HF Interoperability Event: 5~15 August

All ham operators are invited to participate in
10 days of HF Automatic Link Establishment
activity on the air. The purpose of this event
is to encourage ALE communication techniques
among amateur radio operators worldwide.

START: 0001 UTC Friday 05 August 2011
END:   2359 UTC Monday 15 August 2011
The HF Interoperability Event is an on-the-air
international exercise sponsored by HFLINK, towards
readiness for HF Emergency/Disaster Relief and
Networking communications for the amateur radio service.

HF Interoperability utilizes the High Frequency
global standard Automatic Link Establishment system
used by governmental agencies and non-governmental
organizations for HF communications around the world.
ALE provides direct HF Selective Calling and Net Calling
for SSB (Single SideBand) voice and/or data modes.
The radio operator can call another ham callsign
directly; the ALE will "ring" the radio just like a
telephone. Nets of hams can be called up in the same way.
Pre-arranged schedules or internet connections are not needed.
This open event is for ham operators to check out
their ALE communications equipment, get real-world
experience initiating and responding to ALE calls,
link up with fellow ALE operators for for text or
voice QSO contacts on HF, and share helpful information
about setting up ALE compatible radio stations.

Thousands of amateur radio operators worldwide now
have ALE-capable stations, and many have been active
in previous years' events. If you have never used ALE
before, this is a perfect way to start. If you are
an experienced ALE operator, this is a good opportunity
to help a friend get on the air with ALE.

MORE INFORMATION:
http://hflink.com/aotaw/
TO PARTICIPATE:
Use an ALE HF transceiver.
-or-
Use your Ham HF SSB rig + computer + PCALE.
Free ALE software here: http://hflink.com
Join ALE operators on the air, and in the Global
ALE High Frequency Network ALE COMM CENTRE
Register your callsign and grid, to appear on the map.
Or enter as "Guest" for instant chat.
http://hflink.net
Chat room, and Real Time up-to-the-minute activity
log and maps of all the ALE signals around the world,
as they happen during the event.
HF Interoperability Event 2011
ALE On The Air Week: 5 to 15 August

ALE Network celebrates anniversary

The Global ALE High Frequency Network (HFN) sets a new up-time record
by operating 100% continuously on all international amateur radio
shortwave bands simultaneously 24/7/365 for 4 years straight.

Relying on HF (High Frequency) ionospheric communications, all radio
stations in this worldwide system scan the ham bands every 10 seconds,
rapidly maintaining contact through short digital bursts of signals
using a system known as ALE (Automatic Link Establishment). With about
2000 registered operators, the HFN covers a vast area of the planet.

HFN International Coordinator Bonnie Crystal KQ6XA comments, "The ALE
network was founded to foster HF Interoperability between all types of
organizations, agencies, individual ham operators and nets. While its
main focus is on international EMCOMM, this far-reaching service has
ample capacity for radio operators everywhere to use for ordinary
calling and QSOs... including some DXing. The huge success of this
network, during such low solar cycle conditions, has shown the true
strength of ALE to find and use unpredictable HF band openings that we
see all the time."

ALE was originally an expensive system for government services, but
recent innovations in digital technology have brought the cost way
down. The first organized amateur radio ALE nets began in 2001,
corresponding with the release of the free PC-ALE software controller
for ham radios. Several years of development by the 4000-member HFLINK
organization adapted ALE to be a ham-friendly, interference-free
system. In 2007, the internet- connected HFN network went into full
scale 24-hour service. HFN rapidly expanded to cover large areas of
the earth, and it has become the prime framework for ham radio
operations using the global standard ALE system. In keeping with its
roots, ham radio ALE still maintains compatibility and
interoperability with goverment ALE radios, many of which are also
available now on the surplus market and being used by hams. Nearly
every major HF SSB radio manufacturer in the world is now marketing an
ALE radio.

HFN Network Manager, Alan Barrow KM4BA, said "The recent addition of
real-time maps of network connectivity HF paths, combined with
features such as ALE-integrated WINMOR/WINLINK, provides a versatile
platform for fast and reliable interoperable communications. The
website HFLINK.NET has literally been turned into a virtual
communications center at the fingertips of every ham."

All ham operators are encouraged to participate in ALE, especially
during ALE On The Air Week (AOTAW) from 5 to 15 August 2011, to
practice techniques and emergency preparedness. All modes of operation
will be used in AOTAW, including SSB (Single Sideband) voice
communications, digital modes, HF relay, HF email, and mobile texting
messages in the field. Info and free ALE software is available for ham
rigs at http://hflink.com

To follow the operations of the Global ALE High Frequency Network,
please see the HFLINK.NET website. Data activity is primarily on the
following frequencies (kHz) Upper Sideband: 3596, 7102, 10145.5,
14109, 18106, 21096, 24926, and 28146. Selective calling SSB Voice
activity is on Upper Sideband frequencies: 3791, 3996, 7185.5, 7296,
14346, 18117.5, 21332.5, 24932, and 28312.5 kHz.

About HFN

Global ALE High Frequency Network (HFN) is an international ham radio
service organization of volunteer operators in various countries of
the world, dedicated to interoperability and emergency/relief
communications.

HFN website: http://hflink.net
Contact: Bonnie Crystal, KQ6XA, VR2KQ6XA (HFN International ALE Coordinator)
Contact email: hfn2011@hflink.net

WB5ONA describes his station

Every Sunday the ARES-OK HF net is held at 2130Hrs UTC and depending
on band conditions the net is held on either frequency of 7.260 MHz or
3.900 MHz.

Each week during the net several stations come booming in are always
loud and clear. One of the cleanest and clearest such station belongs
to Nelson WB5ONA of Stillwater, OK.

One of the best ways to learn "how to" in amateur radio is ask another
amateur how he or she is doing it. What did they do to build
something, or connect their equipment.

So I asked him… How is your station set up? What radio are you using?
Do you use an amp? If so which? What antenna are you using?
Below is the e-mail Nelson WB5ONA sent back to me just full of great
info. His secret, a good radio, no amp, basic tuner, and home brew
NVIS type antenna.

I hope you enjoy and find the information from Nelson WB5ONA as useful
as I did. My thanks, Nelson, for giving me permission to share his
e-mail with all of you.

73 Mark Conklin N7XYO

>From Nelson WB5ONA:

I use an ICOM 7000 usually running 100 watts. I use the stock
hand-held mike but with the AB5N upgrade. The upgrade makes a marked
improvement in audio and output. I highly recommend the upgrade.
(www.7000mic.com)

I do not use an amplifier.

My antenna is an inverted "V" with two 63-ft legs of woven copper. The
feed line is Radio Shack TV lead-in (not window line). At present, the
lead is around 100 feet, more than enough to reach my equipment. The
extra length is randomly tossed into a flower bed. Coiling introduces
SWR problems. Once the antenna is supported as I hope at a later date,
the lead may be trimmed.

I use an MFJ-969 tuner. This tuner has a built-in 4:1 balun and
balanced-line posts with one post shorted as described in the
operating manual. Using this or similar tuners with the described
antenna enables 80- to 6-meter operation. A 1:1 SWR is possible on
each band, however, not throughout each band.

Contrary to common mind-set that feed lines must be coaxial, twin lead
does work very well and, I believe, delivers more RF to the antenna
than would an equal length of coax.

The center of my antenna is up about 35 ft and is supported above the
house eave with 15 ft of 2-inch diameter schedule 40 PVC pipe. PVC
eliminates any twin lead/metal interactions. On a tower, twin-lead
must be stood off with non-conducting material from any metal by at
least 3 times the lead width.

The PVC pipe I use is topped with a tee. The twin-lead is taped to the
outside of the pipe and enters a slot cut in the side of the tee.
Eye-hole lugs are soldered to the antenna legs and twin leads and
attached together via small bolts extending through the tee wall near
each end of the tee. The connections are inside the ends of the tee.
So, far, this connection technique eliminated breakages I was plagued
with when connecting in other ways.

The free antenna ends are about 20 feet above the ground and are
supported using 2, 3/4 x 2 inch strips of PlexiGlass as insulators
with 1/8th inch holes drilled at each narrow end of each strip. The
antenna ends are looped through an insulator hole, wrapped and
soldered to the leg end. Trimmer (weed eater) cord is used to support
the ends of the antenna. Green trimmer cord blends into sky and tree
colors and is a longer lasting alternative to nylon. I've used trimmer
cord for years and have never had one break or in need of replacement.
The trimmer cord was left long enough to toss the loose end over a
branch for hoisting the antenna legs. To get the cord over the branch,
I attach a vise-grip pliers to the end of the cord and hope for a
lucky toss. The support cord is tied within ground reach. The legs are
not drawn tight to prevent bending the center PVC support. The
resulting inverted "V" is more like a slightly swooping W. The
"V" angle between the legs is kept between 90 and 120 degrees.
A good ground, as with any antenna system is a definite must.

I do get some stray RF at times in computer speakers and on some TVs.
Careful tuning and a good ground on all equipment reduces or
eliminates this problem. The RFI problems also vary by operating band.

This is a great multi-band antenna. It's very portable and handy for
special event and field day operations with appropriate center and
support. It is also great as a fixed antenna as I usually have good
reports from stateside and DX stations. I'm often surprised and
pleased when I manage to come out on top in a pileup.

73,

Nelson Ehrlich, WB5ONA
Stillwater, ok
****************************************************************************************************

Posted by:
Mark Conklin, N7XYO
Oklahoma Section Emergency Coordinator
Amateur Radio Emergency Service
918.232.8346
n7xyo@arrl.net
Follow me on Twitter @N7XYO
www.ARESOK.org