Please visit our new website at www.wc8ema.org

NANO VNA Supporting Theory

Kit Building Tips by Kevin KZ3L

Winlink

D-Rats - Not just for D-Star Radios

Moved to its own page. Follow this link:  D-RATS

Sign up to WCARA Mailing List

Use this form to be added or removed from the WCARA announcement mailing list.

CLICK HERE

Mailings may occur for Monthly meetings, weekly net, other events, anything unplanned.

Weather Spotters - Butler/Warren Net

• • Warren County spotter net on the 146.865- (Tone118.8) Repeater

  • Butler County spotter net on the 147.330+ (Tone118.8) Repeater

  • View Spotter Reporting Criteria and Spotter Net Preamble/Script: Click this to open in new tab

WC8EMA 146.865 MHz Repeater Change Requires Radio Settings Change (4 April 2017)

In preparation for future WC8EMA repeater use, please review the tone settings in the radios you own.  

The repeater now requires transmitting a 118.8 Hz tone, from your radio, along with your voice, in order for the repeater to retransmit your signal. If your radio does not transmit a 118.8 Hz tone, your signal will not be retransmitted by the repeater. The symptom presented to you will appear as a non-responsive repeater, however, the true problem is that your radio is not transmitting the 118.8 Hz tone. 

In addition, your radio needs to be set to receive tone squelch to recognize the 118.8 Hz tone the repeater will be transmitting during analog FM voice transmission. The tone transmitted by repeater allows your radio to be muted except when the repeater is transmitting analog FM voice to you; i.e., when you are listening. The repeater is transmitting the tone in conjunction with the change made to add digital voice modes to the repeater. When digital voice is transmitted over the repeater, analog FM radios without a tone squelch set, will receive the digital signal as an annoying noise or buzz. If your radio is set to use a 118.8 Hz tone squelch, the digital buzz will not be heard on your muted radio because the repeater does not transmit the the 118.8 Hz tone when the repeater is in digital voice mode.

When your analog radio is tone squelch muted during repeater digital voice transmission, your radio may indicate an "in use" indication such as an LED activity lamp or S-Meter bar graph. The repeater can only transmit in one mode at a time; analog FM or digital voice. Wait for digital voice transmissions to break, them make your analog FM transmission.  Analog FM users will hear your transmission. The digital voice users can also receive analog FM. If the digital voice users respond to your analog FM transmission, their radios will transmit analog FM voice and you will be able to communicate with them.

The arrows in the image below represent the 118.8 Hz tone transmitted from a radio to the repeater and the 118.8 tone transmitted from the repeater to a radio.

Activation Presentation for CERT Group

Additional information is contained within the presentation as "speaker notes". To view the "speaker notes", click on the gear symbol beneath the presentation below. Click on "Open Speaker Notes". A new window will open on the screen. As "Next" is clicked, the notes will advance and the main presentation slide will advance. The slide pages along with the speaker notes are synchronized as the slides are advanced.

Click Here

WCARA Band Plan

Click Here

What is Ham Radio?

About WCARA

The Warren County Amateur Radio Association (WCARA) is a registered non-profit organization made up of Ham Radio operators from the area of Warren County, Ohio. 

Warren County Amateur Radio Association is an organization consisting of members of amateur radio operators with licenses granted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) governed by U.S. Code Title 47, including Part 97 as quoted below:

§ 97.1 Basis and purpose.

The rules and regulations in this part are designed to provide an amateur radio service having a fundamental purpose as expressed in

the following principles:

(a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication

service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.

(b) Continuation and extension of the amateur's proven ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art.

(c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communication

and technical phases of the art.

(d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio service of trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts.

(e) Continuation and extension of the amateur's unique ability to enhance international goodwill.

Each member will to adhere to Part 97 in all Warren County Amateur Radio Association amateur radio operations. 

Each member will not use Part 97 Amateur Radio Services, Warren County Amateur Radio Association amateur radio operations, to circumvent any other FCC Commission's rules especially including the following:

Private Land Mobile Radio Services under Part 90 of the Commission’s rules. The radio services include those used by public safety agencies, utilities, railroads, manufacturers, commercial activity, educational, philanthropic, or ecclesiastical institutions, clergy activities, hospitals, clinics, or medical associations, and a wide variety of other organizations and businesses.

Our organization serves the community by assisting the public safety entities of Warren County through weather nets and reliable backup communications.

(For additional information about WCARA - Click Here) 

Member Opportunities and Commitments

Members of the Warren County Amateur Radio Association have the option to choose their level of involvement.  If you wish to come and observe and/or participate and enjoy great fellowship with fellow ham radio operators then this is the place for you.  In contrast, if you wish to join us and lead a team with a skill you have, then we are also the place for you.  We are here to enjoy ham radio and fellowship at all levels of skill and commitment.

Weekly Training Net

• • Each Monday at 8:30 PM on the 146.865- Repeater

  • Open to all Ham Radio Operators

Monthly Meetings

• Open to the public on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM

• Meeting Place is located at the Turtlecreek Township Fire Station Number 32 located at 670 North State Route 123 Lebanon, OH 45036. Google Map showing main meeting location HERE. (Note: This address is not the address for WCARA, only the meeting location)

• If the normal meeting place is unavailabile, the alternate WCARA monthly meeting place will be at Frisch's Lebanon, Ohio unless another location is announced or posted on this website. Frisch's is located at 1330 Columbus Ave, Lebanon, Ohio, 45036. Frisch's is across the street from Lebanon Kroger's MarketPlace. Google map of alternate meeting place HERE.

• For monthly meeting topics, Click Here