CCRA News – Contra Costa Repeater Association

Diana, KA6TZU and Vicki, N6KLS Whoops it up in OK City and shuts down a convention

admin — Mon, 06 Aug 2018 21:03:23 +0000

Diana Sage, KA6TZU and Vicki Zumwalt, N6KLS attended the Young Ladies Radio League (YLRL) 2018 Convention in Oklahoma City, OK from August 2nd through the 5th, 2018. Speculation is the convention only happens once every 3-4 years since what happens in OK City stays in OK City! The convention was held at the Sheraton Oklahoma City Downtown (OKC) located at 1 North Broadway Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK, 73102, in the One Broadway Ballroom.

The convention started on Thursday evening with a meet and greet in the Aria Lounge. Current President Marilyn Melhorn, AF7BI did the meet and greet. Ria N2RJ talked about digital modes while Andrea Slack, K2EZ got everybody Rovering. The Banquet was held on Friday evening with Nancy Hall, KC4IYD the Keynote Speaker!

Saturday morning was an early start for the Board Members and District Representatives. Their meeting started at 7:30 am in the upper level of the Ballroom. At 9:00 am the YLRL General Meeting began. This was followed up with Carol Milazzo, KP4MD who prepared everyone to get ready to go on a remote vacation, with her class on DeExpedition, holiday style.

After lunch there were roundtables, where YLs helped other YLs in all areas of Amateur Radio. Subjects covered were from setting up your first rig, logging your contacts, Echolink, DMR, FT8, programming your radio, to antenna’s. Elmira’s were there to help! There was a VE test session.

It was reported that everyone had a good time and few arrests…

Diana, KA6TZU and Vicki, N6KLS at the 2018 YLRL Convention in Oklahoma City

Diana and Vicki at the National cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

August 6, 2018 CCRA Roster has Been Posted

admin — Mon, 06 Aug 2018 07:05:21 +0000

The Contra Costa Repeater Association’s August 6, 2018 CCRA Membership Roster has been posted.

The CCRA Roster has three changes since our last roster of June 30, 2018.

Bob White has changed his call from KK6WSC to the vanity callsign, K6RWW.

Bob Gallagher, KA6IRT of Pleasanton and John Glass, NU6P from Saratoga have rejoined after many years of absence from the CCRA. Welcome back Bob and John!

Highland Peak in PG&E Commercial announcing the Community Wildfire Safety Program

admin — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 06:54:47 +0000

This last week we were up at Highland Peak and noticed a weather station installed on a power pole leading up to the radio site. While watching TV I noticed a PG&E commercial where in the last 30 seconds of the commercial you see several views that were taken on the road up to Highland Peak. You can see the commercial at YouTube at https://youtu.be/hMTnVArEy1Q

The case of the relativistic particles solved

admin — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 01:00:59 +0000

Encircling Earth are two enormous rings — called the Van Allen radiation belts — of highly energized ions and electrons. Various processes can accelerate these particles to relativistic speeds, which endanger spacecraft unlucky enough to enter these giant bands of damaging radiation. Scientists had previously identified certain factors that might cause particles in the belts to become highly energized, but they had not known which cause dominates.

Click on the below link for more information.

The case of the relativistic particles solved .

Scientists solve lunar mystery with aid of missing Moon tapes

admin — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 00:55:58 +0000

After eight years spent recovering lost Moon data from the Apollo missions, scientists report in a new study they’ve solved a decades-old mystery of why the Moon’s subsurface warmed slightly during the 1970s.

Click on the below link for the rest of the story.

Scientists solve lunar mystery with aid of missing Moon tapes.

Found: Missing Mexican Aurora

admin — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 00:53:05 +0000

The Carrington Event struck on September 1, 1859, when a coronal mass ejection erupted from the Sun and struck Earth. The resulting geomagnetic storm set off a vast display of the Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights, on September 2 that was seen as far south as Cuba and Hawaii. Those low latitudes suggest it should have been seen in Mexico as well, but little has been known about what people saw there – until now.

Click on the below link for the rest of the story.

Found: Missing Mexican Aurora.

South Napa Earthquake linked to summer groundwater dip

admin — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 00:44:32 +0000

Recently there were a number of news articles released on the August 24, 2014 South Napa earthquake. Below are a number of links to these articles. The CCRA thanks Meredith Kraner, a graduate student at the University of Nevada, Reno, and lead author of the new study for her work and links.

This is AGU’s report. The most detailed and accurate.
https://blogs.agu.org/geospace/2018/06/12/south-napa-earthquake-linked-to-summer-groundwater-dip/

This is AP news
https://apnews.com/ef3a2a7eccfc43189b8b8728bf0f8a2f

This is KQED
https://www.kqed.org/science/1925744/study-2014-napa-quake-may-be-linked-to-groundwater-changes

This is CBS SF
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2018/06/13/earthquake-weather-2014-south-napa-quake/

This is CBS SF radio. They did a good job, in my opinion.
https://kcbsradio.radio.com/media/audio-channel/scientists-summer-earthquake-season-napa

This is ABC news
http://abc7news.com/weather/2014-napa-quake-may-be-linked-to-groundwater-changes/3599438/

This is NBC news
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/2014-Napa-Quake-May-Be-Linked-to-Groundwater-Changes-Study-485441671.html

Here was the CBS LA report that messed up. I am sorry, but drought and heat were not the findings of my study.
https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2018/06/14/earthquake-weather-study/

NO6W’s WORLD of SDR

admin — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 04:13:39 +0000

Glen has been a master tinkerer in electronics all of his life and I have found him to be a go to Elmer when I wanted to know something about something. Recently he approached me to see if the CCRA would mind posting some of his thoughts and links regarding Software Defined Radio (SDR). I jumped at the offer and have copied what he sent to me. You will find his CCRA page under the DIGITAL section of the CCRA Website with the title, “NO6W’s WORLD of SDR.” My hope is he will update his information and continue to share his knowledge with us in the future.

February 18, 2018 CCRA Roster has Been Posted

admin — Sun, 18 Feb 2018 23:07:04 +0000

The Contra Costa Repeater Association’s February 18, 2018 CCRA Membership Roster has been posted.

This is the first updated roster of 2018 showing CCRA members. If you do not find your callsign on this roster it is because we never received your 2018 dues as of February 18th.

Dues for Full Members remains at $20 annually while Family membership is $10 for each additional family member. If there are 3 or more in the family the maximum cost is $40 per year. If you are not a member of the CCRA and would like to join and help support the efforts of the CCRA please click here. If you would like to renew you membership please send in your 2018 dues to the attention of the CCRA Treasurer:

Jan Overacker, KC6ZKS

CCRA Treasurer

981 Lexington Way

Woodland, CA 95695

One Callsign change and 6 new members bring in 2018

admin — Sun, 18 Feb 2018 22:55:40 +0000

The CCRA wants to recognize Scott Anderson for upgrading to Extra Class and changing his callsign from KM6BNP to KW6SA (Scott Anderson). Congratulations to Scott!

We have added 6 new members since the beginning of the year. They are:

Carol Earley, KM6IXS, General Class

Denis Earley, KM6IXA, General Class

Mary Solon, KD6MKS, Technician Class

Mike Warren, W6MEW (notice he has his name initials for his call suffix), Technician Class

Daniel Lamey, KD6DTL (another initials for the suffux), Technician Class

Robert McNicholas, K6RJM (Do you see a pattern here???) Technician Class

So out of the 7 updates and new members, 4 of the 7 have their initials in their callsign suffix. This might be the start of a trend…