Buffalo MidWinter Madness Hamfest
Midwinter Madness - 2025
March 22nd, 2025
8:00AM – 12:00PM
Buffalo Civic Center
Located at 1306 County Rd 134, Buffalo MN 55313.
Approximately 1/2 Mile North of MN Highway 55 on CR134 (Calder Avenue). The site will be on the left side of Calder Ave as you head North.
Talk-in on the K0LTC Repeater?147.000 +600 CTCSS 114.8
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Midwinter Madness is a ham-fest put on by the Maple Grove Radio Club. There are vendors selling amateur radio equipment in addition to the door prizes. You do not need to be present to claim your prize your ticket ensures you will receive your prize. Please remember to dress warm the venue is normally an ice skating rink so a hat, coat, and boots are strongly suggested.
Admission:
- $10 (Includes $1.00 Raffle)
- Under 18 Free
Quality Door Prizes
Prize drawing to be held on March 22rd, 2025 at 11:30am, to be drawn individually
- 2 $170 BLF-1215A-K Bioenno Battery Kit
- 1 $129.95 Tigertronics Signal link USB
- 1 $104 Penta Labs 811A Triode Matched Set
- 1 $100 DX Engineering Gift Certificates
- 1 $100 Ham Radio Deluxe
- 2 $50 / 2 $25 ARRL Gift Certificates
- 1 $50 AMSAT SatPC32 Satellite Tracking Software
- 1 $39.95 N3FJP Software Package
- 2 $24 Heil Ham Radio T-Shirts
- 1 $20 Heil Ham Radio Handbook
- Easy Way Ham Books:
- $19.95 Extra Study Guide
- $19.95 General Study Guide
- $19.95 Technician Study Guide
- $19.95 Prepper communications
- $17.95 How to get on HF
- $17.95 How to chase, work, confirm DX
- 4 $20 Ham Radio Prep Phonetics Mug
- 2 $15 Hammond Manufacturing T-Shirts
Amateur Radio License Exams
- Saturday, March 22rd, 2025 ??Registration required!
- Exams start at 7:30 AM – ARRL VE fee $15.
- Email:?mwmve@...?for more information on license exams and registration.
What to bring to the License Exam Session:
- Details on what to bring will be emailed to you after registration.
Session fee $15.00 check or cash (prefer check made out to: ARRL/VEC)
Vendor/Club Registration
Advance table registration closes Wednesday March 9th. A limited number of tables may be available the day of the event.
- 8 foot Swap Table: $30.00 each
- Electricity: $15.00/vendor
- Club Table: $20.00 each (Clubs tables may not sell items.)
- Make check payable to “K0LTC, Inc.”
Complete the order form and state sales tax form. if needed. Print forms and mail with your payment to K0LTC, Inc PO Box 22613, Minneapolis, MN 55422
Details will be provided by email about Friday setup times once your table is confirmed.
Email:?swap @ k0ltc.org?with questions about table availability.
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There was some pre-net discussion about the new 2025 Yaesu mobile VHF/UHF radios and their shift away from digital.
According to the new radio's manuals, only two models still support a digital connection on the back of the radio.
FTM-510 and FTM150.
Worse yet (imho), only one model, the FTM-510 supports C4FM digital audio and has an on board GPS for APRS.?
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Folks like myself got spoiled with the FTM200, 300, 400 and 500 radios with all the features and a nice price tag.
I'd guess they just got more valuable on the used market.
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73
Mike N0QBH
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Below is some info on an upcoming SKYWARN training! All CERT members are welcome to attend!
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What: SKYWARN Storm Spotter Training
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When: Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Two identical sessions offered.
Session 1 – 1pm-3pm
Session 2 – 6:30pm-8:30pm
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Where:?Kandiyohi COUNTY RESCUE SQUAD BUILDING - 213 LAKELAND DRIVE NE
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How: Register with Jon Gilbertson at 320-235-5133 x 3803 or email?jon.gilbertson @ kcmn.us–?be sure to specify which session you will attend.
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Cost: Free
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SKYWARN?is a National Weather Service program designed to gather critical information during severe weather.?SKYWARN?volunteers receive training in storm identification and evolution, and when severe weather threatens?they can become storm spotters and may report directly to the local NWS office.
Storm spotters are the nation's first line of defense against severe weather, and they know that their efforts may ultimately help to save lives. Their information, when combined with sophisticated technology such as Doppler radar, satellite and lightning displays, helps NWS meteorologists in their primary mission - the issuance of warnings and advisories for the protection of life and property.
A Warning Coordination Meteorologist from the National Weather Service conduct will conduct this training.
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WHO SHOULD ATTEND
First responders including personnel from law enforcement, fire, EMS, dispatch, public works, public utilities, amateur radio operators, CERT volunteers.
SKYWARN certifications are valid for three years. You're welcome to attend even if recently certified.
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W0SW Sunday net - WD0HXV net control.?
We had a great pre net chat with several of the world's problems solved!
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146.91? ? ?WR0RR, N0FOP, KF0OUA, N0QBH, W0AYE, WD0HXV.
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147.03? ? ? WR0RR, N0FOP, KF0OUA, N0QBH, W0AYE, WD0HXV.
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444.800(A)? ? ?N0FOP, KF0OUA, N0QBH, WD0HXV.
444.800(D)? ? ?KF0OUA, N0QBH, WD0HXV.
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Re: Meeker 147.300 keyups
Any update to the interference?
I didn't hear anything at my QTH on the input freq.
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73
Mike N0QBH
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The W0SW net welcomed Tony WD0HXV back from 7 land and running the Sunday night net.
Check-ins:
146.910? ? ?N0FOP, KF0OUA, WD0HXV, N0QBH, KF0FIK, W0RND, WR0RR.
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147.030? ? ? N0FOP, KF0OUA, WD0HXV, N0QBH, KF0FIK, W0RND, WR0RR.
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444.800? ?(A)? N0FOP, KF0OUA, WD0HXV, N0QBH, W0RND.
444.800? ?(D)? KF0OUA, WD0HXV, N0QBH, W0RND.
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Tonites discussion mentioned a change in the Yaesu mobile radio line up.
It appears some of the APRS support like built in GPS has gone away on the new models.
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73
Mike N0QBH
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Re: Meeker 147.300 keyups
I heard the 147.300 key up a few more times before I left for work at 4:00 p.m. I had the squelch set to zero and didn't hear anything come through on the reverse.?
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Re: Meeker 147.300 keyups
I heard the 147.300 keyup twice between 3pm and 3:45pm. I didn't get any signal coming through on the reverse. A&B sides of the radio set to squelch just above the noise. Antenna at 40'
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146.91? ? ?N0FOP, KF0OUA, KB0RMS, WR0RR, N0GAU, KF0FIK, KA0BLC, W0AYE, N0QBH.
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147.03? ? ? N0FOP, KF0OUA, KB0RMS, WR0RR, KF0FIK, KF0IGP, KA0BLC, N0QBH.
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444.800(A)? KF0OUA, KA0BLC, N0QBH.
444.800(D)? KF0OUA, N0QBH.
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Prenet covered everything from pregnant pauses to a Yaesu users group to Turbo digital audio.
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73
Mike N0QBH
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Re: Meeker 147.300 keyups
Added to my scan on the 70' tower here. Nothing yet.
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This morning someone is keying up Meeker County Litchfield 147.300 pl146.2 constantly. Wondering if hams could help in listening to the reverse 147.900 and report your locations and signal level and time.
Thanks,
Dan -- AllStar Link Node# 410230
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Re: Winlink users - watch HF Winlink connections in real time!
#Winlink
Click on the Prop Map tab to see the live action.
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Re: Winlink users - watch HF Winlink connections in real time!
#Winlink
Someone on the user list asked if there was a similar option for VHF/UHF VARA?
Viola!
It's a webpage, so you just visit it and watch.
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Winlink users - watch HF Winlink connections in real time!
#Winlink
The Winlink team just released this HF connection viewer that plots Winlink connections on a zoomable map.
No radio needed. It watches HF traffic via the Winlink server over the Internet.
Once running the stations begin appearing on the map with a line between them.
A click on either station shows info on the two stations.
Downright interesting to watch as they pop in.
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You must have a free Winlink account to be able to use the Connection Monitor, but having an account is a good idea anyway.
Even if you don't have the ability to do Winlink by radio you can always use it's Telenet (your Internet) connection to send and receive emails.
Knowing how to use the program is half the battle in case of emergencies.?
We can teach you to do it with radio when the time comes.
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Winlink Express:
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Winlink Connection Monitor:
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73
Mike N0QBH
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Re: W0SW Sunday Night Net Tally 2-16-25
You have a good voice & strong signal in to the repeaters.
Activity builds activity :)
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Re: W0SW Sunday Night Net Tally 2-16-25
Thanks for tracking the check-ins Mike, and thanks for playing along. Hope I didn't butcher the net too bad HiHi.
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W0SW Sunday Night Net Tally 2-16-25
146.91? ? ?N0FOP, W0RND, KF0FIK, N0QBH, KF0OUA
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147.03 ? ? N0FOP, W0RND, KF0FIK, N0QBH, KF0OUA
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444.800(A) ? ? N0FOP, W0RND, N0QBH, KF0OUA
444.800(D)? ? ?W0RND, N0QBH, KF0OUA
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We had a good pre net chat tonite, Leon KF0OUA was net control.
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By using the environmental sensor capabilities to monitor the battery heater I was able to extract some interesting data showing how the concept works.
This picture is of one 24 hour period showing the -21F temps incurred over night.?
Note how quickly the battery warms up when the sun rises. The "comb" looking portion is the thermal switch turning off and on alternating between charging and warming the battery.
This circuit keeps the battery between 20-30 degrees F when the sun is out.
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Here is a screen grab for 3 days, each night well below zero and when the sun rises the system goes to work first warming then charging the battery. I have some thermal switches with a 10F higher range I plan to try when they get here. All in all, I am pleased with it's performance.  As an aside, I'm hearing a bunch of new "meshers" up Regal and Paynesville way.? I'll try to get to know them.
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73
Mike N0QBH
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146.910? ? ?N0FOP, KF0FIK, N0QBH.
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147.030? ? ?N0FOP, KF0FIK, N0QBH.
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444.800(A)? ? ?N0FOP, N0QBH.
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Steve N0FOP was net control.?
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We were way more fun than the Super Bowl.?
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I've had time to use the Baofengs on VARA FM and, unfortunately, the newer radio is still on the edge in turn around time.
In other words, it has a lot of retries.
VARA FM has rigid timing between transmits and acknowledge.?
VHF is assumed to be a solid path.
After a couple of attempts the other station will bail.
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By comparison, VARA HF is different and often uses 10 - 15 retries due to fading and RFI we experience doing HF radio.
I include this to differentiate the two modes with similar names.
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When I can buy a dual band 5W hand held today, made by a major radio maker like Yaesu for $160,? which is up to $300 cheaper than they used to be, the choice is a no brainer.
Buy from the Japanese.?
The $35 radios will talk back & forth fine on the repeaters, they are just not always cut out for digital.
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73
Mike N0QBH
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W0AYE Ben Wussow
N0QBH Mike Berg
KC0CAP Dan Gelle