A "Just In Case" Radio Club
We seated the most famous Sunday Night Net held by the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group on 2-Meters FM at 20:30 local time. Tonight was on the WA4TXE/R on 146.700 MHz (no pl).
Check-ins were as follows:
Reminder: The Extra class is on Mondays (tomorrow).
Everyone have a great week!
73,
John
W5ODJ
As you likely know, we meet every Sunday evening from 19:30 to 20:00 local time for a brief digital net. Anyone is welcome. For all the details on this net you can find it here.
There were two checkins tonight:
We had a nice, hour long, conversation and tested two different bands. It was nice to catch up with Paulson over a digital QSO.
73!
John
W5ODJ
We held the 2 meter net tonight (February 16, 2020). There were 6 check-ins:
Mike let us know there are going to be 11 students in this next Extra class training. He let us know that N1RM is mostly organizing this training and that it has gone very well.
Remember that tomorrow is when we meet at Wegmans for lunch. If you are free you might consider joining us.
Thank so all who took the time to test their radio gear. Everyone have a great week.
The most famous 2 meter net was held on Sunday January 19, 2020 at 20:30 local time. John Westerman presided the NCS operation. Those that attended were:
Thank you all for joining the net and testing your gear to insure proper operation. Thanks to Dulles Radio for the use of their repeater tonight. I hope to see you on one of the other nets coming up this week.
73,
John
W5ODJ
We conducted the most famous Sunday Night Net held by the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group on 2-Meters FM at the Dulles Radio repeater on 145.310/R with a 77hz PL.
Those that checked in:
A reminder of two things:
Thanks to everyone who joined and participated in this most famous 2 meter net tonight!
73,
John
W5ODJ
As I do at the end of every year I go through all of the files on my computer and do a “digital cleanse” by deleting things I do not need. I ran across this QSO of my first digital contact way back 11 years ago in 2008.
It reminded me to send out the message that we all have to start somewhere/sometime and just how much of a rookie I was back then! Heres the text of the QSO (during a contest so I was likely very annoying to her).
WA4EEZ CQ CQ CQ Skirmish de WA4EEZ WA4EEZ CWA4EEZ
WA4EEZ DE WB50DJ WB5ODJ PSE k
WB50DJ LESLIE WA4 LESLIE WA4 WB50DJ
HI LESLIE HANDLE HERE IS JOHN MY FIRST PSK QSO OVER
WB50DJ de WA4EEZ…John, I am so happy to be ur first PSK QSO….You will enjoy this mode and meet lots of new friends…I am in a PSK contest, and the exchange is the name, and the prefix…so you can send me your prefix–like WB5–…
BTU John, de WA4EEZ kn
LESLIE … THANKS FOR TAKING MY TRANSMISSION. I AM A COMPUTER GUY BUT THIS IS ALL VERY NEW TO ME. I WILL LET YOU GET BACK TO YOUR CONTEST. WA5EEZ DE WB5ODJ OVER
WB50DJ de WA4EEZ…ok John, well I am most definitely not a computer gal, but sure enjoy these digital modes….BTW ur sig is 599 599 and clean…very nice.
73 es thanks for this contact, and may you have many, many more!! 73 and good hamming to you WB5ODJ de WA4EEZ..oh my name is Leslie.. bk
wa4eez de wb5odj … handle is John. QTH is Northern Virginia (lovettsville). Antenna is new SteppIR at 80 feet. driven by a ICOM 756pro3. beam pointed to FL at the moment. UR signal is also 599 599 599 over.
WB50DJ de WA4EEZ…My kinfolk are from Giles County up there in VA….Thanks again John, and will see you again, I am sure…73 de WA4EEZ sk
73 73 73 and good night. thanks a million for the qso. WB5ODJ clear kkkk
This was before I had my Extra license and changed my call sign to drop the B in my call. It doesn’t seem like it was that long ago but apparently I had just constructed my first tower and installed my then new SteppIR. Soon storms would come and break the SteppIR, rotator and my new tower and I would have to reconstruct them. And then again when I built my second tower to move the SteppIR over there so I could maintain it better.
One thing is for certain in radio, nature wins and things are always changing.
Happy new year to you all!
73,
John
W5ODJ
The most famous Sunday Night Net was held by the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group on 2-Meters FM on the WA4TXE/R on 146.700 MHz at 8:30 pm local time.
We had 13 people check in to the net tonight:
A few things mentioned to highlight:
Apart from the weird problem we experience with the audio on the repeater the net was successful. Everyone who checked in had good signals into the repeater even if we couldn’t hear the audio at times. This is the reason we have these nets (to check to make sure things work properly).
This was the last 2-meter net of 2019. Thanks to everyone for checking in! I was happy to be the last minute net control station for the net. Have a happy new year celebration whatever that will be for you and be safe out there! We’ll see you all in 2020 somewhere.
73,
John
W5ODJ
I started the 6-meter net tonight on 50.130 MHz a little after 8pm tonight. There were two people other than me who checked in: KN4BGW (Steve) and K9CQB (Damon).
It was nice to hear some familiar voices on 6 meters as it’s been a very long time since I’ve been home on a Wednesday evening where I could be around the radios locally.
Our next net is tomorrow evening at 8pm. Hope to see you on the air!
73,
John
W5ODJ
We meet every Sunday evening from 19:30 to 20:00 local time utilizing the Olivia 500/8 protocol at or about 7.07325 MHz.
This net was started a little early with W0MPM calling CQ to see who was out there. Three of us joined this net:
We had a nice long net discussing various topics. The band was in good shape and the signals were strong and clear. 100% copy on all sides.
There is some discussion about using different protocols than Olivia. Some of the newer protocols are faster and use less bandwidth while at the same time provide similar or better low signal and high noise decoding. JS8 is one of those. These are still interactive protocols.
JS8Call 2.0 is now publicly available: Multiple transmission speeds, a new multi-decoder, typeahead functionality, and more. You can get the software here. Check out the latest information in the guide here. I’ve been in the beta testing program from the beginning and can tell you this software has really come a long way and very easy to use.
If you ever want to join we listen to both repeaters and can walk you through any troubleshooting you may be needing help with.
Everyone is welcome to join us and we hope to see you on the digital net.
For more information on this net please visit this page.
Have a great week!
73,
John
W5ODJ
Stations I recorded:
NET CLOSED at 8:45
This was my first time hosting a 2m net! I was blessed that my first net was so small. Happy Turkey day!
Steve
N1ESD