August Activity

August Activity

We welcome the following new members to the group. N4EWE, KY4SLR, NC1PA, KO4SFQ, KO4SFQ, and Jetter Lewis to the group so far this month. They completed the application on our website at https://fivecountyhre.org/application/. If you receive our group io emails and have not completed your application I invite you to do so. We have 240 group io subscribers and 103 members on our application.

JARS Meeting

The meeting of the Johnston Amateur Radio Society will be Thursday. We meet at the Cleveland Draft House 461 Shotwell Road, Clayton, NC 27520. It is not uncommon to belong to multiple clubs. The meeting starts at 7 if you want dinner be there at 6 PM.

If you are new to the group please introduce yourself

Add to your QRZ page

If you are a US Amateur you have a QRZ page. Go to their FAQ section to get help.

Weekly Net

Please join us tonight at 7:00PM for the Five County Ham Radio Enthusiasts net on the Carolina 440 network. You will be able to find your closest repeater at https://www.carolina440.net/440uhf-repeaters/repeaters-on-link.html. If you are not close to the repeater or are unlicensed and you would like to listen on line try https://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/34503 Tony Hall (WW4TCH) is our regular net control station.

Thanks to the Carolina 440 net for the use of the repeater. If you would like to help see https://www.carolina440.net/membership/support.html. Tell them FCHRE sent you.

Third Thursday Exam Session

Due to a scheduling need at Banks Road Thursday we will reschedule the exam there to Wednesday if we get any applicants so far we have no applicants.

Same no charge service two new locations

Amateur Radio, Testing, Weekly Report

By: Mark Gibson (N4MQU)

Next Saturday August 7 is the date when the new team of Central Carolina VE team will have their first exam at the American Legion in Fuquay the exam starts at 10:00 AM. Wendell will have the HF antenna workshop at 1:00 PM exam will be at 2:30 PM details for the Wendell event https://fivecountyhre.org/high-frequency-antennas-for-beginners/.

Registration for both exams

https://fivecountyhre.org/study-tips-and-registration/

Five County expands to Virginia!

Not really but it sounds good. My Virginia Fone Net friend Mark Horner (KX4ZG) started his own Laurel VE Team Westmoreland Amateur Radio Club VE Team and asked me to come up to train the new members. I was blown away by Mark and his wife’s hospitality. He had his first exam session and one of the applicants came away with Extra. Be sure to send your friends in the area to that club.

KX4ZG and N4MQU

Berryville Hamfest

The Berryville Hamfest came the next day after the exam session. I didn’t buy anything but met a great many friends and even shook hands with Marv Hoffman (WA4NC). He is currently the NC section manager but is running for the Roanoke Division Director and would appreciate ARRL members support. We need more volunteers and I applaud anyone that steps up and run for office.

I took some video I hope to post on the website.

Sunday night at 7:00 PM

14 Repeaters are on the Raleigh Carolina 440 UHF Link System full time covering over 45,000 square milesof mobile coverage. In addition to the RF Linked repeaters *Expandable coverage using IRLP, AllStar and EchoLink are available.

Thanks for reading. Remember I know some post you are not interested in. There are various options like muting the topic. You don’t have to leave the group.

Mark Gibson

Poll results

Amateur Radio, Testing, Weekly Report

Our Monthly Gathering

Please Join us Thursday July 22 at 6:00 PM at our monthly gathering at Mclean’s in Zebolon. 418 W Gannon Ave, Zebulon, NC 27597

Dinner starts at 6:00 PM tell them at the front the radio club.

Repeater in that area is 444.875+ 100.0 PL.

Weekly Net

Thanks to the Carolina 440 net for the use of the repeater. If you would like to help see https://www.carolina440.net/membership/support.html. Tell them FCHRE sent you.

Add to your QRZ page

If you are a US Amateur you have a QRZ page. Go to their FAQ section to get help.

Poll Results

Amateur Radio Workshop topics top votes. Looks like more of our voters are interested in HF Antennas with 17 votes followed by a tie Basic home amateur radio station and Portable HF antenna considerations. Both of those had 9 votes. If you have expertise in this area please send me a message we will get you scheduled. We can start at 1:00 PM for the workshop and the exam would start at 2:30 so that will give you 90 minutes. Our workshop will be on August 7at Wendell United Methodist Church.

Our next exam

Don’t forget we will have two locations for our first Saturday exam.these exams will be August 7 in Fuquay Varina and Wendell. Details and registration at https://fivecountyhre.org/study-tips-and-registration/

We have exams available at Banks Road on the Third Thursday and by appointment.

Weekly Net

Thanks to the Carolina 440 net for the use of the repeater. If you would like to help see https://www.carolina440.net/membership/support.html. Tell them FCHRE sent you.

Mark Gibson

Independence Day Net

Amateur Radio, Testing, Weekly Report

Happy Independence Day!

Amateur radio is one hobby that happens every day including on holidays! One year I was privileged to call the Virginia Fone Net on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
I will be your substitute net control tonight. Hope to hear you. A couple of weeks ago I received a message on Facebook about someone hearing our net from the Sandhills area. I gave them some information on getting a license and encouraged them to get licensed.
Please join us tonight at 7:00PM for the Five County Ham Radio Enthusiasts net on the Carolina 440 network. You will be able to find your closest repeater at https://www.carolina440.net/440uhf-repeaters/repeaters-on-link.html. If you are not close to the repeater or are unlicensed and you would like to listen on line try https://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/34503 Tony Hall (WW4TCH) is our regular net control station.

Thanks to the Carolina 440 net for the use of the repeater. If you would like to help see https://www.carolina440.net/membership/support.html. Tell them FCHRE sent you.

Our next no charge amateur radio exam is next Saturday July 10. https://fivecountyhre.org/study-tips-and-registration/ This is our last scheduled exam at Banks Road. We will hold exams there by appointments and maybe continue our once a month weekday exams where the applicants get their call sign in a couple of hours. The VE team is discussing our options.

Two New VE teams formed

Amateur Radio, Testing, Weekly Report

A little history

As most of you know FCVET was the first Laurel VE team formed in North Carolina. I had never lead a VE team and maybe had participated in two or three VE sessions before. That first exam wouldn’t have been successful without WD1U coming all the way to North Carolina from Virginia to help with our first exam. We had a tech in a day class with an exam to follow on the same day. 5 of our 9 students passed. My passion is for free exams. AA5AZ approached me about doing an exam in the Goldsboro area. The Neuse River Basin Team is now set up in that area. W4CEC announced his technician class with the exam to follow the only cost was for the exam fee. I couldn’t let that happen. I got volunteers from several VE teams to sign up with Laurel. I twisted Chris’s arm to form his own team to serve his area and his merit badge and radio classes he teaches. He conducts his classes all they way to Camp Durant to the American Legion building in Wake Forest.

Central Carolina VE Team

Now that things seem to be opening up and K7RLH has decided to start his Central Carolina VE team and serve the Central Wake county area. He has excellent on hands experience and has been a great help on giving exams at Banks Road. He most likely will be testing at the American Legion building in Fuquay-Varina.

Westmoreland Amateur Radio Club VE Team

I also would like to welcome a new Virginia team to the Laurel VEC. I am a member of the Virginia Fone Net and they recently held their convention. I suggested to the manager to hold a VE session there and he agreed I needed a couple of volunteers from the local area and KX4ZG, KC8VFN and W4GMF were the first three from the local area to jump on board. Westmoreland Amateur Radio Club decided to start a new VE team and KX4ZG agreed to become the team leader. They are a ARRL special service club and now they can give exams for free. We tested Friday and Saturday and got two to upgrade to General and one upgraded to Extra. Thanks to the VE’s that volunteered to Friday and or Saturday N4WDC, KC8VFN, KX4VG, AA4GB, N4MQU and WD1U.

FCVET Future

As far as Banks Road we are limited for parking. We are able to keep Banks Road open for appointments and maybe keep our third Thursday exam going. I have an extra set of supplies I can use for testing at special events or private exams or I am also hoping to find a suitable place in Wendell where we could have exams. We have signed up a couple of new VE’s in the Wendell area to help.

Thank you

I really appreciate 76 people that have volunteered to be a FCVET member. I appreciate the 118 applicants we have tested this year (until end of May)This worked out to 65 new Technicians, 31 new or upgraded Generals, 8 new or upgraded to Extra. This represents a savings of $1,770 for the applicants. This does not include the fee for retakes. We had a recent upgrade to Extra class after taking the exam four times. That would cost them $60.00.

Thanks to the ARRL for promoting non-ARRL teams on their website. Thanks to Laurel VEC for offering free exams.

June Dinner Gathering

Our June dinner will be on June 24 at Mclean’s in Zebolon. 418 W Gannon Ave, Zebulon, NC 27597
Dinner starts at 6:00 PM tell them at the front the radio club.
444.875+ 100.0 PL. KF4AUF Wendell, NC

Astronomy

The new moon was Thursday. I still want to take that camping trip the Staunton River State Park.

Thanks for reading,

Mark Gibson (N4MQU)
FCVET Team Leader

Weekly Report

Amateur Radio, Weekly Report

Next Testing session

The next FCVET exam will be Thursday May 20 by appointment. We have to restrict the number of our applicants due to parking limitations so we do ask that you register here.

South Wake ARC Swap fest

Souhwake will be hosting a swap fest Saturday May 22, 2021 from 8 AM until Noon. The cost is free and all are welcome. at the Golden Corral 3551 Grinnell Street, Raleigh, NC.

JARS Monthly Meeting

The JARS will have their monthly meeting Thursday May 20, 2021. If you will be eating dinner show up about 6. Meeting starts at 7:00. The meeting is at the Cleveland Draft House, 461 Shotwell Rd, Clayton, NC 27520.

JARS Multi-club cookout big success

The JARS multi-club cookout was a big success Saturday May 15. I saw multiple clubs and many graduates from the FCVET in attendance.

Randall and Robby

KE4NKY and wife

KG4BBS Tim Davis

Weekly net
Please join us 7:00PM Sunday for the Five County Ham Radio Enthusiasts net on the Carolina 440 network. You will be able to find your closest repeater here If you are not close to the repeater or are unlicensed or you would like to just listen on line try here. Tony Hall (WW4TCH) is our regular net control station. Thanks to the Carolina 440 net for the use of the repeater. If you would like to help out or join the group click on the link.Tell them FCHRE sent you.

Astronomy Events

A couple of years ago I took a photography course from a friend that is also a member of the Raleigh Astronomy Club. He is a award winning and accomplished photographer and astrophotographer. He invited me to his observatory and the pandemic hit. Our schedule finally worked out and I got to go to the observatory Friday night. He made my camera do things that I didn’t think was possible. Here is just one result. I will be posting more on my personal website here.

We have the first quarter moon on the Wednesday. It is very interesting to look at the moon with a telescope or a pair of binoculars. Take a look at the area of the terminator to see how the shadows change what you are able to see thru the course of the month.

M65 and M66 and NGC 3628
25 sixty second exposures stacked 102mm F/6.9 refractor

Thanks for reading. 73’s and clear skies

Mark Gibson (N4MQU)

Weekly report

Amateur Radio, Weekly Report

JARS Picnic 5/15/2021

The Johnston Amateur Radio Society is holding a Multi Club Picnic May 15th, 2021 at the Farm of Todd Lee(N4USS). The address is 298 Allen’s Crossroads, Four Oaks, N.C. 27524.

The picnic is from 11am – 3 pm. Please let us know you are attending so we may be able to provide everyone with hotdogs and hamburgers. Sign up at JARS.NET.See the images from last year’s field day at the same site on N4MQU’s website.

Weekday testing availability

Thursday May 20 we will have a scheduled exam session. The FCVET decided to have add a weekday session in May and June. Please pass this onto all your friends interested in taking their exam. Please register here

FCHRE ham badges available

N4AED of The Ham Badgers announced the availability of ham badges with Five County Ham Radio Enthusiasts Logo and your call sign on them for purchase. They can be ordered here.

Thanks for reading.
N4MQU

20210502 First Sunday Report

Amateur Radio, BRTC, Testing, Weekly Report

Weekly net

Please join us 7:00PM Sunday for the Five County Ham Radio Enthusiasts net on the Carolina 440 network. You will be able to find your closest repeater here If you are not close to the repeater or are unlicensed or you would like to just listen on line try here. Tony Hall (WW4TCH) is our regular net control station.

If you have thought you would like to serve the community during an emergency the best way to get ready is to learn to call a net. Let me know if you are interested in becoming a net control operator. This net is checkin driven meaning you can bring up other subjects like, building models or astronomy.

Thanks to the Carolina 440 net for the use of the repeater. If you would like to help out or join the group click on the link.Tell them FCHRE sent you.

Our in person dinner gathering returns!

Tuesday May 4 6:00 PM Mclean’s 418 W Gannon Ave, Zebulon, NC 27597

April by the numbers

22 applicants 11 New Technicians 2 New Generals 6 Upgrades to General 2 Upgrades to Extra

Sunday net checkins

I think the system is missing a net somehow but what it shows is 33 but I know that is in error. I think it is missing the net I called. Help the numbers look different this month by checking in. You can check in even if you are not from the area. Check the Carolina 440 link above.

Groups IO

We hit 202 members in April and had an all time record (since June 2019) of 350 messages that means everything was counted responses to posts etc. I’ve had people leave the group due to the number of posts. Please don’t do that. At the bottom of the email are options like no emails or mute topics. You have options.

May 1 testing session

19 Applicants 11 new Technicians 3 New Generals 2 Upgrades to General

A visit from the section manager

WA2KQY, NC4KG, WA4NC, KK4QEF, K7RLH, N4MQU

We had a visit from the ARRL North Carolina Section Manager Marvin Hoffman (WA4NC) at the test session May 1. He presented the FCVET with the SUGAR award. Supporting Upgrading Growing Amateur Radio. The certificate reads in part “Recognizes The Five County Amateur Radio Enthusiasts for their superior efforts involved in organizing Volunteer Examiner Sessions During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”

Thank you For coming Marv. We also welcome Marv to the FCVET. Several times during the year when COVID news got bad I had asked the team to make sure they were still willing to conduct the exams and never got one to say no.

Astronomy Events

Photo Credit: KD4WJD Hugh Cashion

I see the local astronomy club went out last night. The weather has been great for astronomy. I was out Tuesday night. With the pink moon waning looks like May 4 – 6 is a good night for ETA Aquariid meteor shower. Looks to be partly cloudy but maybe we’ll get lucky.

20210425 ham radio enthusiasts weekly report

Amateur Radio, Weekly Report

Weekly net

Thanks to the Carolina 440 net for the use of the repeater. If you would like to help out or join the group click on the link.Tell them FCHRE sent you.

Are things opening up? May activities for hams every Saturday

FCVET no charge amateur radio monthly testing May 1 or Thursday May 20. Must register here. We’ve had a couple of people postponing their exam until June. This may be the calm before the storm. I am happy to announce two deputy team leaders. K7RLH and WA2KQY. They will be able to do most of the things I do with the VE team when administering exams. This will help out In June because I will be taking off for the first exam in June for the Virginia Fone Net convention. The operation should be seamless.

AB4OZ Hamfest

AB4OZ hamlets is on May 8 at 10:00 AM setup for tailgating 9:00 AM. Weather permitting. Pleasant Valley Shopping Center Parking lot,6200 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC

JARS Picnic 5/15/2021

The Johnston Amateur Radio Society is holding a Multi Club Picnic May 15th, 2021 at the Farm of Todd Lee(N4USS). The address is 298 Allen’s Crossroads, Four Oaks, N.C. 27524.

The picnic is from 11am – 3 pm. Please let us know you are attending so we may be able to provide everyone with hotdogs and hamburgers. Sign up at JARS.NET.

See the images from last year’s field day at the same site on N4MQU’s website.

SWARC Swapfest

May 22 from 8:00 AM until NOON.Golden Corral 3551 Grinnell St Raleigh, NC.

W4CEC Technician Class

May 21-22-23, 2021 at Camp Durant in Carthage, NC must register at W4CEC. See photos from last years class here.

Astronomy Events

Take a look up at the night sky sometime. Not really astronomy but you never know what you might see. Did you know we can see launches from the cape in the Five County area? Randall Edge (KO4MSN) and Larkin Folsom (NC4AU) sent me their video’s from yesterday’s launch. Thank you Randall and Larkin! The two video’s show an interesting perspective. The first one is from the Raleigh area and the second one is from Mebane.

With full moon on April 26 not much to look at except the moon. Take a look at it with binoculars. Have you tried to look at it through your telescope with different filters? Here is a look back at the total lunar eclipse video I made in 2019.

Thanks for reading.

73 and Clear skies

Mark Gibson (N4MQU)

20210411 Ham Radio Enthusiasts Weekly Report

Amateur Radio, Weekly Report

Weekly Net

Thanks to the Carolina 440 net for the use of the repeater. If you would like to help see https://www.carolina440.net/membership/support.html. Tell them FCHRE sent you.

JARS Meeting

The next scheduled JARS meeting is Thursday April 15

April 8 2021 Exam Results

I love those weekday exams! We are able to report one new ham getting their license. They received the call the same day they took the test. The team also decided to support a scheduled weekday session on the third Thursday. We will try it in May and June. Hope we can support the additional traffic in anticipation of the possible new FCC fees.

Next exam on May 1 and May 20. Registration https://fivecountyhre.org/registration/.

If you are new to the group please introduce yourself

Please post an introduction to yourself if you haven’t don’t so. Just post a new message to the group.io account. Also please add your call sign to your profile (If you are licensed) I usually put it in the name block. Due to privacy concerns I have kind of stopped taking pictures and introducing the new hams. That’s no reason for you not to post your picture with your CSCE to the group. Please answer the question “How you got interested in amateur radio”

Add to your QRZ page

If you are a US Amateur you have a QRZ page. Go to their FAQ section to get help.

DMR Net

Our weekly DMR net is Wednesday at 9:00 PM on the TGIF Talk Group 1870. The net is kind of in a stand by mode. Feel free to throw out your call at any time. A few of us try to monitor that channel.

Next Step Flyer

We are have started giving out the Next Step Flyer to new hams as the get their CSCE. Click on the link to see it online.

JARS In-Person monthly meeting

Hopefully April will see JARS first regular meeting on the third Thursday in a couple of months. We are meeting at The Cleveland Draft House this month 461 Shotwell Rd, Clayton, NC 27520. Be there at 6:00 PM for dinner. Program starts at 7:00. We will have some information on History of Tornados in Johnston County. They have had three in 30 years.

Astronomy Events

New moon is on Tonight. Time to look at the dimmer astronomy objects. One target suggestion Sombrero Galaxy M 104 in the constellation Virgo. Not interested in astronomy skip this section. See the story on my new astronomy go box.

Thanks for reading.

Mark Gibson (N4MQU)

Team Leader FCVET