Emergency Communications out of Haiti via Ham radio

Pirate Radio

It can be interesting sometimes on Ham radio when a pirate radio station transmits. On the net that I am involved with we have had this happen a couple of times right after we close the net. This video I thought was a very clever way for someone to go about this. Today much of Pirate radio is done mobile with the antenna being wire tossed in a tree.

Installing a tower

If at first you do not succeed try again. 



Take two

Ham Radio 101 Q Codes

Here is a list of the most commonly used Q codes. This can be a little confusing for someone just learning so if you have questions please visit our radio forum board and feel free to ask. There are a good group of people willing to help you learn if you just ask. Please click on the link on the left side of the page for the forum board.


QRG- Will you tell me my exact frequency (or that of _____)?
Your exact frequency (or that of _____) is ______ kHz.

QRH- Does my frequency vary?
Your frequency varies.

QRI- How is the tone of my transmission?
The tone of your transmission is ____ (1. Good; 2. Variable; 4. Bad).

QRJ- Are you receiving me badly?
I cannot receive you. Your signals are too weak.

QRK- What is the intelligibility of my signals (or those of____)?
The intelligibility of your signals (or those of _____) is (1. Bad 2. Poor 
3. Fair; 4. Good; 5. Excellent).

QRL- Are you busy?
I am busy (or I am busy with _______). Please do not interfere.

QRM- Is my transmission being interfered with?
Your transmission is being interfered with ______ (1. Nil; 2. Slightly;
3. Moderately; 4. Severely; 5. Extremely.)

QRN- Are you troubled by static?
I am troubled by static _____ (1-5 as under QRM).

QRO- Shall I increase power?
Increase power.

QRP- Shall I decrease power?
Decrease power.

QRQ- Shall I send faster?
Send faster (____WPM).

QRS- Shall I send more slowly?
Send more slowly (____WPM).

QRT- Shall I stop sending?
Stop sending.

QRU- Have you anything for me?
I have nothing for you.

QRV- Are you ready?
I am ready.

QRW- Shall I inform ____ that u are calling on ____ kHz?
Please inform ____ that I am calling on ____ kHz.

QRX- When will you call me again?
I will call you again at ___ hours (on ___ kHz).

QRY- What is my turn?
Your turn is numbered ___

QRZ- Who is calling me?
You are being called by ___ (on ___ kHz).

QSA- What is the strength of my signals (or those of ____)?
The strength of your signals (or those of ____) is ____(1. Scarcely   
perceptible; 2. Weak; 3. Fairly good; 4. Good; 5. Very good).

QSB- Are my signals fading?
Your signals are fading.

QSD- Is my keying defective?
Your keying is defective.

QSG- Shall I send ____ messages at a time? 
Send _____messages at a time

QSK- Can you hear me between your signals and if so can I break in on
your transmission?
I can hear you between my transmissions; break in
on my transmission.

QSL- Can you acknowledge receipt?
I am acknowledging receipt.

QSM- Shall I repeat the last message I sent or some previous message?
Repeat the last message or message number____ you sent

QSN- Did you hear me or ____ on ____KHZ?
I heard you or _____ on ____KHZ.

QSO- Can you communicate with ____direct or by relay?
I can communicate with ____ direct or by relay through _____

QSP- Will you relay to____?
I will relay to ______

QST- General call to all amateurs or to ARRL members

QSU- Shall I send a reply on this frequency or on ___KHZ?
Send a reply on this frequency or on____KHZ.

QSW- Will you send on this frequency or on___KHZ?
I will send on this frequency or on ___KHZ.

QSX- Will you listen to ___on___KHZ?
I am listening to ___on___KHZ.

QSY- Should I move to another frequency or to ___KHZ?
I will move to another frequency or to ___KHZ.

QSZ- Shall I send each word or group twice or ___ times?
Send each word or group twice or ___ times.

QTA- Shall I cancel message number___?
Cancel message number___?

QTB- Do you agree with my count of words?
I do not agree I will repeat the first letter or digit of each word or group.

QTC- How many messages do you have to send?
I have ____ messages to send.

QTH- What is your location?
My location is ___ .

QTR- What is the correct time?
The correct time is ____.

This list is of the Q codes used mostly for CW or Morse code but you will hear several of these used in voice communication as well On The Air. I hope this will help some of you wanting to learn more or that are just getting started in Ham radio. As I said in a earlier post for Ham Radio 101 we Hams speak a different language sometimes and trust me if you are waiting until you need ham radio to use it you will have a big learning curve ahead. Now is the time to get good with the skill of communication not when you have no choice. Practice makes perfect but do not wait to start practicing in the midst of a emergency situation.
73 all
W4DMH
Dave
Copyright © 2009 www.w4dmh.com

Ham Radio 101

I am going to start posting some things that everyone interested in Ham Radio will need to learn. I hope that this will help those wanting to get there ticket.(License)

Ham operators have a language they use that many do not know, I will be trying to help you understand what you hear on the airwaves over the next couple of weeks.


Lesson one is going to be the internationally recognized phonetic alphabet. A good use for this other than Ham radio is when you talk with those customer service or tech support people. They are always fumbling for words to spell with phonetically and it throws them for a loop when you spell things back to them with ease using this.


TRY IT YOU WILL LOVE THE RESPONSE YOU GET.


A = ALFA           

B = BRAVO          

C = CHARLIE        

D = DELTA         

E = ECHO            

F = FOXTROT        

G = GOLF           

H = HOTEL         

I = INDIA          

J = JULIETT        

K = KILO

L = LIMA

M = MIKE

N = NOVEMBER

O = OSCAR

P = PAPA(PA-PA')

Q = QUEBEC (KAY-BEK')

R = ROMEO

S = SIERRA

T = TANGO

U = UNIFORM

V = VICTOR

W = WHISKEY

X = X-RAY

Y = YANKEE

Z = ZULU (ZED)


1 = ONE

2 = TWO

3 = THREE(TREE)

4 = FOUR

5 = FIVE (FIFE)

6 = SIX

7 = SEVEN

8 = EIGHT

9 = NINE (NINER)

0 = ZERO


The words in parentheses are the pronunciation or the alternate pronunciations for the words or numbers, but you will hear both used. With the letter Z, (ZED) is by far the most commonly used. With the number 9, NINER is the most common and easiest to understand ON THE AIR.


One more thing I will cover today is the use of 73 (best wishes) normally followed by either the persons call sign or de (from) then there call sign.

73 W4DMH or 73 de W4DMH

This would be;

Best wishes radio station W4DMH

Best wishes from radio station W4DMH


There you have the first lesson. Learn it and have fun with it the next time you need it with a call to TECH SUPPORT you will love it.

73  To All

W4DMH

Dave aka Santa


Copyright © 2009 www.w4dmh.com

Life’s Lessons Part 3

Life’s Lessons Part 3

Being a talker and not a writer.

I want to share with you today how this site you are reading came about. If you have not read all of this series please start with part one to understand the entire story.

I have read a lot about being prepared to survive long term over many years of seeking to learn more about all the ways to do that. Since I am a talker not a writer I have never shared a lot with others via the internet. I got very involved with the sharing of information over the internet in February of 2009. The one thing that has always stuck out in my mind over the years is how many times people have tried to join together over the air via radio. It seems to me that no one ever really tried hard enough or for long enough to get people coming to one place to have a reliable form of communication if all of the grid supported forms were not working. The other thing that stuck in my mind is there were just so many different places that people gathered on the internet and shared information that we needed one place to all come and talk.

I talked to a close friend that is like minded and also a ham about this back in the last part of February 2009. I explained what my goal was and the reply that I remember was that is a lofty goal my friend, now let’s see if you can make it happen. Over a period of several months we again talked about it many times and some ideas were born from those talks. Around that time another friend got interested in this idea and we proceeded. As we spread the word a few more people got interested and we moved forward in creating what you see now. If it were not for several people putting in a lot of effort this would have never become what it is today.

The main focus that I have put in here is getting people from every place there is on the internet to come join us here in a joint effort to spread the word of what being a prepper is. I saw it this way, the word prepper is much more likely to attract new people into this by means of it being a much more kind and gentle way of describing what we are. Many people throughout this entire community have other words they use to describe themselves but when it comes right down to it we can all agree that preparing for whatever is the main ingredient to what we all do.

My focus from the very beginning was to see this some day become a word used world wide to attract new people to the idea of being more prepared. Like my friend told me in the beginning. “That is a Lofty Goal My Friend”. Well we have to start someplace if we ever have the hope of reaching a goal so large. We can do a lot of good if we all dedicate a little of our time to helping to spread the word to others in every way we can.

Ham radio to me was just the most logical place for me to be able to share some of the things that I have learned thru the years that may help others. I am not suggesting to you to give a list of what you have or everything you do. If you are concerned about security by coming and talking with us I do understand that and would suggest that you still can come and join us without telling the world what you have. I personally do not have a fear of sharing what I know with others and it is possible that this may come back to bite me some day in the future but I just do not see it being a real concern.

Being a talker and not a writer is why I chose to use ham radio as the instrument of choice for me to help spread the word. I see ham radio as the tool for me to best help the community as a whole. I truly want to see us grow to the point where if we ever loss grid supported form’s of communication we will all be able to keep in touch via the radio. Now is, ham radio the only way this can be done, of course not but it is certainly the most reliable and the way to cover great distances easily. I do understand that ham radio is not in the cards for some and I fully understand that. It is a rather expensive undertaking if you have no gear to start with. I would recommend that if you have the equipment and the license that you join us now as it will be very hard to do it during an emergency under stressful conditions. I would go on to recommend that if you have the means and the interest you should begin the journey down the road of communications without further delay. Now is the time to get with it and practice your skills and waiting until the need is there will surly make for some very difficult times for you.

The human desire to communicate is one we should all explore a little more. If you like to go to forum boards and or chat rooms then I encourage you to think what it would be like if they stopped without notice today. Would you know where to go to find the information you are accustomed to enjoying now. I see it this way, we all have a need to communicate with each other, it is just part of our nature. This is the reason that I see a great need for this site and the nets we run. With joining in and participating now you will know where and when like minded people will be on the radio and your skills and equipment will be up and working. Why? Because you will have been using this means of communication all along and not waiting until it is the only thing capable of working.

I will share more of some of the plans we are working on and the goals we have in coming days but in the mean time I hope this has helped some understand a little more for now.
73 all
W4DMH
Dave aka Santa

Also please visit this new site www.imaprepper.org 

Copyright © 2009 www.w4dmh.com

Life’s Lessons Part 2

Life’s Lessons Part 2

Being a student of the school of life lessons and hard knocks

Know on with the next part of this story. Having attended this school of life lessons and hard knocks for most of my life, I can only say that if I talk about something it is because I have either paid attention to someone who has done it and learned from them, or I have done it myself and learned from that experience. Much of what I have learned over the years has not a thing to do with prepping as most would think. I have certainly taken my fair share of hard knocks along the way and maybe a few others shares as well. I have come away from every experience with a little more knowledge and if nothing else I have learned that some of those things may not be a good thing to do.

I am no different than anyone else reading this in the fact I have done things that were not the smartest thing to do, and I don’t even mind admitting to doing more then my fair share of stupid things. I see this as preparing in the sense that you are better prepared to avoid the things that you have taken a hard knock from and the next time you just may have the sense to avoid that situation altogether.

Moving on to what I feel is the most important thing in life having learned most of what I know thru this type of school. The sharing of information is the most important thing we can do. I am not the only student that attends this school and as far as I know there has never been a graduate from this school. The way that I see it is if we all share what we know with others there will never be a lack of knowledge that can be learned. If we all share the knowledge we have there will always be someone out there that is willing to learn from our mistakes and successes. We must just all be willing to share what we know with others.

I have already mentioned the fact that I am not a writer but I am a talker and that is why this page you are reading was created in the first place. I truly believe it is of the utmost importance to have a form of communication we can depend on nearly 100%. I see it as a very real possibility at any given time for any or all of us to be without grid supported forms of communications.

In the next part of this series I will get into what and how we all could and should be doing to make sure we can all communicate with others in the event grid communications are gone.

Santa

Copyright © 2009 www.w4dmh.com

Life’s lessons

Good morning everyone.

I would like to take some time and re-introduce myself to everyone reading here. Then I will get in to some goals that I have and want to share with you today.

First off my Ham radio call sign is W4DMH and my name is David M Hill Sr. I am located in Hampshire County West Virginia. I operate a very small excavating company here with the help of my son. I was born and raised just 3 miles outside of Washington D.C. While young I spent a lot of time going to southern Maryland and enjoying time on the Chesapeake Bay and the Eastern shore of Maryland. I also spent time every summer on my Grand parent’s small farm in upstate New York. As a young man starting a family I landed in southern Maryland first but as the city grew I began my quest for a more rural life. I started my journey in the state of Virginia by moving first to Fauquier County and then on to Loudoun County. I continued my journey by moving North West until landing where I am now in the beautiful Mountain state of West Virginia.

I have been a Heavy Equipment operator for most of my life but have also dabbled in many other fields as well over the years. I have also had a license to drive big trucks most of my adult life. I now have my own heavy equipment and am much like every one else in trying to weather this economic crisis we are currently in. I am a hand’s on type of person and always have been. I enjoy building things myself and have spent a lot of time searching for knowledge on just how things work that we use everyday. I have always done my own repairs on everything in the home and have done my own mechanical work all of my life.

I have spent most of my life hanging around with people much older then myself because I always enjoyed listening and learning from there life experiences. I am a people person and can sit and chat with someone on just about any subject they want to talk about. I have been a firm believer in the rule that the only stupid question is the one that never gets asked. Over the years I have often thought that people must get sick of answering all of my questions. Now that my hair and beard have turned gray and almost white I now realize why the people that I asked questions of all my life never got frustrated with me. You see what I have learned over the last few years is that as we grow older and mature we find a need to share what we have learned over the years with others that are willing to listen.

I am not a college educated person with degrees but I have had a quest for knowledge all of my life. I like to refer to myself as a student even today and not a graduate of any kind. You see I have been going to school in a way all of my life and everyday I still try my best to learn something new. I have heard many people say that they are a graduate of the school of hard knocks but I like to consider myself a student of the school of life lessons and hard knocks. I do not believe my quest for more knowledge will ever stop but I do know that my desire to share the knowledge that I have, has grown in the last year. I am not to be considered an expert on anything at all, but I am more then happy to share with anyone willing to listen to the things that I do know about.

I should warn you that in School my worst two subjects were English and spelling so please bear with me as writing is most definitely not easy for me. If it was not for spell check you may not even be able to read this at all. You see I am a talker not a writer and trust me when I tell you that keyboards and me do not get along at all. This will bring me to why I am writing this piece to share with you all.

Only thru communicating can we help others throughout the world.
Life is too precious and fragile to not share.

This is our family's newest addition and is the first great grand baby. Lillian Marie and she was born at just 22 weeks but you would never know it today. This is the first time that my son and I have taken care of her with no one home but us. Now you see why I say that life is to precious and fragile to not share.

Part 2 coming Monday
Copyright © 2009 www.w4dmh.com

Build your own antenna

A great ebook for free download is at Hamuniverse.com If you are the type that likes to build your own stuff go see it here.

http://www.hamuniverse.com/n4jaantennabook.html

There site has a bunch of great info so check it out while you are there.

Great video with a tribute at the end for the victims of the recent plane crash in SC

Pictures all about Ham radio

First time operating Satellite

Very cool antenna launcher

Just a neat video to watch about QRP portable

Kevlar wire antennas