131 results for author: Scott Toth

No June Meeting

Because of the activities at Hagan-Stone Park for Field Day, there is no normal monthly club meeting in June.  We'll see you in July!

Join GARA for Field Day at Hagan Stone Park!

Field Day 2018 is fast approaching.  According to the ARRL, the objective of Field Day is: The site at Hagan Stone Park is very nice with plenty of room for antennas. Operating positions will be inside the tree line, providing lots of shade. There are quite a few picnic tables, a fire pit, and a grill. Since it’s a camp ground, you can bring tents if you would like to stay overnight Friday or Saturday nights. We will be operating as class 2A this year. There will be an information booth, but no GOTA station unless we get enough volunteers to run it (none so far). If you want to volunteer, please let me know.  Of course, the official Field ...

April GARA Meeting

Matt Trull (KX4GG) will be discussing the FT-8 digital mode. Although relatively new, it has taken the HF digital world by storm. Matt will cover setting up and using the WSJT-X software, FT-8 best operating practices, and hints for maximizing your QSO rate. I hope you'll be there!

March GARA Meeting: Grounding

This month, Dave McLin, AC4A will discuss  "Grounding and Bonding for the Radio Amateur."  His talk will be based on the recent ARRL book of the same name.  It collects a lot of information in one place, and, as the name implies, is focuses on amateur radio stations.  The book offers a lot of concrete, practical suggestions, and does a good job of presenting a complex topic.  Come and hear best practices that you can put into use in your own station!

February GARA Meeting: All About Digitial

What comes to mind when you hear the word "digital?" Do you think of that old DEC computer you used to have in the late 1990s? Or maybe about some dystopian future like in the "Matrix" movies?  One of the visionaries in digital radio in North Carolina is our very own Steve Blackford, K4SQI. Steve has had a vision to push convergence between modes, make digital radio accessible, and link up repeaters throughout our state and beyond. He has experimented, built servers, tried hotspots, used laptops, dongles and Pis, and done all sorts of other things to get this system stable and functional. And functional it is. Steve has communicated with and ...

Statement of the Board of Directors Regarding WA2BAJ and Interference Issues

The Greensboro Amateur Radio Association welcomes and encourages all licensed operators to use our repeaters. We strive to maintain a community of users who enjoy the fellowship and knowledge sharing that takes place on the W4GSO repeaters. We embrace innovation and the adoption of new technologies. In the spirit of maintaining that community, the GARA board has taken the following action. GARA installed a Yaesu DR1X repeater in April, 2016 to replace their aging VHF repeater. This state of the art repeater allows both traditional FM analog and C4FM digital mode usage, based on what type of signal is received. Since the installation of this ...

Bouvet Island DXpedition Aborted

Most hams who love to work DX wait for years to add some entities to their logbooks.  Bouvet Island, the most remote island on earth, is highly desired because it is normally uninhabited and requires a huge amount of effort to reach and activate.  After years of planning, hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations and personal expense, and a huge logistical planning operation, the 3Y0Z team left port and began sailing towards Bouvet Island on January 19, 2018, arriving 13 days later on January 31.  Preparations were made and checked, plans were finalized and gear was readied, but the weather wouldn't cooperate.  Bad weather became the least of ...

October GARA Meeting – Improve Your Wi-Fi!

Last month we heard from Kenny, KK4HAO about a new NTS traffic net that has officially started every night at 7:30pm on the W4GSO 145.15 repeater.  Kenny would love to have anyone who is interested check into the net.  You won't be obligated to pass traffic, but it would be good to have a strong showing of support for this important service.  Please try to check in if you're able.  Formal training to become a traffic handler will be scheduled soon. This month's presentation will be related to the one in August.  At that meeting, I talked about simple networking concepts to help you understand how to connect your digital devices to the internet ...

New Nightly NTS Net Coming to W4GSO

At the GARA meeting on September 25, the club was presented with an opportunity to help the ARRL National Traffic System cover some territory that has has not been consistently served by the System in the Piedmont Triad area.  Clyde Sawyer, WC9CW and Kenny Grabarczyk, KK4HAO who will serve as Traffic Manager for the new Piedmont Triad Traffic net, gave examples of traffic that is passed by the system and showed how it works.  As a result, and after a vote by all members present, GARA has offered the use of our VHF repeater to be used for this new net every evening at 7:30pm EST.  Please be aware of it and make every effort to keep the repeater ...

Carolina Link Digital Net

Please join us on Thursday, September 28th, at 9:00 PM for the first ever Carolina Link Digital Net!  We're encouraging check-ins from every where to help us test & celebrate the Carolina Link, the Carolina's first all digital multi-mode link system.  Currently we have D-Star, DMR, and  Fusion (C4FM) tied together.  The Carolina Link went from an idea to reality within a short time thanks to several people including Steve KA4YMY, Roland W9HPX, Ray KI4UDZ, Mark W4BOG, Ken KC4YOZ, Jesse K4AX, Scott ND4L and input/assistance from several others including, Doug W4DGB of the Alabama Link, Bill KC8YQL, Pascal VA2PV, and spearheaded and engineered ...