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SM: Malcolm Keown, W5XX. Mississippi Section Web Site at arrlmiss.org. Web Master: W5UE.
SM: Malcolm Keown, W5XX. Section Website at www.arrlmiss.org. Webmaster: W5UE, ASM: KB5HC, KA5ICO, K0UPW, W4WLF, KB5YEE, AG5Z, KB0ZTX; ACC: W5VMS, PIC: K5RFL, SEC: KC5IMN, ASEC: AA1NA, W5DIX; SGL: AK5J; TC: N5JGK.
Come Join us for the ARRL Day In the Park 2.0 on October 14, 2023 from 0900-1500hrs at the Olive Branch City Park. HF stations will be set up, VE Test Session, lunch will be served, card checking will be available, tailgating/swap area (bring your own canopy, table and chairs), door prizes. Prizes are continuing to come in, and it looks like it`s going to be better than 2018.
Congratulations to the plaque winners and thanks to sponsors (in parentheses) for the 2023 Mississippi QSO Party.
- High Score Mississippi Station (Single Op) - N5YT (Chickasaw ARA)
- High Score Mississippi Station (Unlimited Ops/Xmtrs) - W5YD (Pine Belt ARC)
- High Score Mississippi Portable (Single Op) - W4XK/5 (K4FMH Portable Ops Team)
- High Score Mississippi Portable (Muli-Op) - W5SGL/5 (Chickasaw ARA)
- High Score Mississippi Mobile - K5OMC/M (Magnolia ARC)
- High Score Mississippi Digital Station - KZ5DX (Op K2FF) (W5ETZ)
- Mississippi Station working the most Counties - KG5PBJ (Jackson ARC)
- High Scoring Out-of-State W/VE Station - W0PI (Ole Miss ARC)
- High Scoring DX Station outside of W/VE - OM2VL (The DX Hogs)
From K4FMH in Ridgeland. The Churches on The Air (CHOTA) program was brought across the Pond to the U.S. on Saturday, September 9. Highlands Presbyterian Church in Ridgeland fully supported this effort using part of their 16-acre campus, including the provision of a food truck for Hams and news media. The group operated on 20M SSB, 40M CW, 10 & 15M FT8, and VHF/UHF FM for satellites. Wire dipoles cut for each HF band were used. The team made over 100 contacts throughout the U.S. and Europe.
A feature segment by well-known TV journalist Walt Grayson of WJTV channel 12 was aired on Monday`s September 11 evening news (See https://youtu.be/loPgtVdVXDE?feature=shared). The Clarion-Ledger newspaper published a front-page story the next day with a huge photo of N5JGK and AC5Z monitoring a satellite pass with their handheld aero antenna pointed skyward. (See https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2023/09/12/ham-radio-operators-from-thro ughout-the-state-gathered-in-ridgeland-ms/70826467007/). The ARRL is planning to share the publicity for Amateur Radio via the League`s media outlets.
The Jackson ARC handled the Welcome Tent with free ice cream provided by the Church. Team members working with K4FMH included N5DU, AK5J, AF5OQ, N5JGK, KC5IBO, AE5I, K5XU, AC5Z, N5WDG, and N5ZNL.
Halloween is coming early this year for Hams on October 14. The Ionosphere will be doing spooky things. From 1200Z to 2200Z a solar ellipse will be in progress. At its peak 80 and 160 will sound like its midnight in Mississippi. 40 will be an odd mixture of long and short skip. During the last eclipse W5XX was able to work as far north as Pennsylvania on 160 at high noon in Vicksburg. The eclipse would be a good time to listen on the AM Broadcast band for very unusual daytime long-range propagation. See www.hamsci.org/eclipse for more info. From W5VMS in Vicksburg. There are a number of programs, including several sponsored by ARRL, which facilitate cooperation between Radio Amateurs and served agencies both nationally and locally. The Civil Air Patrol, or CAP, is an ARRL served agency. Members of both CAP and ARRL share common goals of public service through efficient and effective use of radio communications. This was demonstrated recently during the Section Emergency Test. A Memorandum of Agreement between CAP and ARRL encourages efforts to educate their members about the role of the two organizations, regulatory environments, and rules pertaining to use of Amateur Radio frequencies by CAP operators, who hold Amateur Radio Licenses.
In Mississippi, the CAP has several squadrons throughout the state. Clubs are encouraged to establish a relationship with a local squadron. A capabilities briefing is available to highlight CAP roles, responsibilities, and missions. If interested contact a local squadron (https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com) or Affiliated Club Coordinator W5VMS.
Club Presidents. New Info! Check out the first of several Club Awards, The First Contact Award at arrl.org/first-contact and the Mentor Award at arrl.org/mentor-award. Do you have any club members who would be worthy recipients? Only four more months for VOTA. Time to get on the air and make some points. As of September 1, the top 10 in Mississippi were: N5YT, WQ5L, WD5CCA, N4OGW, AE5MI, K9DDS, W5XX, KD5BS, W5YD, KF5IZ. The current leader board is on the ARRL Website. Start to locate it by typing in VOTA in the ARRL website search engine box. In EC Reports from around the State …
From AG5ND in Oktibbeha County: they are planning a Repeater Roundup event for 2024, patterned after a repeater event described in QST this year. This will be a sort of informal contest focusing on local area repeaters, which will (hopefully) be a new fun event for us and introduce participants to local area repeaters they may not normally frequent.
KD4VVZ reports from George/Green Counties that ARES had a great meeting in August covering multiple topics including Net Control operation procedures. This gave each person attending a firsthand opportunity to participate and ask questions on how to run a Net. They are also gearing up for the next meeting and upcoming testing session and continue to work on their repeater site expanding capabilities to ensure communications to the county and surrounding counties. The bulk of the August ARES hours were during the Mississippi SET. 16 licensed operators participated, and they wrapped up their part of the SET with a foxhunt and a hot dog cookout at a local park.
Warren/Claiborne County EC reports that: K5ZRO (KG5OVR) checked in as Warren Co. EOC; W5VMS checked in as Warren/Claiborne Co. EC; KG5YEE checked in as Warren Co. AEC (relayed by KG5OVR); all on the MSPN August EMCOMM. Reception was MUCH IMPROVED after adding a series of chokes on the EOC antenna feedline; best sound in quite some time. In the Section Emergency Test; 137 points for EC OPS, 41 points for NET OPS (not bad for a first effort, considering the two counties had not participated in several years). KD5SBP and W5VMS completed the FEMA ICS-400 course.
From Lauderdale County: They are working on getting up a new vertical antenna up at the EOC. This should help provide better communications for the area.
From AB6Z in Pearl River County: Tom met with Shawn Wise, county EMA Director, and his assistant in order to plan a session for ARES training and EOC repairs.
From KI5SAG in Winston County: the SET went well for the Winston County ARES Group. KI5SAG passed 14 traffic messages and participated in the SET approximately 6 hours.
Attached for your information below is the current status (updated from last month) of known upcoming Ham events in and around Mississippi:
- Jackson County Hamfest, September 16, Ocean Springs, POC: N2PKW
- EMCOMM Checkin on 3862, 6:00 PM, Oct 5 (1st Thursday Each Month)
- ARRL Day in the Park, Oct 14, Olive Branch Park, POC: KF8PD and KF5WVJ
- W1AW/5 VOTA Operation from Mississippi Nov 15-22, POC: W5UE
- New Year’s Eve On-the-Air Party, Dec 31, 3862, 11 PM, POC: W5XX
- Capital City Hamfest, Feb 2-3, Trade Mart, Jackson, POC: AK5J
- 2024 Mississippi QSO Party. April 6-7, POC: W5XX
Welcome to the following new Amateurs in Mississippi in August: KJ5CDS, Clyde - Hamilton; KJ5CFY, Jay - Hernando; KJ5CGP, James - Starkville; KJ5CJC, Michael - Carriere; KJ5CME, Jamie - Vancleave; KR1MRG, Marston - Saucier. What to do with this list? Club Officers and members, if you see a local on this list that you are not familiar with, locate and ask them to visit your next club meeting. Ask W5XX for contact information and also ask if they need help getting on the air. Welcome to the following new ARRL members in August 2023: KI5BYX, Charles - Corinth; KA8MNL, Elbert - Union; KR1MRG, Marston - Saucier; KB5PMP, Dale - Picayune; KI5UPT, Jeffrey - Hamilton; KB5YNM, Bradley - Burnsville; ARRL Membership in Mississippi was exactly 1,000 as of September 1. Keep up the good work! Remember, if a member signs up through your club, the club gets a rebate of $15 for new members and $5 for a current member renewal. See Club Reconciliation Form on the ARRL Website. And a further note for clubs: The next installment of the Club Development Series is scheduled for September 21st at 7PM Eastern. This webinar will be recorded and become a part of the ARRL Learning Center. If you wish to watch live the registration link is included below. The presentation will be by Anita Kemmerer, AB1BQ, Assistant Director New England Division, and the subject will be the Club Commission Program. https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3Q6svUixRRuzycTDNIOieg Welcome to W5VMS as DEC for West Central Mississippi, AG5ND as DEC for the Golden Triangle, and AB6Z as EC for Pearl River County. Congratulations to the following on their upgrades in August: KJ5AZV, Lee - Eupora; KJ5BDP, Gilbert - Tupelo; KJ5BJW, Mark - McComb; KJ5BSF, George - Florence; KI5IKJ, Mary - Hamilton; KE5UGI, Samuel - Brandon. SEC/DEC Reports for August 2023: KC5IMN (SEC), KD4VVZ (Gulf Coast), W5VMS (West Central MS), KB0ZTX (NW MS) EC Reports for August: K5DSC (Newton), AE5FK (Walthall), NI5I (Perry), KF5IAY (Carroll), KA5ICO (Chickasaw), N5MIS (Pontotoc), AG5ND (Oktibbeha), AG5RI (Harrison), KI5SAG (Winston), KG5SQZ (Hinds), KB5SZJ (Lauderdale), W5VMS (Warren/Claiborne), KD4VVZ (George/Greene), KF5WVJ (DeSoto), AB6Z (Pearl River), KB0ZTX (Marshall) Club Newsletters (Editor): the Meridian ARC Spark Gap (W5MAV) Regret to report the passing of W5DRI of Purvis. Sylvia was the XYL of AG5Z. N5ELI of Lumberton. David was an Electrical Engineering graduate of the University of Alabama. In addition to his Ham, Radio activities, he was Pearl River County Communications Officer, Assistant Chief and then Chief of the Northeast Volunteer Fire Department, and Deputy Corner for the Pearl River County Coroner’s Office. N4RUD of Summit. Robert was an Industrial Engineer with United Oil Products and was a very active member of Friendship Baptist Church in McComb. He was a regular checkin to the MSPN and member of the Southwest Mississippi ARC.
HF Net Reports - sessions/QNI/QTC (Net Manager) Magnolia Section Net 31/1176/6 (KA5ICO) MS Baptist Hams Net 3/8/0 (WF5F) Sunday, 7263 at 4PM MSPN 31/2306/7 (W5JGW) Pine Belt ARC 10M Net 4/31/0 (KD5XG)
VHF Net Reports - sessions/QNI/QTC (Net Manager) Capital Area Em Net 4/46/0 (K5XU) Central Mississippi ARES Training Net 4/129 - (KG5SQZ) Calhoun/Chickasaw ARES Net 4/48/0 (KA5ICO) DeSoto County Training and Information 4/82/0 (KF5WVJ) George/Green County ARES 4/72/0 (KF5TJO) Harrison County ARES 2/15/0 (AG5RI) Jackson ARC Net 4/39/0 (K5XU) Lowndes County ARC 5/52/0 (K5TCO) Marshall County ARES - Trains with Desoto County ARES (KB0ZTX) Mississippi Coast ARA 5/132/0 (W5JGW) Meridian ARC EM Net 4/26/0 (KB5SZJ) MSU ARC Net 4/76/0 (K4MAG) Northeast Mississippi Skywarn 4/57/0 (W5BAQ) Oktibbeha County ARES 1/10/0 (AG5ND) Pearl River County ARES 4/35/1 (AB6Z) One Skywarn Net Pine Belt ARC 2M Net 4/50/0 (KD5XG) Pine Belt ARC 2M Simplex Net 1/11/0 (KD5XG) Pontotoc ARES Skywarn WX Net 5/66/0 (N5MIS) Vicksburg ARC/MLEN 4/85/0 (KG5YEE) Walthall County ARES Net 5/63/0 (AE5FK Digital Net Reports Central Mississippi ARES Digital Net 4/26/27 (KI5JCL) (2 VHF nets and 2 HF nets)
Traffic: WV5Q 58 and W5XX 18 PSHR: WV5Q 118 and W5XX 93
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