WEBVTT 00:00:01.679 --> 00:00:04.639 This episode of HamTalk Live is brought to you 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:08.039 by Tower Electronics. For connectors, cables, 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:14.960 and more, call 920 -435 -2973 or visit PL -259 00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:19.640 .com. And by ICOM, heard it, worked it, logged 00:00:19.640 --> 00:00:24.859 it. Visit www .icomamerica .com slash amateur 00:00:24.859 --> 00:01:02.159 for more information about ICOM radios. Hey everyone, 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:05.760 it's time for another episode of HamTalk Live. 00:01:05.939 --> 00:01:09.719 It's number 302, the Huntsville HamFest Preview 00:01:09.719 --> 00:01:15.719 2022, recorded on Thursday, July 21st, 2022. 00:01:16.340 --> 00:01:19.680 I'm your host, Neil Rapp, WB9VPG. Thanks for 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:24.299 tuning into this episode of HamTalk Live. Tonight, 00:01:24.459 --> 00:01:30.829 we're joined by Mark Brown in for BCD. And last 00:01:30.829 --> 00:01:33.510 time here on the show, the Youth DX Adventure 00:01:33.510 --> 00:01:36.989 Crew was here live from Carousel. So if you missed 00:01:36.989 --> 00:01:40.629 that, you can listen to that anytime at HamTalkLive 00:01:40.629 --> 00:01:44.400 .com. or you can play it on your favorite podcast 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:48.659 app or you can also play it through youtube and 00:01:48.659 --> 00:01:52.680 uh... don't forget we are rebroadcast over on 00:01:52.680 --> 00:01:58.620 shortwave on w t w w that's five zero eight five 00:01:58.620 --> 00:02:02.180 on your am dial Saturday afternoons at about 00:02:02.180 --> 00:02:05.640 3 .30 p .m. Eastern Time. So tonight we'll be 00:02:05.640 --> 00:02:08.800 talking about the Huntsville HamFest and Mark 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:12.060 Brown in 4BCD, the chairman of that HamFest, 00:02:12.199 --> 00:02:14.900 is here with us and we'll talk with him right 00:02:14.900 --> 00:02:18.319 after this word from Tower Electronics right 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:23.879 here on HamTalk Live. Thanks for choosing Tower 00:02:23.879 --> 00:02:27.419 Electronics. How may we help you today? We have 00:02:27.419 --> 00:02:31.909 PL 259s. We have in connectors. We have SMA adapters. 00:02:32.389 --> 00:02:35.229 We have BNC adapters. What can I show you today? 00:02:35.469 --> 00:02:38.650 Where's the tower? Well, we don't actually have 00:02:38.650 --> 00:02:41.770 a tower with us. But we have all kinds of things 00:02:41.770 --> 00:02:44.750 you can use with a tower. We have power poles, 00:02:45.150 --> 00:02:47.729 antennas, soldering irons and meters. Where's 00:02:47.729 --> 00:02:50.969 the tower? Ma 'am, that's the name of our company. 00:02:51.389 --> 00:02:54.110 We can't haul towers to all the ham -fests across 00:02:54.110 --> 00:02:56.530 the country that we visit, but we have almost 00:02:56.530 --> 00:02:59.129 every connector and adapter you would need to 00:02:59.129 --> 00:03:01.169 connect your antenna that's on your tower. I 00:03:01.169 --> 00:03:03.629 don't think there's a tower back there. I really 00:03:03.629 --> 00:03:07.030 don't. Tower Electronics. Visit us at a ham -fest 00:03:07.030 --> 00:03:12.629 near you or call 920 -435 -2973 or see our whole 00:03:12.629 --> 00:03:16.669 catalog at pl -259 .com. Sorry, one thing we 00:03:16.669 --> 00:03:20.530 don't have is a tower. On the Tower Electronics 00:03:20.530 --> 00:03:23.710 HamFest schedule, they'll be in Winchester, Indiana 00:03:23.710 --> 00:03:27.370 on July 30th, August 6th, they'll be in Elkhart, 00:03:27.650 --> 00:03:30.310 Indiana, August 13th, they'll be in Huntington, 00:03:30.490 --> 00:03:32.629 West Virginia, and then of course they'll be 00:03:32.629 --> 00:03:34.590 at the Huntsville HamFest we're talking about 00:03:34.590 --> 00:03:37.650 tonight August 20th and 21st, and then in Shelby, 00:03:37.909 --> 00:03:40.270 North Carolina, but you can visit them anytime 00:03:40.270 --> 00:03:46.300 at PL -259 .com. This portion of the show sponsored 00:03:46.300 --> 00:03:49.520 by our mystery sponsor, a product so good they 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:52.699 are paying us not to advertise it on this program. 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:55.740 You're listening to Ham Talk Live with Neil Rapp. 00:04:10.569 --> 00:04:17.870 Welcome back to Ham Talk Live. Mark Brown, N4BCD, 00:04:17.870 --> 00:04:20.509 joins us tonight on the Orlando Amateur Radio 00:04:20.509 --> 00:04:25.189 Club and Hamcation Zoom line. Mark is the chairman 00:04:25.189 --> 00:04:27.410 of the Huntsville Ham Fest, and I've lost track, 00:04:27.569 --> 00:04:29.509 Mark. How many years has it been now that you've 00:04:29.509 --> 00:04:33.889 been chairman? That's a good question, Neil. 00:04:34.089 --> 00:04:37.930 I think it's four or five. I inherited the job 00:04:37.930 --> 00:04:40.610 from Charlie Emerson. Everybody remembers Charlie. 00:04:41.350 --> 00:04:43.790 I'm doing his job, but I will never fill his 00:04:43.790 --> 00:04:49.649 shoes. Yeah, Charlie was a tough one to fill. 00:04:51.069 --> 00:04:54.110 So he did an excellent job. You've been doing 00:04:54.110 --> 00:04:59.379 a fabulous job as well. Each in their own way 00:04:59.379 --> 00:05:03.600 so welcome mark back to ham talk live and then 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:08.220 that means it's it's time again for The Huntsville 00:05:08.220 --> 00:05:13.540 ham fest in Huntsville, Alabama As I always like 00:05:13.540 --> 00:05:16.579 to say that the easiest ham fest in the world 00:05:16.579 --> 00:05:20.060 to go to it's all air -conditioned it's all in 00:05:20.060 --> 00:05:23.139 indoors the the hotel connects and there's couple 00:05:23.139 --> 00:05:28.129 right across the street and Just always an enjoyable 00:05:28.129 --> 00:05:32.670 time to go to Huntsville. So let's talk about 00:05:32.670 --> 00:05:36.170 this expanded area you've got at the Vaughn Braun 00:05:36.170 --> 00:05:38.629 Center. That was something you added last year. 00:05:38.850 --> 00:05:42.509 So let's talk a little bit about this new expanded 00:05:42.509 --> 00:05:47.930 area that you're using for ZAMFest. Yeah, Neil. 00:05:48.629 --> 00:05:54.170 In 2019, you know, and all the years prior, The 00:05:54.170 --> 00:05:56.529 Huntsville Handfest was in the Long Braun Center 00:05:56.529 --> 00:06:00.310 South Hall, part of the South Hall. That was 00:06:00.310 --> 00:06:03.910 80 ,000 square feet of the South Hall. And then, 00:06:03.910 --> 00:06:07.449 of course, in 2020, we had no show. And then 00:06:07.449 --> 00:06:11.430 2021, when we got back, the first big handfest 00:06:11.430 --> 00:06:14.790 that came back after COVID, not without its challenges, 00:06:14.910 --> 00:06:19.110 but we expanded with the Long Braun Center, working 00:06:19.110 --> 00:06:22.370 with them. We expanded to take up the entire 00:06:22.370 --> 00:06:26.920 South Hall. which was 140 ,000 square feet. So 00:06:26.920 --> 00:06:31.519 we've gone from 80 ,000 to 140 ,000 square feet. 00:06:31.899 --> 00:06:35.279 It's not double, but it's close. And that was 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:39.120 so well received in 2019. The wider aisles in 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:41.779 the flea market area, the wider aisles in the 00:06:41.779 --> 00:06:45.379 commercial area, expanded youth lounge, a bigger 00:06:45.379 --> 00:06:48.379 hospitality area, places for folks to sit and 00:06:48.379 --> 00:06:51.779 gather and congregate. It was just, it worked 00:06:51.779 --> 00:06:55.060 for everybody. Um, we decided to keep it this 00:06:55.060 --> 00:06:57.920 year. Um, it's just, it's, it's a good thing 00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:00.100 to do and we hope to just keep doing that. So 00:07:00.100 --> 00:07:02.860 we're, we're excited about the new expanded layout. 00:07:04.199 --> 00:07:07.579 Yeah. You, you, you had some pretty nice aisles 00:07:07.579 --> 00:07:10.199 there to start with, but yeah, if you can, you 00:07:10.199 --> 00:07:13.620 can do that and why you don't get the traffic 00:07:13.620 --> 00:07:16.699 congestion there, uh, trying to get through the 00:07:16.699 --> 00:07:20.660 flea market. And that's going to be really cool 00:07:20.660 --> 00:07:23.819 to see. We had actual gridlock on some of the 00:07:23.819 --> 00:07:27.279 three market areas at the peak time of Saturday, 00:07:27.379 --> 00:07:32.000 noontime or so. Yeah, yeah, definitely, definitely. 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:40.000 So... Yeah, that'll be really cool. And you mentioned... 00:07:40.139 --> 00:07:42.639 the Youth Lounge. You've got several special 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:45.079 activities going on, but let's talk a little 00:07:45.079 --> 00:07:49.600 bit about the Youth Lounge and testing and some 00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:51.720 of those things. We'll hold off on the forums 00:07:51.720 --> 00:07:55.839 until after the break, but let's talk about some 00:07:55.839 --> 00:07:59.680 of these special activities. Right, this Youth 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:02.279 Lounge. Dr. Monty Bateman is one of our forum 00:08:02.279 --> 00:08:05.540 presenters, and he's a NASA lightning physicist. 00:08:05.870 --> 00:08:08.149 He and his wife have been doing the youth lounge 00:08:08.149 --> 00:08:11.709 now for 12 or maybe 13 years and each year it 00:08:11.709 --> 00:08:15.209 gets bigger and better There's all kinds of activities 00:08:15.209 --> 00:08:19.629 for kids of all ages It's just a wonderful thing 00:08:19.629 --> 00:08:24.529 from soldering to Morse code practice and and 00:08:24.529 --> 00:08:26.350 you know those kind of things it's geared to 00:08:26.350 --> 00:08:29.930 the youngster and We just keep expanding that 00:08:29.930 --> 00:08:32.529 area because I think by what are you estimate 00:08:32.529 --> 00:08:36.500 last year? we had somewhere north of 120 kids 00:08:36.500 --> 00:08:40.039 come through that youth lounge, which we consider 00:08:40.039 --> 00:08:42.759 a very good number. Just outside of the youth 00:08:42.759 --> 00:08:46.899 lounge and with Flex Radio's sponsorship, Remote 00:08:46.899 --> 00:08:50.419 Cam Radio, where a couple of college kids actually 00:08:50.419 --> 00:08:54.480 manned these stations, but their Flex front ends 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:59.220 and computer interfaces out to literally single 00:08:59.220 --> 00:09:03.299 off contest grade stations with stack yagis. 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:09.059 amplifiers and just all kinds of bling that's 00:09:09.059 --> 00:09:12.159 not there but controllable from the Hanfest. 00:09:12.519 --> 00:09:15.820 So if folks get a hankering to play in the NAQP 00:09:15.820 --> 00:09:18.700 QSO party, they can sit down for a few minutes, 00:09:18.980 --> 00:09:21.440 rest their feet and make a couple of contacts. 00:09:22.460 --> 00:09:24.419 So a lot going on there at the Youth Lounge and 00:09:24.419 --> 00:09:27.139 I understand we're working with you too to bring 00:09:27.139 --> 00:09:31.000 in a Yoda table somewhere in or around the Youth 00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:34.350 Lounge this year because You know, Yoda has gotten 00:09:34.350 --> 00:09:37.590 very popular. And we're working on the layout 00:09:37.590 --> 00:09:42.070 to accommodate you in that area. Yeah, we appreciate 00:09:42.070 --> 00:09:46.850 that. And we'll be handing out some swag and 00:09:46.850 --> 00:09:50.990 that kind of thing at the youth lounge area. 00:09:51.190 --> 00:09:57.070 So make sure to stop by there. And then I'm assuming 00:09:57.070 --> 00:10:01.950 the usual license testing and those kinds of 00:10:01.950 --> 00:10:06.070 things going on. You also have... I'll go ahead 00:10:06.070 --> 00:10:09.250 and talk about that. Yeah, you mentioned that 00:10:09.250 --> 00:10:13.710 exam. One of the things we did in this expanded 00:10:13.710 --> 00:10:17.470 layout was remove the exam area from outside 00:10:17.470 --> 00:10:20.710 of that pre -function hallway a little further 00:10:20.710 --> 00:10:24.230 down the hallway and around the corner. Acoustically, 00:10:24.529 --> 00:10:27.549 it's much, much quieter. And it's a much better 00:10:27.549 --> 00:10:31.950 location for folks to take their exams. There's 00:10:31.950 --> 00:10:36.309 no cross traffic outside the curtained area where 00:10:36.309 --> 00:10:39.570 anybody is taking a test and trying to concentrate. 00:10:40.070 --> 00:10:45.649 So move that around the corner. The fee and the 00:10:45.649 --> 00:10:47.350 documentation you need to bring, it's on the 00:10:47.350 --> 00:10:50.269 HamFest website. I don't have it on the top of 00:10:50.269 --> 00:10:52.210 my head, so I don't want to tell anybody wrong. 00:10:53.340 --> 00:10:57.220 Yeah, the FCC has made some new requirements 00:10:57.220 --> 00:10:59.740 about having a valid email address and whatnot. 00:11:00.279 --> 00:11:02.539 So check the website. If you're interested in 00:11:02.539 --> 00:11:05.179 coming and taking your exam, we'll fix you up 00:11:05.179 --> 00:11:08.379 on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Yep, and that 00:11:08.379 --> 00:11:12.299 is hamfest .org. And I'm actually pulling it 00:11:12.299 --> 00:11:15.919 up right now. But yes, there are some changes. 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:20.639 It looks like the schedule is 10 o 'clock on 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:24.070 Saturday and Sunday. And there are some changes 00:11:24.070 --> 00:11:27.470 with the fee structure and all that. So it's 00:11:27.470 --> 00:11:31.110 all listed here. Um, so check that out at hamfest 00:11:31.110 --> 00:11:36.370 .org and, uh, you can, you can see, uh, you see 00:11:36.370 --> 00:11:39.929 a picture there of, uh, of the testing going 00:11:39.929 --> 00:11:43.929 on from, uh, previous years and, uh, all the 00:11:43.929 --> 00:11:46.509 things that are allowed and not allowed and, 00:11:46.529 --> 00:11:49.710 and the testing fee and all that kind of thing. 00:11:49.750 --> 00:11:54.679 So check that out. Let's see, you've also got 00:11:54.679 --> 00:11:59.720 a big event that our friend Ward Silver in Zero 00:11:59.720 --> 00:12:03.200 AX was going to be speaking at, and that's the 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:06.299 DX Banquet, so talk a little bit about that. 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:12.059 Yeah, in addition to a forum presentation, Ward 00:12:12.059 --> 00:12:16.059 is the featured speaker at the North Alabama 00:12:16.059 --> 00:12:19.740 DX Club Banquet this year. And they've moved 00:12:19.740 --> 00:12:24.379 that from the local hotel to a facility, a lodge 00:12:24.379 --> 00:12:27.679 that's sort of near Huntsville Hospital. It's 00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:30.299 literally within walking distance of the downtown 00:12:30.299 --> 00:12:34.700 hotels. You can drive it, but it's that close. 00:12:34.759 --> 00:12:38.539 It's not 20 or 30 minutes out of town. But yeah, 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:41.100 the banquet's looking like a real good thing 00:12:41.100 --> 00:12:44.360 this year. They've upped their game with better 00:12:44.360 --> 00:12:48.080 food concession or vendor. I can't remember the 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:49.820 name. I think it's Budda's catering that they're 00:12:49.820 --> 00:12:54.139 using, but food should be good. And that DX banquet, 00:12:54.220 --> 00:12:56.620 oh, it's cheaper than years past. I think they 00:12:56.620 --> 00:13:01.320 went from 38 down to $36. So I'm looking forward 00:13:01.320 --> 00:13:04.759 to, I'm going to try my best to make it on Saturday 00:13:04.759 --> 00:13:08.899 night for the banquet. Yeah, it's always hard 00:13:08.899 --> 00:13:12.870 in your role. To get away because it seems like 00:13:12.870 --> 00:13:15.450 every time you turn around there's something 00:13:15.450 --> 00:13:19.289 to do I understand that try to get their thing 00:13:19.289 --> 00:13:23.529 because Yeah, you can't you can't always get 00:13:23.529 --> 00:13:26.409 to everything unfortunately, but Ward will be 00:13:26.409 --> 00:13:30.470 a great speaker for the DX banquet. So that's 00:13:30.470 --> 00:13:33.429 something else to look forward to Let's talk 00:13:33.429 --> 00:13:38.529 a little bit about travel here You know airport 00:13:39.480 --> 00:13:44.440 Any construction going on and the hotel listings 00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:48.899 and things like that? Well the hotel listings 00:13:48.899 --> 00:13:51.480 on the website we've just listed a few cherry 00:13:51.480 --> 00:13:54.059 -picked up, but there's there's a numerous collection 00:13:54.059 --> 00:13:59.620 of thought Let's see Hilton properties Marriott 00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:04.159 properties I think the clarion days in kind of 00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:07.460 things There's there's a tremendous number of 00:14:07.460 --> 00:14:09.980 hotels And Huntsville is not a big town. It's 00:14:09.980 --> 00:14:12.000 easy to get around in, especially on the weekend. 00:14:12.940 --> 00:14:18.340 So I would suggest that nobody put themselves 00:14:18.340 --> 00:14:21.840 off by thinking that getting a hotel out of town 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:26.659 is a long commute. We've all been to Dayton, 00:14:27.720 --> 00:14:30.620 and the hotels mostly are 20, 30 minutes away. 00:14:32.139 --> 00:14:35.279 We have a lot of places closer than that. I want 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:39.750 to circle back a minute to the exams and the 00:14:39.750 --> 00:14:43.730 forums. We touched on Ward doing the forum. We 00:14:43.730 --> 00:14:48.110 have a first rate collection of forums in the 00:14:48.110 --> 00:14:51.769 BBC and the attached embassy during the Hamfest. 00:14:52.350 --> 00:14:55.210 And I want to point out that those are outside 00:14:55.210 --> 00:14:58.350 the ticketed area. So if you're thinking about 00:14:58.350 --> 00:15:01.009 coming to take your exam, you don't have to buy 00:15:01.009 --> 00:15:04.870 a Hamfest ticket. We hope you do. But you can 00:15:04.870 --> 00:15:07.899 take the exam. If you pass, You'll know immediately, 00:15:08.419 --> 00:15:11.659 and then you can choose to come in to the event 00:15:11.659 --> 00:15:19.600 and learn some more. I wanted to point out that 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:23.639 the forums and the exam area are outside of the 00:15:23.639 --> 00:15:29.379 ticketed area here. All right. Any major construction 00:15:29.379 --> 00:15:33.179 going on that's going to get in the way or things 00:15:33.179 --> 00:15:38.710 flowing smoothly? This year, it's not too bad. 00:15:38.990 --> 00:15:41.509 Last year, they were constructing some condos 00:15:41.509 --> 00:15:43.610 on the backside of the Vaughan Braun Center. 00:15:44.230 --> 00:15:48.509 The street was open, but it was a bit congested. 00:15:48.909 --> 00:15:52.269 We don't see any problems this year. There's 00:15:52.269 --> 00:15:54.990 a New Hampton Inn on the corner of the North 00:15:54.990 --> 00:15:59.230 Hall of the VBC. It's fully open. The AC Marriott 00:15:59.230 --> 00:16:02.509 Hotel outside of the embassy across the street 00:16:02.509 --> 00:16:06.220 from back, it's open. They haven't broken ground 00:16:06.220 --> 00:16:08.519 on the next hotel, which is going to be what 00:16:08.519 --> 00:16:12.179 we call the old Coca -Cola bottling plant. That 00:16:12.179 --> 00:16:15.120 will probably start sometime in the winter of 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:18.419 2022 here. But no, no construction to really 00:16:18.419 --> 00:16:22.120 get in the way. So, you know, we're looking forward 00:16:22.120 --> 00:16:24.600 and we're working too with the Convention and 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:26.879 Visitors Bureau to streamline things. Of course, 00:16:26.899 --> 00:16:31.620 we have talk in on the 146 .94 repeater. There's 00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:35.950 a D star link node. And so folks needing directions 00:16:35.950 --> 00:16:38.990 can just get on their radio and call out for 00:16:38.990 --> 00:16:42.690 help, and we're there for them. All right. Well, 00:16:42.830 --> 00:16:46.950 sounds like great planning as always down at 00:16:46.950 --> 00:16:49.850 Huntsville, the world's friendliest hamfest. 00:16:50.370 --> 00:16:53.909 So be sure to check that out at hamfest .org. 00:16:53.990 --> 00:16:55.730 And we're going to take a break right now, but 00:16:55.730 --> 00:16:57.690 when we come back with Mark, we'll talk about 00:16:57.690 --> 00:17:01.129 the forums and a few other things right after 00:17:01.129 --> 00:17:05.390 this word. from iCom America right here on HamTalk 00:17:05.390 --> 00:17:09.289 Live. Keep your competitive contesting edge with 00:17:09.289 --> 00:17:12.089 iCom. Our high -powered base stations cut through 00:17:12.089 --> 00:17:14.410 pileups letting you work the bands and record 00:17:14.410 --> 00:17:16.890 those contacts. Contest from the comfort of your 00:17:16.890 --> 00:17:20.630 own home or remotely with the RSBA1 app. Heard 00:17:20.630 --> 00:17:25.650 it, worked it, logged it. 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Faster processors, higher input gain, 00:18:25.019 --> 00:18:27.299 higher display resolution, and a cleaner signal. 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:30.339 With a 4 .3 inch color touchscreen, real -time 00:18:30.339 --> 00:18:32.960 spectroscope and waterfall display, dual watch 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:36.220 operation, full duplex in satellite mode, and 00:18:36.220 --> 00:18:39.279 smooth satellite operation with 99 satellite 00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:43.450 channels. The IC7300 is a high -performance innovative 00:18:43.450 --> 00:18:46.549 HF transceiver with a compact design that will 00:18:46.549 --> 00:18:49.430 far exceed your expectations. The innovative 00:18:49.430 --> 00:18:53.069 transceiver digitizes RF before various receiver 00:18:53.069 --> 00:18:55.589 stages, reducing inherent noise in different 00:18:55.589 --> 00:18:59.849 IF stages. The IC7300 changed the way entry -level 00:18:59.849 --> 00:19:03.890 HF is designed. It has 15 discrete bandpass filters, 00:19:03.970 --> 00:19:06.710 the large color touchscreen, spectrum scope, 00:19:06.890 --> 00:19:10.450 SD car slot, and RF direct sampling. Real HF 00:19:10.450 --> 00:19:14.630 fun starts here. Visit icomamerica .com slash 00:19:14.630 --> 00:19:18.230 amateur for more information on ICOM radios. 00:19:19.490 --> 00:19:22.349 You're listening to Ham Talk Live, the number 00:19:22.349 --> 00:19:25.329 one podcast amongst the podcasts with the words 00:19:25.329 --> 00:19:28.710 ham, talk, and live in the title. Here's your 00:19:28.710 --> 00:19:55.549 host, Neil Rapp. and welcome back to ham talk 00:19:55.549 --> 00:19:59.210 live be sure to check us out on Facebook Twitter 00:19:59.210 --> 00:20:03.809 and Instagram we send out some noteworthy things 00:20:03.809 --> 00:20:08.890 there and like this episode We gave a chance 00:20:08.890 --> 00:20:13.250 for people to Chime in with some comments and 00:20:13.250 --> 00:20:17.430 questions Before the show and we did have one 00:20:17.430 --> 00:20:21.910 tweet from the Orlando hamcation crew Wishing 00:20:21.910 --> 00:20:25.170 mark and then the gang a successful show down 00:20:25.170 --> 00:20:28.990 in Huntsville. So we know that they're listening 00:20:28.990 --> 00:20:33.259 and thanks for the note here. So we'll get back 00:20:33.259 --> 00:20:36.140 to Mark here in just a minute, but right now 00:20:36.140 --> 00:20:39.259 it's time for the Joke of the Week. Now it's 00:20:39.259 --> 00:20:42.740 time for the HamTalk Live Ham Radio Joke of the 00:20:42.740 --> 00:20:45.140 Week, the part of the show where Rick tells us 00:20:45.140 --> 00:20:48.359 a ham radio joke. The HamTalk Live Ham Radio 00:20:48.359 --> 00:20:51.680 Joke of the Week is brought to you by QRM Labs. 00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:55.900 Now here's Rick Garrett in 9GSU with today's 00:20:55.900 --> 00:21:03.730 HamTalk Live Joke of the Week. I went to the 00:21:03.730 --> 00:21:06.930 wedding of two Ringo Rangers yesterday. The ceremony 00:21:06.930 --> 00:21:09.990 was kind of boring, but the reception was excellent. 00:21:11.750 --> 00:21:14.849 This has been the HamTalk Live Ham Radio Joke 00:21:14.849 --> 00:21:18.589 of the Week with Rick Garrett in 9GSU. Tune in 00:21:18.589 --> 00:21:24.920 again next week for another joke from Rick. Now 00:21:24.920 --> 00:21:28.140 and we're back with Mark Brown in for BCD here 00:21:28.140 --> 00:21:31.240 on ham talk live mark is the chairman of the 00:21:31.240 --> 00:21:34.039 Huntsville ham fest in Huntsville, Alabama and 00:21:34.039 --> 00:21:37.519 that's coming up here in just a little under 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:42.420 a month and Mark's as always been working year 00:21:42.420 --> 00:21:48.539 -round to make this a successful event and We're 00:21:48.539 --> 00:21:53.259 down under under 30 days here. So Tell us a little 00:21:53.259 --> 00:21:56.740 bit about your forums because I know you have 00:21:56.740 --> 00:22:01.180 Quite the the list of forums and some some great 00:22:01.180 --> 00:22:04.599 topics available. So Point out some of the high 00:22:04.599 --> 00:22:08.180 points here of the forum schedule for this year 00:22:08.180 --> 00:22:11.440 Okay, well Neil I'll start out with the week 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:14.269 that they've been so helpful to us throughout 00:22:14.269 --> 00:22:21.890 the years in moral and material support. The 00:22:21.890 --> 00:22:24.730 league is bringing David Minster, NAQAA, the 00:22:24.730 --> 00:22:29.309 CEO, President Rick Roderick, K5UR, Education 00:22:29.309 --> 00:22:33.049 and Learning Manager Steve Goodgame, PR Director 00:22:33.049 --> 00:22:36.390 Bob Intervitsen, you know these guys, and maybe 00:22:36.390 --> 00:22:39.839 Kathleen Reid to sell books, I'm not sure. But 00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:43.680 they'll be doing, I think, a three -hour block 00:22:43.680 --> 00:22:48.920 of different forums on the national, state, and 00:22:48.920 --> 00:22:53.019 local, well, national, division, and state level 00:22:53.019 --> 00:22:57.140 between the various presenters. We'll get Mickey 00:22:57.140 --> 00:23:00.380 Baker, the Southeastern Division Director, David 00:23:00.380 --> 00:23:03.259 Norris, the Delta Division Director, maybe a 00:23:03.259 --> 00:23:05.619 few others. We don't know. But those are the 00:23:05.619 --> 00:23:08.740 ones I know of for sure. So, good line -up of 00:23:08.740 --> 00:23:14.339 ARRL membership forums. That's a good long track. 00:23:15.059 --> 00:23:18.259 Of course, there's Mars forums, that's probably 00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:22.779 two hours. The microwave guys, I got a five paragraph 00:23:22.779 --> 00:23:25.519 description of what the microwave guys are up 00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:28.799 to this year. Something called an X factor, X 00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:32.059 being 10 for gigahertz. And in conjunction with 00:23:32.059 --> 00:23:35.019 a weekend contest, they're going to have a morning 00:23:35.019 --> 00:23:37.480 forum. And then they're going to go out and make 00:23:37.480 --> 00:23:40.900 microwave contacts throughout the area. Guy's 00:23:40.900 --> 00:23:43.839 going to pre -position themselves on some mountaintops, 00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:48.640 and they're going to do some UHF 1296 type stuff. 00:23:49.740 --> 00:23:53.059 So that's going to be interesting. Of course, 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:55.599 Dr. Bateman is going to pull himself away from 00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:57.880 the youth lounge and do a couple of forums on 00:23:57.880 --> 00:24:03.619 lightning and grounding. Bill Brown, no relation. 00:24:05.040 --> 00:24:09.000 WB8ELK, one of the acknowledged experts on these 00:24:09.000 --> 00:24:14.240 lighter, lightweight cheap party balloons. He 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:16.680 plans to have a forum and, weather permitting, 00:24:16.839 --> 00:24:21.400 he will launch a feature balloon outside of the 00:24:21.400 --> 00:24:24.960 Von Braun Center after his program. Of course, 00:24:25.059 --> 00:24:28.160 Warren Silver, grounding and bonding. Let's see, 00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:31.480 amateur radio in space, Frank Bauer from the 00:24:31.480 --> 00:24:37.950 Eris Group. Fox hunting, oh, we mailed a really 00:24:37.950 --> 00:24:43.670 good poda exhibit for Sunday. I saw this guy, 00:24:43.930 --> 00:24:47.369 he's been licensed about a year and a half and 00:24:47.369 --> 00:24:51.009 his program was so well done. It was literally 00:24:51.009 --> 00:24:54.289 a voyage of discovery. He taught himself and 00:24:54.289 --> 00:24:57.049 he not only taught himself but he gave a really 00:24:57.049 --> 00:25:01.450 concise program and got a lot of folks in the 00:25:01.450 --> 00:25:04.700 local club. motivated to try this Parts on the 00:25:04.700 --> 00:25:07.880 Air stuff. It's a very popular activity, and 00:25:07.880 --> 00:25:11.039 I'm very excited to see his program again on 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:13.779 Sunday. So lots of stuff, and everything from 00:25:13.779 --> 00:25:18.640 meteor scatter, test equipment. We've got a new 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:21.099 thing, the Museum of Information Explosion. This 00:25:21.099 --> 00:25:24.339 is where the local club has been holding their 00:25:24.339 --> 00:25:28.579 meetings. It's not open to the public yet, but 00:25:28.579 --> 00:25:32.900 Mark Ben -Dixon, M -A -R -C, Ben -Dixon, He's 00:25:32.900 --> 00:25:39.579 a former member of Dynetics. He's retired, but 00:25:39.579 --> 00:25:44.299 he has amassed literally a museum of museum quality, 00:25:44.680 --> 00:25:48.099 radios, switchboards, communications equipment, 00:25:48.700 --> 00:25:51.940 and the like. He'll be giving a program complete 00:25:51.940 --> 00:25:56.259 with photos of his forthcoming museum that's 00:25:56.259 --> 00:25:58.240 literally a stone's throw from the Vaughan Broad 00:25:58.240 --> 00:26:00.799 Center. And we hope to work with him very closely 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:06.680 in the future to feature his museum and encourage 00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:10.160 folks that if they have some free time to go 00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:17.420 visit this incredible museum. ARDC, the folks 00:26:17.420 --> 00:26:22.079 that are doing the ham radio grants that are 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:25.299 helping through the league and then other 501c3 00:26:25.299 --> 00:26:30.109 clubs, ARDC will be here. so folks can talk face 00:26:30.109 --> 00:26:33.670 -to -face with their representatives if they're 00:26:33.670 --> 00:26:36.609 interested in their clubs submitting a grant 00:26:36.609 --> 00:26:40.289 proposal to Amateur Radio Digital Communications, 00:26:40.430 --> 00:26:43.369 I think is what ARDC stands for. Really great 00:26:43.369 --> 00:26:47.630 group. They were here last year, but they'll 00:26:47.630 --> 00:26:51.710 be back. Of course, Glenn Bopeel, always a popular 00:26:51.710 --> 00:26:55.349 draw. He's got something all new, and he hasn't 00:26:55.349 --> 00:26:58.380 shared it before or yet. But I'm looking forward 00:26:58.380 --> 00:27:03.460 to what Glenn has to show and share with us regarding 00:27:03.460 --> 00:27:08.180 Arduino. So lots of really cool forums. And I 00:27:08.180 --> 00:27:09.539 would be honored to hold up the quality of our 00:27:09.539 --> 00:27:13.180 forums to the lineups that they have in Orlando 00:27:13.180 --> 00:27:16.480 and Dayton. And they're just really wonderful 00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:19.400 events. I regret not being able to go to all 00:27:19.400 --> 00:27:23.460 of them. Yeah, I'm the same way. I'm like, okay, 00:27:23.960 --> 00:27:26.500 I need to go to this one. I'll wait, but I need 00:27:26.500 --> 00:27:30.099 to go to this one. Uh, there's just so many good 00:27:30.099 --> 00:27:33.619 ones out there and, uh, you've got a great lineup 00:27:33.619 --> 00:27:37.119 of them. And, and, and if I don't mention Joe, 00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:40.680 I'm probably going to get nasty emails saying, 00:27:41.380 --> 00:27:44.619 but I'm going to be there. So Joe will be there 00:27:44.619 --> 00:27:47.160 case. You're already be with his. with his kit 00:27:47.160 --> 00:27:50.700 building expertise without his Dr. Seuss hat 00:27:50.700 --> 00:27:53.940 but he will be there and there's a kit build 00:27:53.940 --> 00:27:57.099 there and that's always a great time as well. 00:27:57.920 --> 00:28:01.819 Well and you remind me, Neil, that after Joe's 00:28:01.819 --> 00:28:07.339 kit building forum on Sunday morning our forum 00:28:07.339 --> 00:28:10.039 coordinator and his assistant will be hosting 00:28:10.039 --> 00:28:12.859 an adult solder class and this is a two hour 00:28:12.859 --> 00:28:16.640 block and so folks can go in It's some kind of 00:28:16.640 --> 00:28:20.059 little $7 through hole blinking light kit. But 00:28:20.059 --> 00:28:23.440 actually, you know, put some solder, build a 00:28:23.440 --> 00:28:27.140 kit, and make it work. So, you know, a lot of 00:28:27.140 --> 00:28:29.680 hams have never picked up a soldering iron. This 00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:32.160 is something we started last year. It was very 00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:34.519 popular, and we're going to repeat it again this 00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:38.640 year. Yeah, that's a great thing. And, you know, 00:28:38.779 --> 00:28:42.779 even with working with Yoda, I'm amazed. How 00:28:42.779 --> 00:28:44.799 many of the kids haven't picked up a soldering 00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:48.059 iron before? And so that's their first opportunity 00:28:48.059 --> 00:28:51.680 to solder. I know some of my students had their 00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:54.500 first opportunity to solder at Huntsville in 00:28:54.500 --> 00:28:57.900 the youth lounge. So that's a great thing that 00:28:57.900 --> 00:29:03.000 we're doing it for adults too. Yes, and I'm hopeful 00:29:03.000 --> 00:29:05.400 that one of these years we get all these folks 00:29:05.400 --> 00:29:07.640 trained up and maybe we move on to surface mount. 00:29:09.950 --> 00:29:13.329 Yeah And maybe maybe we can even get some some 00:29:13.329 --> 00:29:16.109 like, you know robots putting them together and 00:29:16.109 --> 00:29:25.329 everything that'd be cool Yeah, the sky is the 00:29:25.329 --> 00:29:30.430 limit absolutely so again ham fest org and and 00:29:30.430 --> 00:29:38.630 the dates again Mark and the hours August 20 00:29:38.630 --> 00:29:45.970 and 21. 9 to 430 Central Time on Saturday, 9 00:29:45.970 --> 00:29:49.890 to 3 Central Time on Sunday. And of course, there'll 00:29:49.890 --> 00:29:53.869 be some, uh, some YouTube action going on and 00:29:53.869 --> 00:29:56.630 some, some live streaming and that kind of thing, 00:29:56.630 --> 00:29:58.789 uh, going on from the show if you can't make 00:29:58.789 --> 00:30:01.509 it. But, uh, yeah, we've got, we've got all the 00:30:01.509 --> 00:30:05.769 YouTube guys, uh, Jason from Ham Radio 2 .0, 00:30:06.009 --> 00:30:10.609 Mike K8 MRG radio stuff, Josh Nass will be there, 00:30:11.210 --> 00:30:14.890 Don Wilbanks will be again conveying the Young 00:30:14.890 --> 00:30:17.230 Ham of the Year Award at 2 o 'clock on Saturday, 00:30:18.009 --> 00:30:20.130 George Thomas and a couple of other guys from 00:30:20.130 --> 00:30:24.089 Amateur Logic, Tom W5KUB and of course yours 00:30:24.089 --> 00:30:28.470 truly, Neil, you'll be there. So yeah, lots of 00:30:28.470 --> 00:30:32.519 media folks will be milling around. Yeah, and 00:30:32.519 --> 00:30:34.720 let's mention the the young ham of the year thing. 00:30:34.740 --> 00:30:39.220 I know we'll get Don and Audrey on the show here 00:30:39.220 --> 00:30:42.720 soon to do that, but that was Actually watched 00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:46.000 the odd ham nation last night Talking about that 00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:49.140 a little bit. So that presentation Will take 00:30:49.140 --> 00:30:51.640 place at Huntsville as well. So tell us just 00:30:51.640 --> 00:30:56.410 a little bit about that Well, I don't know a 00:30:56.410 --> 00:30:59.769 whole lot about it I know that the bill Pasternak 00:30:59.769 --> 00:31:01.809 young hand -of -the -year award has been awarded 00:31:01.809 --> 00:31:05.809 in Huntsville for probably more than two decades 00:31:05.809 --> 00:31:09.049 and This year's recipient Audrey and I don't 00:31:09.049 --> 00:31:12.009 have her last name. He'll am I for global uniform 00:31:12.009 --> 00:31:16.170 November from from Georgia I think she's 18. 00:31:16.210 --> 00:31:20.289 She's already enrolled at Georgia Tech majoring 00:31:20.289 --> 00:31:25.039 in IT computer computer science and working with 00:31:25.039 --> 00:31:28.839 electrical engineering. She's quite a lady. I 00:31:28.839 --> 00:31:32.460 first saw her last night on Hand Nation, I think 00:31:32.460 --> 00:31:35.759 it was. She's just a tremendous lady and I'm 00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:38.140 excited to meet her, but she'll be here to receive 00:31:38.140 --> 00:31:40.819 the Young Hand of the Year Award on Saturday, 00:31:40.900 --> 00:31:45.940 August 20th. Yeah, it'll be a good time and we 00:31:45.940 --> 00:31:48.980 always enjoy that and that's kind of been... 00:31:48.750 --> 00:31:52.670 My number one priority of getting to Huntsville 00:31:52.670 --> 00:31:57.250 is for that and so we'll be glad to see Audrey 00:31:57.250 --> 00:32:02.170 again and Newsline will present that to her as 00:32:02.170 --> 00:32:05.950 well as their corporate sponsors. So congratulations 00:32:05.950 --> 00:32:10.029 to Audrey and be great to see the McElroy family 00:32:10.029 --> 00:32:14.720 at Huntsville once again. So, all right. Mark, 00:32:15.180 --> 00:32:18.279 any last words of wisdom here before we wrap 00:32:18.279 --> 00:32:22.180 this one up tonight? Well, you know, we know 00:32:22.180 --> 00:32:25.599 how hot it is throughout the southeast and southwest 00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:28.819 this time of the year. I'll just remind folks 00:32:28.819 --> 00:32:32.859 that this entire Hanfest is all indoors, including 00:32:32.859 --> 00:32:36.799 the entire 400 -table flea market. All indoors 00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:43.119 and all air -conditioned. Yes. That's a good 00:32:43.119 --> 00:32:45.660 thing in the southeast in August, let me tell 00:32:45.660 --> 00:32:53.220 you. Absolutely. Yeah, sure is. We're very excited. 00:32:53.640 --> 00:32:56.599 Things are moving downhill for us. Like I said, 00:32:56.700 --> 00:33:01.299 we posted on the web today, T -30 days, go for 00:33:01.299 --> 00:33:03.839 launch, and we got the forum schedule out there 00:33:03.839 --> 00:33:07.839 to go along with it. Alright, very good. Again, 00:33:07.980 --> 00:33:12.289 that's hamfest .org. The easiest place to find 00:33:12.289 --> 00:33:15.730 information on a ham fest too, hamfest .org. 00:33:16.809 --> 00:33:20.950 We'll look forward to seeing you here in 30 days 00:33:20.950 --> 00:33:26.589 and looking forward to another great event. Well 00:33:26.589 --> 00:33:28.109 thanks Neil, thanks for having me on the show 00:33:28.109 --> 00:33:32.890 tonight. Alright, well that is a wrap for this 00:33:32.890 --> 00:33:35.730 edition of HamTalk Live. Thanks to my guest Mark 00:33:35.730 --> 00:33:39.819 Brown, N4BCD. and everybody out in cyberspace 00:33:39.819 --> 00:33:43.539 for listening and invite you back next time for 00:33:43.539 --> 00:33:47.680 another episode of HamTalk Live. For a list of 00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:51.019 all of our upcoming guests, just go to hamtalklive 00:33:51.019 --> 00:33:56.400 .com. So for now, this is Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, 00:33:56.480 --> 00:34:01.779 saying 7 -3, 7 -5, and may the good DX be yours. 00:34:07.470 --> 00:34:10.909 I'll be seeing you further down the log Your 00:34:10.909 --> 00:34:16.170 73's To you and your family I'll be seeing you 00:34:16.170 --> 00:34:20.510 further down the log It's hard to believe that 00:34:20.510 --> 00:34:23.230 you're empty indeed Cause you sound just like 00:34:23.230 --> 00:34:24.530 a local up here