The RAIN Report for 06-16-2019

This is the very last RAIN Report
Welcome, fellow hams and shortwave listeners to the very last RAIN Report. I’m Will Rogers, K5WLR, reporting from Fayetteville, AR.

Well, where to begin in placing the capstone on what was previously known as the RP Report and now known as the Radio Amateur Information Network? The RAIN Hamcast, the Audio Ham Radio Feature Magazine of the Internet, has run from 1990 until 2019 under the command and control of its head cook and bottle washer, Hap Holly, KC9RP.

First, a tip of the RAIN cap goes to all of you who allowed us to interview you and/or use sources of information from you in the preparation of programs for the RAIN Reports. Among those that Hap interviewed were Rich Moseson, W2VU of CQ Magazine, Wayne Green, W2NSD (SK), of 73 Magazine fame, Carol Perry, WB2MGP, an accomplished middle school teacher and Dayton Hamvention Ham of the Year, and Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH formerly of the FCC. Another would be Gordon West, W5YI, who provided a number of forum segments from the Hamvention over the years. Others included Joe Mel K0OV, Shirley Roberts N8LX, a blind ham friend from the Hamvention, and many, many others. To each and every one of you, thank you ever so much!

Also, I certainly want to include all of you, our faithful listeners, for without you, there would not have been any reason for the RP Reports and RAIN. Thank you for being there!

Hap has had the able assistance of many fellow hams and voices over the years. Here are but a few samples of some of them. First, a group Hap sent me…

[Insert RAIN Report Voices from Hap]

And here are some I culled from the RAIN Report website.

[Insert RAIN Report Voices from Website]

These samples do not include all of those voices that were a part of the RP Reports and the RAIN Reports over the years. Unfortunately, the archive I had available to me began in 2004. Please forgive me if your name or voice has been lost in the mists of time. To all of you who contributed to this effort, a great big RAIN thank you!

Hap was able to obtain some email kudos about RAIN.

From Rob Orr, K9RST

I am so sorry to hear that the RAIN Report is soon to be retired. You have done a wonderful job with this service over the years. It has become a consistent staple of our net’s life. I certainly understand the burden of producing such programs can be, especially when you aren’t making big bucks. Facing deadlines and weekly programming is draining. We will miss your perspectives, humor and personality. We understand your position and just wanted to say how grateful I am for your dedication to the ham radio community.

Best,

Bob

And from Mark Klocksin, WA9IVH

Hap, I just heard the news (via the RAIN REPORT!) that you’re stopping production. Wow. The end of an era!

Frankly, it’s amazing that you were able to do this for so long! Anyone else would have burned out long ago. And I suspect it will turn out to be a relief for you…perhaps you’re already at that stage. And I’m sure Stephanie supported this decision as well.

73, OM, and thanks for all you’ve done for our fabulous hobby!

Mark

Other kudos came in the form of audio files…

[Insert Audio Files AA9KK, WA0RCR, KD2GUT]

Lady and gentlemen, thank you for your kudos!

Over the years, the RAIN Reports have woven a rich tapestry of what is the king of hobbies, amateur radio. But don’t take my word for it, Just point your web browser to therainreport.com and select the archive section. Click on any of the many selections available there and begin your own exploration of the wonders of ham radio as presented by the RAIN Reports.

So, let’s get back to that capstone I mentioned earlier. The capstone would read as follows:

On the first line: RP Reports
On the second line: Radio Amateur Information Network
On the third line; 1990-2019

I would like to concentrate on the third line. The first number is the year the RP Reports was started. The second number is the year the Radio Amateur Information Network ceased production. While those two numbers are important, the most important part of that third line is the dash. For within that dash is contained ALL of the work that was done in those 29 years the RP Reports and RAIN existed. And, if I may add, there was one heck of a lot done in those 29 years! So, to you, Hap, a hearty JOB WELL DONE! And, thank you for your friendship, Hap.

Now, for the final time, on behalf of our founder and producer, Hap Holly, KC9RP, and from all of us, both past and present, who have been involved with the RP Reports and the Radio Amateur Information Network, I’m Will Rogers, K5WLR, wishing all of you, our loyal listeners, very 73. The RAIN Hamcast is Copyright 1990-2019, RAIN, all rights reserved. And always, always remember to KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 06-02-2019

This is the RAIN Report for June 1, 2019; I’m WR.K5WLR. This week I’m seeking your help. The RAIN Hamcast is closing up shop after 30 years of production. RAIN Founder and Producer, HH/KC9RP and I are attempting to put together a ‘farewell’ to the RAIN Report. But we need you to be part of it. While we have located a few folks from the RAIN Report from some years back, there are a number of you we haven’t. If you voiced some scripts from past RAIN Reports or were interviewed for it and would like to participate in our tribute, PLEASE send us a 1-minute voice or text file about your experience with the RAIN Report. You can review the RAIN archive on therainreport.com to help refresh your memory. The only catch is our archive only goes back to around 2004. If you know you were heard on the RAIN Report sometime between 1990 and 2019, we’d REALLY like to have you participate in our Farewell. Please send your text or voice file (not to exceed 10 MB) file as an email attachment to hap@therainreport.com. That’s h hap (one P) @therainreport.com. We’ll piece your text and audio responses together over the next several weeks into what we hope will be a two-part farewell to the RAIN Report. Hope we hear from you.In the meantime, very 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network.

The RAIN Report for 05-25-2019

Here on the May 25, 2019 RAIN Report we present the third and final excerpt from a 1990 conversation with Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF, who was one of Hap’s two audio mentors in the early to mid 80s. Bill was the co-Founder of the Amateur Radio Newsline, formerly Westlink Radio in 1977. He was recipient of the Dayton Hamvention Special Achievement Award in 1981; and recipient of the Hamvention Ham of the Year Award in 1989. Writing news copy is a rare talent, regardless if that script is being prepared for the six o’clock network news or for Newsline. Bill wrote most of the copy for Newsline from 1977 ’til his passing, June 11, 2015. First licensed in 1958, Bill retired from the videoo side of the broadcast industry with Fox television in Los Angeles in 2012. 1990 P3 16M] The early 80s Newsline were a major influence in Hap’s early ham radio audio production career. Though Bill became a silent key on 06-11-15, Newsline continues today under the tutelage of Caryn Murray/KD2GUT. Hap has accepted an invitation to become jpart of the Newsline family.

The RAIN Report for 05-18-2019

Did yoo have an elmer or mentor that influenced you for good as a young ham? RAIN Founder HH/KC9RP did in the early to mid 80s. That mentor was Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF. Bill was co-founder of the Amateur Radio Newsline, formerly Westlink Radio in 1977. While Bill’s voice was not heard on a lot of RAIN Report hamcasts over the last 29-plus years, Bill’s experience and support played a major role in Hap’s growth in his early production years. While Hap is still alive and well, Bill Pasternak has been gone several years. In Bill’s honor Hap opted to run his three-part interview with Bill from 1990 as the last three RAIN Reports. Here’s part 2 of that conversation from 1990. We’ll bring you our third and final excerpt from their conversation next week. In case you’re wondering, Hap and Stephanie did not get to the Hamvention…first time in 30 years!
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2019 RAIN, all rights reserved. For another week or two this hamcast will update Saturday mornings on therainreport.com; and Saturday evenings via WTWW from Lebanon, TN on 5085 kHz. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 05-11-2019

This is the Best of RAIN for May 11, 2019; introduced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. This week’s memory from the RAIN archives features a conversation with the late Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF. Hap Holly/KC9RP credits Bill as being one of his two mentors back in the early 80s. While you may not recognize who Bill was, he was co-founder of the Amateur Radio Newsline (formerly West link Radio) in 1977. Hap interviewed Bill in 1990. Here’s part 1 of that conversation. [1990 P1 15M] Next week we’ll bring you our second and final excerpt from Hap Holly/KC9RP’s 1990 conversation with Bill. We’ll wrap up their conversation next time. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 05-05-2019

This is the Best of RAIN for May 4, 2019; Will Rogers/K5WLR with another memory from the RAIN archives. This one featuring a QSOToday podcast interview with Art Bell/W6OBB. Walk into a radio station even now and you’re likely to find a ham or three keeping that station on the air. Back in the 80’s an aspiring young announcer named Art Bell made his home on radio station KSBK, on the island of Okinawa . It wasn’t until 1993 to 2002 that Art would be heard literally coast to coast on more than 500 commercial radio stations stateside by some 10,000,000 listeners in the wee hours each night. Sadly, Art became a silent key April 13, 2018. To celebrate the career of this remarkable communicator and his voice, The RAIN Hamcast brought you the essence of an hour-long conversation QSOToday’s Eric Guth/4Z1UG conducted with Art three years ago. Here’s the conclusion of that conversation. [2018 P2 18m] KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 04-27-2019

This is the Best of RAIN for April 27, 2019. I’m Will Rogers/K5WLR with another memory from the RAIN archives. This is a very special RAIN Report, featuring a QSOToday podcast interview with Art Bell/W6OVB. Art hosted a commercial radio show from 1993 to 2002 on more than 500 stations nationwide and, according to Wikipedia, was heard nightly in the wee hours by more than 10 million listeners. The show was called Coast to Coast A.M. Art became a silent key, April 13, 2016. Earlier that year Eric Guth/4Z1UG spoke with this remarkable communicator. This is part 1 of that conversation.
[2016 P1 18M] According to Wikipedia, Art fielded topics from the paranormal, the occult, and ufo’s, to proto science and pseudo-science. Sadly, Art became a silent key on April 13, 2016. We’ll hear the conclusion to this interview next time. The RAIN Hamcast updates Saturdays on therainreport.com; and on WTWW from Lebanon, TN on shortwave…5.085 kHz. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 04-20-2019

Here’s a commentary we just received from Rob Orr, K9RST. Rob has been a ham for about 25 years, pursuing his youthful interest in short wave listening. While an early interest in commercial radio caught his attention, he ended up actually working in the film and video business. Today he is president of rob orr productions, makers of video for business, documentary and advocacy. Rob has been president of the North Shore Radio Club in Chicago’s northern suburbs for 10 years. He has lead a group of 140 ham radio operators in providing radio support for the Chicago marathon for the past 11 years. Rob Has been active with many aspect of public service including volunteering 10 years with the American Red Cross. A resident of Glenview, IL. Rob and his wife have two adult children; and two grandchildren. We present his commentary called Being Prepared. (2019 10M) You can read his commentary mmentary on nS9RC.org. If Hap can get Skype to function properly on his Windows 7 box again, he hopes to bring you a preview of the Dayton Hamvention, scheduled for May 16 through 18 in Xenia, OH. The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2019 RAIN, all rights are reserved. This hamcast updates Saturdays on therainreport.com; and on shortwave via WTWW, on 5.085 from Lebanon, TN Saturday evening. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 04-13-2019

For April 12, 2019 this is the Best of the RAIN Report, a weekly hamcast Hap Holly, KC9RP produced for 29 years beginning in 1990. One of the notables Hap occasionally featured in the mid to late 90s was Riley Hollingsworth/K4ZDH, Special Counsel with the FCC, the Federal Communications Commission. In fact for a few years in the late 1990s, Riley voiced a weekly voice posting produced by RAIN Founder Hap Holly/KC9RP called the FCC Enforcement Log with Riley Hollingsworth. Unfortunately the RAIN archives don’t include any of Riley’s weekly enforcement log. In 1999 Riley gave a presentation at the Dayton Hamvention during the FCC forum. That talk was aired as a RAIN Report in 2000. Here it is, voiced by a most non burocratic FCCburocrat. [2000 19M] Riley retired from the FCC in 2008. He was the classiest FCC burocrat to ever speak at the Dayton Hamvention FCC forum. Unfortunately the “way-back machine” has some of Riley’s FCC Enforcement Log, but in Real Audio.
The Best of RAIN updates Saturday on therainreport.com; and on WTWW SW from Lebanon, TN on 5.085 kHZ. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 04-06-2019

For April 5, 2019 this is the Best of the RAIN Report, a weekly hamcast Hap Holly, KC9RP produced for 29 years beginning in 1990. One of the notables Hap occasionally featured in the mid to late 90s was Wayne Green/W2NSD. the founder and for decades publisher of 73 magazine. For over a year Hap featured Wayne weekly in a 10-minute audio column Wayne called “Wayne Green Pontificates”. And pontificate he did. Here is one of those columns Produced by Hap Holly/KC9RP. [1998 10M] Wayne became a silent key in 2013.
I have a question for our blind listeners: Have you used an audio production piece of software called Zoom (Z-o-o-m? Hap Holly has used Skype for years but always has had challenges when Microsoft introduced new versions of it, like the current one, 8.42. Hap’s email is hap (h-a-p @therainreport.com. The Best of RAIN updates Saturday on therainreport.com; and on WTWW SW from Lebanon, TN on 5.085 kHZ. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 03-30-2019

For March 30, 2019 this is the Best of the hamcasts Hap’s produced over 29 years of RAIN Reports. This week we conclude a 1997 hamcast called Gingrich, Ethics &the ECPA. It’s the conclusion of an interview Hap conducted in 1997 with Ben Kobb/KC5CW, a telecommunications reporter for several industry publications in the Washington DC area; Editor and Publisher of the Radio Guide, a handbook of the radio spectrum; and expert on the ECPA, Electronic Communications Privacy Act. [1997 P2 12M] A few of you have asked if Hap is going to produce any more RAIN Reports. The answer is yes and no. He plans to produce a RAIN Report periodically but not weekly as he did from 1990 to the end of 2018. He intends to post the Best of RAIN until mid-May. After that he hopes to occasionally surprise us with something. The RAIN archives will remain on line and available for
transmission. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 03-23-2019

This is the Best of RAIN for March 23, 2019. This week we return to the year 1997. Congress got off to a decidedly rocky start that year. The Republican Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, was targeted for ethics violations. Then Democrat Jim McDermid stepped down as House Ethics Committee Chairman for divulging a tape recording of a cellular phone call involving Gingrich. In the latter incident a Florida couple reportedly intercepted and taped a cellular phone call made by Gingrich, turned it over to McDermit, who in turn released it to the New York Times for publication. Just what federal laws were broken if any? RAIN Founder, Hap Holly spoke with Ben Cobb/KC5CW, a telecommunications reporter for several industry publications in the Washington DC area; Editor and Publisher of the Radio Guide, a handbook of the radio spectrum; and expert on the E-C-P-A, Electronic Communications Privacy Act. We’ll conclude Hap’s 1997 interview with Ben next time. [1997] P1 17M)
This is the Best of RAIN for March 23, 2019. This week we return to the year 1997. Congress got off to a decidedly rocky start that year. The Republican Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, was targeted for ethics violations. Then Democrat Jim McDermid stepped down as House Ethics Committee Chairman for divulging a tape recording of a cellular phone call involving Gingrich. In the latter incident a Florida couple reportedly intercepted and taped a cellular phone call made by Gingrich, turned it over to McDermit, who in turn released it to the New York Times for publication. Just what federal laws were broken if any? RAIN Founder, Hap Holly spoke with Ben Cobb/KC5CW, a telecommunications reporter for several industry publications in the Washington DC area; Editor and Publisher of the Radio Guide, a handbook of the radio spectrum; and expert on the E-C-P-A, Electronic Communications Privacy Act. We’ll conclude Hap’s 1997 interview with Ben next time. [1997] P1 17M)
This IS the Best of RAIN, which updates Saturdays on therainreport.com; and Saturday evenings on shortwave via WTTW, Lebanon, TN on 5085 kHZ. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 03-17-2019

For the Ides of March, 2019 this is the BEST of RAIN. Be advised this two-part RAIN Report interview with Al Lotze/W6RQ about WWV and the sun first aired in 1994; Al became a silent key in 2000. [1994] 19M This has been another Best of RAIN in which RAIN’s Founder, HH/KC9RP has been picking out some of the best of the RAIN archives, something he’ll be doing until sometime in May. The RAIN Hamcast updates Saturdays on therainreport.com. You can hear this hamcast on shortwave Saturday nights on WTWW from Lebanon, TN. on 5085 kHZ. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 03-09-2019

For March 9, 2019 this is the BEST of RAIN; I’m WR/K5WLR. In the early to mid 60s the Swan Company was the mainstay in ham radio with their release of single sideband mono-band radios like the SW120, SW140 and SW175. followed by multiband transceivers like their 240, 350 and 400. In 1966 Swan released the Swan 500, which was similar to its predecessor, the 350. In fact both transceivers used the same final tubes, a pair of 6FH5 sweep tubes. The 350 was rated at 350 watts(peep envelope power); the 500 was rated at 500 watts. Why? We now continue the 1993 interview RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP conducted with Swan’s founder Herb Johnson/W6QKI.
[1993 P2 17m] The BEST of RAIN updates Saturdays on therainreport.com. These hamcasts air Saturday nights around 7:30 PM central on WTTW, which broadcasts out of Lebanon, TN on 5085 KHZ. keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 03-02-2019

For March 2, 2019 this is the BEST of RAIN: Once upon a time there was no ham gear imported from Japan. In the early 60s there were only two domestic manufacturers of single sideband ham gear stateside. One was Collins…the other Swan. Swan later became Cubic, and later Cubic was replaced by Atlas…and so on. Let’s start at the very beginning of the Swan-Atlas story. Swan’s founder was Herb Johnson/W6QKI from Cardiff, CA. Herb became a license ham in 1936 while in high school. In 1940 he was scheduled to begin attending Ohio State University…He never got there because Dawson Bliley/W8GU of the Bliley Crystal company put Herb to work for the next 13 years doing electrical and design work in self-excited oscillators and crystals. In 1953 Herb left Bliley and went to work for the Gonsett company in CA., where he designed the G66 Amateur Band and broadcast band mobile receiver and matching G77 mobile amateur transmitter. Three years later in 1956 Herb continued his design work and consulting for Gonsett from his new home in Benson, Arizona. Herb left Gonsett in 1959; and that’s where Herb Johnson/W6QKI picked up the story with Hap Holly. [1993 P1 18M] This was P1 of The Swan-Atlas Story, a 1993 interview with Herb Johnson/W6QKI, the man behind Swan and Atlas Radio. We’ll conclude the Swan-Atlas Story next time.
The BEST of the RAIN Report updates Saturdays on therainreport.com; this hamcast airs Saturday evenings on WTTW out of Lebanon, TN on 5.085 kHZ. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 02-23-2019

This is the best of RAIN for Feb. 23, 2019. On Sept. 12, 1988, Hurricane Gilbert leveled the western Caribbean island of Jamaica with 180-mile-per-hour winds and 12 inches of rain. Dave remembered it well as he was on the 7th floor of Montego Bay’s largest hotel. Now a silent key, Dave was a broadcast cable consultant by profession, and a licensed ham since 1955. [1991] 15M] Dave was interviewed by RAIN Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP at the 1991 Dayton Hamvention. These RAIN Reports are updated Saturdays on therainreport.com. These weekly hamcasts can be heard Saturday evenings around 7:30 PM on the shortwave station WTWW from Lebanon, TN on 5085 kHZ. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 02-15-2019

This is the Best of RAIN, Feb. 16, 2019. I’m WR/K5WLR. This week we bring you another of Hap’s fave RAIN Reports, this one from 1991. You who were frequent listeners to the weekly Amateur Radio Newsline Report then, you may recall this sad story voiced by Andy Darima/N9TCQ (Dar-EE-ma). (audio insert) While the majority of stateside hams had forgotten about Hurricane Gilbert in the aftermath of the Armeenian quake, Hurricane Hugo, and the northern California quakes of that decade, David Porter/K2BPP never forgot the three harrowing days he endured watching Hurricane Gilbert flattened the Carribean island of Jamaica Sept. 12-15, 1988. A licensed ham since 1955 Porter was a broadcast cable consultant. The following is part 1 of the dramatic tale he shared with RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP at the 1991 Dayton Hamvention. [1991 16M] We’ll conclude Hap Holly/KC9RP’s Dayton Hamvention interview from 1991 next time.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2019 RAIN, all rights are reserved. The RAIN Hamcast updates Saturdays on therainreport.com; You can catch this hamcast Saturday evenings around 7:30 PM CST on shortwave station WTWW from Lebanon, TN. on 5085 kHZ.. I’m WR/K5WLR.
KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 02-09-2019

This is the Best of RAIN, Feb. 9, 2019. This week we bring you another of Hap’s fave RAIN Reports, this one from 1990, the first year of the RAIN Report. It’s a talk entitled “My Early Days as A Ham” voiced by Dick Helton/W9CTY, for years a familiar voice on Chicago radio, specifically WBBM News Radio 78. This talk was delivered before the North Short Radio Club in Highland Park, IL. [1990 25M] According to the KNX website Dick is still broadcasting weekday mornings from 5:00 to 10:00.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2019 RAIN, all rights reserved. The RAIN Hamcast updates on therainreport.com, Saturdays. You can catch this hamcast Saturday evenings around 7:30 PM CST on shortwave station WTWW from Lebanon, TN. on 5085 kHZ.. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 02-01-2019

This is the Best of RAIN, Feb. 2, 2019. This week we conclude a gem from the RAIN archive that is one of Hap’s all-time faves. It is called “Your Code Record is Cracked”. As with our first two gems we brought you in January, this one originally aired as one of Hap’s RP Reports, Vol. 3 #20. This two-part RP Report was narrated by silent key Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF, co-founder of the Amateur Radio Newsline, formerly Westlink Radio. Bill introduces part 2 of Your Code Record is Cracked”. [1989 P2 23M] Your Code Record is Cracked” was voiced by Hollywood movie producer Dave Bell/W6AQ at the 1989 Dayton Hamvention banquet. Dave’s talk was one of the most popular Dayton Hamvention excerpts that aired prior to the introduction of the RAIN Reports in 1990.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2019 RAIN, all rights reserved. The RAIN Hamcast updates on therainreport.com, Saturdays. You can catch this hamcast Saturday around 7:30 PM CST on shortwave station WTWW from Lebanon, TN. on 5085 kHZ. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 01-26-2019

This is the Best of RAIN, January 26, 2019. This week we pull out a gem from the RAIN archive that was one of Hap’s all-time faves. It was called “Your Code Record is Cracked”. As with our first two gems we brought you the last two weeks, this one originally aired as one of Hap’s RP Reports, Vol. 3 #19&20. This two-part RP Report was narrated by silent key Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF, co-founder of the Amateur Radio Newsline, formerly known as Westlink Radio. Here he is with part one of Your Code Record is Cracked”. [1989 P1 20M]
Dave Bell/W6AQ’s talk was one of the most popular Dayton Hamvention forum excerpts that aired just prior to the RAIN Reports in 1989. Ah, but you’ve only heard the first part of Dave Bell’s humorous talk he gave 30 years ago at the Dayton Hamvention. We’ll bring you the conclusion to Your Code Record is Cracked next week.
The RAIN Repord is copyright 1990-2019 RAIN, all rights reserved. The RAIN Hamcast updates Saturdays on therainreport.com. and can be heard Saturday around 7:30 PM CST on WTWW out of Lebanon, TN. on 5085 kHZ. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 01-19-2019

This is the Best of RAIN, January 19, 2019. As mentioned last time For the next four-plus months we’re going to dig up some of Hap’s fave productions going back to this one, Vol. 1 #24 from 1987 during what was known then as the RP Report. This is part 2 of Hap’s first interview with Carol Perry/WB2MGP, who was named that year (1987) the Dayton Hamvention Ham of the Year. {1987.Each fall more than a million youngsters trudged back to school in New York city. 1,800 of them to Rocco Laurie School #72. Of those more than 350 enrolled in a class that changed many of their lives. The class was Amateur Radio. The teacher was Carol Perry/WB2MGP. A Staten Island, New York resident for decades, Carol Perry taught Amateur Radio full time from 1981 to 2011; she’s been a licensed ham operator since 1975. Carol was the recipient of the coveted 1987 Radio Amateur of the Year plaque by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association in Dayton, OH. This is part two of a very special interview with THIS very special lady, conducted bby Hap Holly/KC9RP, RAIN’s Founder and Executive Producer for more than 30 years! Hap picks it up here.

CLOSE: the Best of RAIN is copyright 1990-2019 RAIN, all rights reserved. The RAIN Hamcast updates Saturdays on therainreport.com; and on WTWW shortwave out of Lebanon, TN. on 5085 Mhz around 7:30 PM CST. I’ll be back next week to bring you another memorable gem from the Radio Amateur Information Network archive. I’m WR/K5WLR bidding you very 73 from the RAIN Report. KEEP ON HAMMING!,

The RAIN Report for 01-12-2019

Please Note that because of the pacing of this interview, this RAIN Report has two ID breaks.

We’re suggesting you investigate the RAIN archive where you will find a treasure of material from the 1990s or 2000s. Just be sure to properly identify the complete audio file you use. And you may want to begin downloading Newsline for your net (arnewsline.org) in place of the RAIN Report.

In my conversation with Hap about the future of the RAIN Report, or rather the lack thereof, Hap reports that The RAIN Hamcast is facing the same aging, financial, and manpower issues that Amateur Radio is facing nationwide. The Amateur Radio Newsline faced its own demise when its co-founder, Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF passed on several years ago. For some months what we refer to as Newsline Line was defunct. Such is the case today with the RAIN Report hamcast. Just to set the record straight, Hap Holly/KC9RP is alive and well – for the most part anyway. Hap, his long-time wife Stephanie/KA9WKD, Vern Jackson/WA0RCR nor his helpful wife, Dottie/KD0VN intend to make the sojourn to Hamvention this May for the reasons offered in this week’s interview with Hap. His interviewer, Will Rogers/K5WLR, certainly would like to help set up the necessary audio equipment with which to record the forums in all 5 Hamvention forum rooms but he too reports to having to deal with ambulatory issues that prevent him from traveling to the Hamvention let alone being able to participate in Hamvention activities for the three days. Keep in mind Hap has relied upon the many hours of audio forums during the Hamvention annually for a great deal of his audio program material since the late 1980s. Maybe someone will come along to take Hap’s place or at least assist him in helping to supply forum audio from the Dayton Hamvention, the Huntsville Ham fest , or elsewhere. In the meantime you’ll find LOTS of RAIN archived on the RAIN Archive pages. Check back occasionally and see if we’ve added anything. You can always drop Hap an email to hap@therainreport.com. Many thanks to WTWW on 5.085 MHz from Lebanon, TN, and all our faithful listeners worldwide over the years, THANK YOU for your input and feedback. the Radio Amateur Information Network.

KEEP ON HAMMING!!!

The RAIN Report for 01-05-2019

Please Note that because of the pacing of this interview, this RAIN Report has two ID breaks.

We’re suggesting you investigate the RAIN archive where you will find a treasure of material from the 1990s or 2000s. Just be sure to properly identify the complete audio file you use. And you may want to begin downloading Newsline for your net (arnewsline.org) in place of the RAIN Report.

In my conversation with Hap about the future of the RAIN Report, or rather the lack thereof, Hap reports that The RAIN Hamcast is facing the same aging, financial, and manpower issues that Amateur Radio is facing nationwide. The Amateur Radio Newsline faced its own demise when its co-founder, Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF passed on several years ago. For some months what we refer to as Newsline Line was defunct. Such is the case today with the RAIN Report hamcast. Just to set the record straight, Hap Holly/KC9RP is alive and well – for the most part anyway. Hap, his long-time wife Stephanie/KA9WKD, Vern Jackson/WA0RCR nor his helpful wife, Dottie/KD0VN intend to make the sojourn to Hamvention this May for the reasons offered in this week’s interview with Hap. His interviewer, Will Rogers/K5WLR, certainly would like to help set up the necessary audio equipment with which to record the forums in all 5 Hamvention forum rooms but he too reports to having to deal with ambulatory issues that prevent him from traveling to the Hamvention let alone being able to participate in Hamvention activities for the three days. Keep in mind Hap has relied upon the many hours of audio forums during the Hamvention annually for a great deal of his audio program material since the late 1980s. Maybe someone will come along to take Hap’s place or at least assist him in helping to supply forum audio from the Dayton Hamvention, the Huntsville Ham fest , or elsewhere. In the meantime you’ll find LOTS of RAIN archived on the RAIN Archive pages. Check back occasionally and see if we’ve added anything. You can always drop Hap an email to hap@therainreport.com. Many thanks to WTWW on 5.085 MHz from Lebanon, TN, and all our faithful listeners worldwide over the years, THANK YOU for your input and feedback. the Radio Amateur Information Network.

KEEP ON HAMMING!!!

The RAIN Report for 12-16-2018

So what is ham radio anyway? This week we have a UK perspective. When one hears a discussion about Amateur Radio’s interfacing with digital technology, like EchoLink, JT68, JT8 and even RTTY, invaribly some 80-meter redneck has nothing better to say than “Ahhhh, that’s not real ham radio. So just what is real ham radio? For a European perspective For a European perspective we turned to Chris Rollinson. Chris recently penned and voiced a commentary addressing this question. [2018] )15M)MP3

The RAIN Report for 12-01-2018

The RAINREPORT is challenging you to find a RAIN Report from the archive worthy of your next net. RAIN’s Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP has been down for the count. See what you can find in the Archive that would be a good choice. The RAIN Hamcast will return next week.

The RAIN Report for 11-17-2018

how can you get good microphone audio on Echo link, Skype, or other computer application? In the second excerpt from our Skype conversation with Rock-n-roll Hall of Famer, Bob Heil, K9EID, ne was talking about the importance of parametric equalization in the mic audio chain in your computer. Here’s our third and final excerpt (11-17-18) from Hap Holly/KC9RP’s hour-long conversation with Bob covering the facts about microphones. [2018 12M] Bob Heil/K9EID has sold well over 100,000 Heil Sound microphones during his illustrious audio career. If you open up your modern day ham transceiver, chances are you’ll find his handiwork in the audio section and his HC3 or HC4 elements in the microphone plugged into your base or mobile transceiver. Mega thanks to Bob for his time and expertise. All three parts of Hap’s conversation with Bob are now posted permanently on the archive page on therainreport.com. As with all RAIN Reports, these three may be transmitted in their entirety on Amateur Radio. You can catch Bob Wednesday evenings around 8:30 CST on his “Ham Nation” show on WTWW from Lebanon, TN on 5.085 kHz. You likewise can catch the RAIN Report hamcast Saturdays around 7:30 CST following Newsline at 7:00. on WTWW, 5.085 kHZ The RAIN Hamcast hamcast updates Saturday morning on therainreport.com. if you can’t tune in WTWW where you are, you can catch Newsline and the RAIN Report on WTWW.com and WTWW via Alexa. on your Smart Speaker Happy Thanksgiving to you all and KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 11-11-2018

So what microphone does Bob Heil detest the most? The microphone world was set on its collective ‘ear’ when Bob Heil/K9EID introduced Heil Sound microphones decades ago. Open up your mic attached to your modern day ham transceiver and chances are you’ll find his handiwork in the audio section. His HC3 or HC4 mic element will likely be found in the microphone of said transceiver. In fact Bob has sold well over 100,000 of his “HC” microphone elements since 1982. But what is it about those desk mics and hand mics that drove him to distraction all those years ago? You’ll learn in this the Nov. 10 RAIN Report, our 2nd of three excerpts from an hour-long conversation RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP had with this audio pioneer. [2018 17M] One more round with Bob next time. parts 1 and 2 of our Skype call with Bob will be found on therainreport.com.
This hamcast updates Saturday morning on therainreport.com, and Saturday evenings around 9:00 CST on WTWW, Lebanon, TN on 5085 kHZ.
KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 11-09-2018

So what microphone does Bob Heil detest the most? The microphone world was set on its collective ‘ear’ when Bob Heil/K9EID introduced Heil Sound microphones decades ago. Open up your mic attached to your modern day ham transceiver and chances are you’ll find his handiwork in the audio section. His HC3 or HC4 mic element will likely be found in the microphone of said transceiver. In fact Bob has sold well over 100,000 of his “HC” microphone elements since 1982. But what is it about those desk mics and hand mics that drove him to distraction all those years ago? You’ll learn in this the Nov. 10 RAIN Report, our 2nd of three excerpts from an hour-long conversation RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP had with this audio pioneer. [2018 17M] One more round with Bob next time. parts 1 and 2 of our Skype call with Bob will be found on therainreport.com.
This hamcast updates Saturday morning on therainreport.com, and Saturday evenings around 9:00 CST on WTWW, Lebanon, TN on 5085 kHZ.
KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 11-02-2018

The RAIN Report for Nov. 3 asked the question: What’s your favorite microphone in your ham shack? You may change your mind after you listen to the next three RAIN Reports. The guy who may change your mind is Bob Heil/K9EID, the only microphone man in the Rock-n-roll hall of fame. Bob has sold well over 100,000 microphones of his own design. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP recently spoke with Bob for more than an hour on Skype about Bob’s preferred microphone and those he absolutely despises. This is our first excerpt from that interview. [2018 P1 17M]
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights are reserved. This hamcast updates Saturday morning on therainreport.com; and Saturday evenings on shortwave station WTWW from Lebanon, TN on 5.085 MHz. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 10-27-2018

Homebrewing is alive and well. In fact this is the ‘golden age of diy Ham Radio’ according to George Zafiropoulos, KJ6VU, cohost of the Ham Radio Work Bench podcast. [2018 14M] This is an excerpt from a 2018 Dayton Hamvention forum presentation by George.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights are reserved. The RAIN Hamcast updates Saturday mornings on therainreport.com, and Saturday evenings on WTWW, an international shortwave station out of Lebanon, TN around 9:00 CDT on 5.085 kHz KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 10-20-2018

If you’re a newcomer to a local repeater here on Oct. 20, but haven’t listened to it very long, you may be puzzled by the ‘do’s and don’ts’ of that repeater. One ham who has some definite ideas about good repeater etiquette is Mitch Stern/W1SJ, a Vermont ham who is an inveterate DX’er, contester, and public service net control station. [1999 11M) Excerpted from his 1999 Dayton Hamvention forum talk. Remember local traditions and customs may vary from repeater to repeater.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN All rights reserved. This weekly hamcast updates on therainreport.com Saturday mornings; and on international shortwave station, WTWW, Lebanon, TN Saturday night Central time on 5.085 kHZ around 9:00 o’c.

The RAIN Report for 10-12-2018

This is the RAIN Report for Oct. 13. Assemble a room full of yl’s whose spouses are hams. Then take a poll as to how many of those yl’s are favorably disposed toward ham radio. You might be surprised how few of those ladies have little if any tolerance for this hobby their husbands devote so much time to. But that family dynamic is meant for another RAIN Report. A MOST notable exception are Dan and Maline Fish, the co-owners of Radio City, a ham radio store near MNPLS that will be closing in December after 34 successful years in business. During Hap Holly/KC9RP’s conversation with Dan/KB0XC, he credited a great deal of the store’s success to Maline. [2018 18M] their story is a testament to what a couple can accomplish when both are on…the same frequency.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights reserved. This weekly hamcast updates Saturday mornings on therainreport.com, and Saturday evenings immediately following the Amateur Radio Newsline around 9:00 on WTWW shortwave out of Lebanon, TN on 5.085 kHz.KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 10-05-2018

This is the RAIN Report for Oct. 6. Independently-owned ham radio stores are few and far between. Radio City has weathered a number of business storms since opening its doors in the mid 1980s. The store is a rarity in ham radio circles; its owners are Dan and Maline Fish. they have shared the ownership 50/50 since its opening 34 years ago. Radio City, located in suburban MNPLS, MN. Is scheduled to close in early December. For the next two RAIN Report hamcasts we’ll hear RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP conversing with Dan about some of the challenges that owning and maintaining a successful brick and mortar ham store present. It all started for Dan in 1973. [2018 19M]
How has this store outlasted a number of other ham radio stores nationwide? We’ll find out next time.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights reserved. This hamcast updates Saturday mornings on therainreport.com; and on shortwave Saturday evenings on WWTWW out of Lebanon, TN on 5.085 kHZ after the Amateur Radio Newsline.
KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 09-29-2018

From the studios of the Radio Amateur Information Network, this is the RAIN Report for Sept. 29. One of the most bombastic hams to use a national ham magazine he published to pontificate about his disperate views on life in the 90’s was Wayne Greene/W2NSD (Never Say Die). One of the early interviews RAIN Founder and Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, conducted was with Wayne in 1991. In fact later that decade Wayne voiced a weekly audio podcast for RAIN that Hap named Wayne Greene Pontificates. And pontificate he did! But in 1991 someone wrote a book about Wayne called See Wayne Run, Run Wayne Run. In those years Wayne Greene was a household name to many, especially those who had the opportunity to read his outspoken monthly columns in ’73’ magazine. Incidentally, Wayne was the founder of ’73’ in 1960. As Hap’s interview with Wayne began, he learned the author of the anti W2NSD book was reportedly a Mr. G. Williamson. Wayne claimed G. Williamson was in fact his ex-wife. {1991} 12) Wayne Greene became a SK on Sept. 13, 2013.

The RAIN Report for 09-22-2018

P-S-E-W-G. Try to say that phonetically! We won’t but we will hear just what P-S-E-W-G is in the Sept. 22 RAIN Report. If you were to peruse a list of the myriad committees and associated groups affiliated with the ARRL, the national organization of Amateur Radio, there’s one of which you may not be familiar. It’s P-S-E-W-G, otherwise known as the Public Service Enhancement Working Group. PSEWG was discussed during the ARRL forum at the 2018 Dayton Hamvention. The Chair of PSEWG is ARRL Great Lakes Division Director, Dale Williams, WA8EFK. Dale was introduced by forum moderator, ARRL President, Rick Roderick, K5UR. [2018 16M] Dale talks about some of the intricacies that have gone into the Public Service Enhancement Working Group, an ARRL working committee that is endeavoring to standardize the national innerworkings of ARES, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service; and NTS, the National Traffic System.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights are reserved. This hamcast updates Saturday morning on therainreport.com; and Saturday evenings around 9:00 on WTWW shortwave from Lebanon, TN on 5085 kHZ Oh, if you run into Ted Randal at WTWW, please ask him to contact RAIN Founder & Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 09-15-2018

These days it’s not unusual to find an EchoLink interface on local VHF and UHF repeaters worldwide. For the uninitiated, EchoLink is a software package that combines the best of Amateur Radio and the Internet. The man behind EchoLink is Jonathan Taylor/K1RFD. Jonathan talked about “combining the old with the new” in a 2004 Dayton Hamvention talk. [2005 12M] Ok, this presentation is a bit dated, going back 14 years. This is just a crass way of announcing that the RAIN archives now goes back to the beginning of 2004, more than 2 years further back than ever before. Check out the extended archives on therainreport.com.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights ARE reserved. This hamcast generally updates Saturday morning on therainreport.com; and Saturday evenings on shortwave station WTWW from Lebanon, TN around 9:00 PM CDT on 5085 kHZ.
KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 09-08-2018

So just what is the new paradigm in Amateur Radio? We find out in this RAIN Report for Sept. 8. Paradigm is a term not often used but is defined by Meriam Webster as: “A philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations and the experiments performed in support of them are formulated.” So just how does this term fit into Amateur Radio today? During an ARRL forum at the 2018 Dayton Hamvention Rick Roderick, K5UR, President of the ARRL, the national organization of Amateur Radio, elaborated on his vision of Amateur Radio’s new paradigm. [2018 14M. The RAIN Hamcast updates Saturday mornings on therainreport.com and Saturday evenings on the Lebanon, TN shortwave powerhouse, WTWW on 5085 kHZ around 9:00 CDT.
KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 09-01-2018

The September 1 RAIN Report answers the vexing question: What’s the longest-running ham info service on 160 meters? It’s the Gateway 160 Meter Radio Newsletter out of Wentzville, MO. Its founder and producer is Vern Jackson/WA0RCR. Now his name won’t be familiar to a number of you. However virtually every excerpt that you hear on these RAIN Reports from Dayton Hamvention forums is due to Vern’s efforts setting up the audio cabling in each of the four forum rooms to our recording devices every year since RAIN’s inception more than 28 years ago. So just how did this Missouri radio broadcast engineer get into the Amateur Radio info biz? RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Vern in the RAIN booth last spring at the 2018 Hamvention. [2018 20M] Vern and Hap are two long-time friends who dedicate MANY hours each week making these RAIN Reports possible. Vern’s weekly ham radio info service airs Saturday afternoon into the wee hours Sunday on 1860 kHZ from Wentzville, MO.

The RAIN Report for 08-25-2018

The August 25 RAIN Report gives you a 14-minute introduction to sdr, software defined radio. Software Defined Radio technology (SDR) has been around for a number of years. So just what is SDR? One non ham across the pond who knows is Steve Brightman, the mind behind SDRPlay LTD. Steve talked about SDR in a 2018 Dayton Hamvention forum. [2018 14M] For more info about SDR check out Steve’s website, sdrplay.com. The RAIN Hamcast updates Saturdays on therainreport.com and on shortwave Saturday evenings on 5085 kHZ from Lebanon, TN on WTWW around 9:00 PM CDT following the Amateur Radio Newsline. Oh, a last second congrats to RAIN Founder & Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP and his forever young wife, Stephanie/KA9WKD , on celebrating 42 years of matrimonial bliss on Aug. 28. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 08-18-2018

The Amateur Radio Newsline announced that the 2018 Young Ham of the Year (YHOTY) is 14-year-old Bryant Rascoll, KG5HVO. Bryant was interviewed on Ham Nation by Newsline’s Don Wilbanks, AE5DW. [2018 8M]

As we went to press on August 18 the Huntsville ham fest was in full swing. Congrats to Bryant for being selected Young Ham of the Year for 2018. So just how did the YHOTY program get started and by whom? Here’s the story behind YHOTY from the late Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Bill in 1996. [1996 13M] Bill was co-founder of the Amateur Radio Newsline in 1979 and later founded the YHOTY award program in 1986. Bill became a silent key in 2015. The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights reserved. YHOTY Audio courtesy of Don Wilbanks, AE5DW. This hamcast typically updates Saturday morning on therainreport.com; and Saturday evenings on shortwave via WTWW, Lebanon, TN on 5.085 KHz around 9:00 PM CDT following the Amateur Radio Newsline. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 08-11-2018

By popular demand you’re going to hear more about What should be in your ham radio tool boxhere in the August 11 RAIN Report. Last week we learned about what you should have in your ham radio toolbox. The guy who should know is Ken Bailey, K1FUG, ARRL Emergency Preparedness Assistant and Continuing Education Program Administrator. By request, we’ll hear from Ken once again in a second excerpt from his 2018 Dayton Hamvention talk. [2018 17M] If you missed our first audio excerpt from his presentation, you’ll find it on the Archive page on therainreport.com.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights reserved. This hamcast typically updates Saturday morning on therainreport.com; and Saturday evenings on WTWW, a Lebanon, TN shortwave station on 5.085 KHz around 9:00 PM CDT following the Amateur Radio Newsline. Keep On Hamming!

The RAIN Report for 08-04-2018

More and more folks today are changing horses in the middle of life’s virtual stream. One ham who has is Bob Bruninga/WB4APR, the man whose Automated Packet Radio System radically changed Amateur Radio tracking back in the 1990s. In 2007 Bob discovered a whole new world of energy. He now has made getting off the power grid his life focus. Bob’s new world of energy is the electric vehicle (EV). He talked about his new crusade at the 2018 Dayton Hamvention in May. This is our second and final excerpt from that talk. [2018 15M]
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights reserved. This hamcast updates Saturday both on therainreport.com and on WTWW shortwave out of Lebanon, TN around 9:00 PM CDT on 5.085 MHz.
KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 07-28-2018

More and more folks today are changing horses in the middle of life’s virtual stream. One ham who has is Bob Bruninga/WB4APR, the man whose Automated Packet Radio System radically changed Amateur Radio tracking back in the 1990s. In 2007 Bob discovered a whole new world of energy. He now has made getting off the power grid his life focus. Bob’s new world of energy is the electric vehicle (EV). He talked about his new crusade at the 2018 Dayton Hamvention in May. This is our second and final excerpt from that talk. [2018 15M]
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights reserved. This hamcast updates Saturday both on therainreport.com and on WTWW shortwave out of Lebanon, TN around 9:00 PM CDT on 5.085 MHz.
KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 07-21-2018

This week on the July 21 RAIN Report we learn about a whole new world of energy. A-P-R-S…These four letter revolutionized Amateur Radio tracking in the mid-1990s. The man behind APRS is Bob Bruninga/WB4APR. But wait a darn minute here…Bob isn’t talking a lot about his Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) these days. If you attended his hour-long plus forum at the 2018 Dayton Hamvention last May, you already know his new crusade is: a whole new world of energy. [2018 14M] Bob will continue his whole new world of energy diatribe in our second excerpt from his Hamvention talk next time.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights reserved. This hamcast updates Saturday both on therainreport.com and on the Lebanon, TN shortwave juggernaut, WTWW, around 9:00 PM CDT Saturday night on 5.085 MHz
KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 07-14-2018

Due to some problems with Hap’s primary PC we’ve had to delve into the RAIN archive to a shorter program, this from March, 2004. After the obligatory break around 9 minutes, we’ll bring you a 5-minute interview about the K9V (K9s for Veterans) special event coming up July 21. But first another approach to the Press introduced by Blair Alper/KA9SEQ. [2004 9M]

Tune around the ham bands most any weekend and you’ll hear one special event station or another. One that RAIN’s Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP is going to participate in next Saturday, July 21, is the K9V special events station. Hap spoke with John Plecki/KD9BWY about this Chicago area event, scheduled for Saturday, July 21 near Joliet, IL. If you make contact with K9V, let them know you heard about this special event station on the RAIN Report. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 07-07-2018

In the late 1970s, the 220 band was gaining popularity nationwide. In Chicago a small publication emerged; it was called ‘220 Notes’. 220 Notes almost ceased publication in 1981 until a local 220 enthusiast, Art Reis/K9XI decided otherwise. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke to Art about 220 Notes and a short segment of interest to Chicago hams. [2018 15M] Art was a frequent contributor to the Bear Information Service in Chicago during the mid and late 80s and the RAIN Report in the 90s.
If you are in the Chicago area, you’ll want to stick around five additional minutes for a blurb about a ham fest coming to the Will County Fair Grounds next Saturday in Peotone. It’s the Kars Fest, Its Chair, Art Reis, conversed briefly about this upcoming Chicago-area ham fest with Hap. [5M] For details go to w9az.com.

The RAIN Report for 06-30-2018

Could you name off all the major Amateur Radio affiliated emergency preparedness organizations in the United States as we go to post on June 30?
During one of the ARRL-sponsored forums held at the 2018 Dayton Hamvention in mid-May, many of the major emergency preparedness organizations connected with Amateur Radio participated in a panel discussion narrated by ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager. Mike Corey/KI1U. This week we present an excerpt from that forum. [2018 19M] The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all right reserved. The RAIN Hamcast updates Saturday on therainreport.com. This hamcast is heard Saturday evenings around 9:00 CDT from Lebanon, TN on shortwave station WTWW on 5.085 MHz
KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 06-23-2018

Were you active on packet radio in the 80s and 90s?Larry Miglore/KB9DIP, this week’s RAIN reader is probably one of the relative few who can say he was an Administrative Sysop on VHF/UHF packet in Chicago back then on what was called back in those years a packet bulletin board. One ham who remains active on HF packet here in 2018 is Sholto Fischer/K7TMG, who works at West Mountain Radio. This week we bring you an excerpt from Sholto’s presentation about HF Packet – Then and Now voiced at the 2018 Dayton Hamvention. [2018 18M] The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN all rights reserved. This hamcast updates Saturdays on therainreport.com; it can be heard around 9:00 PM Saturday evenings CDT on shortwave from Lebanon, TN on WTWW, 5085 kHZ KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 06-15-2018

More spacial updates coming your way in the June 16 RAIN Report. Look up in the star-studded heavens most any night and you may get a glimpse of the International Space Station, home of ARISS, Amateur Radio on the International Space Station. AMSAT-NA, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, is likewise alive and well as you’ll hear in this week’s RAIN Report. We have two excerpts from the 2018 Dayton Hamvention AMSAT forum: The first voice you’ll hear is Frank Bauer/KA3HDO, International Chairman of the ARISS committee as well as Vice President of Human Space Flights for AMSAT-NA. Our second speaker will give us the low-down on AMSAT’s Fox cube sats; he’s Jerry Buxton/N0JY, Vice President of Engineering for AMSAT-NA. [2018 18M] To read more about AMSAT go to amsat.org.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights are reserved. This hamcast updates Saturday mornings on therainreport.com; and is heard on international shortwave Saturday evenings in north America on WTWW out of Lebanon, TN. on 5.085 MHz. Hope you’re going out to a local Field Day site June 23. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 06-09-2018

No doubt most of you have heard of AMSAT over the years. But likewise most of you are unaware of what AMSAT has been doing recently. Here’s the first short excerpt of two from the AMSAT forum held last month during the 2018 Dayton Hamvention. This week you’ll hear from Joe Spire/K6WAO, President of AMSAT since October, 2017. [2018 11M] Next week we’ll hear some nuts and bolts as to what lies in the future for the Amateur Radio satellite program from Frank Bougher/KA3HDO, the International Chair of the ARISS committee. The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights are reserved. This hamcast updates Saturday mornings on therainreport.com; it hamcast is heard on international shortwave Saturday evenings in north America on WTWW out of Lebanon, TN on 5.085 MHz Kind regards to two new Chicago area silent keys: Dan Atwell/WA9WVX and Art Appel/N9JKK. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 06-02-2018

Bob Heil and Ham Nation at Hamvention? Of course! Do you know what Ham Nation is? Have you ever even HEARD of Ham Nation? With some answers as to who and what Ham Nation is, here’s rock-n-roll hall of fame audio guru, Bob Heil/K9EID. [2018 13M] In this RAIN Report ham cast you’ll hear (Among others) Bob Heil/K9EID and George Thomas/W5JDX. The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights reserved. This ham cast updates Saturday mornings on therainreport.com; it is heard Saturday evenings after the Amateur Radio Newsline around 9:00 DCT on WTWW from Lebanon, TN on 5.085 MHz.
KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 05-26-2018

So just what is HamSCI? We’ll find out in this week’s RAIN Report, the first excerpt from the 2018 Dayton Hamvention forums. we begin with a Tapper forum talk about HamSCI, the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation, a major mover and shaker in Advance scientific research and understanding through amateur radio activities. The forum moderator was Nathaniel Frissell/W2NAF. [2018 12M] To learn more about HamSCI, check out their website hamsci.org. The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights reserved. This hamcast typically updates Saturdays on therainreport.com. You can hear this weekly podcast Saturday evenings around 9:00 PM CDT on Lebanon, TN shortwave station, WTWW on 5.085 MHz Now for all you who couldn’t get enough of those pork chop sammiches at this year’s Dayton Hamvention, I’m WR/K5WLR still gimping around but hoping to imbibe in the Xenia culinary delights next year.

The RAIN Report for 05-21-2018

The first time the RAIN crew visited the Dayton Hamvention was 1988, 30 years ago. While the RAIN Report technically did not exist until 1990, Hap Holly/KC9RP began producing audio ham radio programming for national consumption in 1988 under the name R.P. Report. This week we bring you one of those early interviews Hap did but which never showed up as a RAIN Report. It was a conversation with Jack Althouse/K6NY, the man behind Palomar Engineers in Escondido, Calif. [1988 9M]
I?m sad to report that Jack became a silent key in 2013. Next week we?ll bring you our first of many excerpts to come from Hamvention 2018. The RAIN Hamcast hamcast is copyright 1990-2018, all rights are reserved. It updates Saturdays on therainreport.com and on the Shortwave voice of Lebanon, TN, WTWW around 9:00 PM CDT on 5.085 MHz Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 05-11-2018

Here comes the 2018 Hamvention, May 18, 19 and 20 in Xenia, OH. For a sneak preview RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP caught up with Brian Markland, N8UDQ, Inside Exhibit Chair. [2018 17M] The RAIN Hamcast and the Gateway 160 Meter Radio Newsletter will be holding forth at the Hamvention in booth 6204. Drop by and tell us where you hear the RAIN Report and Gateway 160 Meter Radio Newsletter. Your ham story might get you interviewed on the RAIN Report hamcast. The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights reserved. This ham cast usually updates Saturday on therainreport.com. You can hear it Saturdays following Amateur Radio Newsline around 9:00 PM CDT on WTWW, the shortwave voice of Lebanon, TN. on 5.085 MHz;
KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 05-05-2018

As we went to press we were less than two weeks away from ham radio mecca, the Dayton Hamvention, scheduled for May 18, 19 and 20. This will be RAIN’s 30th visit to the Hamvention, where we retrieve countless hours of forum audio for these RAIN Reports. That’s all well and good but it’s not real time when we bring excerpts to you from those forums. There is a ham who streams audio AND video from the Hamvention. In fact Tom Medlin, W5KUB begins streaming the 10-hour sojourn he makes annually to the Hamvention from his car. If you don’t recognize Tom by name, you may recall that when he started his Hamvention Marathon, Tom was known as Helmet Cam. [2018 20M] You can catch Tom’s Hamvention stream beginning May 16 on W5KUB.com. His Amateur Radio Round Table can be heard 8:00 PM CDT Tuesdays on W5KUB.com as well as on WBCQ shortwave on 5130 kHZ
If you’re going to attend the Hamvention May 18, 19 and 20, stop by booth 6204 and tell us where you hear these RAIN Report hamcasts. And while you’re at booth 6204 we hope you’ll talk to Vern Jackson/WA0RCR, whose Gateway 160 Meter Radio Newsletter has brought hours of informational ham radio programming (including the RAIN Report) since 1979 on Saturday afternoons, evenings and the wee hour Sunday from Wentzville, MO. on 1860 kHZ in magnificent amplitude modulation…A.M.
the RAIN Report updates Saturdays on therainreport.com; and is heard Saturday around 9:00 PM CDT on WTWW shortwave from Lebanon, TN on 5.085 MHz. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 04-28-2018

Walk into a radio station, even today, and you’re likely to find a ham or three keeping that radio station on the air. Back in the 80’s an aspiring young radio announcer named Art Bell/W6OBB made Okinawa his home on radio station KSBK. It wouldn’t be until 1993 to 2002 that Art would be heard nationwide on his “Coast to coast A-M” talk show on more than 500 stations by over 10.0 mln folks week nights in the wee hours. Sadly, Art became a silent key April 13, 2018. To celebrate this most unique communicator and his voice, we’ve brought you the essence of a lengthy 2016 interview Eric Guth/4Z1UG conducted with Art for Eric’s QSOToday podcast. This week we bring you our second and final excerpt from that conversation. [2016 P2 19M] Our two excerpts from that conversation will remain permanently on the RAIN archive page on therainreport.com. This program update Saturdays on theraiinreport.com; it is carried on shortwave station WTWW on 5.085 mHZ from Lebanon, TN around 9:00 PM CDT.

The RAIN Report for 04-27-2018

Walk into a radio station, even today, and you’re likely to find a ham or three keeping that radio station on the air. Back in the 80’s an aspiring young radio announcer named Art Bell/W6OBB made Okinawa his home on radio station KSBK. It wouldn’t be until 1993 to 2002 that Art would be heard nationwide on his “Coast to coast A-M” talk show on more than 500 stations by over 10.0 mln folks week nights in the wee hours. Sadly, Art became a silent key April 13, 2018. To celebrate this most unique communicator and his voice, we’ve brought you the essence of a lengthy 2016 interview Eric Guth/4Z1UG conducted with Art for Eric’s QSOToday podcast. This week we bring you our second and final excerpt from that conversation. [2016 P2 19M] Our two excerpts from that conversation will remain permanently on the RAIN archive page on therainreport.com. This program update Saturdays on theraiinreport.com; it is carried on shortwave station WTWW on 5.085 mHZ from Lebanon, TN around 9:00 PM CDT.

The RAIN Report for 04-21-2018

This week we bring you a very special RAIN Report about a Most Unique Communicator, Art Bell/W6OBB(SK). From 1993 to 2002 Art hosted a commercial radio show that boasted a listenership exceeding 10 million folks nationwide in the wee hours on some 500 stations coast to coast. Coincidentally the name of Art’s show was Coast to Coast A-M. According to Wikipedia, Art fielded topics ranging from the paranormal, the occult, and UFO’s to proto science and pseudo-science. Today millions of his listeners are mourning his passing, April 13. In honor of his remarkable radio career, we are once again presenting a 2-part interview Eric Guth/4Z1UG conducted with this most articulate man in 2016 for Eric’s QSO-Today podcast. [2016 P1 19M] So how and where did Coast to Coast A-M get started? And what is the story behind the BIG RED BUTTON Art never pushed but came perilously close to doing so many times? These vexing questions and more will be answered in our second excerpt from Eric’s conversation next time. these RAIN Report hamcasts update Saturdays on therainreport.com. You can support the RAIN Report via PayPal, and hear it Saturdays from Lebanon, TN on shortwave on WTWW on 5.085 kHZ immediately following the Amateur Radio Newsline around 9:00 PM CDT.
If you’ll be attending the Dayton Hamvention, drop by booth 6204 and say hello to the RAIN Report and Vern Jackson/WA0RCR’s Gateway 160 Meter Radio Newsletter.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights reserved. Mega thanks to Larry Miglore/KB9DIP for ‘standing’ in for Will Rogers/K5WLR while he gimped around as a result of an ankle he fractured in December; and a rib injury he sustained earlier this year.
Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 04-13-2018

In mid-March Kent Peterson/KC0DGY was working on a story for Amateur Radio Newsline about the Jupiter Amateur Radio club and HF Voyager, their automatically piloted, maritime drone operating in the Pacific Ocean with an interactive digital FT8 ham radio station aboard. Kent had to edit down the interview to under 3 minutes for the Newsline presentation. His conversation with Kurt Kiesow/N6FW contained so much useful info that Newsline decided to share a much longer version of that conversation with the Rain Report audience. Here is an excerpt from Kent’s conversation with Kurt. [2018 19M] The RAIN Hamcast hamcast updates Saturday on therainreport.com; it can be heard Saturday evening as part of the block of Amateur Radio programming on WTWW shortwave on 5085 kHZ from Lebanon, TN. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 04-07-2018

As we learned in the first excerpt from Hap Holly/KC9RP’s 2000 conversation with author and Morse code historian, Lewis Coe/W9CNY(SK), Morse Code certainly left its mark on the American frontier even before the Civil War. [2000 P2 14M] Though the FCC dropped Morse code from the entry level Amateur Radio exam in the early 1990s, American history was forever changed by dits and dots. Incidentally Lewis Coe/W9CNY penned a book in 1993 called “The Telegraph, The History of Morse’s invention and his predecessors in the United States.” It was published then by McFarland and Company. That paperback can still be found on Amazon and on the Mcfarland website.
The RAIN Hamcast hamcast updates Saturdays on therainreport.com. It can be heard Saturday nights at 9:00 PM following the Amateur Radio Newsline on the Lebanon, TN shortwave juggernaut, WTWW, on 5085 kHZ KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 03-30-2018

Morse code was the bane of many a wanna-be ham for years until ‘code’ was dropped by the FCC from the entry level testing program of Amateur Radio. For the uninitiated the use of Morse code goes back well over a century. Lewis Coe/W9CNY of Crown Point, Indiana got his first ham ticket way back in 1927. Later on he became a CW historian of sorts. In 2000 RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Lewis about the evolution of dits and dahs. [2000 P1 16M] More about the evolution of CW with Lewis Coe next time. The RAIN Hamcast hamcast is downloadable from therainreport.com; and broadcast on shortwave around 9:00 PM CST Saturdays on WTWW from Lebanon, TN on 5085 kHZ KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 03-24-2018

When one hears a discussion about Amateur Radio’s interfacing with digital technology, i.e. the Internet, Echo link, FT8 and the like, invariably some diehard 80-meter redneck has nothing better to say than “Ah, that’s not REAL ham radio!” So just what IS real ham radio? For a European perspective, we turn to Chris Rolinson/G7DDN. Chris recently penned and voiced a commentary addressing this question. [2017 16M] You will find a written copy of Chris’s commentary on his website, g7ddn.com; click on ‘articles’. Chris happens to be a musician. He has a New album “Piano Reflections” now available on iTunes, Google Play Music, and Amazon Music; he also has a YouTube channel. Your rebuttal to Chris’s commentary are welcome, preferably in MP3 format to hap@therainreport.com. This hamcast updates Saturdays on therainreport.com; and via shortwave Saturday nights on WTWW out of Lebanon, TN. on 5085 kHZ KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 03-16-2018

While we won’t be dealing with the luck of the Irish this week, we will travel once again to World War II Germany. A number of civilians known as the French Resistance kept tabs on the German military and High Command in WW2. They surreptitiously transmitted decoded data to the Allies at great personal risk. Tom Perera PH.D/W1TP, an authority on clandestine radio operations of World War II spoke at the 2015 Dayton Hamvention. {2015 P2 17M} You can read a great deal more about the so-called ‘enigma cider the primary coding machine adopted in 1926 by all branches of the German military and Hi Command on Tom’s Enigma museum web site; See the RAIN Sites Mentioned page for the url.

The RAIN Hamcast is heard anytime on therainreport.com; and readily heard Saturday evenings on shortwave via Lebanon, TN’s WTWW on 5085 kHz. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 03-09-2018

This week we bring you an encore presentation of a 2015 Dayton Hamvention talk about Clandestine communications during World War II. Regular listeners to this hamcast will recall the intriguing story about Russell Hutchinson, Radio Boy, the American P-O-W who virtually risked his life to construct AM radio to help maintain the morale of his fellow 1,600 American prisoners of war in a World War II Japanese p-o-w camp in the Philippines. While Hutch was seripticiously catching war updates broadcast by KGEI radio from San Francisco, on the other side of the world the French Resistance and a number of other civilians were keeping tabs on German communications and the German war machine, transmitting coded data back to the Allies in England and elsewhere. Tom Perera PH.D/W1TP is an authority on these clandestine radio operations. Tom has spoken at the Dayton Hamvention about so-called Enigma machines with which the German Gestapo communicated. At the 2015 Hamvention Tom spoke about the clandestine WW2 ‘spy’ radio operations in general. {2016 P1 17M] Just a heads up that RAIN Founder Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP will talk about the evolution of the RAIN Report Thursday, March 15, at the Chicago Suburban Radio Assoc., (CSRA)meeting in the Grace Lutheran church, 1100 Manchester Ave. in Westchester, IL; doors open at 7:00 PM. The RAIN Hamcast is available anytime on therainreport.com; and heard 9:00 PM CST Saturday on WTWW from Lebanon, TN on 5085 kHZ shortwave.

The RAIN Report for 03-03-2018

In this first RAIN Report for March, 2018, we present our second excerpt from a lengthy interview with CQ Propagation Columnist Tomas Hood/NW7US by QSOToday’s Eric Guth/4Z1UG. Tomas is known worldwide for his ability to simplify the complexities of solar propagation. [2018 P2 20M] You can hear the entire 1-hour unedited interview of Tomas on QSOToday.com. [Used with permission)
The RAIN Hamcast updates Saturdays on therainreport.com; and can be heard 9:00 PM CST Saturday as part of the Amateur Radio block of programming on Ted Randal’s QSO program on WTWW radio from Lebanon, TN on 5085 kHZ shortwave.

The RAIN Report for 02-23-2018

If you have been following solar propagation over the years, you probably have read propagation columns from Tomas Hood/NW7US. Tomas has been featured on these RAIN Report hamcasts over the years. However, this is the first time we have featured him telling his story. This week we bring you the first of two excerpts from a lengthy conversation between Tomas and Eric Guth/4Z1UG of QSOToday. [2017 P1 20M] We’ll bring you our second and final excerpt from this interview with Tomas Hood next time. The RAIN Hamcast hamcast updates Saturdays on www.therainreport.com; it is heard 9:00 PM CST Saturdays as part of Ted Randal’s QSO program on WTWW shortwave from Lebanon, TN on 5085 kHZ. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 02-17-2018

One of the really unique features of the Dayton Hamvention is its forums. If you’re a regular listener to this hamcast you already know that from how frequently we excerpt from them. One of them is the Collins Radio forum. If you repair, restore, or collect Collins gear, (once the Cadillac of ham radios) the hour-long Collins radio forum at Hamvention is the closest thing to Collins Nirvana you’ll ever find. And there are only a few Collins enthusiasts like David Knepper/W3ST, publisher of the Collins Journal. He has gone so far as to exhibit his Collins collection in what he considers his own museum in Sidman, PA. This week we excerpt from David’s 2017 Hamvention Collins Radio forum talk in which he verbalizes his love for an era of radio long since gone. [2017 13M] David is the publisher of the Collins Journal, available now only on-line. David’s email is: collinsradio@comcast.net.

The RAIN Report for 02-10-2018

Pile ups…no, I’m not talking about the recent multi vehicle collision on a nearby freeway the other day. I’m AM referring to pile ups on the HF ham bands when a hard-to-find DX station attracts scores of high profile sing sideband stations. According to inveterate Vermont contester and DX’er Mitch Stern/W1SJ, there is an art to cracking pile ups. [2017 13M] The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights are reserved. The Radio Amateur Information Network is streamable from therainreport.com, and is heard on WTWW from Lebanon, TN., Saturday nights on 5085 kHZ.
KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 02-09-2018

Pile ups…no, I’m not talking about the recent multi vehicle collision on a nearby freeway the other day. I’m AM referring to pile ups on the HF ham bands when a hard-to-find DX station attracts scores of high profile sing sideband stations. According to inveterate Vermont contester and DX’er Mitch Stern/W1SJ, there is an art to cracking pile ups. [2017 13M] The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights are reserved. The Radio Amateur Information Network is streamable from therainreport.com, and is heard on WTWW from Lebanon, TN., Saturday nights on 5085 kHZ.
KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 02-03-2018

It seems that everywhere one turns today there are lawyers rewriting or trying to rewrite modern and not so modern law. telecommunications lawyer Fred Hopengarten, K1VR has carved out a careerlegal assisting U.S. hams to circumvent cc’n’rs, common covenants and restrictions that prevent so many radio amateurs from erecting reasonable outdoor antennas. The federally mandated PRB1 legislation has been of some help in doing so for a number of years. However as Fred pointed out in his 2017 Dayton Hamvention Amateur Radio and the Law talk, there are 23 states that do not presently have a PRB1-style statute within the state. [2017 12M] The RAIN Hamcast podcast is available via therainreport.com and heard during the Amateur Radio program block, Saturday nights on WTWW, 5085 kHZ from Lebanon, TN. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 01-29-2018

The U.S. Amateur Radio Service has had a partnership with the National Weather Service for years. But just how does the modern radio amateur interact with the 192 weather offices nationwide? This week we present some of those answers in an excerpt from a 2017 Dayton Hamvention talk by Brandon Palquin, a Wilmington, Ohio employee of his local regional weather service office. [2017 19M] If you aren’t already connected with the NWS, checdk your calendar as spring and its unpredictable storms is just a few weeks away.
The Radio Amateur Information Network is accessible via therainreport.com and heard during the Amateur Radio program block, Saturday nights on WTWW, 5085 kHZ from Lebanon, TN. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 01-20-2018

Do you remember some commentaries in the 90’s called Bytes From Q-zed-B? A Chicago area ham named Mark Thompson/WB9QZB expressed his controversial ham radio viewpoints in those days on these RAIN Reports. So just what did his bytes sound like? We’ll present two of them for you this week. The first is entitled “Your No Code Accent” from 1994. Our second Bytes, “Ham Radio and Personal Responsability”, was penned and voiced by Mark in 1995. [1994&95 13M] Is we can dislodge Mark from his digital absorption, maybe we can cajole him into writing some new Bytes From Q-ZED-B.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN all rights reserved. This podcast is available on therainreport.com; and is heard on shortwave 9:00 PM CST Saturdays on WTWW, broadcasting on 5085 kHZ from Lebanon, TN. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 01-13-2018

If you have ever served on the technical committee of an urban repeater that maintains links to multiple receive sites, you already know that keeping those links functioning properly can be a real character builder. Now imagine what challenges a handful of mountain-top machines linked together digitally pose. In the mid-1990s Frosty Oden/N6ENV, a CBS television technical director at the time, was trustee and builder of SEVEN such mountain top repeaters on 220 and 440 mHZ in Southern California. This week we concludes our two excerpts from a 1995 conversation RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP had with Frosty. [1995 P2 13M] According to QRZ.com, Frosty relocated not long ago to Litchfield Park Arizona.
The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2018 RAIN, all rights are reserved. This weekly podcast is available for transmission under a Creative Commons license on therainreport.com. You can hear it Saturday evenings at 9:00 CST on WTWW shortwave from Lebanon, TN. on 5085 kHZ. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 01-06-2018

*Kent Peterson/KC0DGY is holding down the virtual fort for a few weeks while Will Rogers/K5WLR, the default voice of these RAIN Reports gets his erstwhile feet under him from his recent spill.*
Most ham operators east of the Rockies live on flatlands. Travel to southern California, however, and the Amateur Radio VHF and UHF horizon undergo a RADICAL change called ‘mountains’. While the phenomenal elevations of mountains out west provide extraordinary repeater and remote base coverage today, there are some significant technical challenges that were faced even 20 years ago by repeater owners like CBS Television Technical Director Frosty Oden/N6ENV. Frosty experienced challenges with his 7 220 and 440 mountain-top repeaters that the average flatland repeater owner did not. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Frosty Oden/N6ENV 20 years ago [1995] 13M. the RAIN Report is available on therainreport.com; it can be heard Saturday evenings around 9:00 Central time on WTWW, Lebanon, TN.’s shortwave station on 5085 kHZ. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 12-30-2017

Are you experiencing extraneous noises or RFI to a ham rig in your home, car or recreational vehicle? Well, from our ‘you think you’ve got problems’ department, Imagine the racket Tiffin, Ohio trucker, Gerry Stanford/N8YMP dealt with back in 1995. Here’s an excerpt from his Hamvention forum presentation from that Hamvention. [1995 11M] The RAIN Reports update weekly on therainreport.com; and on shortwave Saturday nights on WTWW from Lebanon, TN. on 5085 kHZ. The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2017, RAIN, all rights are reserved. keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 12-23-2017

We DO have some exciting news from the Dayton Hamvention this week. However, first things first. We wanted to bring you a VERY rare RAIN Report that consisted of the reading of A piece called “A Ham’s Christmas” that was penned by the late Walter A. Tompkins/K6ATX, voiced more than 25 years ago for the RAIN Report by Chicago ham and broadcaster Oren Brand/K9KEJ. However, that recording is nowhere to be found!…MOST unfortunate. However, back in the mid-90s when Iowa ham Blair Alper/KA9SEQ frequently read items from packet for these RAIN Reports, his mother, Elaine Alper (no call) voiced a legalistic version of a written piece entitled A Visit from St. Nicholas. [1994 8M]
From: “henry.ruminski@wright.edu [hamvention]”
To: hamvention@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2017 5:02 PM
Subject: [Hamvention] Hamvention News

News Release December 20, 2017
Greene County Fairgrounds/Expo Center Building Expansion
We are pleased to announce The Greene County Commissioners and the Greene County Fair Board have approved the construction of a new building at the Fairground/Expo Center.
Greene County officials have decided to move forward with construction of a new building as it will continue to expand their presence in the region as a world class Exposition Center!
Hamvention certainly benefits from the decision to expand the Expo Center footprint. Construction is planned to be complete ahead of Hamvention 2018 and will be used for the event.
Additionally, another building on the property previously known as Fairgrounds Furniture, is being vacated and will be available for use by Hamvention 2018.
More details regarding the building sizes will be forthcoming but Hamvention is told the floor space added will cover an area larger than the tents Hamvention used in 2017.
Although this decision was made to expand opportunities at the Expo Center, Hamvention is grateful for the support Greene County, Xenia Township, and the city of Xenia.
Ron Cramer, General Chair
Jack Gerbs, Asst. Gen. Chair
Michael Kalter, CFO/Official Spokesperson
Hamvention

The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2017 RAIN, all rights are reserved. These RAIN Reports are available 24/7 on therainreport.com. It can be heard at the north pole on the Lebanon, TN. shortwave powerhouse, WTWW, transmitting a block of Amateur Radio programming Saturday evenings on 5.085 mHZ. 44’s and keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 12-16-2017

This week we bring you a most unique approach to what would normally be an audio/video presentation. It has been said that a picture tells a thousand words. In this case, however, you’ll have to use your imagination to ‘picture’ a truly amazing antenna farm. It belongs to world-class Midwest contester, Tim Duffy/K3LR. While you can’t visualize what Tim’s phenomenal multi multi contest station looks like, put your mind’s eye to work and absorb how Tim’s described his ten-acre midwestern antenna farm. We excerpted from Tim’s 2017 Dayton Hamvention forum talk. [2017 15M] Now that you’ve heard about Tim’s station, go see what you can see of K3LR’s amazing antenna farm on YouTube! “It’s really SPECTACULAR!”

The RAIN Hamcast is downloadable and streamed from therainreport.com, and is heard Saturdays at 9:00 PM CST on the 150,000 watt Lebanon, TN. blow torch, WTWW, on 5.085 kHz. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 12-09-2017

We go ‘tropo’ this time with a short excerpt from the 2017 Dayton Hamvention ATV forum, voiced by ham radio instructor and 2006 Ham of the Year Gordon West/WB6NOA. Many of you will recognize the name Gordon West from his well-known Radio School, and radio study materials sold for decades in Radio Shack. “Gordo” lives in SO. Cal. and loves the ever changing weather conditions that make long-range oceanic tropo possible. So just what is tropo anyway? Just ask Gordo! [2017 9M] While the winter doesn’t lend itself to good tropo ducting in much of the United States, you now have something to explore come the warm weather months.
The RAIN Hamcast can be found on the web on www.therainreport.com; and heard Saturday evenings as part of the Amateur Radio block of programming on WTWW in Lebanon, TN. on the shortwave frequency of 5085 kHz. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 12-02-2017

One of the most popular Dayton Hamvention forums is Carol Perry/WB2MGP’s Youth forum, which features young hams under the age of 19 telling their ham radio stories. This year The Youth forum celebrated its 30th anniversary with the viewing of a video compiled by L.A. TV producer John Amodeo/nn6ja, producer of Last Man Standing. The following testimonials are from that video. There is some “incidental” music that we have edited out best we can. [2017 13M]. Archives of the RAIN Report going back to 2006 can be found on therainreport.com; and this very podcast along with Ham Nation and Amateur Radio Newsline can be heard Saturday evenings beginning at 8:00 CST on WTWW radio from Lebanon, TN. 5085 kHz. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Report for 11-25-2017

Michael Lisenko/N2YBB is Hudson Division Director with the ARRL, the national association of Amateur Radio; and Chair of the ARRL’s Legislative Advocacy Committee. Recently RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP caught up with Mike on Skype to learn the ins and outs of ARPA, the Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2017. Hap began our second and final excerpt from his chat with Mike requesting a brief explanation as to the differences between the proposed ARPA legislation and PRB1, legislation many hams have benefitted from the past several decades. [2017 P2 12M] Editorial Comment: You just may be fortunate enough today to not be living under the stifling umbrella of a Home Owner’s Association with its covenants and deed restrictions. But that time may come, in which case you’ll wish you had proactively participated in being a part of the solution, i.e. supporting ARPA of 2017, not part of the ongoing problem many hams are living with today. the RAIN Report is the weekly podcast of the Radio Amateur Information Network (therainreport.com), and heard Saturday at 9:00 CM Central Standard time from Lebanon, TN. on shortwave station WTWW/5085 Khz. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 11-18-2017

ARPA, not to be confused with AARP, is the achronym for Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2017. If Arpa can find its way through Congress in 2018, hams who just dream about erecting outdoor antennas today may not have to dream about doing so much longer. So what’s the skinny behind ARPA? For some answers RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP turned to Mike Lisenco/N2YBB, Hudson Division Director for the ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio, and Chair of the ARRL’s Legislative Advocacy Committee. [2017 P1 14M] So what’s the future of ARPA as we approach 2018? We’ll find out next time. These weekly RAIN Reports are available on demand from therainreport.com, and via shortwave radio along with Ham Nation and the Amateur Radio Newsline 8:00 PM Eastern Saturday during the Amateur Radio programming block on WTWW, 5.085 mHZ from Lebanon, TN. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 11-11-2017

Warren Pugh/KC9IL has worked the world digitally using FT8, the newest craze in Amateur Radio digital modes. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Warren via Skype about FT8 and the evolution of digital modes in general. [2017 P1 12M] We’ll learn more about FT8, the most popular digital mode these days next time. The RAIN Hamcast is available 24/7 on therainreport.com; and heard as part of the Saturday night Amateur Radio block on shortwave station, WTWW on 5.085 kHz. keep on hamming.

The RAIN Report for 11-04-2017

Warren Pugh/KC9IL has worked the world digitally using FT8, the newest craze in Amateur Radio digital modes. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Warren via Skype about FT8 and the evolution of digital modes in general. [2017 P1 12M] We’ll learn more about FT8, the most popular digital mode these days next time. The RAIN Hamcast is available 24/7 on therainreport.com; and heard as part of the Saturday night Amateur Radio block on shortwave station, WTWW on 5.085 kHz. keep on hamming.

The RAIN Report for 10-28-2017

Mitch Stern/W1SJ, is one of the more entertaining forum speakers you’ll hear at the Dayton Hamvention. Mitch has participated in many public service events and DX contests; and he’s is a most gregarious Vermont ham, who has many a-pointer for the new ham as heard on the RAIN Report last week. Here in the second excerpt from his 2017 Hamvention talk, Mitch pontificates (now there’s a 25-cent word for ya) on some do and don’t for using your handheld in a public service event. [2017 P2 15MIN] Mitch Stern/W1SJ’s ideas and opinions are his own and don’t necessarily reflect those of anyone connected with the RAIN Report. Having said that, Mitch is indeed an entertaining and (even at times) a thoughtful speaker.
These RAIN Reports are available 24/7 on www.therainreport.com; and are heard during the Amateur Radio block Saturday night on the tropical band via WtWW shortwave from TN. on 5085 kHz. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 10-21-2017

Mitch Stern/W1SJ is a veteran public service participant and inveterate contester. Mitch is a perennial speaker at the Dayton Hamvention. While you may not agree with everything he says, his forum talks are a wealth of useful operating pointers for the new ham. [2017 P1 19M] We’ll hear some of his pointers for new hams participating in public service events next time in our 2nd excerpt from his presentation. .

The RAIN Report for 10-14-2017

Dave Casler/KE0OG is the ham behind Ask Dave and scores of other ham radio educational videos on YouTube. Eric Goof/4Z1UG spoke with this Colorado ham on QsoToday, a weekly podcast Eric produces from Israel. This is our second and final excerpt from that hour-long conversation. [2017 P2 15MIN] You can hear Eric’s entire interview with Dave as episode 165 on qsotoday.com. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 10-07-2017

The name Dave Casler/KE0OG won’t ring a bell with many of you unless you have watched his ham radio videos on YouTube. So just who is he? Eric Goof/4Z1UG recently spoke with Dave on Eric’s weekly QsoToday podcast. This is the first of two excerpts from that conversation, which began with Dave talking about his radio roots. [2017 P1 15MIN]

The RAIN Report for 09-30-2017

This is a replay of the May 6, 2017 RAIN Report about the Nut Starter, a program that generated a surprising amount of good response. [2017 11MIN]

The RAIN Report for 09-24-2017

This week we conclude Hap Holly/KC9RP’s conversation with Rich Moseson/W2VU, Editor of CQ magazine since 1999. CQ recently announced the re-release of Don Miller/W9WNV’s DX Handbook, originally published by CQ in 1968. Hap spoke with Rich in August, 2017 via Skype. [2017 P2 12MIN]

The RAIN Report for 09-23-2017

This week we conclude Hap Holly/KC9RP’s conversation with Rich Moseson/W2VU, Editor of CQ magazine since 1999. CQ recently announced the re-release of Don Miller/W9WNV’s DX Handbook, originally published by CQ in 1968. Hap spoke with Rich in August, 2017 via Skype. [2017 P2 12MIN]

The RAIN Report for 09-16-2017

If you entered ham radio as a youngster, just how many ham magazines did you read growing up? At one time there were a handful of major ham radio publications: the likes of 73, Popular Electronics, Ham Radio, World Radio, Ham Radio Horizons, Radio Scan, Spectrum, even one called Flying Pigs QRP newsletter! They all had at least two things in common: (1) they catered to the ham radio enthusiast; (and (2) they were print publications. Today there are only two major ham mags left. One of them is CQ magazine, whose editor has been Rich Moseson/W2VU since 1999 . Rain’s Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Rich in late summer, 2017. This is the first of two excerpts from that conversation via Skype. [2017 P1 12MIN]

The RAIN Report for 09-08-2017

Kit-building is alive and well in Amateur Radio. Take a peak at any issue of CQ magazine the past 9 years and you’ll see Joe Eisenberg, K0NEB’s kit-building column. Now if you’re a novice at kit-building, the whole process can be abit overwhelming. This is our 2nd excerpt of two from a talk Joe gave about kit-building basics at the 2017 Dayton Hamvention. [2017 12MIN] To contact Joe send an email to k0neb@cq-amateur-radio.com. And if you know the composition of that ‘magic smoke’ he mentioned, let us know! Keep on hamming.

The RAIN Report for 09-02-2017

Kit-building is far from a dying art in Amateur Radio. Just open up an issue of CQ magazine today and you’ll find a monthly kit-building column that has been edited by Joe Eisenberg/N0NEB since 2008 from his Lincoln, NB. home. In real life Joe is an IT technician, dealing daily with cranky printers that go haywire; and troubleshooting Wi-Fi systems. This is our first excerpt of two from a refresher talk by Joe about kit-building at the 2017 Dayton Hamvention. [2017 11MIN]

The RAIN Report for 08-25-2017

Would you be shocked to hear the 16th President of the ARRL, Rick Roderick/K5UR proclaim the following? “I had to change. and change doesn’t come easy. But we’ve GOT to change. I think we got to rebrand Amateur Radio…I think we got to rebrand the American Radio Relay League!” Whether or not you are a member of the ARRL, the national association of Amateur Radio, Rick Roderick is an innovative and refreshing *change* for the League. This week we bring you an excerpt from his call to action he delivered this past spring at the Dayton Hamvention. [2017 14MIN] It will be interesting to watch the League’s progress in its attempt to rebrand Amateur Radio…and itself.
Check out these RAIN Report podcasts that now can be heard Saturday evenings via WTWW on 5.085 MHz from the great state of Tennessee.

The RAIN Report for 08-18-2017

In observance of the August 21 solar eclipse we searched the RAIN archive for RAIN Reports that would commemorate past solar eclipses. Problem is we haven’t had a total solar eclipse in the United States since 1979, five years before RAIN’s Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP, began producing any ham radio sh’tuff. The most recent RAIN Report that came close was last summer. It was an interview with Pontotoc, MS. ham, Matt Hickman/AF5FM, trustee of what is reportedly the first solar-powered UHF repeater in Mississippi, situated in the rural northern town of Pontotoc. Kent Peterson/KC0DGY, one of the voices of both the Amateur Radio Newsline and RAIN, spoke with Matt last summer. (2016 13M)

If you are trustee of a completely solar-powered repeater, we’d like to hear from you. Just drop RAIN Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP, an email to hap@therainreport.com. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 08-10-2017

On August 1 CQ Amateur Radio magazine posted the following press release:
“This is sent on behalf of our friends at the Amateur Radio Newsline. CQ is a proud co-sponsor of the Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award.
August 1, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, YHOTY Chairman, Amateur Radio Newsline, (newsline@arnewsline.org)
Marty Sullaway KC1CWF is 2017 Young Ham of the Year
NEW YORK – Marty Sullaway KC1CWF, of Newton, MA, has been selected as the 2017 Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year.
Marty,15, is the son of Robert David Sullaway and Gail Cheryl Schulman.
Marty was first licensed as a Technician in November 2014. He quickly worked his way to General earning his ticket in February 2015. He became an Extra Class operator this past February.

RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP caught up with Marty a few days back on Skype. [2017 17M] Congrats Marty!

The RAIN Report for 08-05-2017

This week we have a couple items never aired on the RAIN Report. Parenthetically, we’ve had to postpone our coverage of the Amateur Radio Parity Act until later this month for logistical reasons. In the meantime, we’ve dug up a couple Items from the KC9RP archive. One is serious, the other is fun. The first is an early editorial written and voiced by RAIN’s Hap Holly, KC9RP, producer of the Bear Information Service (BIS) in suburban Chicago in the mid to late 1980s. It was a time in Amateur Radio history that saw growth of stateside Amateur Radio bulletin services. It was a time of turmoil and controversy primarily surrounding the so-called International Amateur Radio Network, I-A-R-N. We present a 1989 editorial, Broadcasting on the HF Bands, by RAIN’s Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP. [1989 7M) We also have a fun piece written and voiced by Chicagoan Ken Piletic, W9ZMR, who for years maintained the Midwest Amateur Radio Newsline phone line service from his Cook County home. In 1987 he cleared up some mysteries about the holey ham fest ticket. [1987 3M] Next week: we’ll hear the story behind the recently-announced Young Ham of the Year

The RAIN Hamcast may be transmitted in accordance with a Creative Commons license. .

The RAIN Report for 07-28-2017

Alabama ham Don Keith/N4KC has authored 34 books; the newest is Dial Dancing, a collection of nine stories focusing on the diversity of ham radio. This week we conclude Hap Holly/KC9RP’s conversation with this prolific writer. [2017 13M] One of Don’s earlier books, Firing Point, is nearing completion as an action movie, called Hunter Killer. Keep an eye out for it either late this year or early 2018. You can learn more about Don’s prolific writing career on donkeith.com. Our thanks to Don for giving of his time to the RAIN Report.
The RAIN Hamcast is available for transmission under a Creative Commons license.

The RAIN Report for 07-21-2017

Don Keith/N4KC is a prolific writer of 34 fictional and nonfictional books on some of his favorite subjects as World War 2, ham radio and more. His newest book, Dial Dancing, is being released as this RAIN Report goes to press. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP caught up with this energetic communicator on Skype. [2017 12M] We’ll delve more into the little-publicized world of book writing and publishing in a digital world next time. The RAIN Hamcast is available for transmission under a Creative Commons license.

The RAIN Report for 07-14-2017

In a June 19 Handiham-World email posting, it read: “We are pleased to announce that Lucinda Moody, AB8WF, will join Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute’s Handiham Program as program coordinator, effective June 26th. Moody succeeds Patrick Tice, who retired after leading Handihams for the past 25 years. Moody holds an Extra Class amateur radio license and has been a Handiham volunteer since 2011. She has served as an instructor at several radio camps in addition to working with Handiham members outside of camp through internet-based platforms. Outside of the Handiham Program, she has served as a volunteer coordinator for her local Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services, including incident command, communications specialist and recruitment and training of volunteers. As the Handiham Program celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, We know she will be a great person to lead the Handiham Program.”
RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP caught up with Lucinda after her first several days. [2017 14M]

The RAIN Report for 07-07-2017

On June 11, 2015, Amateur Radio Newsline Co-Founder, Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF became a silent key after 37 years of writing and editing what started out as Westlink Amateur Radio News in 1977. On July 10, 2015, a month following Bill’s passing, Newsline listeners were introduced to a new copy editor, Caryn E. Murray/KD2GUT. Now two years later Caryn is reflective about her first two at the helm of Ar-Newsline. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP caught up with Caryn a week before this RAIN Report was posted. [2017 17M] Next week we’ll revisit Handihams, an organization that has served the disabled ham for 50 years; and now has a new Program Coordinator.

The RAIN Hamcast can be transmitted under a Creative Commons license; this audio production is available on therainreport.com, on Twitter @therainreport, and iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 07-01-2017

The Arrl, the national association of Amateur Radio, is in its second century. So what is it doing now to make it a more viable ham radio organization than before? Its CEO, Tom Gallagher/NY2RF spoke about that at the 2017 Dayton Hamvention. [2017 14M] You can hear two excerpts from a more in-depth interview with Tom by Eric Guth/4Z1UG on the RAIN archive page from April, 2016.
A note about next week: Caryn Murray/KB2GUT is observing her second anniversary at the helm of the Amateur Radio Newsline. How has it gone so far? We’ll find out next week. Keep on hamming and go six and ten!

The RAIN Hamcast can be transmitted under a Creative Commons license; this audio production is available on therainreport.com, on Twitter @therainreport, and iTunes. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 06-23-2017

Cale Nelson/K4CDN is a rural South Carolina ham in his mid-40s, who produces a ham radio-podcast from his horse barn. On June 17, 2014, Cale began producing Ham Radio 360, an hour-long podcast that has now surpassed the three-year mark. This is the conclusion of a conversation Hap Holly/KC9RP conducted with Cale, the mastermind and ham behind this weekly ham radio podcast. [2017 P2 14M]

The RAIN Hamcast can be transmitted under a Creative Commons license; this audio production is available on therainreport.com, on Twitter @therainreport, and iTunes. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 06-17-2017

Cale Nelson/K4CDN a rural Carolina ham in his mid 40s who produces a ham radio-oriented podcast from the comfort…or surroundings at least of his horse barn, accompanied occasionally by a barnyard critter outside. On June 17, 2014, Cale began producing Ham Radio 360, an hour-long podcast that has now passed the three-year mark. [2017 P1 13M] Next time we’ll conclude our conversation with Cale, who will expound more about the innerworkings of Ham Radio 360. 

The RAIN Hamcast can be transmitted under a Creative Commons license; this audio production is available on therainreport.com, on Twitter @therainreport, and iTunes. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 06-09-2017

A couple weeks ago Kent Peterson/KC0DGY spoke with Brian Lloyd WB6RQN for an Amateur radio Newsline story. We thought you’d find that story worthy of sharing with the RAIN audience. Lloyd is solo flying his single engine plane, named Spirit, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Amelia Earhart’s attempt to fly around the world. Brian departed from Miami June first, exactly 80 years to the day Amelia did. Brian is flying his 1979 Mooney airplane he modified to carry an additional 150 gallons more fuel; he has also equipped his single-engine plane with modern navigation equipment, HF radio, and satellite communications. Brian hopes to complete hih ’round-the-world journey landing at the Experimental Aircraft Association annual aircraft show in Oshkosh Wisconsin on July 24th. Download PCALE and see if you can contact him. [2017 13M]

The RAIN Hamcast is available on the web at www.therainreport.com, on Twitter @therainreport, and somewhere in iTunes. keep on hamming.

The RAIN Hamcast can be transmitted under a Creative Commons license; this audio production is available on therainreport.com, on Twitter @therainreport, and iTunes. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 06-03-2017

Trivia question: What ham radio show boasts to be “The ultimate amateur radio talk show”? It’s Ham Nation, a weekly audio/video presentation that has attracted a lot of notice since its first episode some six years ago. Ham Nation celebrated it 300th broadcast at the 2017 Dayton Hamvention. The first voice in this excerpt from that celebration is its founder and well-known man of many microphones, Bob Heil, K9EID. [2017 17M] Voices heard (not in this order) included: Bob Heil, Gordon West, George Thomas, Don Wilbanks, Valerie Hotzfeld, and Dale Puckett. Ham Nation airs weekly on the TWIT network and internationally on WTWW, 5.085 mHz from down in Tennessee. See WTWW.US for broadcast schedules. Congrats to Bob Heil and the folks for providing a most entertaining and useful weekly ham radio show.

The RAIN Hamcast can be transmitted under a Creative Commons license; this audio production is available on therainreport.com, on Twitter @therainreport, and iTunes. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 05-27-2017

Ham radio ballooning used to require large balloons and only afforded limited onboard technology. Not so here in 2017. Bill Brown/WB8ELK is a major ham radio balloon pioneer who has launched a number of so-called balloon sats that have circled the globe. Bill’s Balloon Sat forum was one of the Friday morning forums in Room 2 at the Dayton Hamvention in its new Green County Fairgrounds and Expo Center home in Xenia, OH. May 19-21. [2017 16M] All did not go well with the audio recordings made in the four forum rooms that the RAIN Report relies on for a great deal of its podcasts. You’ll hear what we had to deal with during presentations like this one from Bill Brown/WB8ELK’s talk we dubbed “High Tech Party Balloons”. You can see a whole lot about the Balloon Sat program on YouTube and on Google.

The RAIN Hamcast can be transmitted over Amateur Radio via a Community Commons license from therainreport.com, @therainreport on Twitter, and iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 05-17-2017

This is the conclusion of the most popular RAIN Report ever, from April, 2016. It features Art Bell/W6OBB, a ham whose Coast to Coast nightly radio show in the 90’s garnered more than 15,000,000 listeners on 500 AM stations across the United States. [2016 P2 18M] You can hear the entire hour-long interview with Art conducted by Eric Guth/4Z1UG for his QSPToday podcast on qsotoday.com.

The RAIN Hamcast can be transmitted over Amateur Radio via a Community Commons license from therainreport.com, @therainreport on Twitter, and iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 05-13-2017

As RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP and the crew are preparing for their 29th sojourn to the Dayton Hamvention, it seemed prudent to give the guys (and gals) a couple weeks off. So in their absence we’re going to replay the most requested RAIN Report podcast ever. We go back to March, 2016 for this RAIN Replay of a two-part interview with a gentleman whose Coast to Coast broadcast was the biggest syndicated show heard after dark across the United States in the 90’s. [2016 P1 18M] Check out booth 6603, the RAIN booth at the Hamvention; and if you have 220 with you, try 224.06 simplex with no PL.

The RAIN Report for 05-06-2017

If you built electronic kits while growing up, especially those marketed by Heath Kit, chances are you used a small, plastic tool called a Nut Starter. Did you know that Heath Kit didn’t manufacture the Nut Starter? A young man named John Brake sold tools to Heathkit, one of which was the erstwhile Nut Starter. So what happened to John Brake, and the little tool that could…and did? Today John is CEO of Desco Industries Inc. in Chino, California. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP caught up with John on Skype to piece together the Nut Starter puzzle. [2017 11M] If you’re going to the Hamvention May 19021 at its new home in Xenia, Ohio, be sure to drop by booth 6603 and chat with RAIN Founder/Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP. And if you have 220 handy, try us on 224.06 simplex no PL.

The RAIN Hamcast is made available under a Creative Commons license from therainreport.com; @therainreport from Twitter; and via
iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 04-28-2017

Listening to this 2016 Dayton Hamvention presentation might test both your listening skills and attention span. It’s some how-to’s for setting up a serious CW HF dxing station – by a young man by the name of William Ferguson/KJ4EYZ. William became a licensed ham at age 7 in 2008. A year later he became one of the youngest hams in the world to earn his DXCC (work 100 countries) award. this DX mathematician talked about what’s involved in setting up a serious CW DX ham station during the SATTERM forum at the 2016 Dayton Hamvention. [2017 15M] If you’re going to the Hamvention May 19021 at its new home in Xenia, Ohio, be sure to drop by booth 6603 and chat with RAIN Founder/Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP. And if you have 220 handy, try us on 224.06 simplex no PL.

The RAIN Report for 04-21-2017

A couple of months ago Kent Peterson/KC0DGY interviewed Roger Johnson N1RJ of Limington Maine for the Amateur Radio Newsline. Roger was suffering from HF interference at his home. When he finally started to do some active direction finding in his neighborhood, he was quite surprised to discover the source of his interference. Roger had quite the story to tell. Due to time limitations for the Amateur Radio Newsline story we decided to let Roger tell the longer version in this RAIN report. [2017 15M]

The RAIN Hamcast is made available under a Creative Commons license from therainreport.com; @therainreport from Twitter; and via iTunes.

The RAIN Hamcast is made available under a Creative Commons license from therainreport.com; @therainreport from Twitter; and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 04-14-2017

If you were involved in frequency coordination back in 1988, the mere mention of the Kowalski letter would have given you pause about the future of repeater coordination. The Kowalski letter, released in December, 1987, put frequency coordinators on notice that the FCC had relaxed its rules governing frequency coordination in the U.S. Amateur Radio service. Following the publication of that letter, there was a rise in ham radio litigation, according to that document’s author, Ray Kowalski, Chief of the Special Services Division in the FCC’s Private Radio Bureau during much of the 80s. In January, 1988 Kowalski returned to the private sector as an attorney with a Washington D.C. law firm. This is the second excerpt from a talk this former bureaucrat delivered before the Frequency Coordinator forum at the 1988 Dayton Hamvention. [1988 P2 15M] Editorial Note: “If we in the Amateur Radio Service can’t find ways to settle our disputes in an equitable manner, we just may give the FCC and those who wish to abscond with our VHF and UHF frequencies the ammunition they’ve been waiting for.” While that editorial comment was written almost 30 years ago, it still applies today. You can hear both parts 1 and 2 of this FCC talk on therainreport.com. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Hamcast is made available under a Creative Commons license from therainreport.com; @therainreport from Twitter; and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 04-08-2017

If you were active in ham radio in the late 80s, especially in southern California, you may remember the effects deregulation had on ham radio frequency coordination. The FCC decreed that there could be more than one frequency coordinator in a given geographical area, something we’ll hear more about in part 2 of this RP Report from 1988. Ray Kowalski was Chief of the Special Services Division IN the FCC’s Private Radio Bureau most of the 80s. Kowalski returned to the private sector in 1988 as an attorney in Washington D.C. Kowalski expressed his perspective of what ham radio was headed for in the era of deregulation in a 1988 Dayton Hamvention talk before the Frequency Coordinator forum. His observations from almost 30 years ago are just as cogent today. (1988 P1 13M)

The RAIN Hamcast is made available under a Creative Commons license from therainreport.com; @therainreport from Twitter; and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 03-31-2017

How many of you are counting the days to the 2017 Dayton Hamvention? Perhaps you’re feeling a little sense of trepidation about
its new home? Hopefully you’ll feel a little better in 20 minutes after we introduce you to the Green County Fairground, Hamvention’s new home in Xenia, Ohio. For some ‘inside’ scoop, RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Brian Markland, N8UDQ, Inside Exhibits
Chair, for Hamvention 2017. [2017 17M] The RAIN Hamcast will be in booth 6603. More specifics about the whereabouts of our booth in coming weeks.

The RAIN Hamcast is made available under a Creative Commons license from therainreport.com; @therainreport from Twitter; and via
iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 03-25-2017

This week we delve deep into the KC9RP archive to bring you the 14th program Hap Holly/KC9RP produced for his RP Report back in 1987, a full three years prior to the inception of the RAIN Report. We’ve even preserved the original introduction to this feel-good story about ham radio’s involvement on a memorable Memorial Day as related by three individuals.

The RAIN Report for 03-18-2017

This week we conclude our glimpse into Maker Faire with David Witkowski/W6DTW, Executive Director of the Wireless Communications Initiative at Joint Venture Silicon Valley, CEO of Oku Solutions LLC, a board member of the Bay-Net Group WW6BAY and author of an article about Maker Faire in the January, 2017 QST. In this RAIN Report we conclude Hap Holly/KC9RP’s conversation with David about this extraordinary ham radio PR opportunity. [2017 P2 12M] We regret that the Chicago Maker Faire has been postponed to this fall.

The RAIN Hamcast is made available under a Creative Commons license from therainreport.com; @therainreport from Twitter; and via iTunes.

The RAIN Hamcast is made available under a Creative Commons license from therainreport.com; @therainreport from Twitter; and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 03-10-2017

Have you ever heard of Maker Faire? One ham who is most familiar with it is David Witkowski/W6DTW, Executive Director of the Wireless Communications Initiative at Joint Venture Silicon Valley; CEO of Oku Solutions LLC.; a board member of the Bay-Net Group WW6BAY; adviser to Radio Mala, (something Dave talked about on the RAIN Report in Sept., 1915; and a Senior Member of both the IEEE and the Radio Club of America. [P1 2017 12M]

The RAIN Hamcast is made available under a Creative Commons license from therainreport.com; @therainreport from Twitter; and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 03-04-2017

For a few years until his retirement, FCC Special Enforcement Council, Riley Hollingsworth/K4RH was a household name and viewed by many as the man who brought some much-needed law and order to the U.S. Amateur Radio Service. Referred to simply as Riley, this soft-spoken FCC bureaucrat brought a lot of respect back to the FCC that was missing during the 90’s. Riley’s first forum talk at the Dayton Hamvention in 1999 resulted in this RAIN Replay. [1999 18M]
Editorial Note: Riley’s successor, Laura Smith has been conspicuous by her absence from the Hamvention in recent years. In fact the FCC was a ‘no show’ at the 2016 Hamvention.

The RAIN Hamcast is available for transmission over Amateur Radio under a Community Commons license, and can be downloaded or streamed from therainreport.com, @therainreport on Twitter; and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 02-25-2017

What do Airforce MARS and Army MARS have in common? They both are involved with Shares. SHARES coordinates a voluntary network of government, industry, and disaster response agency HF radio stations used for emergency communications. According to Shares Program Manager, Ross Merlin, the Shares program can be described in four words. [2016 18M]
The RAIN Hamcast is available for transmission over Amateur Radio under a Community Commons license, and can be downloaded or streamed from therainreport.com, @therainreport on Twitter; and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 02-18-2017

this RAIN Report will be a little …painful for those of you who remember when the 220 MHz Amateur band extended from 220.0 to 225.0 MHz What drove the United Parcel Service to lust after the bottom two megahertz of the 220 MHz Amateur band? We have to go back to 1990 to an interview RAIN Founder&Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, had with Jim Hendershot, WA6VQP. a consulting engineer specializing in radio frequency design work in Southern California at the time. Some of you will recognize his voice from the early days of West link Radio, better known today as the Amateur Radio Newsline. But at the 1990 Dayton Hamvention in suburban Dayton, Ohio, Hendershot was demonstrating a then ‘exotic’ technology called Amplitude Compandered Single sideband, ACSSB. [1990 13M] Some contend that ACSSB technology was doomed from the beginning due to its picket fencing pilot tone issues above 2 meters, its sensitivity to cross channel interference, and its costs connected with manufacturing 220 MHz mobile radios. what homework ddid UPS do before persuading the FCC to take 40% of the 220 MHz band from the U.S. Amateur Radio service almost 30 years ago?

The RAIN Report for 02-10-2017

When one thinks of a new job or career change, ham radio isn’t necessarily the first idea that pops into the mind of many as a possible lead to gainful employment. You’d be surprised, however, how many have. Last week we heard the career stories of the late Steve Mendelsohn/W2ML, and Bob Heil/K9EID, both of whom credit their involvement in Amateur Radio early on as contributing significantly to their professional careers. In this second excerpt from the Newsline Town Hall Meeting held during the 2010 Dayton Hamvention, we’ll hear the stories of Rich Moseson/W2VU the Editor of CQ magazine; and Bob Sherman/K2SJT, a retired aircraft radio engineer. The forum chair was the late Co-Founder of the Amateur Radio Newsline, Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF.

The RAIN Hamcast is available for transmission under a Creative Commons license from therainreport.com (now tablet and mobile friendly), @therainreport on Twitter, and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 02-04-2017

While the economy has improved since “the crash” back in 2008, many folks today are still scrambling for a meaningful job – and a new career. Being a licensed ham radio operator may be more helpful than you might think toward that end. One such ham, (a silent key now) was Steve Mendelsohn/W2ML, who credited his involvement in Amateur Radio early on as contributing MIGHTILY to his professional career in NFL frequency coordination. Our second excerpt from that Newsline Home Town Meeting forum features Bob Heil/K9EID, the man with the golden microphone and weekly Ham Nation TV show. [2010 P1 17M]

The RAIN Hamcast is available for transmission under a Creative Commons license from therainreport.com, @therainreport on Twitter, and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 01-27-2017

2016 was truly an eventful year for the ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio. Not only did Tom Gallagher/NY2RF replace long-time CEO, Dave Sumner/K1ZZ; ARRL President Kay Craigie/N3KN was replaced by Rick Roderick/K5UR. Just who IS he and where does he hail from? President Roderick spoke at the 2016 Dayton Hamvention. [2017 12M]
The RAIN Hamcast is available for transmission under a Creative Commons license from therainreport.com, @therainreport on Twitter, and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 01-20-2017

What goes on in the mind of a diehard dx contester? We’re going to find out as we listen to a conversation that took place in the RAIN booth at the 2016 Dayton Hamvention between RAIN’s Founder/Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP and Chicago diehard dx’er Paul Gentry/K9PG. Both have known each other since Paul was 13 and held the call sign then of KA9VAK. Paul is now much older – and somewhat world wise than back when he was first licensed in the mid-80s. This week we present Hap and Paul’s good-natured conversation – edited to keep the FCC happy. [2016 17M]
The RAIN Hamcast is available for transmission under a Creative Commons license from therainreport.com, @therainreport on Twitter, and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 01-14-2017

Thirty years is a long time to be immersed into emergency communications. So it has been with Fullerton CA. ham, April Moell/WA6OPS, the driving force behind HDSCS, the Hospital Disaster Support Communication System. HDSCS has networked more than 30 Hospitals in Orange County, California with the Amateur Radio service since the mid 80’s. April was interviewed in 2014 for the QSO Today podcast by ITS driving force, Eric Guth/4Z1UG. This is our second excerpt from that hour-long conversation. *Audio Edited by permission* [2017 P2 20M] You can listen to Eric’s entire conversation with April by going to qsotoday.com and punching up Episode 21.
The RAIN Hamcast is accessible on the Web on therainreport.com; on Twitter @therainreport; and via iTunes. .

The RAIN Report for 01-07-2017

This week we bring you a first for the RAIN Report. Over the last two weeks we learned about the North Pole Network from a 1987 interview Hap Holly/KC9RP conducted with Fullerton, CA. ham, April Moell/WA6OPS. Here she is again 27 years later. We’re excerpting from a 2014 interview with April conducted by Eric Guth/4Z1UG for his QSO Today podcast. For over 30 years April has been the driving force behind HDSCS, the Hospital Disaster Support Communications System, which links more than 30 SO. Cal. hospitals with Amateur Radio. [2017 P1 20M]
The RAIN Hamcast is available 24/7 for transmission over Amateur Radio from therainreport.com, @therainreport on Twitter, and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 12-30-2016

In the 1980s the North Pole Network put ham radio on the map in SO. Cal., thanks in part to April Moell/WA6OPS. [1987 P2 13M]

The RAIN Report for 12-24-2016

This week we bring you part one of a 1987 RP Report that has never been aired on the RAIN Report. It’s the story behind the North Pole Network, an event that put ham radio on the map in Southern California almost 30 years ago, thanks to April Moell/WA6OPS. [1987 P1 12M]

The RAIN Report for 12-17-2016

How many electrical engineers do YOU know? Just what IS an electrical engineer? What do they do? And how is an electrical engineer’s career influenced by a digital or RF background? For these answers and more RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP turned to a guy who knows. He’s Donn Dengel (DEN-gel), W9TOC, a resident of Paletine, IL. Donn spent a few minutes in the RAIN booth at the 2016 Dayton Hamvention. [2016 17M]

The RAIN Report for 12-09-2016

THIS is a RAIN Replay from 2015. This week we conclude our brief look at the realities of rechargeables with the Russ Craig, Marketing Director of Batteries America. [2015 P2 13M]

The RAIN Report for 12-02-2016

THIS is a RAIN Replay from 2015. Do you use rechargeable batteries? You’d be hard-pressed to find ANYONE today who doesn’t. Hams and scanner enthusiasts make use of rechargeable technology every time they turn on a handheld handy talkie or scanner. A major player in the sale of such batteries and development of chargers for said batteries is Batteries America. In the fall of 2015 RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP caught up with its Marketing Director, Russ Craig. (2015 P1 12M) .

The RAIN Report for 11-25-2016

THIS is a RAIN Replay. Integrated Services Digital networks created a technological revolution in voice and data communications back in 1990. No longer was the telephone limited to one channel for voice and data. ISDN changed all that. B-R-I, Basic Rate Interface, allowed the use of two voice channels and one data channel simultaneously over the same copper pair customers used to stay connected to the local phone company. P-R-I, Primary Rate Interface, permitted 23 voice channels and a 24th that could handle the control of the voice ones. RAIN’s Hap Holly, KC9RP spoke with two Chicago area ISDN experts of the time: One was Rich Belcastro, formerly N9JGP, now WV9B, manager of Voice and Data Networks for the MacDonald’s Corp. in Oakbrook, IL. The other was Ted Kekatos/N9IXE, a development engineer and consultant with AT&T at the time in suburban Naperville. This is our second and final instalment of Hap’s 1990 conversation about the evolution of ISDN. (P2 15M)

The RAIN Report for 11-19-2016

THIS is a RAIN Replay. ISDN is an acronym for Integrated Services Digital Network. In 1990 the thought was that ISDN would forever change technology. And so it did. We’re going to QSY back to 1990 to one of the early interviews RAIN Founder/Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, conducted. Hap sat down with two Chicago experts in the digital field at the time: Rich Belcastro/N9JGP, (now WV9B), and Ted Kekatos/N9IXE. In 1990 Rich was a Manager in voice and digital networks with MacDonald’s Corp. in suburban Oakbrook; Ted, a development engineer and consultant with AT&T in suburban Naperville. [1990 P1 18M]

The RAIN Report for 11-11-2016

Tom Gallagher/NY2RF is the new CEO of the ARRL, the national association of Amateur Radio. After retiring from a successful career in finances, this Florida ham took the reins of the League in April, 2016. He had some BIG shoes to fill, those of the outgoing CEO, Dave Sumner/K1ZZ, who decided to ‘hang it up’ after 30 years. The new kid at the League has plunged into piloting the organization into its second century. This week we bring you our second and final excerpt from a conversation this new ARRL CEO had with Eric Guth/4Z1UG, the man behind the QSO-Today podcast. (2016 20M) Eric’s QSO-Today podcast features hour-long conversations with the movers and shakers in Amateur Radio from then and now. You can hear Eric’s complete conversation with NY2RF as episode 88 at QSO-Today.com. (Audio courtesy QSO Today).

The RAIN Report for 11-04-2016

There’s truly nothing more permanent than change. And so it was on April 18, 2016, the day Dave Sumner/K1ZZ vacated “the big chair” at the ARRL, the National Association for Amateur Radio. Sumner served 30 years as the League’s CEO. His successor is Florida ham Tom Gallagher/NY2RF. Just what kind of man is he? And what does he see in his crystal ball? We’ll find out over the next two weeks, thanks to Eric Guth/4Z1UG, who spoke with Gallagher for an hour earlier this year on Eric’s QSO Today podcast. This week we bring you the first of two excerpts from that interview. (P1 19M)
The RAIN Hamcast is available on demand on therainreport.com, @therainreport on Twitter, and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 10-28-2016

We’re in the middle of a clinic, of sorts, about getting your net worth, as offered by RAIN’s Founder/Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, who has more than 30 years of experience with VHF/UHF nets under his virtual belt. Getting Your Net Worth is a 2-part talk Hap gave earlier this decade at HRO Milwaukee, formerly AES. [– 14M] Both parts of Hap’s presentation will remain on therainreport.com indefinitely. You might want to download both parts for future reference.

The RAIN Report for 10-22-2016

Nets, nets, nets. Everywhere you turn…or rather tune on the HF ham bands at night, especially 80 meters, you collide with every sort of net, i.e. traffic nets, Bible nets, political nets, good ol’ boy nets…you name it! On VHF and UHF repeaters you’ll find nets of all types and description. But if your favorite repeater does host a weekly net, there are three questions you should ask yourself. This is a talk given earlier this decade by Hap Holly/KC9RP at was formerly AES, now HRO Milwaukee, WI.

The RAIN Report for 10-14-2016

So just what do the letters IARU mean? True, it IS a 4-letter word. More to the point, however, IARU is an acronym for the International Amateur Radio Union. At the 2016 Dayton Hamvention RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke in the RAIN booth with IARU President, Tim Ellam/VE6SH, who hails from Calgary, Alberta Canada. (2016 13M)
The RAIN Hamcast can be transmitted over Amateur Radio under a Creative Commons license. RAIN Report archives going back to 2006 can be rebroadcast from therainreport.com and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 10-07-2016

One of the most popular forums that has been held at the Dayton Hamvention the past 29 years is Carol Perry/WB2MGP’s Youth in Amateur Radio forum. This year 17 young hams presented papers during this forum. One such high school ham is Brandon Geek/WA9REV of Peru, Indiana. (2016 9M) Following up on Brandon’s mention of the ARRL School Club Roundup, the fall Roundup will be Oct. 17-21. Quoting from the ARRL website: “Objective: To exchange QSO information with club stations that are part of an elementary, middle, high school or college. Non-school clubs and individuals are encouraged to participate. Sponsored by the ARRL, its Hudson Division Education Task Force and the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club (LIMARC) to foster contacts with and among school radio clubs.
The RAIN Hamcast is available on demand from therainreport.com and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 10-01-2016

This RAIN Report was never heard as a RAIN Report because it was produced two years before this weekly Amateur Radio podcast appeared on the scene. We’re going to take you back 28 years to 1988 to a very different time in ham radio when a New Hampshire ham named Wayne Greene/W2NSD (never say die) had his entrepreneurial fingers in many pies then–and I don’t mean raspberry either. RAIN’s Founder & Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, got as close as he ever has to tabloid journalism in this 1988 interview with Wayne. (1988 10M) Hap conducted a series of weekly audio podcasts with Wayne in the late 90s called Wayne Pontificates. And did he ever! Wayne became a silent key on Sept. 13, 2013.

The RAIN Report for 09-24-2016

Matt Hickman/AF5FM is trustee of reportedly the first solar-powered UHF Mississippi repeater, located in the northern rural town of Pontotoc. Kent Peterson/KC0DGY, one of the voices of both RAIN and the Amateur Radio Newsline, spoke with Matt this past summer. [2016 12M] If your repeater is exclusively solar powered, we’d like to hear from you. Our email address is hap@therainreport.com. Keep on hamming!

The RAIN Report for 09-17-2016

National Parks on the Air has turned into a phenomenally popular year-long event. We’re going to learn some of the nuts and bolts about N-P-O-T-A after we learn a few basics about county hunting itself from Grant, Michigan county hunter Randy Hatt/AA8R, who has been chasing counties for more than 40 years. The second speaker is Plano, TX ham Bob Voss/N4CD, an inveterate county hunter and National Parks on the Air enthusiast, who has confirmed at least one contact in all 3,077 U.S. counties (including those in Hawaii and Alaska) and has done so TWICE! Bob and Randy spoke during the County Hunters forum at the 2016 Dayton Hamvention. [2016 16M]

The RAIN Report for 09-10-2016

This week we bring you an interview RAIN Founder Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, conducted in the summer of 1987, almost three years before the RAIN acronym, Radio Amateur Information Network was coined. It’s a look back at the early years of the NCDXF IARU International Beacon Project with Al Lotze/W6RQ a solar observer for decades and considered by some for years the heart of the Northern California DX Foundation until his passing in 2000. As a postscript to this 1987 RP Report there are now 18 IARU International beacons that transmit sequentially on five HF bands: 14.1, 18.1, 21.150, 24.930 and 28.200 MHz. For a current list of the transmitting schedules and locations of these beacons, go to www.ncdxf.com. (1987 19M)

The RAIN Report for 09-02-2016

How many ham radio cartoonists do you read? Jeff Murray/K1NSS IS one. Eric Guth/4U1UG recently featured Jeff on his QSO Today Amateur Radio Podcast interview. This week we bring you an excerpt from that conversation. [2016 18M] You’ll find Jeff’s creative work on www.dashtoons.com. You can listen to Eric’s complete interview with Jeff on www.qsotoday.com, Episode 99. (Excerpted with permission)

The RAIN Report for 08-27-2016

Hams who are experienced in DXing, contesting, and participating in dxpeditions are a rare find, especially those who have done all that on RTTY (radio teletype) like Craig Thompson/K9CT. This Illinois ham was first licensed in 1967. Craig founded Thompson Electronics Company in 1980 and is still CEO of it today. Craig spoke at the RTTY forum at the 2016 Dayton Hamvention. While his talk targeted DXing and contesting on RTTY, his observations will nevertheless be helpful to you non digital contesters and DX’ers alike. (2016 18M)

The RAIN Report for 08-20-2016

So often it seems one hears about ham radio attorneys going up against big city politics. But what about dealing with rural municipalities? Illinois attorney Kevin Kaufhold/W9GKA knows. This is a revealing look at zoning board politics Kevin dealt with in a rural county, defending Mark Theobolt (no call given), who is one of the only hams in his southern Illinois county. Kevin’s talk was given during the Amateur Radio and the Law forum at the 2016 Dayton Hamvention. (2016 13M)

The RAIN Report for 08-13-2016

Today we turn the tables and talk to Hap Holly/KC9RP about the status of the rain report, his near disastrous hard drive crash earlier this summer, and where he thinks the rain report needs to go from here in light of that crash. Incidentally we want your input too. We spoke with hap via Skype. Hap has been bringing us the rain report for over a quarter century; most of those have come from the Dayton Hamvention where hap has very diligently recorded the forums each year. (2016 16M) As a postscript to this interview, Tom Nelson (Byte me Computers) who has assembled all of the Windows machines Hap has had since 2000, made a 2nd attempt to offload the 52 GB of Hamvention files and early RAIN archives from the hard drive that crashed July 1. Amazingly, he succeeded and it didn’t cost Hap $1,000.00! as he had thought it might! So Hap’s use of Ham mention forum audio between now and next May is intact. Nevertheless, he still would like feedback and program audio recorded from a local forum or club meeting. Please make your file attachments MP3 and under 10 MB.

The RAIN Report for 08-06-2016

If you were an avid VHF contester in the 1990s and early 2000s, you’ll probably recognize the name Gene Zimmerman, W3ZZ, an inveterate VHF contester who, for a time, authored the QST magazine column, “The World Above 50 Mhz”. Reading from a 2012 obit ab out Gene from the Washington Post: EUGENE M. ZIMMERMAN “Gene”
(Age 71) Passed away June 3, 2012. He was born June 27, 1940 in New Haven, CT. A graduate of Yale University, he earned his PHD in microbiology from the University of Maryland in 1968. He worked at National Institue of Health (NIH) for 35 years starting in cancer research, moving to grants administration and then lastly to allergy and immunology study. His passion was ham radio, first licensed in 1956. He was a life time member of the American Radio Relay League, very involved with contests and wrote the popular QST column “The World Above 50 MHz”. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP recently unearthed an interview he conducted with Gene at the digital communications conference in Chicago just a couple years prior to Gene’s passing. (17M)

The RAIN Report for 07-24-2016

May 14, 2016 is a day that will be long-remembered by the U.S. Amateur Radio Service, especially those involved with Satern, the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network. On that fateful day SATERN Founder, Major Patrick McPherson/WW9E rather suddenly became a silent key at age 70. Maj McPherson was literally hours away from being presented with The Salvation Army Certificate in Recognition of Exceptional Service — a national-level award. That award was presented posthumously to Major Pat during the SATERN forum at the 2016 Dayton Hamvention less than a week later. This week we bring you a handful of excerpts from that forum. Voices will include Lt. Col. Ron Busroe, Salvation Army?s National Community Relations and Development Secretary; Major Rick Sharon, SATERN Director for Canada; Mike Corey/KI1U, Emergency Preparedness Manager for the ARRL; and there are two additional speakers t hat weren’t introduced. Maybe you’ll recognize them. (2016 19M) Chicago SATERN will greatly miss Maj. Pat.

The RAIN Report for 07-15-2016

Does the name Brian Tanner ring a bell with you? Probably not. Borrowing from his Linkdom write-up, Brian Tanner is President/Chairman of Spaceport Indiana. A Civilian Astronaut, Brian has been involved in the commercial space program from the early days. He served on the first Spaceports Council under the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and built the Spaceport Indiana program. He developed the Spaceport outreach program for education which now serves two states and has become the largest STEM provider in Indiana. He has created many platforms to serve national interest regarding post disaster assessment, communications links for military environments using HALO technologies, and launch systems to name a few.
Brian is considered one of the foremost leaders in technology transition to education within Indiana and has developed a number of award winning programs. He was awarded the MIRA Award in 2011 for his contributions to technology in education. A NASA Top Star Award winner and over 50 other awards to date. He is a Distinguished Lecturer for the U.S. Navy, and frequent keynote speaker on commercial space topics as well as education. The Spaceport Indiana Inc. focuses on so-called STEM programs, a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines science, technology, engineering and mathematics in an interdisciplinary and applied approach. So what was Brian Tanner talking about during the 2016 Hamvention Baloonsat forum? Spaceport Indiana and its Student STEM Projects, of course!

The RAIN Report for 06-24-2016

Are you involved with a VHF or UHF net that meets the same time the same day every week and has the same predictable format of check-ins, hamfest calendar and (if you’re still awake) maybe some club news? What about ham radio programming, i.e. these RAIN Reports or the Amateur Radio Newsline? This is a challenge to make VHF&UHF informational nets more interesting. We’re going to assume a few of you are sick and REAL tired of the same sh’tuff every net night. OK, so you want to run some AUDIO HAM RADIO CONTENT. “Simple” you say? Just hold your handheld microphone up to your computer speaker while you play back 10 or 15 minutes-of unintelligible audio, hoping your rig doesn’t puke in the process. If you’re going to provide a service to your net listeners, then DO IT RIGHT! One guy who does is Mark Klocksin/WA9IVH, Net Director for Chicago’s North Shore Radio Club (NS9RC) 440 repeater. Hap Holly/KC9RP skyped Mark for some of those do’s and don’ts. (2016 20M)

The RAIN Report for 06-18-2016

If you research the topic of ‘podcasts’, you’ll find literally thousands of them, many involving Amateur Radio like these RAIN Reports. One podcaster who interviews one guest each week for at least an hour is Eric Guth/4Z1UG, an American transplant living now in Efrat, Israel. As is often the case in maintaining a podcast, QSO Today has embarked on a subscriber program that Eric refers to as his neighborhood. This is the second and final excerpt from a conversation held between RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP and Eric about Eric’s QSO Today podcast. (P2 10M) You’ll find Eric’s podcast updates each Saturday at qsotoday.com. And don’t be surprised when you hear excerpts from Eric’s podcast on the RAIN Report.

The RAIN Hamcast is available on demand from (the Internet) therainreport.com; (Twitter) @therainreport; and via iTunes.
Transmission of the RAIN Report is permitted under a Community Commons license, but is to be transmitted in its entirety.

The RAIN Report for 06-10-2016

Podcasts abound by the thousands these days. One weekly ham radio podcast that features one guest for at least an hour is QSO Today, hosted by Eric Guth/4Z1UG, from his home in Efrat, Israel. Some RAIN listeners may recognize his voice from a handful of RAIN Reports in which one of Eric’s interviews was excerpted most recently 90s late-night radio guru, Art Bell/W6OBB. RAIN Founder Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, caught up with Eric on Skype to learn just how QSO Today evolved. (2016 P1 10M)
The RAIN Hamcast is available on demand from (the Internet) therainreport.com; (Twitter) @therainreport; and via iTunes.
Transmission of the RAIN Report is permitted under a Community Commons license, but is to be transmitted in its entirety.

The RAIN Report for 06-04-2016

One of the many experimental modes in Amateur Radio today is remote operating, being able to utilize the HF bands without having an actual HF station in your ham shack. One of the biggest supporters of remote operating is San Francisco ham, Mark Aaker/K6UFO, who has been a licensed ham since 1971. Borrowing from his bio: He has achieved DXCC Top of Honor Roll and 5 Band DXCC. In contests Mark has organized winning multi-operator teams from Stanford University W6YX, as well as his own single-operator wins at the challenging QRP 5-watt level in the ARRL Sweepstakes CW and Phone, North American Sprints and North American QSO Parties. For the last ten years he has been operating as NN7SS from Washington state, both in-person and now by remote control. Mark has worked for Motorola, NASA, National Semiconductor and Apple as an Electrical Engineer, Project Manager and Patent Attorney. This week we bring you our second and final excerpt from his 2016 Remote Operating forum. (P2 15M) For more insights into remote operating, go to k6ufo.com.
The RAIN Hamcast is available on demand from (the Internet) therainreport.com; (Twitter) @therainreport; and via iTunes.
Transmission of the RAIN Report is permitted under a Community Commons license, but is to be transmitted in its entirety.

The RAIN Report for 05-28-2016

It’s a lazy summer’s day just perfect for noodling around the HF bands – but wait – you cant noodle much due to restrictive operating conditions around you! Ever thought of hamming remote control? One San Francisco ham who does so very successfully is Mark Aaker//K6UFO. Reading from his website bio: Mark “Mork” Aaker has been licensed since 1971. He has achieved DXCC Top of Honor Roll and 5 Band DXCC. In contests Mark has organized winning multi-operator teams from Stanford University W6YX, as well as his own single-operator wins at the challenging QRP 5-watt level in the ARRL Sweepstakes CW and Phone, North American Sprints and North American QSO Parties. For the last ten years he has been operating as NN7SS from Washington state, both in-person and now by remote control. In past decades he worked for Motorola, NASA, National Semiconductor and Apple as an Electrical Engineer, Project Manager and Patent Attorney. This week we present the first of 2 excerpts from Mark’s 2016 Dayton Hamvention talk on remote operation. (2016 15M)
The RAIN Hamcast is available 24/7 on therainreport.com, @therainreport on Twitter, and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 05-14-2016

For many hams nationwide spring is the harvinger of the hamfest season. If you’ve been to a local hamfest, you have seen a piece of Americana. As some of you hear the following op-ed piece from the RAIN archives, the highways and byways into and out of Dayton, Ohio will be clogged with those who take in the Dayton Hamvention, THE hamfest of hamfests that draws more than 20,000 attendees from around the world each spring. If you’re like some hams, you get your fill of hamfesting in three days at the Hamvention, which will have run May 20, 21 and 22. More than 20 years ago a Chicago-area ham, Oren Brand, K9KEJ, put his many years of hamfesting to paper, then voiced his thoughts for the Radio Amateur Information Network. As you listen to Oren’s thoughts, see if you don’t grudgingly agree with his observations about what he called “The Hamfest Mentality”. (1993 10M)
If you hear this before you get to the Hamvention, be sure to put the RAIN and Gateway 160-meter Radio Newsletter booth on your agenda – inside booth #329. You just might be interviewed.
The RAIN Hamcast is available 24/7 on therainreport.com; via Twitter @therainreport; and somewhere on iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 05-07-2016

the French Resistance and a number of civilians kept tabs on the German military and High Command during World War II. They serepticiously transmitted coded data back to the Allies at great personal risk. Tom Perera PH.D./W1TP, an authority on these clandestine radio operations of WW2, spoke at the 2015 Dayton Hamvention. Here’s our last excerpt from that presentation. (P2 17M) You can read a great deal about the so-called enigma cipher machine, the primary coding machine for all branches of the German military and High Command. Check out Tom’s enigma museum website. See the RAIN Sites Mentioned page for the URL. If you’re headed to the Dayton Hamvention in a couple weeks, be sure to drop by booth 329 and say “hello” to the Radio Amateur Information Network and the Gateway 160-Meter Radio Newsletter. You just might be interviewed for the RAIN Report.
The RAIN Hamcast is available on demand from therainreport.com; (Twitter) @therainreport; and via iTunes. Transmission of the RAIN Report is permitted under a Community Commons license. It is to be transmitted in its entirety.

The RAIN Report for 04-30-2016

Regular listeners to this ham radio podcast will recall the intriguing story about Russell Hutchinson, Radio Boy, the American P-O-W who virtually risked his life to construct and listen to an AM radio so he could help maintain the morale of the other 1,600 captives in a World War II Japanese pow camp in the Philippines. Well while Hutch was seripticiously catching war updates broadcast by KGEI radio from San Francisco, the French Resistance and a number of other civilians on the other side of the world were keeping tabs on German military inteligence and movements , then transmitting coded data back to the Allies at great personal risk. Tom Perera PH.D./W1TP, An authority on these clandestine radio operations, spoke at the 2015 Hamvention about the clandestine WW2 “spy” radio operations in general. Here’s part 1 of that presentation. (P1 16M)
Before we go we need to say “good-bye” to an old friend and former RAIN reader and now silent key, Duane Whittingham/N9SSN. Duane had been battling kidney-related issues the last few years; he was in his 40s. Duane’s niece, Ashley, has set up a GoFundMe to raise money to have him buried in Lowell, Indiana along side his mother and grandmother. The Duane GoFundMe web address will be found on the Sites Mentioned page on therainreport.com. Farewell, old friend.

If you’re headed to the Dayton Hamvention in a couple weeks, be sure to drop by booth 329 and say “hello” to the Radio Amateur Information Network and the Gateway 160-Meter Radio Newsletter.

The RAIN Hamcast needs your help; see the bottom of the front page on therainreport.com for details.

The RAIN Hamcast is available on demand from therainreport.com; (Twitter) @therainreport; and via iTunes. Transmission of the RAIN Report is permitted under a Community Commons license. It is to be transmitted in its entirety.

The RAIN Report for 04-23-2016

If you listened to our replay a few months back featuring Herb Johnson, the man behind Swan ham radio manufacturing, you may recall he sold his Swan company, then started Atlas Radio. Unfortunately Atlas went out of business in 1993 as a result of orders that were taken for an HF ham transceiver that never saw the light of day. Perhaps we can learn what let to that company’s demise from Wes Schum/W9DYV, owner of Central Electronics, a midwest ham radio manufacturer during the 1950s. In his Chicago home Schum designed and marketed the ’10A’ and ’20A’ the first single sideband (SSB) HF ham transmitters. Later he released the higher-powered ‘100V’ and ‘200V’ exciters, ‘600L’ amplifier, etc. Unfortunately Schum had to sell Central Electronics in 1958 to Zenith Corp. In a 1993 radio club presentation Schum explained that his problems with his company began in 1954. (1993 13M)

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The RAIN Hamcast is available on demand from therainreport.com; (Twitter) @therainreport; and via iTunes. Transmission of the RAIN Report is permitted under a Community Commons license. It is to be transmitted in its entirety.

The RAIN Report for 04-15-2016

In last week’s RAIN Replay we introduced you to a WW2 Radio Boy named Russell Hutchinson. “Hutch” was an American GI surviving a miserable existence in a Japanese POW camp in the Philippines with 1,600 other American soldiers during the last couple years of World War II. This savvy young man with a Herculean spirit devised an ingenious way to accumulate enough parts to fashion a working radio under the virtual noses of his Japanese captors. Hutch’s story was voiced in February, 2015 during the NSRC (North Shore Radio Club) Winter Banquet in Wilmette, IL. by Dave Cripe/NM0S. This week we conclude the dramatic story behind Russell Hutchinson, Radio Boy. (P2 19M) Part 1 of this talk can be found on the Archive page on therainreport.com.

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The RAIN Report for 04-08-2016

This RAIN Report Replay takes us back to WW2 to a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in the Philippines. One of those American pow’s there was Russell Hutchinson. “Hutch” (as he was called) was the focus of an intriguing talk given to the NSRC (North Shore Radio Club of Chicago) Winter Banquet held Feb. 2015 in north suburban Wilmette, IL. The speaker was Dave Pike/NM0S, an engineer with Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The RAIN Hamcast needs your help; see the front page of therainreport.com for details. The RAIN Hamcast is available under a Community Commons license for retransmission over Amateur Radio from therainreport.com; on Twitter @therainreport; and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 04-02-2016

Walk into a radio station today and you are likely to find a ham or three keeping that station on the air. Back in the 80’s, an aspiring radio announcer named Art Bell/W6OBB made Okinawa his home on radio station KSBK. It wouldn’t be until a decade later that Art would be heard literally “coast to coast” on more than 500 stations by more than 15,000,000 folks in the wee hours of the morning. According to Wikipedia, his topics ranged from “the paranormal, the occult, UFOs, protoscience and pseudoscience.” Recently Eric Guth/4Z1UG spoke with Art for an hour for QSOToday, a weekly ham radio podcast Eric produces from Israel, available on qsotoday.com. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP has extracted two 15-minute segments from that podcastPart 1 is on the RAIN archive page on therainreport.com. This week we bring you the conclusion of Art Bell – His Story.

The RAIN Hamcast is available on demand from therainreport.com; on Twitter @therainreport, and via iTunes. The RAIN Hamcast is made available under a Community Commons license.

The RAIN Report for 03-25-2016

What radio broadcaster in the 1990s was heard late at night on more than 500 stations nationwide and, at its peak, boasted a listenership exceeding 15,000,000? That broadcaster is Art Bell/W6OBB. According to Wikipedia, his topics ranged from “the paranormal, the occult, UFOs, protoscience and pseudoscience.” Art was recently interviewed by Eric Guth, 4Z1UG, for Eric’s weekly 1-hour QSOToday podcast. We have condensed Eric’s conversation with Art into 2 15-minute parts for you.

The RAIN Report for 03-19-2016

Sixteen years ago RAIN’s Founder/Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, spoke with Michael Crestohl/W1RC, a most unusual ham who, at the time, was working with Uncle Sam to remove some surplus radio gear from its demilitarzation list.So just what familiar model numbers were on said list? You’ll find out in this week’s RAIN Report. (2000 14M)

The RAIN Hamcast is available on therainreport.com, @therainreport, and iTunes.
The RAIN Hamcast is made available under a Creative Commons license

The RAIN Report for 03-12-2016

When is the last time you heard a truly entertaining after-dinner ham radio talk? “Your Code Record is Cracked” was delivered during the 1989 Dayton Hamvention banquet by Dave Bell/W6AQ, for years a very successful Hollywood film producer and Director. Dave has produced ham radio videos, including: A Ham’s Wide World; Moving Up to Amateur Radio; and the original World of Amateur Radio. Dave was the 1984 recipient of the Radio Amateur of the Year award. If you missed part 1, go to the RAIN Archives page on therainreport.com and give it a listen. This week we conclude Dave’s stellar presentation, one of the Gems from the RAIN archives. (P2 22M)

The RAIN Report for 03-04-2016

When is the last time you heard a truly entertaining after-dinner talk about ham radio? Here’s one called “Your Code Record is Cracked”. It was given during the 1989 Dayton Hamvention banquet by Dave Bell/W6AQ, a full-time Hollywood film producer and Director, Dave has produced ham radio videos, including: A Ham’s Wide World; Moving Up to Amateur Radio; and the original World of Amateur Radio. Dave was recipient of the 1984 Radio Amateur of the Year award. Here’s Part one of a RAIN Replay, “Your Code Record is Cracked”

The RAIN Report for 02-26-2016

N V I S – What is it? Quoting from Wikipedia, Near vertical incidence skywave, or NVIS, is a skywave radio-wave propagation path that provides usable signals in the range between groundwave and conventional skywave distances;”usually 30-400 miles (50-650 km).” So what is the value of NVIS? And how can you experiment with NVIS? RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP caught up with Stan Broadway/N8BHL, ARRL Ohio Section Emergency Coordinator. Stan has spent more than 40 years in the emergency preparedness field (2016 16M) a useful antenna technology for emergency communications on 80 and 40 meters. For you living in states bordering Ohio, there will be an experiment using NVIS antennas April 23. NVIS is a useful antenna technology for emergency communications on 80 and 40 meters. For you living in states bordering Ohio, there will be an experiment using NVIS antennas coming up April 23.

The RAIN Report for 02-19-2016

Working DX on the low bands requires a certain amount of skill, timing, propagation and, yes, luck. One Chicagoan who has worked more than 330 countries using rather modest antennas is Don Whiteman/KK9H. Don has earned 5 band DXCC with 30, 17 and 12-meter endorsements. He has been Treasured of the Northern IL. DX Association for years; and he’s the current President of NSRC, the North Shore Radio Club on Chicago’s north shore. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP spent a few minutes picking Don’s brain in the RAIN booth at the 2015 Dayton Hamvention. This is the conclusion to their conversation. (2015 P2 9M)

The RAIN Report for 02-13-2016

Take a look sometime on qrz.com at the bios of world class dx stations, and you may catch yourself drooling over the mega-position stations many of the top world dx’ers have used to contact 300plus countries. A notable exception is Don Whiteman/KK9H of Northfield, IL. Don has 5 band DXCC plus endorsements for 30, 17 and 12 meters. If you look at his antenna farm, it’s NOT an antenna farm! Don has combined timing and a lot of experience to work more than 330 countries, many on 160 meters from the Chicago area. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP chatted with Don/KK9h in the RAIN booth at the 2015 Dayton Hamvention;and learned some tips and tricks about dxing with Don. (2015 P1 16M)

The RAIN Report for 02-06-2016

In the early to mid 1960s the Swan company was a mainstay in ham radio with the release of single sideband mono-band transceivers like the SW120, SW140, SW175, followed by multi-band transceivers 240, 350 and 400. In 1966 Swan released the SW500, which was very similar to its predecessor, the 350. In fact the finals, a pair of 6HF5 sweep tubes were identical. However, the 350 was rated at 350w PEP; and the 500 was rated at 500w PEP. In the beginning of part 2 of the Swan/Atlas Story, RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP asked Swan & Atlas Founder, Herb Johnson/W6QKI, “Why?” (P2 1993 18M)

The RAIN Report for 01-30-2016

Once upon a time there was no ham gear imported from Japan. In the early 1960s there were two domestic manufacturers of single sideband ham transceivers. One was Collins; the other, Swan. Swan eventually became Cubic; Cubic was replaced by Atlas, so on and so forth. This week we bring you part one of a RAIN Replay, “The Swan/Atlas Story, A Retrospective” with their founder, Herb Johnson/W6QKI. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Herb back in 1993. (P1 17M)

The RAIN Report for 01-22-2016

One of the major challenges blind hams face is finding an HF radio that can be operated effectively without sighted assistance. One blind ham who has taken it upon himself to change some of that is Jim Shaffer/KE5AL of Pflugerville, TX. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP recently spoke with Jim about his accessible software. (2016 12M)
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The RAIN Report for 01-15-2016

How often have you heard the saying “Big things come in little packages”. This time-worn statement can be applied to to state of the art ham gear today, whether it be HF, VHF or UHF. But in this particular instance the ‘big thing’ is intermod, the mixing of two signals each on its own frequency, resulting in a third signal on yet another frequency. That frequency may be the input or output of a repeater . And if you carry this scenario out further, the results can be catastrophic…on many levels. So what do we do about this monster called intermod? With manufacturers designing ever smaller transceivers, will this RF monster grow stronger and become more incidious? These questions were posed in 1990 to Howard Elovitz/K9SYA, a Skokie, IL resident and a regional rep for Tektronix. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke to Howard 25 years ago at the Dayton Hamvention about the murky world of intermod. Here is part two of that interview.

The RAIN Report for 01-08-2016

This is a technical program Hap Holly/KC9RP produced for his RP Report, a predecessor of the RAIN Report in 1990. It’s a look at the challenges that intermod created for ham radio and commercial repeaters as long ago as 1990. Hap interviewed Howard Elovitz/K9SYA (rep at that time for Tektronix) at the Dayton Hamvention 25 years ago. (Part 1 12M)

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The RAIN Report for 01-01-2016

We start off the new year by warping back to early 1990 prior to the introduction of the RAIN Report. Before RAIN, snow Holly/KC9RP produced what he called the RP Report. Here is one of the programs Chap produced under that moniker that gave his listenership an early glimpse; or rather sound bite of talking technology. the developer of the DX Packet Talker was Bill Mc-Connell/N9US. Bill’s DX Packet Talker would be considered primitive technology by 2016 standards. Nevertheless the DX Packet Talker was a step in the right direction in 1990.
We leave you on a sad note this week with the passing of Steve Parker/KC9KU. Steve was a RAIN script reader some years ago. Steve and Hap were good friends going back to 1983. Hap reports that Steve was a very kind and thoughtful member of the blind ham community. He left us on Christmas day, one day short of his 60th birthday. Our warmest sympathies go out to his devoted wife, Holly.

The RAIN Hamcast can be heard on www.therainreport.com, via Twitter @therainreport; and iTunes.
The RAIN Hamcast can be heard on www.therainreport.com, via Twitter @therainreport; and iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 12-25-2015

This week we conclude Hap Holly/KC9RP’s conversation with IL. Frequency Coordinator, Aaron Collins/N9OZB. (2015 10M)

The RAIN Hamcast can be heard on www.therainreport.com, via Twitter @therainreport; and iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 12-19-2015

Assigning repeater frequencies is analogous to playing a chess game … the frequency coordinator has to be sure that each repeater he or she assigns to repeater pair xyz isn’t going to conflict with others on the same pair within x-number of miles, or on adjacent frequencies. So what is the life like for these major players in this VHF/UHF game of chess? Just ask unpaid coordinator Aaron Collins/N9OZB. Aaron and the Illinois Repeater Association play referees in their attempts to maintain law and order among the 500-plus VHF/UHF repeaters in Illinois. As RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP learned, a good deal of Aaron’s job is rather mundane in his Arlington Heights home.

The RAIN Report for 12-12-2015

This RAIN Report is dedicated to the late Mitch Schweda/WV9MJS, a long-time Chicago area ham well known for his eccentric conversations. Mitch was blind, loved mathematics and his tool collection. Mitch passed on this week from complications resulting from a serious fall. His cooooooky presence on Chicago area VHF&UHF repeaters will be missed by many. Mitch Schweda/WV9MJS, a silent key.

One of the challenges facing many radio clubs today is the divisiveness that has resulted in combining younger and older hams in the same club. It’s a generational thing that is widespread in society today. There IS a solution for this; it’s called “Build Club”. Thanks to Build Club, the North Shore Radio Club on Chicago’s north shore is finding considerable interest among its ranks of experienced and newbie hams. The Build Club coordinator for NSRC is Ron Settle/WM9Q. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Ron about this innovative but not new concept. (2015 10M) For more information about the NSRC club and its handful of voice and digital repeaters, and club projects, take your browser to ns9rc.org.

The RAIN Report for 12-05-2015

This week we’ll endeavor to answer the question posed in 1995 by Steven Overacker/WA6HAM: “Where have all the repeaters gone?” As you listen to Blair Alper/KA9SEQ read this packet piece posted in 1995, remember this commentary was written 20 years ago. In many ways the points Steven makes are just as valid now all these years later. (1995 10M) So many repeaters erected then and now have been rightfully nicknamed paper boxes, buddy boxes, and ego boxes. The RAIN Hamcast is accessible anytime at therainreport.com; on twitter @ therainreport; and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 11-27-2015

Are you digitally savvy? Or do your eyes and mind glaze over when you hear someone talking about digital modes, i.e. D Star? Well this week the RAIN Report will attempt to – clear up that digital haze with a short talk aimed at the digital newbie, given at the 2015 Dayton Hamvention by inveterate D Star user, John Davis/WB4QDX. (2015 12M)

The RAIN Report for 11-21-2015

In commemorating RAIN’s 25th year, we’re going to take you back to 1990, our first spring of production. The subject was the ECPA, Electronic Communications Privacy Act. In 1986 Congress, with some considerable persuasion from the cellular industry, passed the ECPA, which was designed to assure reasonable privacy for cellular and other two-way users. The sponsors of this ill-conceived legislation were hoping to create a master law that, once and for all, would declare telephonic communications private, no matter what the form of communication was being used now – or in the future. Ben Kobb/KC5CW, FCC Tech News Editor, felt they failed miserably in their attempt. (1990 13M)

The RAIN Report for 11-14-2015

Ron Milliman/K8HSY is a retired professor of marketing at Western Kentucky University, and a blind entrepreneur. He recently spoke to RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP about the challenges he faces as a small manufacturer trying to provide affordable and accessible accessories for the blind ham radio market. (2015 15M)

The RAIN Report for 11-07-2015

The October 21-28 U.S. dxpedition to Havana, Cuba is now history. So just how successful was it both as a ham radio event and as a cultural icebreaker? The U.S. team leader, Jim Milner/WB2REM provided some answers to RAIN’s Founder/Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP. (2015 16M) You can hear what lead up to the T42US saga on the RAIN archive page on therainreport.com. The RAIN Hamcast is celebrating its 25th year in production. You can hear archives of the RAIN Report on therainreport.com. We’re also heard on Twitter @ therainreport; and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 10-31-2015

This time we bring you the conclusion to our battery of facts about the reality of rechargeable batteries. This is part 2 of Hap Holly/KC9RP’s interview with Russ Craig, the Marketing Director of Batteries America. This interview is not to be construed as an endorsement for Batteries America or its products.

The RAIN Report for 10-24-2015

Do you use rechargeable batteries? You’d be hard-pressed to find ANYONE today who doesn’t. Hams and scanner enthusiasts make use of rechargeable technology every time they turn on a handheld handy talkie or scanner. A major player in the sale of such batteries and development of chargers for said batteries is Batteries America. RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP caught up with its Marketing Director, Russ Craig. (2015 14M)

The RAIN Report for 10-17-2015

As we go to press the call sign *T42US* is not a familiar call to many yet. But that will soon change. T42US is the call sign of a historic ham radio outreach between the United States and Cuba, coming Oct. 21-28 to a ham band near you. RAIN Founder/Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, spoke with T42US team leader, Jim Milner/WB2REM, one of 8 Americans preparing to join seven Cuban hams to make ham radio history. (2015 15M)

The RAIN Report for 10-15-2015

When Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF became a silent key earlier this year, many speculated as to whether the Amateur Radio Newsline would continue in his absence. Speculate no more! Meet Caryn Murray/KB2GUT. Caryn has strapped on some rather large shoes in Bill’s absence as the new copy writer for Newsline. So what changes does she have in mind for ham radio’s longest-running audio newscast? Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Caryn to hear just what her plans are; and just how she got into ham radio in the first place. As you listen to Caryn, see if her voice doesn’t remind you of a well-known lady in ham radio. (2015 18M)

BREAK: You’re listening to a conversation with Caryn Murray/KB2GUT, the new copy writer for the Amateur Radio Newsline. Did you figure out what well-known lady ham Caryn sounds like? Hap Holly/KC9RP will resume this conversation with Caryn in a moment; after I remind you that the RAIN Report is available 24/7 on therainreport.com; via Twitter at hash tag therainreport; and from iTunes.

TAG: And that concludes our introduction to Caryn Murray/KB2GUT, the new helm of Amateur Radio Newsline. So what well-known lady does Caryn sound like? Carole Perry/WB2MGP. The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2015 RAIN, all rights are reserved. Now for all those affiliated with the Radio Amateur Information Network, I’m WR/K5WLR bidding you very 73 from the RAIN Report, available on the Web at therainreport.com; Twitter at hash tag therainreport; and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 10-10-2015

When Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF became a silent key earlier this year, many speculated as to whether the Amateur Radio Newsline would continue in his absence. Speculate no more! Meet Caryn Murray/KB2GUT. Caryn has strapped on some rather large shoes in Bill’s absence as the new copy writer for Newsline. So what changes does she have in mind for ham radio’s longest-running audio newscast? Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Caryn to hear just what her plans are; and just how she got into ham radio in the first place. As you listen to Caryn, see if her voice doesn’t remind you of a well-known lady in ham radio. (2015 18M)

BREAK: You’re listening to a conversation with Caryn Murray/KB2GUT, the new copy writer for the Amateur Radio Newsline. Did you figure out what well-known lady ham Caryn sounds like? Hap Holly/KC9RP will resume this conversation with Caryn in a moment; after I remind you that the RAIN Report is available 24/7 on therainreport.com; via Twitter at hash tag therainreport; and from iTunes.

TAG: And that concludes our introduction to Caryn Murray/KB2GUT, the new helm of Amateur Radio Newsline. So what well-known lady does Caryn sound like? Carole Perry/WB2MGP. The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1990-2015 RAIN, all rights are reserved. Now for all those affiliated with the Radio Amateur Information Network, I’m WR/K5WLR bidding you very 73 from the RAIN Report, available on the Web at therainreport.com; Twitter at hash tag therainreport; and via iTunes.

The RAIN Report for 10-03-2015

Arguably the most popular HF contest worldwide is coming the weekend of Oct. 23. IT’s CQ World Wide, sponsored by CQ magazine. RAIN Founder/Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, spoke with CQ’s Editor, Rich Moseson/W2VU, about this contest of contests. (10M) For the rules governing CQ World Wide, see the August issue of CQ magazine or go to cqww.com.

The RAIN Report for 09-26-2015

Boys and Girls clubs were very much a part of growing up in the 60s for many of us. And a few of them actually had ham radio stations. RAIN Founder Hap Holly/KC9RP remembers spending many a summer afternoon in his local Boy’s club in Escondido, California prior to securing his Novice class call sign, WN6UJH. Today the Menominee, WI. Boys and girls club reportedly has the only existing working in-house ham station nationwide. One ham who spends a considerable amount of energy and time with that club is Edward Engleman/kg8cx. Ed is a retired educator and ham radio volunteer for the Menominee DAR radio club. He spoke during the Instructor’s forum at the 2015 Dayton Hamvention. (2015DH 10M)

The RAIN Report for 09-20-2015

This is an unusual RAIN Report in that you’re going to hear two California hams participating in a Skype conference call with RAIN Founder & Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP. The topic is Radio Mala, the Nepalese Connection.. In the spring of 2015 two killer earthquakes measuring over 7.3 each rocked Nepal, a country sandwiched between India and China in the Himalayan mountains, killing thousands of people. Less than six months later this land-locked nation was pummeled by a monsoon cyclone. Fortunately Nepal has some reliable emergency communications via ham radio, thanks to the efforts of Two California hams. One is David Witkowski/W6DTW, whose lengthy article about Radio Mala (MA-lah), the Nepal/San Francisco connection appeared just days before this RAIN Report was posted. More about that article later. The other ham is Suresh Ojha/W6KTM. (2015 19M)

The RAIN Report for 09-12-2015

This week we make a foray into new digital mode known as FSQ, Fast Simple QSO. One of the New Zealand hams behind it is retired electronics engineer Murray Greenman/ZL1BPU. When Murray isn’t driving a school bus in his retirement, he’s dabbling in the digital realm of Amateur Radio. (2015 15M) You can read Murray’s article about FSQ in the September, 2015 QST. And you’ll find the URL for his website on the RAIN Sites Mentioned page.

The RAIN Report for 09-05-2015

RAIN is celebrating its 25th year here in 2015. Its founder and continuing producer is Hap Holly/KC9RP. Hap gave a rare presentation, August 7, for the Hamfesters Radio club in the southern Chicago suburb of Crestwood, IL. In our first excerpt from his talk he covered his ham radio roots leading up to 1980. This week we bring you the conclusion to Hap’s presentation (2015 12M) Both parts of this talk will remain on the RAIN Archive page ad infinitum or close to it anyway.

The RAIN Report for 08-29-2015

This week we’re commemorating 39 years of wedded bliss with RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP to his summer camp sweetheart, Stephanie/KA9WKD. She would tell you that ‘wkd’ stands for “we keep dancing”. Hap, on the other hand, contends that ‘wkd’ actually stands for “weird, kinky and demented”. Whichever story you believe, we’re bringing you a rare talk Hap gave on August 7 before the Hamfesters radio club in the south Chicago suburb of Crestwood, IL. So as to not contribute to more insomnia that some of you may soon experience, we’ve broken Hap’s presentation into two parts. Here is the first.

The RAIN Report for 08-22-2015

Attending summer school isn’t all that unusual for kids. However, some teachers actually attend summer school as well under the auspices of the ARRL, THE nation’s foremost Amateur Radio organization. The program the League sponsors is the Teacher’s Institute on Wireless Technology. One of its handful of instructors is Larry Kendall/K6NDL. RAIN’s Hap Holly, KC9RP spoke with Larry from his school in Apple Valley, California.

The RAIN Report for 08-15-2015

While this interview with ham radio author Joe Lynch/N6CL originally aired in August, 2009, Joe’s observations about the Perceid meteor showers and sporatic E propigation are still valid today. The Perceids peaked teh week this RAIN Replay was posted. (2009 15M)

The RAIN Report for 08-12-2015

This week we hear the second and final excerpt from an interview with a most remarkable teacher, Carole Perry/WB2MGP. Carole taught ham radio to some 900 New York City middle school kids each year over 30 years. She was interview by Eric Guth/4Z1UG for his QSO Today ham radio podcast. We have excerpted two segments from that hour-long conversation. This is the second excerpt.

The RAIN Report for 08-09-2015

This week we hear the second and final excerpt from an interview with a most remarkable teacher, Carole Perry/WB2MGP. Carole taught ham radio to some 900 New York City middle school kids each year over 30 years. She was interview by Eric Guth/4Z1UG for his QSO Today ham radio podcast. We have excerpted two segments from that hour-long conversation. This is the second excerpt.

The RAIN Report for 08-01-2015

Carole Perry/WB2MGP, the story behind this Remarkable ham Radio teacher. (Part 1 20M)

The RAIN Report for 07-25-2015

Some additional thoughts from Ron Kochanowicz/KC0QVT, the mind behind Bridgecom Systems. (2015DH 12M)

The RAIN Report for 07-18-2015

Some thoughts from Ron Kochanowicz/KC0QVT, the mind behind Bridgecom Systems. (2015DH 20M)

The RAIN Report for 07-11-2015

This is an excerpt from an intro about APRS from Bob Bruninga/WB4APR. (2015DH 11M)

The RAIN Report for 07-04-2015

A look at the Volunteer Examiner program, then and now with John Creel/WB3GXW. (2015DH 9M).

The RAIN Report for 06-27-2015

Jeff Reinhart/AA6JR talks about ‘spreading the word’ (2000DH 14M).

The RAIN Report for 06-20-2015

The RAIN Hamcast remembers the late Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF, the Man Behind Newsline. (17M)

The RAIN Report for 06-20-2015

QST Contributing EditorJoel Hallas/W1ZR talks abt antenna analyzers. (2015DH 15M)

The RAIN Report for 06-13-2015

QST Contributing EditorJoel Hallas/W1ZR talks abt antenna analyzers. (2015DH 15M)

The RAIN Report for 06-07-2015

Bill Curtice/WA8APB speaks on high speed, digital, microwave mesh networks. (2015DH 14M)

The RAIN Report for 06-06-2015

Bill Curtice/WA8APB speaks on high speed, digital, microwave mesh networks. (2015DH 14M)

The RAIN Report for 05-31-2015

We conclude our good operating techniques refresher series, featuring Mitch Stern/W1SJ. (12M)

The RAIN Report for 05-23-2015

Public service is the focus of part 3 of our refresher series, Good Operating Techniques [2012] (18M)

The RAIN Report for 05-13-2015

More good operating techniques from Mitch Stern/W1SJ. (2012 P2, 16M)

The RAIN Report for 05-09-2015

Mitch Stern/W1SJ’s entertaining refresher on good operating habits. [2012] (P1, 16M)

The RAIN Report for 05-05-2015

We conclude out 2015 Hamvention preview with its articulate Chair, Jim Tiderman/N8IDS. (P2 20M)

The RAIN Report for 05-01-2015

We conclude out 2015 Hamvention preview with its articulate Chair, Jim Tiderman/N8IDS. (P2 20M)

The RAIN Report for 04-04-2015

Dr. Ron Milliman/K8HSY isn’t just another blind ham. (P1 17M )

The RAIN Report for 04-25-2015

Hamvention Gen. Chair, Jim Tiderman/N8IDS prevws the May 15-17 Show of Shows. (P1 20M)

The RAIN Report for 04-18-2015

We revisit a 1997 interview with Leo Meyerson/W0GFQ, a true radio pioneer. (1997 Replay 12M)

The RAIN Report for 04-11-2015

A conclusion of a QSO Today interview wwith Dr. Ron Milliman/K8HSY (p2, 16M)

The RAIN Report for 03-06-2015

Dave Cripe/NM0S tells the story behind WW2 POW Russell Hutchinson, Radio Boy. (P1, 17M)

The RAIN Report for 03-28-2015

Mike Saeger/N9MS talks about the Midwest Vintage SSB Net&Website [2009 Replay] (9M)

The RAIN Report for 03-14-2015

Dave Cripe/NM0S concludes the story behind WW2 POW Russell Hutchinson, Radio Boy. (P2, 18M)

The RAIN Report for 03-22-2015

Mike Saeger/N9MS talks about the Midwest Vintage SSB Net&Website [2009 Replay] (9M)

The RAIN Report for 03-06-2015

Dave Cripe/NM0S tells the story behind WW2 POW Russell Hutchinson, Radio Boy. (P1, 17M)

The RAIN Report for 02-27-2015

Tom Medlin/W5KUB talks about his new Amateur Radio Roundtable webcast. (15M)

The RAIN Report for 02-20-2015

Some candor from former manu. rep Bill Steffey/NY9H about challenges facing established ham manu. from lesser-known ones. (17M)

The RAIN Report for 02-07-2015

Rich Moseson/W2VU talks about the challenges facing CQ magazine in a digital world. (18M)

The RAIN Report for 01-30-2015

Prolific author Don Keith/N4KC talks about ham radio and the American Legion. (12M)

The RAIN Report for 01-23-2015

Joe Eisenberg/N0NEB (CQ) passes along some basics for new kit-builders. (10M)

The RAIN Report for 01-16-2015

We conclude delving into the early years of the Amateur Radio Newsline with its cofounder, Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF [1990] (P3, 16M)

The RAIN Report for 01-09-2015

We continue delving into the early years of the Amateur Radio Newsline with its cofounder, Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF [1990] (P2 17M)

The RAIN Report for 01-02-2015

We delve into the early years of the Amateur Radio Newsline with its cofounder, Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF [1990] (P1 17M)

The RAIN Report for 12-27-2014

Jim Kinter/K5KTF concludes talking about ham radio mesh networks. (P2, 21M)

The RAIN Report for 12-19-2014

Jim Kinter/K5KTF talks about ham radio mesh networks. (P1, 19M)

The RAIN Report for 12-13-2014

Dmitri Zhikharev/RA9USU talk about the amazing story behind the planning of the 2013 7O6T dxpedition to Yemen. (Replay 20M)

The RAIN Report for 12-05-2014

The last conversation Hap Holly/KC9RP had with silent key Shel Epstein/K9APE (16M)

The RAIN Report for 11-28-2014

The first of two conversations with the late Shel Epstein/K9APE (13M)

The RAIN Report for 11-22-2014

Att. John Schwartz/WA9AQN on Amateur Radio, politics & the Law (1997 Replay 9M)

The RAIN Report for 11-14-2014

Wayne Burdick/N6KR – The Mind Behind Elecraft (P2 19M)

The RAIN Report for 11-08-2014

Wayne Burdick/N6KR – The Mind Behind Elecraft (P1 18M)

The RAIN Report for 11-01-2014

Bob Heil/K9EID – His Ham Radio Roots (P2 13M)

The RAIN Report for 10-26-2014

Bob Heil/K9EID – His Ham Radio Roots (P1 12M)

The RAIN Report for 10-17-2014

We conclude the story behind the man – Hap Holly/KC9RP (p2 19M)

The RAIN Report for 10-10-2014

The story behind the man – Hap Holly/KC9RP (p1 19M)

The RAIN Report for 10-03-2014

ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare/W1RFI’s 2013 Hamv. talk on the widespread effects of power line interference. (P2 14M)

The RAIN Report for 09-27-2014

ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare/W1RFI’s 2013 Hamv. talk on the widespread effects of power line interference. (P1 13M)

The RAIN Report for 09-20-2014

Tanya Anderson/KD9BVZ’s 1st contact was out of this world. (14M).

The RAIN Report for 09-12-2014

Fundraising pro Sheilah Perry/N0UOP talks about writing successful grant requests. (1996 Hamv. 17M)

The RAIN Report for 09-05-2014

ARRL’s Mike Corey/KI1U speaks frankly abt “the walls” in Amateur Radio. (P2 18M)

The RAIN Report for 08-30-2014

ARRL’s Mike Corey/KI1U speaks frankly abt “the walls” in Amateur Radio. (P1 19M37S)

The RAIN Report for 08-23-2014

12-year-old Rohan Agrawal, KJ6LXV talks about Bluetooth APRS Text Messaging & Tweeting. (10m)

The RAIN Report for 08-22-2014

12-year-old Rohan Agrawal, KJ6LXV talks about Bluetooth APRS Text Messaging & Tweeting. (10m)

The RAIN Report for 08-15-2014

Al Lotze/W6RQ’s WWV & the Sun presentation revisited. (18m)

The RAIN Report for 08-08-2014

Rohn VP Mark Allen/W6PC speaks on tower safety. (2014 Hamv. 14 mins)

The RAIN Report for 08-01-2014

Former AES employee Jeff Covelli/WA8SAJ on the history of Kenwood Legacy radios. (2014 Hamv. 13 mins)

The RAIN Report for 07-25-2014

Former Collins Radio employee Ted Craven/W0TCW shares some thoughts about ham radio and Collins radio from years ago. (10mins)

The RAIN Report for 07-18-2014

16-year-old Jacob Keogh/KD0NVX’s short talk on ham radio’s history. (2014 Hamv. 10MINS)

The RAIN Report for 07-11-2014

Reuben Meeks/W8GUC covers some propagation basics. [2011 RAIN Replay 13 mins]

The RAIN Report for 07-04-2014

ARRL Media & PR Manager Sean Kutzko/KX9X discusses the League’s summer Centennial operations. (15 mins)

The RAIN Report for 06-27-2014

7O6T’s Dmitri Zhikharev/RA9USU on the politics of dxpeditions. (2013 Hamvention 20 mins)

The RAIN Report for 06-20-2014

AMSAT’s Emike McCardel/KC8YLD talks about introducing kids to ham radio’s presence in space. (14 mins)

The RAIN Report for 06-13-2014

Mark Pinsky/W8MP tells some county hunting stories. (2014 Hamv. 10 mins)

The RAIN Report for 06-06-2014

Bill Brown/WB8ELK says party baloons are the way to go!

The RAIN Report for 05-31-2014

DHS/OEC Special Technician Brennan Smith relates his experience in the 2013 Dalls, Oregon Government Flat Complex wild fire. (Hamv. 2014 17 mins)

The RAIN Report for 05-23-2014

Bob Bruninga/WB4APR speaks abt APRS being more than just for vehicle tracking.. (Hamvention 2014 19 mins)

The RAIN Report for 05-19-2014

Prof. Jeff Butterfield/N7TJB concludes a conversation about his Gorilla Radio with RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP (Part 2, 16 mins)

The RAIN Report for 05-16-2014

Prof. Jeff Butterfield/N7TJB concludes a conversation about his Gorilla Radio with RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP (Part 2, 16 mins)

The RAIN Report for 05-09-2014

Prof. Jeff Butterfield/N7TJB talks about his Gorilla Radio. (Part 1, 12 mins)

The RAIN Report for 05-02-2014

A sneak preview of Hamvention 2014 with Henry Ruminiski/W8HJR (19 mins).

The RAIN Report for 04-25-2014

Skype Revolutionizing Radio Club Meetings; hear how! (15 mins)

The RAIN Report for 04-18-2014

A 2003 RAIN Replay about coax, Amateur Radio’s lifeline, with Ron Stier, W9ICZ. (Part 2, 16 mins)

The RAIN Report for 04-11-2014

A 2003 RAIN Replay about coax, Amateur Radio’s lifeline, with Ron Stier, W9ICZ. (Part 1, 14 mins)

The RAIN Report for 04-06-2014

Radio museum curator Patrick Bunsold/WA6MHZ talks about the challenges of collecting and restoring old ham radios. (2013 Hamv. 17 mins)

The RAIN Report for 04-05-2014

Radio museum curator Patrick Bunsold/WA6MHZ talks about the challenges of collecting and restoring old ham radios. (2013 Hamv. 17 mins)

The RAIN Report for 03-28-2014

Mark Spencer/WA8SME talks about the evolution of remote sensing. (2013 Hamv. 10 mins)

The RAIN Report for 03-22-2014

Mitch Stern/W1SJ discusses the do’s & don’t of pub. serv. comm. (16 mins)

The RAIN Report for 03-14-2014

Rob Santello/K6DQ talks about making ham gear more blind accessible. (10 mins).

The RAIN Report for 03-08-2014

Ham radio author Don Keith/N4KC gives some HF basics…what bands to use and when. (18 mins).

The RAIN Report for 03-07-2014

Ham radio author Don Keith/N4KC gives some HF basics…what bands to use and when. (18 mins).

The RAIN Report for 02-28-2014

Chuck Penson/WA7ZZE finishes chronicling the rise and fall of Heathkit. (Part 2, 16 mins).

The RAIN Report for 02-22-2014

Chuck Penson/WA7ZZE chronicles the rise and fall of Heathkit. (Part 1, 15 mins).

The RAIN Report for 02-14-2014

Rich Moseson/W2VU concludes his introduction to CQ Plus. (Part 2 14 mins).

The RAIN Report for 02-07-2014

Rich Moseson, W2VU, introduces CQ Plus. replacing Pop Comm, CQ VHF and World Rad on Line…sort of. (Part 1, 15 mins).

The RAIN Report for 01-31-2014

Ed Hare, W1RFI’s 2013 Hamvention talk on power line noise. (Part 1, 13 mins)

The RAIN Report for 01-24-2014

Ed Hair, W1RFI’s 2013 Hamvention talk on power line noise. (Part 1, 13 mins)

The RAIN Report for 01-17-2014

Nicholas Garner, N3WG, talks about controlling ham radio from a smart phone. (12 mins)

The RAIN Report for 01-10-2014

Dave Porter, K2BPP (SK) concludes talking abt his harrowing experience riding out hurr. Gilbert on Jamaica in 1989; (Part 2, 16 mins)

The RAIN Report for 01-03-2014

Dave Porter, K2BPP (SK) recounts his harrowing experience on Jamaica during hurricane Gilbert in 1989. (Part 1, 13 mins)

The RAIN Report for 12-27-2013

RAIN’s Hap Holly/KC9RP talks abt what drove him to produce ham radio programming 30 years ago; and more. (16 mins)

The RAIN Report for 12-21-2013

Ham instructor Dan Romanchik/KB6NU speaks about his 1-day ‘hamcram’ tech class. (2013 Hamv. 12 mins)

The RAIN Report for 12-13-2013

Noted contester Tim Duffy/K3LR talks about his Contest University (2013 Hamvention 12 mins).

The RAIN Report for 12-06-2013

Brian Hoyer/K7UDR talks about his ‘short’ ham radio career. (9 mins)

The RAIN Report for 11-29-2013

A Brief intro to micro controllers from George Zafiropoulos/KJ6VU (11 mins).

The RAIN Report for 11-22-2013

A 1990 RAIN Replay some considered the worst ever!

The RAIN Report for 11-15-2013

Chris Matthieu/N7ICE concludes talking abt his ’73s.com’ ham radio social network. (Part 2, 15 mins)

The RAIN Report for 11-08-2013

Chris Matthieu/N7ICE talks about his ’73s.com’ ham radio social network. (Part 1, 13 mins)

The RAIN Report for 11-01-2013

Ham radio video archivist Gary Pearce/KN4AQ concludes talking about his Ham Radio Now podcast. (Part 1, 17 mins).

The RAIN Report for 10-25-2013

The RAIN Report for 10-25-2013

Ham radio video archivist Gary Pearce/KN4AQ talks about the evolution of his Ham Radio Now podcast. (Part 1, 19 mins).

The RAIN Report for 10-18-2013

Spaceport Indiana Pres. Brian Tanner on ham radio’s collaboration. (14 mins).

The RAIN Report for 10-13-2013

Some thoughts from ARRL President, Kay Craigie/N3Kn from the 2013 Hamvention. (14 mins)

The RAIN Report for 10-05-2013

Inveterate CW operator Henry Koenig/WD8Q talks about Morse code as an art form. (12 mins)

The RAIN Report for 09-27-2013

The late ham radio icon Wayne Green/W2NSD is remembered. (Part 2, 20 mins)

The RAIN Report for 09-20-2013

The late ham radio icon, Wayne Green/W2NSD is remembered. (Part 1, 16 mins)

The RAIN Report for 09-13-2013

Radio historian Scott Childers/W9CHI relates a shsort history of “the Big 89”, WLS. (17 mins)

The RAIN Report for 09-06-2013

Renowned qrp dxer, Rich Arlin/K7SZ talks about new/used HF gear available for working the world on 5 watts&less. (Part 2, 12 mins).

The RAIN Report for 08-30-2013

Rich Arlin/K7SZ, renowned qrp dx’er, tells how to work the world on HF using 5 watts&less. (Part 1, 17 mins)

The RAIN Report for 08-23-2013

Patrick Tice, WA0TDA, talks about ‘today’s Handihams’ (2013 Hamv. RAIN intervw 12 mins).

The RAIN Report for 08-17-2013

RSGB’s Graham Coomber/G0MBI conclude his 2013 Hamvention presentation, looking back at 100 years of ham radio cooperation between the US&UK. (Part 2, 17 mins).

The RAIN Report for 08-09-2013

RSGB’s Graham Coomber/G0MBI looks back at 100 years of ham radio cooperation between the US&UK. (Part 1, 20 mins).

The RAIN Report for 08-02-2013

Phil Theis, K3TUF, talks about safety tips for installing&maintaining antennas. (15 mins)

The RAIN Report for 07-26-2013

Does D-STAR Rely Too Much on the Internet? (John DavisWB4QDX?

The RAIN Report for 07-22-2013

Two Homeland Security trainers talk about ham radio’s involvement in the ICS&NIMS programs. (15 mins)

The RAIN Report for 07-12-2013

The RAIN Report for 07-05-2013

An interview with Padraig Lysandrou/KC9UUS, 2013 Young Ham of the Year. (17 mins)

The RAIN Report for 06-28-2013

AMSAT-NA VP for Engineering, Tony Monteiro, AA2TX, enlightens us about the staggering costs of launching Amateur Radio satellites. (2013 Hamvention 19 mins).

The RAIN Report for 06-21-2013

AMSAT-NA Pres. Barry Baines/WD4ASW discusses today’s challenges facing the Radio Amateur Satellite Corp. (Hamvention 2013, 18 mins).

The RAIN Report for 06-14-2013

Chris Testa, KD2BMH updates his White Box SDR Radio project. (2013 Hamvention 15 mins)

The RAIN Report for 06-07-2013

Scotty Cowling, WA2DFI, talks about Multiple-Personality SDR, excerpted from his 2013 Dayton Hamvention technical TAPR talk. (14 mins)

The RAIN Report for 05-19-2013

In memory of the late Joe Schroeder, W9JUV, here is an interview with Joe conducted by Bill Pasternak in 2007. (17 mins).

The RAIN Report for 05-10-2013

This is the conclusion of a last-minute preview of the 2013 Hamvention coming to Dayton, OH., May 17-19 with Michael Kalter, W8CI. (Part 2, 11 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 05-03-2013

This is a 2013 Dayton Hamvention preview with Michael Kalter, W8CI. (Part 1, 11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 04-25-2013

Ham radio author Don Keith/N4KC talks about his new book “Riding the Shortwaves, Exploring the Magic of Amateur Radio”. (20 mins)

The RAIN Report for 04-19-2013

Ed Mitchel/KB6VFR speakingn on Airborne ATV Video Review (1997 Replay 8 mins

The RAIN Report for 04-12-2013

Professor Jeff Butterfield/N7TJB teaches in an empty classroom. (2012 Hamvention, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 04-06-2013

Blind broadcast consultant Dave Marthouse, N2AAM, talks about AM/FM radio, its past, present and future. (17 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 04-05-2013

Blind broadcast consultant Dave Marthouse, N2AAM, talks about AM/FM radio, its past, present and future. (17 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-29-2013

Visually impaired ham Greg Rosenberg, AB9MZ, strategies for emergency preparedness for the disabled. (Part 2, 16 mins)

The RAIN Report for 03-22-2013

Greg Rosenberg, AB9MZ, talks about emergency preparedness for the disabled. (Part 1, 14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-16-2013

John Amadeo, NN6JA, talks about producing Last Man Standing. (2012 RAIN Replay 12 mins)

The RAIN Report for 03-08-2013

14-year-old Danny McReynolds/KD4ILX reads his paper “Writing Your Own Radio Control Software” from the 2012 Dayton Hamvention Youth forum (13 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 03-02-2013

A look at the little-used 902 mHz ham band with Kent Britain, WA5VJB (1999 RAIN Replay).

The RAIN Report for 02-23-2013

A look at the little-used 902 mHz ham band with Kent Britain, WA5VJB (1999 RAIN Replay).

The RAIN Report for 02-15-2013

A look back at the controversy surrounding the now defunct LAMBDA ARC; (1996 RAIN Replay).

The RAIN Report for 02-08-2013

Lincoln, NB. resident Joe Eisenberg, K0NEB, talks about introducing kit-building into the classroom. (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-02-2013

Wes Schum, W9DYV, talks about mistakes made as CEO of Central Electronics in the 1950’s. (RAIN Replay, 10-1996 – 13 minutes. )

The RAIN Report for 01-25-2013

Ron Ochu, KO0Z, talks about becoming the Contributing Editor to CQ’s Learning Curve column. (14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 01-19-2013

Hamfest Chair, Tom Morris/KG4CYX, talks about chairing the Miami hamfest, coming up Feb. 1&2. (8 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-18-2013

Hamfest Chair, Tom Morris/KG4CYX, talks about chairing the Miami hamfest, coming up Feb. 1&2. (8 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-11-2013

We hear a sample of Your Handiham World podcast, one of the best hamcasts. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-05-2013

Kit-building guru Joe Eisenberg, K0NEB, passes along some hints&tips. (13 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 12-29-2012

The conclusion of Frank Beafore, WS8B’s 2012 Hamvention talk on “Physics&the 1st Antenna” (p.2, 12 mins).

The RAIN Report for 12-22-2012

Frank Beafore, WS8B, talks about “Physics and the First Antenna” from the 2012 Hamvention. (14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-14-2012

Another excerpt from the 2012 Youth forum, featuring 12-year-old Kaitlyn Cole, KS3P, talking about girl power&elmering. (12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 12-08-2012

17-year-old Nick Odell, KD0OCR, talks about his experience with EOSS baloon launching. (12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 12-01-2012

Short 2012 Hamvention interviews with Don Whiteman, KK9H and Mark Klockson, WA9IVH (11 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 11-23-2012

Maxrad’s Steve Rahn talks about mobile antenna design. (1996 replay 17 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 11-16-2012

QRP&Homebrewing: Mixed Pleasures and Challenges” (Rich Arland, K7SZ.mp3).

The RAIN Report for 11-09-2012

Bob Heil, K9EID, talks about ham radio’s influence on his music and audio careers. (1998 10 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-02-2012

John Amodeo, NN6JA, talks about ham radio’s role in his sitcom hit, Last Man Standing. (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-26-2012

Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, presents his 2012 Hamvention paper Propagation Topics for Cycle 24. (16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-19-2012

John, W2GD&Don, K4ZA’s 2012 Hamvention paper, Installing Towers and Antennas Safely (Part 2, 10 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-13-2012

John, W2GD&Don, K4ZA’s 2012 Hamvention paper, Installing Towers and Antennas Safely (Part 1, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-06-2012

Darrell Crimmins, KG5E&Cliff Stumpff, KA8GOV, talk about their Ham Radio Roots. (11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 09-29-2012

RAIN Founder/Producer, Hap Holly, KC9RP, concludes his talk about why your repeater needs a weekly net. (part 2, 17 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 09-22-2012

Why have a net on your repeater? RAIN’s Hap Holly, KC9RP, answers that & more. (Part 1, 12 min.)

The RAIN Report for 09-14-2012

Fred Lloyd, AA7BQ, concludes the story behind his qrz.com, the most popular ham radio website. (Part 2, 13 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 09-08-2012

This week: Fred Lloyd, AA7BQ, relates the story behind his qrz.com, the most visited ham site on the Web. (Part 1, 13 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 09-01-2012

This week: S. Suri, VU2NY, 2012 Amateur of the Year, talks about his ham radio roots. (Hamvention 10 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 08-25-2012

This week: Certified tower climber/rescuer Phil Theis, K3TUF, concludes his talk about tower climbing safety. (2012 Hamvention Part 2, 10 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 08-18-2012

This week: Certified tower climber/rescuer Phil Theis, K3TUF, talks about tower climbing safety. (2012 Hamvention Part 1, 11 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 08-11-2012

This week: Martin Ewing, AA6E, examines the ‘Single Signal’ problem of the 1930s. (2012 Hamvention 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 08-07-2012

This week: Sandra Tennyson, N0XYL, talks about her ham radio roots as an avid county hunter. (8 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-29-2012

This week: Mike Lamb, N7ML, Founder of long defunct AEA voiced his concerns about Amateur Radio’s future in 1996 in this RAIN Replay. (12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 07-20-2012

This week: D-STAR veteran John Hays, K7VE, dispells myths about D-STAR. (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-13-2012

This week: Excerpt from a 2012 Hamvention talk by balloon specialist Bill Brown, WB8ELK, on the California Near Space Project. (13 minutes) ,

The RAIN Report for 07-07-2012

This week: CQ mag’s Rich Moseson, W2VU, on good repeater operation (1996 8 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 06-29-2012

This week: Ham Radio Roots #1 featuring Vern Jackson, WA0RCR (9 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 06-22-2012

This week: Some hope for PRB1 from ARRL Vol. Coun., Dale Swartz, K4ROZ (17 mins).

The RAIN Report for 06-15-2012

This week: The 4th and final excerpt from the 2012 Dayton Hamvention FCC forum, featuring Q&A. (part 4, 14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 06-08-2012

This week: The third excerpt from the 2012 Dayton Hamvention FCC forum, featuring Q&A. (part 3, 18 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 06-01-2012

This week: The first of a handful of excerpts from the 2012 Dayton Hamvention FCC forum. (Part 1, 20 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-25-2012

This week: The first of a handful of excerpts from the 2012 Dayton Hamvention FCC forum. (Part 1, 20 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-18-2012

This week: An entertaining&pithy hamfest commentary that’s still on the mark 19 years after Oren Brand, K9KEJ, wrote&voiced it for RAIN.

The RAIN Report for 05-11-2012

This week: Hamvention Chair, Michael Kalter, concludes his preview of Hamvention 2012 (Part 2, 15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 05-05-2012

This week: Hamvention Chair, Michael Kalter, concludes his preview of Hamvention 2012 (Part 2, 15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 04-27-2012

This week: Hamvention Chair, Michael Kalter, W8CI, addresses flap around Hara Arena ? & more. (Part 1, 15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 04-20-2012

Part 4 of a good amateur practices refresher, focussing on the disciplines of contesting with Mitch Stern, W1SJ. (17 minutes) Listen to this file on twitter.com/therainreport.

The RAIN Report for 04-13-2012

Part 3 of a good amateur practices refresher, focussing this time on public service communications with Tony Pazzola, W2BEJ&Mitch Stern, W1SJ. (10 minutes) Hear this file on twitter.com/therainreport.

The RAIN Report for 04-06-2012

Part 2 of a refresher about good amateur practice on HF, VHF&UHF with Mitch Stern, W1SJ (Part 2, 15 minutes). Hear this file on twitter.com/therainreport.

The RAIN Report for 03-31-2012

We begin a refresher about good amateur practice on HF, VHF&UHF with Mitch Stern, W1SJ (Part 1, 15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 03-30-2012

This week in RAIN’s Field-Day 101 series, ARRL Emer Prep Mngr Mike Corey, KI1U, talks about how Field-Day prepares us for emergencies. (Part 4, 14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-23-2012

This week in RAIN’s Field-Day 101 series, ARRL Emer Prep Mngr Mike Corey, KI1U, talks about how Field-Day prepares us for emergencies. (Part 4, 14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-16-2012

Field-Day 101 presents the importance of a VHF/UHF station by ARRL Cen. Div. Vice Dir., Kermit Carlson, W9XA. (Part 3, 14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-10-2012

THIS WEEK: Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM & Marc Tarplee, N4UFP, share their Field Day perspectives. (Part 2, 17 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-09-2012

THIS WEEK: A RAIN series we dubbed Field Day 101.

The RAIN Report for 03-02-2012

THIS WEEK: A RAIN series we dubbed Field Day 101.

The RAIN Report for 02-24-2012

The RAIN Report for 02-17-2012

THIS WEEK: AMSAT ARISS volunteer Dave Jordan, AA4KN, explains options for classrooms to contact ISS for the 1st time via Amateur Radio. (15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-10-2012

THIS WEEK: A RAIN Replay about ESSB, filed in 2005 by George Bowen, W2XBS (16 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 02-03-2012

THIS WEEK: Mike Corey, AI1U, ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager, talks about challenges to ARES … & beyond. (19 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-30-2012

THIS WEEK: ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, AI1U, talks about the current state of ARES (12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 01-06-2012

RAIN This Week: First columns by Mark Thompson, WB9QZB&Art Reis, K9XI (RAIN Replay from 1990).

The RAIN Report for 12-30-2011

RAIN This Week: Gordon West, WB6NOA, named 2006 Amateur of the Year. (RAIN Rerun, 10 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-23-2011

RAIN This Week: Gordon West, WB6NOA, named 2006 Amateur of the Year. (RAIN Rerun, 10 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-16-2011

RAIN This Week: Gordon West, WB6NOA’s discusses the Chinese ham radio controversy. (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-10-2011

RAIN This Week: Gordon West, WB6NOA’s ideas on holiday shopping for your ham friends. (20 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-03-2011

RAIN This Week: CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU, talks about issues surrounding print vs. digital ham mags, PopCom most notably. (18 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-26-2011

RAIN This Week: The conclusion of an entertaining 2003 interview with the flamboyant and outspoken Wayne Greene, W2NSD about the demise of his ’73’ magazine and ham Radio. (Part 2, 15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-18-2011

RAIN This Week: An entertaining 2003 interview with the flamboyant and outspoken Wayne Greene, W2NSD about the demise of his ’73’ magazine; (Part 1, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-11-2011

This week: New ham Lisa Spahr concludes telling the story behind her book World War II Radio Heroes (Part 2, 14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-04-2011

This week: New ham Lisa Spahr tells the story behind her book World War II Radio Heroes (Part 1, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-28-2011

This week: Dr. Fred Raab PH’d, W1FR, talks about the ARRL 500 kHz Experiment. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-21-2011

This week: COL. Doug Wheelock, KF5BOC, concludes his talk about his spacial experiences. (Part 2, 12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-14-2011

This week: COL. Doug Wheelock, KF5BOC, talks about his spacial experiences. (Part 1, 16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-11-2011

This week: ARRL President, Kay Craigie, N3KN, highlights features of her “Amateur Radio Advocacy” program. (8 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-01-2011

This week: ARRL CEO, Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, talks about ARRL legislative objectives. (Part One 15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 09-23-2011

This week: A potpori of RAIN Shorts from 2003. (14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 09-16-2011

This week: CQ magazine Kit-Building Editor, Joe Eisenberg, W0NEB, talks about inexpensive solutions to kit building problems. (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 09-10-2011

This week: Author Frank Beafore, WS8B, talks about radio wave propagation. (15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 09-03-2011

This week: Hap Holly, KC9RP, interviews Kaitlyn Cole, KS3P, 2011 Young Ham of the Year award winner. (12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 08-26-2011

This week: Jim Stafford, W4QO, presents an introduction to QRP/ARCI. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 08-19-2011

This week: Jim Stafford, W4QO, presents an introduction to QRP/ARCI. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 08-12-2011

THIS WEEK: Duane Whittingham, N9SSN, talks about how the Red Cross and Amateur Radio interface. (19 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 08-06-2011

THIS WEEK: ARRL Lab Manager, Ed Hare, W1RFI, talks about recent efforts in identifying and eliminating RFI. (20 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-30-2011

THIS WEEK: ARRL Lab Manager, Ed Hare, W1RFI, talks about the process behind QST’s product reviews. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-29-2011

THIS WEEK: ARRL Lab Manager, Ed Hare, W1RFI, talks about the process behind QST’s product reviews. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-23-2011

THIS WEEK: ARRL Lab Manager, Ed Hare, W1RFI, talks about the lab and what it does. (Part 1, 15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-22-2011

THIS WEEK: ARRL Lab Manager, Ed Hare, W1RFI, talks about the lab and what it does. (Part 1, 15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-15-2011

THIS WEEK: Veteran solar observer Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, updates what’s going on with cycle 24. (11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-10-2011

THIS WEEK: Bruce Perens, K6BP, concludes his technical paper on Codec 2 speech coding, the future of voice comm. (part 2, 16 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 07-01-2011

THIS WEEK: Bruce Perens, K6BP, talks about Codec 2 speech coding, the future of voice comm. (part 1, 16 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 06-25-2011

THIS WEEK: Eugene Bergmann authors a book on the late commedian and writer, Gene Shepherd, K2ORS (2004 Replay 11 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 06-17-2011

THIS WEEK: TAPR President, Steve Bible, N7HPR, gives an update about TAPR. (9 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 06-10-2011

This week: Newsline?s Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, interviews Ashley A. Friend about the ?technology of dance? (17 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 06-04-2011

THIS WEEK: We present our second excerpt from the just completed Dayton Hamvention FCC forum. (Part 2, 15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-28-2011

THIS WEEK: We present our first excerpt from the just completed Dayton Hamvention FCC forum. (Part 1, 15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-21-2011

THIS WEEK: Bob Heil, K9EID, & Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML, talk about their successful careers resulting from their becoming ham operators. (16 minutes (2010 replay).

The RAIN Report for 05-15-2011

THIS WEEK: Bob Heil, K9EID, & Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML, talk about their successful careers resulting from their becoming ham operators. (16 minutes (2010 replay).

The RAIN Report for 05-06-2011

THIS WEEK: CQ VHF Editor, Joe Lynch, N6CL, talks about his ham radio roots. (14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 04-30-2011

THIS WEEK: CQ VHF Editor, Joe Lynch, N6CL, talks about his ham radio roots. (14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 04-23-2011

THIS WEEK: Josh Long, KD8BVV, gives us a peak at the upcoming Dayton Hamvention. (Part 1, 9 minutes) talks ab

The RAIN Report for 04-17-2011

This Week: Hap Holly, KC9RP, concludes his conversation with Shirley Roberts, N8LX, 2011 Amateur of the Year. (9 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 04-09-2011

THIS WEEK: We feature Shirley Roberts, N8LX, 2011 Amateur of the Year. (Part One, 14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 04-02-2011

THIS WEEK: Carlos Frum, WI9R, talks briefly about selling ham radio to a park district. (1990 replay 8 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-26-2011

THIS WEEK: We feature Ron Hashiro, AH6RH, Civil Defense RACES Coordinator for Hawaii. (9 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-18-2011

THIS WEEK: ARRL Media/PR Manager Alan Pitts, W1AGP, talks about House Bill HR607. (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-12-2011

THIS WEEK: QRP notable Richard Arland, K7SZ, talks about getting started with QRP on the HF bands. (14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-04-2011

THIS WEEK: Spaceweather.gov forecaster Rob Steenburgh, KA8JBY, talks about solar cycle 24. (Part Two 15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-26-2011

THIS WEEK: Space weather forecaster Rob Steenburgh, KA8JBY, talks about spaceweather.gov. (Part 1, 10 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 02-18-2011

THIS WEEK: TAPR’s Steve Bible, N7HPR, concludes answering the question “How do we get teens into ham radio?” (2005 replay Part 2, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-11-2011

THIS WEEK: TAPR’s Steve Bible, N7HPR, answers the question “How do we get teens into ham radio?” (2005 replay Part 1, 12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-04-2011

THIS WEEK: QST Editor Steve Ford, WB8IMY, talks about WSJT and more. (19 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-28-2011

THIS WEEK: Michael Morales, KC6CYK, is a most unusual hero. (2007 replay 16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-22-2011

THIS WEEK: QSL.FM – The Geo Location Repeater Directory explained. (14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-14-2011

This Week: Linux Journal writer David Lane, KG4GIY, talks about his ham radio roots. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-08-2011

This Week: We conclude our look at ‘4-3-5’, Ham Radio’s Hell Kitchen with Christina Holzschuh, KE6RRI (Part 2, 14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 12-31-2010

This Week: A look into ‘435’, Ham Radio’s Hell Kitchen with Christina Holzschuh, KE6RRI (Part 1, 14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 12-25-2010

This Week: Swan/Atlas founder, Herb Johnson, W6QKI, concludes the history of these radio companies. (1993 Replay Part Two, 14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-18-2010

This Week: Swan/Atlas founder, Herb Johnson, W6QKI, relates the history of these radio companies. (1993 Replay Part One, 16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-10-2010

This Week: Hap Holly, KC9RP, concludes his Net Solutions talk. (Part Two, 16 minutes.

The RAIN Report for 12-04-2010

This Week: Hap Holly, KC9RP, asks “What makes a repeater net successful?” (Part one, 14 minutes.

The RAIN Report for 11-26-2010

This Week: Pat Tice, WA0TDA, voices a brief look at the NCDXF Beacon Project. (11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-20-2010

This Week: Hap Holly, KC9RP, concludes his interview with Dave Morris, N5UP, the ham behind EQSL.cc. (Part Two, 14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-19-2010

This Week: Hap Holly, KC9RP, concludes his interview with Dave Morris, N5UP, the ham behind EQSL.cc. (Part Two, 14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-13-2010

This Week: An interview with Dave Morris, N5UP, the ham behind EQSL.cc. (Part One, 17 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-06-2010

This Week: The story behind Mark Abramson, KC9VW (11 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 10-29-2010

This Week: ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hair, W1RFI, concludes his talk about RFI basics; (Part 2, 16 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 10-23-2010

This Week: ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hair, W1RFI, talks about RFI basics; (Part 1, 17 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 10-15-2010

This Week: RAIN’S Hap Holly, KC9RP, concludes his interview with Nobel Laureate prize winner and Astro Physicist Dr. Joe Taylor, K1JT (Part two of a 2001 replay 14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 10-08-2010

This Week: RAIN’S Hap Holly, KC9RP, interviews Nobel Laureate prize winner and Astro Physicist Dr. Joe Taylor, K1JT (Part one of a 2001 replay 13 minutes) Dr.

The RAIN Report for 10-01-2010

This Week: We take a look at the Amateur Radio media with Norm Seeley&Hap Holly. (Part 1, 12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 09-26-2010

This Week: Former ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, talks about acquiring the 60-meter band and BPL (2003 replay, 12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 09-18-2010

This Week: Hank Landsberg, WB6MEU, helps launch TIS in Sierra Madre, California. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 09-03-2010

This Week: Heil Sound Founder, Bob Heil, K9EID, talks about the influence of teachers on his ham radio and audio career. (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 08-27-2010

This Week: Ham radio instructor Jim Hendershot, WA6VQP, talks about Murphy’s Law of Middle School Parents … (12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 08-20-2010

This Week: ARRL PR Manager Alan Pitts, K1AGP, talks about what’s new in the PIO program. (10 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 08-13-2010

This Week: Amateur Radio author&teacher Gordon West, WB6NOA, shares some DSP basics. (19 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 08-07-2010

This Week: Newsline’s Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, talks about ham radio’s impact on his careers. (13 minutes.

The RAIN Report for 07-31-2010

This Week: Cody Anderson, KI4FUV, named 2010 Young Ham of the Year (12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 07-23-2010

This Week: Cody Anderson, KI4FUV, named 2010 Young Ham of the Year (12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 07-17-2010

This week: Martin Jeu, K5FLU and Alan Pitts, W1AGP talk about Amateur Radio’s influence in their professional careers. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-16-0010

The RAIN Report for 07-09-2010

This week: Rich Moseson, W2VU, and Bob Sherman, K2SJP, talk about Amateur Radio’s influence in their professional careers. (18 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-03-2010

This week: Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML and Bob Heil, K9EID, talk about Amateur Radio’s influence in their professional careers. (16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 06-26-2010

THIS WEEK: We present our 3rd excerpt from the 2010 Amateur Radio&the Law forum, featuring Paula Uscian, K9IR (Part 3, 22 minutes and 42 seconds)

The RAIN Report for 06-18-2010

THIS WEEK: We present our 2nd excerpt from the 2010 Amateur Radio&the Law forum, featuring Fred Hopengarten, K1VR. (Part 2, 12 minutes and more)

The RAIN Report for 06-12-2010

THIS WEEK: We present our first excerpt from the 2010 Amateur Radio and the Law forum, featuring Jim O’Connell, W9WU. (Part 1, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 06-04-2010

THIS WEEK: We conclude our 2010 FCC update from Bill Cross, W3TN. (part 3, 15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-28-2010

THIS WEEK: FCC update from Bill Cross, W3TN. (part 2, 14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-21-2010

THIS WEEK: FCC update from Bill Cross, W3TN. (part 1, 15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-17-2010

THIS WEEK: Broadcaster Oren Brand, K9KEJ, relates his commentary on hamfests. (9 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-15-2010

THIS WEEK: Broadcaster Oren Brand, K9KEJ, relates his commentary on hamfests. (9 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-08-2010

THIS WEEK: ASS. Gen. Chair, Michael Kalter, W8CI, previews the upcoming Dayton Hamvention. (9 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 04-30-2010

THIS WEEK: Jeff Rinehart, AA6JR concludes talking about choosing A Scanner in a Post 9-11 World. (Part 3 of a 2007 replay 9 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 04-22-2010

THIS WEEK: Jeff Rinehart, AA6JR talks about choosing A Scanner in a Post 9-11 World. (Part 2 of a 2007 replay 15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 04-16-2010

THIS WEEK: Jeff Rinehart, AA6JR talks about choosing A Scanner in a Post 9-11 World. (Part 1 of a 2007 replay 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 04-08-2010

THIS WEEK: CQ magazine Editor, Rich Moseson, W2VU, concludes his talking about his ham radio career. (Part 2 of this 2007 replay 8 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 04-02-2010

THIS WEEK: CQ magazine Editor, Rich Moseson, W2VU, talks about his career in ham radio. (part 1 of a 2007 replay 12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 03-26-2010

THIS WEEK: Broadcaster Dick Helton, W9CTY, concludes his talk about his early days in ham radio. (replay of part 2 of 1990 talk 9 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 03-23-2010

THIS WEEK: CQ magazine Editor, Rich Moseson, W2VU, talks about his career in ham radio. (part 1 of a 2007 replay 12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 03-19-2010

THIS WEEK: We look back at the state of Amateur Radio enforcement in 2001 with Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH (11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-12-2010

THIS WEEK: We look back at the state of Amateur Radio enforcement in 2001 with Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH (11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-06-2010

THIS WEEK: GordonWest, WB6NOA, reports that ham were ready … but nobody called! (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-05-2010

THIS WEEK: We conclude Alabama ham/author Don Keith, N4KC’s talking about his life as a ham and prolific writer. (Part Two, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-19-2010

THIS WEEK: Prolific Alabama ham/writer, Don Keith, N4KC, talks about his life as a ham and writer. (Part One, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-13-2010

THIS WEEK: Glen Zook, K9STH, petitions the FCC for a 4-meter ham band. (9 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-05-2010

THIS WEEK: We look back at Jan., 2005, the month the sun made solar history. (RAIN Replay, 17 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 01-29-2010

THIS WEEK: Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, speaks with Kay Craigie, N3KN, 1st ARRL lady President (15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 01-22-2010

THIS WEEK: Bill Carnes, N7OTQ, talks about Collins collectibles; 2005 replay. (Part 2, 11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-15-2010

THIS WEEK: SBE President, Vinny Lopez, says “yes” to increasing FCC Staff. (11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-09-2010

THIS WEEK: SBE President, Vinny Lopez, says “yes” to increasing FCC Staff. (11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-02-2010

THIS WEEK: Linux Journal Guest Editor David Lane, KG4GIY, talks about featuring ham radio in the Jan., 2010 issue. (11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-24-2009

THIS WEEK: Whatever happened to Veronica Harrington, KC6TQR? (15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 12-18-2009

THIS WEEK: Inveterate contester Gene Zimmerman, W3ZZ, talks about his World Above 50 MHz QST column. (16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-11-2009

THIS WEEK: QST columnist and inveterate contester Gene Zimmerman, W3ZZ, talks about his ham radio roots. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-04-2009

THIS WEEK: In this RAIN Replay ham radio author and cheer leader, Gordon West, WB6NOA, concludes his 2005 talk about using hidden antennas on the HF bands. (Part 2, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-27-2009

THIS WEEK: Ham radio author and cheer leader, Gordon West, WB6NOA, talks about getting on HF with hidden antennas in this 2005 RAIN Replay (Part 1, 14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 11-21-2009

THIS WEEK: Videotographer Gary Pierce, KN4AQ, talks about the evolution of Amateur Radio Video News (Part 1, 14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 11-13-2009

THIS WEEK: Videotographer Gary Pierce, KN4AQ, talks about the evolution of Amateur Radio Video News (Part 1, 14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 11-06-2009

THIS WEEK: The conclusion of a 1993 RAIN interview with Herb Johnson, W6QKI, Founder of Swan/Atlas (RAIN Replay Part 2, 14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 10-30-2009

THIS WEEK: A 1993 RAIN interview with Herb Johnson, W6QKI, Founder of Swan/ATlas (RAIN Replay Part One, 16 minutes).Amateur Radio Policy Committee Petitions FCC to Change 97.113(A)3. (16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-23-2009

THIS WEEK: Amateur Radio Policy Committee Petitions FCC to Change 97.113(A)3. (16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-17-2009

THIS WEEK: Amateur Radio Balooning specialist Bill Brown, WB8ELK, concludes his story … or rather stories. (Part 2, 16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-10-2009

THIS WEEK: TAPR’s Scott Cowling, WA2DFI, talks about HPSDR, high performance software-defined radio. (16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-02-2009

THIS WEEK: TAPR’s Scott Cowling, WA2DFI, talks about HPSDR, high performance software-defined radio. (16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 09-25-2009

THIS WEEK: TAPR’s Steve Bible, N7HPR, talks about the DCC, returning to Chicago Sept. 25-27. (18 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 09-18-2009

THIS WEEK: TAPR’s Steve Bible, N7HPR, talks about the DCC, returning to Chicago Sept. 25-27. (18 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 09-12-2009

THIS WEEK: Nick Lance, KC5KBO, teaches ham radio to astronauts. (9:30)

The RAIN Report for 09-05-2009

THIS WEEK: Former ARRL Board member and veteran ABC TV employee Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML, talks about ham radio’s impact on his broadcast career (13 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 08-29-2009

THIS WEEK: Dr. Fred Raab, W1FR, talks about experimentation on the 500 kHz band (RAIN replay with update
14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 08-21-2009

THIS WEEK: KT1B Commentary on Green Petition to Ban Closed Repeaters (9 minutes); & more.

The RAIN Report for 08-14-2009

THIS WEEK: VADM. Scott Redd, K0DQ, Achieves Major Feat (19 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 08-08-2009

THIS WEEK: CQVHF Editor Joe Lynch/N6CL talks about the Perceid meteor showers

The RAIN Report for 08-01-2009

THIS WEEK: Amateur Radio Newsline interviews Andrew Koenig, KE5GDB, the just-announced 2009 Young Ham of the Year (15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 07-24-2009

THIS WEEK: K3BEQ Petitions the FCC to Outlaw Closed Repeaters. (14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-18-2009

THIS WEEK: Amateur Radio Newsline’s Tribute to the late broadcast and ham radio legend, Walter Cronkite, KB2GSD. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-10-2009

THIS WEEK: Propigation writer Tomas Hood, NW7US, continues discussing the birth of solar cycle 24. (Part Two, 11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-08-2009

THIS WEEK: Kermit Carlson, W9XA, tells you why you should come to Chicago to attend the July 23-26 Central States VHF conference. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 06-26-2009

THIS WEEK: Kermit Carlson, W9XA, invites you to the Central States VHF conference, July 23-26 near Chicago. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 06-19-2009

THIS WEEK: Ken Silverman, KB3LLA, talks about Handihams helping the disabled become licensed ham operators. (9 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 06-12-2009

THIS WEEK: Richard Garriot on hamming in space. (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 06-05-2009

THIS WEEK: The FCC’s William Cross, W3TN, presents an FCC update at the Dayton Hamvention, May 15. (20 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-29-2009

THIS WEEK: The FCC’s William Cross, W3TN, presents an FCC update at the Dayton Hamvention, May 15. (20 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-22-2009

THIS WEEK: Our 1st excerpt from the just-completed Dayton Hamvention, featuring new FCC spectrum enforcer, Laura Smith. (18 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-13-2009

THIS WEEK: We bring you a classic satirical commentary on hamfests, written&voiced for RAIN by Oren Brand, K9KEJ in 1993.

The RAIN Report for 05-08-2009

THIS WEEK: 12-year-old Logan Gillette,
KD0CIT, talks about ham radio as being his life. (9 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 05-01-2009

THIS WEEK: Dayton Hamvention PR guy, Michael Kalter, W8CI, gives us a last-minute look. (16 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 04-25-2009

THIS WEEK: Software defined radio (SDR) specialist Phil Harman, VK6APH, talks about the mixed blessings of SDR. And we remember Dale Shimp, W9LOV. (17 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 04-17-2009

THIS WEEK: Software developer Peter Loveall, AE5PL, talks about modern-day APRS. (15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 04-06-2009

THIS WEEK: Newsline’s Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, interviews Mike Dorrough, KO6NM, a pioneer in audio processing. (2000 15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 04-03-2009

THIS WEEK: CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU, talks about packet’s remarkable comeback and its emcom applications. (14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-28-2009

THIS WEEK: Chris Snyder, NG3F, seeks certification for the National Registry of Certified EmCom Volunteers. (Part 2, 14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-20-2009

THIS WEEK: Chris Snyder, NG3F, seeks certification for the National Registry of Certified EmCom Volunteers. (Part 1, 16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-15-2009

THIS WEEK: Due to technical reasons beyond our control there is no RAIN Report for the week of March 13-19.

The RAIN Report for 03-07-2009

THIS WEEK: CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU, poses the question “Does Ham Radio Have Networks or Not? (15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-27-2009

THIS WEEK: Former Kantronics designer Phil Anderson, W0XI, talks about high-tech crystal radios as an educational tool. (8 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-21-2009

THIS WEEK: Former Kantronics designer Phil Anderson, W0XI, talks about high-tech crystal radios as an educational tool. (8 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-13-2009

THIS WEEK: “Mr. Kit-Builder” Joe Eisenberg, K0NEB, shares proven techniques. (16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-06-2009

THIS WEEK: Carole Perry, WB2MGP, talks about RCA’s new technology outreach program. (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-30-2009

THIS WEEK: 10-10 International’s Keith Schloppman, KR7RK, says ten meters is alive … not dead. (11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-24-2009

THIS WEEK: EQsl.cc Announces Partnership with CQ. (11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-16-2009

THIS WEEK: QSL’ing has gone paperless via EQsl.cc. (Part 1, 17 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 01-10-2009

THIS WEEK: Some thoughts from Katie Breen, W1KRB, ARRL Membership Manager (8 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 01-02-2009

THIS WEEK: Fire up that old relic this Saturday and check into the Vintage SSB net on 3840 kHz. (10 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 12-26-2008

THIS WEEK: A rerun of a 2003 tribute to NBC Science Reporter and Newsline voice Roy Neal, K6DUE (Part Two, 15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 12-19-2008

THIS WEEK: A rerun of a 2003 tribute to NBC Science Reporter and Newsline voice Roy Neal, K6DUE (Part Two, 15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 12-12-2008

THIS WEEK: A rerun of a 2003 tribute to NBC Science Reporter and Newsline voice Roy Neal, K6DUE (Part one, 15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 12-06-2008

THIS WEEK: Rick Muething, KN6KB, talks about his new WINMOR (Winlink Messages Over Radio) software (16 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 11-24-2008

This Week: Part two of “WLS – A Retrospective” with author and former RAIN reader, Scott Childers, W9CHI. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-21-2008

This Week: “WLS – A Retrospective” with author and former RAIN reader, Scott Childers, W9CHI. (Part 1, 12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-14-2008

This Week: Some thoughts from ARRL President, Joel Harrison, W5ZN. (9 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 11-07-2008

This Week: Dr. Fred Raab, W1FR, talks about experimentation on the 500 kHz band (16 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 10-31-2008

This Week: the late Alan Kaul, W6RCL, talks about Newsline’s early days (part 2, 10 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 10-24-2008

This Week: Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF&Jim Hendershot, WA6FQP, talk about Newsline’s early days (part 1, 12 minuttes).

The RAIN Report for 10-17-2008

This Week: ARRL Media & Public Relations Manager, Alan Pitts, W1AGP, talks about the League’s “We Do That” campaign. (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-10-2008

This Week: Carol Lynch, W6CL, married to CQ VHF Editor Joe Lynch, N6CL, talks about her ham radio roots. (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-03-2008

This Week: Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, sets the record straight about APRS. (17 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 09-26-2008

This Week: Some thoughts from two ham radio writers: Brittany Decker, KB1OGL; and larry Wolfgang, WR1B (15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 09-19-2008

This Week: A blatant plug for the Digital Comm. Conf. coming to Chicago, Sept. 26-28 by Steve Bible, N7HPR. (9 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 09-12-2008

This Week: “Ham Radio Roots” 1, featuring CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU (14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 09-06-2008

This Week: Roger Cox, WB0DGF, concludes the Hygain story (part 2, 1998 rerun, 16 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 08-26-2008

This Week: Pabian Howell talks about the first 20 years of Hygain (1998; part 1, rerun, 11 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 08-23-2008

This Week: Wayne Green, W2NSD’s “use it or lose it” warning applies today as much as it did 20 years ago (2002 rerun, 8 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 08-15-2008

This Week: Keith Pugh, W5IU, talks about kids, ham radio and space (13 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 08-08-2008

This Week: Jeff Reed discusses more about CB radio as a pop culture phenomenon of the 1970s (Part 2, 12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 08-01-2008

This Week: Jeff Reed discusses CB radio as having been a pop culture phenomenon (Part 1, 10 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 07-26-2008

This Week: Jim O’Connell, W9WU, says don’t sign without that little piece of paper (14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 07-19-2008

This Week: Emily Stewart, KC0PTL, 2008 Young Ham of the Year. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-11-2008

This Week: John Tipka, W8UL, discusses National Traffic System interoperability. (14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-05-2008

This Week: This 1990 RAIN Rerun features the first columns filed by mark Thompson, WB9QZB and Art Reis, K9XI (220 Notes). (13 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 06-27-2008

This Week: BHI LTD. and West Mountain Radio demo their after-market DSP boxes. (15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 06-21-2008

This Week: Attorney Paula uscian, K9IR, discusses neighbors and interference issues. (16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 06-13-2008

This Week: Ever thought about getting help from TAPR? *Steve Bible, N7HPR* (8 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 06-06-2008

This Week: Our second and last excerpt from the 2008 Hamvention FCC forum, featuring Riley. (19 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-30-2008

This Week: A RAIN Rerun with Rich Moseson, W2VU, (not the FCC) due to a logistical snaff-fu. (2003 Rerun 12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-23-2008

This Week: William Cross, W3TN, presents an FCC update from Dayton (Part 1, 18 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 05-13-2008

This Week: We flash back to 2003 to hear “Owen Garriott, W5LFL, His Story” (13 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 05-09-2008

This Week: Hamvention Assistant Chair, Michael Kalter, W8CI, previews next weekend’s Hamvention. (14 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-02-2008

This Week: The Feds Short Circuit FCC BPL Rules (15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 04-25-2008

This Week: We conclude our interview with writer Ward Silver, N0AX, 2008 Amateur of the Year award winner (Part Two, 9 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 04-18-2008

This Week: Interview with writer Ward Silver, N0AX, 2008 Amateur of the Year award winner (Part one, 13 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 04-11-2008

This Week: 1993 Nobel Laureatte Joe Taylor, K1JT, talks about radio astronomy. (Part 2, 17 minutes) 2001 rerun.

The RAIN Report for 04-04-2008

This Week: 1993 Nobel Laureate Joe Taylor, K1JT, talks about his roots in ham radio and astro physics. (Part 1, 16 minutes) 2001.

The RAIN Report for 04-03-2008

This Week: Marion Island – Coming to a Ham Band Near You (15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 03-28-2008

This Week: Marion Island – Coming to a Ham Band Near You (15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 03-21-2008

This Week: CQ VHF Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU’s 2000 talk entitled “Hobby, A Dirty Word” (2001 rerun, 12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 03-14-2008

This Week: Steve Mendelsohn (formerly WA2DHF) tells a good bedtime story (1985 rerun 10 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 03-07-2008

This Week: Terry Fletcher, WA0ITP, talks about his free Ham Radio for the General Public program (16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-29-2008

This Week: Sound household RFI basics from Dennis Moriarty, K8AGB (Part 2, 13 minutes 2002)

The RAIN Report for 02-22-2008

This Week: Sound household RFI basics from Dennis Moriarty, K8AGB (Part 1, 14 minutes 2002)

The RAIN Report for 02-15-2008

This Week: We replay the first edition (Dec., 1992) of the Condo Communications Newsletter, written and voiced by Art Winterbauer, W0AEW, formerly N0OQS. (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-08-2008

This Week: We replay the first edition (Dec., 1992) of the Condo Communications Newsletter, written and voiced by Art Winterbauer, W0AEW, formerly N0OQS. (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 02-01-2008

This Week: John Tipka, W8UL, and Bo Lindfors talk about NTS&MARS use of digital technology (12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 01-25-2008

This Week: Joe Moell, K0OV discusses the basics of tracking wildlife by radio. (14 minutes

The RAIN Report for 01-18-2008

This Week: Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, says “Lighten Up” (part 2 (a 2007 rerun) 11 minutes.

The RAIN Report for 01-10-2008

This Week: Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, says “Lighten Up” (part 1 2007 rerun, 11 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 01-04-2008

This week: Veteran public service coordinator Mitch Stern, W1SJ, discusses the do’s&don’ts. (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-28-2007

This week: Veteran kit builder Joe Eisenberg, K0NEB, talks about the tools of the trade. (19 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-21-2007

This week: We celebrate Arthur C. Clarke’s 90 b-day with a 1992 NTRN interview1992 with him. (15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-14-2007

This week: Vermont repeater trustee Mitch Stern, W1SJ, passes along sound tips for newbies. (15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-06-2007

This week: Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, talks about a new direction for APRS. (10 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-29-2007

This week: SATERN Founder?Major Patrick McPherson, WW9E, on interfacing SATERN with the local community? (9 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 11-24-2007

This week: ARRL Volunteer Counsel Paula Uscian, K9IR, talks about getting along with one’s neighbors radiowise (14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 11-16-2007

This week: 73 VHF columnist Joe Lynch, N6CL talks about VHF, then and now? (2006 rerun ?10 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 11-08-2007

This week: ARRL Volunteer Counsel Brendon Price, N4QX, on doing your homework before buying your next home? (11 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 11-02-2007

This week: Veteran contester Mitch Stern, W1SJ, passes along some contesting basics for beginners? (2005 rerun? 15 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 10-25-2007

This week: a new paradigm for emergency communications from Lor Kutchins,?W3QA? (14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 10-18-2007

The RAIN Report for 10-11-2007

This week: D-STAR Trustee Tim Beret, K6BIV, speaks out against NFCC letter to the FCC. (16 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 10-05-2007

This week: The NFCC and Jay Maynard, K5ZC, push for FCC D-STAR Repeater Clarification (Part Two, 14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 09-27-2007

This week: The NFCC and Jay Maynard, K5ZC, push for FCC D-STAR Repeater Clarification (Part One, 13 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 09-21-2007

A new paradigm for emergency communications from Lor Kutchins,?W3QA? (14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 09-14-2007

This week: Fred Vobbe, W8HDU discusses difficulties in co-channelling analog and digital signals (12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 09-06-2007

This week: A Beginner’s Look at Ham Radio’s Digital Future 2 with Rich Moseson, W2VU (Part Two
11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 08-30-2007

This week: A Beginner’s Look at Ham Radio’s Digital Future 1 with Jeff Reinhart, AA6JR (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 08-23-2007

This week: Gordon West, WB6NOA, concludes his talk about tropospheric ducting, a tool for VHF/UHF hams. (Part 2, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 08-16-2007

This week: Gordon West, WB6NOA, talks about tropospheric ducting, a tool for VHF/UHF hams. (Part 1, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 08-09-2007

This week: Mark Thompson, WB9QZB, details the phenomena known as The Illinois Digital ham Yahoo Group (16 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 08-02-2007

This week: We conclude a gem from the RAIN archive entitled “My Early Days” by broadcaster Dick Helton, W9CTY part 2, 11 minutes.

The RAIN Report for 07-26-2007

This week: A gem from the RAIN archive entitled “My Early Days” by broadcaster Dick Helton, W9CTY part 1, 14 minutes.

The RAIN Report for 07-20-2007

This week: Interview with Eagle Scout Grant H. Morine, W4GHM, 2007 Young Ham of the Year (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-12-2007

This week: Due to recent 6&10-meter openings, we rerun a two-part program about PropNet with Ev Tupis, W2EV. (part 2, 10 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 07-05-2007

This week: Due to recent 6&10-meter openings, we rerun a two-part program about PropNet with Ev Tupis, W2EV. (part 1, 12 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 06-28-2007

This week: FCC – 2007 Update Are D-STAR Repeaters Actually Repeaters? And cicadas! (Part 5, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 06-21-2007

This week: FCC – 2007 Update Are D-STAR Repeaters Actually Repeaters? And cicadas! (Part 5, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 06-15-2007

This week: Part 2 of 3 excerpts from the 2007 Dayton Hamvention’s FCC forum, featuring William Cross, W3TN. (Part 2, 15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 06-07-2007

This week: Part 1 of 3 excerpts from the 2007 Dayton Hamvention’s FCC forum, featuring William Cross, W3TN. (Part 1, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-31-2007

This week: Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, says “Lighten Up!” (Part 2, 10 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-24-2007

This week: Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, says “Lighten Up!” (Part 1, 11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 05-11-2007

This week: Video and audio en route to, at, and returning from the Dayton Hamvention via the WA5KUB Helmetcam . (13 mintes)

The RAIN Report for 05-03-2007

This week: A preview of the upcoming Dayton Hamvention with its General Chair, Jim Nies, WX8F (13 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 04-26-2007

This week: Joe Moell, K0OV, promotes the first USA Blind ARDF Championship (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 04-19-2007

This week: CQ, CQ VHF and Pop Comm Editor, Rich Moseson, W2VU, concludes his thoughts about his ham radio career. (Part 2, 8 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 04-12-2007

In this 2005 RAIN rerun CQ, CQ VHF and Pop Comm Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU, talks about his ham radio career. (Part 1, 13 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 04-05-2007

This week: Ham Radio and Fur Suits – Interview with Julie Fraedrich,
KD8AYJ (part 2, 14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 03-29-2007

This week: Ham Radio and Fur Suits – Interview with Julia Fredricks, KD8AYJ (part 1, 14 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 03-22-2007

This week: 2 2004 RAIN Reruns about VHF propagation, and “My Antenna is Better than Yours” (13 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 03-15-2007

This week: the “HF Operator’s Survival Guide” introduced (5 minutes); and a Bytes From QZB (6 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 03-09-2007

This week: Veteran ham radio writer Joe Schroeder, W9JUV, discusses the future of Morse code. (15 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 03-02-2007

This week: Propagation columnist Tomas Hood, NW7US, continues his sneak peak at solar cycle 24. (part 2, 11 minutes) .

The RAIN Report for 02-22-2007

This week: Propagation columnist Tomas Hood, NW7US, continues his sneak peak at solar cycle 24. (part 2, 11 minutes) .

The RAIN Report for 02-15-2007

This week: Propagation columnist Tomas Hood, NW7US, takes a sneak peak at solar cycle 24. (part 1, 11 minutes) .

The RAIN Report for 02-09-2007

THIS WEEK: Jeff Rinehart, AA6JR, concludes discussing choosing the right Radio scanner in a post 9-11 world. (part 3, 9 minutes.)

The RAIN Report for 02-02-2007

THIS WEEK: Jeff Rinehart, AA6JR, continues discussing choosing the right Radio scanner in a post 9-11 world. (part 2, 15 minutes.)

The RAIN Report for 01-26-2007

THIS WEEK: Jeff Rinehart, AA6JR, discusses choosing the right Radio scanner in a post 9-11 world. (part 1, 14 minutes.)

The RAIN Report for 01-18-2007

This week: Blair Alper, KA9SEQ, discloses his high-tech yet low-cost system for accessing archived audio via phone line. 16 minutes

The RAIN Report for 01-11-2007

This week: Michael Morales, KC6CYK is a most unlikely hero. 17 minutes.

The RAIN Report for 01-06-2007

This week: We conclude our salute to the late Alan Kaul, W6RCL. Part 2, (9 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 12-29-2006

This week: We salute the late AlanKaul, W6RCL (Part 1, 13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-21-2006

This week: With the FCC’s decision to drop code from all Amateur Radio licensing, Alan Pitts, W1AGP, sets the record straight about what the ARRL really wanted. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-14-2006

This week: Keith Pugh, W5IU, talks about using ham radio satellites as “spacial” tools in the classroom. (13 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-07-2006

This week: Keys to A Successful Hamfest (2) from Kevin Caramanos, WD6DIH *rerun* (16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 12-01-2006

This week: Keys to A Successful Hamfest (1) from Kevin Caramanos, WD6DIH *rerun* (17 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-23-2006

This week: Commentaries from 1992 by Sam Garrett, AA0CR, and Mark Thompson, WB9QZB (8 minutes).

The RAIN Report for 11-16-2006

This week: Mark Spencer, WA8SME, ARRL Education and Technology Program Coordinator, discusses the merits of the new&improved Technician exam and question pool.

The RAIN Report for 11-10-2006

This week: Mark Spencer, WA8SME, ARRL Education and Technology Program Coordinator, challenges us to look at ourselves in the ham radio mirror. (11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 11-02-2006

This week: BARC JRS radio instructor Bruce Arthur, KQ6TQ, talks about his club’s success in recruiting kids into ham radio and keeping them there. (16 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-26-2006

This week 2 guest commentaries: John Ogden, NA9D (Dumming Down); and Patrick Tice, WA0TDA (DOTA) [10 minutes]

The RAIN Report for 10-19-2006

This week: CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU, talks about Amateur Radio University. (01-07-06 rerun) 10 minutes.

The RAIN Report for 10-13-2006

This week: Greg Cambidge (Red Cross) proposes hams become involved in disaster assessment (12 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 10-06-2006

This week: Author and attorney Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, talks about two words you need to know about in Amateur Radio antenna tower litigation.

The RAIN Report for 09-28-2006

This week: Carlton Smith, KE5EUL, and Gordon West, WB6NOA, travel Two Christmas Island on a humanitarian mission.

The RAIN Report for 09-21-2006

This week: Ev Tupis, W2EV, talks about the need for more PSK31 stations to participate on 10&6 meters in the PropNET Project. (11 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 09-14-2006

This week: The PropNET project is combining the best of Amateur Radio and the Internet; interview with Ev Tupis, W2EV.

The RAIN Report for 09-07-2006

This week: Icom America’s Ray Novak, N9JA, concludes his discussion about D-STAR, a most important technology.

The RAIN Report for 08-31-2006

A double feature this week: Ray Novak, N9JA (D-STAR); and Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ (E.T. Communicator) 17 minutes.

The RAIN Report for 08-25-2006

This week: New York Half Marathon Communications Director, Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML, talks about this new event.

The RAIN Report for 08-18-2006

This week: ARRL Volunteer Counsel Brennan Price, N4QX, talks about PRB-1 federal preemption as being a mixed bag.

The RAIN Report for 08-10-2006

This week: Tom Medlin, WA5KUB, talks about how you can virtually watch and hear his Huntsville hamfest helmet cam, August 18-20.

The RAIN Report for 08-03-2006

This week: ARRL Volunteer Counsel Brennan Price, N4QX, briefly details the recent history of PRB1.

The RAIN Report for 07-28-2006

This week: Do you have a piece of ham gear that needs a new home? There’s one organization that could really put it to good use.

The RAIN Report for 07-20-2006

This week we present a disaster communication overview of Katrina. (17 minutes)

The RAIN Report for 07-13-2006

This week Mitch Stern, W1SJ, talks about public service being good preparation for disaster communications.

The RAIN Report for 07-06-2006

This week Brainerd, Minnesota broadcast engineer Mark Persons, W0MH, talks about lightning protection.

The RAIN Report for 06-29-2006

This week we spotlight the proposed National SOS program with its founder, Eric Knight, KB1EHE.

The RAIN Report for 06-23-2006

This week we conclude our BPL series with a peak at Motorola’s solution to the interference issue with the DARA 2006 Technical Excellence award winner, Dick Illman, AH6EZ/W9.

The RAIN Report for 06-16-2006

Ed Hare, W1RFI, presents part two of his talk about broadband over powerlines (BPL).

The RAIN Report for 06-09-2006

Ed Hare, W1RFI, talks about broadband over powerline (BPL).

The RAIN Report for 02-11-2006

The Story Behind Suit Sat (Steve Bible, N7HPR)1

The RAIN Report for 12-24-2005

Collins Collectibles2

The RAIN Report for 12-17-2005

Collins Collectibles – Bill Carns, N7OTQ 1

The RAIN Report for 12-09-2005

Demilitarizing Collectibe Radios – Michael Crestohl, W1RC (2000 rerun)

The RAIN Report for 12-01-2005

Contesting for Beginners – Mitch Stern, W1SJ

The RAIN Report for 11-27-2005

The Present&Future of Kids in Ham Radio2

The RAIN Report for 11-19-2005

The Present&Future of Kids in Ham Radio – Steve Bible, N7HPR1

The RAIN Report for 11-12-2005

Stateside Blind RDF Contest – Dick Arnett, WB4SUV

The RAIN Report for 11-05-2005

W2VU, His Career in Ham Radio 2

The RAIN Report for 10-29-2005

W2VU, A Career in Ham Radio – Rich Moseson, W2VU 1

The RAIN Report for 10-22-2005

The Dangers of RF Safety Research 2

The RAIN Report for 10-15-2005

The Dangers of RF Safety Research 1 – Greg Lapin, N9GL (2004 Rerun)

The RAIN Report for 10-08-2005

A Rare Glimpse – Hap Holly, KC9RP (2000 rerun)

The RAIN Report for 10-01-2005

Make Your Club Program Something Special – Art Housholder, K9TRG (2000 rerun)

The RAIN Report for 09-24-2005

Principia hams Assist in Katrina Aftermath – Rick Dearborn, N9IH

The RAIN Report for 09-17-2005

NPRM WT-05-235, A Bad Idea2

The RAIN Report for 09-10-2005

NPRM WT-05-235, A Bad Idea – Rich Moseson, W2VU 1

The RAIN Report for 09-03-2005

Katrina’s Aftermath, How to Help – Alan Pitts, W1AGP

The RAIN Report for 08-27-2005

ESSB (John Anning, NU9N

The RAIN Report for 08-20-2005

Some Thoughts About BPL – Alan Pitts, W1AGP

The RAIN Report for 08-13-2005

The Transitioning of AMSAT – Richard Hambly, W2GPS

The RAIN Report for 08-06-2005

Haney on Club Growth (rerun)

The RAIN Report for 07-29-2005

EchoLink, The Old and the New (rerun)

The RAIN Report for 07-16-2005

Fairview Students Talk to ARISS – Dr. Leroy Chow

The RAIN Report for 07-09-2005

No Gain No Loss 2

The RAIN Report for 07-02-2005

No Gain No Loss – Gordon West, WB6NOA 1

The RAIN Report for 06-25-2005

NYC RACES in 911 Aftermath – Mike Lisenco, N2YBB

The RAIN Report for 06-18-2005

2005 FCC Update4

The RAIN Report for 06-11-2005

2005 FCC Update 3 Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH

The RAIN Report for 06-04-2005

2005 FCC Update2

The RAIN Report for 05-28-2005

2005 FCC Update – William Cross, W3TN1

The RAIN Report for 05-21-2005

Shortwave Comes of Age – Larry Magne (rerun)

The RAIN Report for 05-14-2005

My Early Days2 – Dick Helton, W9CTY

The RAIN Report for 05-07-2005

My Early Days – Dick Helton, W9CTY (1991)1

The RAIN Report for 04-30-2005

The 2005 Dayton Hamvention – A Preview2

The RAIN Report for 04-22-2005

The 2005 Dayton Hamvention – A Preview (Gary Descombes, N8EMO)1

The RAIN Report for 04-16-2005

Amateur Radio in India (Shrikant Jichkar, VU2SJA) 2000 Rerun

The RAIN Report for 04-09-2005

Haynie on Club Growth (rerun)

The RAIN Report for 03-26-2005

Alan Kaul 2

The RAIN Report for 03-19-2005

Alan Kaul, W6RCL – 2005 Radio Amateur of the Year1

The RAIN Report for 03-12-2005

Some Thoughts From Hap

The RAIN Report for 03-05-2005

IRLP, A Brief Look – Dave Cameron, VE7LTD

The RAIN Report for 02-26-2005

Echo-Link, Combining the Old with the New – Jonathan Taylor, K1RFD

The RAIN Report for 02-19-2005

VoIP, A Brief History (James Millner, WB2REM talk)

The RAIN Report for 02-12-2005

There IS Fun Above 30 MHz (Warren Elly, W1GUD talk)

The RAIN Report for 02-05-2005

January, 2005 – Solar History (Tomas Hood, NW7US)

The RAIN Report for 01-29-2005

RAIN Goes VoIP (Rory Norton, ZS1BL)

The RAIN Report for 01-22-2005

Steppir Antennas – Outside the Box

The RAIN Report for 01-15-2005

Alan Pittss – League PR Man

The RAIN Report for 01-08-2005

Lou McCoy – A True Radio Pioneer (1997 rerun)2

The RAIN Report for 01-01-2005

Lou McCoy – A True Radio Pioneer (1997 rerun)1

The RAIN Report for 12-24-2004

CQ Celebrates Sixty2

The RAIN Report for 12-18-2004

CQ Celebrates Sixty – Rich Moseson, W2VU CQ1

The RAIN Report for 12-10-2004

Coaxial Facts Revisited2

The RAIN Report for 12-03-2004

Coaxial Facts Revisited – Ron Stier, W9ICZ (rerun)1

The RAIN Report for 11-26-2004

Homebrewing, A Brief History – Joe Eisenberg, K0NEB

The RAIN Report for 11-12-2004

Rhythm of the Code – Nancy Cott, WZ8C World Radio

The RAIN Report for 11-05-2004

My Ham Radio Roots – Bob Heil, K9EID

The RAIN Report for 10-22-2004

Voices of RAIN – Blair Alper, KA9SEQ (rerun)

The RAIN Report for 10-15-2004

Owen Wormser, A Man of Many Hats

The RAIN Report for 10-08-2004

Fred Terman, Steeples in Excellence2

The RAIN Report for 10-01-2004

Fred Terman … – Stewart Gillmor, W1FK1

The RAIN Report for 09-24-2004

The Hallicrafter Collector2_ My Antenna is Better

The RAIN Report for 09-17-2004

The Hallicrafter Collector – Chuck Dachis, WD5EOG

The RAIN Report for 09-10-2004

The Digital State of Amateur Radio2

The RAIN Report for 09-03-2004

The Digital State …1 – Steve Bible, N7HPR TAPR

The RAIN Report for 08-27-2004

Haynie on Reg. Ham Bands – Jim Haynie, W5JBP ARRL

The RAIN Report for 08-20-2004

Hams Assist After Charlie – Bob Josuwite, WA3PZO CQ

The RAIN Report for 08-13-2004

Facts about ULS&CORES – Donna Scott FCC

The RAIN Report for 08-06-2004

The Story Behind Sporatic E – Tomas Hood, NW7US CQ

The RAIN Report for 07-30-2004

Cycle 23, Down but Not Out – Tomas Hood, NW7US CQ

The RAIN Report for 07-24-2004

Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM – YHOTY Winner

The RAIN Report for 07-16-2004

Young DX’ers – Dave Bell, W6AQ

The RAIN Report for 07-09-2004

The Dangers of RF Safety Research2

The RAIN Report for 07-02-2004

Dangers of RF Safety Research – Dr. G. Lapin, N9GL1

The RAIN Report for 06-25-2004

Zoning&Municipalities – Fred Hopengarten, K1VR

The RAIN Report for 06-18-2004

West&Neubeck Author New VHF Book – Gordon West, WB6NOA

The RAIN Report for 06-11-2004

Haynie From Hamvention2

The RAIN Report for 06-04-2004

Haynie from Hamvention – Jim Haynie, W5JBP ARRL

The RAIN Report for 05-28-2004

2004 FCC Update2

The RAIN Report for 05-21-2004

2004 FCC Update – William Cross, W3TN FCC

The RAIN Report for 05-14-2004

Another Approach to the Local Press – Jack Solvik

The RAIN Report for 05-07-2004

Coaxial Facts Revisited2

The RAIN Report for 05-01-2004

Coaxial Facts Revisited – Ron Stier, W9ICZ (rerun)1

The RAIN Report for 04-23-2004

Ham Radio for Dummies – Ward Silver, N0AX

The RAIN Report for 04-16-2004

Haynie on Club Growth – Jim Haynie, W5JBP ARRL

The RAIN Report for 04-09-2004

CQ Rebuts WSJ Article2

The RAIN Report for 04-02-2004

CQ Rebuts WSJ Article – Rich Moseson, W2VU1 CQ

The RAIN Report for 03-26-2004

Traveler Station Aids Hamv. – Norm Schrine, KA8PGJ

The RAIN Report for 03-19-2004

NCVEC Files Restructuring Prpsl – Fred Maia W5YI

The RAIN Report for 03-12-2004

Jonestown Massacre … – Joey Dieckman, KB7CCF

The RAIN Report for 03-05-2004

D-Star … – Matt Yellin, KB7TSE Icom

The RAIN Report for 02-27-2004

Hamvention 2004 – Year of the Contact2

The RAIN Report for 02-20-2004 part 2

Hamvention 2004 – Gary Des Combes, N8EMO1

The RAIN Report for 02-20-2004 part 1

Hamvention 2004 – Gary Des Combes, N8EMO DARA1

The RAIN Report for 02-13-2004

Haynie on Restructuring2

The RAIN Report for 02-06-2004

Haynie on Restructuring1 – Jim Haynie, W5JBP ARRL

The RAIN Report for 01-30-2004

YLRL, A Good Option – Cheryl Muhr, N0WBV YLRL

The RAIN Report for 01-23-2004

The Life&Times of K2ORS – Eugene Bergmann

The RAIN Report for 01-17-2004

Contest Essentials for the Beginner 2

The RAIN Report for 01-09-2004

Contest Essentials – Mitch Stern, W1SJ 1

The RAIN Report for 01-03-2004

Lompoc … BPL Restrictions (Paul Andreasen, K1JAN)

Today all production costs are out of pocket including the Internet costs, and the website you are reading this on. No one connected with RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network, receives compensation from or for his/her efforts, and that includes Hap Holly/KC9RP, who was Founder/Producer of the RAIN Report from 1990-2019; and the RAIN Hamcast Podcast since 2019. hap recorded the Dayton Hamvention forums annually with help from long-time friend and the man behind the 160 Meter Gateway Radio Newsletter, Vern Jackson/WA0RCR. The RAIN Report archive consists of many excerpts from those Hamvention forum recordings. And the Classic RAIN Ham Cast features previously unreleased ham programming by Hap, who spends some 5 hours producing the biweekly Classic RAIN Ham Cast. Now in the spirit of full disclosure: For a few of the last years of the RAIN Report DARA (the Dayton Amateur Radio Assoc.) And NSRC (the North Shore Radio Club (Highland Park, IL) helped subsidize RAIN. There is no such funding today. Having said that, the Radio Amateur Information Network is not a tax deductible or tax exempt organization. Hope you can help.

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