ARRL East Bay Section

ARRL Rookie Roundup

af6aq — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 00:00:37 +0000

Hi Folks-

This Sunday, August 15, is the 2nd ARRL Rookie Roundup, from 1800z through 2359z. SSB will be used again for this event; CW will be in December, and RTTY will debut in August 2011.

We’ve made some changes to the way things were run last April:

1) You have 72 hours to submit your score summary.

2) All score summaries should be submitted through the Rookie Roundup Online Score Summary form, found as a link off the main RR site. This is a simple form that walks Rookies (and non-Rookies) through the process of submitting their score summary. This also provides a single point of entry for the Rookie Roundup.

3) Trey N5KO, George K5TR and others have developed In The Log, a free, web-based, simple logging application. It’s been tested, and it works. Visit http://www.inthelog.com <http://www.inthelog.com/> to register for it and take it for a test drive. This web page and its tools are still under development, but for the Rookie Roundup it will provide the basic essentials for those who are just getting started as well as those who don’t need all the “bells and whistles” of a full-featured logging program. They hope to add support for more contests in the future.

We are still committed to having the Rookie Roundup be a live-adjudicated event one day. For now, we will take smaller steps to get there.

Complete rules, FAQ, paper logging forms, blog and a link to the Score Summary Reporting Form can be found at http://www.arrl.org/rookie-roundup

Get on the air, host a Rookie this weekend, work the Rookies, and have some fun!

73,

Sean Kutzko, KX9X
Contest Branch Manager

ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio(tm)
225 Main St.
Newington, CT 06111
860-594-0232
skutzko@arrl.org

PACIFICON 2010 - Amateur Radio Convention - Coming Soon!

af6aq — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:19:52 +0000

The American Radio Relay League Pacific Division & the Mt. Diablo Amateur Radio Club Presents:

PACIFICON 2010 Is Coming Soon!

Ham Radio Convention Returns to the San Francisco Bay Area

October 15-17, 2010, San Ramon Marriott Hotel

San Ramon, California

For Events, Latest Updates and Ticket Sales go to:

www.PACIFICON.org

Call the Marriott Hotel Reservations Desk at 1-800-228-9290

Before October 1, 2010, to ask for the special Pacificon rate of $90/night.

PACIFICON 2010 Events Include:

** Friday All-Day Antenna Seminar ** Friday Legal Seminar ** Friday Evening Open MDARC Meeting
** Saturday Keynote Breakfast & Evening Banquet ** Outstanding Technical Forums ** Ham Equipment Exhibitors
** Great Swap Meet ** Daily Radio Prize Drawings ** ARRL Forum ** Transmitter Hunt ** ATV Activities

** HFpack Activities ** Ham License Exams ** Saturday All-Day Technician License Class ** Boy Scout JOTA

We encourage you to share this email with others who you think might be interested

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2010 National Night Out Amateur Radio Net

af6aq — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:31:15 +0000

2010 marks our second year of introducing Amateur Radio to neighborhoods around the San Francisco Bay Area, by way of National Night Out.

National Night Out takes place on Tuesday evening, August 3, 2010. Neighborhoods all across America will take part in this fun event, The task: Get together with your neighbors, share some refreshments, have some laughs, and talk about how you can work together as neighbors to stand up against crime, and be prepared for emergencies.

In 2009 we sent 23 Amateur Radio Operators to National Night Out block parties in Fremont, Newark and Union City. In our first annual National Night Out Amateur Radio Net, we took 50 NNO block party check-ins from all over the San Francisco Bay Area.

Amateur Radio is a perfect addition to any National Night Out block party. During the party, you can tell your neighbors about how FRS radios can save their lives in real emergencies, when CERT volunteers are performing house-to-house searches - and they are unable to get to the door. CERT volunteers talk to each other on FRS radios. You can tell your neighbors how an Amateur Radio license will give them the ability to talk to people all over the city and beyond, when land-line phones, cell phones and Internet are not working.

Our neighbors need to know this.

How many times have you (the Amateur Radio Operator) felt like your neighbors perceived your antennas as an ugly blight on the neighborhood? How many times have you heard of TVI complaints, when you were away from home on a trip with your family. Amateur Radio is often perceived as a neighborhood annoyance. What most neighbors don’t know (because no one tells them this), is that one day, Amateur Radio will save their lives!

So this is your chance, readers. Find out where your nearest National Night Out block party is taking place. Get there on time, and bring a rig that is capable of reaching the N6NFI repeater (145.230 MHz, PL 100 Hz), meet your neighbors, tell those interested about Amateur Radio and FRS, and at 7:00PM, check-in to our National Night Out Net.

If THAT doesn’t sell them on how important it is to know who their Amateur neighbors are, simply tell them this…

In a real, catastrophic emergency (something much worse than the Loma Prieta Earthquake), you can guarantee that there will be neighborhoods where they may not see Police, Firemen or paramedics for 2 to 3 days! In those cases, radio may be their only hope.

If that doesn’t get across to our neighbors that they need our help - then we’re not doing our jobs as Radio Amateurs.

We hope to see you at the 2010 National Night Out Amateur Radio Net on N6NFI.

73 DE KI6BEN

For more information about the 2010 National Night Out Amateur Radio Net, or if you’re looking for an NNO block party in Fremont, contact John Vargas at ki6ben@arrl.net

Alan Hubert Craddock, WB6DXZ - SK

af6aq — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:10:26 +0000

Alan CRADDOCK

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Alan Hubert Craddock Feb. 1, 1924 ~ May 24, 2010 Resident of Oakland Alan passed away peacefully in his sleep with his wife Margie by his side on Monday, May 24, 2010 at Albany, California. Alan was born in London, England on February 1, 1924. He was one of four children. He lived through the London blitz and he dearly wanted to join the Royal Air Force (RAF), but he was in aircraft design work and wasn’t allowed. After World War II, he immigrated to Canada in 1948 and then to the United States in 1960. Alan had a keen interest in electronics and taught himself through radio courses. Eventually, he learned Morse Code and began working as a radio officer on Military Sea Command ships during the Vietnam war. He later worked on Chevron Maritime ships. After retirement he joined the East Bay Amateur Radio Club, Contra Costa Communications Club and then later, the Radio Club for the Red Oak Victory ship in Richmond where he was chief radio officer. Alan is survived by his devoted and beloved wife, Margie Cornell Craddock. He was preceded in death by his daughter Jeanette Weir (Gordon); and his brothers Sidney and Harry Craddock. He is survived by his daughter Mary Ellen Craddock-Keating (Bill) of Toronto, Canada and his son Robert Craddock (Sharon) of Brant-ford, Canada. Alan is also survived by grandsons, Peter Sochart, Edgar (Merna) and David (Sarah) Schuchardt; great-granddaughters Mikal, Johnathen and Kassandra Parrott and Cassidy, Aislinn and Maeve Schuchardt. Alan is survived by his sister Ena House who lives in Brisbane, Australia and his nephew Graham Craddock who lives in Toronto, Canada. He is also survived by his stepchildren Jeanie Cornell, Nancy Vaca (Phil), Julie Cornell-Tausheck (Douglas), and Joe Cornell (Diane); many step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 28, 2010 at 10:00am at Sunset View Mortuary Chapel, Top of Fairmont Avenue in El Cerrito. Memorial contributions are suggested in Alan’s memory to the or the Kaiser Foundation Hospice. Sunset View Mortuary (510) 525-5111 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (510) 525-5111 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Published in Contra Costa Times on May 27, 2010

Former MDARC Member David Fletcher “Fletch” Ames Young, KI6RP - SK

af6aq — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:00:39 +0000

Fletcher Ames “Fletch” Young

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Fletcher “Fletch” Ames Young Resident of Lafayette Fletcher “Fletch” Ames Young, a 60 year resident of Lafayette, passed away on Friday, June 25, 2010 at the age of 85. Born September 27, 1924, he grew up in the Piedmont district of Oakland and served in WWII in the Asian Pacific. He thereafter attended College of the Pacific where he met and married Carolyn Virginia Harris on July 24, 1948. The couple moved to Lafayette in 1950 to raise their family. He and Carolyn owned and operated Sunshine Cleaners on Golden Gate Way for 26 years. Married for over 50 years, Carolyn preceded him in death in 1998. Fletch loved the out of doors from an early age when he would accompany his father George, a geological and mining engineer, on surveying trips throughout the West. This love was passed on as an Assistant Scout Master for his own sons’ Troop 204 of Lafayette. His work with youth continued when Fletch became a charter member of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team in 1974 where he was instrumental in starting the Explorer Search and Rescue Post 611, as well as setting up the Basic Search and Rescue Academy training still taught today. He was honored this year at the Sheriff’s Reserve Recognition and Awards Dinner for his more than 35 years of service to the Department and the community. Fletch will be remembered by his colleagues in Search and Rescue throughout California as an icon, mentor and leader. Fletch was a “can do” guy, always tinkering and making things just a little bit better. He was adept at plumbing, wiring, electronics, amateur radio (KI6RP), auto repair and carpentry among many other skills. He was an inspiration to his children and inspired them to be handy husbands and wives as well. He is survived by his children: Christopher of Lafayette, CA, Marshall of Rancho Cordova, CA, David of Park City, Utah, and Terese Conroy of Walnut Creek, CA; along with three grandsons and eight granddaughters. A Memorial Service to celebrate his life is scheduled for 2:00pm on Saturday, July 10 at St Anselm’s Episcopal Church, 682 Michael Lane, Lafayette, followed by a reception. Memorial donations can be sent to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team - Explorer Post 611, 50 Glacier, Martinez, CA, 94553.

Published in Contra Costa Times from July 4 to July 6, 2010

Chris Tate, N6WM, Appointed Assistant Section Manager - DX & Contesting

af6aq — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:04:33 +0000

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Tate, N6WM, as Assistant Section Manger for DX and Contesting.

Chris is well known in the bay area as an avid contester and DX chaser. Originally licensed as KI6LGJ in 2007, Chris has eclipsed his brief 3 years in the hobby through his enthusiasm, energy and dedication.

Locally Active in the East Bay Section in the Livermore Amateur Radio Klub (LARK), previously as a board member and activities coordinator, he currently writes a monthly article for contesting and DX chasing in their newsletter. Chris has expanded his participation and leadership beyond the local club level, and is now Vice President and Contest Chairman for the Northern California Contest Club (NCCC) after serving a year on the board of this regional organization.

Chris is an extremely active contester and DX chaser. He is a member of the “big gun” and world known contest team of CQ Contest Hall of Fame member and East Bay resident Ken, N6RO as well as a founding member and contest coordinator for the newest big gun station to go qrv in the bay area, the K6LRG contest station in Livermore.

Active on CW, RTTY and SSB, Chris regularly participates in multi-op and single op amateur radio contest efforts from these stations, and has won numerous awards over the last several years in both collaborative multi-op efforts as well as single op competitions, most recently winning the Pacific Division for mixed mode (CW/SSB) in the 2009 ARRL 10 meter contest, Placing in the top 10 box in the NCJ North American QSO Party RTTY, and achieving the position of 3rd place, World in the ARRL RTTY Roundup contest(first place Pacific Division, Second place North America) amongst many others.

Chris’s DX awards include membership in the DX Century Club (DXCC# 43,293) as well as multiple Worked All States awards, including the newly introduced Triple Play Worked All States(TPWAS #417) that required working all states on CW, SSB and Digital modes, all confirmed via the ARRL Logbook of the World.

Please join me in welcoming Chris to his new role as ASM.

David Haycock, KI6AWR, Appointed Assistant Section Manager - Education & Training

af6aq — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:50:56 +0000

I am pleased to announce the appointment of David Haycock, KI6AWR as Assistant Section Manager (ASM) for Education and Training.

David has had a life long interest in radio beginning in his high school days many years ago. He currently holds an Extra Class license and lives with his wife Elizabeth (K0EAH) in a small HOA compromised town house in Alameda . Lack of space and HOAs are not enough to enforce radio silence however. He is fortunate to have a balcony large enough to squeeze in a Buddipole so operations on all bands (including 80m!) are possible. His first grandson Kyle was born on Field Day 2004 which he considers a great omen for keeping radio interests in the family.

David is currently President of the Amateur Radio Club of Alameda (ARCA) and an active VE. He is a passionate Elmer and together with Paul Bailey Gates (KA6GEM) has put on many classes to help newbies get their license and just as importantly get on the air. He is very excited about the opportunity to help expand Elmering throughout the Bay area.

David’s roles and responsibilities as ASM will include:

Coordination and publicity for license classes, VE sessions and educational events in the East Bay
Resource for class training materials
Instructor training
Special training classes
Assistance in designing classes for new training / educational needs

Please join me in welcoming David to his new role as ASM.

George Gabriel WA6KQB - SK

af6aq — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 22:34:31 +0000

George Gabe Gabriel (1931 - 2010)

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In Memory of George (Gabe) Gabriel WA6KQB Feb. 12, 1931 ~ May 30, 2010 Resident of El Sobrante George was born in Brooklyn, New York. He spent 12 years in the Navy on submarines, and settled in the Bay Area, where he resided for 50 years. He enjoyed fishing and hunting, and was an amateur ham radio operator for 50 years. He was a loving and generous husband, father, and friend. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Gwen (Wendy), his two brothers Ronnie and Jimmy, two sons Greg and Tim, two daughters Georgeann and Gina, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He will be greatly missed. There will be no memorial services. Donations can be made to the American Lung Association in his memory. ‘WA6KQB, over and out.’

Published in Contra Costa Times on June 9, 2010

Joseph E. Thompson Jr. (AD6BO) - SK

af6aq — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 02:58:37 +0000

Joseph E. Thompson Jr. (AD6BO)

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Joseph Earl Thompson, Jr., a life-long resident of Vallejo, died peacefully at his home on June 5, 2010.

He was the eldest child of Joseph E. and Anne J. (Kilkenny) Thompson. He was born at Mare Island Naval Base Hospital on Feb. 3, 1943 while, his father served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was educated at St. Vincent’s Grammar School, Vallejo Junior High and Vallejo High School.

His natural mechanical ability led him to employment in the auto parts industry. He also built and raced modified stock cars at Vallejo Speedway. He owned and operated Joe’s Gun Shop in Vallejo from the late 1980s with his wife and soulmate, Mary (Papuhi) Thompson, who died on April 1, 2009.

In 1997, Joe and Mary were members of the initial class of Vallejo Police Department’s Citizens on Patrol (COP) Program. Mary wore COP Badge No. 1 and Joe wore COP Badge No. 2. They were instrumental in building the COP Program from that time forward. They donated countless hours to the program, and were named Volunteers of the Year in 1999.

Joe was hired as a police assistant by VPD in May 2001. He initially worked in parking enforcement where he excelled, producing almost $1,000,000 in revenue for Vallejo in a single year. He was proudly serving the city he loved as an evidence clerk at the time of his death.

Joe is survived by his children, Tommy J. Thompson and Christina A. (Michael Richardson) Thompson of Martinez and their children Angel, Jesse, Tommy, Michael and Nicole; his mother, Anne J. Thompson of Yountville; brother, William R. (Margaret) Thompson of Long Beach; sister, Marjorie L. (Ronald) Dieckman of Tucson, Ariz.; his dear friend, Kathryn Ward; stepdaughter Michelle Bruce; and numerous other relatives. He waspredeceased by his father in January 1979.

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 9, at Church on the Hill, 210 Locust Drive. The family suggests donations in Joe’s memory to VPD’s Citizens on Patrol (COP) Program, 111 Amador St., Vallejo, CA 94590 or a favorite charity in lieu of flowers.

Published in TimesHeraldOnline on June 8, 2010

Ham Radio Class Forming Now!

af6aq — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:40:37 +0000

The Salvation Army with the Mt. Diablo Amateur Radio Club will be holding a 6 week Course where you can learn everything you need to earn your Technician (entry level) FCC Amateur Radio License.

The Technician license is your gateway to the world-wide excitement of Amateur Radio …

— and now you do NOT need to learn Morse code!

Classes begin on …

Wednesday September 1^st

At 7-9 pm

The Salvation Army

3950 Clayton Road, (at West St.)

Concord 94520

Registration is recommended

Class is FREE and Textbook, if needed, about $23

For Information, contact:

John Primus, AF6RJ AF6RJ@arrl.net or 925 825-7670

To sign up email: HamRadioClass@gmail.com