Club News

President’s Letter for October 2024

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Hello All, I’d like to start with “reflected glory”. Once again, our Vice President, Gil, KM4OZH, has brought home the glory of Second Place Nationally in September’s UHF/VHF contest. Gil competes in the “Limited Rover” category, and achieved his highest raw score ever – 14,960. Gil has been licensed a relatively short time, compared to some of our more “seasoned” members, and he took to serious contesting early in his ham career. His tenacity and resilience and yes, his creativity (have you even seen his car?) have served him well in his contesting, which shines a positive light on the OVH, as well. Way to go, Gil! Be sure to read John’s, KG4NXT’s more detailed article on Gil’s most resent accomplishment on our website, immediately below this one. Next up, … Read more >>

Our Gil, KM4OZH, is in second place in the nation!

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Gil, KM4OZH, always competes seriously in the ARRL VHF/UHF contests. This September, he achieved a personal best and placed 2nd in raw scores in the Limited Rover category. In this category, he had to be mobile and was limited to the 6M, 2M, 220 MHz and 440 MHz bands. On the road he mostly operated FT8 and mostly FM on his return to Manassas. At one point, Gil was about to quit. He was in a new grid and needed to change his grid in the WSJT-X program for FT8. He kept typing in the new grid number, but nothing changed. He put out a call for help on the Warrenton repeater and got no help. He then got in touch with Ron, K3FR, and Ron was able to reach … Read more >>

POW Radios

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  POW Radios Jeff Fuller WB6UIE     Our nation honors the sacrifices of our Prisoners of War and Missing Action (POW/MIA) each year on the third Friday in September. The courage of our service members in surviving harsh living conditions, brutal interrogations, and starvation rations is legendary. This story will cover a lesser known and fascinating portion of their bravery and ingenuity – radios secretly built and operated by American and Allied prisoners right under the noses of their captors. POW radios got their start as WWII Axis compounds began to fill with downed Allied aviators, hungry for news about the war’s progress. Some had military radio training. Others had been hams before the war. For a moment, imagine yourself as one of those prisoners. You’re injured, on short … Read more >>

Hams help Serve Our Willing Warriors (SOWW) 2024

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By John Heartney, as told to “The Other Ken”, KN4DD Willing Warriors is a privately-funded 501 (c)(3) charitable organization offering cost-free getaways from the hospital environment where Warriors and their families can come to relax, spend quality time together, and reconnect.  Their programs include more than 40+ cost-free educational and recreational activities, including seminars that address the issues of dealing with PTS and TBI. The big SOWW fund raiser is their Annual Warrior Bike Ride. This event is based out of The Farm Brewery at Broad Run, where the event both begins & ends. Local hams (called spotters) provide communication across the race courses spanning Loudoun, Fairfax and Prince William counties. Last Saturday, September 7th, was a beautiful day for a bike ride with a daily high of only 74° … Read more >>

President’s Letter for September 2024

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Hello All, As Hurricane Francine prepares to make landfall in Louisiana, if you will allow me, Hurricane Season (which ends December 1st) has been mild for the US this year. After predictions of a heavy 2024 hurricane season, this is only the second named storm hitting the mainland so far. And as always, I hope for a mild winter. A reminder that September is National Preparedness Month. So, while the weather is warm and mostly dry, now would be a good time to inspect any tree-supported antennas or get a new one up. Left on our 2024 To-Do List, we have the Manassas Christmas parade on December 7th at 10 AM and our annual OVH Christmas Party. Preparations have begun. Back on September 7th the Ole Virginia Hams supported the … Read more >>

Balloon Launch at Field Day

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W4OVH Amateur Balloon Payload Experiment – Field Day, 2024 Our W4OVH team of radio experiment enthusiasts launched an amateur radio high altitude balloon (HAB) payload on Field Day, June 22. Our first ever launch attempt zoomed into the blue sky trailing a lengthy HF antenna. To the amazement of the small group of spectators, the balloon and payload headed toward an uncertain fate. How did we get here?   Background The earliest known hydrogen gas balloon launch, according to Wikipedia, took place near Paris in 1783. One of the spectators in attendance was Benjamin Franklin. The balloon, fashioned in rubberized silk, was about 13 feet in diameter. The hydrogen was generated by pouring sulfuric acid over iron, then delivered into the balloon via lead pipes. You can read the details … Read more >>

President’s Letter for August 2024

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Greetings All, With September only a few weeks away, I am reminded that while Hurricane Season officially started back on June 1st , here in the Mid-Atlantic region it unofficially begins for us in September. Now would be a good time to check your emergency communications equipment, supplies, including batteries. It would also be a good time to verify the integrity of both your antenna(s) and the guy wires. Over the years, the Ole Virginia Hams have had several members completely fry their equipment due to lightning strikes. So, I think it would also be good to review your safe grounding & isolation setups. While depriving you of a good story, it’ll save you a lot of money and (setup) aggravation later on. Monthly Breakfast You don’t have to wait … Read more >>

13 Colonies Certificates begin to arrive

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The 13 Colonies Event runs in early July and consists of contacting special event stations in each of the original 13 colonies. Contacting all 13 constitutes a “SWEEP”. There are three bonus stations: England, France and Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. Many OVH members participated. Click the small image to get a much bigger view of the certificate.