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The Education ConnectionChris Prioli, AD2CS |
April 2023
Session IV of the GCARC Ham Exam Preparation Classes is now over the hump - it is more than half-way completed. We did a practice test last week (as of this writing) in the Technician class and four out of the five students passed it handily - they would have scored well enough on the real thing to have attained their licenses.
Practice tests are in store for the other classes as well in the coming weeks, but I heartily encourage anyone who is seeking or even considering a new license or an upgrade to log into : https://hamexam.org and register with the site. There is no cost, and if you are registered, the site will tailor delivered content to you as regards practice tests and the flash cards. The site will keep track of your progress, and you will see the questions that you keep getting wrong until you start getting them right! I use this website in my classes, and it is well-received by the students. It is a great site for anyone with an interest in moving forward in amateur radio.
Session V is shaping up to have enough attendees to make it worthwhile holding the classes again this Spring. The starting dates for that session will be 1 May (Technician), 2 May (General), and 5 May (Amateur Extra). These sessions will run through the end of June.
I attended a web conference last night (22 March) that dealt with makers and hams, drawing the similarities between these two hobby groups and exploring the ways that makers and hams overlap. It was a well-attended conference with over seventy reported attendees, presented by Maker Magazine (https://makezine.com) with a panel of hams and makers to offer commentary. Some interesting points were brought out, especially in the arenas of amateur radio applications and ways and means to entice new folks into the ham population… especially young people. There were six members of our Club in attendance. I imagine that there may have been other club groups attending as well, which really increases the attendance count. A recording of the conference was made and will become available at some point in the future for those who may want to view it.
TechNet returns on 3 April with the scheduled topic being MMSSTV. My thanks to Carl Wittig N2CRW for the yeoman’s job he did on the Audacity session on 20 March. Gary Mirkin WA3SVW will both host and present the MMSSTV meetings, which are posted on the Club’s website with full ZOOM information listed there.
That just about does it for this month… see you all next time!
Session IV of the GCARC Ham Exam Preparation Classes is now over the hump - it is more than half-way completed. We did a practice test last week (as of this writing) in the Technician class and four out of the five students passed it handily - they would have scored well enough on the real thing to have attained their licenses.
Practice tests are in store for the other classes as well in the coming weeks, but I heartily encourage anyone who is seeking or even considering a new license or an upgrade to log into : https://hamexam.org and register with the site. There is no cost, and if you are registered, the site will tailor delivered content to you as regards practice tests and the flash cards. The site will keep track of your progress, and you will see the questions that you keep getting wrong until you start getting them right! I use this website in my classes, and it is well-received by the students. It is a great site for anyone with an interest in moving forward in amateur radio.
Session V is shaping up to have enough attendees to make it worthwhile holding the classes again this Spring. The starting dates for that session will be 1 May (Technician), 2 May (General), and 5 May (Amateur Extra). These sessions will run through the end of June.
I attended a web conference last night (22 March) that dealt with makers and hams, drawing the similarities between these two hobby groups and exploring the ways that makers and hams overlap. It was a well-attended conference with over seventy reported attendees, presented by Maker Magazine (https://makezine.com) with a panel of hams and makers to offer commentary. Some interesting points were brought out, especially in the arenas of amateur radio applications and ways and means to entice new folks into the ham population… especially young people. There were six members of our Club in attendance. I imagine that there may have been other club groups attending as well, which really increases the attendance count. A recording of the conference was made and will become available at some point in the future for those who may want to view it.
TechNet returns on 3 April with the scheduled topic being MMSSTV. My thanks to Carl Wittig N2CRW for the yeoman’s job he did on the Audacity session on 20 March. Gary Mirkin WA3SVW will both host and present the MMSSTV meetings, which are posted on the Club’s website with full ZOOM information listed there.
That just about does it for this month… see you all next time!
March 2023
Session IV of the GCARC Ham Exam Preparation Classes is well under way. We currently have five enrollees in the Technician class, nine in the General class, and seven in the Amateur Extra class. All are well-attended in person, with only those most distant or homebound students attending via ZOOM. The classes during the first week were audited by our own Jeff WB2ZBN, who commented that he actually learned some things during the classes. That is the whole and entire thrust of the classes that we run - to impart some new information to anyone and everyone who attends.
Each of our class meetings is met by questions and wonderment about the mysteries of ham radio, and we do our best to answer them as completely as possible. In so doing, we often have to do some research, which ultimately leads to the instructors gaining new insights and learning as we teach. That tends to make us better teachers, more equipped for the next time the same questions come up.
It seems that the questions asked by the students in these classes are relatively the same from one class to the next. At the same time, the questions are just different enough to make the instructor think a little bit about just how to answer, about how to explain the issue so that it is fully understood. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we still seem to have difficulty explaining things so that the student understands what is being said.
A good part of the reason for that difficulty is that is quite a challenge to find a way to explain a technical concept without using the common technical terms that would apply. The problem is that it is often necessary to explain the terminology before we can explain the topic.
This actually gets quite a bit more difficult as the license levels go up, because the material becomes far more technical and detailed as we go up the license ladder. My approach is to bring everything down to the simplest terms possible, to whatever extent possible. The end result is the best of both worlds - we as instructors learn something and the students get the benefit of that learning.
The whole point of all of this is that education never stops. Even when we are teaching, we are learning. Also, as we teach each class, we become better teachers which is in turn passed on as improvements in the offered content.
On another front, we are just about to wrap up the FT8 family of related applications in our TechNet series. The first meeting in March will be the swan song for that topic, which we will follow with a four-to-six meeting coverage of an old familiar topic. We are going to venture back into the MMSSTV world of still image transmission. I realize that we have covered this topic before, but my reasoning is sound. We have many new members who were not around when we last covered MMSSTV, and we also have the added benefit of being able to cover it more adequately via the ZOOM meeting methodology. Gary Mirkin WA3SVW will be both host and presenter for this series, which will run at least until mid-May, and possibly until mid-June.
That just about does it for this month… see you all next time!
Session IV of the GCARC Ham Exam Preparation Classes is well under way. We currently have five enrollees in the Technician class, nine in the General class, and seven in the Amateur Extra class. All are well-attended in person, with only those most distant or homebound students attending via ZOOM. The classes during the first week were audited by our own Jeff WB2ZBN, who commented that he actually learned some things during the classes. That is the whole and entire thrust of the classes that we run - to impart some new information to anyone and everyone who attends.
Each of our class meetings is met by questions and wonderment about the mysteries of ham radio, and we do our best to answer them as completely as possible. In so doing, we often have to do some research, which ultimately leads to the instructors gaining new insights and learning as we teach. That tends to make us better teachers, more equipped for the next time the same questions come up.
It seems that the questions asked by the students in these classes are relatively the same from one class to the next. At the same time, the questions are just different enough to make the instructor think a little bit about just how to answer, about how to explain the issue so that it is fully understood. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we still seem to have difficulty explaining things so that the student understands what is being said.
A good part of the reason for that difficulty is that is quite a challenge to find a way to explain a technical concept without using the common technical terms that would apply. The problem is that it is often necessary to explain the terminology before we can explain the topic.
This actually gets quite a bit more difficult as the license levels go up, because the material becomes far more technical and detailed as we go up the license ladder. My approach is to bring everything down to the simplest terms possible, to whatever extent possible. The end result is the best of both worlds - we as instructors learn something and the students get the benefit of that learning.
The whole point of all of this is that education never stops. Even when we are teaching, we are learning. Also, as we teach each class, we become better teachers which is in turn passed on as improvements in the offered content.
On another front, we are just about to wrap up the FT8 family of related applications in our TechNet series. The first meeting in March will be the swan song for that topic, which we will follow with a four-to-six meeting coverage of an old familiar topic. We are going to venture back into the MMSSTV world of still image transmission. I realize that we have covered this topic before, but my reasoning is sound. We have many new members who were not around when we last covered MMSSTV, and we also have the added benefit of being able to cover it more adequately via the ZOOM meeting methodology. Gary Mirkin WA3SVW will be both host and presenter for this series, which will run at least until mid-May, and possibly until mid-June.
That just about does it for this month… see you all next time!
February 2023
As Groundhog Day approaches, I am preparing for the next session of Ham Exam Preparation Classes, Session IV. All of the prep that I am doing got me to thinking about, and then looking at, the statistics for the three completed sessions. I thought that I would share the numbers with the Club, if anyone is interested.
All told, over the three previous sessions, we have had a total of 76 enrollees, 68 of whom were male, and 8 were female. Of that total, 18 overall withdrew from the classes, leaving a total of 58 students who completed the classes. Of those, 47 passed their FCC exams, earning a license or an upgrade. This number represents only those who tested with us, or who informed me of their success. The total includes 14 new Technicians, 11 new Generals, and 22 new Amateur Extras. I really wish that the pass rate was higher than it is, but I cannot help those who do not attend all of the classes and do not make up the missed subjects, or who consistently show up a half hour (or more) late for each class. The fact is that those who put in the effort, succeed!
Our classes are rather unique in that we do a lot more than just cram for the exams. We dig pretty deeply into the theory behind the operations, and I admit that it can sometimes be pretty dry material. But… the better an understanding one has of the theory behind things, the better equipped one is to figure out an answer that may not be known or memorized.
Our instructors all do a fabulous job of getting the material across to the students, as most of the successful test candidates will confirm. All that we ask is that the students take it as seriously as we do. None of the instructors get anything out of this except the satisfaction of helping the students advance in our chosen hobby. No one is paid for their time, and the time really does add up. Our programs each run to a total of at least twenty-four classroom hours, plus the testing time. All of the instructors are also Volunteer Examiners and are thus involved in the testing program as well. I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank and applaud our team of instructors for the job that they do so well. Specifically, I refer to Chuck WA2TML, Jim N2GXJ, Gary N2QEE, Steve W2SEF, and Mike N2WOQ. Thank you one and all!
On another topic, our TechNet program is progressing well, with Steve W2SEF doing a great job of presenting the current topic, that being FT8 and its related modes and applications. Thanks to Steve for a job well done, with more to come. Thanks also to Gary WA3SVW for his tireless time spent serving as the key ZOOM host for our TechNet sessions.
Finally, we are working on a plan to roll out another new program. The idea is that Club members can submit questions or topics with which they need some help, and we will then attempt to provide that help through an online ZOOM meeting on the alternate Mondays between TechNet dates. We like the title HelpNet, but we are still open to suggestions. My thought is to set up another e-mail address specifically for the submission of these help requests. The goal is to address as many submitted questions or topics as we can. This concept is not my idea. It grew out of a discussion between Jon WB2MNF and Mike KG4JYA at the last Tech Saturday Forum. It is, however, a great idea that I believe we should run with. Kudos to them for the idea!
That just about does it for this month… see you all next time!
As Groundhog Day approaches, I am preparing for the next session of Ham Exam Preparation Classes, Session IV. All of the prep that I am doing got me to thinking about, and then looking at, the statistics for the three completed sessions. I thought that I would share the numbers with the Club, if anyone is interested.
All told, over the three previous sessions, we have had a total of 76 enrollees, 68 of whom were male, and 8 were female. Of that total, 18 overall withdrew from the classes, leaving a total of 58 students who completed the classes. Of those, 47 passed their FCC exams, earning a license or an upgrade. This number represents only those who tested with us, or who informed me of their success. The total includes 14 new Technicians, 11 new Generals, and 22 new Amateur Extras. I really wish that the pass rate was higher than it is, but I cannot help those who do not attend all of the classes and do not make up the missed subjects, or who consistently show up a half hour (or more) late for each class. The fact is that those who put in the effort, succeed!
Our classes are rather unique in that we do a lot more than just cram for the exams. We dig pretty deeply into the theory behind the operations, and I admit that it can sometimes be pretty dry material. But… the better an understanding one has of the theory behind things, the better equipped one is to figure out an answer that may not be known or memorized.
Our instructors all do a fabulous job of getting the material across to the students, as most of the successful test candidates will confirm. All that we ask is that the students take it as seriously as we do. None of the instructors get anything out of this except the satisfaction of helping the students advance in our chosen hobby. No one is paid for their time, and the time really does add up. Our programs each run to a total of at least twenty-four classroom hours, plus the testing time. All of the instructors are also Volunteer Examiners and are thus involved in the testing program as well. I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank and applaud our team of instructors for the job that they do so well. Specifically, I refer to Chuck WA2TML, Jim N2GXJ, Gary N2QEE, Steve W2SEF, and Mike N2WOQ. Thank you one and all!
On another topic, our TechNet program is progressing well, with Steve W2SEF doing a great job of presenting the current topic, that being FT8 and its related modes and applications. Thanks to Steve for a job well done, with more to come. Thanks also to Gary WA3SVW for his tireless time spent serving as the key ZOOM host for our TechNet sessions.
Finally, we are working on a plan to roll out another new program. The idea is that Club members can submit questions or topics with which they need some help, and we will then attempt to provide that help through an online ZOOM meeting on the alternate Mondays between TechNet dates. We like the title HelpNet, but we are still open to suggestions. My thought is to set up another e-mail address specifically for the submission of these help requests. The goal is to address as many submitted questions or topics as we can. This concept is not my idea. It grew out of a discussion between Jon WB2MNF and Mike KG4JYA at the last Tech Saturday Forum. It is, however, a great idea that I believe we should run with. Kudos to them for the idea!
That just about does it for this month… see you all next time!
January 2023
The new year is upon us, and with it come some minor changes to our Club’s educational offerings. I will start this month’s column with the most evident change… that of the naming of our DigiNet to TechNet. We feel that the new name better suits the type of topics that we plan to present in the coming months.
The January - and probably February - TechNet sessions are going to cover FT8 and the related topics of FT4 and JS8Call, presented chiefly by Steve Farney W2SEF, and prepared through Steve’s collaborative efforts with some other Club members.
Beyond that, we have plans to cover such topics as computer time base solutions, both software and hardware, and such varied topics like the free Audacity software package for audio file manipulation, some more in-depth sessions on Fusion360 and SketchUp, some SDR software packages such as SDR#, SDR Server, SDR Console, and SDR Angel, and other such applications too numerous to list here.
Remember too that the next Ham Exam Preparation Class session starts up the week of 13 February 2023, which will be on us sooner than we realize. I will be sending out invitations to all those who completed the Technician and General classes already, in the hopes that some of those folks will be ready for a license upgrade. If you are among that esteemed group, watch you e-mail inbox in the coming weeks. The program fee will remain the same as it was last session at thirty dollars.
Finally, I would like to wish all of you a safe and happy holiday season. Spend some quality time with your families and loved ones, and get ready for the new year, which I am sure will bring good things for us in Amateur Radio.
That just about does it for this month… see you all next time!
The new year is upon us, and with it come some minor changes to our Club’s educational offerings. I will start this month’s column with the most evident change… that of the naming of our DigiNet to TechNet. We feel that the new name better suits the type of topics that we plan to present in the coming months.
The January - and probably February - TechNet sessions are going to cover FT8 and the related topics of FT4 and JS8Call, presented chiefly by Steve Farney W2SEF, and prepared through Steve’s collaborative efforts with some other Club members.
Beyond that, we have plans to cover such topics as computer time base solutions, both software and hardware, and such varied topics like the free Audacity software package for audio file manipulation, some more in-depth sessions on Fusion360 and SketchUp, some SDR software packages such as SDR#, SDR Server, SDR Console, and SDR Angel, and other such applications too numerous to list here.
Remember too that the next Ham Exam Preparation Class session starts up the week of 13 February 2023, which will be on us sooner than we realize. I will be sending out invitations to all those who completed the Technician and General classes already, in the hopes that some of those folks will be ready for a license upgrade. If you are among that esteemed group, watch you e-mail inbox in the coming weeks. The program fee will remain the same as it was last session at thirty dollars.
Finally, I would like to wish all of you a safe and happy holiday season. Spend some quality time with your families and loved ones, and get ready for the new year, which I am sure will bring good things for us in Amateur Radio.
That just about does it for this month… see you all next time!
December 2022
With the conclusion of the Ham Exam Preparation Classes Session III, we had a bang-up of a special VE session on Tuesday, 8 November for the Technician and General candidates. This meant that a total of nine candidates sat for exams that evening, five for the Technician (Element 2) exam and three for the General (Element 3) exam. The results were a resounding success. All five Technician candidates passed their exams, and two of them went on to also pass the General exam for good measure. It was an interesting evening, as every candidate who passed an exam went on to at least attempt the exam for next higher element. The night ended with four new Technicians and three new Generals.
Another special VE session was held on Friday, 18 November for the Amateur Extra candidates. At this session, three candidates sat for the Element 4 exam. In addition, one of the General candidates who did not pass the exam at the 8 November session also returned to sit for his Element 3 exam. Once again, it was a very successful evening, with all of the candidates passing the exams, including one perfect score and one forty-nine out of fifty on the Element 4 exams.
The Education Committee wishes to extend its heartfelt congratulations to all of those test candidates who successfully completed their exams!
Changing topics, it is time once again to bring up the DigiNet sessions. At the time that this was written, we were a few days short of the second session for November. The 21 November session is scheduled to be the last of the FLDIGI classes. Gary Mirkin WA2SVW, our congenial ZOOM host for these sessions, tells me that he will be finished with the FLDIGI information with the close of the third Monday of November meeting. So, with the completion of FLDIGI and its related topics, we will be starting a new topic in December.
While Gary will remain as primary ZOOM host, Mike Thompson KG4JYA will be taking over as instructor, introducing the membership to our new topic, the WINLINK Global Email System®, or just “Winlink” for short. Mike will cover the various aspects of Winlink that pertain to connectivity and amateur uses of the Winlink system. While the number of sessions for this topic has not yet been determined and will actually depend upon the understanding levels of the attendees and the flow of the material, you can be sure that sufficient time will be devoted to this topic to do it justice and ensure the widest possible comprehension of the subject.
As Jon Pearce WN2MNF has announced, the December General Membership Meeting’s program will be a discussion of 3-D printing, while the December Tech Forum Saturday will present CAD and 3-D software as utilized in Amateur Radio. These should be some interesting discussion topics, to which I am already looking forward.
That just about does it for this month… see you all next time!
With the conclusion of the Ham Exam Preparation Classes Session III, we had a bang-up of a special VE session on Tuesday, 8 November for the Technician and General candidates. This meant that a total of nine candidates sat for exams that evening, five for the Technician (Element 2) exam and three for the General (Element 3) exam. The results were a resounding success. All five Technician candidates passed their exams, and two of them went on to also pass the General exam for good measure. It was an interesting evening, as every candidate who passed an exam went on to at least attempt the exam for next higher element. The night ended with four new Technicians and three new Generals.
Another special VE session was held on Friday, 18 November for the Amateur Extra candidates. At this session, three candidates sat for the Element 4 exam. In addition, one of the General candidates who did not pass the exam at the 8 November session also returned to sit for his Element 3 exam. Once again, it was a very successful evening, with all of the candidates passing the exams, including one perfect score and one forty-nine out of fifty on the Element 4 exams.
The Education Committee wishes to extend its heartfelt congratulations to all of those test candidates who successfully completed their exams!
Changing topics, it is time once again to bring up the DigiNet sessions. At the time that this was written, we were a few days short of the second session for November. The 21 November session is scheduled to be the last of the FLDIGI classes. Gary Mirkin WA2SVW, our congenial ZOOM host for these sessions, tells me that he will be finished with the FLDIGI information with the close of the third Monday of November meeting. So, with the completion of FLDIGI and its related topics, we will be starting a new topic in December.
While Gary will remain as primary ZOOM host, Mike Thompson KG4JYA will be taking over as instructor, introducing the membership to our new topic, the WINLINK Global Email System®, or just “Winlink” for short. Mike will cover the various aspects of Winlink that pertain to connectivity and amateur uses of the Winlink system. While the number of sessions for this topic has not yet been determined and will actually depend upon the understanding levels of the attendees and the flow of the material, you can be sure that sufficient time will be devoted to this topic to do it justice and ensure the widest possible comprehension of the subject.
As Jon Pearce WN2MNF has announced, the December General Membership Meeting’s program will be a discussion of 3-D printing, while the December Tech Forum Saturday will present CAD and 3-D software as utilized in Amateur Radio. These should be some interesting discussion topics, to which I am already looking forward.
That just about does it for this month… see you all next time!
November 2022
The DigiNet training sessions have begun, with two of them behind us as this is being written. All indications are that the group - instructors and students alike - are all in favor of the newly implemented ZOOM methodology. It looks like that one is a keeper.
Gary Mirkin WA3SVW, with assistance from Steve Farney W2SEF, has been doing a great job as instructor for the current topic, FLDIGI, FLMSG, and FLAMP. Gary is also the primary (designated) ZOOM host for these sessions and will remain so even when other individuals are instructing. The ZOOM sessions are being recorded and are being made available for viewing once some housekeeping edits are made.
Speaking of current topics, Gary tells me that there will be one or two more meetings to finish of the current topic. At that point, we are moving on to VARA and will cover both VARA-FM and VARA-HF, ably instructed by Mike Thompson KG4JYA. Mike has had some good success working with VARA and is a natural choice to instruct the group at large. The way this will work is that Gary will open the ZOOM meeting, and will then turn the hosting duties over to Mike, who will present his materials as the working host of the meeting.
Stay tuned to this column for future announcements regarding the upcoming DigiNet topics.
On another note, we are now, as this is being written, into the sixth week of the session, which means that we are just two weeks away from the completion of the Ham Exam Preparation Classes Session III. While the total student count is lower than in some prior classes with a combined total of fifteen students, these folks are every bit as enthusiastic as any that we have taught. Early indications via practice tests are very good, so I have pretty high hopes for successful exams across the board.
Interestingly enough, we also picked up some new Club members through the classes. On one recent Monday evening, we set out to get all of the Technician students their FRN’s, which was no problem. However, that activity quickly led to also filling out Club membership applications. Gotta love it!
Every one of these classes is a learning experience for me as well as for the students, as I am always being reminded of some obscurity that I had overlooked or forgotten. However, it is often these obscure points that make a difference in one’s understanding of radio circuits and physics. In any event, I would have to say that on balance I get as much as I give in these classes.
Finally, with the test and repair bench just about complete, it is time to start planning some educational events centered on the bench - specifically how to use some of the various test instruments and equipment housed there. Watch for some upcoming announcements about some test and repair bench familiarization and training sessions in the near future.
That just about does it for this month… see you all next time!
The DigiNet training sessions have begun, with two of them behind us as this is being written. All indications are that the group - instructors and students alike - are all in favor of the newly implemented ZOOM methodology. It looks like that one is a keeper.
Gary Mirkin WA3SVW, with assistance from Steve Farney W2SEF, has been doing a great job as instructor for the current topic, FLDIGI, FLMSG, and FLAMP. Gary is also the primary (designated) ZOOM host for these sessions and will remain so even when other individuals are instructing. The ZOOM sessions are being recorded and are being made available for viewing once some housekeeping edits are made.
Speaking of current topics, Gary tells me that there will be one or two more meetings to finish of the current topic. At that point, we are moving on to VARA and will cover both VARA-FM and VARA-HF, ably instructed by Mike Thompson KG4JYA. Mike has had some good success working with VARA and is a natural choice to instruct the group at large. The way this will work is that Gary will open the ZOOM meeting, and will then turn the hosting duties over to Mike, who will present his materials as the working host of the meeting.
Stay tuned to this column for future announcements regarding the upcoming DigiNet topics.
On another note, we are now, as this is being written, into the sixth week of the session, which means that we are just two weeks away from the completion of the Ham Exam Preparation Classes Session III. While the total student count is lower than in some prior classes with a combined total of fifteen students, these folks are every bit as enthusiastic as any that we have taught. Early indications via practice tests are very good, so I have pretty high hopes for successful exams across the board.
Interestingly enough, we also picked up some new Club members through the classes. On one recent Monday evening, we set out to get all of the Technician students their FRN’s, which was no problem. However, that activity quickly led to also filling out Club membership applications. Gotta love it!
Every one of these classes is a learning experience for me as well as for the students, as I am always being reminded of some obscurity that I had overlooked or forgotten. However, it is often these obscure points that make a difference in one’s understanding of radio circuits and physics. In any event, I would have to say that on balance I get as much as I give in these classes.
Finally, with the test and repair bench just about complete, it is time to start planning some educational events centered on the bench - specifically how to use some of the various test instruments and equipment housed there. Watch for some upcoming announcements about some test and repair bench familiarization and training sessions in the near future.
That just about does it for this month… see you all next time!
October 2022
Now that our Ham Exam Preparation Classes have restarted, it is time to turn my attention – and yours – towards another area, namely our GCARC DigiNet.
The DigiNets are set to restart after the summer hiatus. Beginning on Monday, October 3, 2022 and repeating on the first and third Mondays of each month, the Net will be starting at 2000 Hours. We are starting out in October by addressing some FLDIGI training. Yes, we have done this subject before, but we now have many new members who were not here when we covered the topic before, and many of those who were here could most likely use a refresher class.
FLDIGI finds usage in ARES operations, so anybody who is active or is planning to become active with ARES should probably participate in these nets. The DigiNet training has historically been very well received and attended. These sessions should be no different. If you have ever wanted to start learning about digital communications modes, this is the place to start.
As we move forward, we will cover other digital modes to whatever extent is deemed suitable by the group of attendees. I can set a topic and do whatever possible to prep the instructors, though quite frankly the instructors have been doing all of that on their own. What I cannot do all by myself is decide what topics should be covered in individual class sessions. That is where you all come in. I need for the attendees to tell me what it is that they want to learn about. I can take it from there and make it happen, but it starts with you.
Some possible future topics include :
The range of topics is really as wide as the range of digital modes that exist. It is all up to you folks - the attending members.
That just about does it for this month, see you all next time!
Editor's Note : Go to : https://gloucestercountyarc.weebly.com/diginet.html and review the FLDIGI Information Resources. There are links to download the latest version of FLDIGI. Review the training documents provided by Gary WA3SVW.
Now that our Ham Exam Preparation Classes have restarted, it is time to turn my attention – and yours – towards another area, namely our GCARC DigiNet.
The DigiNets are set to restart after the summer hiatus. Beginning on Monday, October 3, 2022 and repeating on the first and third Mondays of each month, the Net will be starting at 2000 Hours. We are starting out in October by addressing some FLDIGI training. Yes, we have done this subject before, but we now have many new members who were not here when we covered the topic before, and many of those who were here could most likely use a refresher class.
FLDIGI finds usage in ARES operations, so anybody who is active or is planning to become active with ARES should probably participate in these nets. The DigiNet training has historically been very well received and attended. These sessions should be no different. If you have ever wanted to start learning about digital communications modes, this is the place to start.
As we move forward, we will cover other digital modes to whatever extent is deemed suitable by the group of attendees. I can set a topic and do whatever possible to prep the instructors, though quite frankly the instructors have been doing all of that on their own. What I cannot do all by myself is decide what topics should be covered in individual class sessions. That is where you all come in. I need for the attendees to tell me what it is that they want to learn about. I can take it from there and make it happen, but it starts with you.
Some possible future topics include :
- FT4 and FT8
- Slow-scan TV (still images) – a topic recently covered, but possible suitable for some of our newer members
- Packet Radio
- APRS
- Fast-scan TV (full-motion video)
The range of topics is really as wide as the range of digital modes that exist. It is all up to you folks - the attending members.
That just about does it for this month, see you all next time!
Editor's Note : Go to : https://gloucestercountyarc.weebly.com/diginet.html and review the FLDIGI Information Resources. There are links to download the latest version of FLDIGI. Review the training documents provided by Gary WA3SVW.
September 2022
September is traditionally the back-to-school month around here, and GCARC is no exception to this rule. Our Amateur Radio Test Preparation Classes are set to start up again with Session III during the week of September 12, 2022, following the same schedule as before - Element 2 (Technician) on Mondays, Element 3 (General) on Tuesdays, and Element 4 (Amateur Extra) on Fridays.
The books are on order, and hopefully will have arrived by the time that you read this, and I am currently working on student enrollments, printing handouts, and copying bonus materials to thumb drives. I am also working on getting our instructor team lined up. E-mails have gone out to those instructors who have helped out in the past, with the hope that they will be able to continue to do so.
I am always looking for additional help in teaching these classes. As I write this, I am short an instructor for the Element 2 classes on Monday evenings. If anyone is interested in helping out, please reach out to me as soon as possible. My preference is for Club members holding Amateur Extra licenses and ARRL Instructor certificates. The ARRL Instructor certificate is extremely easy to obtain, and I can help any volunteers who may be interested in getting the certificate.
These classes are extremely rewarding and are actually fun to teach. I do almost all of the hard work, in preparing the slide shows and handouts. All that you would have to do is show up and help out with the teaching and questions that arise - easy-peasy!
Bear in mind that there are four full sessions scheduled between September 12, 2022 and June 30, 2023, so I can certainly use some additional instructional help, if only to give those already working a break.
On another topic, please feel free to reach out to me or to Jon Pearce WB2MNF with possible educational suggestions for future Tech Saturday Forums. We are always looking for topics of interest to the Club membership. The August meeting, covering NanoVNA devices, was a hugely popular session with near record turnout. It is topics like this one that are of general interest that make for good Tech Saturday Forums.
Finally, the DigiNet sessions will be returning to the airwaves on October 3, 2022 at 2000 Hours, with the intended topic being FLDIGI. Steve Farney W2SEF will be helping out with the instruction during these net sessions, which will run on the first and third Mondays of each month from October through June. Once again, please feel free to reach out to me with suggestions for future DigiNets as well.
That just about does it for this month… see you all next time!
September is traditionally the back-to-school month around here, and GCARC is no exception to this rule. Our Amateur Radio Test Preparation Classes are set to start up again with Session III during the week of September 12, 2022, following the same schedule as before - Element 2 (Technician) on Mondays, Element 3 (General) on Tuesdays, and Element 4 (Amateur Extra) on Fridays.
The books are on order, and hopefully will have arrived by the time that you read this, and I am currently working on student enrollments, printing handouts, and copying bonus materials to thumb drives. I am also working on getting our instructor team lined up. E-mails have gone out to those instructors who have helped out in the past, with the hope that they will be able to continue to do so.
I am always looking for additional help in teaching these classes. As I write this, I am short an instructor for the Element 2 classes on Monday evenings. If anyone is interested in helping out, please reach out to me as soon as possible. My preference is for Club members holding Amateur Extra licenses and ARRL Instructor certificates. The ARRL Instructor certificate is extremely easy to obtain, and I can help any volunteers who may be interested in getting the certificate.
These classes are extremely rewarding and are actually fun to teach. I do almost all of the hard work, in preparing the slide shows and handouts. All that you would have to do is show up and help out with the teaching and questions that arise - easy-peasy!
Bear in mind that there are four full sessions scheduled between September 12, 2022 and June 30, 2023, so I can certainly use some additional instructional help, if only to give those already working a break.
On another topic, please feel free to reach out to me or to Jon Pearce WB2MNF with possible educational suggestions for future Tech Saturday Forums. We are always looking for topics of interest to the Club membership. The August meeting, covering NanoVNA devices, was a hugely popular session with near record turnout. It is topics like this one that are of general interest that make for good Tech Saturday Forums.
Finally, the DigiNet sessions will be returning to the airwaves on October 3, 2022 at 2000 Hours, with the intended topic being FLDIGI. Steve Farney W2SEF will be helping out with the instruction during these net sessions, which will run on the first and third Mondays of each month from October through June. Once again, please feel free to reach out to me with suggestions for future DigiNets as well.
That just about does it for this month… see you all next time!
August 2022
During the summer months, there is not a whole lot going on as far as GCARC Education is concerned. The DigiNet is on summer break, as are the license test preparation classes. However, there is a little bit to talk about.
One of the things that I participate in actively is the GCARC VE team. As a result, I do what I can to help build the team, so as to ensure that Gary Reed N2QEE, our VE Liaison, will always have adequate staff for the scheduled and special VE sessions that are held. One of the ways that I do this is by encouraging those members who have successfully upgraded to Amateur Extra to get involved in the VE program. This usually is easily done by visiting the ARRL VE page, downloading the manual, reading it, and then going back and taking the open book test. Finally, by submitting the completed test and a copy of your license, you are on your way to an ARRL VE credential. I hope that once we have adequate VE team members, Gary can schedule the VE’s for the various sessions and know that his staffing needs will be met. The ARRL web page on which to get started is http://www.arrl.org/become-an-arrl-ve - the process is really quite simple.
In recent months, we have added at least a half-dozen new VE’s, including Court Smith KD2SPI, Jerry Barnish K2EAB, Steve Farney W2SEF, Mike Thompson KG4JYA, Earl Moore KC2NCH, Rich Subers W2RHS, and Mike Resnick N2WOQ. These folks are all working hard to help keep the VE program going strong, and I thank them for their efforts. I extend my thanks also to all of the long-time VE’s who are still actively and faithfully participating, lest they be forgotten. Testing is an important part of the educational process, which is why I take it so seriously.
On another topic, the new Technician question pool is, of course, in active use for all Element 2 exam candidates. In accordance, I have been working on updating my Element 2 training materials so that I am ready for the upcoming fall training sessions. The spiral-bound Technician-level manual is now available from ARRL, and I just ordered my copy.
Unfortunately, the student cost for our test preparation classes will have to be increased this fall, to cover the increased cost of the books as well as to cover the costs of printing and collating the bonus materials and handouts that all of our students receive. I am looking forward to good enrollment figures despite the price increase. Any person - member or non-member - who is interested in obtaining or upgrading an Amateur Radio license would do well to attend our test preparation classes. It is still too early to state specifically what the new price will be, but I should have that information soon.
Finally, I am actively seeking suggestions for future DigiNet topics. If anyone has a favorite digital area that they would like to see explored in some depth as a DigiNet topic, please submit that suggestion to me via email, using my email address as on the Club roster.
During the summer months, there is not a whole lot going on as far as GCARC Education is concerned. The DigiNet is on summer break, as are the license test preparation classes. However, there is a little bit to talk about.
One of the things that I participate in actively is the GCARC VE team. As a result, I do what I can to help build the team, so as to ensure that Gary Reed N2QEE, our VE Liaison, will always have adequate staff for the scheduled and special VE sessions that are held. One of the ways that I do this is by encouraging those members who have successfully upgraded to Amateur Extra to get involved in the VE program. This usually is easily done by visiting the ARRL VE page, downloading the manual, reading it, and then going back and taking the open book test. Finally, by submitting the completed test and a copy of your license, you are on your way to an ARRL VE credential. I hope that once we have adequate VE team members, Gary can schedule the VE’s for the various sessions and know that his staffing needs will be met. The ARRL web page on which to get started is http://www.arrl.org/become-an-arrl-ve - the process is really quite simple.
In recent months, we have added at least a half-dozen new VE’s, including Court Smith KD2SPI, Jerry Barnish K2EAB, Steve Farney W2SEF, Mike Thompson KG4JYA, Earl Moore KC2NCH, Rich Subers W2RHS, and Mike Resnick N2WOQ. These folks are all working hard to help keep the VE program going strong, and I thank them for their efforts. I extend my thanks also to all of the long-time VE’s who are still actively and faithfully participating, lest they be forgotten. Testing is an important part of the educational process, which is why I take it so seriously.
On another topic, the new Technician question pool is, of course, in active use for all Element 2 exam candidates. In accordance, I have been working on updating my Element 2 training materials so that I am ready for the upcoming fall training sessions. The spiral-bound Technician-level manual is now available from ARRL, and I just ordered my copy.
Unfortunately, the student cost for our test preparation classes will have to be increased this fall, to cover the increased cost of the books as well as to cover the costs of printing and collating the bonus materials and handouts that all of our students receive. I am looking forward to good enrollment figures despite the price increase. Any person - member or non-member - who is interested in obtaining or upgrading an Amateur Radio license would do well to attend our test preparation classes. It is still too early to state specifically what the new price will be, but I should have that information soon.
Finally, I am actively seeking suggestions for future DigiNet topics. If anyone has a favorite digital area that they would like to see explored in some depth as a DigiNet topic, please submit that suggestion to me via email, using my email address as on the Club roster.
July 2022
As the summer break is upon us, there is not very much to report along educational lines this month. It does, however, bear mention that the listings of the next four sessions (Session III, Session IV, Session V, and Session VI) have all been set and have now been submitted to ARRL for posting on their website.
All of the new sessions are intended to be live (in-person) sessions, although ZOOM applicants will be considered if the candidate is distant enough that commuting would be exceptionally burdensome. The simple fact remains that the learning experience is better in the live classroom environment, which is why that method is the preferred method for our classes.
On another note, I am seeking volunteers to help out with the instructional duties, particularly for the Monday evening DigiNet sessions that will be starting up again in October. To start with, we are going to be addressing FLDIGI when the DigiNet sessions resume. I do not want to put the full burden of leading these sessions all on one individual, so I am looking for some volunteers to help Gary WA3SVW in explaining FLDIGI to the membership. Further, I will be looking for additional instructor volunteers for other digital topics, such as RTTY, FT4, FT8, and so forth. If you have experience using any of these modes and would like to share your knowledge, please reach out to me via email at cpprioli <at> gmail <dot> com and we can discuss your involvement. You don’t have to be an expert, just somewhat experienced and willing to share.
As you have no doubt read right here in CrossTalk, our Education Committee, headed by Chris Prioli, AD2CS, is off to a phenomenal start. The first round of classes created one new Technician, three new Generals, and nine new Amateur Extra Class operators. The second round of classes produced seven new Technicians, seven new Generals, and ten new Amateur Extra Class operators. These classes have also produced several new Club members.
Observing this success and recognizing the need and benefit of a more formal continuing education program in the furtherance of the Club’s goals, the Board of Directors has directed the Constitution Committee to change the Education Committee from ad hoc to a Standing Committee. Therefore in the Constitution, the following change is hereby proposed (Number 2022-01) :
CONSTITUTION : Article II - Officers and Their Duties, Section 2 - President
Current text :
“The President shall appoint, from the membership, the following Standing Committees and other committees deemed necessary: Membership, Publicity, Hamfest, Repeater Technical, Repeater Business, Hospitality, Club Site, Field Day, Nominations, Health and Welfare, Budget and Constitution.”
Proposed text (specific change in bold) :
“The President shall appoint, from the membership, the following Standing Committees and other committees deemed necessary: Membership, Publicity, Hamfest, Repeater Technical, Repeater Business, Hospitality, Club Site, Field Day, Nominations, Health and Welfare, Budget, Constitution, and Education.”
The stricken text reflects that there is no longer a need for a Repeater Business committee.
Any change to the Constitution requires fifteen signatures denoting support for the change, the distribution of the proposed wording to the membership (fulfilled here), and the reading of the proposed change at two consecutive General Membership meetings (July and August). A vote may then be held where the approval must exceed 75 percent of the members casting a vote at that time.
As the summer break is upon us, there is not very much to report along educational lines this month. It does, however, bear mention that the listings of the next four sessions (Session III, Session IV, Session V, and Session VI) have all been set and have now been submitted to ARRL for posting on their website.
All of the new sessions are intended to be live (in-person) sessions, although ZOOM applicants will be considered if the candidate is distant enough that commuting would be exceptionally burdensome. The simple fact remains that the learning experience is better in the live classroom environment, which is why that method is the preferred method for our classes.
On another note, I am seeking volunteers to help out with the instructional duties, particularly for the Monday evening DigiNet sessions that will be starting up again in October. To start with, we are going to be addressing FLDIGI when the DigiNet sessions resume. I do not want to put the full burden of leading these sessions all on one individual, so I am looking for some volunteers to help Gary WA3SVW in explaining FLDIGI to the membership. Further, I will be looking for additional instructor volunteers for other digital topics, such as RTTY, FT4, FT8, and so forth. If you have experience using any of these modes and would like to share your knowledge, please reach out to me via email at cpprioli <at> gmail <dot> com and we can discuss your involvement. You don’t have to be an expert, just somewhat experienced and willing to share.
As you have no doubt read right here in CrossTalk, our Education Committee, headed by Chris Prioli, AD2CS, is off to a phenomenal start. The first round of classes created one new Technician, three new Generals, and nine new Amateur Extra Class operators. The second round of classes produced seven new Technicians, seven new Generals, and ten new Amateur Extra Class operators. These classes have also produced several new Club members.
Observing this success and recognizing the need and benefit of a more formal continuing education program in the furtherance of the Club’s goals, the Board of Directors has directed the Constitution Committee to change the Education Committee from ad hoc to a Standing Committee. Therefore in the Constitution, the following change is hereby proposed (Number 2022-01) :
CONSTITUTION : Article II - Officers and Their Duties, Section 2 - President
Current text :
“The President shall appoint, from the membership, the following Standing Committees and other committees deemed necessary: Membership, Publicity, Hamfest, Repeater Technical, Repeater Business, Hospitality, Club Site, Field Day, Nominations, Health and Welfare, Budget and Constitution.”
Proposed text (specific change in bold) :
“The President shall appoint, from the membership, the following Standing Committees and other committees deemed necessary: Membership, Publicity, Hamfest, Repeater Technical, Repeater Business, Hospitality, Club Site, Field Day, Nominations, Health and Welfare, Budget, Constitution, and Education.”
The stricken text reflects that there is no longer a need for a Repeater Business committee.
Any change to the Constitution requires fifteen signatures denoting support for the change, the distribution of the proposed wording to the membership (fulfilled here), and the reading of the proposed change at two consecutive General Membership meetings (July and August). A vote may then be held where the approval must exceed 75 percent of the members casting a vote at that time.