PINE VALLEY REPEATER AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

Ham License Classes - Tech level classes are conducted periodically by Bob Naegele, W9MZ. Other level license classes will be conducted when needed. There is no cost to be a member of a class, however, there is a fee of $15.00 in order to take the FCC exam.
License Examinations - License exams will be conducted when needed, or when requested. It has never been easier to obtain your Amateur Radio operators license.
If you are interested in becoming an Amateur Radio Operator, you may contact Bob Naegele, W9MZ, at (608)647-6430 or email: w9mz()arrl.net for more information.
Although Morse code IS NO LONGER REQUIRED to obtain a ham license, if you are interested in learning CW, contact Dick Neumann, W9JR, at (608)647-3039 or email: redstamper()mwt.net for more information.

CONSTITUTION:

You can download the current PVR Constitution here.

ONLINE QSL MAKER:

This is a good site where you can make your own QSL cards. Click here.

HINTS & TIPS:

1.) Here is a nifty way to waterproof coaxial connections. After connecting two coax cables with an UHF barrel adapter during a field day exercise, you should waterproof it against the inevitable overnight rain. To accomplish this in less than ten seconds, cut an eight inch length of 7/8th inch I.D. foam hot water pipe insulation (the non-split type), slide it over one coax connector, join the coaxes with a barrel, slide the insulation over the join and strap it TIGHTLY one inch from each end with nylon cable ties. Done.
A five-foot length of pipe insulation costs $1.50 providing up to eight pieces. Nylon ties are $.05 each. That's $.30 per connection. It's cheaper than electrical tape and coax-seal and a lot faster. To disassemble, cut ties with diagonal pliers.

2.) Most of us use our HT's "barefoot", that is with just a rubber ducky. We cannot be carrying around our larger HT antennas. As you know, rubber duckys fail miserably as a radiator due to their design ... at most, they are just an extended dummy load acting as an antenna.
It has been shown that the 2-meter "rubber ducky" antenna has -5db "negative gain" compared to a quarter-wave held at face level. In terms of effective radiated power (ERP), this means that a 5 watt HT with the rubber duck, radiates only 1 watt. Operating an HT on your belt results in another -20db attenuation, reducing ERP to 50 milliwatts! That's 1/20 of 1 watt.
Here is a hint that will help you modify your rubber ducky to make it more efficient ... with just a piece of wire! So, get ready to use that piece of wire that you find in your junk box. Since you are using about "half" of your radiated power, you can add the other "half" by adding an external counterpoise, or "tiger" tail.
So, let's go! You can easily build that other "half" from a quarter-wave piece of stranded, insulated wire, crimped and soldered to a battery clip or use a small, spring tension clip that will fit the BNC antenna connector with the wire attached to it. Make sure that the connection is both a good mechanical and electrical connection.
Always reinforce the soldered connection with heat shrink tubing or tape to resist flex and shorting to other components if possible.
Now, when the counterpoise is clamped to the outer collar of the BNC connector on your HT antenna, it helps to prevent RF from coupling with your body, so your completed HT antenna "system" heading toward the ground, acts much like a center-fed dipole instead of an end-fed dummy load. So, there you have it --- the missing "half" of your HT antenna.
You also just built a directional antenna AND YOU DID NOT KNOW IT! In places where you have room, by extending the counterpoise HORIZONTALLY rather than hanging straight down, by moving your hand to steer the radiation pattern to where you need it. This produces a dramatically stronger signal than letting it "droop" toward the ground.
Do some experimenting with the angle of the counterpoise to get the best results. You may be surprised.
Use about 19.5 inches of wire for 2m; ll.5" for 220; 6.5" for 440. GOOD LUCK!

3.) If you are away from the 146.91 repeater and come upon an emergency, how would you handle the situation? A general guideline is this: If you are on an unfamiliar repeater and you have emergency traffic, say so! Example: "Can someone help me contact the Highway Patrol?" or "I need help contacting the Fire Department." Asking "Is anybody monitoring?" May sound like an attempt to start a casual conversation. On many repeaters, you could be ignored. However, if you state that you have emergency traffic, people on many repeaters will drop what they are doing to help you. Note: If you are monitoring a repeater and someone asks for emergency assistance and you cannot help, BE SILENT! There are few things more stupid than someone breaking in to say they would like to help except that they forgot the codes, or that their home phone is busy so they can't make the call for you.
Recommendations:
- If you have emergency traffic, say so immediately.
- If you can help, please do.
- If you cannot help, do not transmit.

4.) You may hear people using the term "73", meaning best wishes. There is no "s" in the salutation "73". (Other hams use "88" ... no "s" ... meaning "love and kisses". This is typically between husbands and wives.) You will hear others saying "73s" and "88s" (wrong again!). You might even hear someone saying (yikes!) "threes and eights and all those good numbers!" Again WRONG!.

Proper usage would be similar to this:
Voice: "OK, Sam, seventy-three and I will talk to you again."

Voice: "73 for now."

CW: "W9MZ de W9JR CUL 73 SK"

CW: "W9XXX de W9JR 73 88 SK"

5.) Using the term "For I.D." is not necessary ... in fact there is no FCC rule that say hams must use this term. There should be no reason to transmit your call sign other than to identify your station. Identification is required every 10 minutes during a conversation and at the end of the conversation or series of communications. Conversations need not come to a halt while you identify. Simply say your call sign once every ten minutes.

Recommendation:
While talking, say your call sign once every 10 minutes. Don't say "For I.D., this is KC9XXX". Even worse, don't say "For license preservation purposes, this is KC9XXX."

Contrasting recommendation:
If you hear someone say "For I.D.", they may be trying to tell you that 10 minutes have passed and you should identify your station. Take the hint and say your call sign the next time it is your turn to talk.

6.) SAFETY FIRST. This is something we have to consider and be aware of when working with electronics. We get our share of high winds here in southwest Wisconsin. So, after a high wind, be sure and visually check your antennas frequently to make sure that they are not down. When transmitting, an antenna has a high current at the feed point and a HIGH VOLTAGE at the ends. That high voltage can be be enough to start a fire with the right amount of flammable material or gas surrounding it. Also if a human or pet can reach or touch the antenna when you are transmitting, one can get a very nasty RF burn. It doesn't take much power. 100 watts can make you dance pretty fast when contacting an active antenna.

7.) Another tip. Using the phrase "clear and monitoring" is not really necessary. Neither term is required by the FCC or anybody else. If you can call another amateur, using his/her call sign and yours, and that person does not answer, it is not necessary to advise "clear". You have already identified your station and any other identification is superfluous.
Recommendation:
Use "clear" only to mean that you are shutting down operation and and will not be there to answer any subsequent calls. Under normal conditions, when you are finished with a contact but will continue to listen, it is sufficient (and right!) to merely say your call sign.

Contrasting recommendation:
If you attempt to contact someone and there is no answer, you can notify others that you are finished by saying "KC9XXX clear" or "No contact, this is KC9xxx clear W9PVR repeater. This allows someone who may be been standing by to go ahead and make his/her call.

8.) Here's a good hint we will have to remember for next Field Day. We use extension cord reels to keep our cords free of kinks, so why not use the same thing for our coax cable? These are handy for storing RG-8X and RG-8 coax cable. Makes rolling up cable after Field Day or other events a snap. This should help prevent kinks in the cable as you're rolling the cable out. Hey, we could even use this idea in our own radio shacks!

9.) One of the most important things for new hams to learn is to "K-H-T." That is "key, hesitate, talk." You must consciously learn to push the microphone button, pause slightly, and then begin speaking. If you push the button and speak simultaneously, the first word or the first part of a word may be cut off. This does not facilitate effective communications. Hopefully, if you learn to do it correctly from the first day, it will become subconscious and you will do it automatically. If this is the case, you will earn the respect and admiration of your peers. If not, you will be forever labeled as a sub-standard operator.

10.) Have you ever been frustrated trying to get a nut or washer on a screw in a tight place? This is a good tip. While the screw may be easy to insert into a hole, the other side of the hole may be impossible to reach with fingers or pliers.

You can put the nut or washer in place by first turning the overall object so that the screw is pointing "up." Then slide the washer or nut, or both, on some solder (or copper wire). Pull the solder out far enough that you can get it to contact the top of the screw. Hold the washer and/or nut on the solder with your finger while you snake the solder down into the apparatus, to touch the end of the screw. Then let the nut/washer go: they will slide down the solder and onto the screw. This sketch demonstrates the idea:

Turn the nut with another piece of solder or a long screwdriver until it starts onto the screw, then remove the solder. Continue working the nut onto the screw until it begins to snug up. Then finish tightening the screw with a standard screwdriver.

11.) Many PVR members are interested in constructing their own antennas. Here is a site for HINTS AND TIPS on where and how to install your antenna after it is constructed. To get to that site, go here .

Here is a list of topics on antennas that you will find on the site:

General antenna situations

Antenna height

Interference considerations

Antenna matching

Antenna feeder considerations

Ground systems

Antenna safety aspects

MAKING CONTACTS THROUGH THE EYES OF AN ASTROLOGER (Tongue in Cheek):

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 - Feb 18):
You have the bad habit of falling asleep at the rig when making contacts. As a result, your contact total remains very low, even though you've been into making contacts for years. Most AQUARIUS contact makers own "boat anchor" rigs and drink beer.

PISCES (Feb 19 - Mar 20):
When making contacts, you rely totally on luck, since you have very poor operating habits and don't have the ambition to clean up your act. Most PISCES contact makers are anti-cell phone, and consider making a contact across town a major a accomplishment.

ARIES (Mar 21 - Apr 19):
You construct very sloppy antennas that perform poorly. You have never put up a resonant antenna. They don't stay up very long, and generally come down in light breezes. There has never been an ARIES who reached his/her goal before reaching the age of 75.

TAURUS (Apr 20 - May 20):
When you buy a new rig, you spend days running audio checks with your friends. They always tell you the same thing: "You sounded much better on the old rig." Most TAURUS contact makers are very paranoid about their audio and trade rigs often. They're never satisfied.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20):
You love nasty pileups ... the nastier the better. You prefer SSB but will work CW pileups if you are forced to. You hate squatters, and love movers. If this doesn't make sense to you, join a club, and get help understanding what it means. Most GEMINI contact makers love to make contacts ... at least that's what they tell themselves.

CANCER (June 21 - July 22):
You have huge contact/band/mode total numbers. You've worked everything there is to work on every mode. Nothing gets by you. If you need a station and it lets out a peep, you nail it. Most CANCER contact makers seldom leave their shack, for fear of missing a new one. Just ask their family members.

LEO (July 21 - Aug 22):
You have an excellent imagination, which is counter-productive when it comes to making contacts. You log stations that are not working you. They're working someone else, but you swear you heard your call. Most LEO contact makers get numerous QSL's returned marked "Not in Log."

VIRGO (Aug 23 - Sept 22):
You're an avid lowband contact maker. At sunrise and sunset, you can be found glued to your rig, tuning for that tiny signal that may be the rare one you need. You love winter, and hate the long days of summer. Most VIRGO contact makers become very grouchy when something prevents them from operating at the gray line.

LIBRA (Sept 23 - Oct 22):
You hate CW, and can't copy or send over 10 WPM. You rely on a code reader and your programmable keyer to assist you in the pileups. Being a button pusher, and badly mistiming your calls, you take pride in contributing to the pileup bedlam. Most LIBRA contact makers refuse to improve their cw skills by practicing.

SCORPIO (Oct 23 - Nov 21):
You rely totally on cluster spots and phone calls from your buddies to alert you to a rare contact. You spend more time in the recliner snoozing than you do behind the rig. Most SCORPIO contact makers never tune the bands to find that rare station on their own.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 - Dec 21):
You're critical of contests and QSO parties, in general. You don't approve of a single thing they are doing. Even though you have never left your backyard, (your wife runs all the errands), you consider yourself an expert on propagation, logistics, transportation, etc. Most SAGITTARIUS contact makers are productive whining machines. You lament, "If they would only listen to me."

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 - Jan 19):
You love working making contacts and confirming your QSO's with a QSL card. Confirming the contact electronically through the LOTW or eQSL programs is not your favorite thing in life. A high-tech guy you are not. You struggle with computers, software, and LOTW/eQSL. Most CAPRICORN contact makers don't trust computer logging, and maintain a paper log as well.

Return to the top

RETURN TO OUR HOMEPAGE

*AQUARIUS (Jan 20 - Feb 18):*	You have the bad habit of falling asleep at the rig when making contacts. As a result, your contact total remains very low, even though you've been into making contacts for years. Most AQUARIUS contact makers own "boat anchor" rigs and drink beer.
*PISCES (Feb 19 - Mar 20):*	When making contacts, you rely totally on luck, since you have very poor operating habits and don't have the ambition to clean up your act. Most PISCES contact makers are anti-cell phone, and consider making a contact across town a major a accomplishment.
*ARIES (Mar 21 - Apr 19):*	You construct very sloppy antennas that perform poorly. You have never put up a resonant antenna. They don't stay up very long, and generally come down in light breezes. There has never been an ARIES who reached his/her goal before reaching the age of 75.
*TAURUS (Apr 20 - May 20):*	When you buy a new rig, you spend days running audio checks with your friends. They always tell you the same thing: "You sounded much better on the old rig." Most TAURUS contact makers are very paranoid about their audio and trade rigs often. They're never satisfied.
*GEMINI (May 21 - June 20):*	You love nasty pileups ... the nastier the better. You prefer SSB but will work CW pileups if you are forced to. You hate squatters, and love movers. If this doesn't make sense to you, join a club, and get help understanding what it means. Most GEMINI contact makers love to make contacts ... at least that's what they tell themselves.
*CANCER (June 21 - July 22):*	You have huge contact/band/mode total numbers. You've worked everything there is to work on every mode. Nothing gets by you. If you need a station and it lets out a peep, you nail it. Most CANCER contact makers seldom leave their shack, for fear of missing a new one. Just ask their family members.
*LEO (July 21 - Aug 22):*	You have an excellent imagination, which is counter-productive when it comes to making contacts. You log stations that are not working you. They're working someone else, but you swear you heard your call. Most LEO contact makers get numerous QSL's returned marked "Not in Log."
*VIRGO (Aug 23 - Sept 22):*	You're an avid lowband contact maker. At sunrise and sunset, you can be found glued to your rig, tuning for that tiny signal that may be the rare one you need. You love winter, and hate the long days of summer. Most VIRGO contact makers become very grouchy when something prevents them from operating at the gray line.
*LIBRA (Sept 23 - Oct 22):*	You hate CW, and can't copy or send over 10 WPM. You rely on a code reader and your programmable keyer to assist you in the pileups. Being a button pusher, and badly mistiming your calls, you take pride in contributing to the pileup bedlam. Most LIBRA contact makers refuse to improve their cw skills by practicing.
*SCORPIO (Oct 23 - Nov 21):*	You rely totally on cluster spots and phone calls from your buddies to alert you to a rare contact. You spend more time in the recliner snoozing than you do behind the rig. Most SCORPIO contact makers never tune the bands to find that rare station on their own.
*SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 - Dec 21):*	You're critical of contests and QSO parties, in general. You don't approve of a single thing they are doing. Even though you have never left your backyard, (your wife runs all the errands), you consider yourself an expert on propagation, logistics, transportation, etc. Most SAGITTARIUS contact makers are productive whining machines. You lament, "If they would only listen to me."
*CAPRICORN (Dec 22 - Jan 19):*	You love working making contacts and confirming your QSO's with a QSL card. Confirming the contact electronically through the LOTW or eQSL programs is not your favorite thing in life. A high-tech guy you are not. You struggle with computers, software, and LOTW/eQSL. Most CAPRICORN contact makers don't trust computer logging, and maintain a paper log as well.