Courage Center Handiham System

Courage Center Handiham World Weekly E-Letter for the week of Wednesday, 28 July 2010

This is a free weekly news & information update from Courage Center Handiham System. Please do not reply to this message. Use the contact information at the end, or simply email handiham@couragecenter.org.

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Welcome to Handiham World!

Update: Larry Huggins, KA0LSG, Handiham Volunteer, holds the Wouxun HT on cover of Worldradio

For Handiham World, I'm...

Patrick Tice
wa0tda@arrl.net 

Feedback

Last week we had a request for someone to tell the Saturday Night Tech Net in Dallas, Texas  about the Handihams. Volunteer Linda Reeder, N7HVF, stepped up to the plate to join the net and help out.  Here is the response from the net control station, KE5ZCM:

This is Katherine, ke5zcm, writing. Thank you more than words can possibly express.

It was my hope that you would show up -- and not everyone shows up. It was my hope you could describe your own radio experience and the availability of radio equipment that would make amateur radio accessible to people who'd love to participate but aren't sure if they can. You more than delivered with your words of experience, encouragement, and hope. I say "hope" because your enthusiasm and can-do attitude spoke volumes.

As I listened to you, I thought: wow, there is a way even when it seems something might not be possible. If you're determined enough, there is a way. I loved your stories about the engineers and others who helped you. Those are great stories and they go to the heart of what I love about ham radio, which is that there are people out there who are willing to teach me, too!

A minimum of three hams with visual impairments have checked in to our Saturday night Tech Net. Because we are in the vicinity of a VA Hospital, and our area probably has thousands of assisted living and nursing home apartments, there is no telling what the actual need might be here.

I worry about hams who have other impairments and are home bound. I think about veterans of earlier wars and current wars who may be shipped home and never walk again. And so I think about how invaluable ham radio is as a way for people to reach out to a vibrant community, even if they can't easily leave their homes.

Your talk tonight opened the door to possibilities for people who 1) now know that there is an organization that can help, which would be Handiham, and 2) have heard from another human being who found a practical way to make things work.

I've gotten two emails already tonight about what a wonderful net this was. One was from the President of the Dallas Amateur Radio Club who was listening though he did not check in. Another was from a man who has never checked in as far as I know but is one of those who listens. He wrote that this was a great service to the ham community. I hope you will pass this on to Nancy and Pat Tice. In fact, now that I've written this far, I'll go look for their email address and send them a cc of this email.

Thank you, Linda, for your invaluable time and your kindness in sharing with us. Drop by any time! Just to say hello, or if you find new information that you think other visually impaired hams would be interested in, or just to practice using Echolink (which I have not yet been on). I'd love to hear your voice anytime!

73,

Katherine - ke5zcm

George, N0SBU, writes about the annual Magic Repeater Yard Sale:

I know some of you could not make the yard sale this year. I have posted the pictures for this year's event. Just click on the 2010 link. Have a good one, and we hope to see you next year. Same time same QTH. See you at the sale on 7/23/2011:

http://www.magicrepeater.net/fest.htm

Photo: Here you see several outdoor tables covered by a tent-tarp in case of rain. There are plenty of cardboard boxes filled to the brim with stuff and more stuff, all on the ground in front of the tables. If you can't see going to all the trouble to organize a huge hamfest, why not have a yard sale like the Magic Repeater group? 

Out there: Underwater submarine communications using "telegraphists" and Morse code

Found by Ken Silberman, KB3LLA, this quirky British website describes how an obvious problem of communicating underwater was solved (sort of) by the use of a creative use of Morse code. 

"Well before the first world war, Reginald Fessenden, an eminent scientist, had discovered what he called his Fessenden Oscillator and the Royal Navy, surface vessels and submerged vessels took the technology to heart, pocket and practical advantage. The early submarines, dating from the 1900 period, had, for twelve years, been extremely vulnerable to being rammed or run-over by surface vessels. Virtually at all times when in busy navigable waters, a submarine was escorted by a ship of sloop size to ensure its safety. When this occurred, the highest safety factor was when the boat was on the surface, the two vessels in sight of each other and fully aware of what each was doing. When the boat dived the trouble, or potential for trouble started, because the submarine could not hear the ship in terms of underwater noise [HE = hydrophone effect] nor could it communicate with the ship. Its only small measure of comfort that all was reasonably well up top [on the surface] was by having an occasional glance through the periscope. When dived to a depth below periscope depth, the chances of hearing anything other than the internal machine noises were impossible. Fessenden had discovered that a diaphragm bolted flush to the vessel's side could be made to vibrate at some definite frequency. If the vibrations could be tailor-made to represent known signals then any vessel could talk to another vessel by underwater means, meaning ship to ship, submarine to submarine, and certainly, ship to submarine and vice versa."

Care to read more?  Find the article here:

http://www.rnmuseumradarandcommunications2006.org.uk/UNDERWATER%20COMMUNICATIONS.htm

Looking for talking instrumentation?

Also found by KB3LLA, who writes: This company has shop tools and other such products. I call your attention to the "Light Sensor/Talking Calculator/Shop Tools" link. I found this company while browsing through the NFB technology list: 
http://www.captek.net/Captek/Welcome.html

Summer QSL Card Series Continues

Sometimes it is fun to make your own QSL cards. That's what Mike, K3BRJ, decided to do when he found that he needed different cards for different uses. He says:

These three cards were created both for fun and need. The small yellow one, at the bottom, is handy not only as an ID but as a handout. The second larger QSL card, in the middle, was created with Field Day 2010 in mind. The top card was not only created as a new eyeball QSO card, but to show station changes as well. I use an older version of Printmaster, (Printmaster 7.0). All cards use Avery cardstock. Creating the individual designs, is the fun part. Each card takes 45 minutes to an hour to design.

Mike Gruteke, K3BRJ, DEC-District 2, VT

EchoLink and the Kenwood TM-V71/TM-D710

Need more information on operating an Echolink node with the TM-V71A?  While looking for some information for a member, I found this helpful resource right on the Echolink site:

http://www.echolink.org/v71a.htm

This week @ HQ

• Pat, WA0TDA, says: I will be at Camp Courage HANDIHAM HQ on Wednesday, July 28 working on station infrastructure as we continue our remote base project. I will be out of phone and email contact for most of the day.
  
• The Book & Tape Catalog has been updated for our members: 
  http://www.handiham.org/booklist
  
• What about net controls? Tonight is net night!  The Wednesday evening EchoLink net is at 19:30 United States Central Daylight time, which translates to +5 hours, or 00:30 GMT Thursday morning during North American Daylight Time. In the winter, the GMT schedule is +6 hours. Connect from any Internet-enabled computer in the world, and come out on Twin Cities repeater N0BVE on 145.450.  If there is no designated Net Control, there will be a simple roundtable net. Inexperienced net control stations can quickly get in over their heads. Of course everyone needs to start somewhere to get experience in the first place, but the Wednesday evening net is not the place to do so. We urge our experienced net controls to take this hour, or else to at least participate in the round table. We are open to suggestions about how to train and certify more net controls for the Wednesday evening net. It is especially difficult to run this net in the summer, as many of us are out and about doing other things. I can't emphasize enough how important it is for the person in charge of the net to know how to do that job!  This is a job where good intentions cannot substitute for being able to keep track of stations checking in, directing them to keep the net on topic, being able to take charge, and keeping the discussion both civil and fair, so that everyone who wants to participate can be included. Although we don't have any "official" net control list as some nets do, perhaps we should.  What do you think?  

  EchoLink nodes:

  KA0PQW-R, node 267582
  N0BVE-R, node 89680
  HANDIHAM conference server Node 494492 (Our preferred high-capacity node.)

  Other ways to connect:

  IRLP node 9008 (Vancouver BC reflector)
  WIRES system number 1427
  

Stay in touch! Be sure to send Nancy your change of address, phone number changes, or email address changes so that we can continue to stay in touch with you. You may either email Nancy at hamradio@couragecenter.org  or call her toll-free at 1-866-426-3442. Mornings are the best time to contact us. 

Supporting Handihams

Now you can support the Handiham program by donating on line using Courage Center's secure website.

It is easy, but one thing to remember is that you need to use the pull-down menu to designate your gift to the Handiham program.

• Step one: Follow this link to the secure Courage Center Website:
  https://couragecenter.us/SSLPage.aspx?pid=294&srcid=344

• Step two: Fill out the form, being careful to use the pull-down Designation menu to select "Handi-Hams".

• Step three: Submit the form to complete your donation. If the gift is a tribute to someone, don't forget to fill out the tribute information. This would be a gift in memory of a silent key, for example.

We really appreciate your help. As you know, we have cut expenses this year due to the difficult economic conditions. We are working hard to make sure that we are delivering the most services to our members for the money - and we plan to continue doing just that in 2010.

Thank you from the Members, Volunteers, and Staff of the Handiham System

Patrick Tice, WA0TDA, Handiham Manager
patt@couragecenter.org

Handiham Membership Dues

Reminder: Handiham renewals are on a monthly schedule - Please renew or join, as we need you to keep our program strong!

You will have several choices when you renew:

• Join at the usual $10 annual dues level for one year. Your renewal date is the anniversary of your last renewal, so your membership extends for one year.

• Join for three years at $30.

• Lifetime membership is $100.

• If you can't afford the dues, request a sponsored membership for the year.

• Donate an extra amount of your choice to help support our activities.

• Discontinue your membership.

Please return your renewal form as soon as possible.

Your support is critical! Please help.

The Courage Handiham System depends on the support of people like you, who want to share the fun and friendship of ham radio with others. Please help us provide services to people with disabilities. We would really appreciate it if you would remember us in your estate plans. If you need a planning kit, please call. If you are wondering whether a gift of stock can be given to Handihams, the answer is yes! Please call Walt Seibert at 763-520-0532 or email him at walt.seibert@couragecenter.org. 

Ask for a free DVD about the Handiham System. It's perfect for your club program, too! The video tells your club about how we got started, the Radio Camps, and working with hams who have disabilities.
Call 1-866-426-3442 toll-free.1-866-426-3442 toll-free -- Help us get new hams on the air.

Get the Handiham E-Letter by email every Wednesday, and stay up-to-date with ham radio news. 

You may listen in audio to the E-Letter at www.handiham.org.

Email us to subscribe:
hamradio@couragecenter.org

Handiham members with disabilities can take an online audio course at www.handiham.org:

• Beginner

• General

• Extra

• Operating Skills

That's it for this week. 73 from all of us at the Courage Handiham System!

Pat, WA0TDA

Manager, Courage Handiham System

Reach me by email at:
patt@couragecenter.org

Nancy, Handiham Secretary:
hamradio@couragecenter.org

Radio Camp email:
radiocamp@couragecenter.org

ARRL is the premier organization supporting amateur radio worldwide. Please contact Handihams for help joining the ARRL. We will be happy to help you fill out the paperwork!

The weekly e-letter is a compilation of software tips, operating information, and Handiham news. It is published on Wednesdays, and is available to everyone free of charge. Please email wa0tda@arrl.net for changes of address, unsubscribes, etc. Include your old email address and your new address.