PICTURES FROM AUGUST PICNIC
WARC held a picnic August 5 at Julian Price Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Over 25 members and guests attended, and a good time was had by all.
WA4J PARTICIPATES IN 2024 NC QSO PARTY!
On Sunday, February 25, WARC participated (for the second time ever) in the North Carolina QSO party. A Group of enthusiastic Contesters assembled at the QTH of K2ODV, and operated from 10 AM till 8 PM. We used two stations in the Low-Power1 (100W) & Mixed (Cw/SSB) mode.
Operators included George-K2ODV, Corey-WB0RXQ, Eric-NI4E, and Rich-K1HE. Also, assisting were Mark-K4CK, Steve-N4SCM, and Dennis-KA4BOE.
BAND QSOs last year (2023)
80 116 30
40 407 170
20 265 0392
15 32 31
10 6 1
2 4 00
TOT 830 624
The final result had been published, and once again we took third place in our category. Our score was better than last year, and we think we can see a path to perhaps winning next year.
CALL COUNTY SCORE QSOs
K4MN CUMB 337,835 1053
W4MR JOH 289,375 907
WA4J WAT 253,160 829
GREETINGS FROM THE HIGH COUNTRY
Hurricane Helene hit the High Country hard and it will be some time before we completely recover from the unprecedented storm which dropped over 20 inches of rain on the mountain area.
Communities big and small were inundated with flood waters and the recovery efforts continue as quickly as possible because mountain folk, tough as they are, know that cold weather is coming,
Many people deserve recognition for their heroic efforts in North Carolina. This listing is not comprehensive but we owe a great debt of gratitude for their sacrifice, hard work, and kindness shown while these groups looked at their efforts as just doing their job.
- Fairview Battalion Fire Chief Tony Garrison died while attempting to rescue 11 people who were trapped in a mudslide when a second mudslide swept away Chief Garrison and others during the storm.
- Macon County Deputy Jim Lau died when his truck was swept away by flood waters.
- Madison County Captain Michelle Quintero drowned when a dam broke while she was driving to work.
- The hundreds, maybe thousands, of power line workers who worked to restore power to tens of thousands of customers who lost power, some for more than three weeks.
- Local fire department and other swift water rescue crews who braved strong currents to rescue trapped persons.
- Red Cross volunteers who opened shelters for persons displaced from their homes and apartments by flood waters.
- The state and local road crews who worked to re-open the blocked roads so that rescue and power crews could reach the isolated areas needing help.
- The numerous volunteers who brought food, supplies and clothing to families who lost everything in the flood.
- The numerous church groups who practiced their faith by without hesitation coming to the aid of strangers.
- Samaritan’s Purse, the Salvation Army, Baptists on Mission and other groups, which set up sites offering free food for flood victims.
- The military personnel, both regular army and the national guard, who came into the area with high clearance vehicles and drove through flood waters to rescue trapped residents.
- Military and civilian pilots who flew into devastated areas to bring in supplies that were distributed by local groups to those in need.
- The Emergency Management officials who mobilized drinking water and fuel tankers, law enforcement, strike teams with medical personnel and ambulances, helicopter crews and trained search teams who came into the areas which were devastated.
- Forestry workers who came with chainsaws to cut up the trees blocking roads.
- Out of state farmers who brought load after load of hay for farmers whose own hay supplies were lost due to flooding.
- The ordinary folk who prepared and offered hot meals for emergency workers.
- The businesses that brought in sanitary facilities shower units and laundry units to aid those whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged.
- Neighbors who checked on elderly persons and those with special needs in order to learn how they were faring during the storm.
- Community groups that raised money and sent it to those who lost so much.
- Businesses and other groups that donated generators to those without power.
- STARLINK which provided 500 units to provide communication though satellites to isolated communities and emergency units.
- The dedicated technicians and system managers who built and operate North Carolina’s statewide VIPER Interoperability radio system that linked thousands of local and mutual aid law enforcement, fire, rescue, EMS and emergency units during the emergency.
- Banks that brought in mobile teller machines using satellite technology so that people could get access to their money to buy needed items.
- Verizon, ATT and others who brought in mobile cell towers in order to provide some service while the damaged permanent facilities were restored.
- The cleanup crews who have traveled through damaged neighborhoods clearing the ruined carpets, furniture, soaked sheetrock, flooded vehicles and appliances.
- Amateur radio and Auxcomm radio operators who used their skills and equipment to provide emergency communications between isolated communities and the outside world, serving as e lifelines when normal communications were disrupted by broken poles, snapped cables and fiber, and cell towers that lost power or ran out of fuel.
I am sure that I have overlooked some individuals or groups who worked hard to help others in their time of need.
Locally, we need to recognize Blue Ridge Energy which serves 80,000 customers in Alleghany, Ashe, Caldwell and Watauga counties as well as parts of Wilkes and Alexander. Blue Ridge at the height of the storm outage had 65,000 customers without power. A Facebook posting posted by Blue Ridge listed nearly 50 other electric coops and contractors who came to assist Blue Ridge Energy in restoring power as quickly as possible despite the washed out roads, broken poles, trees on lines and mudslides
As of noon October 27, other electric providers up this way indicate that approximately 125 customers in Newland, 154 in Mitchell and 2,154 in Yancey are still without power due to Helene.
Thank you to all of those who worked and are still working to bring back to the High Country what seemed like normal conditions just a month ago.
Future issues of this newsletter will offer information on lessons learned during Helene.
Meanwhile, for many who were not affected by Hurricane Helene, life goes on.
- Update 11 October 2024: As of 10 October 2024, 2300 UTC, WWVB is operating at full power. NIST radio station WWVB is located on the same site as NIST HF radio station WWV near Fort Collins, Colorado. The WWVB broadcasts are used by millions of people throughout North America to synchronize consumer electronic products like wall clocks, clock radios and wristwatches. In addition, WWVB may be used in other consumer timekeeping applications, such as appliances, cameras, and irrigation controllers, as well as in high level applications such as accurate time synchronization. A wind storm several months ago damaged the towers used by WWVB which limited the signal strength and affected the accuracy of a number of residential clocks and others devices that received the WWVB signal.
- Update Oct 23: https://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-systems-service-disruption. The ARRL DXCC® System has been returned to service, and our staff is again processing applications for credit toward DXCC awards. The queue includes nearly 3,000 award applications submitted via Logbook of The World® (LoTW®) accounts and mailed paper applications. We are processing the backlog as quickly as possible, and will provide additional progress updates. For now, the online DXCC application will remain offline. Any new award applications ARRL receives will experience significant delays as they work through the backlog. As previously reported by ARRK, LoTW® was returned to service on Monday, July 1, 2024. Since then, the system has been processing log uploads with little or no processing delay.
- A few days ago, I was given the opportunity to participate with hams from the Raleigh area who had an information tent and display at the NC State Fair. In the day that I was there, we talked with approximately 150 persons who stopped by to learn about amateur radio. Congratulations go out to Travis Russell, KN4WJL for recruiting volunteers who talked to the public about amateur radio during the ten days that the Fair operated from October 17 to 27.
- Although the ARRL system listing new hams and new members remains unavailable, RadioQTH has posted data for the last month listing recently issued amateur licenses. Congratulations to the new hams in North Carolina, including 11 new Extras, 27 new Generals, 151 new Technicians and 1 club license
CALL SIGN NAME OPERATOR CLASS CITY
KC8YTU Hatke, Edward J Amateur Extra Emerald Isle
KI4HQO DEVILLIER, JAMES R Amateur Extra ROXBORO
KI4IDJ LOWE, BRIAN L Amateur Extra ASHEBORO
KK4UVV SHULER, MARK S Amateur Extra Hendersonville
KM4CBQ LANSING, FRANCIS A Amateur Extra WINSTON SALEM
KQ4WBY WHITE, RANDALL K Amateur Extra WINGATE
KQ4WCH Banks, David Amateur Extra West Jefferson
KW4EI Earley Thiele, Eron Amateur Extra Crossnore
KZ4LY Johnson, Michael K Amateur Extra Apex
KZ4MD Schrecker, Jerry W Amateur Extra Eastower
KZ4MH GRANDIS, KURT M Amateur Extra Chapel Hill
KQ4WMP BACKWOODS DMR Club WHITEVILLE
KG6WVY SMITH, TODD E General jacksonville
KI4FVO Southerland, Todd H Genera l Connelly Springs
KI4HUA SHAVER, CHARLES N General Asheville
KK4SBE BENNETT, AARON W General Pisgah Forest
KK4VMI Cobb, Charles J General Windsor
KK4WZZ KELLY, GREGORY T General GASTONIA
KM4BMP DAY, BRIAN G General RALEIGH
KM4BON LANSING, JEFFREY M General WINSTON SALEM
KM4CFU KEENER, RICHARD R General Alexander
KM4DLS CALLIS, ADAM J General CARY
KM4FZA WILDER, KENNETH A General DENTON
KM4GMA KELLER, HAROLD S General STOKESDALE
KM4GNY Dowler, Allen L General Hubert
KQ4VXC Caulder, Jeffrey T General Sophia
KQ4VYG McHargue, Nicholas General Durham
KQ4VZZ Rondina, Wendy R General Statesville
KQ4WBE Neal, Phillip B General Graham
KQ4WBG TATE, ALLEN General KERNERSVILLE
KQ4WCH Banks, David General West Jefferson
KQ4WCI White, Michael E General Hayesvi lle
KQ4WCV Gunnell, Elmer K General Thomasville
KQ4WGW Kabbes, Joseph W General Fayetteville
KQ4WHT Caplinger, Jeriah W General Sylva
KQ4WIC Blalock, Joshua P General Wake Forest
KQ4WJB Crum, Tyler J General Wake Forest
KQ4WJR Gregory Jr, Daniel T General Hampstead
KQ4WKL JONES, JOSHUA K General HIGH POINT
KQ4WME Milton, Tom Genera l Asheville
KD7UND McIntyre, Scott K Technician Ayden
KD7UNE McIntyre, Jennifer S Technician Ayden
KD8ZKB McGahan, James D Technician Statesville
KD9BPX CRAWFORD, JACOB R Technician winterville
KE0BGM BUSTER, JAMES Technician Pittsboro
KG4YUF McLamb, Tracy J Technician Benson
KG4ZKP Ball, David R Technician Newland
KG4ZMG Shillings, Matthew C Technician Franklin
KG5CBS Frank, Adrian R Technician Havelock
KI4DNB Faasii, Blanca E Technician Kinston
KI4EMY CURRENT, MATTHEW J Technician STATESVILLE
KI4ENP COLLINS, PAMELA L Technician HENDERSONVILLE
KI4GHF BEACH, STEVE B Technician LAWSONVILLE
KI4HFG DALTON, KAY K Technician RUTHERFORDTON
KI4HHQ Edwards Jr, James L Technician KINGSSTON
KI4HOT SMITH, STUART M Technician HIGH POINT
KI4HRW Clemons, Robert S Technician Raleigh
KK4OQL Steger, Leslie A Technician Denver
KK4UES Collins, Charles S Technician Kenly
KK4VFV JOHNSON, JOHN C Technician ASHEVILLE
KK4VXI WHITLEY, JEFF F Technician CANDLER
KK4YAI KEITH, SHANNON L Technician Raleigh
KK4YCZ Bevirt, Tyson L Technician Hendersonville
KK4ZZB WINEBARGER, WILLIAM Technician CANDLER
KL3VQ Lindsey, Kory A Technician Aberdeen
KM4CRH Burgio, Tony L Technician Charlotte
KM4DDM WALDEN, RHONHDA L Technician Spindale
KM4EFS ARPINO, PAUL M Technician Stanfield
KM4EFY Dewitt, Matthew T Technician Durham
KM4EVI Wilcox, Brian C Technician Lenoir
KM4EZJ GEORGE, ROBERT M Technician PINNACLE
KM4FEO Rhoads, Barbara A Technician Elizabeth City
KM4FLA BLAKENEY, WILLIAM J Technician Weaverville
KM4GMC LOCKE, SARA K Technician PILOT MOUNTAIN
KM4GSG SEYLER-SCHMIDT, PAUL Technician MOORESVILLE
KQ4VSU Gause, Dennis W Technician King
KQ4VTC McCeney, Andrew Technician Pittsboro
KQ4VTD Chiles, Jonae R Technician Troutman
KQ4VTJ Ervin, Tion L Technician Fayetteville
KQ4VTK Shuck, Parker Technician Fayetteville
KQ4VTW Flythe Jr, Joseph J Technician Camden
KQ4VTY Rivers, Dan M Technician Garner
KQ4VUB Hamilton, Eric W Technician Charlotte
KQ4VUD McDowell Jr, Paul T Technician Four Oaks
KQ4VUN KUHNEMANN, OLIVIA E Technician LEXINGTON
KQ4VUO MASAD, BASHAR Technician KERNERSVILLE
KQ4VVL Duncan, David Technician Ash
KQ4VVT Burr, Ashley W Technician Yanceyville
KQ4VVV Droujkova, Maria Technician Cary
KQ4VWH Ware V, Nicholas B Technician Mebane
KQ4VWI Vet, Thomas R Technician Cameron
KQ4VWO McClure, Colin M Technician Marion
KQ4VWT Childers, David Technician Salisbury
KQ4VWY Karpov, Mark Technician Linden
KQ4VWZ Self, Skyler C Technician Fayetteville
KQ4VXL West, Kyndra Technician Topton
KQ4VXQ FLYNN, RAUL Technician CHARLOTTE
KQ4VXS Horiski, Kyle J Technician Hope Mills
KQ4VYH Wheeler, Matthew W Technician Holly Springs
KQ4VYI Hubartt, Matthew A Technician Fuquay Varina
KQ4VYR SLONE, NATHAN Technician CHARLOTTE
KQ4VYS NANCE, MARGIE Technician CHARLOTTE
KQ4VYT METTS, RUSTY A Technician MT PLEASANT
KQ4VYX Rowland, Jason Technician Fayetteville
KQ4VZG Blair, David L Technician Deep Gap
KQ4VZO Farrag, Ashraf F Technician Apex
KQ4VZY Courter, Robert G Technician Hendersonville
KQ4VZZ Rondina, Wendy R Technician Statesville
KQ4WAC Phillips, Alex Technician Lumberton
KQ4WAK Parker, Garrett Technician Tarboro
KQ4WBE Neal, Phillip B Technician Graham
KQ4WBM DeLima, Urbano M Technician Statesville
KQ4WBN Hudgins, David L Technician Tarboro
KQ4WBQ Parker, Robert D Technician Whiteville
KQ4WBR Willis, Thomas Technician Old Fort
KQ4WCA LACHAPELLE, COPELAND Technician TARBORO
KQ4WCC Harvey, Joel K Technician Turkey
KQ4WCD Warren, Kyle Technician ASHEVILLE
KQ4WCO Jenkins, Lilia E Technician Stony Point
KQ4WCS Combs, Carol T Technician Oak Ridge
KQ4WCV Gunnell, Elmer K Technician Thomasville
KQ4WDA Chapman, Michael R Technician Flat Rock
KQ4WDD Gray, Christopher D Technician Linden
KQ4WDX Motes, Janice A Technician Catawba
KQ4WEG Valdivia, Erick Technician Cameron
KQ4WEQ Feige, Charles Technician Flat Rock
KQ4WEU Prevatte, Corey Technician Fayetteville
KQ4WEW Montford, Matthew Technician Wallace
KQ4WFA RANSDELL, SAMUEL P Technician ABERDEEN
KQ4WFB Gentes, Jeffrey Technician Midland
KQ4WFF GRAY, JAMES Technician CHARLOTTE
KQ4WFR Wawrzyniak Jr, Joseph Technician Newport
KQ4WFV Patterson, Lee A Technician Lillington
KQ4WGA Monnseratt, John Technician Belvidere
KQ4WGD WELBORN, JON M Technician WINSTON-SALEM
KQ4WGF HEFNER, PHILLIP Technician BESSEMER CITY
KQ4WGU Rinaldo, Briana M Technician Hunterville
KQ4WGV Roller, Michael B Technician Fayetteville
KQ4WGX Mcculloch, Wesley R Technician Fayetteville
KQ4WGZ Perry, Jared R Technician Fayetteville
KQ4WHM Sienkiewicz, Kamil Technician Garner
KQ4WHR Kolb, Robert Technician Cornelius
KQ4WHW Zier, Michael Technician Kure Beach
KQ4WHX Masters, Luke Technician Bunnlevel
KQ4WHY Stephens, Craig F Technician Burlington
KQ4WIC BLALOCK, JOSHUA P Technician WAKE FOREST
KQ4WIH Carmichael, Dylan Technician Ayden
KQ4WIN Bebeau, William R Technician Bryson City
KQ4WIP MILLS, CODY F Technician ELLENBORO
KQ4WIT Handy, David R Technician RALEIGH
KQ4WIX BLEDSOE, REESE C Technician WILMINGTON
KQ4WIZ House, George E Technician Asheville
KQ4WJF ZANDY, BRIAN R Technician MIDLAND
KQ4WJM SHUFORD, BERNARD C Technician Canton
KQ4WJO CURTIS, DARREN Technician MONROE
KQ4WJP Setzer, Kristoffer C Technician Leicester
KQ4WJQ MAKOVICH, SIARHEI Technician MONROE
KQ4WJU JEFFRIES, EVAN G Technician MEBANE
KQ4WKA KNOTT, ZACHARY Technician WINSTON-SALEM
KQ4WKH Reitz, Eric D Technician Waynesville
KQ4WKM CRAVEN, JOHN P Technician ASHEBORO
KQ4WKP Conley, Bryan T Technician Huntersville
KQ4WKR SAUNDERS, JOHN E Technician WAYNESVILLE
KQ4WKZ Osterholz, Steve L Technician Mars Hill
KQ4WLA Howard, Noah L Technician Hendersonville
KQ4WLI GREENE, CHRISTOPHER Technician MONROE
KQ4WLN HIATT, SAMUEL H Technician CHARLOTTE
KQ4WLO SHOEMAKER, JOHN W Technician WAXHAW
KQ4WLU Rios Santiago, Pablo L Technician Reidsville
KQ4WLW CONNELL, DENNIS W Technician MONROE
KQ4WLZ Pippert, Liam E Technician Spruce Pine
KQ4WMA Davis, Nathaniel S Technician Hickory
KQ4WMB Kennedy IV, Hardin C Technician Traphill
KQ4WMC Yang, Weiguo Technician Sylva
KQ4WMD Magnante, Ethan J Technician Kernersville
KQ4WMK McCoy, Matthew J Technician Kernersville
KQ4WMN Maurer, Matthew Technician Wilmington
KQ4WMO Curnutt, Gary M Technician Cullowhee
KQ4WMT FERRALLI, ANTHONY S Technician CHARLOTTE
KQ4WMV JARRETT, BENJAMIN P Technician CHARLOTTE
KQ4WNA Fox, Nicolas H Technician Burnsville
KQ4WNB METTS, RIKKI S Technician MT PLEASANT
KQ4WNQ Rocci, Anthony T Technician Jacksonville
KQ4WNU Sargarouschi, Corneliu Technician Asheville
KQ4WNV Morris, Jeremy Technician Black Mountain
KQ4WOA GREENWOOD, WILLIAM Technician SYLVA
KQ4WOD FAULKNER, JAMES Technician GASTONIA
KQ4WOM Buckner, Caleb M Technician Fuquay Varina
KQ4WPD Nichols, Harold W Technician Clayton
KQ4WPG Mahfouz, Jonathan D Technician Garner
KQ4WPK Kelly Jr, Sim D Technician Lilesville
KQ4WPL Gibson, John W Technician Garner
CLOSING COMMENT
Hurricane Helene taught a lot of people that disasters can have much longer effects than we are used to facing.
Take a look at your setup and review how resilient your station would be during an extended power outage.
Do you have a solar setup, back up batteries, a generator or a mobile rig that could be your lifeline? Is your local repeater equipped with backup power? Do you have a handy list of repeaters that you can access if your regular local repeater goes down?
What can you do to make your internet connection more resilient?
Please member that this newsletter is archived, along with all previous NC Section Newsletters, and can be found at ncarrl.org. Thanks go out to Susan L. Jones (WA4AKB) for maintaining the ncarrl webpage.
Best wishes,
Marv, WA4NC
NC Section Manager
Boone