SCHH ARC “This & That” — May 20, 2025
The Weekly Newsletter of the Sun City Hilton Head Amateur Radio Club (SCHH ARC)
Editor – Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW
More Photos from the Tower and Antenna Take-Down
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.
Here are some more photos from that day!
SC Hands Free and Distracted Driving Act Signed into Law by Governor McMaster
Details of the South Carolina Hands‑Free and Distracted Driving Act, provided by Ed Stratton (W1ZZ), follow.
SECTION 1. This act may be referred to and cited as the “South Carolina Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act.”
Distracted driving
SECTION 2. Section 56-5-3890 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:
Section 56-5-3890. (A) For purposes of this section “Mobile electronic device” means a cellular telephone, portable computer, GPS receiver, electronic game, or any substantially similar stand-alone electronic device used to communicate, display, or record digital content. “Mobile electronic device” does not include a citizens band radio, amateur radio, ham radio, commercial two-way radio or its functional equivalent, subscription-based emergency communication device, or prescribed medical device.
(B) While operating a motor vehicle on any public highway of this State, a person shall not:
(1) hold or support, with any part of the body, a mobile electronic device. This provision does not prohibit the use of an earpiece or device worn on a wrist to conduct voice-based communication;
(2) read, compose, or transmit any text including, but not limited to, a text message, email, application interaction, or website information on a mobile electronic device;
(3) watch motion including, but not limited to, a video, movie, game, or video call on a mobile electronic device.
(C) This section does not apply to a motor vehicle operator who is:
(1) lawfully parked or stopped;
(2) initiating a voice-based communication that is automatically converted by the device and sent as text, provided that the device is not held by the operator or supported with any part of the body by the operator;
(3) reporting an accident, emergency, or safety hazard to a public safety official;
(4) transmitting or receiving data as part of a digital dispatch system while performing occupational duties or while conducting network performance testing or testing required by the Federal Communications Commission;
(5) a first responder while performing official duties;
(6) using a mobile electronic device for the purpose of:
(a) navigation, listening to audio-based content, or obtaining traffic and road condition information in a manner that does not require the operator to type, provided that the device is not held by the operator or supported with any part of the body by the operator;
(b) using a mobile electronic device to initiate or end a cellular call in a manner that does not require the operator to type, provided that the device is not held by the operator or supported with any part of the body by the operator; or
(c) unlocking the device for a purpose listed in subitems (a) or (b), provided that the device is not held by the operator or supported with any part of the body by the operator; or
(7) using equipment or services installed by the original manufacturer of the vehicle.
ARRL Field Day Planning to Begin Later This Month
ARRL Field Day is a highlight of any Amateur Radio Year.
The SCHH ARC will operate KE4HAM with multiple transmitters as we have done in the past several years.
We will begin to set things up at Lake Somerset about 11 AM – 11:30 AM on June 28th.
Lunch for the set-up team will be provided by the club around 1 PM.
Field Day operations will commence at 2 PM and most likely end at or before 5 PM.
We will then take down antennas, clean up things, etc.
Help is needed. So please let your fellow club members that you will be there!
To date, the following members have indicated that they will participate in our ARC’s ARRL Field Day: Chip Miller (KQ4JKI), Gwen Fox (KN4VWQ), Jack Frisch (K2ITZ), Bob McCormick (KD8IH), Rick Garan (WA8NLX), Ed Stratton (W1ZZ), Harve Hnatiuk (KB3FW), and Bob Officer (WA6WAY).
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.
A planning meeting on Zoom is currently planned for May 28th at 11 AM. Stay tuned for more details!
What’s Coming Up
Wednesday, May 28, 2025 — Field Day Planning Zoom Meeting, 11 AM.
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 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 14th 2m Repeater Net: KE4HAM/WA8NLX, AI4HH, WB1DXN, N0DQD, K2OS, AA4KK, WA6WAY. KB3FW, K2ITZ, W1ZZ. QNI=10, QTC=0.
— Sunday, May 18th 2m Simplex Net: KE4HAM/K2OS, AI4HH, WA6WAY, KJ4BSM, AA4KK, WB1DXN, K2ITZ, KB3FW, AD5EN, W1ZZ. QNI=10, 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”!