Courage Center Handiham World Weekly E-Letter for the week of Wednesday, 25 August 2010

This is a free weekly news & information update from Courage Center Handiham System. Our contact information is at the end, or simply email handiham@couragecenter.org for changes in subscriptions or to comment. 

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Welcome to Handiham World!  

Telling the story: Mike Runholt, KC0YFV, on ARRL website

Mike, KC0YFV, and Bill, N0CIC, take down a wire antenna following Radio Camp at Courage North.

Photo: Mike, KC0YFV, left, and Bill, N0CIC, take down one of the wire antennas following a memorable radio camp session at Courage North. This radio camp was the last of a long run of week-long camp sessions at the Courage North location. In 2010, the radio camp session moved to Camp Courage, about 40 miles west of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Courage Center owns both camps. The Handiham System headquarters is at Camp Courage.

Mike Runholt, KC0YFV, has written an excellent article about the Handiham System and Radio Camp. It appears this week on the ARRL website. You can reach Mike at his callsign at ARRL.net if you wish to comment on the story.

"The pontoon slowly motors around the lake. A group of hams gathers around the radio. “CQ, CQ 80 meters this is W0EQO, KC0YFV at the mike, maritime mobiling from Courage North in Lake George, Minnesota, over.” So begins a typical contact at the Handiham Radio Camp sponsored by the Courage Handiham System, a program of the Courage Center. You have probably seen our quarterly ad in QST and wondered what we do."

Read the entire story on the improved and newly-redesigned ARRL website:

http://www.arrl.org/enabling-ham-radio-s-disabled

Our thanks to Mike for telling the Handiham story so well. Good work, Mike! And, hey, Bill, you look good in that photo, too.  Are you the wire tangler or the wire untangler?

73,

Patrick Tice, WA0TDA
Handiham Manager 
wa0tda@arrl.net 

EchoLink for Android arrives

cartoon robot with cell phone

Here's more good news for the ham operator on the go:  Another popular smart phone operating system can now run the popular EchoLink application. Already available for the Apple iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPad, this new application will bring another potentially large group of users into the fold. The EchoLink website states:

"EchoLink for Android is an edition of the EchoLink software that runs on an Android smart phone or tablet, such as a Motorola Droid or an HTC Evo. If you own one of these devices and are a validated EchoLink user, you can access the EchoLink system from nearly anywhere where Wi-Fi or 3G networking is available. EchoLink for Android is available free of charge from the Android Market."

For those potential users who wonder if the Droid app will have features similar to the Windows version, "The Android edition focuses on the basic features of EchoLink, such as managing the Station List, connecting and disconnecting, and transmitting and receiving voice and text. Unlike the Windows edition, you can be connected to only one node at a time, and there is no Sysop mode. The user interface has been re-designed to function smoothly on the smaller screen of a smart phone, and to take advantage of some of its built-in hardware features."

Droid users can get the free app by visiting the EchoLink website and scanning a QR code image on the page, or else they can tap the "Market" icon on their phones and searching for EchoLink.

Read more on the EchoLink website, including an explanation of EchoLink connectivity by relay, an easy way to use one of these devices to avoid the typical hassles of firewalls: 
http://www.echolink.org/faq_android.htm

Droid and iPhone/iPod users: Check into our informal Handiham net on conference *HANDIHAM*, node number 494492, 11:00 a.m. USA Central Time, Monday through Saturday. 

Feedback

cartoon dog barking at postal carrier

Mars Hoax is back this month

Thinking back to Radio Camp sessions at Courage North in the past, I do recall the dark sky at Courage North, deep in the pines of Minnesota's far north lake country, where a very bright Mars was an awe-inspiring sight. Far from city light pollution, Courage North pretty much always serves up excellent stargazing opportunities. Anyway, this 2003 Mars appearance inspired a recurring "Mars hoax" every year about this time. 

Now NASA Science News for August 25, 2010 is reporting that the Mars Hoax is back and it's trickier than ever. Read today's story from Science@NASA to find out what's really going to happen in the night sky on August 27th. There is also an option to listen to the story in streaming audio. 

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/25aug_marshoax/

Remote base progress report

Kenwood TS-570

We have made excellent progress on W0ZSW, the second HF remote base station this week. After a series of internet failures at Camp Courage, a defective DSL modem has been replaced and things are looking good. Today Lyle Koehler, K0LR, is adding the EchoLink connection to the station, and we will be able to include it in the beta testing. The issue of voice readout not working for our blind users is still bugging us, and we think it will be necessary to replace the radio, a TS-570, with a TS-480. We will move forward on this soon.  

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. 

This week @ HQ

The link to the PDF version is here:
http://handiham.org/local/downloads/hhw_summer_2010.pdf

If you are blind, we also have a Daisy version that includes spoken word audio in a special format that can be navigated by users of Library of Congress players or other Daisy book players. You can find the links you need here:
http://www.handiham.org/node/897

One thing that is missing from both the PDF and DAISY versions of the Handiham World is the giving envelope. If you are on our mailing list, you should receive a printed copy of the newsletter in the mail. Please look for the giving envelope in the newsletter and help us out a bit if you can. We really appreciate it. If you are not on our mailing list and would like a free copy, please drop us a line at:
hamradio@couragecenter.org

Of call toll-free: 1-866-426-3442

Supporting Handihams

graphic showing figure using wheelchair holding hand of standing figure

Now you can support the Handiham program by donating on line using Courage Center's secure website.

It is easy, but one thing to remember is that you need to use the pull-down menu to designate your gift to the Handiham program.

We really appreciate your help. As you know, we have cut expenses this year due to the difficult economic conditions. We are working hard to make sure that we are delivering the most services to our members for the money - and we plan to continue doing just that in 2010.

Thank you from the Members, Volunteers, and Staff of the Handiham System

Patrick Tice, WA0TDA, Handiham Manager
patt@couragecenter.org

Handiham Membership Dues

Reminder: Handiham renewals are on a monthly schedule - Please renew or join, as we need you to keep our program strong!

You will have several choices when you renew:

Please return your renewal form as soon as possible.

Your support is critical! Please help.

The Courage Handiham System depends on the support of people like you, who want to share the fun and friendship of ham radio with others. Please help us provide services to people with disabilities. We would really appreciate it if you would remember us in your estate plans. If you need a planning kit, please call. If you are wondering whether a gift of stock can be given to Handihams, the answer is yes! Please call Walt Seibert at 763-520-0532 or email him at walt.seibert@couragecenter.org. 

Ask for a free DVD about the Handiham System. It's perfect for your club program, too! The video tells your club about how we got started, the Radio Camps, and working with hams who have disabilities.
Call 1-866-426-3442 toll-free.1-866-426-3442 toll-free -- Help us get new hams on the air.

Get the Handiham E-Letter by email every Wednesday, and stay up-to-date with ham radio news. 

You may listen in audio to the E-Letter at www.handiham.org.

Email us to subscribe:
hamradio@couragecenter.org

Handiham members with disabilities can take an online audio course at www.handiham.org:

That's it for this week. 73 from all of us at the Courage Handiham System!

Pat, WA0TDA

Manager, Courage Handiham System

Reach me by email at:
patt@couragecenter.org

Nancy, Handiham Secretary:
hamradio@couragecenter.org

Radio Camp email:
radiocamp@couragecenter.org

ARRL Diamond logo

ARRL is the premier organization supporting amateur radio worldwide. Please contact Handihams for help joining the ARRL. We will be happy to help you fill out the paperwork!

The weekly e-letter is a compilation of software tips, operating information, and Handiham news. It is published on Wednesdays, and is available to everyone free of charge. Please email wa0tda@arrl.net for changes of address, unsubscribes, etc. Include your old email address and your new address.