MINNESOTA
MARSGRAM
Information for Minnesota Navy-Marine Corps. MARS Members
July, 2014
Number 7
Volume 19,
Robert “Bob” G. Olson
NNN0YWH - SK
July 17, 1917 - January 19, 2014
Courtesy of Henry Anderson Funeral Homes
July 19, 2014
Pacific Area Ecom Bcst 04/14
The next MARS Day Out for 2014 is
scheduled for July 19. The event will run
from Saturday 1600Z to Sunday 1600Z.
Frequencies to use are (Note frequency
changes):
NEC, NGA, NMA (Primarily Voice)
NFT, NJC, NMF (Primarily Digital)
The MARS Day Out document is located
on the Navy-Marine Corps MARS Pacific
Area website: http://www.navymars.org/
pacific/ Then on the left column menu
select ECOM, then MARS Day Out.
Allow up to 5 days from this message for
the online document to be updated.
Send your MARS Day Out scores to:
NNN0GFS (at)navymars.org
BT OVER
Robert Olson, age 96 of Minneapolis,
and long time resident of Becketwood.
Born July 17, 1917 in Chicago, IL to
George and Alice Olson, passed away Jan
19, 2014.
Robert, graduated from West High
School and took over his father’s business
as a Manufacturer’s Rep for Cutlery and
Pocket Knives sales. Bob used aircraft to
travel to his customers, becoming an avid
pilot and later a member of the Civil Air
Patrol.
Robert served in the Mediterranean with
the US Navy during WWII as an Electronic Countermeasures and Interference
Specialist. Bob was also a member of Lake
Harriet Masonic Lodge, #19AF & AM.
He is preceded in death by his wives,
Marguerite Osborn and Maxine Sigford;
son, George and brother, Arthur. Robert
will be dearly missed by his brothers,
Donald and David; many nieces and
nephews;
step-daughters, Laurie and Michele Palmer
and other family and friends. Robert was
laid to rest with his first wife, Marguerite
and son, George at
Lakewood Cemetery.
“My reading of history convinces
me that most bad government
results from too much government.”
Thomas Jefferson
MINNESOTA TRAFFIC NETS
The MINNESOTA MARSGRAM is published for the benefit of
Amateur Radio Operators in Minnesota and other interested individuals.
The contents DO NOT reflect official Navy positions.
EDITOR: Bob Reid NNN0XYA / NNN0GAZ3
Snail Mail: 13600 Princeton Circle
Savage, MN. 55378-2625
E-Mail: [email protected]
Minnesota State Coordinator:
Tim Isom NNN0XEE / NNN0GAZ
Content Contributions Welcomed and Encouraged
Designator
5G1B
Frequency
Pri.
NCE
Sec.
NBG
Ter.
NAR
Local Times
18:30 Daily
MINNESOTA ADMIN. NET
5G4A
Pri.
NCE
Website http://www.mnmars.org
19:00
2nd Sunday
MN MARSGRAM
July, 2014
Test Your NIMS Knowledge
page 2
MN MARS Conference
Each month we take a look at a topic covered in the FEMA online courses required of all emergency communications volunteers. See how much you recall from the course.
Which position is responsible for the direct management of all
incident-related tactical activities?
A. Finance/Administration Section Chief
B. Logistics Section Chief
C. Operations Section Chief
D. Planning Section Chief
Check for the answer in next month's MARSGRAM
NNN0KZC Al
The 2014 MNMARS conference is set up for July 26th at the
Clearwater American Legion just off of interstate 94.
July 26th is not going to work for several members so the next
two dates are Aug 2nd or Aug 9th. Please let me know which of
these dates will work for the majority of our members.
Time: 1100 to 1400 or so. Meet at 1100, lunch (Dutch treat)
at 1200 and meeting to follow.
If you have any agenda items, please send them to me.
More info and agenda to follow. Just a heads up to get on
your calendar.
BT OVER
May NIMS Solution
Select the TRUE statement from below:
D. The NRP is an all-hazards plan that provides flexible
mechanisms for national-level operational coordination for
domestic incident management.
Mille Lacs Area Repeater Upgrade
Foston, MN location
“The strongest reason for the people to retain
the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last
resort, to protect themselves against tyranny
in government.”
Thomas Jefferson
MN Navy-Marine Corps
MARS Staff
Minnesota State Director
NNN0GAZ - Tim Isom - NNN0XEE
Assistant to the State Director
NNN0GAZ ONE
Al Doree - NNN0KZC
Assistant to the State Director: Em. Comm.
NNN0GAZ TWO
Al Doree - NNN0KZC
Assistant to the State Director: Net Ops/Rpts
NNN0GAZ THREE
Bob Reid - NNN0XYA
Assistant to the State Director: Training
NNN0GAZ FOUR
Dave Donaldson - NNN0AXK
The owner of the MAGIC Repeaters in St. Paul and Foreston,
gives all hams the heads-up on a change that will be happening
in Mille Lacs County. The UHF ( 443.675 Pl 114.8 ) and VHF (
146.745 Pl 107.2 ) repeaters are being relocated to the water
tower in Foreston, MN. The repeater owner is working with the
city of Foreston at the present time and has the tentative
approval to place a weather proof cabinet at the base, and the
antennas on the top of the water tower.
The repeater owner is also working with the Mille Lacs county
to use the repeater for the county emergency services and
skywarn activity.
After the final approval is secured, the relocation work will
begin. Hopefully the relocation will be complete by the end of
August of 2014. The repeaters will have dual backup power
from a generator and battery.
The UHF and VHF repeaters will have 60 watts continues to
thir antennas. This power level will be put a good foot print in
the area, and cover the whole county.
There will be a second receiver in Onamia coming around
spring of 2015 in the north end to help cover around the Mille
Lacs lake area.
These repeaters are not new to the AREA but there will be
newer equipment on them and should do a lot better job. If
anyone has questions please feel free to e-mail
[email protected]. More information available at the
webpage: http://www.magicrepeater.net/
BT OVER
MN MARSGRAM
July, 2014
page 3
Training Corner
Six Character Callsigns
NNN0XEE Tim
In 2013, with the release of the hybrid WL2K system a
number of broadcasts, both Chief MARS Broadcasts and Chief
MARS Info Broadcasts made reference to using the six character callsigns for using VHF Packet and Winlink 2000 modes
(Pactor, Winmor, Robust packet). This change from seven
character callsigns was necessary, in these modes, to enture that
all features of VHF Packet and Winlink could be fully implemented. (CHNAVMARCORMARS BCST 13-13).
The hybrid WL2K system provides an internet free traffic
system, for MARS, similar to the MDS that WL2K replaced a
number of years ago. Making this change was necessary to
comply with the latest DoD Directive, requiring a means of
moving traffic that would continue to function in the absence
of the internet.
So what is your six character callsign? Here is a schematic of
the seven vs. the six character callsign with examples.
1. Remove one “N” off the callsign. For example
NNN0XEE
NNN0XEE
2. Remove the zero (0) from the callsign
NNN0XEE
3. Move the first letter of your callsign suffix to the left (those
characters struck through have been removed at this point for
clarity)
NNXEE
4. Insert your region, in numerical form, between the first letter
of your callsign suffix and the last two letters.
NNX5EE
This is your six character, AX 25 compliant, callsign for use on
VHF Packet and all modes of WL2K.
State “mailbox” callsigns remain the same, they were already
six character.
There has been some confusion, as pointed out in Chief
MARS Info Broadcast 48-13, about when six character callsigns
are mandatory. As pointed out in that broadcast, reproduced
below, the six character callsigns are mandatory when checking
into a WL2K RMS on Packet, PACTOR, Winmor or Robust
Packet.
Some may chose to use a six character callsign in other
modes, voice, CW, the various soundcard modes, but to date,
we find it in use only in VHF Packet and WL2K RMS.
Currently this station is checks for traffic using the seven
character callsign (NNN0XEE) and six character callsign
(NNX5EE). There is a fairly even mix of traffic received on
both. I would urge all to move to the six character callsign for
use in WL2K. The reason for changing is so that in the event
cont'd col. 2
we find ourselves without internet service, there is no need to
learn on the fly, the work is already done.
With Airmail making this modification requires adding an “ini”
file but this is relatively easy because you already have your
original, making a copy and the necessary modifications is
straightforward. In RMS Express, adding an “alias” callsign to
check is straight forward, and in some respects easier than in
Airmail.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Tim,
NNN0XEE
Below are excerpts from the relevant broadcasts:
SUBJ: CHNAVMARCORMARS BCST 13-13 - USE OF SIXCHARACTER CALL SIGNS
B. NTP 8(D) ARTICLE K121
1. There is confusion on how to use NAVMARCORMARS sixcharacter call signs authorized in Refs A and B. There have
been changes with the introduction of Radio-Only WL2K and
Hybrid WL2K that necessitate the mandatory use of six-character call signs in all modes of WL2K as well as VHF Packet using
the AX.25 protocol. Make the following changes immediately.
2. Cancel Ref A and delete from the list of effective Chief,
MARS broadcasts.
3. Make the following pen and ink change to ref B:
Change to beginning of the second sentence to read: “They
shall be used on VHF systems and the WINLINK 2000 system:”
4. The change to Article K121 will be reflected in the next
change to NTP 8(D).
SUBJ: CHNAVMARCORMARS INFO BCST 48-13
1. AAN3EEI: The message distribution list AAN3EEI is only valid
when the internet is available. If there is no internet, EEIs
should not be sent. The user can check this when he logs onto
an RMS by seeing
what CMS, if any, he is connected to. If not connected to a
CMS, they should not send the EEI to AAN3EEI because it
cannot be delivered. If there is no internet, your Area or Region
should have an ECOM net running. Take your information there
for dissemination.
2. SIX CHARACTER CALL SIGNS: There seems to be confusion about when six-character call signs MUST be used. They
MUST be used when checking into a WL2K RMS on Packet,
Pactor, Winmor or Robust Packet, period. The six-character call
sign MAY be used on nets in other modes, such as Voice, CW,
the various Sound Card modes such as used in Fldigi,
MULTIPSK, MT63, etc.
BT OVER
“The democracy will cease to exist when you take
away from those who are willing to work and
give to those who would not.” Thomas Jefferson
MN MARSGRAM
July, 2014
page 4
Antenna Legislation
ARRL Letter June 26, 2014
June Crossword Solution
Across
2. WOODROWWILSON—Which US president set aside a
special day for honoring the flag?
5. TRIANGLE—When the flag is folded, what is its final
shape?
7. ROBERTPEARY—Who cut the American Flag into pieces
and was even honored for doing it.
11. SIX—Number of white stripes on the flag?
12. FALSE—True or False, Flag Day is a federal holiday.
13. MOON—What is the furthest place the flag has traveled
to?
15. SMITHSONIAN—The flag that Francis Scott Key wrote
about is still in existence, where is it housed?
16. HAWAII—The 50th star on the flag represents what state?
17. THIRTEEN—How many folds does it take, when folding
the flag, for it to reach its final shape?
Down
1. BERNARDCIGRAND—The name of the person who is
popularly credited with promoting a nation celebration of the
flag.
3. SONSOFTHEAMERICANREVOLUTION—in 1890,
what group proposed a nationwide display of the flag on June
14th?
4. FAIRFIELDWASHINGTON—The city (provide city and
state) that claims to hold the longest running Flag Day parade.
6. GRANDUNIONFLAG—What was the name of the first
flag of the United States?
8. MEMORIALDAY—On what holiday does the flag fly on
half-mast until noon, then full mast from noon to sunset.
9. VEXILLOLOGIST—Expert in the history and study of
flags
10. PENNYSYLVANIA—Which state became the first to
honor Flag Day as a state holiday?
11. SEVEN—Number of red stripes on the flag?
14. UNDERGOD—What words were added to the Pledge of
Allegiance in 1954?
“To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the
propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and
abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”
Thomas Jefferson
A bill with bipartisan support has been introduced in the US
House of Representatives that calls on the FCC to apply the
“reasonable accommodation” three-part test of the PRB-1 federal
pre-emption policy to private land-use restrictions. HR.4969, the
“Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014” was introduced on June 25
at the request of the ARRL, which worked with House staffers to
draft the proposed legislation. The bill’s sponsor is Rep Adam
Kinzinger (R-IL). It has initial co-sponsorship from Rep Joe
Courtney (D-CT). If the measure passes the 113th Congress, it
would require the FCC, within 120 days of the Bill’s passage, to
amend the Part 97 Amateur Service rules to apply PRB-1 coverage to include homeowners’ association regulations and deed
restrictions, often referred to as “covenants, conditions, and
restrictions” (CC&Rs). Presently, PRB-1 only applies to state and
local zoning laws and ordinances.
“There is a strong federal interest in the effective performance
of Amateur Radio stations established at the residences of
licensees,” the bill states. “Such stations have been shown to be
frequently and increasingly precluded by unreasonable private
land-use restrictions, including restrictive covenants.”
The 11-page PRB-1 FCC Memorandum Opinion and Order is
codified at § 97.15(b) in the FCC Amateur Service rules, giving
the regulation the same effect as a federal statute. In short, PRB-1
states that local governments cannot preclude Amateur Radio
communications; they must “reasonably accommodate” amateur
operations, and the state and local regulations must be the
minimum practicable regulation to accomplish a legitimate
governmental interest. Subject to those guidelines, municipalities
may still establish regulations with respect to height, safety, and
aesthetic concerns.
For 28 years, FCC regulations have “prohibited the application
to Amateur Radio stations of state and local regulations that
preclude or fail to reasonably accommodate Amateur Service
communications,” the bill points out, “or that do not constitute
the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish a legitimate
state or local purpose.” Since PRB-1 was enacted, the FCC has
said several times that it would prefer to have some guidance
from Congress before extending the policy to private land-use
regulations.
HR.4969 has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Rep Greg Walden, W7EQI (R-OR), chairs
that panel’s Communications and Technology Subcommittee,
which will consider the measure.
ARRL Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, is a
principal advocate for the current legislative initiative to gain
PRB-1 recognition for CC&Rs. Lisenco said the most urgent task
now is to get additional co-sponsors to sign onto HR.4969.
BT OVER
MN MARSGRAM
July, 2014
page 5
Across
2. “The contest for ages has been to
rescue liberty from the grasp of executive
power.”
7. “Associate yourself with men of good
quality if you esteem your own reputation
for ’tis better to be alone than in bad
company.”
8. “Fear is the foundation of most
governments.”
10. “A great empire, like a great cake, is
most easily diminished at the edges.”
11. “Don’t fire until you see the whites of
their eyes! Then fire low!”
12. “The public cannot be too curious
concerning the characters of public men.”
13. “All tyranny needs to gain a foothold
is for people of good conscience to remain
silent.”
Down
1. “I know not what course others may
take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”
3. “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.”
4. “There! His Majesty can now read my name without glasses. And he can double the reward on my head!”
5. “I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm’s way.”
6. “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
8. “The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted.”
9. “Patriotism is as much a virtue as justice, and is as necessary for the support of societies as natural affection is for the
support of families.”
BAOFENG to Pofung
Amateur Radio Newsline
Chinese radio manufacturer BAOFENG is rebranding its
products under the “Pofung” label in international markets. The
company said BAOFENG — a literal Pinyin translation of the
company’s Chinese character name — “may be difficult for a
hobbyist across the ocean to pronounce.”
The company said the new name, Pofung, is easier to pronounce and more customer-friendly, while maintaining the
brand’s phonetic symbolism. Products for the domestic market
in China will retain their current brand name and identity, and
the company’s web domain, www.baofengradio.com, will remain
unchanged.
BT OVER
MN MARSGRAM
July, 2014
page 6
Utilities at Risk from Hackers
The communication networks and software that link green
energy sources to the grid as well as the electronic meters that
send real time power usage to consumers and utilities are providing new back-door entry paths for computer hackers to raise
havoc with the grid. The disclosure this week that hackers known
as “Dragonfly” and “Energetic Bear” gained access to power
networks across the U.S. and Europe in the past 15 months is a
reminder of how vulnerable the system has become.
Utilities, already grappling with other challenges to the grid,
may spend what may run into the billions of dollars for computer security. A new multitude of energy inputs is forcing grid
managers to run systems that communicate real-time data on
power flows to consumers and power plants, bringing networks
that were previously closely controlled into contact with computer
and telecommunication systems used
by millions.
“There have been documented
attacks, both cyber and physical on
the electric grid which resulted in
equipment damage, service disruption and long term repair,” said Sean
McGurk, global manager for critical
infrastructure protection at Verizon
Communications Inc., the largest
U.S. wireless carrier.
Utility chief executive officers
began meeting last year with senior
Homeland Security officials on ways
to detect attacks, block them, and prepare to restore power
quickly when one succeeds, said Scott Aaronson, senior director
for national security policy at the Edison Electric Institute, a
utility trade group based in Washington.
Already, the energy industry was the sixth-most targeted sector
worldwide last year. It was the top target in the U.S., accounting
for 59 percent of the 256 attacks recorded last year by the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security. Almost all the specifics of
the incidents are kept quiet to prevent damage to the companies
victimized.
In the past, all power use was measured by mechanical meters,
which required a utility worker to inspect and read them. Now,
utilities are turning to smart meters that communicate data on
flows minute by minute both to customers and utilities. In
Britain, the government wants most homes to have smart meters
by 2020, opening millions of new access points for attackers.
Similar programs are in place across the U.S. and Europe.
“Anytime you introduce more software, you introduce more
complexity and inevitably more potential holes to the system,”
said Gavin O’Gorman, a threat intelligence analyst at Symantec
Corp., the security company based in Mountain View, California,
that identified the “Dragonfly” threat.
In the “Dragonfly” incident, hackers thought to be in Eastern
Europe started targeting power companies with spam in February 2013 and gained access to networks at three companies a few
months later. Symantec didn’t name the companies. It said most
of the incidents were in Spain, the U.S., France and Italy.
Renewable energy companies were targeted. The “Dragonfly”
hackers used a French website of a clean power provider as a
“watering hole,” where victims from the targeted company visit
and pick up infected code, Symantec said. They were able to
compromise industrial control systems and install malware that
can replicate itself and spread to other computers.
“Dragonfly” was the latest in a series of breaches affecting
energy companies. In June, the U.S.
traced dozens of surveillance sorties
in 2012 and 2013 on gas pipelines and
electric utilities to the People’s
Liberation Army in China.
“There’s a reluctance to talk about
attacks because no one wants to
disclose their vulnerabilities,” said
Sameer Patil, associate fellow of
Gateway House, a researcher in
Mumbai specialized in terrorism and
national security. It has seen attacks
from Chinese and Pakistani hackers
against Indian utilities.
In one of the very few cases that
reached the public, a 17-year-old in
the Netherlands was arrested in March 2012 in Barendrecht for
breaching hundreds of servers maintained by KPN NV, a
telecommunications company providing smart-meter services to
utilities.
BT OVER
5G1B Net Schedule
Day
Sun.
Mon.
Tue.
Wed.
Thu.
Fri.
Sat.
6:30PM 4007 kHz USB
NECOS
Tfc Rep
XYA
XEE
KZC
KZC
BQH
BQH
XEE
XEE
???
???
???
???
Rotating Duty (see below)
Don't be bashful, if the net has not been called by
the net control station within 2 minutes, jump in
and start things rolling.
NNN0VEU Neil McMillin 7/8
NNN0XAY Skip Green 7/15
Service Recognition
NNN0FCJ Bob Bohrer 6 yrs
Saturday NECOS / TREP Schedule
5
12
19
26
2
9
16
23
30
6
13
June Analytical Skills Solution
The Famous Forty-Five
Courtesy of Cassel’s Book of Sports and Pastimes, 1896
Divide the number 45 into four (4) parts so that if two (2) is
added to the first, and subtracted from the second; if the third
is multiplied by two (2), and the forth divided by two (2), the
result of each process will be the same.
Answer: 8, 12, 5, 20. The result in each case is ten (10)
“I predict future happiness for Americans if
they can prevent the government from wasting
the labors of the people under the pretense of
taking care of them.”
Thomas Jefferson
Don't forget your paperwork!
Q. How did Benjamin
Franklin feel when he
discovered electricity?
A. Shocked!
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Sep
Sep
NECOS TREP
KZC KZC
BQH BQH
XEE XEE
XYA XEE
KZC KZC
BQH BQH
XEE XEE
XYA XEE
KZC KZC
BQH BQH
XEE XEE
Mosquito Myths
Purple martins are voracious mosquito predators.
This is another scientific observation taken out of
context. A researcher initially estimated that a purple
martin would need to eat
its body weight in
mosquitoes, about
14,000 insects, every day
in order to survive.
However, like bats,
purple martins actually
prefer other prey,
including dragonflies,
which are mosquito
predators. Mosquitoes
make up less than 3
percent of the birds’ diets.
Bug zappers are a good way to reduce mosquitoes.
While zappers do kill a large number of insects, studies
have found that most of them are moths and beetles, and
less than 7 percents are mosquitoes. In fact, yards with
zappers typically have no fewer mosquitoes than yards
without zappers.
BT OVER