I Love Interference Stories

Guest Contributor Claude Chafin, NØFMO

I love interference stories. I was Licensed in 1977...It was about 35 years ago I found myself in an interference problem I think it was on the 146.82 repeater...someone had left their mic keyed up for some reason. Who knew? The repeater was timing out constantly and was a big annoyance. I decided to do something about it.

So on the auto patch 146.91 repeater...I called my friend Al NØFOT (now Sk)..."Hey Al, turn your Stacked 16 element 2 meter beam around and get a bearing on this signal....."Due West" from his Northern Roeland Park Location He said.... Al was quite apathetic—"just let the radio burn up who cares" he said.

But, I took it as a challenge.

So, armed with just an Icom 2AT (2 meter HT) I decided to get another bearing....I traveled west out to Shawnee and stopped in a park near Shawnee City Hall, off Johnson Drive for my next bearing. Using my hand and arm as a shield to the rubber duck antenna, I picked up a null to the Northeast that made me think the signal was somewhere near the county line. So, I ventured into the Wyandotte County area in the Highland Crest area for another bearing. This time the bearing was due South. So, now I have it narrowed down to a few square blocks. As I moved into that area, the signal was really strong and my technique no longer worked, because I was getting saturation in the signal. At this point I removed the antenna and resorted back to the original technique. As I drove up and down a couple of blocks I realized the signal was not easy to pin down. Finally I turned down a dead end cul-de- sac… And there was this monster-sized tower. Looks like a ham to me, I thought.

Great Time at SEKARC Party !!

We all had a great time at the SEKARC Christmas party Wednesday night! Good friends, good family and good chicken and yes I did see some beef on a few plates!! I think I might have too try a burger next time, that looked good !! Vivian was the star again and I do believe Tyler won the most creative gift award again! Tell us about that pig Adam?

Thanks again to you all for making this the greatest amateur radio club in the midwest!! Oh and be sure and check out a few pictures...... nice job Dilly Dilly !!

Basics of Yaesu WiresX

This is one option for the clubs UHF repeater. Please watch this webinar from John Kruk the sales manager for Yaesu USA. I joined the webinar last week and it was very helpful explaining the basics and how to set it up. We have the money in the club needed for it and in the near future we will be putting it to a vote. We have other options for purchasing like a generator but the more info we have the better choice we can make !

I think the WiresX option would be a fun addition to our options, but let's talk about it !! There is also another video below.. a review from the great K6UDA of the FT70 handheld fusion. Many here have one and a great entry radio into fusion.

SEKARC Helps Local Ham

Jack WDØCFH and Keith WØKEU

Keith Retzer WØKEU contacted SEKARC and asked about getting help with his hex beam that was on a mast that was bent over in a storm. He has limited eyesight and needed some help getting it down. After the coffee today myself KAØEGE, Jack WDØCFH, Dick WD5FMQ and Tyler KBØPQP went out to his home west of Chicopee to see if we could help.

It was a pretty easy job as the mast had bent below the antenna which was only up about 15 feet. We disconnected the coax and the rotor cable, slid the hex beam out of the rotor mount and laid it on the ground. Then removed the mast from it's mount. The mast was a total loss, but the nice hex beam is very salvageable with a fiberglass replacement piece that broke in the fall. Keith just wanted it taken down so it was pretty easy.

Keith was very appreciative and we were glad to help. We got a tour of his garage and ham shack. A shack in which he was able to get USA Worked All COUNTIES..... TWICE and working on a third round now! He operates almost all on SSB and is a very successful and veteran ham operator. On a personal note Keith was my very first HF contact on 10 meters as a Technician Class operator in the tech portion of the band. I heard him QSO with a guy in the state of Washington, called him after he finished that QSO and after our 73's I looked up his call to find out we was about 4 miles southwest of me! Some real HF DX huh !!

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving !!

Happy Thanksgiving from SEKARC and Last Man Standing. This is a great Thanksgiving Day clip from our favorite ham radio TV show !!

N2UHC 10 Meter Beacon On The Air 28.2095 MHz EM27jm

One of our members Tom N2UHC has a new diy 10 meter beacon on the air 28.2095 MHz located in St Paul, KS EM27jm

Here are the technical details from Tom!

My beacon consists of a converted Midland 13-882B CB, running 4W on
28.2095 MHZ. Converting the beacon was fairly straightforward.
I simply replaced the 11.275 MHz TX crystal with a 10.240 MHz
crystal which put channel 1 on 28.000 MHz and gave me six possible
frequencies to use in the beacon band. The beacon transmits by keying
the old microphone PTT line. The receive crystal was removed in order
to prevent any mixing spurs like I first had with my first beacon.
It operated on 28.233 MHz and I noticed spurs about 455 KHz above
and below the operating freq. Removing the crystal solved that problem.

Steve Hefley WD0DTS Final Call Recording

On Wednesday, November 14 the Southeast Kansas Amateur Radio Club paid tribute to Steve Hefley WD0DTS on our weekly net with a final call ceremony. Steve Tandy N0SLT did a wonderful job as net control. Here is the recording of the net. 73 Steve

How Does A J-Pole Work ?

Are you like I am...? I have always wondered how and why the popular J-Pole antenna works. This video is great at explaining that. Also, Dave has a great YouTube Channel so I recommend that you follow it !!

Steve Hefley WDØDTS/SK 1947-2018

I’m sorry to report Steve Hefley WD0DTS passed away last night 11/9/2018

Steve has been licensed for a very long time. He was active on HF as well as 2 meters and checked into the SEKARC net on a regular basis. Steve taught electronics for 35 years at Pittsburg State University and was always willing to share that knowledge with fellow hams.

Steve will be missed very much.

Services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday (November 14) at First Church of the Nazarene (PittNaz) with Pastor Kyle Rogers and Pastor Jim Sukraw co-officiating. Burial will follow in the Mt. Olive Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Brenner Mortuary, where friends may call after 10:00 a.m. The family suggests memorials to the First Church of the Nazarene. These may be left at or mailed to the Brenner Mortuary, 114 East 4th St., Pittsburg, KS 66762. Friends may leave condolences online at www.brennermortuary.com. Arrangements are under the direction of the Brenner Mortuary, Pittsburg, KS.

Here is a link to his obituary:

http://www.brennermortuary.com/obituary/steve-hefley


73 Steve 1947-2018 WD0DTS /SK

Technical Humor... or is it ??

My brain hurts and part of thinks I am so uneducated that parts of this might actually be true!! Enjoy !!

Coffee QSO New Home - Harry's Cafe

A previous owner of Harry's Cafe and previous owner of callsign KAØEGE, Charles Chancey would be proud to know that the SEKARC will be meeting at Harry's for our weekly Coffee QSO. Seems it was time for a change and so.... we did. I informed Harry's that we will be coming there for a while every week on Wednesday mornings and they said we were sure welcome!!

Harry's has a long tradition of local service and being a great place for folks to gather. Great breakfast selections from homemade Cinnamon Rolls, biscuits and gravy, pancakes and more. Please stop by if you have not made it to one of the Coffee QSOs for a while we would be happy to see you!

I think we will enjoy the new location and it is nice to be welcomed. Notice the tag and logo on my parents van from a while back? The tag also has been brought back on my truck!!

Saturday Radio DX In The Park

Saturday was a perfect day for radio in the park. We had a nice breakfast at Hardee's then about 10am headed in a caravan to Lincoln Park west of Kiddieland and set up radios and antennas. We had 5 radios and 5 antennas setup. We did learn some modifications we needed to make to the top mount piece for attaching antennas to the tripod mast that the club purchased. Seems the poles have to be fed opposite of what we thought when I made the bracket. We will examine that and come up with a better fit and method.

SEKARC Breakfast Meeting Saturday

This Saturday October 27th, the SEKARC will be having it's October breakfast meeting at Hardee's in Pittsburg. Let's meet at 9am for eggs, biscuits, and coffee and talk radio and what ever else comes up! Bring your latest project to show or come loaded with questions!
 
After breakfast we can head to the park for some chilly remote ops? It might be our last chance before winter to test our field gear. It is supposed to be dry and partly sunny and in the 60's so it should not be too bad. Then go for lunch somewhere.

We need to talk about the Christmas dinner, Winter Field Day and a few other ideas I have as we head into 2019 !!! Bring your ideas as well and let's have some fun.

See you there !!
73 de KAØEGE

SWL - Shortwave Listening

I ran across a story on shortwave listening and it inspired me to write about SWL. One of my first shortwave stations heard was the Radio Havana Cuba and it was actually a 30 minute ham radio show. Here is a YouTube with a show from this October 2018. Listen to this and then continue reading below. Sunday nights on Radio Havana Cuba on 15140Khz. Radio Havana has many frequencies and you can CLICK HERE for a list. This is not the best recording but if you want to hear a clean version, it is available streaming on the internet HERE.

Baofeng Radios Illegal?

From the KB9VBR YouTube Channel.

The Baofeng UV-5R Radio, just about every ham active on VHF/UHF has one. With a purchase price of around $30, you get a lot for your money.

But on August 1, 2018 the FCC isued a Citation and Order for the 'Illegal Marketing of Unauthorized Radio Frequency Devices" against Amcrest Industries, the company that imports Baofeng radios in to the US. So what does that mean? Are these radio now illegal to use? Are they contraband? . . .

SEKARC Meeting SATURDAY !!!

 

The SEKARC will be meeting this Saturday at 9am at Fire Station #1 in Pittsburg (map below).  We have a lot to talk about from reviewing the recent mining special event and how we should plan for 2019. We also will be talking about a few other new ideas that members have. Breakfast will be served, and we will have coffee and other drinks or bring your favorite!

It is a great time to meet folks and make club decisions and have your voice heard. If you have not been to one, we hope to see you Saturday !! I will be sending out the minutes for the meeting Friday afternoon so you will have that available and save printing costs!

Coffee QSO - Record Turnout !!

The SEKARC Coffee QSO at Otto's Cafe had record turnout today. I believe the total was 19 including Vivian, the daughter and namesake for Matt KØVLL. We had antennas shown, one antenna looked like it had blown up, radio memories programmed, good breakfast and great fellowship with area ham radio operators. If you miss the Coffee QSO you are really missing out! See you next week?

 

Mining Special Event - Feedback Request

 
Here is a form we would like for you to complete so we can get feedback and your thoughts on the 2018 event and how we should plan for 2019. This will be the main topic for the meeting coming up on the 29th of this month. Please review this and provide your thoughts as the more input we get, the better the event will be in 2019!

Ham Radio and Hurricane Florence

Source -- 13wmaz.com

Author: Suzanne Lawler

A state group is on standby to go to the Carolinas and help after Florence. Ham radio operators can help organize volunteers. 

Here in Georgia, a ham radio mutual assistance team went on standby to help the Carolinas in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.

Never Forget 9/11/01

Ham Radio Special Event Station remembers their brothers and hams lost. Here is my QSL that I received from my contact with them. God Bless America.

Kansas Mining Event #6 - Galena Museum

One of the friendliest and accommodating locations we set up for the 2018 Mining Series was the Galena Mining and Historical Museum. Here is a link to their website CLICK HERE. Ahead of the event we contacted Linda at the Museum and she was vert gracious in the permission and appreciative of us coming there and spreading the word about their location to amateur radio operators around the country.

She met us there for the one day of the on site event and helped us with locating the power outlets, and later brought us copies of their tourism information cards, a great little book titled Pioneer Days of Galena that told the story of Galena's rich history. And then gave us private tours of their museum and talked about the various displays from glowing minerals in the rocks to a small but heavy chunk of Iron Ore. Linda offered us some cold bottled water and a chance to get in to the air conditioning for a bit. What a great museum and if you have not stopped and toured it, you should.

Kansas And Ohio QSO Parties With NVIS Dipole

I ran across this on Larry's List. A great resource and I suggest you look it up and get on the list! Mostly midwest hams and good links for selling/buying and information like this post. I reached out to Bob WØAO and got his permission to post. Check this out, we need to try this at our next outing!

Special Contributer Bob Kimbrell WØAO -

After returning home from Keystone Park for the After Beryl Breakfast Activity I was disappointed that I had only worked 3 counties in the Kansas QSO party and they were all in far western Kansas.  I had been using a 40 meter vertical at the park and most of my signal was going over Kansas.  I constructed a low NVIS 40 meter dipole with a reflector wire on the ground underneath in my yard (HOA neighborhood) to try to fill in some more counties:

Don't Like DX Map Pins ???

Class your shack up with this new approach. I ran across this on a travel site but quickly realized it would be GREAT for tracking states and countries that you have QSO's with on Amateur Radio. Check this out with the video below and the main website for ordering will be listed below the video. Check it out and let us know what you think?

Seems there are many more products available so search Scratch Map on Amazon...... here is the one referenced in the video and another one that is reasonably priced !!

Travel Scratcher - SHOP

CLICK HERE for Amazon Scratch Map !!

Have fun !!

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NEW --- FT8 CALL

From the great YouTube Channel HAM RADIO CONCEPTS, check out the new FT8 mode and software. No it is not WSJT !!

FT8, as we know, has dominated the airwaves for over a year now. Imagine the ability to have keyboard to keyboard ragchew, with the same exact performance of FT8. Why wouldn't you? This is brand new, still under development, and will surely take off big time!

FT8CALL is alive!

Click Here For Latest-Release-Download-Links    (Join to download software and chat with others)

Here is his YouTube Channel.... I highly recommend you follow !!
HAM RADIO CONCEPTS - YouTube







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SEKARC Gear Update

Hello SEKARC !! FYI I ordered one of the shirts on the clubs Cafe Press site linked below. I am pleasantly surprised, it looks really good! The white lettering pops and I was afraid it would not. I have posted below an actual photo of the shirt I received today. Heads up --- unless you pay for expedited shipping they are kind of slow on delivery. If you place an order today, you SHOULD have it by the hamfest but no guarantees. But hey if you want it quick pay a little extra !! Over all the design I ordered looks very good and the tshirt construction is pretty sold.

Like I mention often... let me know if you want a design tweaked or maybe your call sign added as I can probably do that !! The store has a section for mining special event items. I especially like the coffee mug with black inside color pictured in the right column here.

Check it out...

CLICK --> SEKARC Cafe Press Gear

Here is the shirt I received today.
I ordered this...

Mine Se 2018 T-Shirt

X-Large Tumbleweed Color

$24.99

Joplin Hamfest August 24th-25th

The Joplin Hamfest is coming soon!! This year it is 2 days August 24th and 25th. Since they have a smaller venue they went back to the 2 day event. The hamfest is Friday 12:00pm to 7:00pm
Saturday 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. We will set up Friday morning after 8 am.

We normally have a lot of gear donated by SK's and others but this year we will open it up. We have 2 tables that you can use to sell your gear for your own income OR you can bring things to donate to the club to sell and proceeds will be used in 2 ways this year. As promised, and sales from donated gear will be split between the SEKARC and PRO groups 50/50. We all use the 146.94 and 444.800 repeaters so it would be a nice gesture I thought to help them out as well. In the SEKARC way it will be voluntary so check your shack, your garage, your trunk and your basement for anything to sell at the hamfest!

We will keep a ledger of items sold and it would be helpful to add price labels to what you bring and you might include your callsign on the price tag IF you want the money to come back to you. Make sense? Happy hunting and lets clean out some gear and pass it on to be used by others.

Zero Beat - The Doctor Is In

"Zero Beating" is the topic of the current (July 19) episode of the "ARRL The Doctor is In" podcast. Listen...and learn!

Closer Look at the MFJ-1708SDR T/R Switch

Here is a video explaining in detail the MFJ-1708SDR for protecting your SDR receiver while transmitting. There is another option detailed in the August QST magazine from the ARRL. That homebrew option looks like it might be a good group project to build. And we can bulk order parts for cheaper shipping. We can discuss more at the Wednesday Coffee QSO !!

Radio Bird Update - Satellites

Here is some good current info on Satellites. Which ones are up, what they look like and a great explanation of how the antennas are deployed in space! Very good info for those interested in talking to the birds!

Should be a great activity to try and some nice bonus points!!

Coax Expert Ray Nelson N1MPD

Here is a good video on an interview with Coax expert Ray Nelson N1MPD. Ask Dave site that posted this is a good site for information and I highly recommend that you subscribe to his channel after you watch the video!.

Ask Dave You Tube Site CLICK HERE

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Happy Independence Day AMERICA !!

Happy Independence Day America !! Everyone today, should watch this. A reminder of what the founders went through to secure FREEDOM, not FORTUNES.

13 Colonies Special Event - Always A Fun Challenge

From ARRL:

The annual Original 13 Colonies Special Event will mark its 10th anniversary this year. The event gets under way on July 1 at 1300 UTC and runs through July 8 at 0400 UTC. Event Manager Kenneth Villone, KU2US, reports that 127,132 contacts took place during the 2017 13 Colonies event, down from 139,772 in 2016, owing in part to poor band conditions.

Special event stations with 1 × 1 call signs will represent the original 13 US colonies, plus bonus stations WM3PEN in Philadelphia and GB13COL in Durham, England. Each special event station will have its own QRZ.com profile page. Participating stations try to contact all 13 Colony Stations plus the two bonus stations.

Call signs and their respective states are K2A, New York; K2B, Virginia; K2C, Rhode Island; K2D, Connecticut; K2E, Delaware; K2F, Maryland; K2G, Georgia; K2H, Massachusetts; K2I, New Jersey; K2J, North Carolina; K2K, New Hampshire; K2L, South Carolina, and K2M, Pennsylvania.

I have the Clean Sweep a few years ago with 100 watts and a wire. The ALS-600 may help a little for my second attempt at all 13! This is a fun event and you will never hear pileups like the pileups you will hear with the 13 Colonies Event.

Additional information is on the 13 Colonies website.

SEKARC Field Day 2018 Update

The SEKARC Field Day 2018 was a success! Well factoring in the weather it was. Sure we did not make enough contacts to reach our goal. But I would say the 80m Delta Loop antenna performed like a champ, the 1,000 foot long wire antenna was INCREDIBLE and a great time was had by all that attended, got on the air and/or helped setup and takedown! Here are some photos from the event.

If you have some photos you would like to add to these, send them my way and I will get them included!

ARRL Field Day 2018 plans for SEKARC

THIS WEEKEND is 2018 Field Day and SEKARC is making plans for a busy and fun weekend! We will be operating again from the Big Brutus site and using multiple antennas attached to the tower from the Crawford County Emergency Management office! Special thanks to Jason the county manager.

Operating FD times are 1800 UTC Saturday and running through 1800 UTC Sunday. Or 1pm Sat until 1pm Sunday.  We will have several radios setup and available from the SEKARC inventory including the GoBox FT-891 and other ICOM and Yaesu radios. We hope to be doing all modes as we are making arrangements for Greg WI4T and anyone to operate CW, we will also have SSB, PSK31, FM and FT8. This is the first year for FT8 to be included in FD so that will be interesting. Anyone that wants to help make some contacts please come on out!

You really shouldn't need to bring your own radio and antenna out but you can. We will arrange the bands and modes for everyone out there. We will be operating as a 2AKS or Two Alpha Kansas station. There will be plenty of operating time to share! For SSB it is always nice to have two operating that station. One on radio and one logging. SO if you come out and we hope everyone does it should be a blast!! If you want to camp, we do have 3 spots reserved and there is plenty of room for tents as well. I gotta tell you, you cannot beat the night sky at Brutus on a clear summer evening.

Here is a link to a detailed list of equipment, radios, antennas, modes, PCs, logging and more. We can talk more about the food (did someone offer to make pancakes Sunday morning?) the setup and how you can help at the coffee QSO Wednesday 9am at Otto's Cafe. If you want to see what we have documented so far click the link below. Pretty impressive setup for a FREE club that charges NO DUES. Well done group...
Google Doc Field Day 2018 <click here>

Friday late afternoon/evening
meet Jason at Brutus to set up trailer.
Set up some equipment setup depending on weather and the crew on hand.

Saturday morning
Finish setup
1pm Field Day begins

Sunday
Operate until 4pm (weather permitting)
Trailer will be picked up when complete.

If you cannot make it to our Field Day station..... here is a map of most FD stations put out by the ARRL!
ARRL Field Day Locator

New SEKARC Facebook Group

Many in SEKARC are using Facebook so a few years ago I created a page for SEKARC on Facebook. Today I moved that over to be a Facebook Group. Where members can post, interact and have another way to stay in touch with members and friends of the SEKARC. If you have a Facebook account look us up and join!

CLICK HERE --- SEKARC Group on Facebook

Hamvention Yaesu Fusion Presentation

Here is the presentation by the Yaesu rep at the Xenia Hamvention last weekend. There is some news here including the ability for more radios with firmware upgrades to be set up as NODES.  

Kansas Mining SE#4 Big Brutus Miners Reunion

FYI - SEKARC SE #4 Kansas Mining Special Event Series info 

Big Brutus brings back the miners
Source: By Jesse Brown / The Morning Sun
Posted Jun 6, 2015 at 3:29 PM
Updated Jun 6, 2015 at 3:29 PM
 
WEST MINERAL — Big Brutus, now retired and memorialized, still has an ability to bring back the past with miners who once worked with the giant of Southeast Kansas.

“This mine closed down, a lot of the strip mining was closed down and retired miners got together after they made this Big Brutus Museum here and annually we get together,” said Jimmie Lovell, who also serves on the museum board. “We have a man that cooks all of our fish for us and we get together and visit. It’s something we do every year and we look forward to it. We’ve had as high as 150 people (come before).”

The Miner’s Day Reunion brought back the miners of the past, along with their families which have grown since their days of retirement, as they congregated over a fish fry recollecting the early days with Big Brutus.

Lovell said the coal miners were like an extended family to each other and that of the 40 years and eight days he worked as a coal miner, he said there wasn’t one day he could remember when he didn’t want to go to work.

“Coal miners were all friendly people,” Lovell said. “Everybody helped everybody, very few people that got mad, they got over it. They’re just a different breed of people. They thought a lot of each other.” He added had the mines not shut down, he probably would have worked longer, instead of retiring at the age of 60.

Gege Sachetta is another retired coal miner who returns every year to participate in the Miner’s Day Reunion, after having worked for the company for 45 years. He shares Lovell’s sentiments about the enjoyment they got from working at Big Brutus.

“I enjoyed the first day of work and I hated to retire,” Sachetta said.

Lovell said the reunion brings back miners who now live in Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas and even Illinois.

“Sometimes, there will be one or two that slip in from Colorado,” Lovell added.

Lovell said at one time, Big Brutus has 135 miners working there, and out of those 135 miners, their families keep coming back in the shadow of Big Brutus to remember what once was.

SE Kansas Mining History Special Event #3

The third of seven Special Events honoring mining history in SE Kansas will be held Saturday 19th and Sunday the 20th. Remembering the many mining camps that sprung up all over this part of the state we are setting up near one at Big Brutus. We will meet for breakfast by 9am at Hardee's in Pittsburg then head to Brutus. 

Click the mining banner above or the image below for additional information.....

Approximately 10am until TBD Both Days
20m USB, PSK31
40m LSB, PSK31
And other modes/bands

Mine Explosion That Haunts Kansans

Keeping with our Mining History Special Events. I found this story. Never heard of this until we started this event. This is a fascinating story on SE Kansas mining history and needs to be remembered. Please take a few minutes and read this bit of history.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY ----> KS-mine-explosion-1888

Kansans know well how bloody history can get, especially the farther you look into the past. History has shaped us to be the state we are today, but this event in particular was unforeseen and devastating. We might not have been alive to witness this tragedy first hand, but we’ll remember it as part of Kansas’ history. Have you ever heard of the mine explosion in Pittsburg, Kansas?

Doctor Is In Podcast - Kit Building

Another great Podcast from the ARRL. Amateur Radio kits are not only still popular, they are highly rewarding. The Doctor offers his tips for kit buying and building. Check it out !!

The Amateur CODE

From ARRL....

The Radio Amateur is

CONSIDERATE...He/[She] never knowingly operates in such a way as to lessen the pleasure of others.

LOYAL...He/[She] offers loyalty, encouragement and support to other amateurs, local clubs, the IARU Radio Society in his/[her] country, through which Amateur Radio in his/[her] country is represented nationally and internationally.

PROGRESSIVE...He/[She] keeps his/[her] station up to date.  It is well-built and efficient.  His/[Her] operating practice is above reproach.

FRIENDLY...He/[She] operates slowly and patiently when requested; offers friendly advice and counsel to beginners; kind assistance, cooperation and consideration for the interests of others. These are the marks of the amateur spirit.

BALANCED...Radio is a hobby, never interfering with duties owed to family, job, school or community.

PATRIOTIC...His/[Her] station and skills are always ready for service to country and community.

- adapted from the original Amateur's Code, written by Paul M. Segal, W9EEA, in 1928

SEK Mining History Special Event #2

The Southeast Kansas Amateur Radio Club is operating #2 of 7 Special Events in 2018 honoring the rich mining history in Southeast Kansas. Please send SASE with your QSL and contact all 7 to get a special "Clean Scoop" Certificate. Have fun and thanks for visiting our site.

Miners Hall Museum is an exhibition located within the Franklin Community Center & Heritage Museum in Franklin, Kansas. The public is invited to visit and view the mining artifacts as well as other historic items.

From Kansas Historical Society

Workers from dozens of European countries were drawn to the lush landscapes of southeast Kansas in the late 19th century. Naturally occurring minerals buried just underground drew these men and their families from places like Italy, Austria, Germany, Yugoslavia, England, Wales, Scotland, France, and Belgium. They put their skills to work in the coal and zinc mines; they shared their traditions with the region, which became known as the “Little Balkans.”

These European miners began to arrive in the 1870s. They learned that the red, rusty coal near the surface could be strip mined and was good for cooking and blacksmithing. The black, oily coal buried under about 200 feet of sandstone was accessed through deep mining and suited for fueling steam locomotives. This workforce helped the area become the industrial center of the state. Coal companies created communities for the workers near mining locations. Some were temporary camps with dirt roads and shacks.

2018

QSL INFO:
KØSEK Attn: Chancey
409 W Quincy St
Pittsburg KS 66762
Send SASE
* QSL All 7 and get this 8x10 special certificate *

#1 Crawford County Historical Museum
March 24th-25th
9am-6pm


#2 Miners Hall Museum
April 21st-22nd

#3 Mine 19 Camp Cabin
May 19th-20th

#4 BIG BRUTUS Annual Miners Reunion
June 2nd-3rd

#5 Miners Park Pittsburg KS
July 21st-22nd

#6 Galena Miners/Historical Museum
August 18th-19th

#7 Little Balkins Days
September 1st-2nd

Old Rosters From PRO and JARC

Courtesy of Steve N5SD we are posting the club rosters from the 1983 Pittsburg Repeater Organization (PRO) and 1987 Joplin Amateur Radio Club (JARC). Many are still around and active!! These are kind of small, but check them out.

CLICK IMAGES FOR LARGER VIEW

Mining Event ONE QSLs Going Out Today

Round one going out the door !!

Ozarkcon Day 1 Recap

Adam KE0MXG - Branson Mo - As day one of Ozarkcon winds down for the night, I reflect on a great evening listening to the speaker speak on a topic that I find to be interesting. That is, the expedition to find Amelia Earhart. The team at Nauticos who the speaker is a member of, has been searching through records and also with deep water sonar to try to ascertain where the wreckage of Amelia Earhart's plane may have ended up. What's the connection to amateur radio, you ask? Well, radio amateurs in the Japanese Islands had heard Earhart's last transmissions on 80 Meters. At least one radio amateur said that as she transmitted her last transmissions, she was so loud that It would be unlikely that she would've been too far from the Japanese Islands.

The process which included calculations for fuel and a decision tree among other things have provided some evidence as to what could have happened on the day that Earhart disappeared. Speaking of which, the news that came through the web regarding the finding of Earhart's bones is about as plausible as a "study on smoking funded by the tobacco companies[sic]" being true.

Their work has eliminated a portion of the ocean that is about the size of Connecticut. They searched the area with autonomous submersibles, running on a painfully slow 2 knots. If you think about it, they searched an area, about 2200 square miles, at 2 knots. The speaker said, "that would be like walking across the state of Connecticut.[sic]."

The dinner was various meats, honey rolls, and various other options. The chicken was great. I happened to eat the honey rolls like I was addicted to it. I missed the dummy load QSO party; but, there is way more to enjoy in the coming day.

This is Adam KE0MXG going QRT for the night.

73 and Good Luck.

WED NIGHT FM NET ASSIGNMENT

Storm season is upon us. As amateur radio operators we are charged with operating in emergency situations such as storms, disasters, fires etc etc. To make sure we are ready SEKARC would like make sure we are all ready for such times.

For the Wednesday night 8pm net, SEKARC would like you operate your radio using emergency power and emergency antenna if possible. If you use a mobile rig in your shack or an ht, power it using battery only and if you are doing so please describe your setup when the net controller comes to you for comments. It will be good practice for you and interesting to hear the various setups from those checking in.

In 2018 we are going to try different things for the net. Different theme, maybe in the beginning ask an interesting question for all to answer. So stay tuned and remember if anyone wants to take a turn running the net please let us know.

SEKARC - Keeping Amateur Radio FREE AND FUN !!

Want a laugh..... check this out !!

73
Jeff