Club News

OVH Member scores HIGH on June VHF Contest

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Gil with 80 M mobile for VAQP

Our own Gil Thompson, KM4OZH, came in second as a Limited Rover in our Roanoke division.   The Roanoke division consists of the states of Virginia, West Virginia,  North Carolina and South Carolina.   In addition, Gil came in fifth in the Southeast Region which consists of Delta, Roanoke and Southeast Divisions of the ARRL.   You can find him listed as KM4OZH/R on page 80 of the December 2019 QST. A Limited Rover is limited to the lowest four bands  – 6M, 2M ,  220 and 440.   In addition,  a Limited Rover has the same power limits as the single operator low power category: 200 watts on 6M and 2M and 100 watts on 220 and 440. Gil also operated in the September VHF contest and expects to place high in that … Read more >>

VP’s Corner

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The approaching holiday season and year’s end are traditionally a time for reflection and giving thanks for our many blessings. This Veterans Day, let’s take a moment to express thanks to our veterans – the young ones who are in harm’s way today defending our freedoms, and those who have gone before, sometimes giving all.   I know my fellow vets and I have had those occasional days when we felt like just a small cog in a big machine and wondered if we were making a difference. In honor of Veterans Day, here’s a story about a young service member who made a difference by using his ham radio skills as a springboard to help create one of America’s WWII war winning capabilities. Young Radioman Harry Kidder took an … Read more >>

JOTA – Jamboree on the Air

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Cat, KM4PBD, supervises morse code practice

On October 19,  OVH supported the JOTA event at Camp Snyder in Haymarket.   Modes included: DStar, 2 meter FM,  FT8,   HF SSB and  QRP SSB on a loop.   Scouts contacted Germany, France, Portugal and Belgium as well as many stations in the U.S.   We also had an oscilloscope on display and morse code keys with sound for the scouts. Duane, KK4BZ,  was on horseback in the battle field and worked many of our scouts on 2 meters.   We do not get a lot of horseback mobiles ! Scout Leader  Rob, W4FSK,  is a member of our club and was our sponsor at Camp Snyder.   We got a scout lunch of hot dogs and baked beans.   Participants included  Rob, W4FSK;  Al,  KB4BHB; Don, WA2SWX;  Duane,  KK4BZ;  Theresa , KG4TVM;  Cat , … Read more >>

Informal Club Shoot

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OVH shooters

On October 14, 2019,  a number of club members went target shooting together at the Fairfax Rod and Gun Club.  Since this club is only open to members and guests,  two OVH members who are also gun club members sponsored the rest of us as guests.  Thanks very much George, K4GVT and Phil, AC4PL.   The event was thought up and organized by Cat, KM4PBD. The gun club has several ranges.  We were at one that had a 220 yard rifle range as well as a pistol range and a .22 range.    The 220 range had reactive steel plate targets that fell over as we shot them.   The pistol range also had reactive steel circles that could be reset at the pull of a rope. George, K4GVT, brought his tracking … Read more >>

VP’s Corner

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Cooler temperatures of fall will soon be here and, along with them, the beginning of the holiday season. I’m sure your family, like mine, has some holiday traditions which have been passed down over the years. We carry them on, not necessarily for practical reasons, but as a means of bonding and connecting with past generations. Learning to communicate using Morse code or CW is one such tradition in the amateur radio community. I’m happy to see several of our new hams accepting the challenge. Here are some interesting Morse factoids to encourage you in your studies. Q. Why do hams call it CW? A. CW stands for Continuous Wave, meaning a sine wave produced by an electronic oscillator. The first radio signals from spark transmitters were damped waves occupying … Read more >>

Prince William Half Marathon a big success

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handicapped runner

On September 29, The Ole Virginia Hams provided communications support for the 4th annual half marathon which also included a 10 mile and 5K race. Over 1500 runners participated, which gave the community a very visible example of our community service. During the race, we kept track of the male and female race leaders and also kept track of the Tail End Charlies. There were instances of a runner exhausted or down, and we responded and called for transport or medical help, which did arrive. Wayne, N7QLK , was the chair for the fourth time and did an excellent job. We had 22 club members participate. This is over 25 percent of our total club members, some of whom do not live in the area. The members participating and their … Read more >>

Lightning strikes Jay Moore’s house

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burned and exploded network stuff

As a ham, we know lightning is our enemy. These big powerful bursts of static electricity can carry a lot of voltage, almost as much current, and is the absolute enemy for our antennas, our electrical supply, and the equipment connected to both. In most cases, many of us will never see a direct lightning strike; and I’m glad to say I’m still technically part of that club. But on the evening of September 2nd; I found out just how destructive an indirect lightning strike can be. Thunder had been booming for quite a while and it was getting further and further away when it happened; a super bright flash, a loud boom, and a house that shook like an earthquake (actually, it shook more than the earthquake.) The power … Read more >>

VP’s Corner

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As we begin National Preparedness Month, Hurricane Dorian devastates much of the Bahamas and begins its sweep up the east coast of the U.S. Fortunately, it looks like northern Virginia will escape most of its wrath. We may not be as lucky next time. Now is a good time to check your emergency supplies. Do you have enough food and water for you and your family to last several days? You can find information about recommended emergency kit contents at https://www.ready.gov In addition to the damage caused by their high winds and wind driven water, hurricanes often spawn tornadoes and systems of violent thunderstorms extending many miles inland from the eye. The resulting power outages can last for days. Do you have backup power for your radios and essential items? … Read more >>