VOX
Newsletter of the Huntsville Amateur Radio Club
"Per undas ad astra"
"Per undas ad astra"
Don Tunstill, W4NO/SK
Dalton H. "Don" Tunstill was a great influence in the Tennessee Valley amateur radio community for over 35 years. As a teacher at Huntsville High School, Don responded to interested students by sponsoring the school amateur (or "ham") radio club for several years. Many of those students are still active radio operators in the area. With a large technically oriented population in Huntsville, there are many hams in the Valley, part of a U.S. contingent of over 650,000, and around 2 million worldwide.
In the early 1980s, Don was instrumental in bringing an annual gathering of area hams permanently to Huntsville, after years of being held on a rotating basis in various locations in north Alabama. This convention is now known as the Huntsville Hamfest, and yearly brings around 4,000 attendees to Huntsville in August. In 2007, this was the venue for the national convention of the American Radio Relay League, the largest amateur radio organization worldwide. Huntsville Hamfest will be held this year at the Von Braun Center on August 15 and 16.
Radio amateurs in the U.S. may operate only after receiving a license from the Federal Communications Commission issued upon passing a test covering technical, legal, and administrative aspects of the service. Desiring to eliminate inconvenient testing times and locations as an obstacle to receiving a license, Don helped bring the Central America Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (CAVEC) amateur radio testing service to north Alabama. CAVEC ham radio tests are given on the first Saturday of every month at 9:00 AM at the Red Cross in Huntsville, and in Athens on the third Saturday of every month at 1:00 pm at the Athens Emergency Operations Center.
On-the-air aspects of ham radio were of great interest to Don alongside the administrative aspects. He was trustee of the Huntsville Amateur Radio Club's station K4BFT, which will operate next Saturday and Sunday, June 27 and 28, in a nationwide amateur radio exercise. This operation, called Field Day, annually tests hams' abilities to set up and operate radio facilities with regional, national, and even global coverage. Typically among the first responders in cases of disaster, hams use this event to hone their mobilization and operating skills, which would be required should they be called upon to provide emergency communications, as has been the case for hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and earthquakes in recent years.
The Tennessee Valley amateur radio community bids Don Tunstill, W4NO, a fond farewell. His legacy will remain with present and future hams for years to come.
There are too many events to cover in a short article this month. I attended the Huntsville–Madison County RACES meeting in May to present events that unfolded on APRS during the May 3rd and 6th weather activity in North Alabama. APRS is a tactical communications network that provides situational awareness in real time. I had monitored the SKYWARN voice net and watched the NWS weather bulletins on APRS. I was amazed by the speed at which the NWS bulletins appeared on the APRS map. In every case, the APRS map displayed the NWS bulletin before my NOAA weather radio alarm sounded and before an announcement of the bulletin was given on the SKYWARN net. What a great tool to augment the SKYWARN voice net!
You may be wondering what is so important about all of this. The message is simple: APRS is another tool on our amateur radio tool belt, and one that clearly provides the first alert to weather activity. By instantly communicating critical information in real time, APRS could potentially save life or property during severe weather.
To demonstrate the tactical usefulness of APRS in communicating NWS bulletin information, I captured a couple of screenshots of my APRS display and put together a slideshow (one for each storm) to explain, in certain terms, what was happening as these storms unfolded. Important information about a weather event, as well as its relation to our storm spotters' locations, is provided instantly, so that everybody has the same picture of what is happening around them. This is situational awareness like we have never experienced. It is refreshing to know we have a tool that can provide us with capabilities that we can utilize in real time.
"Should we activate the net? The tornado warning has already been issued!"
You can visit my website to view these slideshows and a quick-start guide to getting on APRS with free software.
Note that, based on real-time damage reports, objects can be placed on the live APRS map. In our case, the path of damage reports provided a good visual indication of the path the tornado took through North Alabama. When I realized I had more awareness using APRS than I got listening to the SKYWARN voice net, I had to share it with the amateur radio community.
Based on reports from the SKYWARN net, objects can be placed on the APRS map in real time. Here, tornado symbols give a good indication of the storm's path
In the past month we have experienced an explosion of new APRS activity. This is an exciting time for APRS in our area – you have probably heard a lot of talk about it on our local repeaters. There may be times the APRS network can hear you when a voice repeater does not. This is the power of a network. If you can reach an APRS digipeater or a home relay station, you are on the network.
After listening to requests for creek levels at strategic locations it occurred to me that APRS could be used to automate these reports. The protocol supports up to five channels of telemetry data using analog-to-digital converters in some devices. We could easily build a float from PVC pipe and monitor creek or river levels remotely. Without needing someone to drive to the site for observation, we'll save fuel and reduce emissions. Going green with amateur radio – What a concept! Add a couple solar panels to power the station and use another telemetry channel to monitor battery voltage (and a host of other measurements), and the station is even greener. For an example in the same vein, PCSAT (an APRS satellite) uses these telemetry channels to report its condition to ground controllers. This system also includes a multiplexer to increase the number of data channels available. The possibilities are endless. If you have a computer connected to the internet, you already have the APRS hardware. If you want to go completely wireless, all you need is a 2-meter radio and a computer with a terminal node controller (TNC – a packet radio modem) or a sound card. That's right, using the SV2AGW packet driver (or equivalent), you can use your sound card as a TNC.
What are you waiting for? Get on APRS and get the whole picture!
Welcome to the first article in a series about the Linux operating system and, more specifically, the amateur radio software applications available for Linux. I'm Steve Conklin, AI4QR, and I've been using Linux and developing applications on it for over ten years.
The majority of radio amateurs using Linux use either the Ubuntu or the Fedora distributions. I'm partial to Ubuntu, in part because I'm employed by Canonical (the company committed to developing, distributing, and promoting Ubuntu Linux). Either distribution will work, but I have more current knowledge of Ubuntu than I do of Fedora.
Some of the applications I will discuss can also be run on Windows, but I'm not going to address Windows use in these columns. I will, however, try to mention whether a Windows version is available, but in most cases I can't tell you how to set it up or run it.
The first thing you'll have to do to follow along with this series is to run Linux. Nowadays, this is really easy to do – you won't even need to install it on your computer. First you'll need what's called a live CD, and both Ubuntu and Fedora supply live CDs of their distributions. The fastest way to get one is to download disk images (or .iso files) provided by the distributions (see Note 1, following this article) and burn a CD yourself using InfraRecorder or similar software. Ubuntu will even send configured live CDs by mail, but you'll have to wait for the postman.
If you want to experiment on your present computer without overwriting anything on it, live CDs are the way to go. By installing the entire operating system to a temporary RAM disk held in system memory, live CDs operate without touching any data on your computer's hard drive. This is convenient, but it does have a few drawbacks – the number of applications you can install is limited by the amount of available RAM, the amount of RAM available to those apps is reduced, and you lose all your installed apps and configuration every time you reboot. This means have to reinstall and reconfigure them each time you run Linux. Booting from CD-ROM is also much slower than booting from your hard drive. Still, for first-time users, live CDs offer a great way to try out Linux and see if you want to do more.
If you have an unused or little-used computer to devote to experimenting with Linux, I encourage you to do that. This allows you the freedom to experiment without any risk to important data, and gives you a chance to install and try out each distribution. Intalling and reinstalling Linux is very fast (much faster than Windows), so it's easy to do several times in your experimental phase, when you don't have much to lose. You'll find that Linux runs well on computers that don't have enough processor speed, disk space, or memory to run Windows.
Once you've got a live CD, simply reboot your computer with the CD in the CD-ROM drive. If it doesn't boot Linux, you may have to change the boot device order in your BIOS setup. Both distributions will give you the option to permanently install Linux to your computer. Don't do this unless you have a machine dedicated to running Linux.
If you do decide to install the operating system, you will have to create a username and answer some questions. These are pretty straightforward for both Ubuntu and Fedora. Be sure to memorize or write down any username or passwords you create.
Now that you're up and running, get a bit more familiar with the desktop. Then try installing an amateur radio application. To start, let's try xlog. Xlog is a logging program, easily available in both Ubuntu and Fedora, that saves your logs to text files. To install in Ubuntu, select "Add/Remove Applications" from the Applications menu on the desktop, then search for xlog and install it. In Fedora, navigate from the System menu to Administration → Add/Remove Software. As in Ubuntu, just search for xlog and install it. Note that Fedora will also install an application called hamlib as a dependency of xlog (more about hamlib later).
Now start xlog (in Ubuntu: Applications → Accessories → Terminal, then type "xlog" in the terminal window; in Fedora: Applications → Other → Xlog). Xlog should start, and I'll leave it to you to explore the built-in documentation and to play with it. One thing to notice: if you look at the preferences (Settings → Preferences), you'll see a tab labeled "Hamlib". This is disabled in Ubuntu because we didn't install hamlib. Hamlib is another Linux application that I'll cover it in a future column. It interfaces with radios that support software control through a serial or USB port. If hamlib is installed, it can talk to your rig to read the current frequency, mode, and split – and then xlog can take that information from hamlib and put it directly into your log.
I hope this is a good start for you. There are a lot of great applications out there for Linux, including logging, antenna modeling, VHF/UHF propagation using terrain models, digital sound card communications, APRS, and satellite pass prediction. We'll get to those. If you have comments or questions, you can enter them as comments under the copy of this article located at my weblog at www.illruminations.com.
Note 1: Ubuntu disk images are located at www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download.
Fedora disk images are located at fedoraproject.org/en/get-fedora.
A lot has happened since the last VOX. Most importantly, the passing of Don Tunstill, W4NO, this month. No doubt we can call him the most influential ham in Huntsville's amateur radio history – not only for the club, but also in running Hamfest and CAVEC. There is an article elsewhere in the VOX by Tom Duncan, KG4CUY. You will be dearly missed Don!
We are late this year with Old Timers Night. In fact, it's going to be held in July this time. The club passed a motion to dedicate Old Timers Night to the memory of Don. We hope you all come and share your stories and memories.
I am happy to report that Frank, W4HFU, has made his long-planned move to a retirement home and is recovering well. We hope to see you again soon at the club meetings, Frank! The towers that were stored in Frank's backyard found a new home, too, at Tim Williams, K4AEE. Thanks Tim!
You're reading this, so you must have noticed the new format of the VOX. Thank you so much Jason Conklin, N2NLY, for stepping up to the plate and filling a position Frank has held for so many years. Jason just recently moved down from New York and we're very grateful he is taking on this job.
Elections are behind us and officers installed. Thank you Woodie, K8GNM, and Doshia, KI4VFU, for serving as our VP and Secretary, respectively, last club year. Our new slate of officers are Tom Duncan, KG4CUY, Secretary, Heath Thorson, KC4HRX, Treasurer, Tom Hatter, K4AKC, Vice President and the undersigned, K4RGG, President for one more year. Thank you for your trust in us!
It has been busy as well in the public service area. Two bike rides and the Cotton Row Run, for which many of you volunteered – thanks so much. Since this newsletter is getting long we'll save the stories and pictures for next month's VOX.
Independence Day is soon after Field Day, and then only a couple more weeks and Hamfest is here. It falls early this year, and Charlie, N4OKL, has already announced that he needs all the help he can get this year! Let's not disappoint him. (I don't think we ever have..)
But first, Field Day is this weekend. K4BFT 4A Alabama. We learned our lessons from last year, when we had many issues with power generation, and dropped a few notches on the score as a result. The club accepted a motion to rent a diesel generator as our central power unit, and the EMA will have their generator as a backup. The good news is that there will be no hauling of fuel and that the diesel runs quiet and very efficient. Well worth the money. Activities start Friday 1 p.m. on the now well-known site in front of the Marriot at the Space and Rocket Center. Hang around long enough, till everything is down and packed on Sunday. Usually just before sundown.
Don't forget the picnic at 4 p.m. on Saturday, bring $2 and a potluck dish. Drinks, burgers and dogs provided. Thank you Peggy, K4EGB, and Steve, KD4TFN, for heading that part of Field Day. Tom Duncan, KG4CUY, has been willing to spearhead the Field Day effort even though he already knew he would be out of town at the start of Field Day!
I hope to see you all there! Good luck collecting QSOs for K4BFT. It is going to fun!
Time to get off my soap box.
73 de K4RGG, Rolf, your prez.
Welcome, and thanks for checking out the new VOX!
First of all, I would like to wish the very best to outgoing VOX editor Frank Emens, W4HFU, and thank him (on the behalf of the entire club, I'm sure) for his decades of service to HARC and to the VOX. I can only hope that I will be able to offer some significant fraction of Frank's dedication to this little publication.
Frank Emens, W4HFU
My next order of business is a personal introduction to those who have not met me, or have done so only in passing. My name is Jason, N2NLY. Earlier this year I moved to Huntsville from Brooklyn, New York – A big change, indeed! After growing up in upstate New York, I lived in the big city for six years, where I worked as an editor in book and magazine publishing, advertising, and other contexts. I was also active in Kings County (that's Brooklyn) ARES. Upon relocating, when I heard that HARC may be needing someone to work on its newsletter, I was naturally intrigued. I have been a ham for a few years and now work as a technical writer, so working on the VOX seemed a good task for me. Within the field of amateur radio, I am particularly interested in emergency response, HF operation, and building radio and test circuits (among many other of the hobby's subfields). I would also like to get my CW skills up to snuff as soon as possible. I have several other hobbies and interests, as well, which include messing around with computers and open-source software, following baseball, and playing music.
You have doubtless noticed the VOX's new look. I am in the process of developing a web-based foundation for these "pages" – one that I hope will serve the club for a few more decades at least! That said, I beg your forgiveness if these first few editions are a bit rough around the edges; there's still some work to do. However, if you prefer to read your VOX in hard copy, switch over to the PDF edition (www.harc.net/vox/archive/vox49-5.pdf)
I welcome your input, suggestions, and questions – and, of course, your contributions to future VOXes! You can reach me at my arrl.net email account, or at a HARC meeting near you.
Enough about me, though! Please enjoy the VOX that is to come.
Field Day is right around the corner, and as usual, HARC has a lot in store. We will be operating once again as a 4A club station, K4BFT, but will not operate a GOTA station this year.. Setup will begin at the Marriott site (next to the Space & Rocket Center) at around 1 p.m. on Friday, June 26.
Among the planned stations and events:
Peggy, K4EGB, and Steve, KD4TFN, will be preparing a picnic including hot dogs, hamburgers, and soft drinks. Attendees are encouraged to bring a covered dish or other snacks, and a donation of $2 for the food is welcome.
Exam sessions are held at 9:00 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month, unless a holiday delays the session a week.
Exam sessions are held at 1:00 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month. For information contact Dean Thompson, WW0I, at 256-230-0270 or Rick, AA4II (listed above).
The club's packet radio special interest group. Dues for network usage are $15 per year, payable through HARC.
The club's amateur television special interest group.
HARC's newsletter is published on the third Friday of each month. Information of interest to the HARC membership should be submitted to the editor one week prior to publication.
It seems that the weather is finally quieting down. It has been a busy spring with almost weekly activations. And now the heat is here. Isn't that supposed to happen in August? But if tradition holds true it will rain on Field Day. Hope you will participate. Even though we ARES guys usually operate locally on VHF, for large-scale events most of the activity will be on HF, so Field Day is a good time to check it out and get your feet wet.
Thom, K5JTR, is very active uniting all the counties in north Alabama into a cohesive team, and he suggested we check into the neighbors' nets more often. Times and frequencies can be found on the ARRL Alabama Section website. Check it out! Thom will also be visiting many Field Day sites. Say hello from Madison county for us, Thom!
Chuck, N4NM, has been busy in VOAD, where he has been charged with writing a new OPS plan and is making good headway. More on that later.
Tom Cash, KI4VFV, as an ARES volunteer, spent a lot of time researching and documenting flood-prone areas in Madison County and has won the Volunteer Of The Year Award from the Alabama Emergency Managers Association. Congratulations to Tom.
Many, many trains run through Madison county. Ever thought about what to do in large scale disaster? Well, CSX, one of the railroad companies, wants us to and has offered to provide training. At our monthly meeting in July we will facilitate the first of such trainings.
The Red Cross has some important training sessions coming up at the end of July and has reserved space at UAH to hold their classes. If you have taken any Red Cross classes before you should have gotten a catalog in the mail. I strongly urge you to sign up for some of them, especially the weekend class regarding the use of technologies during a disaster. This is right up our alley and we can provide a great service to the Red Cross during a large-scale disaster.
On the request of one of the Alabama departments we tallied volunteer hours for Madison county and came close to 8,000 hours for last year – pretty astounding. We're putting some procedures in place to log these hours in a more systematic way.
We're also talking about re-establishing the four levels of activation of the Madison County Net, Levels 0–3, Level 3 being a real emergency. This would also mean calling our net the Madison County Net, versus Madison Count Emergency net. When the net was formed in 1993 a set of great procedures was put in place. It's time to revisit these and make some amendments here and there. Stay tuned for more.
It's good to see that our website is getting more traffic. Keep your messages coming!
August is our traditional ARES/RACES picnic. Stay tuned for details.
The next meeting is on July 9 (the second Thursday of the month) at the EOC. Pizza as usual. Hope to see you there. Be well!