DELARANEWS
DELARA NEWS is the monthly publication of the Delaware Amateur Radio Association, Delaware OH. September 2022 VOL 41 Number 9

Welcome

This is the official newsletter of a great ham radio club! Our DELARA family appreciates what you’re doing with the hobby! Why not take a few minutes and write out what interests you in our hobby! We have room for your article always! Send it to Stan [at] standi.com by the end of the month.

The Prez’s Shack

Lessons 'Learned'...

I was drawing a blank for a topic this month, and then I saw an e-mail from Will N8HDM with a reminder on Emergency Preparedness. It reminded me of the lesson I finally learned about my generators. Immediately, I stood up and took my two generators outside and started them up. The small Honda inverter/generator took a few more pulls on the starter cord than expected, but it is running fine. And the big generator I bought from Donn K8AOK started up like a champ. My point is that, for me, this is finally a lesson learned. In my experience, there are two types of lessons. There are Lessons Encountered (which is the common variety), and then Lessons Learned (which are quite rare). Most people mix the terms. But after re-encountering the same lesson multiple times, I realized I wasn't really learning yet. The generators are a great example. For years, every time I actually needed a generator it failed. Afterwards I would upgrade the equipment, only to fail again. I finally realized the weak point wasn't the equipment - it was me. When I bought the generator from Donn, I put it in a place of importance in the garage. Instead of being buried under and behind other things, it sits right by the overhead door and can be pulled out to the driveway without having to move the cars. Just now it took me less than 60 seconds to pull it out and start it up. The lesson I finally learned was - I'm just too lazy to move the car out to test my generator. And the solution had to take that into account. Another problem I kept trying to fix over the years was my sump pump. Among other things, I finally learned that I have to test the backup pump every time I think of... Wait a minute, I'll be right back. That was quick. I invested in a fancy setup with two full-sized pumps and two solid-state switches that won't break down. But the real lesson learned was to leave a water hose running into the pit. To test, I just turn off the power to the primary pump and turn on the water faucet. I finally learned that I (or rather my lack of regular testing) was the weak point. The solution had to be so simple that it would even work for me. As we move into fall, it is a great time to check your own emergency preparedness. And as you do that, give a thought to those lessons you have encountered time and again that maybe haven't been learned yet. Can you test your critical infrastructure in 60 seconds or less? If not, is that why you never get around to it? Anyway, I need to go turn off Donn's generator. It has proven its point (and re-charged the starter battery). Oh, and as Will closed his e-mail: Don't forget to check your smoke / CO2 detectors and fire extinguishers. Be ready and stay safe out there. 73 - Mike W8MDC DELARA President President@K8es.org

DELARA

Several days ago Bob, W8ERD posted an email about losing power and having a generator that hadn’t been started in quite some time. Thankfully, it wasn't off for an extended period of time and wasn’t in the dead of winter. The situation caused me to reflect upon my situation if I should be in the same situation. I sent an email to the Madison County club reminding them of emergency preparedness and have been asked to share the same with DELARA. As a reminder, I ask everyone to do a personal assessment of your power needs and resources in the event a power outage should happen. ( Especially with winter approaching ) A few questions. Do you have access to a generator? Are you capable of starting it? Will it power sensitive electronics such as medical devices or computers? Will it generate enough wattage to satisfy your demand? Information can be found in owners manuals or online concerning power consumption of refrigeration units, fan and pump motors etc. Typically, anything with a heating element uses a lot of wattage. Be very cautious when handling fuel, ensuring there is adequate ventilation to prevent risk of fire or explosion. Also insure exhaust is safely ventilated. Never operate a generator indoors, including a garage. Don’t forget to consider the size of power cords and inspect them for safety. Another reminder is to check your smoke / CO detectors and fire extinguishers. Will N8HDM
DELARANews
DELARA NEWS is the monthly publication of the Delaware Amateur Radio Association, Delaware OH. September 2022 VOL 41 Number 9

Welcome

This is the official newsletter of a great ham radio club! Our DELARA family appreciates what you’re doing with the hobby! Why not take a few minutes and write out what interests you in our hobby! We have room for your article always! Send it to Stan [at] standi.com by the end of the month.

The Prez’s Shack

Lessons 'Learned'...

I was drawing a blank for a topic this month, and then I saw an e-mail from Will N8HDM with a reminder on Emergency Preparedness. It reminded me of the lesson I finally learned about my generators. Immediately, I stood up and took my two generators outside and started them up. The small Honda inverter/generator took a few more pulls on the starter cord than expected, but it is running fine. And the big generator I bought from Donn K8AOK started up like a champ. My point is that, for me, this is finally a lesson learned. In my experience, there are two types of lessons. There are Lessons Encountered (which is the common variety), and then Lessons Learned (which are quite rare). Most people mix the terms. But after re-encountering the same lesson multiple times, I realized I wasn't really learning yet. The generators are a great example. For years, every time I actually needed a generator it failed. Afterwards I would upgrade the equipment, only to fail again. I finally realized the weak point wasn't the equipment - it was me. When I bought the generator from Donn, I put it in a place of importance in the garage. Instead of being buried under and behind other things, it sits right by the overhead door and can be pulled out to the driveway without having to move the cars. Just now it took me less than 60 seconds to pull it out and start it up. The lesson I finally learned was - I'm just too lazy to move the car out to test my generator. And the solution had to take that into account. Another problem I kept trying to fix over the years was my sump pump. Among other things, I finally learned that I have to test the backup pump every time I think of... Wait a minute, I'll be right back. That was quick. I invested in a fancy setup with two full-sized pumps and two solid-state switches that won't break down. But the real lesson learned was to leave a water hose running into the pit. To test, I just turn off the power to the primary pump and turn on the water faucet. I finally learned that I (or rather my lack of regular testing) was the weak point. The solution had to be so simple that it would even work for me. As we move into fall, it is a great time to check your own emergency preparedness. And as you do that, give a thought to those lessons you have encountered time and again that maybe haven't been learned yet. Can you test your critical infrastructure in 60 seconds or less? If not, is that why you never get around to it? Anyway, I need to go turn off Donn's generator. It has proven its point (and re-charged the starter battery). Oh, and as Will closed his e-mail: Don't forget to check your smoke / CO2 detectors and fire extinguishers. Be ready and stay safe out there. 73 - Mike W8MDC DELARA President President@K8es.org

DELARAActive

Lots of things to do!

DELARA members are bacck in the swing! Over the past couple of months, there have been a number of activities in which many of our members have participated! Over the summer in addition to Field Day (always a big draw) the Boot Camp brought a large number out for a fun day. Ironman fielded 29 ham operators from three counties to help keep that event running. The latest adventures have included a large turnout for the Ohio QSO Party, putting the ARC stations back on the air. And in mid- September came the All Horse Parade, complete with Clydesdales. And of course the nightly radio nets, the digital group, and ARES training are there to keep us interacting. We send big thanks out to all who take their time and effort to have fun and serve our community! DELARA is an active club- and if you’re a newer member to the hobby, these activities are a great way to make some serious friendships! That has always been the best part of DELARA - friendships built around a common interest!