New #teamJesus #hamradio nets

With your friends at the Bible Fellowship Net adding a 60-meter evening net, the Christian Amateur Radio Fellowship are adding a VOIP net after the first of the year.

Thanks to the DigicommCafe and the Alabama Link, the CARF net starts on the first Saturday of 2019 at 2 p.m. Central USA time on

Echolink KD5DLJ-L  420941

Allstar 27619

Dstar DCS334J 

and a host of other resources.  Please see the Digicomm link for other resources that are being added.

All are welcome to attend, regardless of denominational leaning.

Merry #Christmas and Happy New Year #hamradio #teamJesus Friends

From our house to yours, have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

May our #hamradio friends enjoy much DX and many good QSO.  May our #teamJesus friends remember to honor Christmas every day of the year.  

May our friends and family celebrate loving one another.

What happens to WWV? #hamradio #ARRL

Pinned to the top of fb.com/skywarn, there's an article about the Federal Budget and support for WWV.

The latest news is that Congress has not given the President the budget he needs to keep the government open and include a border wall.  

The is the answer received from #nist regarding a #wwv inquiry. 

“We will not know if NIST will continue to operate its time and frequency radio stations, including WWV, until a full-year NIST FY2019 appropriation is enacted. NIST is currently funded with a continuing resolution through Dec. 21.”

#hamradio

Stay tuned to the page for additional updates.

You have the HR number and GovTrack.us to follow it's progress.

Time to sign the petition and contact Congress. The White House petition is for the President.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/.../maintain-funding...

https://resist.bot is a free tool to help you draft and send a missive to Congress.

2024561111 is the White House comment line.

If you care, comment away.

Support your LOCAL club. #ARRL #hamradio

When it comes time to enjoy amateur radio, support you local club.

These are the folks who are more likely to

1.  Help you with your antenna party

2.  Give you guidance on the next great project.

3.  Have a Christmas party in your own back yard.

Find your club at the ARRL.  Join your local club.  Have ham radio fun with your local club.

Automatic Packet Reporting System is more than Icons on a Map #ARRL #hamradio

Getting ready for the next big event?  How do you use APRS for messaging?

At the voipwx.net, folks grab screen shots of the latest hurricane landfall, before landfall.  

Screen Shot from the Florida Panhandle prior to Michael.

After landfall, the image is compared to the current location.  It helps Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency determine "how big is big and how bad is bad".  This is the ham radio version of Craig Fugate's "Waffle House Index".  KK4INZ is Craig's callsign.  He was the administrator of FEMA.

That's the little dots on the map, though, and APRS is so much more.

Messaging is important.  Imagine that you are a dot on that map and the local repeaters are down.  "Who you gonna call?"

APRS messaging gives one a way to get a message, even a small one, away using land-based and satellite digipeaters.  Bob Bruninga, WB4APRS, defines this at APRS Messaging.  That resource has so many ways to message over APRS, you are clearly expected to like one.

SMS-GTE is one that is quite useful.  Imagine being out the field with no cell service and needing to send a message, straight from your APRS mobile radio.  It's two-way also.  The person you send the message can reply to your message.   VE3OTB works hard making this real for you.  

What is the local weather where you are?  WXBOT comes to help.  Send full to WXBOT for a full forecast for your local area while current recalls the current conditions.  Thanks to KI4WJP for this handy resource.    

Find some time to drop an email to KC5FM-9 and remember APRS messages are publicly facing.