Author: k9hi

Paul Laconto, W1NP writes:

On October 16, 17, 2010 the Cape Cod and Island Council of the Boy Scouts of America is sponsoring the annual Jamboree On The Air scouting communication event at Camp Greenough along with fellow ham radio operators to communicate with scouts in the United States and the world. The event is an international undertaking and will be held at the pavilion near the administration building at the camp. Barnstable Amateur Radio Club amateurs and others along with Cape Cod Explorer Post 73 amateurs will be operating the stations [under the call sign W1EXP]. The event will begin on Saturday Oct. 16 at 9:00 AM and continue into the evening. On Sunday Oct 17 the event will begin at 9:00 AM and continue to about 3:00 PM. This event is opened to Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Explorers and Venturers.

During the event ham radio operators will establish a contact with other JOTA stations or individual ham stations and allow our scouts to have conversations with other scouts or radio amateurs in various parts of the country and the world. The ham radio operators will also demonstrate various modes of communication that they use.

The modes of communication planned are as follows:

HF communication via voice contacts on the 6, 10, 15, 20, 40, and 80-meter radio frequency bands where the scouts will communicate with each other throughout the United States and the world.

VHF communication via voice contacts on the 2-meter radio frequency band through repeaters. Scouts will be able to talk to other scouts in the New England area in this mode.

PACKET communications via Radio and computer together connecting to other packet stations to relay messages directly or into their station mailbox. Winlink connection will able scouts to send emails through the radio to their families and friends.

APRS communications (automatic positioning reporting system) With the use of VHF radio, computer and GPS units, this mode of operation allows ham stations to send beacons which get displayed on a map and from this map messages can be sent from station to station. Mobiles with GPS units and radios in their vehicle will have their signals transmitted to the map as well at a predetermined interval. Therefore you can watch the vehicle travel on the map to its destination.

PSK31 communication is a digital mode with the use of HF radios and computers to connect to ham stations throughout the world. This mode requires less power to connect and the conversations are through a computer keyboard.

ECHOLINK communications is a computer to computer or a computer to radio mode, which connects to the Internet where you can select a station who you wish to talk to from a list. This mode of operation, stations listed are from all over the world.

CW mode also known as Morse code. At this mode you can have communication with stations over the world and was one of the first modes that ham operators needed to learn and is still popular today.

SLOW SCAN TV MODE This mode of communication allows for sending pictures between stations through radio and computers combined.

There are additional modes we may demonstrate depending on equipment availability.

You will be able to see and experience the equipment needed that ham operators use such as different types of radios, power supplies, antennas and other misc. equipment.

We will also have other related activities during the event for participation.

We will have literature available and we will have a limited amount of 100 aniversary of scouting JOTA patches for distribution to the scouts for those who participate.

Boy scouts who plan on working toward their Radio merit badge can achieve some of their requirements at this event.

We will also have a signup for any youth or adult wishing to take a class to to get his or her ham radio license which will be given on the Thanksgiving weekend at the Marconi museum in Chatham, MA. and after the class will take the Technician license exam.

Members of the Southeastern MA Amateur Radio Associaton demonstrated Amateur Radio at a Friends of the Forest outing in the Freetown-Fall River State Forest on September 26, 2010.

The demonstration featured an operational ham station on HF with a long wire antenna, along with 2 meters, 220, 440, and 900 MHz. A large camper with solar power was supplied by W1BEP; it sported the SEMARA club banner.

Club members made on-air contacts, and “spoke with a lot of people about the hobby.”

–Thanks, SEMARA Zero Beat, October 2010

Shown here (lower left): Brad Paiva, W1BEP with Smokey the Bear, SWL. Upper right, L-R: Marcel, W1MLD; Joe, N1IXC; Paul, KA1IB; Brad Paiva, W1BEP; Sonny, K1USW. Not shown: Marty, KA1YFV.

We are in the process of looking for hams who would be available to support Red Cross stations, on land and on water. This year’s event will be [October 22, 23 and 24, 2010]. If you are available for any portion of these 3 days, all help would be appreciated.

We are looking for individuals with HT capabilities to [provide] emergency communications on boats, at a Red Cross tent, and [….] for walk teams at first aid stations.

Specific times will come soon but rough schedules are…. Friday (22nd) starting around 12 pm. Saturday (23rd) and Sunday (24th) starting around 6am.

If you are available and can assist, please send me the following information.

Name
Call Sign
Email address
Best available phone number
How many years you have been doing The Head of The Charles
Your preferred station
Dates of availability
Jacket/T-Shirt size

Please note:

I can not guarantee station assignments until closer to the event.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. As the event gets closer you will be receiving more information.

Please note I am also looking for certified lifeguards over the age of 16. If you know of any who would be interested in volunteering as well, please send them my way.

Thank you!

Heather Arnold
Emergency Communications Coordinator
978-882-5081
LG1HOCR@gmail.com
Heather Arnold
978-882-5081
BBM: 32278A57

The Falmouth Amateur Radio Association is having its 12th Annual FARA FEST from 9 a.m. til 12 noon on November 13, 2010 at the Upper Cape Regional Tech School, 220 Sandwich Road in Bourne, MA. The event will feature ham, computer, and electronics equipment; a VE testing session; and E-recycling. Doors open to vendors at 7 a.m.

Admission for buyers is $5.00; free for children under 14. There is plenty of free parking.

Sellers will be provided tables for 7-foot indoor spaces for $10.00 per space ($9.00 if mailed by Nov. 1, 2010). Bring your own tables for outdoor space, weather permitting. Advanced Registration can be made using PayPal or Check.

Talk-in will be provided on 146.655 MHz (-600 KHz) and 444.250 (+5 MHz pl: 141.3).

For more information and detailed directions, visit http://www.falara.org/FleaMarket/farafleas.html.

Bob Leiden, K1UI writes on www.barnstablearc.org:

Dana Henrique [WA1KYU] will be offering another Technician Amateur Radio License in a weekend course to be taught Friday – Sunday of the 2010 Thanksgiving weekend.

Amateur Radio Class
Technician Level (Element 2)
Dates: November 26 – 28, 2010
Time: 1 – 5 PM Each day
Registration Deadline: November 12, 2010 – contact
Dana at 508-432-1383 or dec123@comcast.net

Location: Chatham Maritime Marconi Center
847 Orleans Road., N. Chatham, MA 02650

Duration: 3 sessions of 4 hours each

Fee: This class is offered free of charge. Instructors volunteer their time and materials – we receive no payment for our services. Donations to the organization are welcomed but not required.

Materials: You will need to purchase a copy of the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual #0830 and have it in your possession well in advance of the first class. It is available from the ARRL for $24.95. http://www.arrl.org. Call them toll free at: 1-888-277-5289.

Age: There is no specific age requirement to hold an Amateur Radio license but a certain level of ability, knowledge, and concentration are necessary to pass the test. Children 12 years and up generally do well. Itʼs possible a younger child could pass the exam given sufficient desire to do so, commitment, and ability to learn.

Parents: Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. You will be expected to attend the classes with your child so plan on making this an activity you do together. No parent/guardian, no class, no exceptions.

Pre-study:
Before attending the first session, the student will be expected to have read and memorized the questions in Chapters 1, 6, 7, and 8 of the Ham Radio License Manual. These chapters are: “Welcome to Amateur Radio”, “Communicating with Other Hams”, “Licensing Regulations”, and “Operating Regulations”. Class time wonʼt be devoted to these topics, other than to answer specific questions someone may have at the start of the first class. You will need to know this material in order to pass the license exam which immediately follows the last class.

Instructor:
Dana S. Henrique, WA1KYU. Dana holds an Extra Class Amateur Radio License and a commercial General Radiotelephone Operator License. Heʼs an ARRL registered instructor, as well as a certified Volunteer Examiner for both the ARRL and Laurel Amateur Radio Club. Heʼs a member of ARRL, Pilgrim Amateur Radio Club, Barnstable Amateur Radio Club, and Greater Orleans Amateur Radio Club. You may contact him at 508-432-1383 or email dec123@comcast.net

Co-instructor: Paul Laconto, W1NP. Paul holds an Extra Class Amateur Radio License and is a certified Volunteer Examiner for both the ARRL and Laurel Amateur Radio Club. Heʼs well known for excellent work with the Boy Scouts and is a member of ARRL, Pilgrim Amateur Radio Club, Barnstable Amateur Radio Club, and Greater Orleans Amateur Radio Club. You may contact him at 508-430-0109 or email w1np@juno.com

According to The Boston Globe, “Datz Hits, an FM broadcast pirate radio station with community ties in Mattapan, Dorchester, and Roxbury, is facing closing and a $30,000 fine from the Federal Communications Commission.” They’ve collected more than a thousand signatures on a petition asking that they be allowed to continue operating.

“Whitey” Doherty, K1VV writes:

The Marconi Radio Club will operate two HF stations to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the first rescue of an airship (America) by wireless. This was also the first wireless operation from an airship. Two stations will be operating, one representing the Airship America with W1AA/W and a second representing the rescue ship SS Trent with W1AA/RNR. America and SS Trent used these calls in 1910.

In the fall of 1910, Walter Wellman a newspaperman, built a new dirigible called America. Wellman’s plan was to fly to Europe in his airship America. He had a crew of four including Jack Irwin as his wireless operator. The call sign of America was “W”. Yes, that is correct, it was the single letter “W”. This was years before any issuing of wireless call signs by the government or any regulation. America left Atlantic City NJ on Oct. 15, 1910 and flew in a huge arc past Cape Cod and then southeast for over 1,000 miles before engine trouble forced the journalist and his crew to abandon ship not far from Bermuda. Wellman brought the ship down within a mile of the SS Trent a passing steamer, which made spark gap wireless contact with the America and rescued all on board. The SS Trent then delivered Wellman and his crew to safely shore. This Atlantic adventure set a record for the longest airship flight to that time in aviation history. It was also the first operation of a wireless from an airship and the use of wireless communication, which resulted in the rescue of the American airship crew.

DX please QSL via the Bureau. Stateside via W1AA address OK on QRZ.COM. Two QSL cards are available W1AA/W for The America Airship and W1AA/RNR for the rescue vessel SS Trent. STATESIDE PLEASE SEND A BUSINESS SIZE #10 ENVELOPE – S.A.S.E

A certificate is also available to all stations who confirm QSOs with both “W” and “RNR”.PLEASE send a large S.A.S.E. , big enough for the 8 ½” x 11″ Certificate with enough postage for 3 ounces. $1.50 in stamps will cover most of the USA. DX stations must include enough postage to cover the return mailing cost to their country.

Watch the DX Summit for W1AA Spots. Use the W1AA Call SEARCH function on the DX Summit to find the recent W1AA postings. If you work us, please spot us on the DX Summit because any spot scrolls off the page in 5 minutes.

The full text of the new Massachusetts anti-texting law is now on-line at http://www.mmra.org/massachusetts_anti_texting_bill.pdf. The portion pertaining to the Amateur Radio exemption is highlighted in bold.

–Thanks, KB1OQA and the Minuteman Repeater Association

Larry Caruso, K1LGC writes in PRA625 list:

Saturday, October 9, 2010 members of the Pentucket Radio Association will be at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge headquarters building to help them kick off National Wildlife Refuge Week. We will have an HF rig on the air, much like a field day set-up, and intend to significantly light up the airwaves as we get the word out for this noble cause. Our special event call sign is once again “K1W.” The event is also slowly growing; to date there are thirteen other NWR sites scattered throughout the country which will also be on the air at the same time. For a complete list see this website: http://www.nwrweek-radio.info/activesites.htm

The refuge headquarters building is located at 5 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport, MA. If you’re a licensed ham interested in making a few contacts we’d love to see you. Or you can come with your family and spend the day enjoying the refuge. If you have friends with children (or without) invite them along too. It’s not just a radio event and Refuge manager Graham Taylor has events planned for the day which folks of all ages can enjoy! There will be a live animal touch tank from 10 am to noon and a curious creatures live animal show from 12:30 – 2:00pm. Out on the refuge itself will be a duck banding demonstration from 9 – 11 am (park at Refuge Lot 1) and a Plum Island History interpretive walk from 1 – 2:30 pm (pre-registration required; meet at the refuge headquarters building).

I will be there around 8:00 am to set up radio operations. Set-up is pretty simple and help is always appreciated. Dave Robertson has graciously offered his K3 for the event, so the old Icom 706 will be resting in the truck. Hope to see many of you there.

The Framingham Amateur Radio Association is offering a “crash course” for those who would like to upgrade to Amateur Extra class. The course is free and open to everyone, not just FARA members.

The dates are the following Saturdays: October 23, October 30, and November 6 and take place at the FARA shack from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. For further information, email Ed Weiss, W1NXC at EdAWeiss at cs dot com or call Ed at 508-881-2301.

Bob Salow, WA1IDA writes:

With nine years of successful events, the Boston Athletic Association Half Marathon continues as a “Boston Tradition.” Ham radio has established its community value at times like these. We have been asked again to support safety and administrative communications. With a little fine-tuning, including many ideas from hams, the event is expected to be even better than last year.

The park where the start and finish had been located is undergoing a major renovation, so the race starts and finishes at beautiful Franklin Park. Obviously the course must be adjusted. It is for this reason that hams can respond with our personal and communications flexibility. For those who have done this event before, you know the road conditions still call for our best support for the athletes. We need you again, and the Race Director has asked for even more ham help (that’s what happens when we are appreciated).

As this is being written, the new course is still being laid out and qualified to international standards. Much of the original route on the “Emerald Necklace” should be used.

If you are new to ham public service (or don’t have much familiarity with it), this is the way to become familiar without much pressure. For hams, this is an easy introduction and an appreciated community service.

Date: Sunday, 10 October 2010
Ham start: 0600
Ham finish: 0930 to 1130 (depending on location)

Yes, I know it is the day before Columbus Day. The upside is it starts early and ends early, leaving plenty of time to enjoy the long weekend. Your help is greatly needed to continue this as a superb event and to uphold our reputation for dependable support. Our assignments consist of monitoring hazardous and critical locations along the course, and the medical/support stations. As we did in the past, we plan to use a 2-meter repeater and possibly a 70-cm repeater. A hand-held with a good battery and an antenna better than a “rubber duck” is the way to go.

If you can help, please contact the BARC Public Service Office as soon as possible. The assignments and more detail will be sent as soon as they are available. For most assignments, you can go directly to your station. Please send your best email address and a phone number (cell, also). Parking should be available very close to each assignment. Feel free to contact Tom Bertolino, KB1P, to volunteer or if you have any questions at kb1p at arrl dot net or 781.608.6186.

—Thanks, Boston ARC’s “The SPARC” Sept. 2010

Don Burke, KB1LXH writes:

We are just [a few weeks] from the 53rd Jamboree on the Air. This year’s event will take place on October 16th.

I will be putting together a group of hams from the Taunton Area Communications Group and our friends from the Whitman Amateur Radio Club.

We will operate from Camp Norse in Kingston, MA from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday using the call sign KC1TAC. We will again be using local 2-meter repeaters and Scout HF frequencies.

Last year the 52nd JOTA Group put 238 Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Girls Scouts on air and we hope to continue with that success. These young Scouts will be the life blood of our hobby in the coming years and I need your help to make it as exciting as we can for them.

What do we need this year? Operators at camp, the use of local repeaters, and of course–contacts!

First–if you have helped out in the past or would like to help out this year, please contact me and I will add your name to the 53rd JOTA Group list. I will give you all the information needed to for a day.

Second–are you a trustee of a local repeater? Or do you know someone who is? Please Ask them if we may list their repeater as a place to make contacts during the JOTA events on Saturday, October 16th. The Whitman ARC has already said yes. I will complete a list and pass it along as the date nears. We have had a great response from our friends in the past and because of you we have been able to get every Scout on the air–some 500 boys and girls in just three years. Also, if your repeater has Echolink or IRLP, on the day of JOTA will you add “JOTA” to your station’s name description?

Third–will you be hosting a JOTA event with your Scout Pack/Den or Troop/Crew? I’d like to add your groups to our list of Scout contacts.

Maybe you don’t have a Scout connection and want to help anyway from your QTH? We still want to hear from you! Please mark your calendar for the October 16th.

Feel Free to pass this request on to your club members and ham radio friends. The bigger the list the better the time. With your help and some good weather we will have another great JOTA event in Eastern Massachusetts. Thank you for your assistance; we’ll look for you on the air.

Members of the Massasoit Amateur Radio Association and others provided communication support for the Sixth Annual D. W. Field Park Triathlon on Sunday, September 19, 2010. The weather cooperated wonderfully; 129 participants registered for the triathlon which consisted of a 14 mile bike race followed by 1.7 mile canoe/kayak race, and a 4 mile road race. The event was situated in a beautiful park setting, complete with swans and great blue herons nearby. The park was closed to all but race participants.

—Thanks, NI1X and Whitman ARC “Spectrum”

Amateur radio volunteers (L-R): Bob Keene, N1LCY; Paul Moss, KB1MTW; Carl Aveni, N1FY; Paul Burbine, N1VTI, kneeling; Karen Trask, KB1UBX; Bob Loring, K1REL; Phil McNamara, N1XTB with his son Philip, SWL; Roy Logan, KB1CYV; and Bruce Hayden, NI1X. Not present when the picture was taken: Allan Cox, K1VQ and Bob Azanow, KA1KIJ.

Dave Steeves, KB1MKW writes:

“The [Chelsmford High School ARC] N1CHS should be on the air after school from 2:00 pm for an hour or so each day if schedules permit. Being on the East Coast we lose out on contacting schools on the West Coast do to the time zones. A possible idea is to have the CHSARC students and parents meet for a couple hours one evening during this contesting week at the school to operate in the [School Club Roundup] to make some contacts to other schools on the west coast and also to meet the Amateur Radio Club adviser and teacher, Dave Steeves, KB1MKW.

“This is a fun event for all kids in the school club to be able to get together and socialize and be able to speak with other students on the air. We have seen an increase in use of PSK31 during this contest, I think the kids like this mode because it is like texting to them. But phone is great just to just to hear the voices of other students. We are hoping that the members of the Police Amateur Radio Team will be able to make a contact with the CHSARC during the contest week. In the past this event has been successful. An operating schedule could be posted on the PART-L list or look for N1CHS on the DX clusters. In the September, 2010 issue of QST, page 62 there is a story about the past School Club Roundup success.

“The school’s radio is a Yaesu FT-897D, 100 watts only, and the antenna is a Cushcraft vertical R6000, 6 through 20 meters. The antenna is mounted on the school’s roof. You can see this antenna from Route 3. At this time we don’t have coax to run to the roof (250ft) to install a VHF antenna. The club room is located on the ground level and there are three stories above to the roof. The club does have one old computer that is connected to the Yaesu FT-897D; it is running Ham Radio Deluxe for PSK31 etc.

“The CHSARC is looking forward to meeting our new members this fall.”

Thanks PART “PARTicles,” September, 2010, and Senior Physics Teacher and CHSARC Adviser Dave Steeves, KB1MKW

A prominent Eastern MA amateur has been published in QST. Tony Brock-Fisher, K1KP’s work on page 43 of the October, 2010 issue entitled, “Is Your Tower Safe?” describes “galvanic corrosion — what it can do to underground structural tower components, and ways the problem can be avoided.”

Brock-Fisher is trustee and treasurer of the Philips Amateur Radio Club in Andover, MA. He’s worked at Hewlett-Packard, Agilent and Philips Electronics for 32 years in the field of diagnostic medical ultrasound. K1KP is an avid contester and DXer.

Sept. 16, 2010–The World Radiosport Team Championship Sanctioning Committee has announced the US — specifically, New England, led by two prominent New England contesters, Doug Grant, K1DG and Randy Thompson, K5ZD — has won the bid to host the next WRTC in 2014. [Details]