Category: Educational

ARRL Affiliation brings Great benefits for GOTAhams

Myself and Kathi received our letter of affiliation from ARRL, it recommends several things I had not been aware of, including coordinating a “charter Party” which would include inviting the Division Director, Section Manager, Affiliated Club Coordinator. Maybe our July meeting could facilitate that along with meeting those Orange Section managers?

They Also gave us a Link for ARRL’s Active-Club-Primer full of Helpful information for active clubs! This gives LOTS of great ideas and includes a “Club Presidents Workbook” and a “Special Service Club Manual”.

I would like all our GOTAhams to consider this “Active Club Primer” required reading, this club IS driven by its members, so please read this primer as if you were president of GOAThams. I believe the ideas from ARRL will help all our “GOTA’s” with their creative and interesting input will keep our little club moving in a positive direction.

Dave Casler Mentions GOTAhams

Dave Casler, on his weekly “Ask Dave” live stream read a note I had sent him about the Icom IC-7300. I had included that Kathi and I had formed a new Ham Club and added a link to our website. To my surprise he actually shared our main webpage with his worldwide audience and gave some nice praises about how more clubs should use the “Get On The Air” methods that we focus on! It is worth the time to watch this video and listen to Dave reminisce about his early Ham Club experiences. I have added a link for your convenience below.

YouTube, at about the 58 minute mark
Ask Dave Q&A 27 April 2019

No Radio? lets Get On The Air !

This hobby is about getting on the air! Some of us don’t have the equipment or situation allowing us to buy or build that “Dream Shack”. Don’t let lack of funds, space or antenna challenges keep you from enjoying Amateur Radio.

Using a computer and internet connection you already have (you are reading this!) you can not only listen to most amateur bands, we will show you ways to actually transmit using radios and antenna systems supplied by other gracious Hams and Clubs with a community attitude willing to allow less fortunate Amateurs access to their Gear/Shacks.

Lets begin with listening to the HF and most other bands. In your web browser type, websdr.org or simply click on the websdr link and spend a few minutes reading about this amazing system. Then start tuning around different frequencies. You don’t have to tune to just the amateur services but try some of the “Shortwave Listener” favorites. This site will give your hours of radio listening worldwide.

Listened long enough? Want to get your feet wet and jump in to an HF conversation, Net etc.? You spent the time studying, learning, memorizing all the Bands, Rules, Theory, Operator practices etc.? You took the test (s)and got that General and maybe the Extra license?

Well this is an amazing site, and yes you will have to do some work to prove you have the privileges to operate on these bands but it is worth the work. Type into your browser

remotehams.com

Some of these shared radios are “club only” but may allow you to join, some with dues some without. Others require only that you ask them via the online chat or by email to tune or transmit on their system. You will need to file a copy of your amateur license on the site allowing the “control ops” to verify your privileges. This is also a worldwide system allowing you to transmit or a least listen through distant stations by not even leaving your home. I personally found that best practice operating with this method requires an external microphone. Considering the expense that these very generous hams have gone to making their equipment available, that microphone is a very small price. Even a gamer headset plugged into your computer will improve your transmit quality.

There are other options but these are good examples to try, if you have other suggestions for us to add, use the “Contact” page to submit your suggestions.

Ken, KC6WOK