WA8AHZ

Please join the Club for our Regular General Meeting on Friday, Jan 12th starting at 7:00 pm, on Zoom. The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83906871573?pwd=V3l1UkZmSGZObGI5YkhLbGFYRzRUZz09 Forum Topic – “Setting up a Dream Shack” After more than 20 years as a Ham, Rick, N1RM finally had a chance to build his dream station. Join Rick as he goes through the challenging, but rewarding process of getting the station on the air. Time: 7:00-7:30 pm Main Presentation Topic -- “Enhance Your Station With a Contest Grade Panadapter” Tom, N1MM+ is the creator of the popular electronic logging program N1MM+ and joins us from his QTH in Vernon, Connecticut. He will discuss his universally-acclaimed contest logging program, and demonstrate its unique panadapter. This “Spectrum Display” turns your computer screen into a full-featured visual display of signals activity across the radio band and extends the capability of your ICOM 7300 and other popular rigs. This will be an exciting demonstration of often unnoticed features of this great logging software. Be sure to attend! Time: 7:30-9:00 pm

The first four state QSO parties start this month! Vermont and Minnesota are the 6th, and SC then NC are the 27 & 28th>. See https://www.contestcalendar.com/stateparties.html for more details. Stand by for details on the VWS Club meeting on Friday, 5 Feb

The Winter Field Day Association will host Winter Field Day 2021 from 2pm EST Saturday to 2pm EST Sunday, January 30-31, 2021. Station set-up, for those operating outdoors, or from a location not your current QTH may commence no earlier than 1900 UTC (2pm EST) on the Friday before. Station setup may consume no more than 12 hours total. How & when you schedule/spend those 12 hours is up to you. All Amateur bands, HF, VHF, & UHF except 12, 17, 30 and 60 meters may be used, and any mode that can faithfully transmit the exchange intact without a conversion table (CW, SSB, AM, FM, DStar, C4FM, DMR, Packet, PSK, SSTV, RTTY, Olivia, Satellite, etc) qualify Note FT8 & FT4 do not count! The exchange is Class+Category plus ARRL Section ... for example, for someone operating from home as an individual, the exchange is: 1H VA. Rules at: https://a2a53e2b-2285-4083-9cff-c99fe5ba1658.filesusr.com/ugd/1c7085_2445ed4b22f74e048fe9bd41c8dba103.pdf

Please join the Club our Regular General Meeting on Friday, Jan 22nd starting at 7:00 pm, on Zoom. The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83906871573?pwd=V3l1UkZmSGZObGI5YkhLbGFYRzRUZz09 If needed, the meeting ID and passcode are: 839 0687 1573 and 592282 Forum Topic – “A survey of useful computer apps for Ham Radio” Join Mike, WA8AHZ has he surveys some of the more interesting websites, apps and computer software to aid the Amateur Radio Operator. Club members will be asked to share their best apps. ” Time 7:00-7:30 pm Time 7:00-7:30 pm Main Presentation Topic: “Amateur Radio Roundtable Pico Balloon Project” Tom, W5KUB will be joining us from Tennessee. Check out his QRZ page at: https://www.qrz.com/lookup/w5kub Time 7:30-9:00 pm

***Please distribute to all amateur radio operators in the National Capital Region*** Fairfax County ARES has been requested to support the 2021 Presidential Inauguration and we need your help! From 0800-1600L on Inauguration Day, FFXARES will conduct a situational awareness net in support of the District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (DC HSEMA). Please see the attached documents for event details and instructions if you wish to participate. The plan and attachments are at: http://viennawireless.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/FFXARES-2021-INAUGURATION-LOI-16JAN21.pdf http://viennawireless.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021-INAUGURATION-ICS-205-16JAN21.pdf

Join QCWA Ch 91 members for our first meeting of the new year on Saturday January 16th at 1130 via Zoom. Kerry, WA4BQM will join us again to talk about solar impacts on HF propagation, and updates on the Solar Cycle 25. Monthly Meeting details coming. https://zoom.us/j/968580533?pwd=QUJPWHh2ZWpOcW9TNVdyUjdFMWw2QT09

Please join the Club for first general meeting in 2021 on Friday, Jan 8th starting at 7:00 pm, on Zoom. The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83906871573?pwd=V3l1UkZmSGZObGI5YkhLbGFYRzRUZz09 Forum: “My experience with Amateur Satellites and ISS” by Brendan, KM4HRR, Time: 7:00-7:30 pm (followed by Club announcements) Main Presentation: “Railroad Communication” by Andrew K3NHT, Time: 7:30- 9:00 pm

Interested in learning more about the early movers and shakers of Ham Radio? Browse Chris Codella's (W2PA) ham radio history website: Ham Radio History | A Century of Amateur Radio – Hams, Organizations, Events, Inventions (w2pa.net). It's worth your time. See you at the Club meeting (via Zoom) on January 8, 2021.

The VWS Board of Directors and Officers wish you a safe and healthy holiday season, and we share with you (from QRZ.com) the following holiday thoughts: https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/a-hams-night-before-christmas.737696/ We're still looking for a few folks to sign up to operate the Special Event starting Friday, 18 Dec and running thru the 24th. The sign up roster is on the W4F VWS Resource page Resource page for W4F Operators – Vienna Wireless Society

Dec 11th: (Virtual) Annual Holiday Party: Please join the Club for our annual holiday celebration starting at 7:00 pm, on Zoom. The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83906871573?pwd=V3l1UkZmSGZObGI5YkhLbGFYRzRUZz09 This will be a BYOD (Bring Your Own Dinner … Drink? ... Diva?) to the meeting, and let’s have some fun just celebrating together. There will be a number of recognition awards presented, and on a somber note, we’ll have a memorial for a number of our fellow Club members who have passed this year. Dec 12th: (Virtual) N1MM+ Training Session: This training session on the popular N1MM+ elogging tool is planned for 10:00 am to 12:00 noon and will aid you if you are planning to operate as a special event station for W4F. If you are working as W4F, we ask that you log your contacts via N1MM+ and send Mike, KN4VKN your log, in the form of a ADIF File, at the end of the Special Event. This training session will be via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85226921606?pwd=b0NCWnAwTmpSVFV3d2ZJQTNReUMrZz09 The training session will provide you the ins and outs on how to set up , use, and download your ADIF file from N1MM+. A syllabus is available at http://viennawireless.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/N1MM-Setup-for-W4F-Special-Event-v2.pdf

Ever wonder how a slim jim or the big brother, a J-Pole antenna work? A quick check on the internet reported that “the J-pole antenna is an end-fed omnidirectional half-wave antenna that is matched to the feedline by a quarter wave parallel transmission line stub of Lecher system form. Matching to the feed-line is achieved by sliding the connection of the feedline back and forth along the stub until an impedance match is obtained. Being a half-wave antenna, it provides a small gain over a quarter-wave ground-plane antenna.” Some of us who participated in the recent Basic Antenna Tutorial a week or so ago stopped by Dave’s shack (KE0OG), and he have us a lesson. It’s worth your time visit w/ Dave. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRJw3SCBGfA&feature=emb_title

Contest Objective: To support amateur self-training in radiocommunications, including improving amateur operating skills, conducting technical investigations, and intercommunicating with other amateurs. Stations in the United States and Canada (including territories and possessions) exchange information with as many other US and Canadian stations as possible on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter bands. Contest Period: Begins 2100 UTC Saturday and runs through 0259 UTC Monday. Contest Exchange: Serial No. + Precedence (Q/A/B/U/M/S) + [your call sign] + Check + ARRL/RAC Section Where the Precedence options are: · “Q” for Single Operator, QRP · “A” for Single Operator, Low Power · “B” for Single Operator, High Power · “U” for Any Single Operator Unlimited Power Category (High, Low, or QRP) · “M” for Multioperator, High Power or Multioperator, Low Power · “S” for School Club Check: The last two digits of the year the operator or the station was first licensed. The same Check must be sent throughout the contest. More details at: http://www.arrl.org/sweepstakes

The Board of Directors of the Vienna Wireless Society will host the Corporation’s Annual Business Meeting on Friday, November 13, 2020 via Zoom. The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83906871573?pwd=V3l1UkZmSGZObGI5YkhLbGFYRzRUZz09 This is the same link used for the General Membership Meetings. If needed, the Meeting ID is: 839 0687 1573 with Passcode: 592282 In accordance with the By-laws, the meeting will start at 7:40 pm. The Zoom link will open at 7:00 pm for social discussions until the start of the business meeting. The agenda for the meeting includes the election of three Board members for the 2021-2023 term, and a motion to approve the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget. When posted, the proposed budget can be found at: https://viennawireless.net/wp/proposed-2021-budget-pending-distribution/

Ever hear of Reginald Fessenden? - Made the first wireless voice transmission, on Cobb Island, Maryland on December 23, 1900. - Known as the father of Amplitude Modulation, and the first person to use a carbon microphone to modulate a carrier signal. - On December 24, 1906, Fessenden made the first wireless musical broadcast, which was heard by ships of the coast of Massachusetts. - Holder of more than 500 patents in illumination and early wireless technology, including the invention of the Fessenden Oscillator, which became the basis for SONAR. Mark your calendar to help celebrate 120 years of Fessenden’s accomplishments as the Vienna Wireless Society hosts a Special Event Station, W4F from December 18-24, 2020. More details to follow. For more on Fessenden, see: https://ethw.org/Reginald_A._Fessenden

If you're ready to take the exam, and wish to do it in person, see below: Sponsor: Dunn Loring Fire Dept Date: Oct 31 2020 Time: 11:00 AM (Walk-ins allowed) Contact: Howard F. Cunningham (703) 359-9211 Email: wd5dbc@arrl.net VEC: ARRL/VEC Location: Dunn Loring Fire Station 13 2148 Gallows Rd Ground Level Board Room Fairfax VA 22027

NOTE: The Zoom Logon is needed attend the Club’s Regular Membership Meetings is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83906871573?pwd=V3l1UkZmSGZObGI5YkhLbGFYRzRUZz09 If needed, the meeting ID and passcode are: 839 0687 1573 and 592282 Forum -- “You Can’t Take it with You”: Scott, KD4EBL, the head of the VWS SK/Consignment Sale Committee will discuss expanding your estate planning to include disposition instructions on your radio equipment. Time 7:00-7:30 pm Main Presentation -- “On Reflections of an FCC Field Engineer”: John, WQ4L, a good friend of VWS will share his thoughts as a long-time FCC Field Examiner. ~ Time: 7:30-9:00 pm

Ham Bootcamp Are you new to the hobby, or thinking of becoming a Ham? Our friends at the Nashua Area (New Hampshire) Radio Society have especially invited you to attend their Boot Camp, virtually on Nov 7th More details are at: https://www.n1fd.org/2019/09/01/ham-bootcamp/ Sign up for their next Bootcamp via email to membership@n1fd.org.

NOTE: These are new logon credentials as of 9/1/2020. This new Zoom Logon is needed attend the Club’s Regular Membership Meetings: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83906871573?pwd=V3l1UkZmSGZObGI5YkhLbGFYRzRUZz09 If needed, the meeting ID and passcode are: 839 0687 1573 and 592282 Forum – “National Capital Region/Fairfax County Emergency Communication Cache”: Join Zach, K4SDZ as he takes us on a virtual tour of the National Capital Region/Fairfax County Emergency Communication Cache. Time 7:00-7:30 pm Main Presentation –“Introduction to ARPS (Automatic Packet Reporting System)”: APRS is an amateur radio-based system for real time digital communications of information of immediate value in the local area. ... Data shared via radio or Internet are collected by all users and can be combined with external map data to build a shared live view. Bob, WB4APR will update the Club on APRS capability. ~ Time: 7:30-9:00 pm

Want to visit (virtually) the South Pacific in October? Join the hunt for Bora Bora, or any number of the islands during the 75th Annual Oceania DX Contest. It runs from: - (Phone) 06:00 UTC Saturday 3 October to 06:00 UTC Sunday 4 October 2020 and - CW: 06:00 UTC Saturday 10 October to 06:00 UTC Sunday 11 October 2020. The Islands participating are at: http://www.oceaniadxcontest.com/html/oceania.html And the rules are at: http://www.oceaniadxcontest.com/OCDX-2020-Official-Rules.pdf Enjoy!

NOTE: These are new logon credentials as of 9/1/2020. This new Zoom Logon is needed attend the Club’s Regular Membership Meetings: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83906871573?pwd=V3l1UkZmSGZObGI5YkhLbGFYRzRUZz09 If needed, the meeting ID and passcode are: 839 0687 1573 and 592282 Forum – “KerberosSDR for Radio Direction Finding” Andrew K3NHT will provide an overview of his recent experiences using KerbrosSDR, a system that uses a set of 4 RTL-SDR Software Defined Radio dongles for radio direction finding and other interesting applications. Andrew will tell us about how he’s set up his system and used it in our recent fox hunt activities. Time 7:00-7:30 pm Main Presentation – “Using Arduino Components to Build a Signal Generator” Dean, KK4DAS will explain and demonstrate how to build an Arduino based signal generator. A signal generator is a useful test equipment item for the Ham shack. A signal generator is used to inject a known frequency and amplitude sine wave into various electronic circuits in order to test and evaluate Radio and Audio frequency circuits. Time: ~ 7:30-9:00 pm

If you loved the 13 Colonies Special Event Stations in July, then you'll really like the hunt working the Route 66 on the air special event that runs through Sep 20th. The Citrus Belt Amateur Radio Club of San Bernardino, CA hosts this event every September. This year there are a whopping twenty-one special event stations (W6A to W6U) stretching the entire length of the historic Route 66 scenic motor highway looking for you to make contact … details are at: http://w6jbt.org/?page_id=117 Look for them on SSB and FT-8 for sure on 40, 20, 15 & 10m Also, plan to attend the VWS virtual picnic on Saturday, Sep 19th via zoom. This picnic will be jointly sponsored by the local chapter of the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA) and VWS. The link for the zoom meeting for this virtual picnic is: https://zoom.us/j/968580533?pwd=QUJPWHh2ZWpOcW9TNVdyUjdFMWw2QT09. Bring your lunch to the computer for some camaraderie and show and tell. Please have camera ready to move around and share what you have been doing the COVID vacation.

NOTE: These are new logon credentials as of 9/1/2020. This new Zoom Logon is needed attend the Club’s Regular Membership Meetings: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83906871573?pwd=V3l1UkZmSGZObGI5YkhLbGFYRzRUZz09 If needed, the meeting ID and passcode are: 839 0687 1573 and 592282 Friday, 11 Sept 2020 Forum – “Introduction to Computer Software to aid Ham Radio Operations”: Dean Souleles, KK4DAS. Time 7:00-7:30 pm Main Presentation – “A Beginner’s Guide to Digital Mobile Radio”: Ben Mills, N4CV Time: ~ 7:30-9:00 pm Saturday, 12 Sep 2020 In Person Volunteers’ Picnic: The Board of Directors will host a socially-distanced in-person Picnic at Glyndon Park on September 12 from 11AM-2PM. We will be located in the lower pavilion near the baseball diamond and Glyndon St. We will not be serving food from shared serving dishes as we have in the past, so please bring whatever you would like to eat or drink during the event. We will fire up the charcoal grill to cook meats you bring to the picnic. We'll cook what you bring and will serve directly from the hot grill. We ask that you plan to wear face masks except when eating.

We’ll use the VWS General Meeting Zoom URL for these meetings. Zoom URL is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/876619925?pwd=MkcrMU85Sm5PT3g5SzNOU214ZDdmQT09 If needed, the Meeting ID is: 876 619 925 and password: 3eE0ibYYJG Forum –" CalTopo" Forum – “CalTopo” Join Mike, KA4CDN as he discusses the interactive web- based mapping application CalTopo. While not HAM radio specific, it has many features that can be useful in HAM related activities; from planning events and excursions to analyzing collected data. Join us as we get an introduction to CalTopo, some of these features and explore example uses. Time 7:00-7:30 pm Main Presentation – “DC Power, Distribution, Batteries and Solar" Experts from West Mountain Radio, Waukesha, WI identify the special considerations involved with low voltage high current DC power as is used in Amateur Radio. Cable loss as well as connector suitability are discussed. An overview of the state of battery technology will be presented with a good comparison of the technologies as it applies to Amateur Radio. Battery configurations, safety and the use of solar power are all included in this session. Time: 7:30-9:00 pm

A second COVIN-19 Fox Hunt will be hosted on Aug 22nd at 1000, 1200 & 1400 Local. The objectives of the event are: -- Study methods and practice skill of radio signal transmitter detecting / locating, i.e., Foxhunting -- Optionally study and/or build VHF antennas suitable for Foxhunting -- Practice using a compass to take bearings, plot bearings The transmission will be for two minutes on the five-minute marks. For example, for the 10:00 am hunt, the first transmission will be at 10:00, the next at 10:05, etc. Fox will transmit an FM carrier, simplex on 145.900 MHz and ID at least once per transmission. If the frequency is occupied, the alternate will be 145.700 MHz The remainder of the rules for the hunt are here. There is a Zoom link to follow along with … see: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81511519880?pwd=dnpkLzY3ejdTTnNhTU9CT2NkQ0o2QT09 If you need it the meeting ID and passcode are as follows: Meeting ID: 815 1151 9880 Passcode: 921171