or representatives of state administrative agencies; local emergency managers or homeland security directors, and "other emergency response providers or emergency support providers as deemed appropriate."

Federal government representatives to the RECC Working Groups would include representatives from the DHS "and other federal departments and agencies with responsibility for coordinating interoperable emergency communications" with state, local, and tribal governments.

According to the bill, the RECC Working Groups would function to assess the survivability, sustainability, and interoperability of local emergency communications systems to meet the goals of the National Emergency Communications Report. That report would recommend how the US could "accelerate the deployment of interoperable emergency communications nationwide."

The RECC Working Groups also would be tasked with ensuring a process to coordinate the establishment of "effective multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency emergency communications networks" that could be brought into play following acts of terrorism, natural disasters and other emergencies.

HR 5852 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

KEVORKIAN VIRUS: Helps your computer shut down whenever it wants to.

PLANNING A SCHOOL RADIO DEMONSTRATION

The hot summer days will be with us for quite some time, but for most of Georgia's students, the school's summer vacation will be drawing to an end very soon. That means that maybe, just maybe, it's time to start thinking about visiting some of those local schools to introduce students to the joys of amateur radio. Each school year provides new students and new challenges. The following article may not be new, but it is timely. Hopefully, some of these simple tips will get your minds a-thinkin' about how your club members can set up a radio demo at your local school. If any of you have any additional tips or suggestions to offer, I'd love to hear from you, so I can share your insights with the rest of our Georgia hams. In the meantime, this is what I learned some time ago, based on my experiences here in Gwinnett county:

1. My first step, as president of Gwinnett Amateur Radio Society, was to talk to someone who'd had prior experience in doing a school demonstration. PICKETT CUMMINS, AD4S, suggested that we target middle schools, since the elementary school students may not have the interest or the attention span, especially in the earlier grades, and the high schoolers have multiple extracurricular pulls on their time already, plus of course, that time-consuming new-found interest in the opposite sex. Of course, amateur radio demonstrations can and have been done successfully in both elementary and in high schools, but in a county like Gwinnett, which has a huge number of schools, we agreed to focus on the middle schools. In some counties, with a smaller pool of schools, the decision may differ.

2. Form a team. Before contacting any schools, it's wise to recruit a solid team of amateur radio operators who are able and willing to participate. I was blessed with an amazing response, with quite a few who even agreed to take a day's vacation from work (or school) in order to be a member of the team. We also had a number of retirees.

3. Be flexible. You and your team must be able to adapt to the desires and expectations of the individual school. You may be requested to do an all-day, multi-station exercise for hordes of young people, requiring many volunteers, or you may be allotted only 45 minutes to work with one small group of students, which can be handled by one or two volunteers. Having a committed pool of volunteers with varying areas of expertise allows you to be much more flexible.

4. Let your fingers do the walking. Now that you have a team of willing and able volunteers, you need to find a school that is amenable to the opportunity you want to provide for the students. Gwinnett county had 27 middle schools, if I remember correctly, when I plunged into calling them on the phone. Each and every one of them. I must admit, I hit some brick walls along the way, and was totally surprised at some of the skepticism I encountered. But eventually, I hit pay dirt. You can speak to the team leader for the science department, to the vice principal, to the head of the media center, whoever it takes, until you find that someone who is amenable and excited at the prospect of a radio demonstration. This step in the process can be a little bit discouraging if you let it, but don't give up. What we have to offer the students is worth the effort.

5. Arrange a meeting. Once you've found a school and a teacher who want you to do the demonstration, arrange a visit to the school to meet with that teacher and to scope out the area where the demonstration will take place. You'll want to find out in advance what is expected: how many students, what length of time, and maybe even what they're currently studying in school. Parts of a radio demonstration can be geared to reinforce areas of the school curriculum. You'll also want to figure out in advance where, how, and what kind of antennas to use to best fit the demonstration area. Don't wait until the day of the demonstration to pay that first visit, if it can possibly be avoided. Be prepared.

6. Set the date. Now, it's time to get to the nitty-gritty and decide which volunteers will provide what function. If you're allotted a 45 minute time period, that simplifies things a bit, but the all-day demos require a bit more planning. The first demo I helped to plan was for an entire day, and we set up eight distinct learning stations. Through early visits to the school and discussions with the teacher, we knew exactly where each of those stations would be set up, and where we could string antennas. On "show day", students rotated through the stations in groups of 7 or 8, spending about 20 minutes at each location. Those stations, as best as I recollect, were on: CW (a big hit!); ARES and emergency communications; the "wave theory", which encompassed a multi-level demonstration, culminating in a "voice over laser pointer" demo; DXing, QSL cards, and certificates; an interactive game of questions and answers; PSK-31; an HF station (phone); and a jeep set up with mobile operations. Nowadays, a station on IRLP or on Echolink could be added to the mix very nicely. We began and ended the day by meeting en masse with the students and teachers. I asked how many knew anything about amateur radio, and not a single hand was raised. But I guarantee, at the end of the day, every single person knew something about amateur radio. The seeds were planted.

7. Be prepared to get more requests. Once word gets out about what a terrific job you did with the students at the first school, word will spread. You may get calls from other teachers at other schools, asking for something similar (or a little different) for their students. If not, that first successful demonstration will at the very least provide a good reference point for you to use as you approach other schools. You may not always get enough lead time to be able to comply with every request. Other times, those "last minute" requests for a "quickie" demonstration work out quite well. (Again, like in #3, "Be flexible".) But getting the opportunity to provide that first demonstration can be the hardest step. Once you accomplish that first one successfully, opportunities will abound, if you're open to them. In fact, if that first demonstration is a huge success, don't be surprised if you get a request to come back, or even get asked to help set up an amateur radio club in that same school. (Which is great, and a whole other level of opportunity and commitment. To make that a success, you MUST have someone from within the school who is committed to be the sponsor and to promote the club. Failure to have that support from within the school itself makes things much more problematic, at best. At worst, it's a losing battle.)

8. One other suggestion, which my better half, MIKE SWIDERSKI, K4HBI, always brings up, and that's the idea of offering to go into the school on something like "Career Day" or on "Science Night". That's a good tie-in, and often times, schools are desperate to have someone volunteer for something like that.

9. Have fun with it!!!!!! A mixture of teaching, hands-on displays, and that indescribable "WOW" factor, all blended nicely together, will make the experience a memorable one, for both you, your team, and the students.

OK, guys and gals, what would you add to help in these efforts???? What would your advice be for holding a successful school demo?

NOTE: More info on that "voice over laser pointer" demo, as designed by my better half, MIKE SWIDERSKI, K4HBI, and mentioned in item #6, can be found at http://mywebpages.comcast.net/rwilliams309/Laser_Pointer_Voice_Transmitter.html

PBS VIRUS: Your computer stops every few minutes to ask for money.

PIGLETS (AKA YOUNG HAMS)

*** CAITLIN MADIGAN, KI4ACY, daughter of proud parents TOM, K4TDM and HENRI, KG4ZGT, has been named as a worthy recipient of a Willis Foundation Scholarship, which is a college scholarship presented to outstanding children of Bard employees in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Caitlin received a $5000 scholarship for the 2006-07 academic year, and will be eligible to receive an additional $15,000 over the next three school years. A graduate of Salem High School in Conyers, she will be majoring in biology at Georgia Southern University. This scholarship is awarded on the basis of moral character, scholarship merit, leadership qualities, extracurricular activities, and special skills. CONGRATULATIONS to Caitlin and best wishes for continued success in college.

*** Another of those HAMSTERS, led by president JORDEN LAWSEN, KI4NBW, has gotten his license. CONGRATULATIONS to 8-year old ROBERT WHITE, KI4QCD, for recently earning his license.

*** It's that time again!! Time to get those entries in for this year's prestigious GA Section Golden Piglet of the Year award!! Well, that isn't the REAL name; Andrea actually calls it the "Georgia Section Youth Award" (but she's much more "dignified" than I am...) I'm sure that many of you know a young Georgia ham who deserves consideration for this year's award. You'll be able to find the downloadable applications on our www.arrl-ga.org website. Andrea and I are counting on you to make those nominations for these great kids. Here's the real scoop, from ANDREA HARTLAGE, KG4IUM, our ASM for Youth:

Georgia Section Youth Award
American Radio Relay League

The Georgia Section Youth Award (formerly Georgia Section Young Ham of the Year Award) is intended to recognize a young ham, who has demonstrated his or her tremendous dedication to Amateur Radio through his or her activities. Although there are several national awards of similar merit, Susan Swiderski, AF4FO, recognized the need for an award that honors outstanding young hams on the local level, and Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM, agreed to help create the award. Thus, the Georgia Section Youth Award was born.

Requirements

Nominees for the Georgia Section Youth Award must meet the following requirements to be considered for this award:

* A current Georgia resident
* A licensed Amateur Radio operator
* Under 21 years old

Timeline

* Nominations (including the nomination form and any supporting documentation) for the Georgia Section Youth Award must be submitted on or before September 30, 2006.
* The winner will be notified by October 28, 2006.
* The official presentation and announcement of the award will be on November 4, 2006 at the Stone Mountain Hamfest and Computer Expo in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Additional Information

* Documentation of the nominee's activities should be as thorough as possible.
* Although all accomplishments and activities will be considered, the concentration should be on those activities that took place within the past calendar year, and it should be clear when each activity occurred.
* The judges will select an award recipient based on their involvement in ham radio, especially community service, promotion, operating, technical knowledge, and enthusiasm.
* All decisions of the judges are final.
* Nominations and all accompanying material must be mailed to Georgia Section Youth Award Committee 2323 Orion Ct. Grayson, GA 30017 or e-mailed to kg4ium@arrl-ga.org on or before September 30, 2006.
* Any questions about the award or nomination process should be directed to Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM or Susan Swiderski, AF4FO, via e-mail to kg4ium@arrl-ga.org or af4fo@arrl.org.

*** Check out this site: http://www.youthtech.com/hamradio/

JIMMY HOFFA VIRUS: Nobody can find it.

SECTION NOTABLES

*** Following their return from Brazil, where the capable duo of JOHN LANEY, K4BAI, and JEFF CLARKE, KU8E, participated in the 2006 World Radio Sport Team competitions, there was a fine human interest story in the local Columbus newspaper about John and his long-time involvement with amateur radio. Please see http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/local/15107762.htm

*** Another Georgia ham who made it into the news recently is STEVE WILLIAMS, KC4AZO, who was written up in an article entitled "Road Geek Driven to Explore". Please see
http://www.neighbornewspapers.com/articles/2006/19/323/14141.text

CONGRESSIONAL VIRUS:
The computer locks up, and then the screen splits erratically, with a message appearing on each half,
blaming the other side for the problem.

THIS 'N' THAT

*** ARRL HOMEBREW CHALLENGE!!! Think you're up to the challenge? What's called for is for you to design and build a complete HF voice and CW station, capable of operating on 40 M with at least 5 watts PEP. Piece of cake, you say? Here's the rub. It must be capable of being successfully reproduced for less than fifty dollars. It must also be built by using ordinary hand tools and readily available parts. (That means readily available to EVERYONE, not just to you folks who just happen to have a larger stockpile of parts in your possession than most electronics stores, like a certain ham I know who shares my last name...) You have a whole year to come up with an entry, because they're due on August 1, 2007. The winner gets a spread in QST and a $100 prize. (And LOTS of bragging rights!) See page 20 of the August, 2006, QST, for more details.

*** FOLLOW-UP--- A few months ago, I put out a request for ALAN HOMER, KI7WO, a county-hunter in MO, who needed just ONE more county in GA to have all 159 under his belt. All he lacked was Pulaski county. MARK CHRISTOPHER, WR8Y, contacted me to say that he'd be driving through that county at the end of July, and he'd be willing to give it a shot. I just heard back from Alan, and he was thrilled that he and Mark made that contact. So, many thanks to Mark for helping Alan reach his goal. (By the way, did y'all know that there is a Worked All GA (WAG) Award??? See http://www.w4doc.org/arc/wagaward.htm for details. I wonder how many have achieved the WAG... well, thanks to Mark, Alan has!)

*** All of the 2006 Dayton Hamvention Antenna Forum presentations are now available for download. The presentations from 2004 and 2005 are also available at this site. http://www.k3lr.com 

*** Interested in some free electronic design software? This information originally came from RICK BERNARDI, K4UUG, a member of the Columbia County ARC, and was shared by club secretary DEAN MAPLES, K4EQQ:
http://www.smps.us/tools.html
http://www.tech-systems-labs.com/freesoftware.htm
http://eeshop.unl.edu/cad.html
http://www.microcode.com/

*** Are you a fan of old Navy radios? Old broadcast radios? How about old ham stations? Check out this site for all of the above: http://uv201.com/index.html 

*** WORLD TRADE CENTER DISASTER COMMEMORATIVE STATION OPERATION SEPTEMBER 11, 2006

"W2IK/WTC911" will once again be in operation to commemorate the World Trade Center Disaster. The W2IK callsign was the first signal to emanate from "Ground Zero" on September 11, 2001, it is only fitting that this callsign be used for this commemorative station.

"W2IK/WTC911" will be in operation beginning 9 AM EST and operating until 11 PM EST and can be found on the upper sections of 15, 20 and 40 meters, all SSB. A special color QSL certificate will be mailed to each station making a contact that sends a LARGE SASE with their QSL card to the QRZ address of W2IK. If you hear us, please work us and post this operation so others may work our station.

Those interested in the WTC disaster should also check out the webpage: http://hometown.aol.com/realhamradio/ for the "close up and personal" story of a first responder.

For pictures and info on last year's operation please go to:
http://hometown.aol.com/alonestaryank/W2IKWTC911.html

NOTE: The Pentagon ARC will also be running a commemorative station, K4AF.

*** JACK MASON, KI4ATE, and ALLEN ROBINSON, N4ZON, have worked hard and put in many hours in setting up a Winlink Telpac node in Jesup, Wayne County, Georgia.
The Node is KI4ATE-10, on 145.070 Mhz, and it is located in downtown Jesup on a tower located adjacent to the EOC, at a height of approximately 150 feet. GREG TILLMAN, N4VAD, ASEC for Operations, wrote, "Just the first month up and running we are keeping it busy learning the system and drilling each other in its use. According to Jack Mason (Sysop) there have been over 470 connects. Anyone in Adjacent counties that wish to try the winlink telpac node may do so and is encouraged to get involved. It is open and available to all amateurs. We want to again thank Allen and Jack for their hard work and dedication to amateur radio, Georgia ARES and emergency communications."

*** ELLIJAY Hamfest, August 12. The following details have been provided by DAVE MEADOWS, K4LDI:

This is to remind you that the Ellijay Ham Fest, sponsored by the Ellijay Amateur Radio Society (EARS) is coming up on Saturday, August 12, 2006. It's "Biggest Little Ham Fest in Georgia."

As usual, there is NO ENTRY FEE, tables are FREE (limited number) and the tailgate spaces are FREE (including under the Pavilion).

What more can you ask for?

SETUP: Indoor: Friday Aug. 11, 5PM - 9PM; Saturday, Aug. 12, from 6AM Tailgate and Covered Pavilion: Sat., Aug 12, from 6AM

GENERAL ADMISSION: Gates open 7AM - 2PM

MORNING COFFEE: 50¢ Donation; DONUTS 50¢ EACH (While they last).

LUNCH: Lunch will be available on site so you won't have to leave early to get lunch.

Upon arrival, we ask that each attendee sign in at our registration table. This year we have streamlined the registration and ticket donation processes so you get into the ham fest sooner. Signing in entitles you to one free ticket toward the prizes in our GENERAL PRIZE drawing. This includes some really nice ARRL publications. You DO NOT have to be present to win one of our General Prizes.

In addition, we will be taking donations to benefit our club and to help offset the cost of the ham fest. The donations will entitle you to tickets toward our GRAND PRIZES. You DO NOT have to be present to win either of our GRAND PRIZES. This year, our prizes include: 1st Prize - IC-2200H 2M Mobile Transceiver 2nd Prize - IC-V8 2M Handi Talkie

Ticket donations include:
1 for $1, 4 for $3, 7 for $5, 15 for $10, 25 for $15 or 30 for $20

The ham fest will be held in the Ellijay Lion's Club facility (same as last year) located at 1729 S. Main St (Old Hwy 5 South), Ellijay, GA. We will have signs around town to direct you. Our TALK-IN: 146.985 (-600; PL 77Hz)

FREE INDOOR TABLES (Limited Number)
Reserve on First Come-First Served Basis
Contact Sam, k4swu@ellijay.com, Phone 706-276-4877
QUESTIONS about the ham fest, contact Sam at the above email address or telephone number.

RV HOOKUPS (limited number), Contact Sam at the above email address or telephone number.

Bring your own tables for tail-gate or outdoor pavilion set up

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE!!!

CONGRESSIONAL VIRUS II:
Runs every program on the hard drive simultaneously, but doesn't allow the user to accomplish anything.

UPCOMING EVENTS

AUGUST 4-7 --- Getting itchy for football season to start? How about a contact with the Football Hall of Fame to tide you over? 1400Z Canton ARC Special Event Station W8AL 7.265, 14.265, 21.365, 28.365 CERTIFICATE. QSL WQ8J

AUGUST 4-5 --- National Lighthouses/Ships on the Air. 0001Z Aug 4-2359Z Aug 5 There seems to be more and more lighthouses on the air every year. How many can YOU work?? (And are you guys down in south GA going to be operating from one of the lighthouses down there? If so, please send me a few pictures for our website)

AUGUST 5-6 --- North American QSO Party (CW) 1800Z Aug 5- 0600Z Aug 6. See www.ncjweb.com for more info

AUGUST 5-6 --- ARRL UHF Contest 1800Z Aug 5- 1800Z Aug 6. See www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2005/uhf.html for details.

AUGUST 5-6 --- Ten Ten International Phone QSO Party 0001Z Aug 5- 2359Z Aug 6. www.ten-ten.org 

AUGUST 12 --- ELLIJAY Hamfest --- Ellijay Lions Club, 1729 S. Main St (old Hwy 5 South) SETUP Friday evening from 5-9 PM and at 6 AM Saturday. General admission at 7 AM. FREE! Tailgating and covered pavilion sites available. Hope to see you there! (See above, under "This 'n' That", for additional info) Come see us at the ARRL table to sign up as a new member or to renew your membership, and we'll give you a FREE repeater directory. I'll also have some of the cool-looking GA Piglet tee shirts on hand for you to purchase. (It'll save you the cost of shipping & handling!)

AUGUST 12-13 --- Special Event Station AB5BG, honoring the Native American Codetalkers of WWII. CERTIFICATE.

AUGUST 19-20 --- International Lighthouses/Ships on the Air. Another opportunity to work even MORE lighthouses.

AUGUST 19-20 --- HUNTSVILLE, AL Hamfest. Von Braun Center, 700 Monroe St. (FYI: Next year, this will be the location for the national convention!)

AUGUST 19-20 --- North American QSO Party (SSB) 1800Z Aug 19- 0600Z Aug 20. www.ncjweb.com 

AUGUST 23 --- HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our own Director of Vice, SANDY DONAHUE, W4RU (and many more!!)

AUGUST 27 --- Colorado QRP Club's Summer VHF/UHF QSO Party. SSB/CW/FM. 5W maximum power. See www.cqc.org/contests/summer06.htm for more information.

And just so you can mark these fun events on your calendar a little early:

SEPTEMBER 2-3 --- SHELBY Hamfest. This one is DEFINITELY worth the trip!

SEPTEMBER 9 --- PRATER'S MILL Hamfest. A tailgater's delight. FREE

SEPTEMBER 16 --- PAULDING ARC Hamfest. Dallas, GA.

ARNOLD SCHWARTZENEGGER VIRUS: Terminates and stays resident. It'll be back.

SILENT KEY

STEVE SMITH, WA4VWV--- Though he was no longer living in Georgia, Steve was a very prominent ham in the Atlanta area during the 70's, and I'm sure that many of you remember him. You can see a very nice write-up about him at
http://www.eham.net/friends/displaystory/3151
As CAL NEFF, K4JSR, wrote, "Hams like Steve need to be remembered for all of the good things he did and the fun he helped create by being an active ham." (Thanks, Cal)

Well, folks, that's about it for now. Until next time, this is AF4FO, signing clear. Take care of yourselves. And each other.

73, Susan af4fo@arrl.org   (Send me your news and tech tips!!)
ARRL Georgia Section Manager

No trees were killed in the sending of this message. However,
a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

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