Subj : Other Ham Radio News (1)
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Sat Feb 15 2020 08:32 pm
Earlier today, Feb. 15, 2020, I got up before the "butt crack of
dawn", and drove over 2 hours to northeast Arkansas...specifically
to Hoxie (southwest of Walnut Ridge)...for the Lawrence County
Winterfest.
I left home, and took Interstate 30 to Interstate 440 to US 67/167
(future Interstate 57) from Little Rock to Hoxie. I was surprised that
the highway was open to that point (actually 20 miles further than it
had been previously...and it was open a bit further northeast, but
there was no need for me to go further.
I used the Google MAPS program, which was like having a GPS in the
car...although I'll have to get a cigarette lighter adapter for my
T-Mobile Android phone, as the battery power went down by 1/3 from
its max on the way. But, now that I know how to get there, I won't
need that the next time. The phone was recharged once I got back home.
I arrived there about 7:30am, 30 minutes before the hamfest itself
opened. Thankfully, I could get in the building to use the restroom
beforehand (cold weather makes ones urinary bladder shrink -- it was
in the mid 20's across north and central Arkansas this morning). But,
I was glad I had brought my walker...the long drive was HARD on me
physically. There were also areas of construction on US 67/167 between
Cabot and Newport...along the way. While I left Little Rock way before
sunrise, it was still daylight for the ride home.
The first thing I did after paying the admission ($5), was to buy
15 worth of prize tickets (I got 1 for admission, and bought the other
15, so I had 16 total). It turns out I WON the first 2 door prizes,
which were:
1) The Tornado Radio Unit. It is separate from NOAA Weather Radio,
that runs on AC power, with a 9 volt battery as a backup. You place
it in a window, free of nearby electrical disturbances, and it will
sound an alert, illuminate an orange light for lightning or a red
light for a tornado, and flash a strobe light, should those be
detected within 30 miles of your location. It's a $90 value.
2) A $50 ARRL Gift Certificate for the purchase of one of their
publications. Since only one transaction is permitted, I may look
for a publication near $50 (even if it's one I don't care for, or
have interest in), and donate it as a prize at a future hamfest
that I plan to attend this year.
If I do a forum at the Slidell or Shreveport Hamfest, in late July
or early August, respectively, I'm looking at donating 4 copies of
the 12th Edition of The ARRL Operating Manual. I haven't bought
those just yet...the last ones I had gotten, I give to 2 fellow
area hams to donate as prizes at the Mena Hamfest in west Arkansas,
which is always the weekend after Labor Day.
Since Monday is the Presidents Day Holiday, ARRL is closed until
Tuesday...so ordering has to wait...unless I choose to do it online.
Next, since H.A.M. stands for "Have Another Meal", and "You Don't
Call Us Late For Dinner", I bought 2 Shipley's chocolate iced donuts
(nice and soft), and a Coca-Cola to wash them down with, while I
filled out the prize tickets. Next time, I may bring my personal
address stamp, with my name and callsign on it. A fellow ham, an
older gentleman, who I've known for years, bought more tickets than
I did, and he didn't win a thing!! It's basically the luck of the
draw.
Vendor wise, Ray Novak from IcomAmerica, was there with a display,
including several rigs and brochures. You couldn't buy any gear,
per se, but could get further info.
I'm considering an HT to take with me on my Amtrak Hamfest trips in
2020, to use for analog or D-Star, and to monitor NOAA Weather Radio,
as well as the railroad traffic. He suggested the Icom ID-51A (I think).
I'm going to do some more research on that.
Since the Little Rock area D-Star and DMR repeaters are LOCAL ONLY
(not connected to the gateway), it makes no sense to get a fancier
radio and a portable hotspot...especially when I can use the ThumbDV
from Northwest Digital Radio, with my Windows 10 Laptop Computer, a
headset mic, and the BlueDV program from PA7LIM, to get on D-Star.
I also use the same computer for Packet Via Telnet D-Rats, and
Echolink...as well as for my square dance related work with the
Arkansas State Square Dance Federation (my second hobby...the third
one is a computer bulletin board system (BBS), sort of a small
version of AOL).
The other vendor was D&L Antennas, who had a wide selection of
manuals from ARRL, connectors, accessories, antennas, and other
items, but I don't recall offhand if he had any RF gear for
purchase (there may have been some, but I didn't see it). He gave
me information on the "Tornado Radio" noted earlier.
There were about 18 flea market vendors, selling boat anchors of
old gear, and even some non-ham radio gear. While chatting with
folks at some of the tables, I wasn't about to buy any of that. I
have seen a lot of those items that move from one hamfest flea market
to another.
Exam wise, only 1 candidate showed up, and he passed both his
Technician and General written exams.
There were about 18 folks at the ARRL Forum...including ARRL
Delta Division Director, David Norris, K5UZ (Ugly Zebra, as he
likes to note (hi hi)), Arkansas Section Manager James Ferguson,
N5LKE (his wife Caroline, N6LKE, was there as well), and Mike
Nettles (I forget his callsign offhand, but Mike did work with
the Arkansas Packet Network awhile back). There were some other
Assistant Section Managers, etc. there, but the small room was
packed for the forum...and there was a good bit of discussion.
The main point to drive home, was to ELMER someone. If we don't
do that, the hobby is going to die.
Many young people are so engrained with their smartphones and
tablets, and have no interest in the history, current state, or
future of ham radio. Plus, the young people "don't want to talk
to a bunch of old men". Admittedly, while ham radio is a male
dominated hobby, the women "clean our clocks" when it comes to
making contacts via contests, Field Day, or otherwise.
Then, it was lunch time, and I got 2 cheeseburgers, 2 cans of
Coca-Cola, 2 chocolate chip cookies, and a package of Doritos
Nacho Cheese Chips. I had hoped that would be lunch, but I had
to stop at the McDonald's in Newport on the way back to get
another large Coca-Cola, along with a large order of french
fries, and 4 small cheeseburgers...basically to help keep me
awake on the way home. I finished most of the fries, but have
some left for later, and still have the 4 cheeseburgers. Thank
goodness for a microwave oven at the QTH. I took a nap as soon
as I got back home.
They gave away the grand prizes between 12:30pm and by 1pm,
things were shutting down. At that point, "the crowd parted
like the Red Sea" (hi hi). The same schedule will probably be
at the Russellville and Fort Smith Hamfests...but from what I
understand, W5YI/VEC will do license exams between 8am and 9am,
then ARRL/VEC will do license exams between 9am and 10am. The
hamfest doesn't open until 9am, so that gives those who want
to take a test, and see the entire hamfest, a chance to do such.
Yet, with many of the smaller hamfests, it's very difficult to
get vendors. The "big hamfests" (i.e. Hamvention in Xenia, Ohio,
in mid-May...Hamcation in Orlando, Florida, in early February...
and Huntsville in Huntsville, Alabama in mid August) are the main
ones benefitting now. I am taking Amtrak to 2 Louisiana Hamfests
this year...Slidell in late July, and Shreveport in early August.
As a note, while not serving Shreveport directly by train, Amtrak
does offer a connection via a Thruway Bus at Longview.
The Hoxie Hamfest is always held the 3rd Saturday in February,
at the Hoxie Service Center, 500 SW Lawrence Street, across the
street from the Hoxie Fire Department. Last year, winter weather
really hurt the crowd, with both vendors and attendees unable to
get there...but aside from morning cold, it looked well attended
today.
The next hamfests for Arkansas are the Arkansas River Valley
Amateur Radio Foundation (ARVARF) Hamfest in Russellville on
Saturday, March 7...and the Fort Smith Hanging Judge Hamfest
on Saturday, April 4. That day is also the same day as the
Arkansas Railroad Museum Show And Sale in Pine Bluff...and at
times, amateur radio operators from the Pine Bluff area, set
up an HF Special Event Station, operating from a former
Southern Pacific Caboose, there at the museum. A picture of
part of that, with yours truly in his Train Conductor outfit,
can be found under my profile on QRZ (search for WX4QZ).
The last time I had attended a hamfest in Arkansas, was when
there was one in Little Rock, in September, 2016, put on by the
CAREN Club. However, with a lack of vendors, attendees, and
especially workers, 2016 was the last year of it...and it's a
shame that with at least 3 clubs in the central Arkansas area
(the Central Arkansas Radio Emergency Net (CAREN) Club, the
Arkansas Radio Emergency Services (ARES) Club, and the Central
Arkansas Ultra High Frequency (CAUHF) Club, they can't find a
common ground to do a hamfest. But, there are apparently too
many cliques and personality conflicts of new and "old time"
members, who will NOT work together.
Aside from being interfered with when I was on the air, that's
the main reason that except for being the Volunteer Examiner (VE)
Team Liaison for the University Of Arkansas At Little Rock (UALR)
Ham Radio Club, I am not part of ANY other club in the Little Rock
area. If they ever were to do a combined hamfest again, I would
volunteer to do the VE Testing, with ARRL/VEC. As a VE, my goal
is to get hams licensed, or upgraded. What they do in the hobby,
is their business.
After the Hoxie, Russellville, and Fort Smith Hamfests (in
February, March, and April, respectively), the next one is the
Queen Wilhelmena Hamfest, on top of Rich Mountain, in west
Arkansas, which is always the weekend after Labor Day. Then, a
much smaller hamfest (which I've heard isn't worth the drive),
the K5BOC Memorial Hamfest on Petit Jean Mountain in Morrilton,
on Columbus Day Weekend in October. I don't make the latter two,
due to schedule conflicts...the latter being the Fall Festival
for the Arkansas State Square Dance Convention. Being a member
of the Executive Board, I have to be there.
Several years ago, there was a hamfest in Batesville, and from
what I heard at the ARRL Forum today, their club has grown
explosively in members over the last year or two. I don't know
if they'll do a hamfest this year or not...but it was a small one
the last time I was there.
One last thing...Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, of Amateur Radio Newsline,
was there today. He's formerly from northeast Arkansas, then had
moved to Topeka, Kansas. He and his family now live in the Nashville,
Tennessee area.
Daryl Stout, WX4QZ, Little Rock, Arkansas
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