“This & That” — April 8, 2025
The Weekly Newsletter of the Sun City Hilton Head Amateur Radio Club (SCHH ARC)
Editor – Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW
Wednesday Repeater Net Moved to Okatie Repeater!
Members Advised Not To Use the 147.06 Machine Until Further Notice
The current trustee of the Jasper County Repeater, Dan McLaughlin (K4DNY), has advised the club not to use the 147.06 repeater (the Jasper Country Emergency Management Repeater) until further notice.
As such, our Wednesday 8 PM Repeater Net will be held on the KE4HAM Okatie Repeater (147.135 +) until we are cleared to resume use of the KK4ONF repeater.
RFI Presentation by K3RFI Highlights April Membership Meeting
Mike Martin, K3RFI, provided an excellent presentation of power line noise and radio frequency interference to kickoff our April 3rd membership meeting. Mike came to us via Zoom from his QTH in Lothian, MD. Mike owns and operates RFI Services, a firm dedicated to resolving Power Line RFI issues as well as training Power companies to improve the way they handle and resolve these issues. Mike has been a pioneer in addressing RFI for over 40 years and his enthusiasm and knowledge made for an excellent presentation.
Following Mike’s presentation, the SCHH ARC conducted it general membership meeting led by club president Bob McCormick, KD8IH. Some highlights from the general membership meeting
Bob Officer, WA6WAY announced the scheduling of our Spring Hidden Transmitter Hunt for Saturday, April 26th. A lunch at the Okatie Creek Clubhouse restaurant will follow the hunt. More details will be in This & That in the coming weeks.
Bob (WA6WAY) also talked about the April 5th Civil Air Patrol Search and Rescue Exercise (see details below!).
Ron Frick, AI4HH reported that the Okatie Repeater Association (ORA) is discussing the possibility of locating the repeater in a new fire station in Hardeeville near the Publix. It is possible that Jasper County Emergency Management will erect an 80-foot tower there. Ron also discussed the use of WinLink as an emergency communication tool.
Progress on an Emergency Preparedness Plan for ham radio operations in SCHH during emergencies was discussed by Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW. The club’s task force for these efforts plans to present its plan to the ARC members at the June membership meeting.
The members were reminded that the club will have a POTA activation at Lake Warren State Park on August 9th. Jack Frisch, K2ITZ is heading up the organization of this outing. It is anticipated that a Zoom planning meeting will be set up for early July.
Twenty two (22) club members participated in the April 3rd meeting! Members in attendance included Charlie Bess (AD5EN), Ken Finke (KN8F), Phil Flaxman (AB2LT), Gwen Fox (KN4VWQ), Ron Frick (AI4HH), Jack Frisch (K2ITZ), Harve Hnatiuk (KB3FW), Dennis Hopkins (AC4DH), Bob Kennedy (N0DQD), Bob Kehoe (WB3H), Rick Garan (WA8NLX), Dan Kreshak (KO4AQI), Luke McLaughlin (KB3VOD), Bob McCormick (KD8IH), Chip Miller (KQ4JKI), Chuck Nehonsky (W8NCA), Bob Officer (WA6WAY), Frank Pollino (K2OS), Larry Ross (W4YR), Lon Seward (WB4KSG), Bob Schneider (KF8DCV), and Ed Stratton (W1ZZ).
Club Members Attend Civil Air Patrol Search and Rescue Exercise
Report from Bob McCormick, KD8IH
The local Civil Air Patrol (CAP) squadron conducted a Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) on Saturday, April 5th at the Jasper County Airport and invited our club members to attend. Five members – Bob Officer WA6WAY, Ron Frick AI4HH, Chip Miller KQ4JKI, Chuck Nehonsky W8NCA, and Bob McCormick KD8IH – were able to observe the exercise and gain insights into the communications tools and methods available.
Our club’s liaison to the Civil Air Patrol, Bob Officer WA6WAY, organized the club’s attendance. CAP Communications Director, Kevin Redmond, provided an overview of the exercise and led a tour of the operations center.
The exercise also provided opportunities to meet with CAP leadership about activities for our club to interact with CAP cadets. Past efforts have led to at least one cadet earning his amateur radio license. The cadets have also built antennas that could be used for transmitter hunting. We expect some of the cadets to join our Transmitter Hunt scheduled for 26 April.
We were also able to discuss the club’s emergency preparedness efforts with Jasper County communications representative, Lt. Hughes, as we work together towards common emergency preparedness goals.
We greatly appreciate our growing partnership with both the Civil Air Patrol and the Beaufort/Jasper County emergency preparedness community. SAREX provided a great vehicle for both.
Hamfest Season Comes to South Carolina!
Here are some reasons to roam in the coming months!
04/12/25 – Sumter ARA & AARG Swapmeet in Santee, SC
0800-1200 / 9150 Old Number Six Hwy
04/19/25 – ALP 26 Tailgate & Swapmeet in Aiken, SC
0900 – 1400 / 636 Old Airport Rd
04/26/25 – Columbia ARC Swapfest in Columbia, SC
0800-1300 / 6515 N Trenholm Rd
05/10/25 – SC QRP Club’s 2025 QRPFEST Sandy Run, SC
1030-1430 / 312 Savany Hunt Creek Rd, Gaston, SC
08/09/25 – Florence ARC Hamfest in Florence, SC
0800 – Until / 3379 Pine Needles Rd
ARRL Field Day Will Be Here Before You Know It!
Mark your calendars now for the SCHH ARC’s annual participation in ARRL Field Day at Lake Somerset on Saturday, June 28th.
Are you interested in participating? Can you be a part of the planning team for this great annual event? Please let Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW know (hnat463@gmail.com).
What’s Coming Up
Saturday, April 26, 2025 — SCHH ARC Hidden Transmitter Hunt! 9 AM. We’ll kick things off behind Pinckney Hall in the Courtyard area and go from there! More details in upcoming issues of This & That.
Thursday, May 1, 2025 — May Membership Meeting in the Bayside Room at the Lakehouse. Presentation by Jim Boehner, N2ZZ and Bill Morine, N2COP (ARRL Roanoke Division Director and Vice Director).
Thursday, June 5, 2025 — June Membership Meeting and ARRL Field Day Planning Meeting at the Lakehouse.
Saturday, June 28, 2025 — ARRL Field Day at Lake Somerset. Some info is included above and more to follow in upcoming issues of This & That.
Saturday, August 9, 2025 — KE4HAM Parks on the Air Activation at Lake Warren State Park. More info to come in as we get closer to the activation.
SCHH ARC Nets
Net News
The “big news” regarding our nets regarding the 147.06 KK4ONF repeater was the first item in this week’s This & That.
Other news is MUCH BETTER. Our April 1st 10m SSB Net had eleven (11) check-ins. Best 10m SSB net yet! Last week’s 2m Repeater Net had thirteen (13) check-ins! Awesome participation.
Many, many thanks to all who keep our nets alive and well.
Weekly SCHH ARC Nets
Sunday’s Net (8 PM) operates on 147.550 MHz simplex on the last two Sundays of the calendar month. The Sunday net will be on the KE4HAM repeater (147.135 + with a tone of 91.5 on both the input and the output) on all other Sundays of the calendar month. Check-in can be done even if you don’t have a radio up and running via EchoLink by using the link KE4HAM-L when the net is on SIMPLEX and KE4HAM-R when the net is on the SCHH Okatie Repeater.
Wednesday‘s Net (8 PM) will operate until further notice on the KE4HAM Okatie Repeater (147.135 + with a tone of 91.5 on both input and output). The net can be accessed via EchoLink using the link KE4HAM-R.
Next 10m SSB Net: Tuesday, April 29 at 8 PM on 28.450 Upper Sideband. Net Control to be determined.
Net Control Stations and EchoLink Coordinator
Thanks to our regular 2m Net Controls: Frank Pollino, K2OS; Rick Garan, WA8NLX; and Harve Hnatiuk, KB3FW.
Thanks to Bob Officer, WA6WAY, for being an alternate Net Control Station and overseer of our KE4HAM repeater.
Thanks to Ron Frick, AI4HH, for working diligently to keep EchoLink up and running for our nets.
Net Control Schedule:
— Wednesday, April 9, 2025 @ 8 PM: Rick Garan, WA8NLX (KE4HAM Okatie Repeater).
— Sunday, April 13, 2025 @ 8 PM: Frank Pollino, K2OS (KE4HAM Okatie Repeater).
— Wednesday, April 16, 2025 @ 8 PM: Frank Pollino, K2OS (KE4HAM Okatie Repeater).
SCHH ARC Net Reports:
Thanks to ALL who checked in to our SCHH ARC nets last week.
Last week’s check-ins and traffic:
— Tuesday, April 1st (no fooling) 10m SSB Net: KE4HAM/K2OS, K2ITZ, AA4KK, WA6WAY, W1ZZ, KQ4JKI, WA8NLX, AI4HH, KB3FW, N0DQD, AD5EN. QNI=11, QTC=0.
— Wednesday, April 2nd 2m KK4ONF Repeater Net: KE4HAM/KB3FW, AI4HH, KQ4KOO, K2ITZ, N0DQD, WA6WAY, K04AQI, AD2LT, K2OS, KQ4TAY, WB1DXN, KJ4BSM, AA4KK. QNI=13, QTC=0.
— Sunday, April 6th 2m Okatie Repeater/KE4HAM Net: KE4HAM/K2OS, AI4HH, KJ4BSM, W8NCA, AD5EN, K2ITZ, WA6WAY, WB4KSG, W1ZZ, KB3FW, WA8NLX, WB1DXN. QNI=12, QTC=0.
Note: QNI = Number of Check-ins to the net, including Net Control; QTC = Traffic handled (Radiograms).
Other Operating
Daily — Monitor the new KE4HAM Repeater: 147.135 MHz + with a tone of 91.5. You may get some good DX spots from time to time and other members may be there if you want to connect/chat.Edit