Northwest MO ARES Group

Author: kd0afl

  • Monthly Meeting – July 13, 9AM

    The Northwest Missouri ARES Group will hold it’s monthly meeting on July 13th, 2013 9:00AM at the Cameron Missouri Public Safety Building. This meeting is open to the public. You do not have to be an amateur radio operator or a member of the Northwest Missouri ARES Group to attend our meetings. Anyone who has interest in becoming an Amateur Radio Operator is encouraged to attend. The tentative agenda for the meeting:

     

    Financial Report

    ARRL Field Day Recap – Lessons Learned / Planning for Next Year

    Miscellaneous Business.

     

    We look forward to seeing your there.

     

    – Blair Shock, NF0L

  • Field Day Results

    Field Day Results

    fdpointsAfter some effort to get each of our copies of fdlog communicating with each other, the final total of contacts has been tabulated. Our total contacts were 264 with contact points being 706. We had a whopping 950 bonus points for a grand total of 1656 points. Good job folks. I believe this is our highest score to date.

    Most importantly, a good time was had by all who attended. Thanks to everyone who helped make field day great, and I am already looking forward to next year.

  • Field Day Photos

  • Major Overhaul of Forums (Semi) Complete

    Major Overhaul of Forums (Semi) Complete

    forumscreengAfter many hours of work, the forums have been successfully converted to phpbb. In addition, the forum install has been integrated into wordpress with WP-United, and tapatalk has been installed and activated.

    This means you can now access our forums from your mobile device via the free tapatalk app.

    These changes were made to improve our neglected, and seldom used forums, with the hopes that they will find more use within the group in this format. The prior install, simple|press was difficult to maintain, and while reliable, was somewhat cumbersome to administer. PHPBB is a proven forum platform that is both open-source and secure. It supports some of the largest forums on the internet with ease. I was able to import all prior forums, posts, and users. Your website login and password will allow you to login to the forums, and if I can get the intergration tweeks worked out, will authenticate one login to both systems.

    So, without further gilding the lily, I present to you our new and improved forums: http://nwmoares.org/forums

    Let me know what you think, if you find anything that is broken, or if you have suggested improvements.

    73 ~ Blair

  • Amateur Radio Licensing Class to be Held in Cameron

    Begining April 18th, NF0L will be teaching an Amateur Radio Licensing Class. This class is being sponsored by Cameron Venture Crew 911, and Cameron CERT. The class will focus on real-world application of Amateur Radio in an Emergency Communications and hobby environment. Our goal will be to achieve General Class licensure for participants. The format of the class will be interactive, with a large amount of hands-on exposure to differing amateur radio methods, modes, equipment, and interests. The NWMO ARES Group will host a testing session at the conclusion of the class. 

    There is no cost to attend, and anyone interested is welcome. There is a $14.00 fee to test for licensure.

  • Excessive Heat Warning Issued

    The National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill has issued an Excessive Heat Warning Effective Today and Tomorrow. Please see the Text Below.

     

    Stay Safe

     

    URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
342 AM CDT WED JUN 27 2012

...POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING HEAT AND HUMIDITY EXPECTED ACROSS
EASTERN KANSAS AND WESTERN INTO CENTRAL MISSOURI THROUGH SATURDAY...

.VERY HOT TEMPERATURES AND INCREASING HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL SURGE
BACK INTO EASTERN KANSAS AS WELL AS ADJACENT WESTERN AND CENTRAL
MISSOURI FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL HELP
TRANSPORT HOT AND MOIST AIR INTO THE REGION BEGINNING TODAY.
AFTERNOON HEAT INDICIES WILL REACH 105 TO 115 DEGREES ON WEDNESDAY
AND 105 TO 110 DEGREES ON THURSDAY OVER THE AFFECTED AREAS. 100 TO
105 DEGREES READINGS CAN BE EXPECTED AGAIN ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.

KSZ025-102-MOZ001>006-011>015-020>022-030-038-044-045-054-271645-
/O.UPG.KEAX.HT.Y.0002.120627T1700Z-120629T0000Z/
/O.EXB.KEAX.EH.W.0001.120627T1700Z-120701T0000Z/
ATCHISON KS-DONIPHAN-ATCHISON MO-NODAWAY-WORTH-GENTRY-HARRISON-
MERCER-HOLT-ANDREW-DE KALB-DAVIESS-GRUNDY-BUCHANAN-CLINTON-
CALDWELL-RAY-LAFAYETTE-JOHNSON MO-PETTIS-HENRY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ATCHISON...TROY...TARKIO...MARYVILLE...
GRANT CITY...ALBANY...STANBERRY...BETHANY...PRINCETON...
MOUND CITY...OREGON...SAVANNAH...CAMERON...GALLATIN...JAMESPORT...
TRENTON...ST. JOSEPH...PLATTSBURG...HAMILTON...POLO...RICHMOND...
LEXINGTON...CONCORDIA...WARRENSBURG...SEDALIA...CLINTON
342 AM CDT WED JUN 27 2012

...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM CDT
SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL HAS
ISSUED AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON
TODAY TO 7 PM CDT SATURDAY. THE HEAT ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN
EFFECT.

* LOCATION: PARTS NORTHWEST INTO CENTRAL MISSOURI AND EASTERN KANSAS.

* TEMPERATURE: READINGS FROM THE UPPER 90S TO LOWER 100S CAN BE
  EXPECTED THROUGH SATURDAY. THESE HOT TEMPERATURES WHEN COUPLED WITH
  THE HIGH HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL RESULT IN HEAT INDICES OF 100 TO 105
  DEGREES ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MISSOURI AND AS HIGH AS 105 TO
  115 DEGREES ACROSS NORTHWEST MISSOURI INTO NORTHEAST KANSAS
  WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. MOST AREAS WILL SEE HEAT INDICIES OF 100 TO 105 ON
  FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.

* IMPACTS: THESE PROLONGED HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS WILL LEAD TO
  AN INCREASED RISK OF HEAT RELATED STRESS AND ILLNESSES
  INCLUDING HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE. THESE CONDITIONS
  ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS TO THOSE WORKING OUTSIDE OR PLAYING
  OUTDOORS AS WELL AS FOR THE YOUNG AND ELDERLY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF
DANGEROUSLY HOT TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR. THE COMBINATION OF HOT
TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION
IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE LIKELY AND CAN BE LIFE THREATENING.
DRINK PLENTY OF WATER...STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM...STAY
OUT OF THE SUN...AND CHECK UP ON NEIGHBORS...THE ELDERLY...AND
PETS.

TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE. WHEN
POSSIBLE...RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR
EVENING.  KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT
STROKE.  WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN
POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.

TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS
IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY
HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION.  HEAT STROKE
IS AN EMERGENCY - CALL 911.

  • Field Day Time Lapse Video

  • Field Day

    As most of you know, Field Day is this weekend. The Group has elected to operate as a low power, emergency power only station this year to up the fun factor. As always, we will be using the fdlog wireless logging software.  I am going to upload a current copy of this software below.

     

    In order to use fdlog, you must also have python installed on you computer. Python for windows is available at: http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.7.3/python-2.7.3.msi

    FDLog is available for download here: fdlog After downloading, unzip the folder. You can then run fdlog within the folder. It will only run if you have python installed.

    I will be bringing a wireless access point that will allow us to all network together. I hope to have a high power client to allow us to network into a nearby wireless network for internet access. Everyone feel free to bring their laptops for logging use. If you plan on using your laptop for operation of a radio, such as digital mode or sdr, it must not be run off of mains or generator power.  Please plan accordingly.

    We plan on getting there between 9 and 10 on Saturday.  I look forward to seeing you all there.

     

    Blair

  • CW Resources

    There has been a lot of interest in CW and CW practice within the group. Here are some online resource that I have found and have used to work on my CW proficiency (or lack thereof):

     

    Learn CW Online:http://lcwo.net

    This is a free website that features an entire koch-method course, as well as practice qso’s word groups, random groups, callsign training. You can download mp3 practice files to put on your mp3 player as well. The site keeps stats that visualize your progress. It is a very effective tool. It is free to use.

     

    G4FON koch trainer: http://www.g4fon.net/

    This is a piece of software that runs on windows that utilizes the Koch method of teach CW. The koch method emphasis learning code at a usefull speed, where the mind recognizes the entire sound of a character instead of breaking it into dits and dahs. The makes learning code much faster and easier, without the speed plateus that are encountered when learning code at slow speed, and then trying to speed up.

    Use of these tools, along with on-air practice sessions can help develop your CW skill quickly.

     

    Post other resource you are aware of as comments to this post.

  • NWMO ARES Group on Facebook

    Northwest Missouri ARES Group now has a facebook page. Please be sure check it out.  Just search for Northwest Missouri ARES on facebook, and it will appear.