The American Red Cross installed two 460 MHz repeater systems adjacent to the W4AVA/RACES repeater atop Court House Plaza in April. The repeaters will operate on the GMRS and business bands, are expected to be operational in the coming weeks. ARPSC volunteers assisted with the installation.

Although there is no expectation of interference to existing services colocated at CHP, the repeaters will be certified to ensure that there is no interference, routine best practices when sharing roof tops with other radio systems.

Arlington County government is now well equipped with regard to volunteer emergency radio communications infrastructure, hosting four repeaters (two operating in the Amateur Radio bands, one GMRS, and one business band) and an Internet Remote HF station all at CHP.




RADIO FOX HUNT LURES FATHER & SON HAM TEAM ACROSS STATE LINES

Dan Gillenwater K9SLY and son Blake KI4OBV traveled with members of the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group to Clarke County, West Virginia on April 15 for a hidden transmitter exercise.

Dan and Blake were among 13 trackers in seven mobile units whose searches took them west of Berryville, towards Winchester and then north up Interstate 81 and U.S. Route 11, and into Jefferson County, West Virginia, hunting for the CW signal on 145.65. Teams stopped at high point to listen for signals from the hidden transmitter.

The transmitter was found in a community baseball park northwest of Summit Point. The signal was readable for about three miles. Brief high power bursts from a member of the "Fox" team helped guide some of the searchers who were unable to pick up the signal.

Photograph Copyright © Norm Styer AI2C and K4LRG.ORG/LARG. All rights reserved.

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS EARN RACES CERTIFICATION

Seventeen Amateur Radio operators in the NCR have successfully passed examinations for RACES Basic Operator certification, following a five week course sponsored by RACES and Arlington Radio Public Service Club. The newly certified operators are:

George Arthur N3NJM
Allan Bacon KI4HRN
Jeariene Bacon KI4MLS
William Bacon K4WGB
Bill Beyer K4WGB
Allen Buckalew N4AGB
Will Doggette K3SRF
Brad Farrell K4RT
Dan Gillenwater K9SLY
Ed Harris KE4SKY
Dave Jordan WA3GIN
Rachel Jordan N1FSU
Nick Meacher N3WWE
Eric Parker KG4DZA
Don Smith KI4FON
Kenneth Strickland KG4YIU
Jim Talens N3JT

The training materials, published on the ARPSC web site in PDF and Powerpoint formats prior to each weekly class, were developed by Ed Harris KE4SKY and Pat Lambert WØIPL. The materials included information and exhibits adapted from training resources used by Virginia RACES, California ACS/RACES, the San Francisco Office of Emergency Management, and Wind River Research and Rescue Group.


ARPSC COMPLETES FIRST ON-LINE TECHNICIAN CLASS STUDY GROUP

For perhaps the first time in the region, an Amateur Radio club has provided an FCC Technician Class license instruction class via the Internet.

The ARPSC, in cooperation with Ham Radio Instructor and volunteer instructors, developed a comprehensive FCC license class that was taken via the Internet. The class information was gathered from several power point presentations developed through cooperation with HRI and other clubs throughout the country. The added feature developed by the ARPSC team was live audio. Volunteer instructors, Will K3SRF, George N3NJM and Dave WA3GIN, provided instruction during the five one-hour sessions. The classes were digitally recorded as given, and are available on the ARPSC web site for review at the convenience of others who are interested in studying for their license examination: Tech Class Study Materials

The class instruction and materials were provided free of charge. Dave WA3GIN said the club is considering whether to create a similar class for the FCC General license.


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