NWS Plans Online-Only Autumn SKYWARN® Storm Spotter Class

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SKYWARN Spotter Training graphic with SKYWARN, WRN and NWS logos.

The northern Indiana office of the National Weather Service (IWX) will resume SKYWARN® storm spotter training this fall, but only via the internet. The office plans to teach its class via the GoToWebinar service, which supports Windows, Mac, Linux and Chrome computers, as well as iOS and Android mobile devices. As is always the case with NWS SKYWARN classes, there will be no cost to attend.

IWX plans to offer the class six times this fall:

  • Wednesday, October 14, noon – 2 p.m.
  • Thursday, October 15, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Wednesday, October 21, noon – 2 p.m.
  • Thursday, October 22, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Wednesday, October 28, noon – 2 p.m.
  • Thursday, October 29, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
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September fox hides in weeds

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fox cartoon

The weather on 13 September was perfect for this month’s edition of the FWRC Foxhunt; mild temperatures in the 70s and slightly cloudy with a gentle breeze. A good day to be outside. But despite the gorgeous weather, we only had two foxhunt teams show up at the Cobin Memorial Park starting point. Team #1 consisted of Al & Carole Burke, WB9’s SSE & RUS plus Jim & Annie Pliett, K9OMA & KA9YYI. Team #2 consisted of Steve & Linda Nardin, W9’s SAN & LAN, plus their grandson Alex.

Charles Ward, KC9MUT served as the fox. He choose the parking lot of the Harlan Community Park in Harlan, Indiana, and quite effectively hid the microfox at the bottom of a section of chain link fence barrier, which was located in a field filled with weeds, by attaching it to the bottom structure of the barrier using a magnet. The (expletive deleted) thing was essentially invisible. He implemented the high power fox using a yagi at the top of his truck mounted telescoping mast, about 30’ high, and drove it at one point with about 100 watts on 146.430 MHz

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2020 Fort Wayne Hamfest Canceled

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Fort Wayne Hamfest Logo

FWRC recevied today the following information from Fort Wayne Hamfest Chairman Joseph Lawrence, K9RFZ:

“The Fort Wayne Hamfest Steering Committee has closely followed the progression of CDC, Indiana State, and local Health Dept individual recommendations and large gathering guidance. Consultation with annual volunteers and long-time loyal vendors indicates a growing consensus their attendance would be limited due to pandemic concerns. Our host venue is going to great lengths to minimize infection risk, recently published recommendations stating, “Individuals 65 years of age or older, or those in high risk categories with underlying health conditions, should consider not attending any event at the facility.” The Indiana Governor has extended the mandatory mask wearing order through the end of October.

“In the face of this much credible pandemic risk, the Steering Committee has decided to cancel this year’s Fort Wayne Hamfest for the health safety of our valued guests, vendors, and volunteers. We share your disappointment and hope for a swift end to the pandemic so we may again meet for eyeball QSOL’s and support favorite ham gear vendors at hamfests across the country.

“We look forward to hosting a healthy and safe Fort Wayne Hamfest on November 13 & 14, 2021. See you next year!”

License exam session planned in Columbia City Sep. 5

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Volunteer examiners plan an amateur radio license exam session Saturday, September 5 at the St. Paul of the Cross Deacon Joe Bldg. gymnasium, 215 S Line St, Columbia City, IN. They plan to administers tests from 9 a.m. and noon.

The exam team requires advanced registration for this session and will accept no walk-ins. Persons may register in advance via the email address or phone number below.

rlmcen@embarqmail.com
(260) 503-9008

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Tailgate Hamfest Aug. 21

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Tailgate hamfest

The annual, FWRC Tailgate Hamfest is scheduled for Friday, August 21, in the parking lot of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 4700 Vance Ave, Fort Wayne. Starting time is 6:30 p.m.

Access to the church building will not be available, including for restroom use, due to pandemic-related restrictions. Even though the tailgate hamfest is an outdoor event, the FWRC board of directors encourages face mask use by all who attend.

In related news, the club learned in early August that the church, in whose building we normally meet, has decided that no groups, other than service organizations and its own ministry groups will meet inside its building until further notice.

August fox hides at the end of the road

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The weather threatened to be wet, wet, and wet all day on the 2nd of August when two fox-hunter teams coalesced at the foxhunting starting point at Cobin Memorial Park near Lakeside Golf Course. Team #1 consisted of Charles Ward, KC9MUT, and newbie, and enthusiastic fox hunter Brian Kibiger, KD9OOC. The 2nd team included Linda and Steve Nardin, W9’s LAN & SAN plus veteran fox hunter Alex, their grandson.

The role of the fox was provided by Carole & Al Burke, WB9’s RUS & SSE plus Annie & Jim Pliett, KA9YYI & K9OMA. They had conducted a little scouting and settled on a spot at the very end of the southern portion of Schwartz Rd. where I-469 bisects this former north-south thru-way just to the east of the Chapel Ridge Shopping Center. On the other side of I-469 the northern section of Schwartz Rd. started up again, and the Burke-Pliett team considered locating the high power fox on the southern portion of Schwarz while hiding the microfox on the northern portion. But we have some morals, so we decided not to do that and thus located the microfox near us on the southern terminus of Schwarz close to the high power fox. (Actually, we couldn’t see the northern portion of Schwartz because of the elevated I-469, and thus would not have been able to observe the fox hunters searching for the micro-fox, once they had figured out what we had done to them).

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Fox (hidden transmitter) hunt Aug. 2

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fox cartoon

The Fort Wayne Radio Club will hold its August fox (hidden transmitter) hunt Sunday, August 2 at 1:30 p.m. EDT. Hunter meet at in the parking lot of 24/30 Surplus (formerly K-Mart), 820 N Coliseum Blvd., Fort Wayne.

The fox will transmit on 146.430 FM simplex with one minute out of every five minutes. At the fox site, a micro-fox of approx 50 milliwatts will transmit every 2.5 minutes. Intercom for the event is on the 146.76 repeater in Fort Wayne.

All are welcome! You can even help out from home if you have a directional antenna.

Some ride along space might be available. Those who participate in a hunt can receive a free three- element tape measure yagi antenna.

We always have a great time, so please plan on joining the FWRC Fox Hunt Team!