This should be a great 2 part presentation for anyone wishing to learn how to use the best contesting software. Field Day is just around the corner and GBARC had been using N1MM in years past. 
Save the Date Zoom Announcement

TO:  Deep Dixie Contest Club (DDCC) members and special guests—

SAVE THE DATES!!   
Part 1 — Thursday, May 27, 2021 @ 7:00 PM Central Daylight Time —>  2359z
Part 2 — Thursday, June 3, 2021 @ 7:00 PM Central Daylight Time —>  [b]2359z[/b]
(note:  I am using 2359z to avoid confusion on which day this actually occurs.  Start time will be at the top of the hour on Thursdays)

Our topics will be:  N1MM+ Steps to Ensure Successful Contesting Operation

PLEASE invite all radio enthusiasts (especially beginning contesters) to join us for these presentations!  Pass the word around.  Post it to all your club members!
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DETAILS:

Dates:  Thursday, May 27, 2021 (Part 1), followed by Thursday, June 3, 2021 (Part 2)
Time:  6:59 PM Central DAYLIGHT Time.   That will be 0000z. (actual start time is top of the hour on Thursday)
Speaker:  Kevan Nason, N4XL
Topic:  N1MM+ Steps to Ensure Successful Contesting Operation (Parts 1 & 2)
Description:  
N1MM+ is overwhelmingly the contest logger of choice by contesters around the world. But with over 900 pages in its user manual, it can be intimidating to set up and use. Creating “How To” instructions for adding N1MM+ to your shack is challenging due to the individuality of each station, varying levels of operator technical knowledge, and widely differing thoughts on what contesting aids to incorporate into a person’s operating style. In a two part series, N4XL has collected a few lessons learned about configuring and using N1MM+ that have helped him, and others, get this great program up and running. It is geared primarily towards CW and SSB operators, but many areas overlap into Digi and RTTY operations.

Part 1 examines some of the bewildering amount of configuration choices offered by the program.  It will identify several N1MM+ and Windows settings that commonly cause frustration and provide online resources to aid in configuration. It also describes how Audacity can be used to enhance voice keyer operations.

Part 2 describes Enter Sends Message operating, macros, information available in the Entry Window, and useful keyboard shortcut keys. N1MM will be used for live demonstrations of Super Check Partial assistance in identifying call signs, and show how self-generated or cluster spots can be effectively used with keyboard shortcut keys to enhance S&P operation.
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Here is the official invitation that you may use to connect to our Zoom™ meeting room:

Larry Anderson is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Deep Dixie CC:  Zoom Learning Series
Time: May 27, 2021 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9087926776?pwd=bCtQZjNMamxpSmtMNzJpanlqcDJGQT09

Meeting ID: 908 792 6776
Passcode: ddcc2021
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Dial by your location
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Meeting ID: 908 792 6776
Passcode: 16066072
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbUcVK5353

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As you await this presentation, feel free to send any questions, comments, suggestions related to this topic.

PLEASE pass this information along to your friends in other radio clubs around the world.  Deep Dixie CC extends an hospitable welcome to amateurs living anywhere on the globe—or beyond!

I looked over the direwolf documentation again, and I find it can utilize the winlink rms...so this may be another option for local emergency comms...

https://www.gbarc.ca/files/Direwolf-User-Guide.pdf
download full package at

https://github.com/wb2osz/direwolf/releases/tag/1.5

The byonics tiny tracker at Paisley could be easily replaced with a Raspi using direwolf... I wonder if the device can be an aprs digi as well as use winlink at the same time.

Just FYI... packet aprs is possible at Paisley through the use of a set of cavities set up as a multocoupler... these cans sit between the GBT repeater vhf cans and the second multicoupler setup at the Paisley site for the environment canada weather radio.

http://www.aprs.org/txt/digiduplexing.pdf

This is even easier at the VE3OSR site because we are the only user on the VHF antenna. This could provide local digital access

73

this might be good for emergency or other uses.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/geek-life/hand...-ham-radio

Net Controller - VE3OZW Richard
Topic for discussion - 
1. Where do you get your weather information?  Personal Weather Station (your station and/or others,) online, phone app, TV, radio, weather radio etc?  
2. Are you CANWARN trained?
3. Are you aware of or do you use the WeatherCAN app from Environment Canada?

VHF
VE3VCG Marvin
VE3MTV Norm
VE3BQM Bernie
VA3EAC Janet
VE3RQY Greg
VE3WI Dave
KO4DXQ Bob (Echolink)
VE3GIO Larry (Echolink)
VA3KOT John
VE3DGY Doug

HF
VE3GIO Larry
VE3RQY Greg
VA3KOT John
VE3DGY Doug
VE3FJN Colin
VE3VCG Marvin
VE3BQM Bernie
VE3FGG Jamie
VE3MTV Norm

Thanks everyone, 73 to all.
Richard VE3OZW

There are many possible uses for this kind of solar charging system. One of these is to power WiFi based LoRa type mesh networking devices.

Plotting a path between two points for 2 meter line of sight communications is an interesting exercise. The DX commander discovered a feature in Google Earth which allows the easy creation of a terrain elevation profile between 2 points with a couple of mouse clicks. This should be very useful for those, like me with an interest in 2 meter simplex or those working 2 meter side band. This is very short but interesting illustration of how to use this handy feature.

Narrow Band Emergency Message System
http://www.arrl.org/files/file/On%20the%...S_ARRL.pdf

Consists of several programs:
Fldigi – Fast Light Digital modem application
Flmsg – ICS forms, Radiogram, text, CSV
Flamp – Amateur Multicast Protocol
Can download from http://www.w1hkj.com/
Runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac.

Topic of discussion (courtesy Tom VA3TS): Software Defined Radio
Scheduled NCS Bernie VE3BQM sent his apologies; Net manager John VA3KOT stepped in.

VA3KOT John Owen Sound VHF NCS
VA3TS Tom Shallow Lake
VE3GIO Larry Woodstock
VE3GDZ Adam Elmwood
KO4DXQ Bob Tennessee
VE3OZW Richard Mildmay
VE3RQY Greg Owen Sound
VE3DGY Doug Annan
VE3VCG Marvin Paisley
VE3QVC Phillip Owen Sound
VE3BQM Bernie Owen Sound

VA3KOT John Owen Sound HF NCS 3783KHz
VE3RQY Greg Owen Sound
VE3GIO Larry Woodstock
VA3TS Tom Shallow Lake
VE3FP Adam Elmwood
VE3OZW Richard Mildmay
VE3VCG Marvin Paisley

This was posted in groups.io

Interesting how hackers find ways to evade security software.

https://securityintelligence.com/news/url-phishing-morse-code/?fbclid=IwAR1T
9UfcpTfmR6lX3yV2mLwScbbO1Vo53eriJ3ehNizuPeeDUXpJgfC2drc

I've just purchased 2 Mobilinkd TNC's with cables for HT's and mobile 2 meter rigs. Find more info about Mobilinkd TNC's here Mobilinkd TNC Home Page  These cool TNC's use bluetooth to connect radio to computer of phone and they do APRS as well as Packet. Bluetooth makes all the difference.

When the TNC's arrive I will be trialing DRATS software to use in highly mobile packet radio applications. This software, in combination with the right radio and antenna's will provide for a quickly deployed EmComm 2 meter voice and digital network. This is already being used successfully by some clubs for EmComm. There are a number of videos available about DRATS, however I chose this one because if covers the subject in some detail. If you watch please take specific note of the file sharing capabilities and in built messaging and chatting features. For ICOM D-STAR users, take special note of the ability to do data and voice transmissions at the same time. Ultra cool!