ALERT NEWSLETTER – July 2021

Hi everyone & an early Happy 4th of July!

I hope you are staying cool and hydrated as we wind our way towards the heat of Summer.

Recently I was looking through some things in the disaster zone, which is called my basement, which is always an adventure, and I found a couple of ALERT archeological artifacts that might prove interesting.

Not long ago I was asked “how long have you been a member of ALERT”?

The truth is, I don’t have a clue. But I have found some (tantalizing to me at least) hints.

While the original ALERT IDs had no picture. My mug was featured on the early ones that did.

Here two early ALERT ID badges with a younger, less wrinkled version of Mark in the “olden” days.

The pasty looking fellow on the left knows he was not a member before 2000 – 2001, and the handsome hunk of he-man ness on the left knows this the ID was issued in 2003. So, I figure I joined somewhere around 2002.

I’m not a Founding member of ALERT, Ron Arant N4PHP and Brian Peters WD4EPR, our life members, hold that honor, while Russel Thomas KV4S, Steven Moss KB4FKN and I hold the “Crusty Old Goat” ranking.
The current ID of course is different from these. When we resume in-person meetings, maybe in the Fall, hopefully by Winter or probably by Spring, if you are a current member and don’t have an ID badge, we will begin issuing them again then.

Now for money matters. The time has arrived for ALERT dues.

Join me as I dust off the wallet, shoo away the moths and cough up some dough, so we will remain current active members

Since we can’t meet in person, I suggest visiting our blog at https://alert-alabama.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/Documents/alertapp.pdf for information on where to send the dues and also for the form if you are not a member and would like to join.

Until we meet again, everyone stay safe!

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State Of ALERT Leadership

In 2020 due to the COVID pandemic causing a suspension of meetings at the NWS per NOAA guidelines as well as the general disruption normal life that ensued, the usual ALERT election process became an impossibility so the ALERT Board of Directors voted to declare basically an operational State of Emergency and suspended the election processes until the time that the national emergency was resolved, normal life could resume, and the regular ALERT Constitutional processes could resume. Our President, Johnny Knobloch graciously agreed to remain at the helm of ALERT, which we truly appreciate.

During the June 2021 ALERT meeting the leadership status was discussed, and in view of the fact that we are still unable to hold physical meetings, form a Nominating Committee or hold in person elections, as require by the ALERT Bylaws, it was agreed that the current emergency provisions should continue until the COVID situation is resolved and we can then meet in person, formulate a “restart process” and resume normal activities.

Our President Johnny Knobloch has again agreed to remain as our leader and all ALERT leadership positions will remain in the current configuration.

I want to say a word of appreciation to Johnny for his commitment to ALERT. Being the President of ALERT or any other organization for that matter is not an easy task. Unless you have held the office you have no idea what he has to deal with and how he has to juggle this and the other responsibilities and positions he holds with other organizations.

So, I wanted to say on behave of ALERT, Johnny, we thank you!

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Radio Range Hype vs Reality

When one looks at various radios and advertisements you find amazing claims of radio range and performance. I have seen claims of 16 miles, 32 miles even 80 miles all with handheld radios, and all of this without use of a repeater.

The uninitiated see these advertisements and those of inexpensive amateur equipment and believe these claims.
In previous newsletters, particularly the February 2018, March 2019, and August 2019 issues I touched on the problem of preppers and others buying handheld ham radios without knowing or in some cases not caring in the least that a license is required and intending to bootleg to their hearts content. Or assuming that no special knowledge was necessary and that just yelling “help” somewhere, anywhere in the radio spectrum would magically conjure up some assistance – if they can figure how to power up the radio, since the batteries probably corroded long ago, with the poor radio being tucked in the bug out bag stuck in the back of the cobweb filled basement, behind those old toilet parts from 1973.

Some innocently use them in the ham bands as one would use an FRS, GMRS or MURS radio, not realizing that you need a license to use the ham bands, since not all advertisers bother to mention “license”, as that would deter sales.

Its something to watch for, certainly for me to gripe about, but, back on topic, despite all of the advertised claims, how far can a handheld radio actually reach?

The following is a decent representation that will give an idea of common normal day to day simplex range using the stock antenna that comes with the radio.

Average Range Guidelines Using Original Stock Antenna

Wattage Flat Open Terrain Suburban Areas Urban Areas Inside Buildings

FRS ½ – 2 watts ½ – 2 miles ½ – 1½ miles ¼ – ½ miles 3 – 5 floors
1 watt (UHF) 2 – 3 miles 1 – 2 miles ½ – 1¼ miles 6 – 8 floors
2 watts (UHF) 3 – 4 miles 1½ – 2½ miles 1 – 1½ miles 15 – 20 floors
2 watts (VHF) 3 – 5 miles 1½ – 3 miles ¾ – 1 miles 9 – 11 floors
4 watts (VHF) 5 – 6 miles 2½ – 4½ miles 1 – 3 miles 10 – 15 floors
4 watts (UHF) 4 – 6 miles 2½ – 4½ miles 1½ – 3 miles 25 – 30 floors
5 watts (VHF) 4½ – 6 miles 2 – 4 miles 1½ – 2 miles 10 – 15 floors
12 watt CB SSB (HF) 8 – 15 miles 5 – 8 miles 3 – 5 miles – —

Not listed is Mountaintop to Mountaintop range. I was able to reach Monsanto Mountain in Huntsville from the peak of Red Mountain in Birmingham, roughly 85 miles on 220 MHz one night.
So extreme range is possible, but not necessarily the norm.

Also, not included are the variables such as time of day or band openings.

Of course, range can be greatly expanded by using high gain external or beam antennae or just getting a better performing handheld antenna.

If you look at the inside of a rubber duck or built-in antenna on an “bubble pack radio” you will find it is just a coil. Sometimes tightly would, sometimes loosely wound. If it is detachable, you can replace it with a higher gain antenna, such as a Nagoya and the range certainly improves.

There are two dangers with doing this. I have seen after market antennas that were long enough to use for fencing and for putting someone’s eye out. That’s not good.

Secondly, the antenna mounts on HT’s are their weak points. Any torque or bending will snap the center conductor of the antenna connector off the circuit board and the repair ranges from torturous to impossible.

One solution is to make a coax jumper a foot or two long and some connectors and securely attach the cable to the body of the radio using tape or strong rubber bands, then you can connect any antenna you want. Though, it may not look pretty, but it will definitely work.

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You Gotchur Ears On?

A fellow ham friend asked me yesterday “have you noticed all the CB antennas popping up on cars lately? They don’t actually have a radio in the car, they just want that ‘70’s’ look.”

He is correct. That is a new fad going around. In fact, one guy at work who had bought a used police car asked if I had a broken antenna he could have “for the look.”. When I asked “why, are you planning on pulling folk over?” he was not amused.

Human beings love cultural revivals. They come in 20 year, broader 50 year and much broader, blurry & 100 year increments.

Here are some examples:

1960’s:

20 year revival – (1940s) – World War 2 movies abound
100 year revival – (1860 – 1870s) Gunsmoke and various other westerns

1970’s:

20 years – (1950s) – Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, M.A.S.H.
50 years – (1920’s) – The Sting
100 years – (1870 – 1880s) – Clint Eastwood Westerns

1980s:

20 years – (1960s) – Magnum PI, though set in 1980’s frequent flashbacks to 1960s & Vietnam),
Dirty Dancing
50 years – (1930s) – Indian Jones’s adventures

So, as we wind our way through the 2020’s don’t be surprised when you see reminders of the Millennium, the turbulent 60’s and the events of the 1920’s.

I wonder how our version of the “Roaring Twentiees” will be portrayed in 2041, 2091 and 2121?

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Mark’s Almanac

Originally called “Quintilis”, the fifth Roman month, Quintilis was renamed “July” in 44 BC in honor of Julius Caesar.
July is miserably hot, as land temperatures reach their peaks in late July through early August – the Dog Days of Summer.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac lists the traditional period of the Dog Days as the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11.

The Romans on the other hand said that the Dog Days ran from July 24 through August 24, or, alternatively, from July 23 through August 23, coinciding with the Sun and the Dog Star Sirius rising at the same time & their combined heat supposedly adding to the summer misery.

As you endure this heat, remember to drink lots of fluids, hug the shade & avoid the afternoon sun.

Also please resist the temptation to take Fido for a walk during the heat of the day. Remember that the “official” temperature readings are taken 6 feet above ground level. It’s much, much hotter on the ground where Fido & Puss must walk with bare paws, where it could easily be 150 degrees.

Before taking Muttley for a walk, place your hand on the pavement and see how hot it is. If it’s miserable to you, it will be miserable to him also. Just walk him in the morning or wait until the sun is setting and it cools off to a tolerable level and try to stick to grassy areas. Then go have a good time together.

The last week of July is usually the hottest week of the year. Tropical conditions are dominant, with conditions similar to that of the Amazon Valley.

This is the time to test the “Brown Grass Theory”. According to this theory, if the grass remains green the temperature will probably not reach 100, but, if the grass turns brown, get set for triple digits. This is a local Birmingham rule, which the Old Timers at the Birmingham NWS, such as Frank Makosky and J.B Elliott used for years.

In July the least rainfall falls in the Northern Hemisphere.

Tornado activity drops sharply, with a 47% decrease nationwide. July has an average of 103 tornadoes.

Hurricane activity increases, but major hurricanes are not yet frequent. By months end, one hurricane will have occurred. Seven percent of a year’s hurricane total occurs in July.

July Tropical Cyclone Breeding Grounds
Long track hurricanes are possible, forming off the African coast and crossing the Atlantic, either to threaten the US East Coast, then eventually veering off towards Bermuda. Or in the case of “Low Latitude” storms, cross the Atlantic, strike the Leeward Islands; enter the Caribbean and then striking the Yucatan, or the Western or Northern Gulf coast.

From 1851 to 2020 there have been 128 Tropical Storms and 61 Hurricanes, 29 of which made landfall in the United States.

Among notable storms are 2005’s Hurricane Emily, the only Category 5 storm to form in July, reaching 160 MPH and striking Mexico.

Hurricane Bertha, a 125 MPH storm holds the record for the longest lifespan for a July hurricane, churning for 17 days.

Days grow shorter as the Sun’s angle above the noonday horizon decreases from 79.6 degrees at the beginning of the month to 74.7 degrees at the month’s end. Daylight decreases from 14 hours 20 minutes on July 1 to 13 hours 49 minutes on July 31.

Sunrise and sunset times for Birmingham are:

July 1 Sunrise 5:41 AM Sunset 8:01 PM
July 15 Sunrise 5:48 AM Sunset 7:58 PM
July 31 Sunrise 5:59 AM Sunset 7:48 PM

Looking skyward, the Sun, magnitude -26.7 is in Gemini.

At the beginning of the month Mercury, magnitude 1.8 in Taurus, is very low in the east-northeast as dawn brightens into day and continues to rise as the month progresses.

Venus, magnitude -3.9 in Gemini, is the non twinkling “star” in the low west-northwest during evening twilight.

On July 13 she will pass 0.5° north of Mars.

She will be the bright “Evening Star” of summer and fall.

Earth, magnitude -4.0, as viewed from the Sun, is in the constellation Sagittarius

Earth will reach her farthest distance from the Sun or Aphelion on July 5, when she will be 94.5 million miles from our home star, as she and the Moon wobble through space, the Moon tugging on the Earth like an unruly pup on a leash.

Mars, magnitude 1.8, in Cancer the Crab, is closing in on Venus from the upper left.

Mars’s 687-day orbit around the Sun will carry it to his furthest point from the Sun, aphelion, on July 12.

Tiny Mars, nearly 200 times than Venus will be in conjunction with her, ½° apart, on July 12th and 13th.

Dwarf Planet Ceres, magnitude 9.3, has moved into Aries, The Ram.

Jupiter, magnitude –2.6, in Aquarius and Saturn, magnitude +0.4, in Capricorn, rise in late evening: first Saturn, then brighter Jupiter about an hour later. They shine at their highest and telescopic best in the south before dawn.

Uranus, magnitude 5.9, in Aries, is low in the east before dawn dawns.

Neptune, magnitude 7.8, in Aquarius, is well up in the southeast before dawn.

Dwarf Planet Pluto, with his five moons shines at a dim 14.3 in Sagittarius.

Dwarf Planet 136108 Haumea, its ring, and moons Hiʻiaka and Namaka, shines at a faint magnitude of 17.4 in Bootes.

Dwarf Planet 136472 Makemake with his moon faintly shines at magnitude 17.2 in Coma Berenices.

Dwarf Planet 136199 Eris and her moon Dysnomia is barely visible in the most powerful telescopes at magnitude 18.8 in Cetus the Sea Monster.

Last Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Eastern side illuminated, will occur July 1.

The moon will be at Apogee or its farthest distance from Earth on July 5, when she will be 251,869 miles from Earth.

New Moon, when the Moon is located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. will occur July 9 at 8:17 PM or 1:17 UTC on July 10. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.

First Quarter Moon will occur July 17, with the visible portion of the Moon pointing West.

Though it won’t peak until the night and morning of August 12 & 13, the Perseid Meteor Shower begins July 17, and lasts until August 24. This shower, associated with comet Swift-Tuttle will peak at 60 meteors per hour in August.

The moon will be at Perigee or its closest approach to Earth on July 21, when she will be 226,502 miles from Earth.

July’s Full Moon occurs July 23 at 9:37 PM CDT or 2:37 UTC on July 24, when the Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated.
July’s Full Moon is called “Buck Moon” in Native American folklore. This moon gets its name because the male buck deer begin to grow their new antlers at this time of year. It has also been called “Full Thunder Moon” & “Hay Moon”.

The Delta-Aquariad Meteor shower peaks on the night of July 28th into the morning of the 29th.
This shower annually occurs from July 12 through August 23 is made up of debris from Comet Marsden Kracht and produces a ZHR or Zenith Hourly Rate of 20 meteors per hour.

The Last Quarter moon will block many of the fainter meteors this year. But if you are patient, you should still be able to catch a few of the brighter ones. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius but can appear anywhere in the sky.

Last Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Eastern side illuminated, will occur July 31.

During Last Quarter Moon the visible portion of the Moon points East, with the dividing line between the dark and light portions of the Moon, or “Terminator” pointing roughly North and South, which can be useful to remember for rough direction finding when out in the wilds.

4422 planets beyond our solar system have now been confirmed as of June 11, per NASA’s
Exoplanet Archive http://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/

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This month’s meeting will be on July 13 at 7PM

The meeting will be done remotely as was last month’s meeting.

Details and instructions will be issued as the time nears.

Hope to “see” you there!

Mark / WD4NYL
Editor
ALERT Newsletter
wd4nyl@bellsouth.net