Hi everyone and welcome to the October ALERT Newsletter. Fall has arrived and with it we can look forward to the changing of the fall leaves, the occasional nip in the air, and the Hobgoblins that will visit us at the end of the month. October is a fun time of the year, being not to hot and not to cold – the “Goldilocks” of seasons. It is a time to enjoy fall football, baseball playoffs and the last outdoor adventures of the year. Here is hoping that you enjoy the days that this season brings, and the pretty weather October brings. Letting you rest before the storms of Fall. ………………………………………………………………………………………. Free Weather Stations!!! Would you like a free weather station? How about a whole network of them? Well you are in luck; allow me to introduce you to the realm of Automated Weather and Surface Observation systems. These include AWOS, ASOS, AWSS and ATIS stations. Let’s look at them one by one. Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) – AWOS stations are operate Continue reading →

Hi Everyone, We have exciting news this month. Thanks to the generosity of our served agency, the National Weather Service, we are in the process of upgrading our equipment at K4NWS. We now have new Alinco 2 meter, 220 MHz & 440 MHz radios! Make sure to attend this month’s meeting as we begin the familiarization and training process as we prepare for the upcoming fall severe weather season. We also wish to thank the Birmingham Amateur Radio Club who provided ALERT the Kenwood VHF and UHF radios we have used through the years in the NWS & ALERT’s mission to save lives. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Malicious Interference or When The Trolls Come Marching In At some point in your amateur radio experience you will run into some poor souls who for whatever reason seems to take delight in jamming, interfering and just being a pain in the posterior. In ham speak we call them “lids”. On the internet they would be “trolls”. Either way, the terms fit. They are annoying, but it is a part of ham life & you as a ham or a Net Control Station Continue reading →

Hi Everyone, I hope this finds you doing well, and that you are enjoying the unseasonably pleasant summer weather. As the Net Manager of the ALERT Sunday Night Net, I wish to thank Jackson Chance, KK4NGD for volunteering as a regular Net Control Station on our ALERT Sunday Night Net. Our net meets every Sunday at 7PM on 146.880 MHz. If you have not joined us I invite you to check in. Also, you might consider becoming a Net Control Station. This would be an excellent opportunity to learn net operations, the ebb and flow of nets and how to meet the inevitable challenges that a NCS encounters. By doing so in a non-emergency net, you will gain experience, and be better prepared to step in as an NCS during an emergency situation. Plus it’s fun! If you would like to step up and give it a try, just let the Net Manager (that’s me) know, I will send you the preamble and we will go from there! … Continue reading →

Hi Everyone, I hope all is going well & that you are finding a nice cool spot out of the pre-summer heat and showers. The biggest ALERT news of the month was our recent elections. At our last meeting the ALERT elections were held for the 2014 – 2014 term. The Officers for 2014 – 2015 are: President: Ronnie King WX4RON Vice-President & Membership: Steven Moss KB4FKN NWS Liaison: Russell Thomas KV4S Secretary: Mike Lamb KK4OHW Operations: Steven Moss KB4FKN Training: Ronnie King WX4RON Treasurer: Johnny Knobloch KJ4OPX Public Information: Zac Hollingsworth W4ZAC Per the ALERT Bylaws our new Officers will assume their positions at the July 8 meeting. Thanks to all of our new officers and to our outgoing officers for their service to our organization! One thing which will remain the same is our newsletter. I will continue on as the Editor-In-Chief, and hopefully will be able to provide interesting items for your enjoyment. I will also continue as the Net Manager of the ALERT Sunday Nite Net. If you have not checked in to our net I invite you to join us. We meet at 7PM Sunday on 146.88 MHz PL 88.5 hz.I hope to see you there! Continue reading →