RARS - The Raleigh Amateur Radio Society

The January

is online now

Today is Monday January 30, 2023 (day 30/2023)

The Raleigh Amateur Radio Society asks that any person who thinks that they might have COVID 19, or other contagious diseases, refrain from attending any in-person RARS event until they are no longer contagious.

7:00 PM: General Social/Gathering.
7:30 PM: Business meeting and program.

General meeting info
Have an idea for a meeting?
Email the RARS Vice President

Welcome to our newest RARS members

KI4QHM	Nick Julius	KQ4FKQ	Tom Karches	KO4WIA	Jen London
KQ4FJS	Brian Phelps	KO4ZTR	Leila Annunziata	KQ4BTC	Gary Annunziata

Current News and Events
Updated January 29, 2023 11:29:20

Monthly In-Person RARS Gathering Next RARS Gathering and License Exam on February 28
Ridge Road Baptist Church, at 2011 Ridge Road, Raleigh

Part show-and-tell, part maker faire, part operating event, the RARS Gathering is the event to attend if you want to find out about the local ham community, meet other ham radio operators, see hands on demos of old and new ham radio equipment, get on the air, and exchange ideas in a fun forum. Members and non-members are welcome. ...

The meeting starts at 7:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall, but we start setting up at 6:00 pm, and you are welcome to bring your own ham radio equipment and projects to demonstrate, show off, or just work on with other like-minded hams -- we have plenty of tables. You might also find sources of coax, connectors, zip cord, Powerpoles®, and whatnot.

The RARS Volunteer Examiner Team conducts license exams at The Gatherings in even-numbered months. Exams start promptly at 6:00 pm so applicants can attend The Gathering, afterwards. Preregistration is preferred and may be done by emailing the RARS VE Team at WA4GIR@arrl.net. Please see our License Classes and Exams page for more information, including the exam requirements.

For more information about The Gathering, contact Tadd Torborg KA2DEW.

Monthly RARS Dinner Next RARS Dinner on February 7, 6:30 pm
IHOP, 7471 Six Forks Road, Raleigh

All members and guests are welcome to attend the monthly RARS Dinner on the first Tuesday of each month. Informal and Dutch, just bring your appetite and best rag to chew. ...

The restaurant is on the corner of Sawmill and Six Forks Roads. After entering the restaurant and lobby, move to the left to the glass window enclosed private room.

Upcoming Events

Feb 10-12	Orlando Hamcation	Orlando, FL
Feb 26	NC QSO Party
Mar 4	AB4OZ Hamfest	Raleigh, NC
Mar 10-11	Charlotte Hamfest	Concord NC
Mar 19	Winterfest	Annandale, VA
April 8	RARSfest	Raleigh, NC

FCC Topics of Interest

FCC $35 Amateur Application Fee Effective April 19, 2022

March 23, 2022

The FCC released a Public Notice on March 23, 2022, stating that the amateur radio application fees, including those associated with Form 605 application filings, would become effective on April 19, 2022. The Federal Communications Commission's authority to impose and collect fees is mandated by Congress.

The $35 application fee, when it becomes effective on April 19, will apply to new, modification (upgrade and sequential call sign change), renewal, and vanity call sign applications. The fee will be per application.

Administrative updates, such as a change of name, mailing or email address, will be exempt from fees.

Read full story here.

License Appplications now require FRN prior to submission

May 20, 2021

Amateur Radio Applications may no longer use your Social Security Number. As of May 20,2021 the application must include the applicants FRN number for submission. This means you must register with the FCC and get your FRN before your application can be submitted.

The FCC has provided a CORES Registration Video describing the process of registering with the FCC and obtaining your FRN.

Updated Radio Frequency Exposure Rules Became Effective on May 3, 2021

April 12, 2021

The rule changes the FCC described in a lengthy 2019 Report and Order governing RF exposure standards went into effect on May 3, 2021. The new rules do not change existing RF exposure (RFE) limits but do require that stations in all services, including amateur radio, be evaluated against existing limits, unless they are exempted.

Read the full story here.

Note: Here are some links to RF Exposure information that may be of use:
ARRL RF Exposure ARRL's coverage of this subject.
RF Exposure and You ARRL Pdf by Ed Hare, W1RF, ARRL Lab Supervisor
RF Exposure Calculator v2.2 (2021-05-07) by Paul Evans, VP9KF , Hintlink Technology.
RF Exposure Calculator from Lake Wasington Ham Club
RF Exposure Calculator Spreadseet" From Ham Radio School

Select a topic to expand details.

Selected Meeting Presentations

A Radio Astronomer's View of Propagation, presented by Dr. Kerry Kingham WA4BQM, January 2023 (PDF)

Loop Antennas, presented by Richard Quick W4RQ, August 2022 (PDF)

3D Printing, presented by Paul Holzworth KD4BFN, January 2022 (PDF)

New RF Safety Rules, presented by Chuck Till K4RGN, August 2021 (PPTX)

Intro to HF Propagation, presented by Carl Luetzelschwab K9LA, July 2021 (PDF)

Build A Multi-Band Off-Center Fed Attic Dipole, by Dan Marks KW4TI Dec. 2017 Exciter (PDF)

See why YOU should be a RARS Member

Network with 400+ Amateur Radio Operators

Access to experienced Amateur Radio Opera-tors (Hams) who volunteer as mentors to enhance enjoyment of our popular hobby and service. With more than 400 members, RARS is able to offer a wide array of public service, education, and advocacy activities covering many aspects of the Amateur Radio experience.

Community Support through Public Service

Many RARS members members contribute their skills and equipment in support of community service organizations across the RTP area, providing communications to many worthwhile nonprofit and charitable organizations. Typically when organizations hold fundraising events such as bicycle rallys, walk/run marathons, and Special Olympics. For example, the National MS Society has several walks in the spring, and a major bike tour in the fall. These events are outdoors, spread over several miles (150 miles for the MS-150 Bike tour). Ham Radio and repeaters are ideal for providing both logistical and safety communications.

RARS members also provide a public service through participation in such organizations as ARES and Skywarn which provide Emergency Communications Services to Public Safety officials and Government Agencies.

Members Only Clssified Ads

The RARS website supports a very active classified add listing that anyone can see but only RARS Members have posting privledges. The classified ads are among the busiest pages of our website and the ads are a free service provided to all RARS members.

Membership Social Events

RARS members stay in touch in a lot of ways either in person or on-the-air

The RARS 2 meter net is held nightly on one of the 2 club repeaters.
The monthly RARS Dinner is on the first Tuesday of each month.
The RARS Membership Meeting is held on the second Tuesday of each month.
RARSfest, held each spring, is one of the laregest hamfests in the state, drawing commercial dealers and vendors from around the country.
The annual international operating event called "Field Day", an exercise in setting up emergtency communications sp where members show their ability to provide communications in an emergency or other adverse conditions.

Other RARS activities can often be found on the RARS Calendar or in our monthly newsletter, The "Exciter".

Education and License Exams

RARS conducts license classes for both initial licensing and advancement to higher class licenses. There are also frequent technical programs at our meetings as well as a weekly technical net on the club repeater. The RARS VE (Volunteer Examiner) team also conducts about half a dozen License Exam Sessions each year. For the newly licensed there is a NEW HAM meeting each month before the Membership Meeting. There is also a weekly Tech-Net on the club repeater.

Operating Events

Many RARS members participate in on-the-air events either as individuals or together such as:

Contests where points are scored for making a number of contacts, different locations, different types of stations, different operating modes, etc. Certificates are awarded to the high scores and bragging rights are always claimed.
RARS sponsors the NC QSO Party each year. A QSO party is an operating event "contest" where points are awarded for contacting ohter stations with special emphasis on contacts made with a specific state. Each state has an annual QSO party and RARS sponsors the one for North Carolina providing a plaque for the contest.
RARS also sponsors a "Sixty-four on Six-Four" award for confirming 64 contacts on the RARS 146.64 MHz repeater.
DXing is making contacts with foreign countries. The ARRL awards coveted certificates for confirming contact with 100 or more different countries. Higher level endorsements are also awarded for confirming contact with higher numbers of countries.
Special Event stations are often set up at historic sites or at special events and special call signs may be authorized by the FCC for use at these Special Event stations. Unique QSL cards are usually available for having made contact with a Special Event station.
Fox Hunts are an exercise in finding hidden transmitters. Transmissions will be made from an undisclosed location and hams compete to see who can find the transmitter first.

Special RARS "Members Only" benefits

While some of the RARS benefits are available without actually becoming a paid member of RARS, there are some great benfits that are restricted to Members Only:

A voice in club operation. Only RARS Members in good standing may vote on issues that are brought before the membership.
RARS Leadership. Only RARS Members may hold officer positions in RARS.
Access to the RARS Email-List reflector facilitating group discussions via email.
Access to the RARS Roster.
Ability to post items for sale in the online RARS Classified Ads.
Sell items on the RARS Table at RARSfest
Purchase RARS branded items: polo shirts, badges, etc.

Select a topic to expand details.

Looking for RARS Club polo shirts or brochures to promote the Club?
Go to the bottom of the Members page.

RARS and Scouting Amateur radio has been a part of Scouting since 1918. RARS is working to develop contacts within the local Scouting community to foster and promote education, technical awareness, and achievement in Amateur Radio. For more information or if you are interested in helping the local Scouting youth programs, please contact the RARS Youth Director.

Have you heard of the RARS Sixty-Four on Six-Four Award ?

RARS has sponsored this award for years but many newer hams are unaware of it.
Read about it <HERE> and get some new "wall-paper" for your shack.
Download the application/logsheet <HERE>

Check out the new RARS Kudos page.

RARS@FB

Dick Bitner Benevolent Fund

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RARS · P.O. Box 17124 · Raleigh, NC 27619-7124