The updates for Dayton 2011 can be found by clicking on the appropriate link in the left hand column. That is where I will be adding things as I can during and after Hamvention 2011.

It's that time of year again when amateur radio enthusiasts turn their attention to the great trek to the geektoid Mecca known as Hamvention. This year like many others in the past many of the WMPORN members will be arriving in Dayton to spend as much time as possible wandering around about 10 acres of property on the North side of Dayton Ohio looking for that "brag about" deal or that "one of a kind item" that will do just what they need to be done. Have you ever watched the show American Pickers? I got news for you, Mike and Frank have nothing over on 20 thousand plus people who know what they are looking for and how much they will pay. If they spent just one day walking around Hamvention with some of the WMPORN members they would retire thinking they were washed up has-beens.

Now having said all that so that I can get your attention, here is the scoop. Our people will be heading to Dayton on Thursday May 19th at staggered intervals. Some will start out as early as OH Dark Thirty, and some will wait until a more reasonable time. I don't have time or space here to explain about how nothing worthwhile happens before noon, however in this case to be where the worthwhile things start happening at the proper when (after noon) will require at least some form of activity prior to 12 Oclock noon Eastern Daylight Savings time for a reasonable arrival time. Of course reasonable means that I arrive in time to check into my motel and go to bed to get up at some ungodly hour of the morning to go to Hamvention because some group of old geezer somewhere decided that hamfests should start at 8:00 am. Now, if they would just listen to me and move the opening time to 10:00 am and close down about 7:00 pm things would be much better. This would avoid the traffic rush on Friday morning and the dinner rush in the evening. It's a win/win situation, and I could stay in my bed at least until the sun comes up... think about it, even the sun doesn't want to be up at that unreasonable time of day.

Now, where was I, oh yes, members of the group will be leaving at various times on Thursday and arriving in Dayton. Many of us will meet up at the our flea market site to start preparing the WMPORN Marketing Facility for use. Just how much we do depends on what the weather is doing (as well as how hungry tired and cranky I am as well). The remainder of the preparations will happen Friday morning during a time that is normally reserved for deep REM sleep (don't know what that is? Wikipedia does, ask them).

Finally, because I wanted you to read through all of my rants on why hamfests should take place at more reasonable times of the day I have purposely held back information. There are several ways to find us. We are at booths 2530 - 2534 as noted by the clearly marked numbers located along the isle side of each space in the flea market. You can also find us by looking for the WMPORN banner flying between the little red wagon (my van) and the C-Comm van. You may also find any of our people who are walking around and follow them, they will eventually come back to the booth, they always do... they always do. As a last resort simply stop, breathe deep and let yourself relax. When you feel the fun vibe, follow it as that is where we can be found 'cause NOBODY has more fun than us! (really, we have proof).

Finally an update on our website! Now that spring is here ... what's that you say .. crap, it's snowing again..
Anyway, having to replace all of my computers that had the software that I have used to manage this and other sites for years within the last two months, little has been done about updating anything on the website since I have to do it the hard way. Not that I am incapable of doing that, I'm just lazy and like the other way better. I have new software that will work with Windows 7 I just have to get it installed and working the way I want it to work.

A few things have been happening over the winter months that are proving to be exiting. Driven by some form of craziness, Mike KB8ZGL has continued to work on the linking projects. A new repeater has been installed to the North and hopefully we will have some information about it on here soon. That repeater has been linked back to 442.175 (The K8SN repeater) to the South and as the bugs get worked out allows use of features on both repeaters from either repeater.

Also now running and continuing to get the bugs worked out is yet another linking project that is doing the unthinkable. From early on some of us talked about the possibilities of being able to link the DStar system with the analog repeaters. This is not as easy as it sounds since unlike conventional analog repeaters there is no place on the repeater to extract audio. Well, ok, there is, but the audio you would hear is the GMSK audio signal and all you would hear is something like the sound of rushing water. That is because the repeater does not recover the encoded audio and repeat it, it simply passes the digital bits along from RX to TX. That means we have to have a place to send the audio that it can be converted to and from digital/analog in order to cross those borders. Mike has continued to stay in touch with those people and work on making that happen. At this time he is showing much success, so don't be surprised if you hear the K8SN repeater (including IRLP) audio playing out the speaker of your UHF DStar radio.

In other news, the N8JPR repeater has been outfitted with an auto patch. Why would anyone do that now days? It's simple, not everyone carries a cell phone, and considering the recent performance of Sprint in the Grand Rapids and Western Michigan markets, it may also be for those who carry cellular telephones but just can't get a channel to place a call out.

Finally, in new news is something sounding more like spring weather. The orders have been placed and verified for the WMPORN Hamvention Playland. Yes, once again the WMPORN group will be attending Hamvention 2011 and taking over the real estate known as booths 2530 - 2534. We do not have a confirmation if Larry will be providing entertainment for us this year, but as always we make it a point to be sure that "nobody has more fun than us".

We are happy to report that WX8GRR D-Star repeater has a new addition. Finally, after allot of time waiting and delays the Triplexer arrived on Wednesday May 12th. "Why is that so significant" you ask? Well let me tell you. In the year 2010 (remember when that year sounded so futuristic?) May 12th is the day before many of us pack up and leave for Dayton. Being one of the group, naturally I had everything packed up and ready on Tuesday allowing me many hours to install the new triplexer (!NOT!). Oh no, as usual on Wednesday evening I cut out of work early and got started packing the van with everything I could cram into it. Finally loaded at about 2:30am I desperately worked my way toward my bed so that I would not start the weekend off badly. With all of that, I had to wave goodbye to my chances to pick up the triplexer until I got back from Hamvention.

Finally on Tuesday I picked up the triplexer and spent the rest of the week trying to catch up on work at my job. Finally things worked out for me to go to the tower site on Sunday afternoon where I discovered that the cables I had for connecting the triplexer were all about 30 inches too short. Well, with some creative bumblefutzing and a stroke of luck I was able to connect all the ports.

In case you are wondering what a Triplexer is, it is the creative genius of someone at TX/RX that is part duplexer part combiner/multicoupler and allows both the 1296 Voice and Data modules on the D-Star repeater to use a single antenna, and at 490 feet up the tower with 1.825" hardline topped off by a $800 Hustler 9db gain antenna that means a huge savings over using separate antennas.

For our friends who have 1296 D-Star capabilities, here is the information that you will need to program your radio with.

Since none of us here locally have really worked with setting up the DD mode (digital data) we don't have all the answers about setup. This is the part where how you set your terminals up in your registration becomes even more critical. There is some information out there that is available about the DD mode, but we will be learning more in the near future and will of course post that information here. I suspect about the third time we change it on this website it will be correct.

Now, about that radiation report. John N8EOD had his ID-1 installed already and went out to his car a few minutes after I called him and said he was able to bring the repeater up, and that it was full scale sitting in his driveway at about 19 air miles. Mike KB8ZGL also had his ID-1 installed in his vehicle and tested from as far South as Martin with no problems. At this point I am going to quit writing, and quit working on the repeater because I seriously need to get to installing my ID-1 in my van. More radiation reporting to come in the next installment of "This is your repeater on P.O.R.N".