Forum Descriptions

“ARRL Forum”

James Boehner N2ZZ

Bill Morine N2COP

Marv Hoffman WA4NC

National, Division, and North Carolina Updates

“Activating Parks, Summits, and Islands” 

Jeremiah Jones N0NV

Due to HOA restrictions and limited space for a home station, Jeremiah primarily operates from portable and mobile units. “On the Air “programs were a natural fit—combining his love for the outdoors with his passion for radio. As an avid outdoor athlete and explorer, he enjoys activating Parks, Summits, and Islands, using primarily low-power and QRP radios and expedient antennas to achieve results. Activating has consistently challenged and motivated me for my entire ham career. It continues to strengthen my skills and enjoyment of amateur radio; it should keep things interesting for years to come.

“Introduction to Radio Sport”

William H. Axelrod K3WA

Amateur Radio is an active hobby that lives under a very large and inclusive tent. And, many of us are deeply invested in radio sport, also known as contesting.  In this presentation, we will discuss radio sport with an overview of this facet of amateur radio for those of us who may be interested in making radio sport a part of their ham radio experience. I’ll cover:

• What is radio sport

• Examples of different contests

• Skill development

• Software used

• Operating hints

• Contest University

• Resources to help you

“The Anatomy of a Mass Telecommunications Failure”

Zach Thompson KM4BLG

In September of 2024, Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina and the surrounding areas. In the aftermath, virtually all communications were severed for days and even weeks in some areas. In this presentation, we will discuss from a communications industry standpoint the series of failures that led up to this communications blackout, the role of amateur radio in the response, and share various methods to stay in contact during a disaster.

“SKYWARN” NWS Storm Spotter Program

Virginia Enzor NC4VA

NWS encourages anyone with an interest in public service to join the SKYWARN® program. Volunteers include police and fire personnel, dispatchers, EMS workers, public utility workers, and other concerned private citizens. Individuals affiliated with hospitals, schools, churches, and nursing homes, or who have a responsibility for protecting others, are encouraged to become a spotter. You'll learn:

• Basics of thunderstorm development

• Fundamentals of storm structure

• Identifying potential severe weather features

• Information to report

• How to report information

• Basic severe weather safety

NC CERT

“Remote Operation of Your Station - Why and More Importantly HOW”

Eric Wagner NR4O

More and more hams are faced with the challenges of operating from “real estate challenged” locations. For HF and serious VHF/UHF operation, this typically results in compromised and sub-optimal station configurations and (especially) antennas, limiting both the fun of operating and performance. This presentation will discuss the challenges to remote operation and detail ways to meet them. A solution using free, open-source software to provide remote capability will be presented. This solution is currently in operation by several stations in the RDU area for both individual stations and at least one multi-operator contest-grade station. 

“Getting Started with The Easy Satellites …. using equipment, you already have”

Ernie Bauer, N4AEW 

This talk is focused on introducing licensed amateur radio operators to:

• Basic satellite technologies currently accessible in Earth orbit

• How satellites can be accessed with ordinary VHF/UHF amateur radios

• Low-cost, easy-to-build antennas as well as commercially available antennas

• The differences between Digital and Analog Satellites

• A discussion of the frequencies and bands that are reserved for satellite use

• The differences between the three major satellite configurations:

• There is a basic introduction of orbital concepts, including:

• What are satellite passes, and what are the available online resources to determine the time, frequencies, and where to point your antenna to successfully contact a satellite

• Examples of low-cost VHF/UHF re-purposed amateur equipment that can be easily

adjusted/programmed to use in the satellite environment.

• Step-by-step strategies you can use to guide you to success on your first satellite contact.

“ARISS - Current Status and Future Visions”

Frank Bauer KA3HDO

Jackie Blumer KC9LEH

The goals of the ARISS Program are to:

• Inspire an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects and in STEM careers among young people.

• Provide an educational opportunity for students, teachers, and the public to learn about space exploration, space technologies, and satellite communications.

• Provide an educational opportunity for students, teachers, and the public to learn about wireless technology and radio science through Amateur Radio

• Provide an opportunity for Amateur Radio experimentation and evaluation of new technologies.

• Provide a contingency communications system for NASA and the ISS crew.

• Provide crew with another means to directly interact with a larger community outside the ISS, including friends and family.
   

“Cheap Thrills: Regional Messaging with LoRa Mesh”

Magnus Hedemark KI4OTK