Genesis ARS Fox Hunt Training and Antenna Building, September 8, 2018

Jack Buckley, W1AKN writes in the Genesis ARS Newsletter:

Please plan to attend the fox hunt training session planned for Saturday, September 8 at 9AM at the Genesis ARS Meeting Room, Plymouth Airport.  This training session is in preparation for the fox hunt on September 15 following the GARS Breakfast.
 
We have ordered several 2-meter tape measure beam kits that will be available for purchase and will help you to build the kits at the training session.
 

Lightship Nantucket To Be Activated for International Lightship/Lighthouse Weekend, August 19, 2018

Nantucket LightshipMike Rioux, W1USN and Bob Reiser, AA1M, will operate onboard the Lightship Nantucket on Sunday, August 19 as part of International Lightship/Lighthouse Weekend
 
“Anyone who is interested in operating or just coming down to check the ship out is welcome.  Bring friends if you like and we’ll give a tour,” says Bob.
 
If you need info or directions, email Bob, AA1M, at aa1m@yahoo.com.
 
International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend (ILLW) began  in 1998 as the Scottish Northern Lights Award sponsored by the Ayr Amateur Radio Group. ILLW is a popular Amateur Radio event that takes place on the third full weekend in August each year. It attracts over 500 lighthouse entries in over 40 countries.
 
 

SEMARA Contest College, September 9, 2018

Southeastern MA ARA logoThe South Eastern Massachusetts Amateur Radio Association (SEMARA) will host a presentation entitled Contest College @ SEMARA on September 9, 2018 at approximately 12 PM.
 
This hands-on presentation will cover:
 
* different styles of contesting
* achieving a respectable score with 100 W
* operating various modes during a contest
* home-brewed  antennas for contests
 
There will also be on-air operation, listening and/or making contacts during the Worked All Europe SSB contest.
 
The organizers request an approximate head count, so lunch time pizza can be ordered.  Email Don if you are interested and plan to attend at: wa1bxy [at] hotmail [dot] com.
 
The SEMARA club house is located at: 54 Donald Street, S. Dartmouth, MA 02748; club phone number for messages: 508-997-7070

W1VIV Article Featured in CQ Magazine

June, 2018 CQ Magazine table of contents pageAn article by Sumner Weisman, W1VIV, of Framingham, appears in the June, 2018 CQ Magazine entitled, “Wireless Ham Radio for the Hearing Impaired.”

“I am pretty hard of hearing, where one ear is completely gone and the other is about half gone,” writes Sumner. “I use a hearing aid in my ‘good’ ear.  I like to do a few contests each year, and the earphones blasting into my hearing aid really abused my hearing.”

Sumner’s article tells how to use Bluetooth to stream the audio from your ham transceiver directly into your hearing aid, for very clear and pleasurable radio reception.

USS Massachusetts “Big Mamie” 77th Birthday Special Event Operation, September 22, 2018

NE1PL QSL cardThe USTNR (Uncommon Service To Nautical Radio) club will operate from the USS Massachusetts museum ship at Battleship Cove in Fall River on September 22, from 0900-1500 or 1400Z-2000Z. 
 
“We will be celebrating the 77th birthday of ‘Big Mamie’ operating as NE1PL,” according to USTNR trustee Rick Emord, KB1TEE. QSL information can be found on the “Contacts” page of the USTNR website . 
 
Rick says this is the first time they are commemorating the famous battleship’s anniversary. He “hopes to continue long into the future.” 

YCCC Members Attend Lithuanian Hamfest

W1UE at 2018 Lithuanian Hamfest
Dennis, W1UE, conveyed greetings to the hamfest participants from the Yankee Clipper Contest Club in New England. Simonas, LY2EN, is on the right.

Dennis Egan, W1UE, Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, and Rich Assarabowski, K1CC, represented the Yankee Clipper Contest Club at the 2018 LRMD (Lithuania) Hamfest held on July 27-29, 2018.

The event was held in Miego Klinika, a rural resort on a small lake in the middle of a forest in the northern part of Lithuania. Dennis, Fred, and Rich traveled to LY-land following the 2018 World Radiosport Team Championship in Germany.  (See also: https://ema.arrl.org/2018/07/06/yccc-well-represented-at-wrtc2018-july-12-16-2018/)

“The tradition of summer radio amateur meetings in Lithuania goes back to 1989. This was at the end of the Soviet occupation, when the country was a republic in the Soviet Union. This year, Lithuania is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its independence right after the First World War. This was a turning point for many European nations. It looks like the Lithuanian Amateur Radio is going through a very active and successful period right now.”

For the complete story, visit https://dxnews.com/lithuanian-hamfest-2018/.

Titanic Marconi Club to Activate Stage Harbor Light for National Lighthouse Day, August 7, 2018

Stage Harbor LighthouseThe Titanic Marconi Memorial Radio Association Of Cape Cod (W1MGY) plans to operate from the Stage Harbor Light in Chatham during National Lighthouse Day on August 7, 2018, according to the club’s QRZ page.   “[Stage Harbor Light is] privately owned … we have received permission to operate from.”

International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend, ILLW began  in 1998 as the Scottish Northern Lights Award sponsored by the Ayr Amateur Radio Group. ILLW is a popular Amateur Radio event that takes place on the third full weekend in August each year. It attracts over 500 lighthouse entries in over 40 countries.

Nashoba Valley ARC Members Participate in HamSCI Experiment During Field Day

Photo of WX1P at the Nashoba Valley ARC Field Day 2018
Bob Reif, W1XP, sends a test transmission to the CASSIOPE satellite. 

The Nashoba Valley ARC participated in a Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSci) experiment with the Canadian CAScade, Smallsat and Ionospheric Polar Explorer (CASSIOPE) spacecraft over Field Day weekend.

Courtesy the HamSci web site:

 “’We’re really happy with our results this year’ remarked Dr. Gareth Perry, a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Calgary, CASSIOPE’s home institution. ‘The Radio Receiver Instrument (RRI) recorded plenty of chatter between Field Day participants, especially during our passes over the eastern and central United States on the evening of the 23rd’.

“Members of the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) group coordinated with the Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club (NVARC, N1NC) and the Hoosier DX And Contest Club (N9NS) and the Indianapolis Radio Club to ‘direct traffic’ – asking their members to stick to pre-selected frequencies during the passes, and to record their transmitting logs.” 

The Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation project is a platform for the publicity and promotion of projects that:

  • Advance scientific research and understanding through amateur radio activities
  • Encourage the development of new technologies to support this research
  • Provide educational opportunities for the amateur community and the general public

 

W1 QSL Card Sorting Session at Algonquin ARC, August 9, 2018

rare dx qsl cardEric Williams, KV1J, writes on the Algonquin ARC mailing list:

The Algonquin Club will be holding a QSL card sorting session on  Thursday August 9th, 7:30 PM at the Marlborough Fire Station.  We will  be in the classroom/EOC where we hold Field Day. 

The Bureau receives QSL cards from DXers all over the world, sort them and then  send them to the New England area hams.  We processed about 100,000 QSL  cards each year.  To do this, we are grateful for the team of over 40  volunteers and several area clubs that help make this happen.  Our  Algonquin club is one of the clubs that helps with the presorting step in our process. 

Our part is easy and fun.  You get to see QSL cards from all around the  globe.  Maybe catch a card that is for you!  We will have boxes of cards  from the country national organizations that are for W1 call area hams.  For our session we will have about 13,000 cards. Our mission is to sort  those cards into stacks for each first letter of the call sign suffix.  So there will be a stack for all the call signs the a suffix the starts  with A and one for those starting with B and so forth.  It goes quick  especially with lots of people doing it on several separate tables. 

When we are done, those stacks will be sent to our individual letter  sorters who will then sort them by the individual recipient hams. 

Our web site is – www.w1qsl.org  If you want to see the details of our processes –  http://www.w1qsl.org/qslsort/docs.htm 

Thank you and hope to see you next month. 

73,

Eric, KV1J
W1 QSL Bureau Co-Manager

W1NAS to Host Snow Goose Flight 60th Anniversary Special Event Operation, August 18, 2018

photo of Snow Goose blilmpThe Shea Naval Air Museum Amateur Radio Club (W1NAS) will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the flight of the blimp Snow Goose with a special event operation on Saturday, August 18, 2018, from 0900-1500 EDT.  They will operate on 14.250 and 7.250, but may change depending on band conditions.  The Snow Goose flew from NAS South Weymouth to Resolute Bay while the submarine USS Nautilus cruised under the polar ice cap. 

The Shea Naval Aviation Museum was formed by veterans who were stationed at the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station.  The Shea Naval Aviation Museum Amateur Radio Club was born of out joint participation between the Museum and the K1USN Radio Club.  Its first club license was obtained in March, 2015, and the current call, W1NAS, was assigned on April 10, 2015.  The call sign “represents the use of the facility for more than 55 years as a U.S. Naval Air Station, first as a blimp base, and later as the home of numerous fixed-wing and rotary-wing squadrons.”

[See also: https://ema.arrl.org/2017/08/20/snow-goose-special-event-operation-so-weymouth-august-20-2017/]

Wilmington Fox Active, July 19, 2018

Nick, KC1DKY writes on the fox hunters list:

I’ve put the KC1DKY fox out on conservation land in the town of Wilmington.

Fox frequency is 146.565MHz.  Send a DTMF tone of 2 for a second to activate the fox.  It will cycle through 30 seconds of tones and 30 seconds of silence for 10 minutes.  The fox will need to reactivated after that time.  Sign the book if you find it.  Email me, or find me on the repeaters if you need help.

****SPOILER ALERT****
Reverse the letters for the street name of the trail head
evird htapwot
It’s hidden about a tenth of a mile from the road and it’s about
25feet from the trail.

Good luck!

Nick
KC1DKY

Fox “On the Loose” in North Chelmsford, July 8, 2018

John Salmi, KB1MGI writes on the Fox Hunters list on July 8 at 10:20 AM ET:

Andy, KB1OIQ has placed his 80-meter fox out in North Chelmsford at crooked Spring Conservation land.

 

 

Andy, KB1OIQ adds:

Frequency:  3579.5 khz (give or take)

It is on a 12 hour cycle.  I deployed it around 8:45 AM.  It should transmit for 12 hours, then stay silent for 12 hours, and repeat until the battery discharges.

I plan to retrieve it on Monday after work.  I hope it is still transmitting at that time.

I’m still fiddling with the circuitry to extend the battery life.

 

Wilmington Fox Deployed, July 7, 2018

Nickolas Mollo, KC1DKY writes on the Fox Hunters list on July 7, 2018 at 3:54 PM:

Attention Fox Hunters,

The KC1DKY fox is on the loose on Wilmington conservation land. Frequency is 146.565 MHz with a DTMF of 2 for a second or so. Sign the note pad if you find it.  If you have trouble send me an e-mail.

73,

Nick, KC1DKY

****SPOILER ALERT****
The fox is located off of (respell backwards)
daor drahcnalb
It is not on the trail leading from the cul-de-sac but further back in the area
as there are too many houses right there.
You’ll have to chose left or right, but the arrow will only point right.
The fox is only about 20ft from the trail.

YCCC Well-represented at WRTC2018, July 12-16, 2018

Dennis Egan, W1UE writes on the Yankee Clipper Contest Club mailing list:

[The 2018 World Radiosport Team Championship is being held in Germany, July 12-16, 2018. WRTC is held every four years; in 2014, the event was hosted in New England.]

YCCC will be well represented at WRTC2018. Members participating:

Competitors
K1LZ
VY2ZM
K1DG
WA1Z

Referees
W1UE
K1CC
K1RX
N2GA
W1VE
W6PH

Judging Committee
K5ZD

Hospitality
K1VR

Spectators:
K1ZZ
KA1ZD
NJ1F
W1UJ
N1WK
NB1U
K6ND
K6NDV
K3JO
K2LE
W1EBI
KM3T
K1RQ

That makes 25 total.  Did I miss any one else?

<…>

Dennis W1UE
YCCC President

Whitman ARC QRV for 151st Annual Marshfield Fair

Whitman ARC logoThe Whitman Amateur Radio Club will sponsor a ham radio exhibit and special events station at the 151st Annual Marshfield Fair August 17-26,  2018 from 1600Z-0059Z. The club will operate under the call sign NN1MF on the following frequencies/bands: 18.160, 14.260, 7.260, and 3.860 MHz. The station will also be active on EchoLink via the WA1NPO-R, and IRLP: 8691. Contacts will be acknowledged with a certificate and QSL at: Whitman ARC, PO Box 48, Whitman, MA 02382. 

Falmouth ARA Planning for October Jamboree On The Air

Falmouth Amateur Radio AssociationThe Falmouth Amateur Radio Association plans to sponsor a Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA) event in the fall. This is the largest scouting event in the world and is held annually on the third full weekend in October. JOTA uses amateur radio to link scouts and hams around the world, around the nation, and in local communities.

The club plans to set up at the Falmouth Recreation Center “probably in the large room with a lot of windows.” Interested club members should contact Glen, KC1GKT at glen.dowden@gmail.com. More information to follow.

New England Wolf Pack Fusion Net, June 29, 2018

Brian, WO1VES writes:
 
This is a reminder that tonight at 8:00 PM I will once again be hosting the New England Wolf Pack Fusion Net.  This is a Yaesu System Fusion net open to all ham radio operators.  There are multiple ways to connect:
 
Direct to the Stoneham repeater: 147.075 with your Fusion radio
 
Through a Wires-X connected repeater or node: Connect to Wolf-Den, room 28941
 
Through your hotspot: Connect to the YSF reflector US Wolf Den
 
Through Echolink: No Fusion Radio?  Connect to WO1VES/R on Echolink
 
Through your DMR radio into your hotspot. SharkRF Openspot and MMDVM based devices can link DMR radios to YSF reflectors.  Just connect to US Wolf Den.
 
Work is still underway to full time link the Gloucester 443.700 Fusion repeater, but it is still not ready yet. I will also be adding an FCS reflector to the link.  I also encourage any other New England area Fusion repeaters to link in for the net.
 
Thanks everyone!
 
Brian – WO1VES

Fox Activated, Wilmington, June 27, 2018

Nick Mollo, KC1DKY writes on the Fox Hunters mailing list at 6:54 PM ET on June 27, 2018:

Attention Fox Hunters!

The KC1DKY FOX is out and about in Wilmington on town conservation land. Set your transceiver to 146.565 MHz, press your PTT, give a DTMF of 2, and if you are close enough, you’ll hear it beep back at you. Don’t forget to ID with your call sign when you attempt to activate it.

If you are new to fox hunting, there are several websites with good info, that include:
http://www.homingin.com/equipment.html
http://www.w0qe.com/transmitter_hunting_basics.html

I use my Baofeng with no antenna when I’m close enough and I go off frequency.  You gotta know your equipment.

SPOILER ALERT!  The location for anyone stuck (backwards)

daor llim – setatse eilyk

73!

Nick
KC1DKY