WA8AHZ

The North American QSO Party-SSB is a twice-a-year contest we participate in. This contest is as much a learning experience for our newer SSB operators as it is a serious event for our more proficient contesters. Our August occurrence of this event will start at 2:oo pm on Saturday, August 15th. The event will be done virtually, and Pete, K6BFA is looking for teams of people to work together (virtually). See here for instructions.

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 – NO FORUM TOPIC. Instead, the main presentation will start directly after a Club announcements. Main Presentation – “Volcanoes for Hams, Poets and Lovers, Part II”: It’s been two years since Mike, AE4R provided his stimulating presentation on volcanoes from around the world. He is returning to give an update. If you’re interested in reviewing Mike’s earlier talk, see here. Time: ~7:15-9:00 pm

The National Contest Journal’s sponsored North American QSO Party are scheduled for for 1-2 Aug (CW) and 15-16 Aug (SSB). Traditionally, selected members host the Club to work the contest at their QTHs, but w/ COVID-19 restrictions these events will be mostly conducted in a distributed format this year. The contest is seeking teams to be formed, and their scores aggerated. Pete, K6BFA is looking for CW operators willing to join one of several CW teams. Contact him at Pete dot Hadley at petehadley dot com to sign up. Registration for teams during the SSB portion of the contest is pending. Details on the NAQP event are here.

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 — "Why Every Ham Should Know and Love the Decibel" Leon, NT8B Howard, K0LKD and Ron, WA6YOU will provide an overview of a tool that simplifies many measurement problems in radio and other applications. We'll focus on how it is used to measure, compare and compute power levels so you can evaluate the performance of antennas, radios and amplifiers. You will see that the decibel is a wonderful friend you should not ignore. Time: 7:00-7:30 pm Main Presentation – "Overview of LiFePO4 Batteries for Solar & Ham Radio Applications" Kevin from Bioenno Power, Santa Ana, CA will provide an overview of the use, care and feeding of an interesting and important new battery technology that is proving helpful in many amateur radio applications. Time: 7:30-9:00 pm

During these times of involuntary sequestration, here is an activity that will help take your mind off of the outside events to advance your skills and increase your knowledge of Amateur Radio. All of these challenges can be completed while respecting the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Guidelines. The objective is to complete at least two activities from each of the five categories listed in the Scavenger Hunt checklist before September 12, 2020, which is thetentative date for the Club’s Volunteer’s Picnic at Glyndon Park. Submit your filled-out checklist to Pete at petehadley dot com to become eligible for one of the prizes. The checklist is here!

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 -- “HAM RADIO MOBILE INSTALLATION by K0LKD" This presentation is based on my own experience and info from several websites. This mobile installation includes both VHF/UHF and HF equipment with the capability to cover frequencies from 80M to 70CM Time: 7:00-7:30 pm Main Presentation – “An Insider’s Overview of the Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) and the Dayton Hamvention”: Michael, W8CI has been actively engaged for many years in running the Dayton Hamvention, one of the world’s largest and most exciting ham radio conventions. He has served as Hamvention Chairman, and is currently co-chair of the Hamvention Awards Committee, and he will discuss Hamvention history, how it works with 750 volunteers and what’s next. Michael promises lots of behind the scenes stories that will surprise us all. Time: 7:30-9:00 pm

“Homebrewing – the original Maker Community” Dean, KK4DAS will join us for a talk on the emerging interest by newer ham radio operators to build their own radio equipment. He’ll describe some of the interesting projects he, and some of his friends in the “Maker Community” are doing, and his enjoyment when he achieves the “Joy of Oscillation” The meeting will be held via Zoom and the log in is to: https://zoom.us/j/968580533?pwd=QUJPWHh2ZWpOcW9TNVdyUjdFMWw2QT09

Not listed on some of the big-time contest calendars this year is the 12th annual 13 Colonies Special Event. They provide a great certificate! Details on the SE is at: http://www.13colonies.us/ Spend some quality time with your radio and enjoy talking to each of the original colonies. Spotting is encouraged, and many in the Club use http://www.dxsummit.fi/#/ to track those hard to find States, like K2E, Delaware and K2C, Rhode Island. The event runs: July 1 (9AM Eastern) to July 7 (Midnight Eastern) Our next Club meeting is Jul 10th and we'll be posting details on Jul 3rd.

This year’s FD will be different than in years past, including no Burke Lake Park experience. But, with change, comes opportunity. Last year, the Club operated five stations at BLP and collectively generating point score of over 10,000 over the 24 hour period. Recognizing the need for social distancing, the ARRL FD rules have been amended to allow us to each submit our individual CABRILO logs identifying Vienna Wireless Society as our affiliated Club, and besides our individual point scores, the Club will receive a consolidated Club score. Anybody want to predict the VWS club score for FD 2020? The Club will host an informal Club meeting on Friday, June 26th @ 7:00 pm to field any last minute FD 2020 questions you might have, and just to have time to socialize before the start of FD 2020 at 2:00pm Saturday, June 27th. Join us via Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/876619925?pwd=MkcrMU85Sm5PT3g5SzNOU214ZDdmQT09 If needed, the Meeting id is 876 619 925 and the password is 3eE0ibYYJG

Field Day 2020 is June 27-28, and this year we are going to practice social distancing and NOT gaggle to Burke Lake Park. Instead, the Club is going to promote a “distributed” FD event. Participate from your QTH, either by yourself, or if you feel so inclined: invite a new ham who’s without radio to work with you. There will be no formal Club meeting on Friday, June 26th; rather, we’ll open the Zoom conference line for informal discussion, comradeship and to answer questions you might have as you prepare for FD. We’ll start the session at 7pm EDST as usual. In order for VWS to benefit, as a Club, from your individual effort when you upload your log to ARRL, please identify your Club affiliation as "Vienna Wireless Society" The exact spelling is important! Also, the Club will host two training sessions on how to use the N1MM logging program on Saturday, June 20th (SSB and CW setup) and Sunday, June 21st (Digital setup). Both meetings will start at 2pm EDST. We’ll use the regular VWS General Meeting Zoom URL for all three of these meetings. Zoom URL https://us02web.zoom.us/j/876619925?pwd=MkcrMU85Sm5PT3g5SzNOU214ZDdmQT09 If needed, the Meeting ID is: 876 619 925 and password: 3eE0ibYYJG

Friday, June 12th General Membership Meeting will be via Zoom. The Zoom details are: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/876619925?pwd=MkcrMU85Sm5PT3g5SzNOU214ZDdmQT09 If needed, the Meeting ID is: 876 619 925 and password: 3eE0ibYYJG Forum Presentation Topic – “Preparing for Field Day” The Club has decided not to host our traditional Field Day (FD) event at Burke Lake Park this year, out of an abundance of caution due to COVID-19, and instead encouraging all Club members to operate from in a distributed mode. Leon, NT8B will lead a discussion on tips and tricks for setting up a “1D” or "IE" station, and logging and submitting a contest log to ARRL. The rules this year allows the Club to compete using all contacts made by Club members. Time: 7:00-7:30 pm Main Presentation Topic – “Ham Radio Home Brewing” Join Bill, N2CQR, the host of the SolderSmoke podcast ( https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/ ) for a discussion on home brewing. Bill was first licensed in 1973 at the age of 14, and has been a homebrewer from the beginning. His professional career took him nearly around the world --living, at different times in the Dominican Republic, the Azores, London and Rome. In every foreign duty location, he continued his adventures in ham radio homebrew construction projects. This is a one-of-a-kind presentation that you do not want to miss. Time: ~7:30-9:00 pm On Saturday, June 13th, join us for a COVID-19 Fox-Hound event. This event will be a mix of in-person (practicing safe distancing) and a Zoom meeting! Details are at: https://viennawireless.net/wp/covid-19-fox-hound-hunt/ The Zoom meeting can be accessed starting at 10:00 am at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87219226816?pwd=Zklad3YvcHZlY2FjV2dZNnBVREc2QT09 If needed, the Meeting ID: 872 1922 6816, Password: 265898

During these times of involuntary sequestration, here is an activity that will help take your mind off of the outside events to advance your skills and increase your knowledge of Amateur Radio. All of these challenges can be completed while respecting the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Guidelines. The objective is to complete at least two activities from each of the five categories listed in the Scavenger Hunt checklist before September 12, 2020, which is the planned date for the Club’s Volunteer’s Picnic at Glyndon Park. Submit your filled-out checklist to Pete at petehadley dot com to become eligible for one of the prizes. The checklist is here!

The Membership Committee is once again hosting a Shack Crawl for Club members to visit 3 Shacks to learn Tricks & Tips about setting up or improving your shack layout, antenna designs and grounding solutions. The crawl this year will be virtual, and conducted via Zoom using the following URL: https://zoom.us/j/876619925?pwd=MkcrMU85Sm5PT3g5SzNOU214ZDdmQT09 Meeting ID: 886 2049 1833, Password: 378725 RSVPs are suggested. Email Mike to RSVP or if you have questions, WA8AHZ at: aimonema@aol.com

Forum— “Homebrewing Electronic Projects using Manhattan Style Construction” Dean, KK4DAS, Chair of the Maker Committee will describe a home brew transceiver he recently constructed, and his plans for the Maker Committee. Time: 7:00-7:30 pm, Venue: Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/876619925?pwd=MkcrMU85Sm5PT3g5SzNOU214ZDdmQT09 Special Meeting: The Board of Directors of the Vienna Wireless Society requests the members in attendance at the Special Meeting consider approving a proposed change to the Bylaws, and make funds available from the Club's reserve account to relocate the VWS 2m repeater to Tysons. Information papers discussing these important topics are at: http://viennawireless.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Info-Papers-2-each-Special-Meeting-20200522.pdf Time: 7:30-9:00 pm, Venue: Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/876619925?pwd=MkcrMU85Sm5PT3g5SzNOU214ZDdmQT09

During these times of involuntary sequestration, here is an activity that will help take your mind off of the outside events to advance your skills and increase your knowledge of Amateur Radio. All of these challenges can be completed while respecting the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Guidelines. The objective is to complete at least two activities from each of the five categories listed in the Scavenger Hunt checklist before September 12, 2020, which is the planned date for the Club’s Volunteer’s Picnic at Glyndon Park. Submit your filled-out checklist to Pete at petehadley dot com to become eligible for one of the prizes. The checklist is here!