I got my letter from the ARRL confirming I am a candidate for Vice Director of the Great Lakes Division. I had a bit of a scare as I was at first disqualified because I had at one time operated an Internet bookstore that sold amateur radio books. After notifying the Ethics Committee that QTB.Com was no longer in business, they rescinded the disqualification though.
Let the campaign begin!
By Dan KB6NU
updated 2/8/13
I got an e-mail from a guy who noted that he couldn’t find my name anywhere on this website. I looked and he’s right. So, here’s a little bit about me. I’m going to figure out a way for a link to this post to appear on one of the nav bars so that readers can find it more easily….
My name is Dan Romanchik, and I’m just a guy who’s having fun with ham radio.
I’m 57 years old, and have been a ham for 42 years, although for most of those years, I wasn’t very active. I have been very active since the summer of 2002, after I got the bug again after working some CW at our club’s Field Day. Since then, I have:
I’m no “super ham.” I don’t have a 120-ft. tower with a three-element 40m beam on it. I don’t own a $10,000 transceiver, and I haven’t yet been on a DXpedition. I am having a lot of fun, though.
from the ARRL:
The astronauts did a lot more than fix insulation while they walked in space Wednesday. The PCSat2 Amateur Radio Package has been installed on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS) as Materials International Space Station Experiment 5 (MISSE5). Astronaut Soichi Noguchi, KD5TVP, unfolded the suitcase-like Passive Experiment Container (PEC) holding PCSat2 and other experiments mounted atop the ISS P6 truss structure at around 1110 UTC August 3 during a space walk with Astronaut Steve Robinson. Noguchi deployed the “tape measure” antennas by pulling up a couple of Mylar strips that allowed the antennas to pop out.
Built by US Naval Academy students under the guidance of APRS guru Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, PCSat2 will operate in cooperation with the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program. It will provide a 10-meter PSK31 multi-user transponder, an FM voice repeater for possible use with ISS crew members and an AX.25 packet system for use as a UI digipeater and for telemetry, command, control. Bruninga says PCSat2 may be ready for use within a few days, but he asked that stations not attempt to use the system until it’s been checked out and an announcement made. In the meantime, Bruninga has invited well-equipped ground stations to help capture early telemetry on the alternate downlink frequency of 437.975 MHz during PCSat2’s first few days of activation.
More information is available on the USNA Web site.
Yesterday evening I met with Neil K8IT, who’s running for Great Lakes Division Director. It’s almost amazing how similarly our ideas are about how we would do things differently.
Perhaps Neil’s biggest hot button is the low percentage of amateurs that are ARRL members. This currently stands at about 23%. Despite this low percentage, Neil and I both agree that the ARRL has done little to increase the percentage.
Not only that, because the ARRL represents such a low percentage of hams, it diminishes our influence with the FCC and politicians. Doesn’t it seem that more and more the FCC is ignoring ARRL petitions? Case in point: the latest Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) from the FCC proposes to drop the 5 wpm code requirement entirely (the ARRL wanted to keep this requirement for obtaining the Amateur Extra class license) and completely ignores the ARRL’s request to create a beginner license class.
We both agree that while we’ve done a fairly good job of getting people into amateur radio, we’ve done a poor job of helping them improve their skills and become more active hams. The theory is that if we can activate the licensees that we do have, then a good percentage of them will join the ARRL. That will be good for the ARRL, but even more importantly, good for amateur radio.
Unfortunately, we’re both novices (no pun intended) when it comes to politics at this level. In discussing our campaign strategies, it became evident to me that we really should have been out campaigning months ago. Oh well, we still have a couple of months to go, and, with a little luck, who knows what could happen?
At any rate, neither of us is going to go away even if we don’t win. We’ll be working on the local and sectional levels, and making a difference in this way. Then, three years from now, we’ll take another whack at it.
Guest opinion submitted by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo
(first Published in The Hill, July 13, 2005)
Communication has taken many forms: beacon fires alerting assassins to Agamemnon’s return to Mycenae; a lone Athenian runner covering 150 miles in two days to request help from Sparta; Genghis Khan’s invention of the “Pony Express;†Morse Code, the telegraph, telephone, radio, television; and now the Internet and increasing types of wireless communications. Perhaps most striking are the massive and complex changes that communication has undergone in the past century. It boggles the mind to consider that 100 years ago, radio experimentation was in its infancy, and now we have the ability to send digital information via electromagnetic waves across the world or into outer space.
Yet, as anyone knows who has had a cell call dropped or simply experienced radio interference while driving, the invisible waves that carry our vastly-increased communications load are not limitless. Years ago, the federal government deemed it appropriate to regulate usage of electromagnetic spectrum to ensure that those who use particular portions of spectrum have the right to do so free of interference. It is a scarce but renewable natural resource. Therefore, regulation is necessary in order to create “highest and best use†allocations for radio frequencies. The need for national regulation is further reinforced by the fact that spectrum is a national asset bound by international rules and regulations. It is impossible to “own†frequencies, but the federal government has determined that a system of allocation and auction will produce a climate in which the “highest and best use of spectrum domestically and internationally†can prosper in terms of innovation, efficiency, and rapid deployment. In an era of increasing demand for spectrum, there is a small but vital group of users whose allocations must be preserved.
One of the pioneers of modern communications was amateur radio. Amateur radio operators explored ionospheric propogation for world wide radio, developed early mobile gear for automobiles and aircraft, created the first civilian communications satellite, developed early linked repeaters, established wireless Local Area Networks (LAN), developed the use of frequencies well beyond high frequency bands, and created new antenna configurations. Today, amateur radio still serves a vital purpose, especially in our post-9/11 world. Acting as volunteers, amateur radio operators provide assistance in numerous disaster relief efforts from the terror attacks in New York and Washington, to floods in Texas, hurricanes in Florida, earthquakes in Seattle and California, and fires in the West, and in my home state of Idaho. Amateur radio operators assist in search and rescue efforts and even place calls to Santa Claus on behalf of terminally-ill children! Many of the 650,000 operators in the United States take part in emergency preparedness exercises.
In the era of modern communications, we tend to forget that cell phone usage is dependent upon the viability of communications towers. Any smart military invasion strategy includes eliminating communications, and cell towers are primary targets. When the World Trade Center collapsed along with the cell tower atop the building, mobile phones were rendered useless in the area. Amateur radio operators stepped in and, from as far away as California, provided communication lifelines for rescue workers and aid agencies. A number of amateur radio operators’ organizations have Memorandums of Understanding with the National Weather Service, FEMA, National Communications System, the Associated Public Safety Communications Officers, Inc., and the American National Red Cross.
Since 1982, this vital and reliable communication information source has lost 107 MHz (the equivalent of 18 television channels, and 145 MHz is in danger of being re-allocated. The 1997 Balanced Budget Act authorized spectrum auctions, but amateur radio operators cannot participate in such auctions. In light of increasing numbers of new technologies requiring spectrum bandwidth and the ensuing competition by sources with larger financial resources, bandwidth allocations must be preserved.
The Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act will ensure the success of this vital link in our security communications infrastructure while continuing to encourage the innovation and creativity that is the historical hallmark of this field. The Act requires replacement of any amateur radio spectrum that is reallocated by the Federal Communications Commission or National Telecommunications and Information Administration. It maintains spectrum allocation flexibility by only requiring that the basic amount of spectrum allocated to amateur radio operators be maintained.
Together with my colleagues Senators Akaka, Bond, Baucus and Burns, I look forward to working toward this bipartisan solution to the problem of lost spectrum for amateur radio operators.
It’s very sad–but understandable, I guess–that countries around the world are cutting back on their foreign-language broadcasting. The latest to bite the dust is the foreign service of Radio Slovakia. Being a Slovak-American, this one hits home.
I listen to their broadcasts via the Web all the time, and apparently that service is also to be terminated. Here’s what their latest news report has to say:
Slovak Radio, the public broadcaster has announced its intentions to close down its short-wave foreign language broadcasting. The Slovak Radio public relations consultant Jozef Bednar stated that the management of the radio decided to take this radical step to cut costs. Thus the radio hopes to compensate revenue shortfalls in concession payments and payments from the state budget. Within the rationalization measures 84 employees will also be made redundant as of July 31, 2005.
Out of 84 planned redundancies a quarter represent the staff of Radio Slovakia International – the 6th station of the public broadcaster. In their open letter, the team of RSI has expressed concerns that due to these radical cuts the foreign service will not be able to continue fulfilling its mission sufficiently. RSI is considered to be an important, unique and in many cases the only source of information about Slovakia in 6 languages (English, French, German, Russian, Slovak and Spanish).
Despite the efforts of the Slovak Radio management to sustain the foreign broadcast services the Slovak government has not financially supported its existence for this year. Nevertheless, for the period until June 2006, the Economy Ministry has allocated EUR 67 million from the operational program Industry and services. This budget includes EUR 18 million for promoting Slovakia abroad. The annual broadcast of RSI, a well established form of promotion of this country abroad, represents less than EUR 1.4 million a year.
Pretty soon, the only thing you’ll be able to hear on the shortwave bands are the evangelicals.
This weekend, I actually spent more time off the radio than on it, as I attended the 2005 Michigan Section Campout. This event, started seven years ago as a “retreat” for the Michigan Section leadership, but has been open to all radio amateurs for several years now. Ably organized by John Freeman, N8ZE, it’s a fun event for hams and their families.
I arrived Friday night, just in time for karaoke. Fortunately, I managed to avoid having to sing by staying outside of the pole barn, but those inside sounded like they were having fun.
Saturday morning, Dale WA8EFK and I, who actually were staying at a nearby hotel instead of camping, got up bright and early to get to the camp by 7 am so we could help prepare and serve breakfast. All of the section leadership pitched in and put on a nice breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausages, pancakes, biscuits and gravy.
After breakfast, there were a series of forums, including sessions on ARES/RACES, the National Traffic System (NTS), ARRL issues, and fox hunting. They were all very interesting and worthwhile. I came away with a number of ideas, some good, some perhaps not so good. In no particular order, they are:
Of course, if you really didn’t want to sit on your butt on a summer’s day you could take advantage of the amenities that the campgrounds had to offer. There was a small lake on the property, for example, and canoes were available to take out on it.
There were also a couple of radio stations set up at the campgrounds, and you could operate them if you liked. I almost sat down to work a little CW at one point, but then decided against it to enjoy the beautiful weather.
All in all, the event was fun and I got to meet a lot of great people. I would encourage all hams–and certainly those in Michigan–to think about attending next summer. For more information as it becomes available, watch the MI section webpage on the ARRL website.
The other day, my wife asked me what it is that I talk about when I make contacts via amateur radio. “Just about anything and everything,” I replied, “It depends on who I’m talking to and how well we’ve gotten to know one another.”
“You mean you talk to people more than once?” she asked. “Sure,” I said, “For example, there’s a guy in Massachusetts (Alan W4MQC) that I’ve talked to close to two dozen times over the past couple of years.” I went on to say that he’s told me about a lot of different things, including a place in New Hampshire that’s been in his family for many years.
Well, a couple of days ago, Alan sent me a couple of pictures of the place, which was built in 1811. One of the pictures showed how it looked in 1890, and another how it looks today. What great timing!
Alan notes that Sunnyside Cottage, as it’s called, has different windows, one less chimney, and indoor plumbing! I also noticed that there are power lines running in front of the house.
On weblogs.oreilly.com, Brian McConnell proposes that cell phone manufacturers include Morse Code capability into the next generation of cell phones. McConnell notes a lot of advantages to using Morse Code instead of the small keyboards that most cell phones now have:
Unfortunately, I think he’s being a bit too optimistic about how easy it will be for cell phones to receive the messages sent. He says,
Receiving messages is less of an issue, since they’ll arrive as text messages. The sending telephone will convert the tapped dots and dashes into alphanumeric messages to be sent via SMS or IP.
I have doubts, however, that the manufacturers will be able to build in a decoder able to accurately read the poor CW that most users will send. As anyone who has played with the MFJ code readers or other similar devices will tell you, the code being sent has to be pretty good for the reader to have any chance of deciphering it. I doubt that the majority of users will develop the fists required to really make good use of this feature.
Oh well, it was an interesting idea before reality set in.
I got an e-mail this morning from Gordon, VK2DJG:
I went looking for real-honest-to-goodness ham radio blogs some time back. Yours was one of the few that I could find. In the belief that “the more the merrier” is the way to go, I’ve added a radio blog to my blogging corral.
You can find his blog at http://blog.vk2djg.net. Pretty cool.
