In order to save hosting fees and make the site easier to maintain, I have combined the separate SJHAM and N5FDL sites into a single site, that hopefully will present different views depending on what you are interested in seeing!
Sun, March 25, 2012 at 7:18PM | David Coursey, N5FDL We had a very successful HamCram on Saturday, 3/24, in Tracy, with all 21 participants passing! This included Veronia Ceja, wife of Gil KJ6GQP. Thanks to our VE team: WY6E, N6TCE, N6JWS, W6MEM, K6VZT, KI6SWR, N6RJH and KJ6FTP for making this possible.
Mon, January 30, 2012 at 1:33AM | David Coursey, N5FDL Congratulations to the 16 new and upgraded Hams who participated in our Saturday HamCram at Sutter Tracy Community Hospital. Many of the participants were from outside the area, so we added hams in Placer, Sacramento, Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties. Local participants included Bob Officer, KJ6TCE, who upgraded and his wife, Karen, who got her Technician license. Dan Woods from the county radio shop also got his license, as did Lance Lundgren, a friend of John La Rue K6JKL. Also upgrading was K6RSR from Brentwood.
Thanks to Mark W6MRK, Hank K6DYB, Elionora K6SWE, Stephen KI6SWR and John N6JWS for serving as volunteer examiners.
Thu, January 26, 2012 at 12:22AM | David Coursey, N5FDL Just in case you’ve missed it, we are having a “get your license (or upgrade) in just one day” HamCram event this Saturday in Tracy. Cost is $30 and preregistration is required. The event runs from 8:15am-4pm.
We are expecting as many as 15 people and still have room for more. If you need a ham license or know someone who does, visit www.n5fdl.com and look in the HamCram section for information and registration. You can also send email to david@coursey.com if you have questions or need assistance.
Also: I will be available to program radios – Yaesu’s and Wouxung’s – during the day with the new county EMCOMM frequency plan. I may have to run an errand at some point, so the best time to show up is after 12 and before 2 or just call first to make sure I’ll be there. My number is 740-7515.
Hope to see you there!
David, N5FDL
Thu, January 12, 2012 at 10:49AM | David Coursey, N5FDL In mid-December, a new repeater was placed into service atop Mt. Oso in Stanislaus County. The repeater, at 3,300 feet, offers wide coverage, though its location on the hill results in some considerable nulls. Further, the antenna in use limits up-close coverage (such as in Tracy). Both of these issues are being addressed but will take time to solve.
This location was made available by John LaRue, K6JKL, and Keith Bussman, the site owner. This is the same site where a CARLA UHF system resides.
The repeater is on 146.895, down offset, and requires a 114.8 PL tone. It also transmits the tone, allowing the user to select CTCSS or “Tone Squelch” to silent any interference on the channel. Other nearby repeaters are located in Chico and Santa Clara. If you can hear this repeater, you should not be able to hear the others.
Note that the CW ID is transmitted without a PL tone, meaning that if you have PL decode turned on you will not hear the repeater ID. Right now, the repeater is set to ID every 9 minutes as a beacon to help determine if it is causing interference to other repeaters.
Plans are underway to improve the antenna, raise the power somewhat and purchase a new controller. At present, using the built-in controller, the repeater has no courtesy tone and IDs on CW only. If the IDs bother you, turn on PL decode and you won’t hear them.
For information, the N5FDL repeaters — Tracy, Mt. Oso (now) and Ripon (again, soon) will all operate with a 114.8 PL tone, as does the WB6ASU 147.090 system.
Thu, November 3, 2011 at 10:52AM | David Coursey, N5FDL 
This is a CEV EventWhat: EMCOMM U II
Our next EMCOMM University will be held Saturday, November 19, 2011 at San Joaquin General Hospital in French Camp. The program includes digital communications demonstrations, new ham handie-talkie training, and a transmitter hunt.
The transmitter hunt is being organized by Mike Saculla, K6MDS, and will begin at 2pm with a discussion of T-hunt techniques and equipment, particularly as they relate to emergency communications. Following Mike’s presentation, will go outside and look for hidden transmitters. This is a follow-up to the successful hunt held recently in Stockton.
The data modes include WSPR, Winlink over packet using RMS Express software, and maybe Winlink over HF using WINMOR, a “sound card mode” that replaces expensive Pactor modems.
The HF demos will be done by Ryan Holzer, KJ6OBV, who has been experimenting with WSPR, which uses a automated network of very low power stations to test propagation conditions. It is amazing what it will do. The map below shows contacts Ryan’s station made over a several hour period using 1 watt transmitter power and a Buddipole on 10-meters.
David Coursey, N5FDL, will do the Internet email over packet demo, using the new RMS Express software and the Winlink network. Ryan will help with the WINMOR demo if we are able to get it together in time.
If you need this training, please send an email so we will have enough radios available.
We meet in the Doctors Dining Room at the hospital, which is on Interstate 5 in French Camp. Take the Matthews Rd. exit. The map below shows were to park and the location of the meeting room. Clicking on it takes you to a downloadable PDF.
Talk-in will be on 146.655 - PL 100.0 (ARES2 or SJC2 in our frequency plan). Hope to see you there!
Click on image to download a PDF of the map. 
