Stateline Repeater System Yearly Stats!

Thank you to Tyler KBØPQP for providing this interesting look at the stats from our Stateline Repeater System. No surprise that activity spikes in Spring and Early Summer right? Click on the image below to get a larger version of the graphs.

SKYWARN Recognition Day Dec 7, 2024

From the National Weather Service 

https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition

SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) is December 7, 2024. The annual event is celebrating its 25th anniversary. SRD was established in 1999 by the National Weather Service (NWS) and ARRL® to commemorate the contributions of SKYWARN volunteers. Using amateur radio and other means of communication, SKYWARN spotters provide real time ground truth to NWS offices. The ham-volunteers can also provide vital communications between NWS and local emergency management officials when other means go down.

Best Portable HF Radio?

What is the best portable radio for HF Ham Radio with 100-watts of output power, and is small and light enough to put in a backpack and carry with you? Today I go through my top picks of in-production radios for HF Ham Radio.

2024 SEKARC Christmas/Holiday Dinner!!

Below is the form for the RSVP on the Christmas Party. This years party will be Wednesday Dec 11th at 6pm. Please let us know if you are coming so we can let Barto's know the estimated count ahead of time. Barto's is located at this address and we will be in the back entrance in the group room off to the left! 

201 Santa Fe Street Frontenac, KS 66763

We will have our usual "secret santa" gift exchange if you want to participate... no minimum or maximum on the gift but if you bring a gift, you will be certain to take home a gift... use your imagination, no need for a big wallet here! 

Please submit this form below to get on the list!!

The Truth About SWR !

Here is a great video explaining the truths about SWR. I found it informative and I hope you do as well!

"What is Standing Wave Ratio (SWR) and how does it impact your amateur radio antenna system? Is there really such a thing as “perfect” SWR and does it really matter? DX Engineering’s Michael Murphy, KI8R, covers the basics of SWR, including reflected power; factors that can influence SWR readings, such as lossy coaxial cables; the importance of measuring SWR at the antenna; and some of the myths and misinformation surrounding this widely used measurement in ham radio. Click on the links below for some great SWR resources, as well as low-loss coax cables from DX Engineering discussed in the video."

SEKARC Meeting Sept 28th 9AM

We would like to invite you to the next meeting for the Southeast Kansas Amateur Radio Club! It will be Saturday September 28th at 9am and we will meet in the Pittsburg Fire Station#1 at 911 W. 4th in Pittsburg KS.

 

We will have the usual breakfast casserole, donuts, coffee and bottled water. We will meet and greet for a few minutes, enjoy breakfast then get our meeting underway. We have a lot to discuss as we move towards the end of 2024 and a new year and fresh start in 2025! Let's talk about your ideas for reviving interest and activities in 2025. We can discuss things like maybe having an area wide tail-gater in the spring, The annual Christmas dinner at Barto's, Field Days (Winter and Summer), radio operating outings... and build projects.

We will also be having a special drawing for those in attendance... the club has purchased a $50 gift certificate from HAM CRAZY for some cool HAM accessories for your shack or vehicle. All that attend will get a ticket to win the prize drawing. So mark your calendar, or tell SIRI, or HEY GOOGLE it or write in marker on your hand but we'd love to see a great turnout.

Radio 73 Website and Ham Radio Music?

Great new site I found.. check it out !! The site is developing but has 4 great Ham Radio songs on YouTube. Al of them are very well done!!

RADIO73 Website

 

 

K3LR Superstation - My Drive By On I-80

Driving back home from our trip to New Hampshire, Maine and Canada, we were driving towards home, through western Pennsylvania on I-80 a few miles from the western border with Ohio we saw a most impressive antenna farm. I first I saw one tower and I thought it was just a commercial tower I saw over the trees. Then as we got a better view I could see multiple towers and multiple huge beams on most of them. While traveling I did some web research and located the stations call sign. Then after getting home I found several sites for reference and I hope you enjoy these.

CLICK FOR GOOGLE EARTH PHOTO

The control ability and management of this system is incredible. I am posting below some links that go into details and videos that show this station... antennas and the shack itself. 

I emailed Tim K3LR about additional information on the towers and this is his reply...

"The two tall towers support antennas at 275 feet and 245 feet. Both amateur radio towers are painted, lit and monitored as per the FAA. The towers have been approved by the FAA and registered with the FCC.

The shorter towers are all under 200 feet. There are 14 towers in all. I am looking forward to reading your article.

The next time you are in the area – let me know and you can stop by and I’ll give you a tour."

Check this out and study this incredible contesting station! Very impressive and I might take him up on the offer next time we head to Maine!

Here is the K3LR Website K3LR Website

Here is a link to the station hardware  K3LR HARDWARE LIST

Randy K7AGE recorded his visit..

 

Here is a drone flyover of the antennas...

 

Here is another...

 

FIELD DAY 2024 UPDATE !

Hello SEKARC !
Well as many of you know... the timing on Field Day this year is very bad for several of our key FD players as many of us will be out of town or unavailable.. So we will not be having a Field Day site at the museum this year....BUT, Tim N5STR has graciously agreed to host a Field Day that all of those interested may help with, operate with, log with and maybe just hang out with!

It will be held at the Barton County EOC center in LAMAR MO with map below... Setup will begin Sat morning at 10am if you would like to help out! It will be odd but this is the first one missed in 10+ years is pretty good for the SEKARC !?
 

Contact Tim N5STR if you have questions...

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cb8ZZ2Wv4ibiTjYV9