SCHH ARC “This & That” — May 13, 2025
The Weekly Newsletter of the Sun City Hilton Head Amateur Radio Club (SCHH ARC)
Editor – Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW
Club Members Conquer Tower!
80′ Tilt-Over Crank-Down Tower Goes to Jasper County Emergency Management
Article by Bob McCormick, KD8IH / Photos by Lon Seward, WB4KSG
On May 6th, club members Ron Frick AI4HH, Chip Miller KQ4JKI, Bill Albro K3WPA, Chuck Nehonski W8NCA, Bob Officer WA6WAY, Lon Seward WB4KSG, Bob McCormick KD8IH, Rick Garan WA8NLX, and Frank Pollino K2OS, along with Jasper County Emergency Management Lt. Hughes, took down an 80-foot freestanding tower weighing more than a ton near Hardeeville. The tower was donated by the wife of a local SK ham to be used by the Jasper County Fire Department and, potentially, to host the KE4HAM repeater antenna.
The group assembled around 10 a.m. to begin the process. The team, led by Bob Officer WA6WAY, first worked to lower the tower a bit at a time to gain access to a multi-band beam and a two-meter vertical antenna.
While this was the most time-consuming part of the process, it took less time than expected. Once lowered, the antennas had to be removed one piece at a time.
Of course, no good deed goes unpunished. Or is that ‘the last 20% of a task takes 80% of the time?’ Regardless, those last few bolts to allow removal of the tower presented the biggest challenge. BUT, get a group of hams together and any problem can be overcome! A group consultation and a handy sawz-all tool solved the challenge.
Success! Lt. Hughes took possession of the tower and drove it “home” to the Jasper County Fire Department location at which it may be erected in the coming months.
ARRL Field Day Planning to Begin in Next Week or Two
Are you ready for some Field Day???
To date, the following members have said “yes”: Gwen Fox (KN4VWQ), Jack Frisch (K2ITZ), Bob McCormick (KD8IH), Rick Garan (WA8NLX), Ed Stratton (W1ZZ), Harve Hnatiuk (KB3FW), and Bob Officer (WA6WAY).
If you are not listed and will be joining the club at Lake Somerset on Saturday, June 28th please let us know!
Contact Harve (hnat463@gmail.com) if you plan to participate on June 28th. If you can help with the planning process, that would be great too! Harve (KB3FW) and Bob (WA6WAY) are organizing the ARC’s Field Day efforts.
Keep your eyes open for an email regarding the beginning of our 2025 ARRL Field Day Planning. All members are welcome and encouraged to participate in the planning of this important yearly date on the ham radio calendar.
Another Mighty CQ WW DX SSB de W4QNW
Sherwin Tames, W4QNW wrote: “It can be done…..from this HOA. 800W and a wire at 35 feet.”
Congratulations, Sherwin!
The SOTA Phone – Was It The Real Deal?
Was the SOTA phone a prop or is it real?
Watch this YouTube from W6ARA to find out.
Another Era, Another Phone!
“Chief, 86 here…99 just sent 73 and not 88. What’s up with that?”
What’s Coming Up
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!
Can you help our nets be even greater? Volunteering to be a Net Control Station would be a big HELP. Please let Harve, KB3FW know if you want to give it a try (hnat463@gmail.com). It is indeed a lot of fun to “run” the net!
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, June 3rd @ 8 PM Local Time on 28.450 MHz SSB.
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:
— Wednesday, May 14, 2025 @ 8 PM: Rick Garan, WA8NLX (KE4HAM Okatie Repeater).
— Sunday, May 18, 2025 @ 8 PM: Frank Pollino, K2OS (Simplex).
— Wednesday, May 21, 2025 @ 8 PM: Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW (KE4HAM Okatie Repeater).
— Sunday, May 25, 2025 @ 8 PM: Frank Pollino, K2OS (Simplex).
— Wednesday, May 28, 2025 @ 8 PM: Frank Pollino, K2OS (KE4HAM Okatie Repeater).
— Sunday, June 1, 2025 @ 8 PM: Frank Pollino, K2OS (KE4HAM Okatie Repeater).
— Tuesday, June 3, 2025 @ 8 PM: Frank Pollino, K2OS (28.450 MHz, SSB).
— Wednesday, June 4, 2025 @ 8 PM: Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW (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, May 7th 2m Repeater Net: KE4HAM/K2OS, AI4HH, WB1DXN, KJ4BSM, AA4KK, WA6WAY. KB3FW, WA8NLX. QNI=8, QTC=0.
— Sunday, May 11th 2m Repeater Net: KE4HAM/K2OS, AI4HH, AA4KK, KD8IH, WB1DXN, K2ITZ, WB4KSG, KB3FW, K3WPA, WA8NLX, KJ4BSM. QNI=11, 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”!