KD7PH

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Welcome to the Palouse Hills Amateur Radio Club

License Testing 

Palouse Hills Amateur Radio Club holds testing sessions for all amateur classes of licenses depending on demand.  Contact Tom (KI6DER) at 509-334-6979 or KI6DER@AmSat.org to register for the next exam.

Next Club Meeting

Wednesday, 23 June 2021, 1900 hrs
The regular meeting of the Palouse Hills ARC will be at the Latah County Fairgrounds to prepare for field day. 

Recent Programs

Wednesday, 24 March 2021, 1900 hrs
The regular meeting of the Palouse Hills ARC will be on Zoom.  The link to join is here:

https://zoom.us/j/92897298105?pwd=V0dlL3UxNVU4WUhXZjdWTTRsdVF5QT09

 


HF Noise Mitigation
 
An educational seminar to help both new and experienced amateurs who are on HF and finding themselves plagued with noise. We'll learn what "noise" is, about the various sources of noise, and how to mitigate those noises using a variety of techniques. This will be followed with a live “noise tracking” demonstration using a low cost AM receiver, and also a low cost SDR and loop antenna.
 
Presenter
 
Mike Ritz W7VO is a forty-year plus Life Member of the ARRL and very active ham.  He was first licensed in 1974 and earned his Amateur Extra in 1983. His main radio interests are contesting and DX, mentoring new hams, and public service through the ARRL ARES program. He is past President of the Willamette Valley DX Club, and is Trustee for the Columbia River DX Club, which he founded to mentor new hams in HF operating. He has served as an ARRL ARES Emergency Coordinator, is an ARRL Accredited Volunteer Examiner, ARRL Registered License Instructor, author, and seminar presenter on a variety of ham radio topics. In November 2018 he was elected ARRL Director for the Northwestern Division and in January 2019 as a Board member for the ARRL Foundation.
 
Professionally, Mike holds technology degrees from Foothill College and San Jose State University, and had a successful 35 year career in the high tech industry.
 
When not on the radio he is busy working his small hobby farm in Scappoose, Oregon with his wife Shelley, W7VOX, and wrenching on his vintage race car.

Wednesday, 24 February 2021, 1900 hrs
The regular meeting of the Palouse Hills ARC will be on Zoom.  The link to join is here:

https://zoom.us/j/92897298105?pwd=V0dlL3UxNVU4WUhXZjdWTTRsdVF5QT09

 

Since this is the first time we are using Zoom for the meeting, I'll start the meeting a few minutes early to deal with any problems.

 

First, Austin Cole from the Do Something ARC will report on their club activities.

 

Ken Gordon W7EKB is planning a club project (power supply build).

 

Field day is coming up on June 26-27.

 

Finally, the treasury report.

Wednesday, 27 Jan 2021, 1900 hrs will be a virtual, Skype Meeting.

 
The regular, fourth Wednesday, meeting of the Palouse Hills Amateur Radio Club will be a virtual meeting on Skype.  The Skype link is: https://join.skype.com/BudzE20GRXSh

This month our Program is on DMR, Part 1, The Basics, On the Palouse.  Next month is Digital Mobile Radio DMR, Part 2 and will be focused on Hands On, Operating on the Palouse on Wednesday, February 24.  
 
 
SKYPE: PHARC has been using this decades old, free mode of communications that works on all platforms for Virtual Meetings during these Virus Times.  It was purchased by Microsoft and has had a number of improvements.  You just download their App at  https://www.skype.com/en/  and sign up with an ID & password. 
 
 
DMR Program: Come explore the digital world of DMR.  Jim Fielder, WA7VFQ will be discussing how to select a DMR radio and how to get running here in our region.  With no nearby repeaters (altho they are planned), Jim will share getting up and running via a digital hotspot that can be your gateway to the world of digital.   
 
Jim has been involved with digital modes since 2015.  Jim is currently active as a Net Controller on the WA7DRE DStar Morning Net, the Wednesday Morning DMR Coffee Net, and Not A Net - PNW Networks Wednesday Evening Checkin and Technical Net.  
 
If this Program tickles your fancy and you do a credit card stress test, DMR Part 1 lays out the basics & can guide you to buying gear appropriate for here on the Palouse.  And Jim will help you get up and running on DMR Part 2 next month. 
 
 
Here are the topics to be covered in the two part program:
 
Part 1. The Basics & Systems for The Palouse
Do you want to get involved 
It requires a particular skill set (Live Demo with Bill Ward K9GRZ) 
What DMR does - it’s not just a local repeater; Internet connection
Brandmeister vs PNW Digital
Joining PNW Digital - Groups IO
Getting a DMR ID
Equipment 
HT or Mobile or both
Where to buy
Wait on a local repeater or get a hotspot
 
Part 2. The Basics & Systems for The Palouse
You’ve got your gear, now to get it running. 
Radio first - build a code plug
Channels - Zones - Digital Contact Lists - Talk Groups
Download a community plug
Loading your code plug
Tools: Callwatch - VuMeter
Traveling with DMR

18 Nov 2020: Repeaters

The program will be about the repeaters in the area by Tom Storer.  Please join us to learn about the repeaters that are available for use.  Following the program, we will have the Palouse Hills ARC business meeting.  Cliff is running for President, Elizabeth as Vice President.  Treasurer and Secretary are up for grabs.

28 Oct 2020: Skywarn

The next meeting will be via Skype on Wednesday October 28th at 19:00.  We will be discussing upcoming activities for the next year.  The Program will be on the extensive SKYWARN Weather Spotter organization covering Eastern Washington & Northern Idaho and its close ties to Hams.  The presenters will be Bob Wiese W7UWC & Mary Wiese AA7RT, who coordinate the Program for the Weather Service.  Bob was the ARES Emerg Coord for Spokane for a decade and more. 

Nominations & volunteers for club officers are currently being accepted.  Please contact Rich Huggins (kd7vrl@arrl.net) or any current club officer if you’re interested in taking a turn at serving the local Ham Community.

24 Jun 2020: Field Day

We will discuss Field Day 2020.  We will be having this meeting over Skype at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jun 24.  If you do not receive the Skype link over the palouse-hamnews email list, please send an email to cliff@cliffclark.net to receive it.

26 Feb 2020: Antenna Analyzer Tutorial

Learn about how to use Antenna Analyzers. The meeting will be held at  7 p.m. Wednesday, February 26, at the American Legion Cabin, 317 S. Howard St. in Moscow.

Cliff Clark, AG7CC, will discuss and demonstrate common use cases for antenna analyzers.  Basic usage, and some common problems will be discussed.  Afterward, there will be a hands on demo to try it out the club's antenna analyzer.

 

22 Jan 2020: The New Ham Radio Digital Options

 
Come explore three digital communications options (DStar, DMR, and YSF) at the  7 p.m. Wednesday, January 22, meeting of the Palouse Hills Amateur Radio Club at the American Legion Cabin, 317 S. Howard St. in Moscow.
 
Jim Fielder, WA7VFQ, from Palouse will discuss and demonstrate the three new digital communications options that use varying combinations of such technology as radios, cell phone hot spots, and the Internet.  Fielder will demonstrate how it is possible to communicate in the digital world through use of a digital hotspot even in the absence of nearby repeaters for relaying messages.  
 
According to Bill Ward, Latah County’s Amateur Radio Emergency Coordinator, “This flexibility is a leap in communications capabilities for Hams!” 
 
Fielder has been involved with DStar since 2015, YSF since 2017, and DMR since 2018. He is currently active as a Net Controller on the WA7DRE DStar Morning Net, the Raspberry Pi DStar Net, and on the PNWDigital Morning DMR Coffee Net.  He will explore the beginnings and progress of the three modes since their inception and look at their current activity levels in the local area. And will explore the equipment and modes, discuss their differences, explain why he believes there is a mode that will work for anyone, and why he believes Samuel F. Morse would have been enthralled with these new modes.  
 
Social period at the Palouse Hills Amateur Radio Club starts at 6:30. The club meeting and program begin at 7:00 p.m. 
 
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About

The Palouse Hills Amateur Radio Club was formed on January 26, 1994. It offers a program of educational and civic activities in Whitman and Latah Counties. We support a full complement of activities including Field Day participation, license classes, FCC licenses testing and active support of public service events. We hold our meetings on the 4th Wednesday of each month, usually at the American Legion cabin at 317 South Howard Street in Moscow. There's an opportunity to meet and greet as early as 6:30 p.m.; our business meeting starts at 7:00, and it's followed by programs of interest to the amateur community. If you would like to join the PHARC, or obtain more information, drop by any club meeting. Visitors are always welcome! We actively support education to help get your first amateur radio license or to upgrade. Members try to offer one free class every year. You need not be a PHARC member to attend.  See the "Training" section for more informamation; and see the "License Testing Information" page for information on taking an Amateur Radio exam from the Pullman/Moscow area ARRL VE team or to get help in finding other exam locations and dates. There are also other activities for the PHARC and area hams that are not part of the PHARC. Many of our club members participate in these additional activities (such as public service events, ARES, and the VE program); links and additional information are provided on this site for your convenience and we encourage your participation.

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