N7KE - Radio Club of Redmond

Amateur Radio is significant in this Science News item:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-03-pasta-shaped-radio-venice.html

A group of Italian and Swedish researchers appears to have solved the problem of radio congestion by cleverly twisting radio waves into the shape of fusilli pasta, allowing a potentially infinite number of channels to be broadcast .   

Amateur Radio plays an important part in this experiment.

You can watch a video of the Texas balloon flight on Dec 30th, 2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eiL1Xx9Ckg.

Matt KF7OCC and a casual group of friends launched a balloon carrying APRS tracking and two video cameras to 103,000 feet from College Station, TX. Well done!

They have been talking of launching another balloon from eastern Washington during this spring or summer.

Barry WA7KVC

You can watch the APRS track of a Texas balloon launch here: aprs.fi/?call=kf7occ-11

Matt KF7OCC Monson of the Redmond club implemented the APRS tracking system. Nice job!

Barry WA7KVC

Mark KB7N for the RCR Leadership.

2012 01 06

Before the March meeting, is an outing to Puyallup for the annual Mike & Key Swap meet on March 12. There will be a lot of faces, hams to meet.
For more information on the swap meet, see: http://www.mikeandkey.org/flea.htm

RCW 46.61.667
Using a wireless communications device while driving.

*** CHANGE IN 2010 *** (SEE 6345-S.SL) ***

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a person operating a moving motor vehicle while holding a wireless communications device to his or her ear is guilty of a traffic infraction.

(2) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to a person operating:

(a) An authorized emergency vehicle, or a tow truck responding to a disabled vehicle;

(b) A moving motor vehicle using a wireless communications device in hands-free mode;

(c) A moving motor vehicle using a hand-held wireless communications device to:

(i) Report illegal activity;

(ii) Summon medical or other emergency help;

(iii) Prevent injury to a person or property;

(d) A moving motor vehicle while using a hearing aid.

(3) Subsection (1) of this section does not restrict the operation of an amateur radio station by a person who holds a valid amateur radio operator license issued by the federal communications commission.

QTTF  combines operating a radio (yeah) with being outside and enjoying company of fellow amateur radio operators (double-yeah). Sounds almost like field-day? Yes, except, no noisy generators and we truly set up antennas and radios in an adhoc manner. This is a great low-key contest that can accomodate anyones CW skills, beginner or expert. The audiences on site and on the air are always very supportive, so give it a try and either come join us at Beaver Lake or operate from home.

The RTKCC will be again at its traditional QTTF site in the Beaver Lake Park in Sammamish. We’ll begin setting up around 7am, hopefully we’ll be ready by 8am when the event starts. Look for us in a clearing somewhere around the Pavilion/Shelter near the lake.
Around noon we’ll eventually get too hungry, so we pack up and transfer to the Mexican at the Pine Lake shopping mall.

More QTTF details, background and the contest rules can be  found here.

Directions to our radio site: From Sammamish’s main drag, 228th Ave SE, turn East on SE 24th St and follow it E for ~1.5mi. As the round starts to turn N, look for road signs to the Beaver Lake Park parking lot.

Fellow radio enthusiasts,

our web site can now be reached both under http://n7ke.net but also new under http://rtkcc.net. Both web addresses are equivalent, feel free to use either one.

I’ve also started a member page which is intended to hold member-only info and is not publicly accessible. You’ll have to enter a password that we’ll send around via the reflector.

Lastly, I’ve added a plugin to this web site that allows club members to login to this web site using their existing Windows-, Google-, Yahoo-, Open- or Facebook ID. See an article in the member pages for more details.