Southern Nevada MARA
Las Vegas Emergency Communications
Welcome
Jan 13th
Welcome to the Mercury Amateur Radio Association of Southern Nevada, better known as the Southern Nevada MARA.
Southern Nevada MARA exists to provide communication, especially in times of emergencies.
Our website is under construction.
We operate a twice weekly net on VHF 147.27+ , also linked on UHF 447.30- (PL 100).
The net meets Mondays at 9:00 pm and Saturdays at 8:30 AM.
For more information on our Nets, for our Preamble, or for a current roster, click on Net Info. To learn more about the Southern Nevada MARA, click About MARA. And, for our download library, which includes manuals, software, training materials, and more, click on Downloads. To read Southern Nevada MARA news, click News
FCC’s Request for Comment regarding Ham Radio & HOAs
Apr 7th
Added to the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 as section 6414 which requires a Study on Emergency Communications by Amateur Radio and Impediments to Amateur Radio Communications. To read the text of this section of the bill, please visit the ARRL’s website.
As a result of this requirement, the FCC has issued DA 12-523. This includes very specific questions that the FCC is looking for, including “private land use restrictions on residential antenna installations” or in other words do HOA’s CCNRs prevent you from putting up an antenna. The Southern Nevada MARA group, as do other ham radio clubs, groups, and organizations, strongly recommend you read this information and send the FCC a response. It is always better to create an individual response rather than just use a template, but as many are not comfortable with creating their own response, the Southern Nevada MARA group will be coming up with a template that you can use and modify to post a reply.
Post your comments online at: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/ or by mail to: 445 12th Street, SW, Washington DC 20554.
Free Ham Radio Webinars
Mar 31st
There are two upcoming free webinars, sponsored by the Atlantic Division of the ARRL.
** Red Cross and Amateur Radio
The Red Cross serves the public in many disaster situations including on site relief, disaster assessment, evacuation and sheltering those persons displaced in an emergency. This webinar describes the Red Cross activities and the role amateur radio can play in providing vital communications support. The intention is to provide Red Cross and amateur radio operators with a basic understanding of mutual expectations and needs in the sheltering environment and stresses efficient and accurate communications using various amateur modes including NBEMS. More >
Battery backup for Ham Radio Station
Mar 10th
I recently added a battery backup for my ham radio station. I am using a mobile rig as my base station. On the right is a picture of my setup. It features:
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Any questions on my setup?
What kind of power backup do you have for your radio rig?
Las Vegas Ham Radio Technician License Class
Mar 2nd
The Las Vegas LDS Bishops Storehouse Emergency Response Communications group will be holding a Ham radio Technician license class on Saturday, April 28, May 5, and May 19, 2012. This entry level Ham radio class will teach you the basics of emergency communications as well as recreational uses of amateur radio. This class will be held at the Las Vegas Nevada Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located just east of Valley View, at 3400 W. Charleston Blvd. This class has been planned to allow those who are interested in assisting with their ward and stake emergency communications to be properly licensed and trained. Anyone interested in emergency communications is welcome to register and attend. The class costs $25.00 if registered before April 13, and $35.00 if registered after April 13th. At the conclusion of the 3rd class, the ham radio technician test will be administered. There is a $15.00 testing fee.
Please click here for the “Spring 2012 Ham Radio Class (70)” flyer for more information. Feel free to distribute this information to anyone, regardless of religious affiliation, who may be interested in attending.
APRS & Ham Radio License Classes
Feb 24th
The Southern Nevada MARA ham radio club will be hosting two upcoming training classes.
First, we will be hosting the entry level ham radio technician course. This course will be taught over a few days and, at the conclusion, the test will be offered. By getting your first ticket, you will be able to enter the exciting world of amateur radio.
Second, will will be holding a class on APRS – Automatic Position Reporting System. APRS allows for many things, including:
- Scouts while hiking, biking or boating.
- Watching the progress of a TREK.
- Family trips to let relatives know your progress to various destinations.
- Track a family member who may have a serious health condition.
- Put in a private aircraft while flying. It’s much better than the EPERB or crash transponder.
(If Steve Fossett would have had one on the plane he crashed the site could have been found quite easily. Hams flying general aviation aircraft often use APRS.) - Tracking your teenage driver. The system shows location and speed.
Both of these classes are open to anyone interested in ham radio and/or emergency communications, regardless if you have a license or not.
Time and location of these courses will be announced shortly. Check back here or Like Us on Facebook. Also, we will be sure to announce it on twice weekly radio nets.
2012 Training Meeting
Feb 11th
The 2012 Southern Nevada MARA Training meeting will be held Saturday, February 18, 2012 from 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM (Noon). All members of MARA are invited and encouraged to attend. In addition, others in the community, either holding (or interested in earning) a ham radio license are welcome to attend. This meeting will be held at the West Charleston Library, located at 6301 W. Charleston Blvd, just off Charleston and Torrey Pines at the College of Southern Nevada – West Charleston Campus.
For more information, you may contact us by email, via our email group, or on the local Net.
Digital modes
Nov 17th
I’ve become interested in digital modes. I have ordered a TNC and will be playing with Winlink 2000, which allows you to send email across ham radio.
As some of you may know, the 2.4 GHz frequency that 802.11 Wireless Networking (“WiFi”) uses partially overlaps with the 13 CM ham radio band. There has been some hams who have modified inexpensive part 15 wireless equipment and turned it into part 97 equipment, creating a ham radio Wireless Network. Referred to as “HSMM” (short for High Speed Multimedia) or “HInternet” (short for Ham Internet), this could be a powerful technology to link together hospitals, shelters, EOC, etc, using ham radio, combined with laptops. I have ordered some equipment to start experimenting with. If it works out well, this would be a great service that MARA could setup in association with the Nevada Hospital Association or other groups.
Does anyone else have any interest in these or other digital modes?
HAM-LINK training
Oct 17th
From Billy Smith at Clark County ARES:
As many of you know, hospitals in Nevada are receiving a suite of amateur
radio equipment. In addition to VHF and UHF radios, they will be receiving
a stand-alone packet radio system, complete with a dedicated transceiver,
TNC, software and monitor, etc., called “HAM-LINK”. The software is a
powerful combination and includes the AGW terminal program and Outpost.
This will be an easy to use system, in that the packet messages are
formatted and appear like emails created, sent and received using Outlook.
