http://omikradio.org

An International Educational and Scientific Organization Founded in August of 1952

KØMIK

OMIK Amateur Radio Association – Net Schedule

(NOTE: during Daylight Savings Time net times move back 1 hour)

OMIK is on D-Star reflector REF074C on Sunday mornings to assist the net controllers with check-ins. You can view the reflector dashboard by typing the link below in your web browser. http://REF074.dstargateway.org. If you need assistance reaching the reflector contact Frank Decuire K6fed@yahoo.com.

Get an early start on your Sunday morning by joining Chuck KQ6IU and others as he host the Early Birds Rag Chew session on 14.295 MHz at 1500 UTC.

The OMIK Communicator Winter/Spring2018

In This Issue 2018 Convention News OMIK Scholarship Info Health and Welfare Ham Radio News Briefs Testing Resources Tech Talk

OMIK Nets meet on Sundays

20 Meter Phone

14.295 MHz from 16:00 - 18:00 UTC

40 Meter Phone

7.185 MHz from 12:30 to 14:00 UTC

75 Meter Phone

3.920 MHz from 12:00 - 13:00 UTC

DigitalModesD-Star–REF074CDMRTG31661

The OMIK 66th Anniversary Convention in Baton Rouge Louisiana July 19-21, 2018 Embassy Suites Hotel Baton Rouge LA 4914 Constitution Ave. More information is on OMIK website. Please join us as OMIK celebrates our 66th Anniversary in the beautiful city of Baton Rouge Louisiana. This is a city on the Mississippi River, and the capital of Antebellum. Landmarks include the castle-like Old Louisiana State Capitol, now a museum, and Magnolia Mound Plantation, with its French Creole house. LSU Rural Life Museum is a complex of refurbished buildings, illustrating 18th- and 19th-century life. On the river, the USS Kidd is a retired WWII destroyer that is now a museum.

Please start thinking about a short mini-technical presentation for the next convention. You do not have to be an expert; just share your experiences with the topic area you are presenting.

On Friday, July 20, 2018, 6:00 PM-10:00 pm, we are asking each person to bring 2 items to sell, trade or give away (example) ham radio items, tools, jewelry or handbags

Become an OMIK Scholarship Fund Supporter One of the fundamental purposes of the OMIK Amateur Radio Association, Inc. is to encourage and motivate youth to aspire to higher goals in their respective fields by offering scholarships to deserving youth. This purpose is met each year through partnership with the OMIK scholarship Fund which is a 501(c) (3) organization. Annually the OMIK Scholarship Fund has met its goal of awarding seven to ten $1,000 scholarships. To assist the Fund in maintaining or exceeding its goal in 2018 and beyond, the Executive Board of the OMIK Amateur Radio Association, Inc. is asking each call area to raise $1,000. or more. Raising money is always challenging but the OMIK Scholarship Fund is our way of paying it forward to these future scholars and leaders Download and complete the Donor Form on the OMIK web site. Circle your call area. Make your check or money order payable to the OMIK Scholarship Fund and mail to the scholarship custodian listed on the bottom of the form page. Donations may also be made through Pay-Pal on the OMIK web site. We look forward to hearing from you.

M. Joyce Spight, N9YXM - Custodian Ken Greene, KC8EAT – Treasurer

Michael Ellison, AA5EL- Resource Officer

Declaration for Office Cornelius Washington, KRØZ, Elections and Voting Standards Chair Per the OMIK Constitution, candidates for office may submit a declaration by November 1 of the non-voting year for the offices of president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. Listed below are the declarations of persons who submitted their information by the deadline. Therefore they will be elected to office at the July 2018 convention unopposed. Nominations of vice president and area directors will be made from the floor at the convention. Now is a good time for members to think about who will represent us during the years 2018 through 2020. Clifton Peoples, KE8QR, Declaration for OMIK President

I, Clifton Peoples (KE8QR), declare my candidacy for president of the OMIK Amateur Radio Organization for the upcoming year 2018.

Thirty three years as an educator, eight as director of technical education, Past

Master of Travelers Masonic Lodge #25, and honored two years (1964 and 1966 ) in Who's Who of American Teachers.

As president, I would continue to increase participation by our younger members, and update the OMIK By-Laws and Constitution. In doing so, we will keep OMIK a viable organization for the future. Steve Schmitz Declaration for OMIK Secretary

I have been a member of OMIK since 2009 and have acted as the OMIK Secretary since 2010. I have been licensed since

1977 and operate CW exclusively. I am a

member of the ARRL A-1 Operator Club, CWops, QCWA, FISTS, SKCC, and an ARRL Official Relay Station. Three nights each week I act as the net control station for Region Ten, Cycle 4 of the National Traffic System (3562 kHz) as well as operating DX on the CW bands. I act as webmaster for the ARRL Midwest Division website, the W0QSL Bureau which serves the Zero Incoming ARRL Incoming QSL Bureau website, the MVDX/CC - St. Louis Local DX and Contest Club website, as well as the OMIK Amateur Radio Association, Inc. website. I also volunteer locally as webmaster for a local youth program here is St. Louis called St. Louis BWorks as well as write grants and manage data. Declaration for OMIK Treasurer – Ronald Pennington, KAØETF

I am declaring for this position because I am most comfortable doing this for the last seven plus years. Steve (our secretary) and I have a very good handle on how things are

run in the OMIK organization. In addition, we both have been in our positions so long it’s like second nature to us. It also helps that we are in close proximity of each other. Like a wise man once said, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. OMIK is Active on Facebook Tom Gaines, Jr. KB5FHK For those that haven't heard, we have created a new OMIK group page on Facebook. The new page allow us to share files/pictures, demonstration videos, post buy/sell items, etc. If you're active on Facebook, please join us and check out what's going on. 73s and see you soon.

OMIK History Being Placed in Museum J.Spight,N9YXM ThehistoryofAfricanAmericansinAmateurRadioisbeingchronicledintheDr.LaSimbaM.GrayMuseumwhichisintheNewSardisBaptistChurchinMemphis,Tennessee.ThismuseumisdedicatedtothestrugglesofAfricanAmericansinmanyaspectsoflifeintheUnitedStatesfromslaverytothepresent.ThewrittenhistoryofOMIKhasbeencompiled,laminated,andreadytoplaceunderglass.Oldradioequipmentthatismuseumworthyisneededforexhibits,preferablyequipmentthatwasassembledbyanoperatorfromyearsback.Dr.GraybecameinterestedinaddingthisexhibittothemuseumafterparticipatingintheOMIK2017conventionbanquetinMemphis,Tennessee.HehasalsobecomeafinancialsupporteroftheOMIKScholarshipFund.AnyOperatorinterestedinhelpingtobringthisprojecttofruitionbydonationequipment,pleasecontactJ.Spight,N9YXM.mjspight@bellsouth.netorChecktheBlueBookforlisting. OMIK Member Receives “Above and Beyond” Award J. Spight, N9YXM During the 2017 Fall homecoming awards luncheon at the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff (UAPB), Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander presented OMIK member M. Joyce Spight, N9YXM, the alumni chapter Above and Beyond Award. This is an annual award presented to at least one individual from an alumni chapter.

Joyce is a member of the UAPB Memphis, Tennessee Alumni Chapter. This award is based on leadership, teamwork, commitment, loyalty, and achievement. The key areas of focus for the Alumni chapters are: supporting student recruitment, supporting the national alumni association, funding student scholarships and involving local alumni. Health and Welfare News Mary Green, KD8ASF Health & Welfare Chair Dr. Wayne Scott, N4RAP, was hospitalized earlier this year and is now on his way to a speedy recovery. We are saddened to report the loss of the following members, family members and friends: Clarence Wilbur Small has passed (1924- 2017). Clarence was a long-time associate member of OMIK. He along with Romeo Phillips, KA8ZUK, composed the OMIK hymn. In addition, for several years Clarence and Romeo presented (informational Performances) at our conventions. Dannica Issac wife of Hector (Guy) Issac N5YT passed away September 2017. William Hill, W6TMH, passed away on December 31, 2017. Charles L. Lewis, W3IFX, long time member of OMIK, passed away December 19, 2017. Ethel R, Mitchell, mother of Lloyd Mitchell KO4L passed away December 2017. Ernest Stephens Jr., W3ETX, passed away on January 12, 2018 ... he was 94 years old. “Steve” was involved in hosting the OMIK convention in 1980 in Washington DC. W3ETX also operated the CCARS repeater on 145.110 MHz for several decades until recently when his health failed. Steve was famous for presenting quiz questions during the weekly net and the answer was never

simple or obvious. Listening closely was required! He was also fond of recounting the early (pre WW2) ham radio days and his short career as a radio operator on boats in the Gulf of Mexico. Not a pleasant experience. He was a wealth of knowledge (gained at Virginia State University) and will be fondly remembered! John Spann the son of Bob (KE6BJL) and Bessie (KI6UUE) Spann passed January 14, 2018. Percy Louis “Buddy” Monroe, Sr. N4BLJ passed away January 2018. Clinton Chapman, XX4CC, passed away on March 27, 2018. Editorial Hello Fellow Members! Well, what can I say: Life and other commitments interfered with the publishing of Winter edition of the Communicator. As you can see, I have consolidated the Winter and Spring. Let me apologize for not publishing this issue in a timely fashion. Let’s hope the life’s challenges wont interfere with future publications. If you would like to make contributions to future editions you can email me at K6FED1@gmail.com.

Amateur Radio News Briefs ARRL Requests Expanded HF Privileges for Technician Licensees Source: ARRL ARRL has asked the FCC to expand HF privileges for Technician licensees to include limited phone privileges on 75, 40, and 15 meters, plus RTTY and digital mode privileges on 80, 40, 15, and 10 meters. The FCC has not yet invited public comment on the proposals, which stem from recommendations put forth by the ARRL Board of Directors’ Entry-Level License Committee, which

explored various initiatives and gauged member opinions in 2016 and 2017.

“This action will enhance the available license operating privileges in what has become the principal entry-level license class in the Amateur Service,” ARRL said in its Petition. “It will attract more newcomers to Amateur Radio, it will result in increased retention of licensees who hold Technician Class licenses, and it will provide an improved incentive for entry-level licensees to increase technical self-training and pursue higher license class achievement and development of communications skills.” Specifically, ARRL proposes to provide Technician licensees, present and future, with phone privileges at 3.900 to 4.000 MHz, 7.225 to 7.300 MHz, and 21.350 to 21.450 MHz, plus RTTY and digital privileges in current Technician allocations on 80, 40, 15, and 10 meters. The ARRL petition points out the explosion in popularity of various digital modes over the past 2 decades. Under the ARRL plan, the maximum HF power level for Technician operators would remain at 200 W PEP. The few remaining Novice licensees would gain no new privileges under the League’s proposal.

NCVEC Releases New Technician License Question Pool into the Public Domain Source: ARRL The National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) has announced the release of the 2018-2022 Amateur Radio Element 2 Technician class license question pool into the public domain. Each question pool must be published and made available to the public prior to its use as a question set, from which individual examinations are developed. Alert the NCVEC Question Pool Committee to any necessary corrections or typographical errors. The new Technician license question pool contains 428 questions. It will become effective for all Technician class license examinations starting on July 1, 2018.

Amateur Radio Emergency Service Transitioning to New Online Reporting System Source: ARRL The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) will phase out the traditional ARES report forms later this year in favor of an online system called ARES Connect, a volunteer management, communications, and reporting system. The new system will allow information to be logged by ARES members and managed through the Field Organization. The advent of ARES Connect was among other highlights in “The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) 2017 Annual Report,” released this week. “ARES Connect is a volunteer management system that covers event signup, reporting, and roster management,” ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U, said. “It does not change how ARES operates when serving a partner entity; it is simply a system that will make managing volunteers and events easier.” Beta testing of ARES Connect will begin in March. ARES made changes to its report forms last year to make it easier to process information at ARRL Headquarters and to standardize the format for all forms. ARES Monthly Reports have been posted to the ARRL website, providing regular information on Amateur Radio public service communication activity, the report noted. According to the 2017 report, ARES membership stands at 31,332, up by nearly 13% from 2016. The number of emergency operations events reported was up by 665 from the previous year, with 1,913 reported in 2017. The top three states in terms of ARES membership in 2017 were California (2,265), Texas (1,930), and Ohio (1,858). Reported ARES events amounted to 51,673 in 2017 — a 4% increase — accounting for 718,930 volunteer hours at a calculated value of more than $17.3 million. “There was a noticeable increase in reported activity during August through November,” the ARES 2017 Annual Report said. “During this period there was Amateur Radio response activity for hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria; wildfires in the western states, and the total solar

eclipse that occurred on August 21.” According to the report, 26 states gained ARES members, while 13 lost members. ARRL Suggests FCC May Need to Intervene to Ensure Effective Antenna Rights

Source: ARRL Commenting in response to an FCC Public Notice (DA 17-1180) released last month, ARRL addressed the extent of Amateur Radio’s response to recent hurricane disasters and efforts needed to expand the use of Amateur Radio services when it comes to planning, testing, and providing emergency communication. The comments point out that Amateur Radio not only has been “far more than a hobby;” it is a ubiquitous, infrastructure-independent communication resource that’s always ready to deploy effectively whenever and wherever needed. The League cited the remarks of former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, KK4INZ, that Amateur Radio “oftentimes is our last line of defense.” ARRL raised three areas where action by the FCC could ensure and enhance the ability of radio amateurs to provide emergency communication, including the current Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2017 (S. 1534), now in the US Senate. “HOAs can preclude amateur antennas in common areas. HOAs can enact reasonable written rules governing height, location, size and aesthetic impact of, and installation requirements for, outdoor antennas and support structures for amateur communications, but the effective outdoor antenna requirement is paramount,” ARRL noted in its comments. “The bill is currently before the Senate Commerce Committee. If, however, Congress is unable, as has been rumored, to pass any telecommunications legislation this term, it will be incumbent on the Commission to take the action on its own initiative that would be called for by this legislation. The future of Amateur Radio emergency communications is dependent on it.”

ARRL asserted that it “is critical to have stations located at one’s residence in order to regularly participate in disaster preparedness training exercises and drills.” Another “noteworthy and urgent need” that might call for some regulatory involvement by the FCC, ARRL said, “relates to an outdated regulation that limits data rates in HF Amateur communications, precluding certain digital emissions that have recently proven extremely important in Amateur Radio hurricane relief efforts.” ARRL noted that the FCC has yet to act on the League’s Petition for Rule Making (RM-11708), filed in November of 2013, proposing to amend the Amateur Service rules to eliminate the symbol rate limit relative to data emissions in allocations below 29.7 MHz. That Petition also called for establishing a 2.8-kHz maximum occupied bandwidth for data emissions in those bands. ARRL has argued that this deregulatory action is necessary to allow the use of PACTOR 4, an effective and efficient digital communication mode that has proven valuable in disaster-relief efforts. In July of 2016, the Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rule Making in WT Docket 16-239, proposing only to remove limitations on the symbol rate applicable to data emissions. “Equipment dispatched with the ‘Force of 50’ [volunteers] to Puerto Rico included data transmission equipment capable of PACTOR 4 operation, but it could not be legally used in the Hurricane Maria disaster relief effort,” ARRL noted. The League prevailed upon the FCC to grant a temporary waiver to permit use of PACTOR 4 by radio amateurs involved in the emergency response. “However, it should not have been necessary to wait more than 4 years for the underlying rulemaking proceeding to have been resolved, and it should not have been necessary to ask for a temporary waiver of a hopelessly outdated rule that limits data speeds for no useful reason,” ARRL added in its comments. The League also called on the FCC to “take the action requested in ARRL’s January 2017 Petition for Rule Making (RM-11785), proposing to allocate the band 5351.5 to 5366.5 kHz to the Amateur Radio Service on a

secondary basis, in accordance with the Final Acts of World Radio Communication Conference 2015. “A contiguous band in the vicinity of 5 MHz will assist in conducting emergency and disaster relief communications in the United States; with the Caribbean basin; with Alaska and with other parts of North, Central and South America,” ARRL told the FCC. ARRL has asked the FCC to permit 100 W, as it does on the five existing 60-meter channels, and to retain the four channels that are not part of the requested contiguous frequency band.

Amateur Radio Testing Resources: Ham Radio License Exam Practice The ARRL has an online resource that allows users to take randomly generated practice exams using questions from the actual examination question pool. ARRL Exam Review for Ham Radio™ is free, and users do not need to be ARRL members. The only requirement is that users must first set up a site login (this is a different and separate login from your ARRL website user registration).

http://arrlexamreview.appspot.com

Free Amateur Radio Practice Testing is available on the Web

Practice exams are for those people who would like to study for a new US amateur radio license class. The questions contained within are provided by the Federal Communications Commission and are selected from the same sub-elements that would be used for an official license examination.

http://www.qrz.com/hamtest/ http://www.eham.net/exams/

http://arrlexamreview.appspot.com

Find and Exam in Your Area:

You can find an Amateur License Exam In your area at ARRL.ORG

http://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/search

OMIK Tech Talk

Electronics Refresher Oscilloscope Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscilloscope

An oscilloscope, previously called an oscillograph, and informally known as a scope, CRO (for cathode-ray oscilloscope), or DSO (for the more modern digital storage oscilloscope), is a type of electronic test instrument that allows observation of constantly varying signal voltages, usually as a two-

dimensional plot of one or more signals as a function of time. Other signals (such as sound or vibration) can be converted to voltages and displayed.

Oscilloscopes are used to observe the change of an electrical signal over time, such that voltage and time describe a shape which is continuously graphed against a calibrated scale. The observed waveform can be analyzed for such properties as amplitude, frequency, rise time, time interval, distortion and others. Modern digital instruments may calculate and display these properties directly. Originally, calculation of these values required manually measuring the waveform against the scales built into the screen of the instrument.

The oscilloscope can be adjusted so that repetitive signals can be observed as a continuous shape on the screen. A storage oscilloscope allows single events to be captured by the instrument and displayed for a relatively long time, allowing observation of events too fast to be directly perceptible.

Oscilloscopes are used in the sciences, medicine, engineering, automotive and the telecommunications industry. General-purpose instruments are used for maintenance of electronic equipment and laboratory work. Special-purpose oscilloscopes may be used for such purposes as analyzing an automotive ignition system or to display the waveform of the heartbeat as an electrocardiogram.

Safety

Distracted driving is seven times more deadly than drunk driving! Nonetheless, stay sober, or stay home! Basics Operating amateur radio equipment while underway is an activity we all enjoy, but one that should never be taken lightly. Besides driving, we have to content with other vehicles and their drivers, driving conditions including weather and traffic congestion, yet deal with the distraction all of these activities generate. Distracted driving is the leading cause of motor vehicle crashes and deaths! The major causes include cellphones, entertainment devices, navigation systems, and even amateur radio! While some of these devices are more distracting than others (their basic design plays an important part), cellphone use (especially texting) is by far the most distracting. This fact has prompted all-manner of political entities to enact laws governing their use while underway. Virtually every city and state (including the European Union) have enacted ordinances either limiting or eliminating their use while underway. Unfortunately, a lot of these ordinances have included amateur radio, albeit inadvertently. For example, in some localities, you cannot drive with a communications device in your hand. While aimed at cellphone use, it effectively eliminates the use of a microphone. To help combat these unintended consequences, the ARRL issued a Mobile Policy Statement outlining the differences between cellphone communications, and amateur radio communications. However, that isn't the end of the story! One of the most important steps to

minimize distraction is the proper installation of amateur radio gear (including antennas). Hurried and haphazard installations are not only distracting; they're frustrating, and often dangerous! Anything stuck on with hook and loop fasteners, magnets, clips, clamps, bungee cords, rubber bands, suction cups, and double-sided sticky tape will always fail at the most inopportune time! When and how we operate are important attributes too. Talking on two meters while wolfing down a donut and drinking coffee, is both distracting and dangerous. Poor weather conditions, traffic congestion, spousal irritation, and entertainment device use, are all good reasons to hang up the microphone.