N1CC Home Page
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N1CC is located in TEXAS |
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This
page was last updated on December 16, 2012 .
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Operating Information |
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About a Ham's Canine Buddies |
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Rosebuds Dream of Pinebush 1989-2000 |
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| Luci Bella Labradoodle of Mabank TX 2012 - |
This is the Amateur Radio Home Page of Jim LaPorta. My amateur radio (HAM) call sign is N1CC. If you are not interested in HAM radio, then you may not find this page interesting. One of the main sub-hobbies within amateur radio is "contesting". I like to contest, which means to make very brief two-way contacts with other amateurs during a set time period, such as a weekend. This usually means that you don't get a chance to find out much about the other person you have contacted. I think the WWW offers the "Contester" an opportunity to describe their hobby particulars - in such a media that other "Contesters" will enjoy.
I find that "Contesting" is a wonderful training tool for emergency communications operations. The listening skills, getting the right information, and operating for an extended period of time all contribute to skill-building in preparedness for emergencies. Skills stay sharper when you use them often.
Contesting from
an in-the-city location, with limited space for antennas, offers a challenge
from both technical and "political" standpoints. To be successful,
the city-lot-limited Ham has to fit the best antennas possible within the
limits set by the community for safety. Fortunately, FCC's Public Radio Bureau
ruling "PRB1" and several meetings with the local community zoning
board allowed operation to be reasonably undertaken in Albany NY. In South
Carolina, where we resided for over two years the covenents
and restrictions did not allow outside antennas - which we chose for the
neighborhood and school system. Then relocated to Hickory
Creek, Texas (11/2000-12/2003), once again living under stringent covenents and restrictions. Apartments for two years
2003-2005 and now my new wife, NE5LL and I are living in our 2005 acquired lake
home southeast of the DFW area. Since this is a small lake lot, there is very limted space for any antennas. An Alpha-Delta DX-CC
shortened dipole installed in an inverted vee
configuration with the apex at 30 feet and the ends at at
10 feet running East-West has been used, in 2009 an DXEngineering
43 foot tall vertical with autotuner at its base,
with 15 radials was added and has seemed to improve my signal.
During 2010 another 17 radials were added making a total of 32 radials. A
lightning storm damaged all of the buried coax (LMR-400 Bury) to both antennas,
damaged the MFJ Remote TUner, and blew up
the Alpha-Delta Transi-Trap arrestors on August 13,
2010 (NO DAMAGE to station equipment or other devices inside the home! - Thank you Alpha-Delta!!!). All new connectors, coax,
arrestors, warranty-replaced MFJ Tuner, and a grounding buss with
multiple 8' ground rods was added to the station for repairs. The
Alpha-Delta DX-CC was replaced with an DX-LB providing
better low band close in horizontal support, and better 160 Meter
operation. The DX-CC was recut to be an 20-15-10 multiwire dipole
oriented for NE/SW signal enhancement - completed just before CQP event in
October. Station performance has greatly improved and has been measured
by attainment of contacts/mults in 33% LESS time on-the-air
than in 2009 season.
In 2011 a 40 foot tower with a Force 12 C3 Beam was placed into service and the
Alpha-Delta DX-LB was reoriented. MFT 1026 Noise Canceller and ClrDSP Audio Filter were added to try and mitigate the line
noise from poorly maintained CoOp power
company. We also discovered that an ONCOR substation 2.5 miles to
my North East is creating horrible noise levels. We are (January 2012)
still working with our CoOP and trying to get ONCOR
to come out and correct their "cost-engineered" system and stop the
radiation of what I feel is "intentional" interference on their part.
Trinity Valley
Electric Cooperative obtained equipment and training to resolve noise issues
and by July 2012 the noise was lower than it had been for a few years. Part of the solution was having my Texas
State Representative speak to ONCOR about the laws that apply and that ensured
they would go to Eustace and fix their horrible “noise source”. The start of the 2012 Contest Season has
been more peaceful – man-made noise levels under better control.
My call sign since 1978 has been N1CC. Previously, I held *W5LA , W5QGZ, DL4LA, WA0ISO and K6SXX. I have been an amateur since 1956.
*W5LA was reassigned after 18 years of silence to Jim Ragsdale, formerly K4QG. My old call was His second choice in the 1997 FCC Vanity Call exercise!
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I am an active member of the North Texas Contest Club. I
created the club's website. |
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As a member of QCWA since 1981 and
Chapter 41 - Dallas since return to North
Texas. QCWA is active in Amateur legislative matters and in supporting
scholarships for deserving young amateur radio operators. President of this
Chapter for two terms 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 and a Director of Chapter 41
July 2004-December 2005
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I joined the Southeast Contest
Club (SECC) and lived in Lexington, SC ... just inside the SECC
"circle"!
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In the Dallas Amateur Radio
Club (W5FC) (1969-1978 and 2000-2001). I was the 1973 President. Field
Day Chairman several times.
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I am a former member of the
Yankee Clipper Contest Club (W2PV). The YCCC is the North Eastern
U.S.A.'s largest amateur radio contest group. The club is centered in Sturbridge,
MA. YCCC members meet bimonthly for regular meetings and operate
"Contest University" at various times throughout the year. |
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I was a member of Albany
Amateur Radio Association (K2CT) the first NY Capital Region club
on the WWW! AARA is a Special Services Club active in local community service
where club members provide mobile communications to support charitable and
community activities and for emergency communications. One of the nation's
oldest Ham Clubs organized and incorporated in 1912. First Webmaster for AARA
and held offices of Vice President(90), Director(89, 91), Publisher(91-93)
and Field Day Chairman(95,96) |
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Club membership while in
Connecticut (1978-1988) was limited to Murphy's Marauders, as there were no
local clubs in Northwestern Connecticut. Briefly a member of the Waterbury
Amateur Radio Club. Northwestern Connecticut does not have a
"high-level" of organization for Amateur Radio as it is very rural
and no concentration of hams to support a club exists. |
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N1CC is a Life Member of the American Radio Relay League. I
worked at ARRL Headquarters in 1978 as Deputy Communications Manager.
Previous ARRL field appointments included Route Manager, Official Observer,
Official Bulletin Station, and Official Relay Station. The ARRL is a national
membership organization of amateur radio operators. Prime purposes of the
ARRL include lobbying the US Congress in behalf of amateur radio and
representing the United States in the International Amateur Radio Union at
the ITU.
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For
more about N1CC you can select from the following options:
Copyright Jim LaPorta, N1CC 1988-2012
You can contact me on the air during contests, or N1CC via Internet Mail
. 73, de Jim N1CC