Author: k9hi

Clubs

N1DM: “A Smorgasbord of Radio – the People Places and Incidents” at the Minuteman Repeater Association Hybrid Meeting, November 15, 2023

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MMRA logoThe Minuteman Repeater Association (MMRA) will hold its membership meeting on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 from 7:30—9:30 pm.

Dom Mallozzi, N1DM, will present “A Smorgasbord of Radio – the People Places and Incidents.”

This is a Hybrid meeting: Marlborough Central Fire Station + ZOOM. (Members: log into your account on MMRA.ORG to obtain the ZOOM info. Non-members: send an email to contact@mmra to request the ZOOM info.

Do you know what the most powerful radio station in New England is? Let’s find out. Dom will discuss some of the less known contributors to the development of radio, the operational sites in New England that brought radio from a laboratory oddity to a functional system along with discussing the affect of the sinking of the Titanic on radio regulation.

Licensed initially as WN1RFT in 1972 and now holds an Amateur Extra class license and FCC “General Radio Operators License” Dom started as a shortwave listener when young and eventually found his way through a local ham, Jim K1CBF, to the Providence Radio Association, W1OP. He took his licensing classes at the club in high school and eventually obtained an amateur extra class license. He also built a lot of Heathkits, many of which he still has and uses.

Dom received a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Rhode Island which led to a 38-year career as an electrical engineer at the Raytheon Co. in various Massachusetts locations specializing in measurement systems.

His ham radio interests are: CW, Antennas, 160 meters, satellites, homebrewing and DMR.

Clubs

N1DM: “Digital Mobile Radio” at Algonquin ARC Meeting, November 9, 2023

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Algonquin ARC logoKen Horton, KA1GFN, writes on the Algonquin ARC mailing list:

Reminder of tonight’s club meeting at the 1LT Charles W. Whitcomb Middle School, 25 Union St, Marlboro. Enter from Agoritsas Drive next to police station and use Door #1 at rear of building.

Doors open at 7 pm and meeting starts at 7:30 pm. Note that in the past there has been a couple of instance where members arrived later than 7:30 and the doors were locked. We have asked them if they can leave them unlocked until 8pm. If you think that you might be arriving late then I do also monitor the 446.675 PL 88.5 repeater prior to and at the meeting.

Dom, N1DM will present tonight on the topic of Digital Mobile Radio (DMR).

Clubs / Youth

Battery Talk at Northeastern University Wireless Club, November 9, 2023

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Northeastern Univ. logoMarty Sullaway, NN1C, writes on the NUWC mailing list:

This Thursday we will have a fun presentation on everything you’d ever want to know about batteries. Our in-house battery whiz Zach Perry will be giving us a look under the hood, and providing useful into and battery tips. Don’t miss it! We won’t let anything go up in smoke. As a reminder, If you would like to sit for an amateur radio exam session, we just announced two more dates; November 13th and 20th, both at 7:00 PM at 503 Hayden Hall. Please sign up here.That’s all I have for this week!Marty Sullaway, NN1CPresident, NUWC

Organization

New England Division Town Hall Meeting, November 8, 2023

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ARRL logoNew England Division Director Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, writes:

Phil Temples K9HI, our Assistant Directors, and I will hold our next New England Division Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, November 8th at 7 pm ET.The purpose of the meeting will be to provide you with an ARRL update, get your thoughts on what we should be focusing on, and answer any questions that you might have about the ARRL and what we are doing on behalf of ARRL members here in New England.We plan to spend a good deal of our time together answering your questions. If you’d like to send us a question in advance, you can do so via an email to ab1oc@arrl.org, or you can just plan to ask your questions during the Town Hall Meeting.We will hold our Town Hall Meeting via a Zoom Webinar. You can get a personal link to join the Town Hall Meeting via the following link (paste the link in your browser to register) –https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8kLEzMthRxmxlljwEQsaqQAfter registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.We hope to see you on November 8th!——————————————————————–ARRL New England DivisionDirector: Fred Kemmerer, AB1OCab1oc@arrl.org——————————————————————–

Clubs

N6MTS: “Open Headset Interconnect Standard” at New England Sci-Tech ARS Hybrid Meeting, November 14, 2023

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New England Sci Tech logoThe New England Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society will meet on-line and in-person on November14, 2023 at 7 PM and feature: “Open Headset Interconnect Standard” by Mark Smith, N6MTS.

Ham Radio has standards for connections between the radio and power source (13.8vDC), and between the radio and the antenna (50 ohm coax). There is, however, no such standard for the connection between the radio and the user. This makes it challenging in a multi-user environment like a club shack, contest station, or EOC, for a user to connect their own headset (with their own ear goobers (technical term)) to any radio, without carrying a full-mesh of adapters between all types of headsets and all types of radios. The Open Headset Interconnect Standard (OHIS) is an open standard (free like speech) that allows any OHIS compliant User Device (e.g., headsets) to connect to any OHIS compliant Radio Device.

Bio: Mark Smith, N6MTS, aka Smitty, has been a nerd of various types his whole life. He added Amateur Radio to his list of nerdy hobbies in 1992. In 2021, he left his career of 25 years in IT (some blend of Network and Systems Engineering, Software Development, and Information Security) to start Halibut Electronics, a company that designs and makes Amateur Radio and Audiophile hardware devices and kits. He is also a co-host of the Ham Radio Workbench podcast.

Organization

Support for the ARRL Club Liability Insurance Program

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ARRL logoFrom nediv.arrl.org:

ARRL Chief Financial Officer Diane Middleton, W2DLM writes:

Dear ARRL Affiliated Club,

ARRL is aware that some amateur radio clubs who had been insured by Marsh/AIG, a previous provider of the ARRL Club Liability Insurance Program, are receiving notices that their club liability insurance is not being renewed. ARRL discontinued its relationship with Marsh/AIG in 2011, but some clubs who had previously enrolled in the policies were still renewing with the old provider — and not in the current ARRL program.

The current program administrator (since 2015) for the ARRL-sponsored Club Liability Insurance Program is Risk Strategies. ARRL has a strong relationship with the current administrator who understands the importance of local amateur radio clubs and will help clubs seek new policies. Risk Strategies also administers the ARRL Equipment Insurance Plan for members.

Clubs that are affected by the loss of coverage from the previous provider are encouraged to contact Risk Strategies. Please visit Risk Strategies online at arrlinsurance.com or by phone at 1-866-819-0209 (please leave a message and your call will be returned).

Diane Middleton, W2DLM
Chief Financial Officer
ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio®
225 Main Street
Newington, CT  06111
(860) 594-0225

Regulation & Advocacy

“FCC Wants to Bolster Amateur Radio”

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FCC logoFrom Radio World, October 27, 2023:

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel says the FCC plans to “incentivize innovation and experimentation in the amateur radio bands” by getting rid of outdated restrictions and providing licensees with the flexibility to use modern digital emissions.

The commission at its November meeting is expected to take action on a Report and Order that would eliminate the baud rate limitation and establish a bandwidth limitation in the amateur radio bands below 29.7 MHz.

[Full story]
Clubs

K5UR: “What’s New at ARRL” at Billerica ARS Meeting Online, November 1, 2023

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Billerica ARS logoDoug Bruce, N1WRN, writes in the Billerica ARS November newsletter:

I am pleased to announce that our guest speaker for the November 1, 2023, club meeting via Zoom will be none other than Rick Roderick, K5UR, the current President of the ARRL!

Rick will give a talk on what’s new at the ARRL and will share valuable insights on our great hobby. You will definitely want to make sure and attend this Zoom Presentation to be given by a true pioneer in ham radio!

[For Zoom conference details, email Bruce Anderson, W1LUS, at w1lus -at- hotmail -dot- com.]

K5UR photoBruce Anderson, W1LUS, writes:
 
For those that missed last night’s meeting, here is a link to the recording of the presentation by ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR:
 
Flea markets & Conventions

FARA Fest, Bourne, November 4, 2023

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Photo of FARA FestThe Falmouth ARA FARA Fest is held annually at the Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational School. The Fest provides and opportunity for local hams to buy, sell, or swap items of interest to amateur radio operators. VE license exam sessions are also held as part of the Fest. Flyers are distributed and available on this site prior to each annual FARA Fest.

The Board of Directors has set the following official guidelines for FARA FEST.

Outside Spaces are $10.00 per space. All vendors will be given a placard to display, bring your own table.

Indoor spaces are $10.00 per TABLE, we supply the table. All vendors will be given a placard to display.

General admission is $5.00, children under 14 free

[Full Details]
Operating

K1USN QRV for Veterans Day, November 11, 2023

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K1USN Watson Museum signFrom K1USN Radio Club Happenings, October 27, 2023:

The K1USN Radio Club will once again be on the air Saturday, November 11, 2023, to celebrate Veterans Day to show their appreciation for those who have served. This year we plan to activate K1USN from our club station on the HF bands using SSB, CW and FT8 beginning at 1300 UTC, Nov 11 and ending at 2100 UTC. Our Club station is located at the Watson Museum & Research Library, 85 Quincy Avenue in Braintree.

K1USN QSL cards will be available for all contacts with K1USN. Send # 10 SASE to K1RV or DX stations QSL via bureau.

QSL via K1RV
URL: http://www.k1usn.com Contact: Pi, K1RV
Email: k1rv@arrl.net

Anyone working K1USN on Veterans day can use this link to request a certificate:  https://forms.gle/eUkWe4QviHV1qBRx8

[We expect to operate up to four HF stations simultaneously and will be needing operators. Let me know if you would like to operate.
-Pi k1rv@arrl.net]

Clubs / Operating

Wellesley ARS First POTA Operating Event, Elm Bank Reservation, Wellesley/Natick, October 29, 2023

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Wellesley ARS logoJoin us at Elm Bank Reservation off of Route 16 at the Wellesley/Natick line on Sunday, October 29, 2023 for our first Parks on the air (POTA) operating event! Mindy KM1NDY will get us started along this path of fun and radio adventure.

We will start at 11:00 A.M. and go to 2:00 P.M. Bring your rig, antennas, tables, and chairs and whatever else you may want.

We will be using the W1TKZ 2-meter repeater for talk-in (147.030MHz, +600 split, PL123Hz). Once you enter the park, look for our WARS “Field Day” sandwich boards to find where we are. Also, we can monitor 146.52MHz simplex at the park.

A final weather NO-GO decision will be made Saturday night by 10pm by Charlie. If necessary to cancel, Dan will email a blast to club members on Sunday morning.

Elm Bank Reservation address:

900 Washington Street Wellesley MA

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.276642,-71.3139296,15z?entry=ttu

CQ POTA!

Charlie WA3ITR

Regulation & Advocacy

60m Band Proposed Changes—File Your Comments with FCC!

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Recently, the FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) which effects Amateur Radio use of the 60m band.  The FCC proposes to allocate 15 kHz of contiguous bandwidth between 5351.5 – 5366.5 kHz on a secondary basis with a maximum power of 15 W EIRP (equivalent to 9.15 W ERP). This allocation was adopted at the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15).

The NPRM leaves open the question of whether the existing five 60m channels can still be used for Amateur Radio operation as well as if the 100w power level may still be used.

The FCC has requested comments relative to existing channel and power issue.

In 2017, the ARRL petitioned the FCC to keep the four 60-meter channels that fall outside the new band, as well as the current operating rules, including the 100 W ERP limit.

We need as many amateurs as possible to comment on this NPRM and urge the FCC to keep 1) the four existing channels and 2) the 100 w power limit.

Comments are due by October 30th, 2023 – ET Docket No. 23-120.

https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/express
https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/standard

60m band chart, current and proposed allocation

Foxhunting

W1MJ Fox is Out, Belmont, October 22, 2023

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Eliot Mayer, W1MJ, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list at 2:50 PM on October 22, 2023:

W1MJ fox now available on 147.450 MHz, in same On Demand mode as K1MJC fox; just ask it to please transmit.  This one will transmit for 1 hour, then you have to ask again.

From Mike’s fox, take trail in left rear corner of Rock Meadow.  It goes to Beaver Brook North, and the direct route to my fox is no more than 15 minutes from there.

Good luck finding both foxes.

Eliot
W1MJ

Foxhunting

K1MJC Fox is Radio Active, Belmont, October 22, 2023

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Mike Cormier, K1MJC, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list at 10:27 AM on October 22, 2023:

Well, the new K1MJC fox is out!
 
It was designed by Eliot W1MJ, and this one has an on-demand feature.
 
All you have to do, is transmit on the fox frequency for about two seconds (Say anything, but should include your callsign), and the fox will begin transmitting various messages for 30 minutes. 
 
When the 30 minutes has expired, the last message will encourage you to make a voice request for more.  (just repeat what you did to get it started in the beginning).

 
I don’t know how long the battery will last on this fox, so I plan on leaving it out for quite a while. it’s transmitting on the fox frequency of 147.540MHz 
 
It’s in a conservation area in Belmont, the RockMeadow conservation area.
 
There is a log with it, I would appreciate if you would sign it, however if you just want to send a reply to this I/O group that’s fine as well.
 
NOTE:
 
Eliot W1MJ, will be placing his out later today in the beaver book reservation. He will be on a different frequency which he will announce and they won’t be too far apart in physical distance so you can hunt both foxes if you wish. 
 
His foxes the same as mine, it has the on-demand feature just as mine does and his however should transmit for about an hour before it requests you to restart it. I’ll let him tell you all about it when he makes his announcement.
 
 

 

 
Public Information / Youth

RadioCraft a Big Hit at “Geek is Glam” Girl Scout Event

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Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, shared on the New England Sci-Tech mailing list:

Mike Radz writes:

Dear Colleagues:

I have attached seven pictures from the “Geek is Glam” Girl Scout event held at WPI this past Saturday. My IQP team staffed a booth and offered the girls two STEM/HAM related activities: Morse code and Minecraft.

The former activity utilized Morse code kits from NEST as well as some circuitry built by the students that enabled the Girl Scouts to see the letters associated with the dots and dashes they tapped show up on a computer screen (this shown in the pics).

The later activity utilized a new “mod” that has been created for Minecraft that enables a player to build a HAM radio communication network within the game. It is in beta testing mode right now, but the WPI kids contacted the creator and arranged to get a copy to showcase at the event.

Finally, the kids created a QR code that took each Girl Scout to a survey instrument at which they could specify which activity they preferred. I have not yet seen the survey results, but the WPI kids will develop a “curriculum” based on the most popular activity and test to see whether or not it statistically influences youngsters to re-evaluate their views on STEM in a positive way.

Cheers.

Mike Radz

[The Minecraft radio mod “RadioCraft” made its official debut at the 2023 Northeast HamXposition. -K9HI]

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[Show slideshow]
Clubs / Youth

New England Sci-Tech Starts Wireless Engineering Club

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New England Sci-Tech Wireless Engineering Club logoSeth Kendall, KC1PZY, writes on the stars-radio mailing list:

We are looking for mentors/volunteers to help out with the new Wireless Engineering Club on Saturday mornings 10:00-11:30am.  Please let us know if you have any interest in participating!

The “Wireless Engineering Club” is a new club at New England Sci-Tech meant to attract youth and prospective hams into the hobby of Ham Radio.  The club will meet every other Saturday morning, a time that tends to work well for families, and will be focused around build workshops and practical, hands-on radio activities.  We’d like to use this club to bring in new hams, especially youth, and further grow the amateur radio community here at NEST.  

We are interested in three kinds of volunteers:

  • Helpers
  • Workshop Leaders
  • Outreach

For Helpers: Pick one or more workshops to come in and help out for.  If we get lots of members, we’ll need lots of Elmers to help people troubleshoot, experiment, and have fun.  

For Workshop Leaders: Pick one of the topics from our brainstorm list and volunteer to lead a 90 minute workshop on that topic.  The more hands on, the better.  We’re looking for activities over lectures.  Even better, volunteer your own workshop.  We need content, so anyone who’d like to put together one or more activities/workshops, please let us know.   They’re meant to be beginner level.  This is an ideal chance to help grow the ham radio community and bring in youth, but it’ll only work with participation from us in the community. 

Outreach: Know any recently licensed youth or youth with a general interest in electronics and science?  Spread the word about the club to communities you know!  Adults are welcome and encouraged to join in the workshops and builds as well.  Many of them could be of broad interest.  I’m attaching a flyer.  It looks like this, but if you download the attachment, it will be print resolution.

If you’d like to volunteer, you an either post here or send me an email at sethlkendall@gmail.com.  Thanks all.

Operating / Youth

Jamboree On The Air Event, October 21, 2023

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  1. JOTA symbolTom Ulrich, KC1OCY, writes on the Sci-Tech ARS mailing list:

During the weekend of October 21, Scouts from around the world will take part in the 2023 Jamboree on the Air, Scouting’s largest radio event promoting friendship and global citizenship. Scouts from eastern Massachusetts will be on the air on Saturday, October 21, from at least four locations in the area; this spreadsheet has information about units’ station callsigns and operating frequencies. Learn more about JOTA, and see which frequencies are popular with JOTA stations. Help our hobby grow by talking to Scouts on the air!

73,
Tom Ulrich
KC1OCY

JOTA information: https://k2bsa.net/jota/

Scouting/JOTA frequencies: https://k2bsa.net/scout-frequencies/

Eastern Mass unit station information for 2024 JOTA: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1o9kHhJd1mnMHh3RXN9npBNoHxYEDGJ46_MS-_zbI9GY/edit?usp=sharing

Youth

ARISS Contact With Covenant Christian Academy, West Peabody, October 13, 2023

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ARISS logoFrom ARISS.org:

October 9, 2023—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Covenant Christian Academy (CCA) in West Peabody, MA. ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

CCA is a private school that serves over 430 students, Pre-K through12th grade. To prepare for this ARISS contact CCA integrated space-themed aspects into its STEM program and STEM-related activities. The physics and chemistry students hosted “Space Week” where they put together interactive displays on everything from the physics of black holes, Doppler shift, life on the ISS, to the chemistry of astronaut cuisine. STEM-related activities engaged students in their newly instituted Rocketry Club, Women in STEM Club, and a robotics lab. Amateur radio activities, such as learning about ham radio and radio communications, are being provided during after-school programs by members of area amateur radio clubs.

This ARISS contact will allow students to ask their questions of Astronaut Loral O’Hara, amateur radio call sign KI5TOM. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHz and may be heard by listeners within the ISS footprint that encompasses the amateur radio ground station in West Peabody, MA.

Amateur radio operators using call sign N1DQF will operate this radio station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for October 13, 2023 at 9:47 am EDT (MA) (13:47 UTC, 9:47 am EDT, 8:47 am CDT, 6:47 am PDT). The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://vimeo.com/event/3761617.
_______________________________
As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. What happens with all the trash on the ISS?
2. What is the best part and worst part about living in space?
3. Is the wifi and internet connection better in space?
4. How do you get your supplies delivered to the space station?
5. Do you play games in space? If so, how are they different from the games you play on earth?
6. What is your favorite workout to do for two hours each day to keep your muscles in shape?
7. What has been one of your hardest or scariest moments on the ISS?
8. How do you train your bodies to fall asleep on the ISS since your circadian rhythm can’t be regulated to the earth’s rotation on its axis?
9. Does time feel different on the ISS?
10. Is there any research that you are currently involved in? If so, how does it benefit the earth?
11. What is your favorite meal or snack to eat in outer space?
12. What types of jobs do you do while on the International Space Station?
13. How do you fix the solar panels on the space station?
14. Do you have any animals on the ISS right now? What are they?
15. What happens when someone gets sick on board the ISS?
16. When you come back to earth from space, do you feel the pressure of gravity, and if so, how much does this affect you?
17. What was the most challenging part of your training that prepared you to work on the International
Space Station?
18. What’s the most amazing thing you have seen from space?
19. Has living on the ISS changed any of your perspectives on life?
20. Is all the training, preparation, and hardship you endure to be an astronaut on the ISS worth it?

About ARISS:

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program (SCaN) and the ISS National Lab—Space Station Explorers.

The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see http://www.ariss.org.

Media Contact:

Dave Jordan, AA4KN
ARISS PR

Find us on social media at:

X: ARISS_Intl
Facebook: facebook.com/ARISSIntl
Instagram: ariss_intl
Mastodon: ariss_intl@mastodon.hams.social

Foxhunting

K1MJC Fox is QRV, Waltham, October 7, 2023

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Mike Cormier, K1MJC, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list at 1:50 PM on October 7, 2023:

The new K1MJC fox is out, designed by Eliot, W1MJ, it has an on-demand feature.

All you have to do, is transmit on the fox frequency for about two seconds (should include your callsign), and the fox will begin transmitting various messages for 30 minutes.

When the 30 minutes has expired, the last message will encourage you to make a voice request for more. (just repeat what you did to get it started in the beginning).

I don’t know how long the battery will last on this fox, so I plan on leaving it out for quite a while. it’s transmitting on the fox frequency of 147.540MHz.

It’s in a conservation area right next to the old Waltham high school off of Lexington Street.

There is a log with it, I would appreciate if you would sign it, however if you just want to send a reply to this I/O group that’s fine as well.

73,

Mike C, K1MJC

Mike Cormier, K1MJC, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list at 5:06 PM on October 8, 2023:

 

Unfortunate news, decided to check on the K1MJC fox and discovered that someone had tried to steal it. However, the safety restraints saved it.

 

I will have to take it home and perhaps make some repairs and I’m not sure whether I’ll be putting it out again for the holiday tomorrow; sorry to all those who had plans to go look for it tomorrow.

 

Mike C , K1MJC, …… 73!