Author Archives: NØADR

April Club Meeting

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Soldering Revisited

In-person: LARC Clubhouse (NEW ADDRESS: 4420 NW 41st St., Lincoln).
Zoom: bit.ly/LARCProgram (meeting: 937 5139 3405; Passcode: 554816).

We will continue learning the basics of soldering. It is common for Amateur Radio operators to work with “breadboards” and do a type of soldering called “through-hole.” This is a fundamental skill that every Ham should have.

LARC will provide switches, resistors, LEDs, breadboards, battery connectors, wire, and soldering stations. You get to put it all together into a finished product that will display your new skills. Please bring a 9-volt battery or $1.00 to purchase one from the club. This is a fun project that should not take long to complete.

Club Meeting Start Time Survey

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From time-to-time, members have asked me whether the club has considered changing the monthly meeting start time from 7:30 pm to 7:00 pm. At the February Board meeting, the topic was raised for discussion. The consensus was that we need to know what the membership thinks and if moving up the club meeting time a half-hour makes sense. So, please take a moment and fill out the form at forms.gle/2aVW5cTPxx5NS2SS9 and share your thoughts, I’d greatly appreciate it.

Aaron Rogge, NØADR
LARC President

March Club Meeting

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Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)

In-person: LARC Clubhouse (NEW ADDRESS: 4420 NW 41st St., Lincoln).
Zoom: bit.ly/LARCProgram (meeting: 937 5139 3405; Passcode: 554816).

In early February, a solar storm destroyed 40 of 49 recently launched Starlink satellites. On February 15, a huge Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) was observed on the backside of the sun. Fortunately for us, it was not Earth-directed, as some scientists have stated that it would have been comparable to the Carrington Event, which is regarded as the largest solar storm in modern history.

For the March club meeting, we will be viewing videos about the Carrington Event, which occurred on September 1-2, 1859, and the storm of March 13, 1989, which blacked out the entire province of Quebec, Canada, leaving more than 6 million people without power.

February Club Meeting

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Practical Skills – Soldering

In-person: LARC Clubhouse (NEW ADDRESS: 4420 NW 41st St., Lincoln).
Zoom: bit.ly/LARCProgram (meeting: 937 5139 3405; Passcode: 554816).
Masks required: Per the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department’s Directed Health Measure (DHM), all in-person attendees are required to wear a mask. Thank you in advance!

This month, Shaun Munson, KØSMM, and Bryan Leavitt, WØBCL, will be addressing soldering. After an overview of the fundamental theory, there will be soldering stations available so you can get hands-on experience. There will also be a contest to see who can do the best job soldering a PL259 (aka UHF) connector, with a prize for the winner. If you have a small item that you need soldering help with, bring it along, and Shaun and Bryan will assist as time allows.

SKYWARN Spotter Training & Certification 2022

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Calling all Lancaster County Amateur Radio SKYWARN spotters. We’re back! It’s been three years since our last training session at the Severe Weather Symposium. For that reason, all spotters are required to attend a training session on Saturday, April 16, 2022, to recertify for deployment.

The new Lincoln Amateur Radio Club facility, 4420 NW 41st Street, will be the location for this training session. It is in northwest Lincoln’s Airpark industrial area. We hope to have the club station operational for tours, but please keep in mind this is a new installation, and we may not be fully functional by SKYWARN training day.

We’ve booked an in-person presentation with Brian Smith, National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist. Training event sponsors NeARES, Lincoln Amateur Radio Club, and Lancaster County Emergency Management Agency will have team members on-site to assist.

If you’ve previously completed “Role of the SKYWARN Spotter” and “Spotter Convective Basics” online courses, you’re not required to retake them if you’ve submitted your certificate to me for our official records. However, retaking it as a refresher is recommended. Go to www.neares.net and find the links to these courses on the right-hand column. Please add Ed Holloway, KØRPT, as your instructor, and upon completion of these courses, the system will email your completion certificate to me.

It has been a long time since we’ve issued Lancaster County Emergency Management ID cards, and we will resume this process on training day. The procedure includes completing a form, updating your ARES information, and taking your photo. Please bring your driver’s license, as we’ll need it to complete your registration. Your data will be securely stored and never shared or published online in any form.

Here is the training day schedule:

  • 08:00 am to 12:30 pm – Salamander and ARES Registration
  • 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm – Brian Smith Presentation
  • 1:45 pm to 2:15 pm – Mark Hosking – Lancaster County EMA – Credentials Exam
  • 2:15 pm to 3:00 pm – Ed Holloway, KØRPT – EC Presentation

We are in the process of updating storm spotter packets. After completing the credential exam, Salamander, and ARES registration, we’ll send your 2022 storm spotter packet in an email. A limited number of print copies will be available on training day.

We will follow Lancaster County DHMs. If the mask mandate is in effect, please have yours available and wear it properly. I’m excited and looking forward to seeing everyone.

Ed Holloway, KØRPT