Season's Greetings from PCARC

PCARC,

I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your families.

Have a safe and joyous holiday season.

Bob

WB8PAF

President PCARC

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Panama City Amateur Radio Club!

Have Fun On The Ten Meter Ham Band

We look at the Ten-Meter Band that is now often open with the sunspots increasing. In particular, we review my experience on the recent Ten Meter Contest. This is a recorded talk from our Beginner's Academy Zoom on Dec 12th, 2022.

Antenna Analyzer Talk by Wes KN4NPH

Wes talks about the Rig Expert AA-35 Antenna Analyzer and does a demo. Wes is a member of the Panama City ARC in Florida. This talk was recorded from our Beginner's Academy Zoom Meeting on November 26, 2022.

Beginner's Guide for Antenna Tuners

 Will you need an antenna tuner for your amateur radio? Watch this video and find out. This Beginner's Academy meeting on Zoom was recorded on 11/14/22.

Ham Radio Power Supply Beginner's Guide

 What you should know to buy your first power supply for your Ham Radio. This was recorded from the Oct 31, 2022, Beginner's Academy Zoom meeting.

NVIS Propagation Experiment Using WSPR

We used the Zachtek WSPR Desktop transmitters to run a short experiment of NVIS propagation on 40 meters. This talk was for the Sept 19th, 2022, Beginner's Academy Zoom meeting.

DMR High-powered Hotspot

There is a DMR High-powered hotspot located near Mowat Middle School in Lynn Haven.  

The frequency is 146.595 MHz, Color Code 1, Timeslot 2.

The antenna is only up about 20 ft. currently, so coverage is limited.  

The hotspot is connected to the TGIF network.  On this network, you can reach our local talk group, 

850 "Florida Panhandle Ragchew," and about 1700 other talk groups to check out.  

This hotspot is temporary until we can have a DMR repeater installed.

Bob Plank 

KK4DIV

State QSO Party Beginner's Guide

You will hear state QSO parties most weekends on the HF Bands. Find out how to participate. This was our topic for the September 4th Beginner's Academy Zoom meeting.

Digital Mobile Radio DMR Talk by Bob KK4DIV

Bob KK4DIV covers some general info about Digital Mobile Radio DMR and also his High Power DMR Hotspot project. Bob is a member and secretary for the Panama City ARC. He also has a YouTube Channel, 73Outdoors covering his portable amateur radio adventures. This talk was recorded from the August 22nd Beginner's Academy Zoom Meeting.

Charlie Lewis KF4JR is a Silent Key

It is with great sorrow to inform you of the passing of Charlie Lewis KF4JR on August 5th, 2022. Please keep Charlie's family in your thoughts and prayers. He was a member of the club and served as the Sgt. At Arms in 2011. Charlie was always ready to pitch in and help the club and local hams.

Here is Charlie's obituary.

Beginner's Guide for Using Powerpole Connectors

Anderson powerpoles are a convenient way to connect your radio to a power source and much more. This is a recording of our 8/1/22 Beginner's Academy Zoom Meeting.

Bay County ARES Update

Doug Gibson KN4PFZ gave a talk on Bay County ARES at the July 27th Club Meeting. Click here for the slides. Visit the Bay County ARES website https://www.baycountyares.org/.

Beginner's Battery Guide for Portable Ops

What battery do you need to operate your ham radio outdoors? We hope this helps answer that question. This was recorded during our July 19th, 2022, Beginner's Academy Zoom Meeting.

QSO Today Interview with Frank Roman KC8VKA

Frank Roman, KC8VKA, was born in Puerto Rico, grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, enlisted in the Navy, and served in Vietnam. Frank is a successful business entrepreneur, now retired, who has continued to leverage his education and experience both professionally and in his pursuit of amateur radio. KC8VKA enjoys mentoring hams in Cleveland, Puerto Rico, and in Panama City, Florida, in conjunction with the Panama City Amateur Radio Club.

You may also listen at the QSO Today website,

Beginner's Guide to Winlink by Chris VA3ECO

Chris VA3ECO presented this talk for Beginner's Academy at the Panama City ARC via Zoom on 13 July 2022. Chris walks through sending emails via HF using Winlink and VARA. This could be very useful for emergency situations. 

 

Bay County Hams Camping Out for Field Day June 25/26

I am joining two other campers from Bay County, Florida to participate in ARRL Field Day at Falling Waters State Park near Chipley, FL. We will operate under separate calls using our own portable gear. We will contribute our points to The Panama City ARC. We get points by contacting other stations in the US and Canada.  I have chosen to operate at five watts station on battery power. Field Day starts at 1 pm CDT Saturday and lasts twenty-four hours. Saturday morning is a great time if you want to visit and see my setup. I am at campsite 5.

Good Luck on Field Day,

Greg N4KGL

Beginner's Guide for ARRL Field Day

This was a talk for Beginner's Academy Zoom meeting recorded on June 13th. Be sure to check out the ARRL website for more Field Day info. It is on June 25/26, 2022. Join your local club, strike out on your own or operate from home.

Basic Antenna Modeling with EZNEC by Chris VA3ECO

This video is a recording of our May 23rd, 2022 Beginner's Academy Zoom meeting. Chris VA3ECO demonstrates modeling dipoles, verticals, and beams using EZNEC software from W7EL.

Antenna Concepts For Beginning Hams

This video is a recording of our May 9th, 2022 Beginner's Academy Talk on Zoom. We discuss concepts that apply to all antennas that beginners may find interesting.

 

Spring into Outdoors Ham Radio

This video is a recording of our Beginner's Academy Zoom meeting on April 24th, 2022. We discuss getting outdoors with Ham Radio in particular opportunities around Northwest Florida. Thanks to Steve WG0AT and Bob KK4DIV for their excellent Youtube Videos that we included. Now is the time to get outdoors and operate. Also, consider your plans for ARRL Field Day the last full weekend of June.

 

The Panama City ARC April 9th Tailgate was well attended

PCARC,

I was pleasantly surprised by all of the support I saw at our spring tailgate on Saturday.  This gives me great encouragement that our club is on its way back. There were many in attendance to browse the equipment for sale, check out the portable station setups in the field or just socialize with each other.  I believe the club has a great future ahead of us with this showing of support.  Thank you all. 

73,

Bob, WB8PAF

President PCARC 

Left to Right: Lew KK4YPA, Bob WB4BLX, Mark KD4IMA, and Doug KF4PFZ. Photo by Jimmy K4KHV

Frank KC8VKA setup

Bob KK4DIV setup

Keys and Keyers for Sending Morse Code

This is a recorded Beginner's Academy talk from the April 11, 2022 session. We cover straight keys, paddles, electronic keyers, keyers in your radio, and CW with the N1MM contest logger.

Learning Morse Code via CW Academy

This is a recording of our 3/21/22 Beginner's Academy Zoom Meeting. It highlights CW Academy from the CW Ops organization. This is not an official CW Ops video. I did include an excerpt of Eric Silverthorne's talk from the March 2022 QSO Today Ham Expo. He is a CW Academy Advisor. If you are interested in signing up please go to the CW Academy website. CW Academy student resources are available even if you are not signed up for a class.

QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo Teaser

Just a heads up to register for the March 12/13 QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo. There will be about sixty presentations, build-a-thons, exhibits, and more. You can participate from your home or office. Enjoy!

Register here prior to the event.

A Real Fox Hunt by Mark KD4IMA

Mark KD4IMA shares how he has been "Fox Hunting" his entire career with Fish and Wildlife. Fox Hunting is a common term for a direction-finding activity done by radio amateurs. Mark used similar techniques to track all kinds of fish and wildlife. This Beginner's Academy Talk was recorded on Feb 21st, 2022.

 

Special Beginner's Academy Presentation: "A Real Fox Hunt" on Zoom Monday Feb 21st, 7:30 pm CDT

Tune in for a description of the similarities between amateur radio direction finding “fox hunts” and how wildlife biologists track wild animals. You’ll be surprised to know whooooo is on the air. Mark Cantrell KD4IMA will present. Mark is a Fish and Wildlife professional. Don't miss this one!

If you need a link to our Beginner Academy Zoom Meeting, please use the request form available on this website. If you are on a mobile device, use the web version link at the bottom of the page.

Mark KD4IMA

The Panama City ARC Clubhouse Resumes In-Person Meetings

On the first Wednesday of the month, PCARC has its business meeting at 7 PM at the clubhouse at 130 N. Church Ave Panama City, FL. The remaining Wednesdays will be rag-chew meetings at the clubhouse. The club will open about 6:30 PM; if there are no takers by 7:15 PM, the clubhouse will close. Amateur license testing is available by appointment on the third Wednesday; contact Gary aj4ky@arrl.net. Note testing, if held, usually lasts until 7 PM on the third Wednesday. Members and guests are encouraged to use the measures available to minimize COVID risk. 

The club also has Beginner's Academy Zoom meetings on Mondays at 7:30 PM. If you don't have an invite link, request the link using the contact form on this website.

Ham Radio Winter Field Day at Pine Log State Forrest, Florida

Many Panama City ARC hams participated in the 2022 Winter Field Day; seven of those hams camped at Pine Log State Forrest near Ebro, Florida. Chris VA3ECO, a Panama City ARC club member, operated in snow-covered Ontario. Please see the photos below and more in this album.

Our Field Day Banner

Daniel K4MDA operating.

Frank KC8VKA demos his magnetic loop antenna.

Scott KF7MYF's TS-2000

KK4DIV's Campsite

KO4CVX Class A RV

Greg N4KGL's Icom 7300

Chris VA3ECO in Northern Ontario

In our Beginner's Academy Zoom meeting, Scott KF7MYF covered submitting an N3FJP Winter Field Day Log, CW with FLDIGI, and more. Also, Chris VA3ECO reports on his WFD in North Ontario.

Get Ready for Winter Field Day 2022

This recorded video was our Beginner's Academy Talk on Zoom on Jan 17th, 2022. We encourage all hams to participate in Winter Field Day coming up on Jan 29/30. This contest on the amateur radio bands encourages hams to be prepared for emergencies and to have fun.

Matthew Hickey KO4RGZ Participated in the ISS SSTV Event

I participated in the ISS SSTV event for the end of the year and have attached the best of my SSTV images for anyone who might be interested in seeing the results. I used a Yaesu FT3D to demodulate the FM signal on 144.800MHz as each pass went over my QTH (EM70de). I used gpredict on Linux for pass prediction and hand tracked the satellite with a compass and Arrow Antenna Yagi (2m/70cm, produced in the USA). For the decode, I used qsstv on Linux which has an auto-slant correction and was able to produce a number of clean images from recordings I made on the FT3D. I worked all possible passes (even those at 3am!) during the event, except 3. The image collection this year was 12 images focused on Lunar Exploration, including craft and events of historical importance. 

You can see some of my best decodes on the ARISS gallery homepage at https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/index.php and if you search for my call sign you will see all images captured in total. I also posted regularly throughout the event to Twitter with each pass and capture, you can find me there as@KO4RGZ.  

I wish all members a Happy New Year and an excellent 2022. 

Matthew Hickey KO4RGZ

SSTV image statistics received:
1/12: 7
2/12: 6
3/12: 4
4/12: 2
5/12: 3
6/12: 4
7/12: 3
8/12: 2
9/12: 2
10/12: 4
11/12: 6
12/12: 8
Total images received: 51
Images accepted to ARISS Gallery: 13 
Images pending review: 8
ISS passes worked from EM70de: All except 3.
Awards received: 2