The October MBARC Digital Group meeting was hosted by the Blaine Auxiliary Communications Service who provided a live demonstration of the Winlink-2000 messaging system via HF, VHF, and Telnet.  Thanks Chris - KG6SKO for making the presentation and to BACS members KP2X, KE7NEJ and others who put the time and effort in to setting everything up.  Chris' presentation has been attached to this post in PDF format.

The OCTOBER meeting of the Digital Group will be at BLAINE at the Blaine ACS "Hanger" at the old Blaine airport.  We will be running WINLINK-2000 demonstrations using the Blaine ACS communications van on both HF and VHF.  Everyone is welcome.  7:00 PM Tuesday October 18th.

The DG met for their final meeting of the season at 1900 local time at the Ferndale Library.  There were @ 14 members present. The first order of business was a discussion of the IRLP node which is currently under the control of the Digital Group.  There have been a number of people misusing the node by leaving it connected and failing to identify.  The node is tied to the King Mt. repeater in Bellingham which is under the control of the MBARC Repeater Group.  It was suggested that control of the IRLP node be ceded to the RG since the node and host repeater need to be managed as a unit.  KC7OAS pointed out that some of the equipment might be privately owned.  Since we don't have enough information to act on the matter at this meeting, and the next meeting will be in September, a motion was made by KC7OAS and seconded by KA0WFI to authorize the executive committee of the DG to take any action they deemed appropriate.  Passed unanimously

KN0N and WA2TND set up an HF FLDIGI station to demonstrate the robust nature of the Olivia mode.  KN0N forgot his 4:1 balun and ground wire, but WA2TND saved the day by providing a double SO-239 barrel to allow the random wire antenna to be "friction fit" in the center.  With no ground, the outside of the barrel was wired to the iron fence with a piece of rusty stove-pipe wire that was holding a sign up.  The 34 foot antenna wire was stretched at about 6 feet height at a 45 degree angle away from (but below the height of) the iron fence.  The LDG tuner easily found a match and K6IRFin Southern California  responded to our first call on 40 meters.  This was a real poor lash-up that should not have worked, but it did.    Testament to the power of digital modes like Olivia to perform under far less than ideal circumstances.  This demonstration made a few more believers in NBEMS for Emergency Communications use.

One problem that again arose was the susceptibility of my laptop touchpad to stray RF.  This time we were running only about 20 watts and the antenna was on the other side of a steel wall.  At least one other ham in the group has had the same problem.  Once again WA2TND saved the day by producing a wired USB mouse.  The touchpad on the LT was disabled.

Andy WA2TND had his NBEMS station running in his truck which he demonstrated in FLARQ connection to his home station on FM simplex.  We tried connecting from inside the library but the metal building was unforgiving.  FLARQ is a program in the NBEMS suite which allows error free conversations and transfers, even to unattended stations.  If you are in the Bellingham area, we are using 145.590 simplex on all digital NBEMS modes.  The hangout on 40 meters is 7065 dial setting with a center frequency in the waterfall of FLDIGI at 1500 Hz.  I hope everyone gets on the air and tries these modes out.  "No place for a decent antenna" is no longer an excuse :)

Back to business.  KN0N finally remembered that we needed to elect officers for the coming term.  In a truly blinding display of railroading like a rocket-sled; it was moved, seconded and unanimously passed that the same poor Schmucks that held office last term had to do it again.  Honestly, I was still trying to finish an Olivia QSO so I did not catch the particulars.  It looks like KF7AFF will be president, KP2X VP, KC7IJH Treasurer, and KN0N secretary.  By the way, I apologize for failing to mention at the meeting- KD7SDA has been cleaning up a bunch of the links on the web pages.  Thanks Art!

Meeting adjourned for more chat and radioing.  We take the Summer off from meetings.  See you in SEPTEMBER.  

ATTENTION PLEASE:

The MBARC Digital Group meeting will be at the FERNDALE LIBRARY on June 21, 2011 at 7PM.  The library is now located at Pioneer Park in Ferndale, not on Main st where it was when we last met there.  This is the last meeting before the Summer break so come and vote for the coming year's officers ! 

Reminder-

The MBARC Digital Group meeting is Tuesday May 17th at 7pm.  Like last month, we are meeting at the Bellingham School District maintenance shop, compliments of John, KB7PKL.  Terry KC7OAS and Bruce N7RR will be showing and telling about their new Kenwood THD-72A Handhelds with integrated Packet, GPS, APRS, and who knows what other goodies... come find out!


PLEASE bring your NOTEBOOK COMPUTER, and RADIO WITH INTERFACE.  If you don't have an interface, you can still participate.  Be sure to go to www.W1HKJ.com and install the LATEST VERSION of FLDIGI, FLMSG, and FLWRAP. 



DIRECTIONS:

Proceed East on Bakerview Road from Hannegan Road and continue down the hill to Shepard (Culligan water) where you make a right turn… drive c.100+ yards and make a left turn into the parking lot.  Look for the callsign plates.

The April meeting of the MBARC Digital Group was held on Tuesday April 19 at the Bellingham Schools Shop.  I have not posted updates on the activities for recent meetings since we had not taken any "official actions" (spent club money).  At tonight's meeting Bruce Prior, N7RR explained the Blaine Middle School Math Champs amateur radio licensing classes, which were described here under MBARC news earlier this year.  WA2TND made a motion that the DG donate $450 to the project to cover the cost of ALL of the student's exam fees ($15 each).  The motion was seconded by N6CNT and was passed without dissent.

Reminder-

The MBARC Digital Group meeting is tomorrow, April 19 at 7pm.  Like last month, we are meeting at the Bellingham School District maintenance shop, compliments of John, KB7PKL.  PLEASE bring your NOTEBOOK COMPUTER, and RADIO WITH INTERFACE.  If you don't have an interface, you can still participate.  Be sure to go to www.W1HKJ.com and install the LATEST VERSION of FLDIGI, FLMSG, and FLWRAP. 

DIRECTIONS:

Proceed East on Bakerview Road from Hannegan Road and continue down the hill to Shepard (Culligan water) where you make a right turn… drive c.100+ yards and make a left turn into the parking lot.  Look for the callsign plates.

Ther Ferndale Library is closed for their move to Pioneer Park, so John KB7PKL has graciously offer to once again open up the Bellingham Schools shop bui9lding for us to use on TUESDAY MARCH 15 at 7:00 PM.  

Tonight (1/19/11) the topic at the meeting is "photo compression and transmission".  Some links for your reference: