Greetings to all Amateur Radio Operators. This is Marc, N4UFP with the
November 2014 South Carolina Section Manager’s Report. Please
remember that the SC Section website can be found at: www.arrlsc.org/
where my full SM report will be listed as well as up-to-the-date
information on Amateur Radio in South Carolina.
I would like to begin by congratulating Kent V. Hufford KQ4KK of
Graniteville, South Carolina who will share the 2014 Roanoke Division
ARRL Service Award with David W. Anderson K4SV of Tryon, North
Carolina. The Roanoke Division ARRL Service Award was instituted in
1968 by then Roanoke Division Director Vic Clark, W4KFC. Vic intended
the award to be recognition for a long history of significant and
consistent contributions to Amateur Radio. The amateur selected would
have, over the years, dedicated much of his or her time to Amateur
Radio and the ARRL. Those of you who know Ken know that anything he
decides to do is done well and is seen through to the finish; he is
certainly deserving of this honor and I am thrilled that his
accomplishments have been recognized.
The award presentation is currently planned at the 2015 Charlotte
Hamfest on Saturday, March 14, 2015 during the ARRL forum:
http://www.charlottehamfest.org/
Please join me in congratulating Kent, our 2014 Roanoke Division ARRL
Service Award winner!
One of the things that Kent has been involved in is D-STAR operation.
To help spread the word about D-STAR, he has organized a half day
“D-STAR University” that will take place on the afternoon of 17
January 2015 at USC-Aiken. Additional details appear below. This is
one example of Kent’s service to our amateur community, for which I
am thankful and I hope is that it will lead to wider acceptance and use
of D-STAR.
CSRA (GA-SC) D-STAR University, January 17, 2015
University of South Carolina, Aiken campus, Aiken South Carolina
Saturday, 12 noon to 5PM Eastern
The Aiken SC D-STAR Club will hold a one day D-STAR workshop that will
provide information and training on all levels of D-STAR, the Digital
Smart Technology for Amateur Radio. Classes will be organized to allow
participants on all levels from new users to repeater system
administrators gain knowledge about D-STAR’s digital voice and data
technology.
The class will feature will cover topics of interest to beginning
D-STAR users including:
• D-STAR basics
• D-STAR user registration process
• Getting started with your D-STAR radio
• Programming your D-STAR radio
• Using DR mode for easy D-STAR operation
• Updating your memories
• Linking to repeaters and reflectors
More experienced users will enjoy:
• Using the DV Dongle and DV Access Point (DVAP)
• Making and using a Hotspot with a Raspberry Pi
• D-STAR Nets and Reflectors
• Using D-STAR data capabilities including D-RATS and the ICOM
ANDROID free application
• Where to find D-STAR Resources
• History and Competitive Analysis between, DSTAR, DMR, FUSION, and
P25
• A look at operating DSTAR Voice on the HF bands.
Class will be given by experienced instructors of the Georgia D-STAR
group and DSTARinfo.com who have presented dozens of seminars and
training across the country, John Davis, WB4QDX, Ed Woodrick, WA4YIH,
and Robin Cutshaw, AA4RC who developed the DVDongle and DVAP, and
others will present high speed data and other advancements in
communication using D-STAR systems. The target audience for this
session is those new to DSTAR, emergency management, hospital
administrators and the more advanced D-STAR users.
No matter what your D-STAR experience, if any, there will be a wealth
of information provided so that the beginner can go home and put his /
her equipment on the air and the more advanced operator can explore the
new data transfer methods which will have Emergency Management
application. The cost for the D-STAR University is free, light
refreshments will be served. You may register for this course by
sending an email to kq4kk@aikenradio.org. More detailed information
about class schedule and instructors will be forthcoming.
Door prize at the DSTAR University will be an ICOM DSTAR HT, you must
be present to win. Additional prizes during the day.
We encourage amateur radio clubs to make this information available to
their members and include it in their newsletters. you can contact Kent
at kq4kk@aikenradio.org.
Tom Lufkin, W4DAX, has asked me to pass along information on the H L
Hunley special event operation, N4H, which will occur on 17 February
2015. This marks the 151st anniversary of the sinking of the U.S.S.
Housatonic by the submarine H. L. Hunley in Charleston SC, the first
successful sinking of a warship by a submarine.
The Trident Amateur Radio Club will be operating a special event
station, N4H, on February 17th from the site of the launch at Breeches
Inlet, on Sullivans Island, SC.
Proposed frequencies are 7.262 14.262, 28.562 MHz.
To request a certificate send contact information to PO Box 60732 N
Charleston, SC 29419 A certificate will be sent upon receipt of a
self-addressed envelope and one dollar ($1) cash. Complete information
is available at www.tridenthams.org/hunley.htm
We have two hamfests coming up in the next few weeks. The first is the
Greenwood Hamfest, which will take place this Saturday, 10 January 2015
at Piedmont Technical College’s James Medford Family Event Center, 620
North Emerald Road Greenwood, SC 29646. For more details, visit:
http://w4gwd.org
Second is the Charleston Hamfest, which will be held 7 February 2015
at the Armory Park Community Center (32.885 N - 79.993 W) 5000
Lackawanna Blvd., North Charleston, SC 29405. For more details, visit
http://www.wa4usn.org
Before I leave the subject of hamfests, I would like to thank the Grand
Strand Amateur Club for their efforts in putting on Beachfest in Conway,
SC in early November. Family obligations out west prevented me from
attending, but the feedback I got was that attendance was good and that
the event is growing. I look forward to getting over to Conway this
coming November for Beachfest 2015 and I hope that you’ll be able to
make it too.
That’s all for this month
