Courage Center Handiham System

Remote Base health report: W0EQO is on line. W0ZSW is on line. Echolink listening is out of service on W0ZSW, but operational on W0EQO.

Report a problem

Solar Activity Forecast: Solar activity is forecast to be very low to low during the period. A slight chance for an M-class flare exists and will likely remain so, until Region 1476 either rotates off the west limb or exhibits further decay.

Geophysical Activity Forecast: The geomagnetic field is expected to be unsettled to active on day 1 (15 May), with the anticipated arrival of a CME observed on 12 May. Residual unsettled conditions are possible on day 2 (16 May), before a full recovery to mostly quiet conditions is forecast for day 3 (17 May).

Credit: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/today.html

Note to users: If you change the RF gain control, please st it back to 100% when you are finished with the station. Also please be sure that Skype has hung up the call when you are finished. Thanks!

Please send suggestions to Patrick Tice, wa0tda@arrl.net.

PICONET: We suggest that you check out the PICONET on 3.925 MHz, from 9:00 to 11:00 AM every day but Sunday. PICONET is also on the air M-F afternoons at 4:00 - 5:00 PM for another hour. The net is directed but informal and can be accessed from either station. Most of the net control stations are in Northern Minnesota, giving W0EQO somewhat of an edge at times.

Bob, N2JEU, who was maintaining the W4MQ software, became a silent key in July. As a result, the W4MQ software is now hosted at www.handiham.org. Our thanks to Stan, W4MQ. Find it at the following page:
http://handiham.org/local/blind/w4mq_remote_base_software.htm

The software may now be downloaded from our server. A page has been added for the host software. We are in the process of building a new website section for the software. Here is the location for the CLIENT software, which is the version that end users put on their computers to use existing remote base stations:
http://handiham.org/local/blind/w4mq_client_software.htm

UPDATE: W4MQ software users should please use Skype audio at this time on W0EQO, but either Skype audio or the IRB Sound client will work for W0ZSW. We are looking into ways to improve IRB Sound functionality on W0EQO. Note: For W0ZSW users, if the IRB sound client starts but then disappears when you connect, switch to Skype audio.

The current radio at W0ZSW is a Kenwood TS-480HX. The radio at W0EQO is a Kenwood TS-480SAT. Speech readout of frequency is available on both radios for our blind users and is enabled by default.

W0ZSW is located at Camp Courage, Maple Lake, MN. It is running 100W to a 300' extended "W0OXB Special" dipole up an average 45' in the air.

W0EQO is at Camp Courage North, Lake George, MN, deep in the pines of northern Minnesota's lake country. Underground power lines and an isolated rural setting contribute to a quiet RF environment. The 100W station feeds a G5RV up about 35'. Transmit is disabled on 6 & 160 meters because the antenna will not work on those bands. If you wish to transmit on 160 or 6 m, please use W0ZSW.

Would you like to try the station right now?

If you would like to connect to the station via EchoLink to listen to the radio, you can search for W0ZSW-L, node 524906, and connect. Entering a frequency and pressing the enter key will allow you to change the radio's receive frequency from the EchoLink text box. Enter U, L, or A for Upper sideband, Lower sideband, or AM, respectively. One thing to remember is that EchoLink control only works on receive, not transmit, and it is only available if there is no control operator logged in to the W4MQ remote base software.

Don't forget about our station at Courage North, in far northern Minnesota's lake country. If you would like to connect to the station via EchoLink to listen to the radio, you can search for W0EQO-L, node 261171, and connect. Just as with the other station, entering a frequency and pressing the enter key will allow you to change the radio's receive frequency from the EchoLink text box. Enter U, L, or A for Upper sideband, Lower sideband, or AM, respectively. One thing to remember is that EchoLink control only works on receive, not transmit, and it is only available if there is no control operator logged in to the W4MQ remote base software.