Reports from Tom Mills AF4NC NM, ASM


 

September 2015 Report

Download the PDF version of the EPAEPTN October 2015 News

The voice of the Eastern Pennsylvania ARRL Section

3917 KHZ  Daily at 6:00 PM Local time

EPAEPTN  NET  October  Report

Conditions once again was pretty rough at times however we managed to  move our traffic and  picked up a couple new checkins.  Here is our totals for 2015 so far:

Month             checkins                      traffic

 

January            219                                61

February          138                              170      W3JY TFC

March             290                                82

April                279                                54

May                 225                                58

June                 250                              113       Field Day

July                  220                                75

August             260                                80

September      217                                69

I want to recognize a few new stations checking in: KB3ZCB, Donna; N3KCB, Tony from Delaware; KD4EAQ, John from Fulton.

 

OUTLETS

We are in need of outlets, and people willing to take traffic.  Far too many times we have checkins and traffic held for another day.  I guess I don’t understand it.  Remember this is a public service, it provides training, helps justify our existence and communicators.  The traffic does not have to be in your area, but our section which is Eastern Pa.  This thing about its not close to me is an invalid argument, that’s a carryover from the old toll phone call days.  Today I doubt if anyone is paying a toll.  With free long distance there is no charge.  While I too can take the traffic, I don’t want to hog all the traffic.  I have a SAR over 100 each month and would like to see others get involved too.  I would like to see others on the net qualify for the Public Service Honor Roll Award from the ARRL.

So please take some traffic!

Liaisons

We need volunteers to go to 3rd Region Cycle 2 net at 4 PM on 3918 KHZ.  I can’t always make it, and there seems to be a lot of times we aren’t there.  If you are available please check in and represent EPA.  Its open to anyone, it’s a short net and doesn’t involve a lot of work.  If you pick up traffic, and you are not going to deliver it yourself, bring it to our net at 6 PM.  Scott and I normally check into the Cycle 3 and 4 3rn which are CW, but at 4 PM its SSB.

NCS  Notes

If you get someone from outside the section checking in with traffic please assign anyone on the net to receive the traffic for distribution if there are no delivery stations.  We do not want traffic held up on the Region Net.  It’s up to us in the section to handle the traffic.

 

CW NETS

If you want to improve your CW skills try your hand at CW traffic handling.  CW nets that covers our area are:

7:30                 7112 KHZ         Hit and Bounce Slow Net                    INDEPENDENT NET

08:30               7112                Hit and Bounce Net                             INDEPENDENT NET

19:00               3585                PTN, Pennsylvania Traffic Net

19:30               3563                MSN, Maryland Slow Net and Training Net

19:45               3557                3rd Region Net cycle 3

21:30               3557                3rd Region Cycle 4

22:00               3585                PTN, Pennsylvania Traffic Net

PTN is usually kept to about 13 WPM, but as ALL nets, it doesn’t matter about your speed,  we will adjust to your speed.  So please give it a try.  For a challenge contact our STM Scott N3SW and we offer a CW NTS Training Course on PTN with a series of NTS Messages that are the lessons.  The Maryland Slow Net is another great net for training.  I personally took their course and had a great time.

SUMMARY

Remember to start winterizing your antennas.  For wire antennas strung in trees check tension if you are not on a pulley system.  As the leaves come off, branches will go up.  Also nylon cord deteriorates over time.

Thanks to everyone for checking in and especially to our NCS for keeping the net going.

73

Tom Mills AF4NC

Net Manager

 


Mid-July Update Report

I have attached the June report of the Eastern Area NTS Digital report.  Dave Struebel WB2FTX, the eastern Area Digital Coordinator compiled the data and sends it out to all the NTSD traffic handlers.  While everyone is not on digital I wanted to forward to you what has taken place in the Eastern Area.  While digital moves a lot of traffic, keep in mind that nets like ours, the EPAEPTN provides outlets for the traffic.  It doesn’t do any good to move it digitally then have it set on an MBO someplace.  The net also helps move traffic when it gets hung up on other nets.

This morning on the Hit and Bounce Slow Net (HBSN 7112 KHZ 07:30 AM daily)   we had a piece of traffic for Tennessee for which we had no stations.   Being I am on NTSD I took the traffic via relay from W2EAG in North Carolina and was able to put the traffic on W3JY MBO this morning.  The traffic was a happy birthday gram (ARL Forty Six) that needed to be delivered tomorrow.  I was able this keep the traffic flowing.

We need outlets and encourage everyone to help us move  traffic.   Don’t be afraid to step up as we will help you and provide traffic information for you.

Anyway attached is the Eastern area report.

Any questions, just email me or ask on the net.

Vy 73

Tom AF4NC

Net Manager EPAEPTN


 

JULY 2015 EPAEPTN Report

This year we have awarded the EPAEPTN TRAFFIC HANDLER of the Year Award to

Charles Schmell KS3Z.   Charles, a former manager of this net has brought a lot of experience and  doing an excellent job as our Tuesday night NCS and at other times as needed.

Thanks Charles for a job well done.  We made the announcement and showed the certificate at the ARRL Forum at the Firecracker Hamfest in Harrisburg. A copy of his certificate is attached for all to view.

Hoppy W3TWV received the Lifetime Service Plaque.  Both he and Charles were not present

but we will get these awards to you.  Thanks guys!

In attendance at the Firecracker Hamfest in Harrisburg was our ARRL Atlantic Division Director Tom Abernethy W3TOM and our Vice Director, our very own former Section Manager Bob Famiglio K3RF as well as our current Section Manager Joe Ames W3JY.   W3TOM and W3JY both attended the Murgas Hamfest as well.

The EPAEPTN would like to give a special thanks to the Harrisburg Radio Amateurs’ Club and the Murgas Amateur Radio Club for hosting great hamfests.  The rain min Harrisburg may have dampened some outdoor activities, but that brought every one inside and gave us a chance to visit with one another.  The rain Gods were a little more favorable to us at the Murgas Hamfests and a great time was held by all.

During the month of June the following stations checked into the net more than 15 times.

That’s dedication and I want to let you know that your efforts do not go unnoticed.

KC3DOJ           Bill                   Pike County

KJ3P                 Jim                   Montgomery County

W3TWV           Hoppy              Lackawana County

KS3Z                Charles            Bucks County

Thanks to everyone for  making June a good month.  the checkins and traffic so far this year is as follows:

Month             checkins                      traffic

January            219                                61

February          138                              170

March             290                                82

April                279                                54

May                 225                                58

June                 250                              113

A drop in the checkins can be attributed to vacations, and weather.  We did receive a lot of traffic during Field Day, 23 on Saturday and 18 on Sunday.  Thanks to KB3LR and W3JY for running the nets and handling the traffic.

Thanks to KJ3P for picking up traffic when I am away or travelling.  June was a busy month for me as had spent a lot time flying.  I think the next couple months will  slow down.

Congratulations to W3ZR winning the election and becoming sheriff and being designated an Official Relay Station!

TRAINING

I have attached a copy of FSD 218 which covers the message form, explaination of the handling codes and the Q signals.

I have also attached a copy of the preamble which also includes the format for the net reports.  If a net control station is absent I would like to see someone volunteer and pick up the net.  We will help you so don’t worry about being a new to the net.  It will also aid in qualifying to be a Official Relay Station.

Everyone please send a monthly Station Activity Report to Scott N3SW with your traffic count for the month.  We need that information to inform headquarters of our activity. If anyone needs the format or desires information on the monthly Station Activity Report or the Public Service Honor Roll report email me and I will get that or any other information you need.

Thanks to everyone for their support and bringing or taking traffic.  See you on the net!

73

Tom Mills AF4NC

Net Manager EPAEPTN