Author: k9hi

Licensing Education & Training / Youth

Four New England Sci-Tech Technician Courses Online Throughout August, 2020

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New England Sci Tech logoFor anyone interested in wireless communications and electronics, this ON-LINE course will get you ready to take the Amateur Radio TECHNICIAN license exam, the FIRST of three certification levels. Geared toward adults, as well as junior high, high school, and homeschool students.

Topics range from the science of radio electronics to the FCC rules governing the radio spectrum. Some pre-test practice is necessary to get the best results from this course.

This is a FULL course taught by a 40-yr veteran teacher, not a discussion group or video service. You will learn so much more than just watching a video or buying a book.

Current offerings:

2 day course: SAT-SUN Aug 1-2, 2:00-8:00 pm each day Eastern Time
4 day course: Mon-Tu-W-Th Aug 3-6, 3:00-6:00 pm each day Eastern Time
2 day course: SAT-SUN Aug 15-16, 2:00-8:00 pm each day Eastern Time
4 day course: Mon-Tu-W-Th Aug 17-20, 3:00-6:00 pm each day Eastern Time

You may schedule your FCC Technician test for an upcoming weekday evening or weekend, as an online test, run by our VE team which has authorization to run online tests.

System Requirements: Computer or Chromebook capable of running ZOOM Meeting, either by Zoom app or through a browser, a built-in camera/mic, and a color printer.

Included with course fee: downloadable lecture study guide and charts, free access to our weekly Online Radio Shop Talk sessions, and a guest pass to the NEAR/STARS Radio Rooms and radio club meetings for 3 months once the facility reopens.

Note that the standard $15 license test fee is NOT included and must be registered separately; our VE team is authorized to give ONLINE exams, so you can schedule an exam within a week of the course. (Price is $15 across the country.)

An additional member of the same family may join this course at no extra charge, if sharing one computer and zoom screen.

A day or so before the session you will receive an email with a Zoom link and ID. If you don’t see the email, check your spam filter. If you still don’t see it, call or email us.

For questions, e-mail bobphinney at nescitech.org or call 508-720-4179.

Licensing Education & Training / Youth

New England Sci-Tech Amateur Extra Course Online Beginning July 22, 2020

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New England Sci Tech logoFor anyone interested in wireless communications and electronics, this ON-LINE course will get you ready to take the AMATEUR EXTRA Radio license exam. Geared toward adults, as well as high school and homeschool students who already have a GENERAL license.

This is a FULL course taught by a 40-yr veteran teacher, not a discussion group or video service. You will learn so much more than just watching a video.

Topics range from the science of radio electronics to the FCC rules governing the radio spectrum. Recommended text: ARRL Extra Class License Manual, 12th edition, for exams through June 30, 2024, (purchase on ARRL website). Regular practice and study is necessary to get the best results from this course.

NOTE: You MUST have a thorough understanding of the Technician and General material before taking this course.  If you are already a licensed Tech or General but have been away from radio for a while, you may request to audit (at half price) one of our Tech and/or General courses to catch up.

Current offering:

ONLINE for 8 days, Wednesdays July 22 – Sept 9, from 6:00-9:00pm Eastern time.
(Content is NEW AE material for the July 2020-2024 exams)

The FCC Amateur Extra test must be registered separately; our VE team is authorized to give ONLINE exams, so you can schedule an exam within a week of the course.

System Requirements: Computer or Chromebook capable of running ZOOM Meeting, either by Zoom app or through a browser, a built-in camera/mic, and a color printer.

Included with course fee: downloadable lecture study guide and charts, free access to our weekly Online Radio Shop Talk sessions, and a guest pass to the NEAR/STARS Radio Rooms and radio club meetings for 3 months once the facility reopens.

One additional member of the same family may take this course for the price of one, if sharing one computer, video screen, and materials.

For questions, e-mail bobphinney at nescitech.org or call 508-720-4179.

Clubs

K1OA: “Ham Radio Awards” at Billerica ARS Meeting Online, August 5, 2020

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map displaying ITU zonesAndy Wallace, KA1GTT, writes on the Billerica ARS website:

I am pleased to announce that our own [Billerica Amateur Radio Society] Secretary, Scott Ginsburg, K1OA, will be our speaker for the August meeting.

Scott sent me a sneak preview of his PPT slide deck for Ham Radio Awards and wow, there are some awards available to us that I had no knowledge of. Why go for awards? Well lots of us are already doing the heavy lifting – MAKING QSOs – so why not have a nice plaque or certificate to commemorate your hard work?

If you are curious about ARRL DXCC, Worked all States, Worked All Continents, Worked all Zones, the incredible USA Counties award (guess how many there are?), and others, you will want to see this presentation. Even if you are a casual operator or DXer you will enjoy hearing about these awards. You never know, someday your totals will qualify you for one.

We will announce the link to join the Zoom meeting before the meeting, but it will be posted to the BARS email list and should not be shared outside our Club. Are you on the email list? If not, please send an email to bars-subscribe@w1hh.org and then simply reply to the robot response from the server and you will be subscribed.

Observing our Zoom meeting requires only a web browser and headphones/speakers. You do not need a webcam or microphone unless you want to speak or be seen.

Before our meeting date, please go to https://zoom.us/test and see if it will function for you. If you have problems, we can try to assist – feel free to ask questions on the BARS email list.

I am looking forward to “seeing” many of you Wednesday 8/5/20.

Andy

KA1GTT

Clubs

N1BIM: “DMR Radios” at K1USN Radio Club Meeting Online, July 21, 2020

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image of various DMR handheld radio models“Pi” Pugh, K1RV, writes on the K1USN mailing list:
 
Joe Zaks, N1BIM, will be giving us a presentation about how to get started with DMR Radio at our upcoming K1USN Zoom session to be held this upcoming Tuesday evening, July 21, 2020 at 7:30 PM. We should have plenty of opportunity for questions, comments, etc after his talk. I’m sure that many of you have already had some experiences with DMR and will be willing to share them with the group.
 
[Contact pi.k1rv -at- gmail -dot- com for Zoom conference details. -ed.]
Operating

International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend on Track for 2020

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Sankaty Head Light, ILLW 2019
Sankaty Head Light, ILLW 2019

The Nantucket Amateur Radio Association hopes to operate in International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend at Sankaty Head Light once again.  

 
According to NARA’s Jerry Horton, W2JH: “We kicked off planning last Sunday during our weekly outreach video conference.  We will operate at least two HF rigs on Saturday [August 22, 2020] from about 10 AM to 4 PM,  with Sunday serving as the rain date.  We are exploring the possibility of streaming our station; at a minimum we want to capture plenty of video and lots of photos for after-the-fact posting.  The whole gang is involved, sharing assorted tasks: readying equipment, obtaining access to the lighthouse, site prep, publicity, handouts, etc.  Should be fun!”

 

 

From ARRL Web:

Registrations for this year’s popular International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend (ILLW) appear to have been largely unaffected by the current COVID-19 pandemic. The event will take place this year over the August 22 – 23 weekend. By mid-July, more than 200 entries had been received, and some 400 are expected to have signed up by the event weekend.

New to this year’s event is Corsica at Phare d’Alistro, which for ILLW purposes carries the French number of FR0030. Two lighthouses in Ghana will be on the air for the first time, as well as Buck Island Lighthouse in the US Virgin Islands (VI0001). Germany is well in the lead with 54 entries, followed by Australia with 29 entries, and the US with 27 entries.

This event is designed as a fun weekend to encourage exposure to amateur radio and lighthouses to the visiting public, and ILLW stresses contacts should be more than just an exchange of signal reports. All participants are urged to observe local COVID-19 safety guidelines. —Thanks to Kevin Mulcahey, VK2CE

Clubs

WU3C: “An Introduction to Synchronization in Modems” at Nashoba Valley ARC Meeting Online, July 16, 2020

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Bruce Blain, K1BG writes:

The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club’s July meeting is tomorrow, Thursday, JuLY 16th at 7:30 PM . Under normal circumstances, NVARC does not have meetings in July or August. But this summer, NVARC’s board of directors has decided to extend our on-line meetings through the summer. This meeting will be conducted via WebEx. Meeting details are below. Thanks to Jim Hein, N8VIM, and Medtronics for the WebEx conference.

The meeting will feature Jessica, WU3C, who will give us “An Introduction to Synchronization in Modems.”

I also expect there will be a report on NVARC’s recent participation in the ARRL Field Day at the end of June.

Again, WebEx details are below.

Thanks and 73. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Bruce, K1BG 

978-772-2773 or bruce.blain@charter.net

[Contact Bruce Blain for WebEx details. -ed.]
Public Service

2020 Head of the Charles Regatta Cancelled

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This premiere rowing event, attracting competitors from all over the world, relies upon Amateur Radio communications for coordination and medical support of both land and boat-based services along the beautiful Charles River.

From Boston.com:

“Organizers of the Head of the Charles Regatta, a two-day [October 17-18, 2020] annual event drawing thousands of rowers from around the world, announced the cancellation of the 2020 event Wednesday, citing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“’As you know, our top priority has always been holding a regatta that is safe, competitive and fun,’ Head of the Charles executive director Fred Schoch wrote in a Facebook post announcing the cancellation. ‘While we are deeply disappointed that health and safety conditions throughout the world prohibit us from doing that this year, our team is hard at work developing a global remote event to be held this October.’”  [Full story]

All

Mark Your Calendars for the DXE Virtual Hamfest and DX Academy, July 25, 2020

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Join the Elmers at DX Engineering and a host of Ham Radio luminaries on Saturday, July 25, 2020, for the first DXE Virtual Hamfest and DX Academy—two online events combined into a full day of fun, learning, and drawings for DX Engineering gift cards.

Both events are free and open to all.  Once signed up, you will receive a link to access the events in real-time on the Zoom webinar platform, or you can watch live on the DX Engineering YouTube channel.

The day kicks off with the DXE Virtual Hamfest, featuring presentations from top contributors to OnAllBands (DX Engineering’s blog site), and the latest news and answers to your questions about recent and upcoming products, including the RF-KIT RF2K-S Linear Amplifier (sold exclusively in North America by DX Engineering), the RT-4500HD Heavy-Duty Rotator, and the Ladder Line Surge Protector. [Full story]

Public Service

2020 Baystate Marathon Cancelled

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Terry Stader, KA8SCP, writes on the PART of Westford mailing list:

From the Lowell OEM folks:

After speaking with the Lowell Cultural Affairs Special Events office they confirmed that these events have been cancelled for this year. I just wanted to  send a courtesy update everyone involved each year.

Hopefully we will resume in 2021:

  • Asian Water Festival (August)
  • Kinetics Race (September)
  • Bay State Marathon (October)
  • River Regatta (October)
Public Information

“The Uncertain Future of Ham Radio”

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photo of aj7m operating a radioFrom IEEE Spectrum, July 10, 2020:

Will the amateur airwaves fall silent? Since the dawn of radio, amateur operators—hams—have transmitted on tenaciously guarded slices of spectrum. Electronic engineering has benefited tremendously from their activity, from the level of the individual engineer to the entire field. But the rise of the Internet in the 1990s, with its ability to easily connect billions of people, captured the attention of many potential hams. Now, with time taking its toll on the ranks of operators, new technologies offer opportunities to revitalize amateur radio, even if in a form that previous generations might not recognize. [Full story]

 

 

All

QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo 2020, August 8-9, 2020

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QSOTodayHamExpo logoWe are reaching out to let you know that despite the closure of all ham radio events, there is a great opportunity to join your fellow hams and us at the first ever QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo on Saturday and Sunday, August 8 – 9, 2020. Attendance is free and registration is now open at

https://www.qsotodayhamexpo.com/ with early bird prize incentives for registering by July 24, 2020.

Built on a live, virtual reality platform used by Fortune 500 companies and major universities, this ARRL-sanctioned hamfest will let you:

  • Learn from a packed line-up of 70+ world renowned ham radio speakers such as Ward Silver, N0AX, on Grounding and Bonding; Glen Johnson, W0GJ, on DXpeditions, and John Portune, W6NBC, on building slot antennas for HOA. 
  • See demos of the latest ham radio equipment from the world’s top equipment companies.  You can easily ask questions and engage with Exhibitors through video, audio, or chat. (Note: CQ is an Exhibitor!)
  • Share ideas and network with your fellow ham radio operators throughout the Expo.

And if you’ve never been to a Hamfest or Expo, you can participate from the convenience of your home or office without spending a dime on travel!

This platform simulates a full convention experience with an exhibit hall and exhibit booths staffed by live attendants, speaker auditorium, lobby, and lounges.  

Icom is the Expo’s Platinum Sponsor, along with Gold Sponsors GigaParts, RT Systems, FlexRadio, RFinder, DX Engineering, Elecraft, RigExpert, and NCG Company (Comet Antenna).

Go to https://www.qsotodayhamexpo.com/  to learn more – get registered by July 24th! We look forward to having you join us at Expo for an amazing and engaging experience.

Field Day / NTS

Eastern MA Traffic Handlers Enjoying Field Day 2020

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Joe Thomas, WB1EMS, reports a group of 20 hams from the South Shore area participated in Field Day at Great Hill in Weymouth overlooking Boston Harbor. Many of this group have been regular participants on the East Mass Two Meter Net on the Boston 145.23 repeater. Mike, K1UVH, was the event coordinator putting much of the setup together along with Peter, KC1HHO and Scott, N1KMX. Other EM2MN regulars included: Bernie, KC1MSN; Chet, KB1NZZ; and Alex, KC1NBT.

The group operated simplex, repeaters, two-meters, HF, six-meters, digital, packet, and APRS. Joe reports that N1KMX made 45 contacts via simplex contacting local stations and stations in Maine, New Hampshire, the Blue Hill Weather Observatory, and several mobile contacts, including a mobile aeronautical station aboard a US Coast Guard helicopter!

Joe says a fun day was had by all and they hope to do it again soon.  –Marcia Forde, KW1U

[Show thumbnails]
Emergency Communications

MARS Announces HF Skills Exercise, July 20-24, 2020

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From ARRL Web:

Members of the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) will conduct an HF skills exercise July 20 – 24 to hone their operating skills and messaging-handling capabilities.

MARS members will be reaching out to the amateur radio community via the 60-meters Channel 1 Net (5330.5 kHz dial) twice a day, the SATERN HF net (14.265 MHz), and by contacting various stations via HFLink throughout the exercise. MARS members will be requesting assistance with collecting county status information as well as airport weather information, called METARs. MARS members will also be passing ICS 213 messages to numerous Department of Defense (DoD), federal, and amateur radio addressees.

This exercise will be announced via WWV at 00:10 and via WWVH at 00:50 starting on or about July 13. WWV and WWVH listeners will be asked to take an online listener survey. This HF radio training event will not impact regular communications. — Thanks to Paul English, Chief, Army MARS 

Operating

W1 QSL Card Sorting Session Cancelled, August 13, 2020

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assorted QSL cardsEric Williams, KV1J, writes on the Algonquin Amateur Radio Club mailing list:

Hope all are well.

I am cancelling our QSL sort session that was scheduled for August 13, 2020.

Two reasons: one, of course, is the current virus situation.  The Fire Station is not available and our work is not “Essential.” The other reason is with the worldwide precautions, we are not receiving the boxes from the countries.  So at this point that are not enough cards to sort.  It may be that the mail embargoes will be released and we’ll get a surge of cards at some point.  So maybe we can have a smaller scale session later in the summer.

Thank you to the club for your past support of the W1 QSL Bureau and look forward to our future sorting events.

73, 

Eric  KV1J
W1 QSL Bureau Co-Manager
www.w1qsl.org

Technical

Power Line Noise Resource at National Grid

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John Salmi, KB1MGI, writes on the PART of Westford mailing list:

I have had a S-9+ power line noise on my VHF beams on 2 meters and 6 meters along with my HF vertical antenna during the dry spells this spring and summer. When it rained the noise reduced or stopped all together. I traced it down to a pole 200 feet from my QTH.

I called National Grid a week or so ago about the issue. This morning a National Grid Senior Engineer from the Engineering Laboratory NE Lab & Testing services from Worcester stopped by.  The first thing he said was, I wish it did not rain this morning.
 
I invited him into the shack and there was no noise. He said he went to the pole in question and could not pick up the noise, either.
 
He was going to send out a crew to check the connections and replace fuses, etc. He said they run into these issues from hams and knows what causes the noise on the radios.
 
I got his card and will call him in two weeks to see if the noise is gone. 
Licensing Education & Training

New Amateur Extra Class License Manual and Extra Q&A Now Available

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ARRL logoFrom ARRL Web:

Go all the way to the top! ARRL has everything you need to pass the Amateur Extra Class license exam with confidence.

The ARRL Extra Class License Manual for Ham Radio is your ticket to every privilege granted to amateur radio operators — all frequencies, operating modes, and power levels. It has all the questions and answers, with detailed explanations, for examinations taken between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2024.

Use this book with ARRL Exam Review for Ham Radio online to review the material. You can even take practice exams, so there are no surprises on exam day!

When you’ve successfully passed the exam, The ARRL Extra Class License Manual will serve as your reference as you explore your new privileges!

If you’re looking for a more direct route to studying for the exam, ARRL’s Extra Q&A contains all exam questions and the answers.

To upgrade to Amateur Extra, you must already hold a General class license (or have recently passed all of the exam elements required for a General license).

The ARRL Extra Class License Manual new 12th edition spiral bound (ARRL Item No. 1311, ISBN: 978-1-62595-131-1, $32.95 retail) and ARRL’s Extra Q&A new 5th edition (ARRL Item No. 1335, ISBN: 978-1-62595-133-5, $19.95 retail) are now shipping. Order from the ARRL Store, or find an ARRL publications dealer; For additional questions or ordering, call 860-594-0355 (toll-free in the US, 888-277-5289). Both The ARRL Extra Class License Manual and ARRL’s Extra Q&A are available as an e-book for the Amazon Kindle.