Category Archives: Ham Radio

Cyclone Fani: How Ashok prepared for this powerful storm

Category 4 Cyclonic Storm Fani was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the Indian state of Odisha since Phailin in 2013.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ashok Shankar Das, who shares the following post from his blog SWLDAS:

The extremely severe cyclonic storm #Fani recently visited Odisha. It is Peculiar to have a Cyclone in this time of year. Though history says earlier there are some cyclones hit Odisha coast during this summer season.

[…]I have seen several Cyclones including #1999SuperCyclone . Though Super cyclone has done a lot of damage, this one is no less. Wind speed of 200kmph with gust 220 to 250 kmph ripped everything in its path. major damages to infrastructures like power grids, cell towers under construction buildings are name a few.

My Preparedness

The CountyComm GP5-SSB

See this SWLING article–I was runner-up in that challenge. My preparation for Cyclone Fani was as per I have described. Well Not all. I have charged emergency light, arranged candles and lantern. Stocked Biscuits and Flat rice. Stored around 15Liters of drinking water. Emergency medicines and fully Charged 3 Baofeng Walkie Talkies.

The GP5SSB I got as a gift from SWLING Post, put new battery in it. I have downed external antennae for HF and VHF. Baofeng handys are quite good as scanner. I monitored HAM band so I could know the situation in surrounding area and also if situation arises I could give a distress call to Nearby monitoring person. But that situation didn’t arise.

HAM volunteers from WBRC started their communication service since 5th May. They Have setup a VHF in state control room at Bhubaneswar, ADM office Puri and Khurda.
Since 5th may onward I was monitoring and in QSO with VU2IPL(Suresh). VU2FTP VU2XRY VU3YDA and VU3OXI are handling the communication between Puri, Khurda and Bhubaneswar.[…]

Click here to read Ashok’s full post on his blog, SWLDAS.

Thank you for sharing this, Ashok and we’re very pleased that you made it through this extremely dangerous storm well-prepared. It sounds like your community has a good ham radio communications network at the ready as well.

Ashok, you are reminding me that it’s time to dream up another Virtual Radio Challenge along with an enticing prize. I’ll start putting one together! Perhaps I can find a prize at the Hamvention this week. Stay tuned…

EQUINOX: A novel that blends sci-fi with ham radio

1 Reply

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader and author, DM Barrett (N4ECW), who recently shared the following press release which features his latest book:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EQUINOX Blends Science Fiction And Amateur Radio

1 May 2019 (Tampa, Florida)

A new science fiction narrative, EQUINOX, has taken amateur and shortwave radio into the cultural mainstream in its version of a limited alien invasion story line.

“It’s been quite a while since the world depended on amateur and shortwave radio as lifelines. In EQUINOX, both are critical for the success of The Resistance.” – DM Barrett, EQUINOX author

DM Barrett, callsign N4ECW, lives and breathes amateur radio. He is well known in the ham radio community having developed and manufactured several different specialized radio antennas through his former company, Transworld Antennas. He holds two earned doctorates with majors in law, economics, and religion.

The EQUINOX story line begins on a warm, slightly breezy day on Florida’s east coast as the vernal equinox marked the beginning of spring. Suddenly, there was a thunderous crash, a blinding light, and a vortex swirling in the blue Atlantic. The invading alien army arrived. The world surrendered. The Resistance made a stand.

When the science fiction novel was recently released as a Kindle Unlimited eBook, it moved steadily into Amazon’s top ten science fiction eBooks in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and Australia. After only a few days, the paperback version of EQUINOX was ranked in Amazon’s top third for science fiction paperbacks.

DM Barrett may be contacted at [email protected] or by text to 931-239-3760.

EQUINOX and other books by DM Barrett can be ordered online through Kindle, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

If you are a radio amateur or shortwave enthusiast, or you are just interested in the topics, don’t miss the chance to join others that are enjoying the science fiction novel, EQUINOX.

I have been sent a paperback preview copy of Equinox and plan to read it in the coming weeks.

Equinox can be purchased from the following retailers:

Amazon.com paperback $14.95 and Kindle eBook $2.45 or free via Kindle Unlimited (affiliate links)
Barnes & Noble (paperback $14.95 and Nook eBook $2.49)

Also, the author notified me that there are a limited number of paperback copies available on eBay for $14.95. These copies are a First Printing and are autographed by the author. Click here to view on eBay.

“This Frequency” – A new EP from Madtone and Jazz’min

FT4 digital mode now available in WSJT-X release candidate 5

NIST Radio Stations: MARS COMEX asks for reception reports and suggestions in survey

W9IMS: New season of Indianapolis Motor Speedway-themed special events

3 Replies

2018 W9IMS QSL

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Brian D. Smith (W9IND) who shares the following W9IMS press release:

Amateur radio station W9IMS prepares to unveil a new season of Indianapolis Motor Speedway-themed special events, with three QSL cards and a certificate available to hams and SWLs.

DATE: April 24, 2019

Three colorful QSL cards and a glossy certificate await amateur radio operators and SWLs who manage to contact – or tune in – Indianapolis Motor Speedway special event station W9IMS during all three of its 2019 special events. And even those who fall short of the trifecta can claim one or two of the QSLs.

2018 W9IMS QSL

Your first shot comes in two weeks as W9IMS fires up from May 5-11 to commemorate the IndyCar Grand Prix. Only nine days later, the second W9IMS special event (May 20-26) gets underway, this one in honor of the venerable Indianapolis 500. Then comes a summer break until Sept. 2-8, when W9IMS stages its third and final special event of the year, celebrating the Brickyard 400 NASCAR race.

The certificate and QSLs change every year, so even if you scored the clean sweep in 2018, you’ll find new trophies to pursue this year.

But you’ll have a chance to snare the station on either of two bands (20 and 40 meters) and possibly three (80 meters). Remember, too, that on Race Day – the final day of each operation – W9IMS generally stays on the air late, sometimes until midnight local time (0400 UTC).

Here are a couple of hints for tracking down the station during special event weeks:

Go to the W9IMS web page (www.w9ims.org), find the “2019 Operating Schedule” heading, and click on the link to the IndyCar Grand Prix or any other race. Although some W9IMS operators take to the airwaves at unscheduled times, you’ll have your best luck looking for the station during the hours and bands reserved with a name and a callsign.

Check DX Summit (www.dxsummit.fi) anytime for spots that identify the current frequency (or frequencies) of W9IMS, if any. And if you type “W9IMS” in the search box, you can customize it to show reports for only that station.

For additional details, consult the W9IMS web page. Feel free to submit all of your 2019 QSL and certificate requests in the same envelope. Again, although you’ll need to catch W9IMS during all three races to qualify for the certificate, you can earn a unique QSL card for each individual race.

Armed Forces Day Annual Cross-Band Test – May 11, 2019

5 Replies

(Source: USAmyMARS.org via Harald Kuhl)

(11 May 2019)

The Army Military Auxiliary Radio System will host this year’s Armed Forces Day (AFD) Crossband Test on Saturday May 11, 2019. This annual event is open to all licensed amateur radio operators, and will not impact any public or private communications. For more than 50 years, military and amateur stations have taken part in this event, which is only an exercise scenario, designed to include hobbyist and government radio operators alike.

The AFD Cross-band Test is a unique opportunity to test two-way communications between military communicators and radio stations in the Amateur Radio Service (ARS), as authorized in 47 CFR 97.111. These tests provide opportunities and challenges for radio operators to demonstrate individual technical skills in a tightly-controlled exercise scenario that does not impact any public or private communications.

Military stations will transmit on selected military frequencies and will announce the specific ARS frequencies monitored. All times are ZULU (Z), and all frequencies are Upper Side Band (USB) unless otherwise noted. The frequencies used for the test will not impact any public or private communications, and will not stray outside the confines of the exercise.

Additional Information is provided on the 20190424-AFDCT-final.pdf file available for download [by clicking here].