SCHH ARC “This & That” — April 29, 2025

The Weekly Newsletter of the Sun City Hilton Head Amateur Radio Club (SCHH ARC)

Editor – Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW

Club Members Enjoy Great Hidden Transmitter Hunt

“Fox” Well-Hidden But Found By Several SCHH ARC Members

Beautiful spring weather greeted ARC participants at 2025’s first Hidden Transmitter Hunt as they gathered near Pinckney Hall last Saturday morning (April 26th). Club president Bob McCormick (KD8IH) was on-hand to kick things off.

Around 9:15 AM, the first transmission from the hunt’s hidden transmitter (aka the “fox”) was heard by the group using directional antennas and it was off to the races shortly afterward.

The transmitter was hidden by Bob Kennedy, N0DQD and everyone knew that finding something hidden by Bob was going to present some challenges.

Cars and golf carts headed over the recently smoothed-out Millenium Bridge after a few transmissions from the fox. About 15 or 25 minutes later, many of the group converged at the Lakehouse area, where the signal grew ever stronger.

Finding the general area of a hidden transmitter is not nearly as difficult as pinning down its actual location. At such times, finding the fox many times depends more on visual acuity and creativity more than technical expertise.

Little did the hunters know that Bob Kennedy (N0DQD) was calmly sitting inside the Lakehouse and enjoying the occasional glimpses of puzzled members looking for the hidden transmitter on the building’s perimeter.

Lon (WB4KSG) and Judy Seward were the first to find the transmitter, which was cleverly stashed in a large clump of tall grass behind the Lakehouse.

Ken Finke (KN8F) then pinpointed the well-hidden prize followed by Chip (KQ4JKI) and Maryann Miller, Harve Hnatiuk (KB3FW), and event organizer Bob Officer (WA6WAY) with his RF sniffer in tow and co-pilot Sharon providing encouragement. Bill Albro (K3WPA) also participated without a directional antenna and was very close to finding the fox.

Fox and Hunters trade war stories at the Lakehouse amenities center after the transmitter was located! L to R: Sharon Officer, Bob Kennedy (N0DQD), Ken Finke (KN8F), Lon (WB4KSG) and Judy Seward, Maryann and Chip (KQ4JKI) Miller.

Thanks to Bob, WA6WAY for organizing the Hidden Transmitter Hunt and Lunch.

A wonderful Dutch Treat lunch at the Okatie Creek Clubhouse filled with great camaraderie followed the hunt. Participants in hunt were joined in the clubhouse’s dining room by Jim (NH6BS) and Jean (NH6EI) Shaner, Gwen Fox (KN4VWQ), and Jack Frisch (K2ITZ).

Post-Hunt Lunch at Okatie Creek Clubhouse was enjoyed by all. Thanks to Judy Seward for taking this photo.

It was quite day! Thanks are extended to Ed Stratton (W1ZZ) and Ron Frick (AI4HH) for getting the club’s hidden transmitter package up and running prior to the hunt.

The “package” itself was generously donated to the club by Russ Treadwell, N1ZK (SK).

Many many thanks also to Bob Officer (WA6WAY) for organizing the hunt and the lunch and to Bob Kennedy (N0DQD) for being this hunt’s fox.

More photos from the day will be in next week’s This & That!

ARRL Roanoke Division Leadership Team to Present at Thursday’s Membership Meeting!

Thursday evening’s meeting at the Lakehouse will feature a program from the ARRL’s Roanoke Division’s leadership team. Dr. Jim Boehner (N2ZZ) and Bill Morine (N2COP) will be “zooming” into our meeting, which will kick off at 7 PM sharp.

ARRL Roanoke Division Director Jim Boehner (N2ZZ) in his impressive QTH in Aiken, SC.

ARRL Roanoke Division Vice Director Bill Morine (N2COP).

We are indeed fortunate to have these two hams who are dedicated volunteer leaders in our American Radio Relay League join us for our May program.

Their presentation will be followed by some Q & A. Our monthly general membership meeting will follow. The agenda will include updates on all aspects of our ARC’s activities and plans.

Matthew Crook, W4MRC is our SC Section Manager and the ARC appreciates that he will also be on the Zoom!

Please plan to be at the Lakehouse on May 1st to hear about important issues for ham radio operators and to learn what’s happening in our ARC in the weeks and months ahead!

10m SSB Net Meets Tonight!

8 PM, 28.450 MHz. Please join your fellow members to check out your and all of our 10m capabilities.

Frank Pollino, K2OS will be our net control station.

All stations who check into the net are encouraged to provide signal reports for all other check-ins. It helps us all to figure out what our coverage is and how effective we can be on HF during emergencies.

Cats on the Air!

This feline most likely catting it up on SSB probably purrs after getting some DX!

Looks like this op is all ears! Which can give one paws for thought.

What’s Coming Up

Thursday, May 1, 2025 — May Membership Meeting in the Bayside Room at the Lakehouse. Presentation by Jim Boehner, N2ZZ and Bill Morine, N2COP (ARRL Roanoke Division Director and Vice Director) who plan to join us that evening via Zoom. Matthew Crook, W4MRC, our SC Section Manager will also be on the Zoom! See details above!

Thursday, June 5, 2025 — June Membership Meeting and ARRL Field Day Planning Meeting at the Lakehouse.

Saturday, June 28, 2025 — ARRL Field Day at Lake Somerset. More info to follow in upcoming issues of This & That.

Saturday, August 9, 2025 — KE4HAM Parks on the Air Activation at Lake Warren State Park. More info will be in This & That in the coming months.

SCHH ARC Nets

Net News

Wednesday nets are on the 147.135 Okatie Repeater until further notice.

Our nets continue to have a lot of support, which is much appreciated. All SCHH ARC members and licensed friends are invited to join the fun!

TONIGHT we will conduct our 10m SSB net on 28.450 MHz at 8 PM local time.

Weekly SCHH ARC Nets

Sunday’s Net (8 PM) operates on 147.550 MHz simplex on the last two Sundays of the calendar month. The Sunday net will be on the KE4HAM repeater (147.135 + with a tone of 91.5 on both the input and the output) on all other Sundays of the calendar month. Check-in can be done even if you don’t have a radio up and running via EchoLink by using the link KE4HAM-L when the net is on SIMPLEX and KE4HAM-R when the net is on the SCHH Okatie Repeater.

Wednesday‘s Net (8 PM) will operate until further notice on the KE4HAM Okatie Repeater (147.135 + with a tone of 91.5 on both input and output). The net can be accessed via EchoLink using the link KE4HAM-R.

Next 10m SSB Net: Tuesday, April 29 at 8 PM on 28.450 Upper Sideband.

Net Control Stations and EchoLink Coordinator

Thanks to our regular 2m Net Controls: Frank Pollino, K2OS; Rick Garan, WA8NLX; and Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW.

Thanks to Bob Officer, WA6WAY, for being an alternate Net Control Station and overseer of our KE4HAM repeater.

Thanks to Ron Frick, AI4HH, for working diligently to keep EchoLink up and running for our nets.

Net Control Schedule:

— Tuesday, April 29, 2025 @ 8 PM: Frank Pollino, K2OS (10m SSB, 28.50 MHz).

— Wednesday, April 30, 2025 @ 8 PM: Rick Garan, WA8NLX (KE4HAM Okatie Repeater).

— Sunday, May 4, 2025 @ 8 PM: Frank Pollino, K2OS (KE4HAM Okatie Repeater).

— Wednesday, May 7, 2025 @ 8 PM: Frank Pollino, K2OS (KE4HAM Okatie Repeater).

SCHH ARC Net Reports:

Thanks to ALL who checked in to our SCHH ARC nets last week.

Last week’s check-ins and traffic:

— Wednesday, April 23rd 2m Repeater Net: KE4HAM/KB3FW, AI4HH, KJ4BSM, WA2LWO, WB1DXN, K2ITZ, AA4KK, W1ZZ, WA8NLX, W8NCA, K2OS, WA6WAY. QNI=12, QTC=0.

— Sunday, April 27th 2m Simplex Net: KE4HAM/K2OS, AI4HH, KJ4BSM, WB1DXN, K2ITZ, W1ZZ, KQ4TAY, WA8NLX, KD8IH, KB3FW, KQ4SFF, AA4KK, WA6WAY. QNI=13, QTC=0.

Note: QNI = Number of Check-ins to the net, including Net Control; QTC = Traffic handled (Radiograms).

Other Operating

Daily — Monitor the KE4HAM Repeater: 147.135 MHz + with a tone of 91.5. You may get some good DX spots from time to time and other members may be there if you want to connect/chat. If you are listening to the repeater, feel free to announce your call and that you are “monitoring”!