Classic RAIN Hamcast Archive | The Rain Hamcast

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 08-07-2022

Weather’s effects on VHF/UHF communications (Gordan West/WB6NOA) This is the RAIN Hamcast Podcast #73, posted 08-06-22. Voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. [The running time for this RAIN Hamcast Podcast is 21M36S with an ID breaks at 09M59S and 19-24 with timer resets at 2-43, 5-42, 8-44, 13-07 and 21-36] While propagation on the Amateur Radio HF bands (those below 30 mHz) is subject to the rise and fall of solar activity, the VHF/UHF bands (those 50 mHz and up) are influenced by the weather here on terra firma. Amateur Radio writer and instructor, Gordon West/WB6NOA, has often experienced such meteorlogical high and lows. Here’s an excerpt from a 1998 forum talk Gordan gave that year at the Dayton Hamvention. Editorial Note: If you can catch "Gordo" speaking in a forum at an area hamfest, it will be worth the drive to see his entertaining presentation, whether it be live or virtual RAIN Founder Hap Holly/KC9RP edits and produces this biweekly ham radio hamcast without monetization. Your support via PayPal and feedback on therainreport.com are appreciated. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license—you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit the RAIN Hamcast in its entirety via Amateur Radio. Thanks to Tom Shimizu/N9JDI for posting a not-for-broadcast version of these podcasts via the RAIN Report Channel on YouTube. Very 73 from RAIN. KEEP ON HAMMING! The RAIN Hamcast Podcast #74 will post 08-20-2022. ©1985-2022, RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. All rights reserved.

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 07-24-2022

Radio for the Rest of Us - Part 2 This is the RAIN hamcast #72, posted 07-23-22 and voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. [The running time for this RAIN Hamcast Podcast is 27M7S with ID breaks at 09M01S and 17M10S. 10-second Echo Link and All Star timer resets at 2-50, 5-50, 09-01 (ID), 11-40, 14-30, 17-07 (ID), 20-24 and 23-03.] “People feel closer to their neighbors in their community; they get to know them better than they ever did before they had these radios." These are the words of Alan Thompson/W6WN, Public Information Officer for the El Dorado county Amateur Radio club in northern California. According to Alan, his Neighborhood Radio Watch program has about 400 Members in El Dorado County, spread across five distinct neighborhoods, each with its own GMRS Repeater. Alan reports that his group also helped kick-start two other programs in nearby Amador County. Here’s the second excerpt of two from Alan's "Radio for the Rest of Us" talk he gave to the Third QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo in August, 2021. For more information about the El Dorado, CA Watch program, go to edcarc.com. BE ADVISED: • The next QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo will take place September 17 & 18, 2022. • The FCC now has reduced the cost of the 10-year GMRS license to $35.00. You’ll find the entire not-for-broadcast video edition of this podcast on the RAIN Report channel on YouTube. RAIN Founder Hap Holly/KC9RP edits and produces this biweekly ham radio hamcast without monetization. Your support via PayPal and feedback on therainreport.com are appreciated. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license—you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit the RAIN Hamcast in its entirety via Amateur Radio. Thanks to Tom Shimizu/N9JDI for posting a not-for-broadcast version of these podcasts via the RAIN Report Channel on YouTube. Very 73 from Will and the crew. KEEP ON HAMMING! The RAIN Hamcast Podcast #73 will post 08-06-22. ©1985-2022, RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. All rights reserved.

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 07-09-2022

Radio for the Rest of Us Running times: 02-58, 06-06, 09-03 (the ID break), 11-41, and 14-41.Total playing time is 17M11S. This is RAIN hamcast #71 posted 07-09-22; voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. "Is our hobby relevant to most people in our communities?" That's a question posed by Alan Thompson/W6WN. Alan is Public Information Officer for the El Dorado county Amateur Radio club in northern California. According to Alan, his Neighborhood Radio Watch program has about 400 Members in El Dorado County, spread across five distinct neighborhoods, each with its own GMRS Repeater. Alan reports that his group also helped kick-start two other programs in nearby Amador County. Here’s the first excerpt of two from his talk, "Radio for the Rest of Us "that he presented to the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo in August, 2021. Our second excerpt will post as RAIN Hamcast #72 on 07-23-2022 where your favorite podcasts are found. RAIN Founder Hap Holly/KC9RP edits and produces this biweekly ham radio hamcast without monetization. Your support via PAYPAL and feedback on therainreport.com are appreciated. ©1985-2022, RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. All rights reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license—you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit the RAIN Hamcast in its entirety via Amateur Radio. Thanks to Tom Shimizu/N9JDI FOR posting a not-for-broadcast version of these podcasts via the RAIN Report Channel on YouTube. very 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network....KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 06-25-2022

The Collins 821A-1: A VOA Powerhouse (Dennis Kidder/W6DQ) - Part 2

This is the RAIN hamcast #69, posted 06-11-22. Introduced by Will Rogers/K5WLR.

[The running times for this RAIN Hamcast Podcast is 17M04S with a 10-second ID break at 08M02S ; ten-second pause for Echolink and Allstar timer resets at 2-39, 5-27, 8-11, 11-02, 13-57 and 16-01.]

In 1964, the Voice of America (VOA) commissioned Collins Radio to build three of its largest transmitters. The 821-A1 was capable of transmitting an impressive 250 KW A.M. between 3.95 and 26.5 MHz during the Cold War from the VOA relay site in DeLano, CA. Dennis Kidder/W6DQ, Secretary of the Collins Collectors Assoc, talked about the 821-A1 during his virtual 2020 Ham Radio Expo talk. This is our second and last excerpt from his presentation (used by permission).

RAIN Founder Hap Holly/KC9RP edits and produces this biweekly ham radio hamcast without monetization. Your support and feedback are welcome on therainreport.com. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license—you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit the RAIN Hamcast in its entirety via Amateur Radio. Thanks to Tom Shimizu/N9JDI for his assistance with the RAIN Report Channel on YouTube. Very 73 from RAIN. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The RAIN Hamcast #70 will post 06-25-2022. ©1985-2022, RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. All rights reserved.

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 06-12-2022

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 05-30-2022

The Collins 821A-1: Collins' Largest a.m. broadcast Shortwave Transmitter (Dennis Kidder/W6DQ) [part 1] 05-28-22 "In 1964 Voice of America decided to go to Collins and have them manufacture the 821-A1, a 250KW AM broadcast shortwave transmitter." Thus began a virtual presentation, by Dennis Kidder/W6DQ, given during the August, 2020 Ham Radio Expo. Dennis is a published author/speaker, and member of the CCA, Collins Collectors Association. We have two excerpts from Dennis's virtual talk. Here's our first. RAIN Founder Hap Holly/KC9RP edits and produces this biweekly ham radio hamcast without monetization. Your support and feedback are welcome on therainreport.com and via PayPal. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license—you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit the RAIN Hamcast in its entirety via Amateur Radio. Thanks to Tom Shimizu/N9JDI for his assistance with the RAIN Report Channel on YouTube. RAIN Hamcast Podcast #69 will post June 11, 2022. The Radio Amateur Information Network is ©1985-2022, RAIN, All rights reserved. Very 73 from the RAIN Hamcast podcast; KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 05-17-2022

This is RAIN Hamcast podcast #67: Hamfests, A 1993 Oren Brand/K9KEJ Commentary [a 05-18-12 RAIN Replay] posted 05-16-22[, introduced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. The running times is 11M55S with 10-second timer resets at 02M52S and 05M47S; an ID break 08M52S. The script for this RAIN Hamcast Podcast was read for the 05-18-12 RAIN Report by former RAIN reader Larry Miglore/KB9DIP. It read as follows: "From the darkened studios of the Radio Amateur Information Network I'm Larry Miglore/KB9DIP. The lights are off as we go to press; the volunteers staff and RAIN's Founder&Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP flew the coop to wander the miles of aisles in the Hara Arena in Trotwood, Ohio, looking for what's hot...and not at the 2012 Dayton Hamvention. If you happen to hear this before the Hamvention is over, you'll find the RAIN booth #329 alive with folks recording their stories as to how they got into ham radio...and why. Being the party pooper that I am (reference to Larry Miglore) I didn't go this year. However in honor of the "show of shows", I'm am able to present the most entertaining and pithy commentary ever written and read for the RAIN Report by Oren Brand/K9KEJ back in 1993. This flamboyant and Gene Sheperd-esk character is better known to outdoor officionados for his weekly Mike Jackson Outdoor show. If you've gone to local hamfests in the past few years, you'll find his observations are still right on the mark all these years later." Hap Holly/KC9RP edits and produces this biweekly ham radio hamcast without monetization. Your support and feedback are welcome on therainreport.com. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license—you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit the RAIN Hamcast in its entirety via Amateur Radio. Thanks to Tom Shimizu/N9JDI for his assistance with the RAIN Report Channel on YouTube. If you will have attended the 2022 Dayton Hamvention, now located in Zenia, Ohio, we fervently hope it will have been a memorable Hamvention. Very 73 from RAIN. KEEP ON HAMMING! RAIN Hamcast Podcast #68 will post May 28, 2022. ©1985-2022, RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. All rights reserved.

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 04-30-2022

This is RAIN Hamcast podcast #66: The Man Behind RAIN (Hap Holly, KC9RP)- Part 2 posted 04-30-22, voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. [The total running times for this RAIN Hamcast Podcast is 18M17S; ID break: 08M43S; All Star/Echolink timer resets: 02M54S, 05M49S, 11M35S, 14M29S, 17M17S Podcasts abound by the thousands!--Well, to be accurate 2.8 million! Everything from Aardvark Agenda(spelled with two As); to ZZ Talk (with a pair of Z's)--not to be confused with the bearded ones. There are numerous special interest podcasts, like these RAIN Hamcast podcasts for instance--another one is "CQ Blind Hams". In this RAIN Hamcast podcast we're bringing you the second and final excerpt of "The Man Behind RAIN", an interview with Hap Holly/KC9RP from the CQ Blind Hams podcast earlier this year. This second excerpt is introduced by Jullian Vargas/N1CA. RAIN Hamcast podcast #65 containing the first excerpt from this interview together with all RAIN Hamcast podcasts and archive of most RAIN Reports from 1988 to 2019 can be found on therainreport.com. RAIN Founder Hap Holly/KC9RP edits and produces this biweekly ham radio hamcast without monetization. Your support and feedback are welcome on therainreport.com. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license—you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit the RAIN Hamcast in its entirety via Amateur Radio. Thanks to Tom Shimizu/N9JDI for his assistance with the RAIN Report Channel on YouTube. Very 73 from RAIN. KEEP ON HAMMING! RAIN Hamcast Podcast #67 will post May 14, 2022. ©1985-2022, RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. All rights reserved.

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 04-16-2022

[The total running times for this RAIN Hamcast Podcast is 17M25S/08M42S. EchoLink and AllStar nodes are: at 02M52S, 05M58S, 11M:41S, and 14M49S. This is RAIN Hamcast podcast #65 posted 04-16-22, voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Do you remember the first time you recorded an interviewed with an important person, only to learn later your carefully crafted interview didn't record? That happened some years back to Hap Holly/KC9RP when he first recorded...or rather thought he had...with Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, former President of the ARRL for years. Hap Holly/KC9RP, the "Man Behind RAIN" was interviewed this past January on the CQ Blind Hams Network. Here's our first of two excerpts from that conversation, introduced by Robert Carter/NC5R. We'll bring you our conclusion to this conversation next time on therainreport.com, the RAIN Report channel on YouTube, and wherever you find the RAIN Hamcast podcast. Hap Holly/KC9RP, edits and produces this biweekly ham radio hamcast without monetization. Your support and feedback are welcome via PayPal to hap@therainreport.com. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license; you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit these RAIN Hamcasts in their entirety via Amateur Radio. YouTube assistance from Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. 73 from RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. KEEP ON HAMMING! RAIN Hamcast

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 04-03-2022

The running times for RAIN Hamcast podcast #64 is 16M30S/06M22S; timer pauses: 03M38S, 06M22S, 09M26S, 12M21S, 15M19S. This is RAIN Hamcast podcast #64 for April 2, 2022, “He Built A Better Mouse Trap” Voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. What were you doing when you were age 20? Tony Berg/K9ASB was delivering pizzas in the Chicago areain the early 80's, not a very promising future doing that. Little did he or anyone else know then that some years later Tony would apply his work ethic and enginuity to turn what was once a small manufacturer in Elk Grove, IL. into an 18,000-square foot antenna manufacturer called Antennex. RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP got the story from Tony earlier this yearas to how he "built a better mouse trap". These days you can catch Tony in the northwest Chicago burbs on the 145.23 mHz Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club 2-meter repeater in Schaumburg, IL. Hap Holly/KC9RP, edits and produces this biweekly ham radio hamcast without monetization. Your support and feedback are welcome on therainreport.com. You can catch this podcast on therainreport.com andn on the RAIN Report channel on YouTube. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license; you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit these RAIN Hamcasts in their entirety via Amateur Radio. YouTube assistance from Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. 73 from RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. KEEP ON HAMMING! RAIN Hamcast #65 will post April 16, 2022. ©1985-2022, RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. All rights are reserved

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 03-20-2022

[The running times for RAIN Hamcast Podcast #63 is 16M31S with an ID break after 08M51S. There is an 8-second pause for timer resets at 2.50, 5.52, 11.46 and 14.40.] This is RAIN Hamcast Podcast #63: Blind Software Engineer Makes Waves Worldwide [Part 2] posted 05-19-22 , voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Joe Stephen/VK7JS is a blind software engineer who resides on the island of Tasmania, located some 220 miles south of mainland Australia. Today he lives on a 250-acre farm with his wife and four remaining children...at one point he had nine at home. Joe grew up in south central Australia, 15 miles from Adelaide; became a software engineer as a teenager; moved his family to Tasmania in 2017. Joe has gained invaluable experience the past 25 years assisting Freedom Scientific, the U.S. company that developed JAWS (Job Access with Speech) a well-known speech screen reading Windows-based program for the blind. Currently Joe has modified the firmware of a handful of Chinese ham radio handhelds to be completely accessible to the blind ham worldwide. RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Joe about those ht's. This is the second of two excerpts from their Zoom conversation. Be advised the Boafeng DM1801 and DM1801A talkies are hard to find. At time of publication the GD77 and RD5R are still relatively easy to purchase from Radioddity.com. Don't forget to purchase the appropriate programming cable you'll need to download Joe's modified firmware. If you missed part one of this interview, you'll find it as RAIN Hamcast Podcast 62 on therainreport.com, on the RAIN Report channel on You Tube and on http://anchor.fm/The RAIN Hamcast. Hap Holly/KC9RP, edits and produces this biweekly ham radio hamcast without monetization. Your support and feedback are welcome on therainreport.com. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license; you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit the RAIN Hamcast in its entirety via Amateur Radio. YouTube assistance from Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. 73 from RAIN. KEEP ON HAMMING! RAIN Hamcast #64 will post 04-02-2022. ©1985-2022, RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. All rights are reserved.

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 03-06-2022

NOTE NOT FOR AIR: We’re conducting an experiment that may affect you whether you’re narrow-casting this audio service on simplex or on a network that requires frequent pauses to reset shorter timers. Which of the following would you find most useful: (1) the ‘customary’ 10-second ID break at the halfway point; or (2) both the 10-second ID break at the halfway point AND a shorter pause every three minutes for network timer reset. We’ll check the stats after another week. You'll hear both in this RAIN Hamcast. Run Time: 19M07S with a 10-second ID break after 08M47S. Hamcast Podcast #62: Blind Software Engineer Makes Waves Worldwide [Part 1] Tasmania is an island state of Australia, 'bout the size of West Virginia, located some 220 miles south of the mainland. This island is home to 500,000-plus residents. One such resident grew up in south central Australia, 15 miles from Adelaide; became a software engineer as a teenager; at age 47 moved his family of 11 from the Australia mainland to Tasmania in 2018; has spent the last 25 years working for Freedom Scientific, the U.S.-based developer of JAWS, a popular speech screen reader program for the blind Windows pc user; and most recently has succeeded in modifying firmware to enable the blind ham complete access to some Chinese VHF & UHF radios, not available from traditional off shore manufacturers, i.e. Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu and others. He's Joseph Stephen/VK7JS, a most articulate software engineer down under who happens to be blind. RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with this affable software engineer via Zoom back in January. At that time Joe's internet service provider was Skymuster, a high-orbiting satelite Internet provider, that was prone to occasional latency. Here's the first of two excerpts from Hap and Joe's conversation. RAIN Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP, edits and produces this biweekly ham radio hamcast without monetization. Your support and feedback are welcome on therainreport.com. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license; you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit the RAIN Hamcast in its entirety via Amateur Radio. YouTube assistance from Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. Very 73 from RAIN. very 73. KEEP ON HAMMING! RAIN Hamcast #63 will post 03-19-2022. ©1985-2022, RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. All rights are reserved.

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 02-20-2022

NOTE NOT FOR AIR: For the next several RAIN Hamcast podcasts we’re conducting an experiment that may affect you whether you’re narrow-casting this audio service on simplex or a network that requires frequent pauses to reset shorter timers. Your preference will determine whether we continue with just the “customary” 10-second ID break before the ten-minute mark; or the six-second “timer reset” pause every three minutes. You’ll need to choose one of two RAIN podcast options: either (1) the ‘customary’ ID break every ten minutes; or (2) both the 10-second ID break every ten minutes together with a six-second pause every three minutes for network timer reset. We’ll check the stats after three weeks. You'll hear both options in this RAIN Hamcast. ---(Hamcast title:)----If I Could Hear What You See)- Part 2 ---(Blank line)--- This is the RAIN hamcast #61, posted 02-19-22. Running Time: 17M52S with an ID break after 08M48S. Voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. ---(Blank line) (Audio Insert) The voice of RAIN's Founder&Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, expressing his regret cajoling YouTube content creator Tom Shimizu/N9JDI into adding video to the RAIN Hamcast podcasts. In the fall of 2021 Hap saughtthe expansion of the RAIN Hamcast listenership by adding a static video element to the RAIN Report channel on YouTube. To Hap combining audio with video seemed a pretty good option until he had a heart-to-heart talk with Tom In January, 2022 during which Hap learned about the challenges Tom faces adding video to Hap's RAIN Hamcasts on YouTube. This is our second excerpt from their Zoom conversation. As a result of Hap and Tom's discussion listeners to the RAIN Report channel on YouTube can expect to see simpler use of static video in the future. Thanks to Tom for his candor and continuing assistance with the RAIN Report channel on YouTube. RAIN Founder Hap Holly/KC9RP edits and produces this biweekly ham radio hamcast without monetization. Your support and feedback are welcome on therainreport.com. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license—you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit the RAIN Hamcast in its entirety via Amateur Radio. Thanks to Tom Shimizu/N9JDI for his assistance with the RAIN Report Channel on YouTube. Very 73 from RAIN. KEEP ON HAMMING! The RAIN Hamcast #62 will post 03-05-2022. ©1985-2022, RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. All rights reserved.

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 02-19-2022

If I Could Hear What You See - Part 2 This is the RAIN hamcast #61, posted 02-19-22. Running Time: 18M40S with a break after 08M49S. Voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. (Audio Insert) The voice of RAIN's Founder&Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, expressing his regret cajoling YouTube content creator Tom Shimizu/N9JDI into adding video to the RAIN Hamcast podcasts. In the fall of 2021 Hap saughtthe expansion of the RAIN Hamcast listenership by adding a static video element to the RAIN Report channel on YouTube. To Hap combining audio with video seemed a pretty good option until he had a heart-to-heart talk with Tom In January, 2022 during which Hap learned about the challenges Tom faces adding video to Hap's RAIN Hamcasts on YouTube. This is our second excerpt from their Zoom conversation. As a result of Hap and Tom's discussion listeners to the RAIN Report channel on YouTube can expect to see simpler use of static video in the future. Thanks to Tom for his candor and continuing assistance with the RAIN Report channel on YouTube. RAIN Founder Hap Holly/KC9RP edits and produces this biweekly ham radio podcast. ©1985-2022, RAIN, all rights reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license—you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit this Hamcast in its entirety via Amateur Radio. Your support and feedback are welcome on therainreport.com. Hap wishes to thank Tom Shimizu/N9JDI for his YouTube assistance. RAIN hamcast #62 will post 03-05-22. Very 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network.

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 02-12-2022

If I Could Hear What You See - Part 1 This is the RAIN hamcast #60, posted 02-05-22. Running Time: 18M10S with a break after 09M26S. Voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. For over three decades Hap Holly/KC9RP produced the RAIN Report for the Amateur Radio Service. In the summer of 2019 Hap shelved his RAIN Report citing ‘burn out’ as a result of producing a weekly audio hamcast since 1990. Two months later, however, Hap was bitten once again by the ‘edit’ bug, resulting in what is now the RAIN Hamcast Podcast, which posts biweekly. In the fall of 2021 Hap wanted to expand the listenership to his service by adding a video element to his RAIN Report channel on YouTube...a considerable challenge for someone who has been blind since 1958. Hap was directed to Tom Shimizu/N9JDI, the content creator of his own successful a/v YouTube channel . Combining audio with video seemed a pretty straight forward process in Hap’s view until he had a heart-to-heart talk with Tom In January, 2022 during which Hap learned about the challenges Tom faces adding video to Hap's audio RAIN Hamcasts on YouTube. This is our first excerpt from their Zoom conversation. The following is an announcement: If you are a subscriber to the Blind Hams email list, you are cordially invited to participate in a special event called CQ Blind Hams Open Shack. The date is February 10th at seven PM eastern Standard Time, 0000 UTC Feb. 11. The place is Zoom; full details regarding how to connect will be posted on the BlindHams email list. You will learn a lot about the vibrant and active Blind-Hams Digital Network. See blind-hams.com for further details RAIN Founder Hap Holly/KC9RP edits and produces this biweekly ham radio podcast. ©1985-2022, RAIN, all rights reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license—you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit the RAIN Hamcast in its entirety via Amateur Radio. Your support and feedback are welcome on therainreport.com. Hap wishes to thank Tom Shimizu/N9JDI for his YouTube assistance. RAIN hamcast #61 will post 02-19-22. Very 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 01-22-2022

This is RAIN Hamcast, RH#59, posted 01-22-22; voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Until recently, holding a technician class ham license could be a frustrating experience. Then along came Anthony Luscre/K8ZT, whose instructional materials target the new ham on one website, ZTLearn.com. After Anthony retired from teaching computer instruction to teachers and students alike, he began producing instructional ham radio videos. Here's our second excerpt from "Technician Licensees: Life Beyond the Local Repeater", a virtual video Anthony produced and presented to the August, 2021 QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo. 2022 Part 2 19M12S/09M52S. The RAIN Hamcast podcast is ©1985-2022, RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. YouTube assistance from Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. All are welcome to transmit this hamcast over Amateur Radio under a Community Commons license. RH60 will post 02-05-22. Keep on hamming!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 01-08-2022

This is RH#58, posted January 8, 2022. Holding a technician class ham license can be a frustrating experience locating accurate resources for learning what you CAN and can't do. Anthony Luscre/K8ZT is One midwestern ham who has endeavored to provide instructional materials targeting the new and hungry ham on one website, ZTLearn. Anthony has retired from his career in providing computer instruction for teachers and students. For the next two RAIN Hamcasts we will bring you excerpts from a virtual forum presentation Anthony produced and delivered for the August, 2021 QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo. It's called "Technician Licensees: Life Beyond the Local Repeater". [2022 Part 1 19M47S/09M52S]. We'll bring you our second excerpt from this presentation in RH59, scheduled to post 01-22-22. The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1985-2022 RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. All are welcome to transmit this hamcast over Amateur Radio. Before we go RAIN Founder and Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, wishes to thank Joe Cass/W0CAS and Mark Davis for their assistance in securing podcast recognition and distribution for the RAIN Hamcast! KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 12-25-2021

This is the RAIN hamcast #57, posted 12-25-2021 on therainreport.com and on RAIN Hamcast on YouTube. voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. (audio insert) That's the voice of Tomas Hood/NW7US, the author of many writings about space weather and effects of solar activity the past 20-plus years. Tomas has been a short wave enthusiast since 1973, a ham operator since 1990, and is a United States Army Signal Corps veteran today. He launched the first civilian space weather propagation website, HFRadio.org, in the mid 90's; hfradio later spawned sunspotwatch.com; at press time Sunspotwatch.com is being revamped for the new Solar Cycle 25. Tomas has contributed to the Space Weather Propagation column in CQ magazine for over 20 years, and for The Spectrum Monitor since 2014. A product of the Pacific northwest, Tomas resides now in Fayetteville, Ohio. RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Tomas recently about Solar Cycle 25. This is the second and final excerpt from their discussion. [2021 P2 17M42S/09M37S] If you missed part one of this conversation, you'll find it as RAIN Hamcast #56 both on therainreport.com and on the RAIN Hamcast page on YouTube . RAIN Hamcast #58 will post January 8, 2022. Hap Holly/KC9RP edits and produces this biweekly ham radio podcast. It is copyright 1985-2021 , RAIN, all rights reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license ; you are encouraged to download, share, post and transmit the RAIN Hamcast in its entirety via Amateur Radio. Your support and feedback are welcome on therainreport.com. Thanks for YouTube Technical Assistance from Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. I'm WR/K5WLR bidding you very 73 and 44 from the Radio Amateur Information Network. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 12-11-2021

This is the RAIN hamcast #56, posted 12-11-2021 on therainreport.com and on the YouTube RAIN Report channel (see link on therainreport.com’s main menu); voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. When you were knee high to a grasshopper, did you undergo a game-changing experience that shaped your future career? Tomas Hood/NW7US did. Tomas has been a short wave enthusiast since 1973. He was first licensed as a ham in 1990 at age 25. In the mid 1990s Tomas launched the first civilian space weather propagation website, HFRadio.org, which later spawned sunspotwatch.com. His NW7US.us has been up and running since June, 1999. Tomas has contributed to the Space Weather Propagation column in CQ magazine for over 20 years, and for Spectrum Monitor since 2014. A product of the Pacific northwest, Tomas resides today in Fayetteville, OH. RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Tomas recently about Solar Cycle 25 and the game-changing afternoon Tomas experienced in 1973 at age 8. [2021 P1 16M43S/09M22S] We'll conclude Hap's conversation with Tomas in RH57, scheduled for posting Christmas Day. The RAIN Hamcast is produced and edited by Hap Holly/KC9RP; this biweekly podcast is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN, All rights reserved. RAIN programming is formatted for Amateur Radio transmission and is made available under a Creative Commons license ; downloading, sharing, posting and transmission of this ham radio program via Amateur Radio in its entirety are encouraged. Your support and feedback are welcome on therainreport.com. Thanks for YouTube Technical Assistance from Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 11-27-2021

This is the RAIN hamcast #55, posted 11-27-2021 on therainreport.com and on the YouTube RAIN Report channel (see link on therainreport.com’s main menu; introduced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. By now you may have checked out and maybe even spent time answering the 250 questions that comprise the Ham Census, (hamcensus.com. The Maryland ham behind this ambitious survey is Jim Alyanak/K3MRI. Borrowing from his QRZ bio Jim was (among other things) the founding President of the Forum for the Analysis of Communications and Trends, the strategist behind the World Urban Campaign, an advisor to the World AIDS Campaign and a founding board member of the World Prevention Alliance. Here's our 2nd of two excerpts from his virtual talk "Shaping the Future of Ham Radio", Jim prepared and delivered to the August, 2021 QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo. [2021 P2 18M44S/09M07S] RH56 will post 12-11-21. The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN, All rights are reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license ; The downloading, sharing, posting and transmission of this biweekly ham radio podcast via Amateur Radio in its entirety is encouraged. Your feedback and support for the RAIN hamcast are welcome on therainreport.com. YouTube Technical Assistance: Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 11-13-2021

This is the RAIN hamcast #54, posted 11-13-2021 on therainreport.com and on the YouTube RAIN Report channel (see link on therainreport.com’s main menu. Have you ever had the chance to participate in an Amateur Radio census? Well now you can! The Maryland ham making this possible is Jim Alyanak/K3MRI. Quoting from his QRZ bio "In high school I was the newspaper and yearbook photographer. In college, while studying both Physics and Communications, photography was my source of income. Throughout my life I have sold my images. I was also the founding President of the Forum for the Analysis of Communications and Trends, the strategist behind the World Urban Campaign, an advisor to the World AIDS Campaign and a founding board member of the World Prevention Alliance. I continue to provide high-level communications and perception consulting services (see www.excessnoise.com)." Here's our first of two excerpts from his virtual talk "Shaping the Future of Ham Radio", prepared for and delivered to the August, 2021 QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo. [2021 P1 19M58S/10M02S] We'll bring you our second excerpt from his virtual Amateur Radio census talk in RAIN Hamcast 55, posting Nov. 27, 2021. The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN, All rights are reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license ; The downloading, sharing, posting and transmition of this biweekly hamcast via Amateur Radio in its entirety is encouraged. Your feedback and support for this hamcast are welcome on therainreport.com. YouTube Technical Assistance: Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 10-30-2021

This is the RAIN hamcast #53, posted 10-30-2021 on therainreport.com and on the YouTube RAIN Report channel (see link on therainreport.com’s main menu. we're digging into RF grounding, something EVERY ham needs to take seriously, especially if you're in an area proned to frequent lightning strikes. RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP recently spoke with Jim Hull/W9JGH, who has battled local and atmospheric noise for years in his suburban Chicago home until he got his ground system right. Jim was first licensed as a ham in 2011; then got his extra in 2012. Today he is a project manager by profession; and President of CSRA, the Chicago Suburban Radio Association. This is our second and final excerpt from their recent conversation. [2021 P2 19M54S/09M57S) If you missed the first excerpt from this conversation, it's available as RAIN Hamcast #52, both on therainreport.com and YouTube. RH#54 will post November 13, 2021. The RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN, All rights are reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license; you are authorized to download, share, post and transmit this biweekly hamcast via Amateur Radio in its entirety. Your feedback and support for this hamcast are welcome on therainreport.com. YouTube Technical Assistance: Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 10-16-2021

This is the RAIN hamcast #52, posted 10-16-2021 on therainreport.com and on the YouTube RAIN Report channel (see link on therainreport.com’s main menu. Coffee! For millions of Americans coffee is what makes their worlds go 'round...minus the grounds of course. Speaking of grounds for the next two hamcasts we're digging into RF grounding, something EVERY ham needs to take seriously, especially if you're in an area proned to frequent lightning. RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP recently spoke with Jim Hull/W9JGH, who has battled local and atmospheric noise for years in suburban Chicago until he got his ground system right. Jim/W9JGH was first licensed in 2011; then got his extra in 2012. Today Jim is a project manager by profession and is President of the Chicago Suburban Radio Association, CSRA. [2021 P1 11M49S/06M25S] We'll conclude Hap's conversation with Jim next time. The RAIN Hamcast is produced by RAIN's Founder & Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP. It is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN All rights are reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license; you are authorized to download, share, post and transmit this biweekly hamcast via Amateur Radio in its entirety. Your feedback and support for this hamcast are welcome on therainreport.com. YouTube Technical Assistant: Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. RAIN Hamcast #53 will post Oct. 30, 2021. very 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 10-02-2021

You’ve tuned into RAIN hamcast #51, posted 10-02-2021 on therainreport.com and on the YouTube RAIN Report channel (see link on therainreport.com’s main menu. This is a continuation of a two-part look at scanners, then and now, a conversation between RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP, and Rich Carlson/N9JIG, a longtime scanner user and currently the Customer Support manager for Scanner Master. Rich is retired from a suburban Chicago police department where he was the commander of the 9-1-1 communications system as well as other duties. He is also part of the Uniden scanner beta test team and is a host of the weekly "Scanner Guys" live YouTube show. Here's the conclusion to their Zoom conversation. [2021 P2 11M54S/6M38S[. The RAIN Hamcast is produced by RAIN's Founder Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP. It is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN All rights are reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license; permission is hereby granted for you to download, share, post and transmit this biweekly hamcast over Amateur Radio in its entirety. Your feedback and support for this hamcast are welcome on therainreport.com. YouTube Technical Assistant: Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. RAIN Hamcast #52 will post Oct. 16, 2021. very 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 09-18-2021

This is RAIN hamcast #50, voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR, and posted 09-18-2021 on therainreport.com and on the YouTube RAIN Report channel (see link on therainreport.com’s main menu.) Chances are you either are...or were a scanner listener, perhaps more then than now. So what has happened to the art of scanning? and what has happened to scanners in recent years? We'll delve into the answers in Scanners - Then and Now here in RAIN Hamcast #50 and #51 with Rich Carlson/N9JIG, a longtime scanner user (50 years +) and currently the Customer Support manager for Scanner Master. Rich is retired from a suburban Chicago police department where he was the commander of the 9-1-1 communications system as well as other duties. He is also part of the Uniden scanner beta test team and is a host of the weekly "Scanner Guys" live YouTube show Wednesdays at 7:00 PM CDT). RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Rich a few weeks back. [2021 P1 15M23S/09M21S] The RAIN Hamcast is produced by RAIN's Founder Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP. It is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN All rights are reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license; permission is hereby granted for you to download, share, post and transmit this biweekly hamcast over Amateur Radio in its entirety. Your feedback and support for this hamcast are welcome on therainreport.com. YouTube Technical Assistant: Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. very 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 02-06-2021

Welcome to Classic RAIN Hamcast #34, posted Feb. 6, 2021; voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Not many folks can work for a government agency and leave a legacy as did Ralph Haller/N4RH. Accomplishments resulting from his 20-plus years working for the Federal Communications Commission included: Implementing the Vanity call sign system for the U.S. Amateur Radio Service; introducing the first volunteer amateur exams to the Dayton Hamvention; getting frequency coordination for VHF/UHF Amateur Radio repeaters; and starting the process of reducing and eventually eliminating Morse code as a requirement to become a ham operator. Eric Guth/4Z1UG interviewed Ralph for Eric's weekly QSO Today podcast in 2020. This is our second and last excerpt from that conversation. [2020 P2 19M] (Audio courtesy of QSO Today). The Classic RAIN Hamcast updates twice a month and is produced by its founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP. This Hamcast is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN All rights reserved. Classic RAIN #35 will post February 20, 2021 on therainreport.com. Very 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network. Keep washing your hands, watch your social distancing, and remember to wear your mask. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 09-05-2021

This is RAIN hamcast #49, voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR, and posted 09-04-2021 on therainreport.com and on the Youtube RAIN Report channel (see link on therainreport.com’s main menu.) What kind of propagational changes occur in the D layer in the winter vs. the summer? How does propagation affect vertical vs. horizontal HF antennas? Do lunar or solar eclipses affect HF propagation? These questions and more are answered in this final excerpt from a conversation RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP had with Carl Luetzelschwab/K9LA, an Indiana ham who has studied HF propagation for decades. Carl is the newly-appointed ARRL Central Division Director. His interest in HF propagation goes back to his novice days in 1961. Hap recently spoke with Carl about the role the ionosphere plays in daily HF communication. [2021 P2 18M05S/08M14S] If you do speak with Carl, let him know Hap says 'hello'. This two-part RAIN Hamcast, HF Propagation 101, can be found here on both therainreport.com and YouTube. The RAIN Hamcast is produced by RAIN's Founder Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP. It is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN All rights are reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license; permission is hereby granted for you to download, share, post and transmit this biweekly hamcast over Amateur Radio in its entirety. Your feedback and support for this hamcast are welcome on therainreport.com. Youtube technical assistance: Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. RAIN Hamcast 50 will post Sept. 18. very 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network. *Congrats to Hap and Stephanie on their 45th wedding anniversary, Aug. 28.* KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 09-04-2021

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 08-21-2021

This is RAIN hamcast #48, voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR, and posted 08-21-2021 on both therainreport.com and on the YouTube RAIN Report channel (see link on therainreport.com’s main menu.) A popular subject discussed on ham radio today is solar cycle 25...when will it peak? How will it compare to the rather lack-luster cycle we’ve just been through? etc. But we need to put the horse before the cart i.e. what spacial factors determine whether 20 meters will stay open late tonight or whether ten meters will be open tomorrow. One ham who has studied the day-to-day conditions of the HF bands is Carl Luetzelschwab/K9LA. Carl is the newly-appointed ARRL Central Division Director. His interest in HF propagation goes back to his novice days in 1961. RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP recently spoke with Carl about the role the ionosphere plays in daily HF communication. This week we bring you our first of 2 excerpts from their conversation. [2021 P1 17M54S/09M06S] We'll conclude our visit with Carl in RH#49.P1 17M54S/09M06S] We'll conclude our visit with Carl next time in RAIN Hamcast #49, scheduled for posting 09-04-21. The RAIN Hamcast is produced by RAIN's Founder Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP; it is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN All rights are reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license; permission is hereby granted for you to download, share, post and transmit this biweekly hamcast over Amateur Radio in its entirety. Your feedback and support for this service is welcome on therainreport.com. YouTube technical assistance: Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 08-07-2021

This is RAIN hamcast #47,voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR, and posted 08-07-21; on therainreport.com and now on The RAIN Report page on YouTube.com. This time we continue our look at the RFI that solar-powered systems often generate. Now in the spirit of full disclosure, RAIN's Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP, has been battling radio frequency interference from the Sunrun ssystem on the roof of his small, suburban Chicago ranch-style house the past year. Hap was directed earlier this summer to speak with Fred Bresani/W2HZ, a retired Tucson, Arizona electrician who has found the solution to eliminating the QRM and QRN wreaking havoc on Hap's HF ham bands. It's called FCC PART '15'. So how can you determine if that solar-powered system next door to you is what's making life miserable for you on 40 meters? [2021 P2 14M15S/07M35S] RAIN Hamcast #48 will post 08-21-2021 both on therainreport.com AND The RAIN Report page on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUbNkaUvX_lt5IiDkS9aS4g. The RAIN Hamcast is produced biweekly by RAIN's Founder Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP; copyright 1985-2021 RAIN All rights reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license and can be transmitted over Amateur Radio in its entirety. Permission is hereby granted to download, share or post this hamcast. Your input and support are welcome on therainreport.com. YouTube technical assistance: Tom Shimizu/N9JDI. 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 07-24-2021

This is RAIN hamcast #46,voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR, and posted 07-24-21 on therainreport.com and now on The RAIN Report page on YouTube.com. For many the installation of residential solar power has been met with mixed results. On one hand its solar pannels can provide a welcome respite from the local electrical grid; on the other, the close proximity of such a residential system often generates major radio frequency interference (RFI) across the HF spectrum. One Arizona ham who has found the cause and cure for this vexing RFI problem is Fred Bresani/W2HZ. Fred has an electrical background. He was first licensed in 1966 as OA4AAH in his native country of Peru; he was retested by the FCC to extra as W2HZ, his call today. Fred earned his BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Milwaukee School of Engineering in 1970, and his MBA in International Business from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1980. Over the years Fred has held positions of Power Systems Engineer, Project Engineer, Procurement Executive, Marketing/Sales Executive, and CEO. In 2014 he retired to Tucson, Arizona where he resides today. RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Fred earlier this summer on Zoom about the irksome HF RFI generated by roof-top solar installations. [2021 P1 13M42S/6M48S] We'll conclude this conversation in RAIN Hamcast #47, slated to post 08/07/2021 both on therainreport.com AND The RAIN Report page on YouTube. The RAIN Hamcast is produced biweekly by RAIN's Founder Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP; copyright 1985-2021 RAIN All rights reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license and may be transmitted over Amateur Radio in its entirety. Your input and support are welcome on therainreport.com. YouTube technical assistance: Tom Shimizu/KD9PXF. 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 07-10-2021

This is RAIN Classic hamcast #45, posted July 10, 2021 o; therainreport.com. voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. This time we conclude the conversation RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP had with Alex Muzyka/KQ2H, the man and mind behind his KQ2H 10FM repeater in the Catskill mountains of New York on 29.620 mHZ. First a slight correction: While 29.610 to 29.690 MHz is allocated for 10-meter FM repeaters, it should be noted here that the traditional 10-meter FM repeater pairs total only four in all, 29.62, 64, 66 and 68; each with an input 100 kHZ down, some requiring PL access. According to Alex, he has three receive sites on his 10 FM machine, 2 that require a 146.2 hZ PL access; and a third receiver that doesn't. [2021 P2 17M20S/9M52S.[ So what does Alex do when he's not maintaining multiple repeaters around New England? ... restoring old kerosene lamps and cooking stoves. If you access Alex's 10-meter box, tell him Hap sent you and don't forget to turn your 146.2 PL On when you do so. RAIN Classic Hamcast #46 will post July 24, 2021 on therainreport.com and on YouTube. More about that next time.

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 05-15-2021

This is RAIN Classic hamcast #41, posted May 15, 2021; voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Last summer Dave Minster/NA2AA became the CEO of the ARRL in Newington, CT. "David Who"? you ask? In this RAIN Classic Hamcast we'll learn just who he is and what his thoughts are about the League, its members, and future. The following is a virtual talk Dave Minster gave to the QSO Today virtual ham convention in May. [2021 19.02/09.57]. David's talk was one of more than 50 virtual presentations given for the QSO Today Virtual Ham Convention this past March. The RAIN Classic Hamcast is produced twice a month by its founder & Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP and is copyright 1985 - 2021 RAIN All rights are reserved. RAIN Classic Hamcast #42 will post May 29, 2021 on therainreport.com. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license. Remember the three w's: wear your coved mask, wash your hands, and keep your distance. And don't forget to KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 06-26-2021

This is RAIN Classic hamcast #44, posted June 26, 2021 on therainreport.com; voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. As we slog our way through solar cycle 25, Is HF ham band propigation improving ? Well, one posetive indicator is the ten meter FM repeater sub-band. Some of you Are no doubt wondering "Ten meter repeaters?" There are ten repeater pairs spaced 10 kHZ apart from 29.610 to 29.700 mHZ. The input for each pair is 100 kHZ down. If you have ever seen a set of 2-meter repeater duplexers, you will readily understand why your average ten-meter FM repeater is set up with separate transmit and receive sites. One such repeater is the KQ2H Catskills mountains FM repeater on 29.620 mHZ. Its trustee is Alex Muzyka/KQ2H, a resident of the hamlet of Kerhonkson, New York. RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke to Alex via Zoom in early June about Alex's 17 mountaintop repeaters, specifically his ten meter FM repeater. [2021 P1 16.28/8.10.] We'll conclude Hap's conversation with Alex next time. RAIN Classic Hamcast #45 will post July 10, 2021 on therainreport.com. The RAIN Classic Hamcast is produced by Hap Holly/KC9RP; copyright 1985 - 2021 RAIN All rights reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license and may be transmitted in its entirety on Amateur Radio. Very 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network.

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 06-11-2021

This is RAIN Classic hamcast #43, posted June 12, 2021 on therainreport.com. This week we conclude our 2nd excerpt from the February, 2020 QSOToday podcast interview with Janis Carson/AB2RA, a licensed ham since 1959. She is known for her repair and restoration of older tube-type ham radio gear, which she documents on her Wireless-Girl.com website. Janis is a frequent contributor to Electric Radio magazine. As if this weren't enough, Janis Carson is also a politically active advocate for the U.S. Amateur Radio Service to the FCC in Washington. [2020 P2 16:15/7:57} Audio courtesy of Eric Guth/4Z1UG) Should you want to hear Eric’s complete hour-long interview with Janis, you’ll find it as Episode 290 on qsotoday.com. The RAIN Classic Hamcast is produced by its founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP; it’s copyright 1985 - 2021 RAIN All rights reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license. RAIN Classic Hamcast #44 will post June 26, 2021 on therainreport.com. Very 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 05-29-2021

This is RAIN Classic hamcast #42, posted May 29, 2021 and voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Janis Carson/AB2RA has been a licensed ham since 1959. Today she's known for her restoration of older tube-type ham equipment and her involvement with the FCC. Janis was interviewed in February, 2020 by Eric Guth/4Z1UG for his QSO Today podcast. [2020 P1 14.52/07.40] The RAIN Classic Hamcast is produced by its founder & Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP; it’s copyright 1985 - 2021 RAIN All rights reserved. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license. RAIN Classic Hamcast #43 will post June 12, 2021 on therainreport.com. Very 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network; KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 05-02-2021

This is RAIN Classic hamcast #40, posted May 1, 2021, and voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Back in January the St. Louis and Suburban Radio Club sponsored Winter Fest 2021, which featured seven audio/video forums posted on YouTube. In February we excerpted from the Parks on the Air forum talk given by Mat Heere/N3NWV. This week we'll bring you our second and final excerpt from another Winter Fest 2021 forum, this one about Amateur Radio satellite Basics, given by Sean Kutzko/KX9X. A resident now of Urbana, IL. Sean worked for the ARRL for 12 years as the League’s Contest Branch Manager, and Media and Public Relations Manager. Today Sean is an avid Amateur Radio satelite enthusiast. Here’s the conclusion to our excerpts from Sean’s Amateur Radio Satelite Basics virtual forum. [2021 P2 16.01/09.35] (Audio courtesy of SLSRC.) You can watch Sean's 6-part video series on satellite operating on the DX Engineering YouTube Channel; and you can follow Sean on Twitter at @SeanKutzko. The RAIN Classic Hamcast is produced twice a month by its founder & Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP and is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN All rights are reserved. RAIN Classic Hamcast #41 will post May 18, 2021 on therainreport.com. RAIN programming is made available under a Creative Commons license. Remember we still need to keep wearing our masks, washing our hands, and keeping our social distancing. And don't forget to KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 04-17-2021

This is RAIN Classic hamcast #39, posted April 17, 2021 and voiced by Kent Peterson/KC0DGY. Back in January the St. Louis and Suburban Radio Club sponsored Winter Fest 2021, which featured seven audio/video forums posted on YouTube. In February we excerpted from one of those forums given by Mat Heere/N3NWV, on POTA (Po-ta), the Parks on The Air program. For the next two RAIN Classic Hamcasts we'll excerpt from another Winter Fest 2021 forum, this one about Amateur Radio satellite Basics, given by Sean Cutzko/KX9X from Urbana, IL. Borrowing from the verbal introduction to Sean's talk, he spent 12 years working at ARRL Headquarters as the Contest Branch Manager, and Media and Public Relations Manager. Sean's background includes HF contesting and dxing in the 1980s, six meters and VHF weak signal work in the mid 90s, backpack and qrp work in 2008, and satellites in 2011. The subject of this talk is Amateur Radio Satelite Basics; here's our first excerpt from his talk. [2021 P1 15.45/07.51] We'll conclude our two excerpts from Sean's presentation next time. The RAIN Classic Hamcast is produced byy its founder & Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP twice a month. It is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN All rights are reserved. RAIN Classic Hamcast #40 will post May 1, 2021 on therainreport.com. Remember we still aren't out of the pandemic woods yet so please remember the 'three w's: keep wearing your mask, washing your hands, and watching your social distancing. And while you're at it, KEEP ON HAMMIN

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 04-03-2021

This is RAIN Classic hamcast #38, posted April 3, 2021; voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Back in February RAIN's Founder & Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, was interviewed by Christian Cudnik/K0STH, the ham behind the 100 Watts and a Wire podcast. This was the first interview given by Hap in years; his first video ever. This week we present the conclusion (our second excerpt) from that hour-plus YouTube video conversation. {2021 18.56/19.19M} You can catch this rare, hour-plus audio/video conversation in its entirety on YouTube. The link is: https://youtu.be/M C n D D 7 I W 5 T s. Yes there is a period in the middle of YouTube. Otherwise just open up Youtube and type KC9RP in the search bar. The RAIN Classic Hamcast is produced by its founder & Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP twice a month. It is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN All rights are reserved. RAIN Classic Hamcast #39 will post April 17, 2021 on therainreport.com. Please remember we're not out of the pandemic woods yet so please keep wearing your mask, frequently wash your hands, and keep your social distancing. In the meantime KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 03-20-2021

This is Classic RAIN hamcast #37, posted March 20, 2021; voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Several weeks ago RAIN's Founder Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, was interviewed by Christian Cudnik/K0STH, the ham behind the 100 Watts and a Wire podcast. you can count on one hand the number of audio interviews Hap has given since he passed his novice test in 1965. This was the first interview given by Hap in years; his first video one ever. This week you'll hear the first of two excerpts from that 73-minute YouTube video conversation. [2021 19M/8:15.] We'll bring you a second audio excerpt from that audio/video YouTube conversation next time. The Classic RAIN Hamcast is produced twice a month by its founder & Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP; Copyright 1985-2021 RAIN All rights reserved. Classic RAIN Hamcast #38 will post April 3, 2021 on therainreport.com. We're not out of the pandemic woods so please keep wearing your mask, frequently washing your hands, and keeping your social distancing. In the meantime KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 03-06-2021

This is Classic RAIN hamcast #36, posted March 6, 2021 and voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Just a quick note that an audio/video interview of RAIN Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP, is available on YouTube. Hap was interviewed for 100 Watts & A Wire podcast by Christian Cudnik/K0STH, Feb. 22. It's a rare 1-hour 13-minute personal look at Hap's 37 years of hamcasting. Have you ever dreamed of attending a Hamfest without leaving your ham shack? Stop dreaming! March 13&14 are the dates for the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo. The idea came to QSO Today podcast producer, Eric Guth/4Z1UG just before Covid 19 pandemic made a shamble of international Hamfest calendars a year ago. Eric was recently interviewed by Hap Holly/KC9RP. [2020 19M] Go check out qsotodayhamexpo.com to register ($10.00); look and listen to what's in store for the international ham world that weekend...and the month following. The Classic RAIN Hamcast is produced twice a month by its founder & Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP; Copyright 1985-2021 RAIN All rights reserved. Classic RAIN #37 will post March 20 on therainreport.com. Remember to keep wearing your mask, wash your hands, and keep your social distancing. In the meantime KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 02-20-2021

This is Classic RAIN Hamcast #35, posted Feb. 20, 2021; voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Going to your neighborhood or state park has a whole new meaning nowadays thanks to POTA, (Poe-ta) the Parks on the Air program. During Winterfest Virtual Hamfest 2021, sponsored by The St Louis and Suburban Radio Club (SLSRC), one of the seven forum speakers was Matt Heere/N3NWV. Matt handles audio/video creations and public relations for the POTA program. He's been a licensed ham operator since 1993. Today Matt resides in western PA. and holds An extra class license; Here is an audio excerpt from his January 23 presentation. [2021 20M] Audio courtesy of SLSRC and streamed from YouTube. The Classic RAIN Hamcast is produced twice a month by its founder & Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP. This Hamcast is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN All rights are reserved. Classic RAIN #36 will post March 6 on therainreport.com. Remember to keep wearing your mask, keep washing your hands, and keep your social distancing. In the meantime KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 02-05-2021

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 01-22-2021

This is ClassicRAIN#33, posted Jan. 23, 2021; voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has kept a wary eye on the Amateur Radio Service for decades. And occasionally hams have worked within the Commission, making a 'name' for themselves without doing so on the HF bands. One Midwest ham who made a career working within the Commission got acquainted with it (not his choice) when he was nine years old. He's Ralph Haller/N4RH. Ralph was interviewed in 2020 for QSO Today by its creator, Eric Guth/4Z1UG. This is our first of two excerpts from that conversation. [2020 P1 19M] We'll conclude Eric's conversation with Ralph next time. The Classic RAIN ham cast is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN, all rights reserved. CR. Ham cast #34 will post Feb. 6, 2021. In the meantime you can download and transmit every Classic RAIN ham cast from therainreport.com. Don't forget to wear your mask, wash your hands, watch your distance, and KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 01-08-2021

This is ClassicRAIN#32, posted Jan. 9, 2021; voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. During the middle 1980s-1990s Angelo Polvere/KA9CSO was A highly respected member of the BEAR (Broadcast Employees Amateur Repeater) in the northwest Chicago suburb of Schaumburg. In those years Angelo was the mayor of Inverness, the Chicago suburb in which he still resides today. In the 90s you may have read his short skhetches in '73' magazine called the BEAR-ography. These were short profiles of fellow BEAR club members. He wrote and recorded them to be played on the weekly net dubbed the BEAR Information Service (BIS), produced by Hap Holly/KC9RP, creator of these Classic RAIN Ham Cast. Angelo's short audio profiles both entertained and informed the 90-plus folks who checked into the BIS via the BEAR repeater and linked repeaters in the northeastern IL. area weekly. In this ham cast you'll hear Angelo read one such sketch about club member Bill Itter/N9EWA. Then you'll hear Bill read a piece he wrote describing just how to publicize club activities. [1989 13M] This is the kind of audio material that helped make the BIS Chicago's most listened-to weekly net ever; the BIS ran from summer/1985 to the early 90s. The Classic RAIN Ham Cast is copyright 1985-2021 RAIN, all rights reserved. CR. Hamcast #33 will post Jan. 23. In the meantime you can hear and transmit every Classic RAIN ham cast if you go to therainreport.com. Don't forget to wear your mask, wash your hands, watch your distance, and KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 12-13-2020

This is ClassicRAIN#30, posted Dec. 13, 2020;Westlink, better known today as the Amateur Radio Newsline, was in financial quicksand in 1985. Its Co-Founder was Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF in 1977. Eight years later RAIN Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP, recorded his first interview with Bill, who was one of his mentors. In this Classic RAIN hamcast we'll excerpt some audio from that conversation with Bill. [1985 19M] Westlink was renamed the Amateur Radio Newsline in the late '80s. Bill wrote all the scripts for Westlink and Newsline for 38 years until his passing in 2015. He was one of two hams that mentored Hap Holly/KC9RP in the '80s. Hap scripted and produced his RAIN Report podcasts from 1990 to mid 2019, archives of which are still available on therainreport.com for transmission. The Classic RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1985-2020 RAIN, all rights reserved. CR#31 is slated to post Dec. 26. In the meantime don't forget the three w's: wear your mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 11-27-2020

This is ClassicRAIN#29, posted Nov. 28, 2020. Those of us who are now retired, including RAIN Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP, are experiencing what longevity means, i.e. seeing our friends in and out of ham radio becoming silent keys. One such friend and mentor who passed this fall was Ken Piletic/W9ZMR. Ken was known in the greater Chicago area for having faithfully maintained the mid western phone line service for decades for the Amateur Radio Newsline as far back as the early 80s when it was known as Westlink Radio. Ken was the driving force behind Orcats, the Old-Time Radio Collectors and Traders Society on 40 meters. In our tribute to Ken we're presenting four audio contributions he made for the RAIN Report and earlier. The first is from a 1989 interview of Ken by Steve Bower/KC0HF for Hap Holly/KC9RP's RP Report. Our second is a serious commentary Ken wrote and voiced for the RAIN Report in 1994 on "Slow Code". Our third piece is a fun commentary Ken wrote and voiced about "The Holey Hamfest Ticket" for the BEAR Information Service in 1988. Our fourth and last piece is a short humorous piece called "Wear Your Stinking Badge" Ken produced for the RAIN Report in 1994. [2020 15M] (Audio courtesy of Hap Holly/KC9RP's ham radio archive.( Ken became a silent key Sept. 3, 2020. Though he's gone now, those who knew him learned a great deal about audio from him. He was someone you should have known. The Classic RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1987-2020 RAIN, all rights reserved. Classic RAIN hamcast #30 is slated to post Dec. 12 on therainreport.com. In the meantime don't forget the three w's. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 11-15-2020

This is Classic RAIN Hamcast #28 posted Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. We thank you for your patience the past umpteen weeks while we worked through some computer issues. This week we go back to 1988 for three excerpts from the BEAR Information Service, produced by Hap Holly/KC9RP prior to the RAIN Report that he authored from 1990 to 2019. Our first piece is a commentary Doug Weed/N3AIA read about Canada's proposal to reallocate part of the 440 amateur band. Have you ever thought of learning morse code via the written word? One Chicago ham did in 1988. Jim Georgias/W9JUG was the VEC Coordinator administrator for the Chicago-based DeVry VE program in 1988. Here is an excerpt from a 1988 RP Report with Jim about his ideas at the time behind what he called his "code recognition proposal. it was never adopted. In 1988 a commercial was produced to promote a suburban Chicago radio club; unfortunately it no longer exists; that promo was voiced by Paula Uscian/K9IR. Her call then was WB9WNN, or as she used to say "Why not now". [1988 13M] The Classic RAIN Hamcast is copyright 1988-2020 RAIN, all rights are reserved. We'll be back Thanksgiving weekend with Hamcast 29. PLEASE don't forget to wash your hands, wear your mask, and watch yoursocial distance. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 08-23-2020

This is ClassicRAIN ham cast [CR26] posted Aug. 23, 2020; introduced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. This week we conclude our second excerpt from an interview conducted earlier this year with Riley Hollingsworth/K4ZDH, the most communicative and personable bureaucrat RAIN Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP, had the pleasure of speaking with during Hap's 30 years (1990-2020) Hap served as Director of the RAIN Report. During the 1990s Riley was special Counsel for Amateur Radio Enforcement for the Federal Communications Commission. This week we conclude a conversation with Riley Eric Guth/4Z1UG recorded for Eric's QSO Today podcast. [2020 P2 20M] Audio credit to QSO Today. You can hear Eric's entire 53-minute conversation with Riley on QSOToday.com, archive file 311. The Classic RAIN Ham Cast is copyright 1987-2020 RAIN, all rights reserved. CR27 will post September Labor Day weekend. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 08-10-2020

This is ClassicRAIN ham cast #25, posted August 9, 2020; introduced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. During his thirty years as the Producer of The RAIN Report, Hap Holly/KC9RP interviewed a number of noteworthy hams, including Riley Hollingsworth/K4ZDH, the most communicative and personable bureaucrat Hap had the pleasure of speaking with during the 80s to the early 2000s. Riley left his mark as a special Counsel for Amateur Radio Enforcement with the Federal Communications Commission. This week we'll feature the first of two excerpts from a 2020 interview of Riley by Eric Guth/4Z1UG. Our 2nd Riley excerpt will post as Classic RAIN Ham Cast #26 on August 22, 2020. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 07-25-2020

This is ClassicRAIN ham cast #24, posted July 25, 2020. In this Classic RAIN Ham cast we'll bring you three audio items all from 1988. The first is a short 1988 interview with Jim O'Connell/W9WU. OConnell is a Chicago trial attorney, who, over the years, has represented many midwest hams in antenna litigation; a conversation between W9WU and Hap Holly/KC9RP. The second piece of this trilogy is a guest commentary written and voiced by former RAIN script reader, Angelo Polvere/KA9CSO about the inordinate amount of time it took over 30 years ago for the FCC to process Amateur Radio license applications. That was truly problematic for what were then Novice class hams. The third piece will take you back to a 1988 W5YI Report news item about Radio Shack stores getting into the ham radio equipment business; introduced by former RAIN script reader Scott Childers/W9CHI, but read by his wife (at the time) Nina Molina/KA9WJZ. Don't miss the QSO Today virtual Ham Expo, scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8 and Sunday, Aug. 9. More than 13,000 attendees had registered for it at press time; and 70 forum speakers are scheduled to speak during the 2-day virtual expo. And Hap is scheduled to have a small booth there. Get more details on qsotoday.com. The Classic RAIN Ham Cast is copyright 1987-2020 RAIN, all rights reserved. Transmit this ham cast if you like, but please do so in its entirety. Classic RAIN Ham Cast 25 will post August 8, 2020. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 07-10-2020

This is Classic RAIN ham cast #23 posted July 11, 2020, voiced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Last time we brought you the first of two excerpts from a rare 1988 audio interview with Amateur Radio pioneer, Leo Meyerson/W0GFQ. This time we conclude Glenn Baxter/K1MAN's conversation with Leo. [1988 P2 14M] Quoting from a 2011 obituary about this ham radio legend, published by the ARRL, the national organization: for Amateur Radio: "For his contributions to Amateur Radio Meyerson was named the 1997 Ham of the Year at the Dayton Hamvention. Meyerson collaborated with Jim Musgrove, K5BZH, on his autobiography, called In Tune with Leo. “Leo Meyerson is someone who really impressed me,” Musgrove told the ARRL. “He may not have been tall, but he was certainly a giant of a man." In 1927 Leo heard W9CHT, his first ham. That experience really captured his attention. In 1928, Leo got his ham license, W9GFQ. In those days there was no 0 call district. Continuing to read from the ARRL Obituary "In 1953, the company name (WRL) was changed to WRL Electronics, and then to Globe Electronics in 1956. In 1959 the company company was sold to Textron. Meyerson continued in the retail radio business with World Radio, getting back into manufacturing with Galaxy Electronics in 1962. Galaxy was sold to Hy-Gain in 1970. Meyerson retired in 1977, continuing as an active radio amateur until his death in 2011." The Classic RAIN ham cast is copyright 1988-2020, all rights reserved. Congrats to RAIN Founder and Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, who retired from the work-a-day world July 3. July 4 was truly his 'independence' day. Please see his Go-Fund-Me page. Classic RAIN Ham Cast #24 will post July 25. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 06-27-2020

This is ClassicRAIN ham cast #22, posted June 27, 2020. During the years Hap Holly/KC9RP produced his RAIN Reports (1990-2019) he interview some of the movers and shakers of Amateur Radio. One he regretably missed was Leo Meyerson/W0GFQ. Meyerson put Council Bluffs, Iowa on the map with his World Radio Labs, distributor of ham gear by Globe and Galaxy. The late Glenn Baxter/K1MAN spoke with Leo in 1988. [1988 P1 13M] We'll conclude this interview with Amateur Radio pioneer, Leo Meyerson next time. Before we go we have a humorous commentary about Field Day, an annual event that many of you will have missed by the time you hear this. It's another piece of ham radio audio from 1988, written and voiced by broadcaster Chuck Bullet/WB1AEK. [1988 3M] ClassicRAIN hamcast #23 will post July 11. Don't forget to take a look at Hap's Go-Fund-Me page on therainreport.com. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 06-13-2020

This is ClassicRAIN ham cast #21, posted June 13, 2020, introduced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Last time we presented the first of two excerpts from a 2019 presentation by ham radio's cheer-leader, Gordon West/WB6NOA, voiced for QSOToday, a weekly ham cast produced by Israeli ham Eric Guth/4Z1UG. This is our second excerpt from Gordo's entertaining story. 2019 P2 20M). To hear Gordo's entire hour-long story, go to qsotoday.com and play episode 264. (Audio courtesy of QSOToday). The ClassicRAIN ham cast is copyright 1985-2020 RAIN, all rights reserved. You are welcome to download these ClassicRAIN ham casts for your own use, as a radio club program, or for transmitting over Amateur Radio. ClassicRAIN Ham cast #22 will post June 27. Ah, but before I go, Hap Holly/KC9RP, RAIN's founder and producer, has been asked of late to expand the RAIN Archive. he needs your help to do so. You'll see his Go-Fund-Me page on therainreport.com. Very 73 and KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 05-29-2020

This is Classic RAIN #20 released May 29, 2020, introduced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Who is ham radio's #1 cheerleader? Gordon West/WB6NOA. In the summer of 2019 Gordo was interviewed by Eric Guth/4Z1UG for Eric's QSO Today podcast. Here's our first of two excerpts from that podcast, introduced by Eric. [2019 P1 19M ] (Audio courtesy of QSO Today). We'll hear more of Gordo's story next time. The Classic RAIN ham cast is copyright 1985-2020 RAIN, all rights reserved. This ham cast may be transmitted via Amateur Radio in its entirety. Classic RAIN #21 will post June 12th. KEEP ON HAMMING!c

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 05-15-2020

This is Classic RAIN #19 released May 16, 2020, introduced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. As we edge closer to summer in the United States there will be opportunities for ham radio to provide logistical and communications support for public service events--Covid19 notwithstanding. One of the earliest audio productions RAIN Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP, pieced together consisted of two presentations dealing with organizing and handling communications for a public service event. In Chicago's northwest suburbs The Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club (SARC) assisted in 5-K. runs, marathons and parades going back 35-plus years. In 1985 two of their members, Steve McMinn/WD9EIC and Paul Bocci/K9NO, teamed up to provide some useful how-to's that are just as valid all these years later. [1985 17M] Feel free to download this ham cast share it with your ham friends that may be planning to assist in public service events this summer. This ham cast is copyright 1985-2020 RAIN, all rights reserved. CR ham cast #20 will post May 29. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 05-01-2020

This is Classic RAIN #18 released May 1, 2020; introduced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Where were you on Friday, April 29, 1988? RAIN's Founder/Producer, Hap Holly/KC9RP, (along with thousands of others) was attending the 1988 Dayton Hamvention...his first. In those years the Hamvention was held at the Hara arena, both inside and out, often in rather wintery weather. After getting back from his first 3-day ham "show of shows", Hap filed the following audio report for the Chicago-based BEAR (Broadcast Employees Amateur Repeater) Information Service . (new equipment report from Roberto/WD9FXC) and report about a fire in the Royal Motel). At that Hamvention Hap conducted a number of interviewed inside his Hamvention booth. Short excerpts from a handful of them can be heard at this point. Hap later packaged them for his RP Report. [1988 18M] With cooperation from the Dayton Amateur Radio Assoc. (DARA) Hap recorded and excerpted from hundreds of Hamvention forums between 1990 and 2018 for the RAIN Report. ClassicRAIN#18 ham cast is copyright 1987-2020 RAIN, all rights are reserved. Archives of Classic RAIN and a number of RAIN Reports can be heard on and downloaded from therainreport.com. We'll be back with ClassicRAIN#19 in mid May. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 04-18-2020

This is Classic RAIN #17 for April 18, 2020, introduced by Will Rogers/K5WLR. In 1974 RAIN's Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP, was graduated from Principia College in southern Illinois. One of his classmates was Rick Dearborn/N1CKU. Rick went on to become Radio Operations Manager for WCSN, an international 500 KW shortwave juggernaut, owned at the time by the Christian Science Publishing Society in Boston, MASS. Hap caught up with Rick at the 1988 Dayton Hamvention. [1988 10M] WCSN transmitted 500 kilowatts into a 300-foot-high sturba curtain from the state of Maine. That would certainly get your attention! Classic RAIN ham casts are copyright 1987-2020 RAIN, all rights reserved. We'll post #18 in May. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 04-04-2020

This is Classic RAIN #16, hosted by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Due to some glitches with a new install of Windows 10, we missed the February 29, Leap Year Classic RAIN and those for March as well. We apologize for the missing ham casts. For the newcomers among you the mid to late 1980s were a turbulent time for ham radio, especially for 220 MHz enthusiasts. In the late 80s RAIN's Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP, helped facilitate a National Teleconference Radio Net to promote the value of the 220 MHz ham band that the FCC had partially reallocated to the United Postal Service in the late 1980s. The 220 amateur band was shrunken from 220-225 MHz down to 222-225. During the 'warmup' to the nationwide "Save 220" ham cast, one veteran of the ham radio press expressed his perspective about the rocky road the 220 band had been down. He was the late outspoken Wayne Greene/W2NSD, who founded 73 magazine in 1960, and was publisher of it in the 80s. [1988 6M] I must remind you that Wayne's observations were voiced in the introduction to a "Save 220" National Teleconference Radio Net in 1988. ; it was introduced by RAIN Founder Hap Holly/KC9RP to promote interest in the 220 band in the late 80s, several years before the RAIN Report came to fruition. Editorial Note: "While activity on the 220 Amateur band has grown significantly over the last 30 years in major U.S. markets. i.e. Chicago, New York, SO. Cal. and the like, just spend time outside these populous areas, and you'll see how sparse 220 activity still is away from your major cities." The CLASSICRAIN episodes are updated biweekly on therainreport.com; and may be transmitted on Amateur Radio. Once these episodes are posted to the Classic RAIN archive on therainreport.com. They'll remain on the opening screen until the next upload, ClassicRAIN17) scheduled to be posted April 17. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 02-14-2020

This is ClassicRAIN#15 for February 15, 2020. The views expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect those of anyone connected with the Radio Amateur Information Network. It has been said that ham radio is a microcosm of society. and as such reflects the diversity of opinion and lifestyles of that society. One such fringe group is the gay/lesbian community. Thirty years ago Bob Laycock/KA8UHL was Secretary of LARC, the Lambda Amateur Radio Club, an international gay/lesbian radio club. RAIN's Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Bob in 1989. [1989 17M] This was one of the most controversial interview Hap conducted in the 30-plus years he produced hamradio programming. This concludes ClassicRAIN#15. ClassicRAIN is copyright 1988-2019 RAIN, all rights reserved. #16 will post February 29. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 01-31-2020

This is ClassicRAIN#14 for January 31, 2020. Whether you live in the city or out in the country, you probably have found woodpeckers nesting in some of the strangest places; but none so strange as your HF receivers. There you'll find woodpeckers that don't sound like any others. Over-the-horizon woodpeckers were a real pest in the 80s. Bob Horavitz made a study of these high tech woodpeckers during the 80s. At the time Bob was Executive Secretary for ANARC, the Association of North American Radio Clubs. RAIN Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP, caught up with Bob at the 1988 Dayton Hamvention. [1988 14M] It should be noted here that these high tech woodpeckers went the way of the Soviet Union in 1989. ClassicRAIN is copyright 1988-2020, RAIN, all rights are reserved. ClassicRAIN#15 will post February 14, 2020. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 01-17-2020

This is ClassicRAIN#13 for January 17, 2020. Relations between the U.S. Amateur Service and the Federal Communications Commission soured considerably in the late 1980s in the wake of the Commission's reallocation of the bottom two mHz of the 220-225 MHz Amateur band. Many felt the FCC was literally auctioning spectrum off to the highest bidder. And in fact, according to Ben Kobb/KC5CW, Founder and Publisher of the Federal Communications Tech News in Washington D.C., it would have liked to have done just that. RAIN Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke with Ben about his concerns in 1989. Unfortunately the late 80's reallocation of 220-222 MHz from the 220 Amateur band was never reinstated in the U.S. Amateur Service. ClassicRAIN#14 will be posted January 31st. ClassicRAIN is copyright 1988-2020 RAIN, all rights reserved. KEEP ON HAMMING! ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 01-07-2020

This is Classic RAIN #11 for Dec. 21, 2019. Producing audio programming for airing at Christmas time is a challenge. And so it was all those years Hap Holly/KC9RP produced the RAIN Report (from 1990-2019). The best holiday edition of the RAIN Report was aired 1996. It was voiced by Angelo Polvere/KA9CSO, a familiar voice in Chicago in the 80s and 90s serving as net control for local VHF/UHF on-air special-event nets as well as narrating occasional RAIN Reports like this one from 1996. It included three recordings: The first was a piece voiced by Bill/WB9P, writtenabout Santa's flight from an engineer perspective (author unknown). The 2nd is a rare editorial written in 1991 and read by RAIN Founder Hap Holly/KC9RP called "The Power of Gratitude. The third piece is a reading of an adaptation of the late Walter A. Tompkins's "A Ham's Christmas" voiced by Oren Brand/K9KEJ. Classic RAIN is copyright 1987-2019 RAIN, all rights reserved. The Classic RAIN crew bids you very 73 and 44 from the Radio Amateur Information ion Network. Classicrain#12 will air January 3, 2020. See you then!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 12-21-2019

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 12-07-2019

This is Classic RAIN #10 for Dec. 7, 2019. Imagine paying a $5.00 fee to license your cell phone, pager, ham transceiver or CB radio! And if you were caught not licensing these devices with your state, you'd possibly pay a fine or serve time in prisson. In 1989 it was no joke in Illinois, especially to state Senator William Shaw, 34th District. Shaw wanted to license CB radios, beepers and cellular phones in Illinois thirty years ago!. Why, you ask? Hap Holly/KC9RP spoke to Shaw for some answers. [1989 10:25] Fortunately his proposal went no where...nor did he. Classic RAIN is a production of RAIN, the Radio Amateur Information Network. Hap Holly/KC9RP will return with Episode 11 on December 21. Classic RAIN is copyright 1989-2019 RAIN, all rights are reserved. See you in two weeks. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 11-23-2019

This is CLASSIC RAIN #8 for Nov. 8, 2019. Harry Dannals, W2HD is considered by many as the Father of No Code. He was licensed in 1946 at age 19. Harry's accomplishments include: 1993 DARA Ham of the Year; Lifetime President Emeritus for serving as President of both the ARRL (American Radio Relay League) from 1972-1982; and later President of QCWA, the Quarter Century Wireless Assoc. from 1989-1994. (It was QCWA's proposal that resulted in today's No Code Technician license;) recognition for 70 years of service to Amateur Radio by QCWA in 2016. We present our final excerpts from a 1993 interview with this long-time Charlottesville, VA. resident by RAIN Report founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP. That does it for Classic RAIN #8, a biweekly production of the Radio Amateur Information Network; copyright from the beginning of ham radio or 1989-2019 RAIN, all rights reserved. We'll be back November 22 with episode #9. Very 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network; I'm Will Rogers, K5WLR...KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 11-09-2019

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 10-26-2019

This is CLASSIC RAIN #7 for Oct. 25, 2019. Here's a trivia question for you: Who is the only ham to be awarded lifetime President Emeritus for his presidency of both the American Radio Relay League (ARRL)from 1972-1982; and QCWA, the Quarter Century Wireless Assoc. from 1989-1994? Here's a clue: QCWA recognized this ham for 70 years of service to Amateur Radio in 2016. He's Harry Dannals/W2HD, a long-time resident of Charlottesville, Virginia now in his ...73rd... year as a ham. Incidentally, Harry was a driving force behind the no-code tech license. RAIN's Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP had a lengthy conversation with Harry in March, 1993 shortly before Harry was awarded the prestigious 1993 Ham of the Year award by the Dayton Amateur Radio Assoc. at the Dayton Hamvention banquet that spring. This week we bring you part 1 of that conversation. We'll bring you more excerpts from Hap's interview with Harry in Classic RAIN #8, the weekend of Nov. 8. Classic RAIN is a biweekly production of the Radio Amateur Information Network; copyright 1989-2019 RAIN, all rights reserved. Very 73 from the Radio Amateur Information Network. K5WLR...KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 10-12-2019

CLASSICRAIN#6 for 10-11-19: One of the resources Hap Holly/KC9RP drew upon in his early years of producing audio ham radio programming was Bill Pasternak/WA6ITF, co-founder and driving force behind Westlink Radio, known today as the Amateur Radio Newsline. One of Bill's interviews Hap most cherishes was a short interview with former Sen. Berry Goldwater/K7UGA conducted in 1989 by national science reporter and familiar Amateur Radio Newsline voice in the 80s and 90s, Roy Neal/K6DUE. A number of voices that became familiar to our RAIN Report listeners in the 90s were first heard on the BEAR Information Service (BIS) in suburban Chicago in the late 80s. One of those familiar voices was Blair Alper/KA9SEQ, an Iowa ham whose ham roots were as the trustee for the so-called Lid Far 220 repeater in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park before he relocated to Iowa in the 90s. Classic RAIN is a biweekly production of the Radio Amateur Information Network, produced by RAIN Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP; copyright 1988-2019 RAIN, all rights reserved. We'll be back with episode #7 Oct. 25. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 09-28-2019

This is CLASSICRAIN#5: During the 30 years Hap Holly/KC9RP produced the RAIN Report, he encountered hundreds of ham radio commentaries - after all commentaries are like 'butts' everyone has one! Hap shared some of these op-ed pieces with his RAIN listeners over the years-like these three: The first was written and voiced by Jack Schmidling /NR9Q, a net control station in the late 80'S for the Amateur Radio Forum on 3950 kHZ (80 meters). 9:00 PM Central time Thursdays back in the late 80's. Jack gave this guest commentary a unique name: No Code and Ham Radio Moonies. Our second "no nonsense" guest commendary was penned and read by Ron Kritzman/K9ID, Ron did not apply any title to it but it remains one of the classic op-ed pieces Hap shared in the late 80s. Our third and final thoughtful commentary was written and delivered by a ham in the greater Chicago area late in the 80s; Jim Beedle/W9NIN, who was a morning announcer on the Satellite Music network 30 years ago. CLASSICRAIN updates every two weeks on therainreport.com. #6 will be posted Oct. 11. CLASSICRAIN is a biweekly production of the Radio Amateur Information Network; copyright 1988-2019 RAIN, all rights reserved. KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 09-14-2019

THIS is Classic RAIN #4. For the 30 years Hap Holly/KC9RP produced the RAIN Report, he borrowed liberally from the dozens of forums held each year at the Dayton Hamvention in Dayton, Ohio. Occasionally Hap featured talks from the DARA(Dayton Amateur Radio Association. banquet during the 90's. Held in downtown Dayton Saturday night during the Hamvention each year , several hams were awarded what many called the "Oscars of Amateur Radio" by DARA. Here in our 4th Classic RAIN episode we'll bring you two short presentations from the April 24, 1993 DARA banquet, featuring Dick Janson/WD4FAB, and Robert Adams/WA9ZMO. [1993 14M] We'll be back with more classic RAIN the weekend of Sept. 27. The CLASSICRAIN is copyright 1989-2019 RAIN All rights reserved. You are welcome to air CLASSICRAIN over Amateur Radio in its entirety. Very '73' from the Radio Amateur Information Network; KEEP ON HAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 08-31-2019

This is Classic RAIN 3: ; Here in CLASSICRAIN3 you'll hear a special report that was filed by 220 Notes News Letter Editor, Art Reis/K9XI that will bring back painful memories to our long-time 220 enthusiasts; and we'll hear some tips on good repeater operating practices that are just as valid today as they were when these were voiced 30 years ago. In 1985 a Chicago-area repeater known as the BEAR, (the Broadcast Employees Amateur Repeater) became Chicago's most listened to machine Wednesday nights with it weekly BEAR Information Service, coordinated by Hap Holly/KC9RP. A major contributor to the B-I-S was Art Reis/K9XI, a driving force nationwide in the 220 community. In the 1980s the future of the 220-225 mHZ amateur band was in serious jeopardy. UPS, the United Parcel Service, was seeking a continuous band of frequencies for its untested ACSB (Amplitude Compandered SideBand technology. In the spring of 1989 Art wrote and voice a piece about the related Congreshional hearing on the FCC in docket 8714, tthat would eventually reallocate 220-222 mHZ from the U.S. 220 band for what eventually would become abandoned spectrum by UPS. [1989 12M] next some tips on good repeater etiquette written and voiced by Nina Molina/KA9WJZ. They're just as valid today as they were when she voiced them 30 years ago. [1989 3M] The CLASSICRAIN episodes are updated biweekly on therainreport.com; and can be transmitted over Amateur Radio in their entirety. CLASSICRAIN is copyright 1989-2019 RAIN, all rights reserved. Once these episodes are uploaded to TheRainReport.com, They'll remain on the opening screen until the next upload, scheduled for Sept. 13. KEEP ON HAMMING! .

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 08-17-2019

This is Classic RAIN, hosted by Will Rogers/K5WLR. Once these episodes are uploaded to the Classic RAIN archive on therainreport.com. They'll remain on the opening screen until the next upload, scheduled for Labor day weekend. Here in CLASSICRAIN2 we're going to travel back to Feb., 1989, a time when the so-called WARC bands (30, 17 and 12 meters) were on the verge of becoming new HF spectrum to the U.S. Amateur Radio Service. If you were licensed then, you may recall your anticipation of operating 17 meters in its infancy. One Canadian who remembers was Bob Billings/VE1YX from Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. RAIN's Founder, Hap Holly/KC9RP, spoke with Bob in 1988, 30 years ago when the FCC. allocated 17 meter spectrum to the U.S. Amateur Radio Service January 31, 1989. [1988 10M] The CLASSICRAIN episodes are updated biweekly on therainreport.com; and may be transmitted on Amateur Radio. We'll return Labor day weekend with CLASSICRAIN3. KEEP ONHAMMING!

The Classic RAIN Hamcast for 08-02-2019

This is Classic RAIN, archives from the RAIN Report that were never posted. Once these Classic episodes are uploaded to therainreport.com like this one, they'll remain on the opening screen until the next upload. So the Classic RAIN *CR* archive will have its own, separate archive. Here in CL1 we're going to take you back 30 years to 1989. Controversy raged then as it does today as to what needs to be done to keep the U.S. Amateur Radio Service viable. See what your thoughts are when you hear these two opposing commentaries from February, 1989. The first was "The Other Side of the Story", voiced by David Miller/NZ9E, a familiar voice on the RAIN Report during the 90s. Following Dave's commentary is an opposing op-ed piece filed just days later voiced by Mark Thompson/WB9QZB. Mark was the Founder of the Northern IL. Packet Council over 40 years ago. Mark's "Bytes From QBB" commentaries were heard regularly on the RAIN Report during the 90s. {13M} We'll be back in two weeks with CR2. here on RAIN, the RAIN Radio Amateur Information Network.