Amateur License Exams Offered at Northeastern Universitiy

Marty Sullaway, NN1C, writes on the Northeastern University Wireless Club mailing list:

I am also excited to announce our upcoming series of amateur radio licensing exams. Each exam session is free for Northeastern Students, and getting your ham radio license looks great on your resume, and is a great proxy for learning electrical engineering skills. Our first exam will be on Oct 2, 2023 followed by another on Oct 16, 2023. Learn more on our website, and please sign up there if you wish to attend. Each will be held at 7:00 PM in 503 Hayden. 

Minecraft Ham Radio Mod Unveiled at HamXposition

Minecraft screenshotThe Minecraft ham radio mod “RadioCraft” will be introduced at the 2023 Northeast HamXposition / ARRL New England Division Convention in Marlboro, MA, on August 25-27, 2023.

RadioCraft will enable simulation of ham radio in the Minecraft game. Game players will be able to build and operate a variety of radios on HF and VHF, with customizable antennas, and realistic simulations of propagation, QRM and QRN, diurnal solar effects, and band conditions. Eventually the project hopes to simulate the full range of ham radio activities including phone, CW, APRS, VHF repeaters, and even fox hunting.

“There will be a continuous demonstration in the convention center lobby,” writes PART of Westford President George Allison, K1IG. “At 11:00 AM on Saturday we’ll have a one-hour presentation by Lucas (W1BTR) and me in the Sterling Room. The presentation will include a live demo of the program, and we’ll talk about how the mod could affect the growth of ham radio.”

If successful, the RadioCraft project could potentially introduce Amateur Radio to millions of young gamers. Every convention-goer is strongly encouraged to attend the presentation and see what the RadioCraft project has accomplished.

“Our goal is to use this simulation to introduce ham radio to the world-wide Minecraft gaming community and then get them licensed so they can participate in the real-world hobby.”

For more information, visit http://wb1gof.org/RadioCraft/.

HABGab and StratoScience Balloon Launch, Natick, July 2023

Seth Kendall, KC1PZY, writes on July 22, 2023 at 6:27 AM:

HABGab 2023 is officially on for today.  We will be launching from:

Tantasqua Vocational Regional High School

319 Brookfield Rd, Fiskdale, MA 01518

Frequencies, tracking information, updated countdown, etc:
https://nescitech.org/habgab

We will be starting on site set up at 9am.  Launch scheduled for 1pm.  We’d love to see you there or hear you on the air!

 

 

HABGab banner
 
Seth Kendall, KC1PZY, writes:
 
Enjoy making rare contacts and participating in experimental projects?  The New England Weather Balloon Society, in partnership with the Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society, is launching a special event high altitude balloon (HAB) repeater this July in Eastern Massachusetts. 
 
We would like to welcome all amateur radio operators in New England to participate in this experimental flight by calling into the repeater as it flies over 30 km high.  We will be issuing QSL cards to all confirmed contacts.
 
This flight will also be transmitting live video from the payload on 1.2 GHz, and live streaming to YouTube from our ground station at New England Sci-Tech.
 

Also traveling onboard will be a number of student projects by members of the StratoScience Lab class at New England Sci-Tech and BFCCPS school in Franklin, MA.

Please be aware that the date of the event is highly dependent on weather and readiness, so make sure to regularly check the HABGab Launch Page for up to date information about the date and instructions for making contact: https://nescitech.org/habgab.

Sixteen New Amateur Satellites in Orbit From Space-X Transporter 7 Launch

Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, writes on the Sci-Tech ARS mailing list:

[New England Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society] is working with AMSAT to help make a positive ID of these new satellites for inclusion in the AMSAT orbital elements distrubution. If you are so inclined, please listen for any of these new birds and send any observations, i.e. early or late passes based on the Celestrak Two Line element sets described below.

Our friends at Libre Space show 16 spacecraft using amateur frequencies on the recent Space-X transporter 7 launch.

https://community.libre.space/t/spacex-f9-transporter-7-2023-04-15-06-47-utc/10255

Celestrak has published element sets derived from Space-X deployment data. See https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/sup-gp.php?FILE=transporter-7&FORMAT=tle

Celestrak also made an attempt to match Space-X derived TLEs to USSF tracked objects: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/transporter.match.txt but I don’t consider that authoritative. Note that RoseyCubesat-1 and INSPIRE-Sat 7 share the same element set which seems strange as I understand that they are two independent spacecraft.

We are particularly interested in INSPIRE-Sat 7. INSPIRE-Sat 7 carries a 435.200 MHz telemetry channel with BPSK mode – GR3UH 9k6 along with an FM transponder and student experiments to be activated after on-orbit checkout.

The following is from https://www.uvsq.fr/inspire-sat-7

“To receive the telemetry, a software has been developed: KissTool . It is available for Windows & Linux:

Linux: https://site.amsat-f.org/download/118791/?tmstv=1680945385

Windows : https://site.amsat-f.org/download/118784/?tmstv=1680945385

The user manual is available in French ( https://site.amsat-f.org/josast-kisstool/ ) and English ( https://code.electrolab.fr/xtof/josast/-/blob/27-new-application-for-spino/ApplicationKissTool/src/site/markdown/UserManual.md ) ”

de KM1P Joe

Beaver Works / MIT Amateur Radio License Class for High Schoolers Begins March 4, 2023

Beaver Works MIT Ham Radio Class flyerDaniel Sheen, KC1EPN, writes:

The folks over at W1MX have been organizing an amateur radio class for high schoolers with Beaver Works at MIT for the spring. It starts on March 4th and we still have space for more people, I was wondering if any of your members know anyone who might be interested?

The signup link is here: https://mit-bwsi.formstack.com/forms/bwsi_spring_2023_hamradio

Thanks.

Barnstable ARC holds Winter Field Day at Scout Camp

From nediv.arrl.org:

Barnstable ARC logoRob Leiden, K1UI, writes:

The Barnstable ARC (BARC) held its first Winter Field Day (WFD) at Boy Scout Camp Greenough in Yarmouth, MA this weekend.  The Club and the Boy Scouts are working together to put a permanent amateur radio station at the camp.  As part of the close relationship being forged with scouting, BARC (W1MA) set up a 2O station in the camp and manned it around the clock with a dozen volunteers.  Since the Administration building was winterized with no heat or water, it was an ideal location for an outdoor experience including temporary heaters and bringing in water.  Although the effort was smaller than BARC’s summer Field Day, setting up the antennas and operating in cold weather gave both old timers and newer operators valuable experience.  Don, KT1OK (foreground) and Lem, W1LEM were finishing the operation on Sunday afternoon, logging a few last-minute contacts on 15 and 40 meters.

665 contacts were made on 5 bands using emergency power with stations as far away as Hawaii.  BARC is taking every opportunity to showcase amateur radio at Camp Greenough that hosts camp outs to scouts from all over Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Winter Field Day continues this effort that began with Jamboree on the Air last Fall and continues with WFD and the removal of trees in preparation for Eversource to install three donated poles for the permanent radio station antenna supports.

 

New England Sci-Tech Winter Field Day Festivities, January 28, 2023

New England Sci Tech logoNew England Sci-Tech will participate in Winter Field Day and also host a number of fun and educational activities on Saturday, January 28, 2023 from 2:00 to 9:00 PM at 16 Tech Circle in Natick, Massachusetts. “We will stay warm and take a points loss but still have fun! Non-licensed adults and children can get on the air with one of our control operators.”
 
In addition, NEST will feature maker activities from 4 to 6 PM for children of members and visitors, and hands-on activities led by volunteers. “Make a meteorite necklace, make 3-D paper art, make an electronics gadget, make a laser-cut art project, make a woodworking project, and more.” Also planned are thirty-minute planetarium shows at 5 and 7 PM, a pot luck dinner from 6 to 8 PM, and a ham radio “movie marathon” from 7 to 9 PM. 

W6NBC: “Making Ferrite Toroid Baluns” at New England Sci-Tech Hybrid Meeting, January 3, 2023

New England Sci Tech logoThe New England Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society will meet on-line and in-person on January 3, 2023 at 7 PM and feature: “Making Ferrite Toroid Baluns” by by John Portune, W6NBC.

Few hams have a clue of how to select a toroid and wind it to make a 1:1, 4:1 or 9:1 balun and the well-known radio books can be confusing. This presentation shows the three very easy steps to successful ferrite toroid design with very little math and a free on-line calculator.

Bio: John is a native of Los Angeles, CA and was first licensed in 1965. He has a Bachelor’s degree in physics from Oregon State University and, before he retired, was a broadcast television engineer and instructor. John is a ham magazine author and has published more than 25 articles to date in QST. He is active on HF, VHF, UHF – SSB, FM, digital modes, ham satellites and his other hobbies include steam railroading and pipe organs. John is married to KF6OEB and has three children and 12 grandchildren. John’s website is www.w6nbc.com

Algonquin ARC Members Chat With Hudson High School Students, December 9, 2022

Hudson High School ARC
Hudson High School ARC, May 2019.

Members of the Algonquin Amateur Radio Club in Marlborough took time from their busy lives to chat with students at the Hudson High School over AARC’s 440 MHz repeater. The Hudson High School ARC is under new leadership: Lynda Chilton, KC1RWC, the HUD-TV Cable Access TV Director, and Troy Lefebvre, KC1RUC, of the school’s Business and Technology Department.

Outgoing club leader and W1HUD trustee Reed Prior, W1TF, is still involved supporting the new instructors through the transition.

“We had to store the equipment away as we work through the logistics of reconnecting the antenna to new location in the building. We hope to set it back up in the future but we have to discuss it at a later date,” says Lefebvre.

The students use a handheld Baofeng radio to make the contacts with the Algonquin ARC members.

Ken Horton, KA1GFN, the Algonquin ARC’s treasurer and newsletter editor, spoke to three or four students on Friday, December 9, 2022.

“They wanted to know how long I had been in Amateur Radio and how I become interested.”

Ken says one student also asked if he had any suggestions on the best way to learn Morse code.

“Not being a  Morse code person, I couldn’t offer much as far as suggestions other than to practice.”

The students’ questions were not limited strictly to Amateur Radio,” reports KA1GFN.

“They also asked some questions on sports which I came up with the best answers that I could for not being a sports person. They asked which sport I liked watching the most; I don’t really watch sports but if were to watch any, it would be baseball. They asked what baseball team I like watching the best. Being from New England, it would be the Red Sox. I guess, though, the idea was to get them to talk.”

“We run a program that we call ‘Enrichment,'” says Troy Lefebvre. “Each day there is time allocated for academic support or enrichment which are fun topics for students to learn more about. We currently have ham radio enrichment  on Fridays.”

KC1RUC says the ham enrichment topics have included:

  • Amateur Radio – Define it, types, licensing, AARC, resources, local events
  • Repeaters – Define, local groups, resources, how to set up your transceiver for a repeater (Baofeng), net events
  • Echolink – Define it, its uses, demonstration
  • Connecting /Conversation- Mainly with members of AARC or Reed  Prior (W1TF)

“It is out hope, based on what we know now and our set up, to continue with the information listed above and expand as Lynda and I learn more. This coming summer, we hope get our General class licenses, revisit the equipment and antenna set up and expand the offering in the fall of 2023.”

Troy says the biggest challenge they face is “continuing to get good numbers for enrichment. They have been going down as of late, but of those that do come they are really interested. I would like to have a solid foundation throughout the year and ideally, have it in place for the fall.”

Hudson High School is a public school enrolling about 950 students in grades 8-12.  It is located in the New England town of Hudson, MA, about 27 miles (43 km) west of Boston.  We offer a broad general education curriculum, including about 155 elective courses to meet widely varying student interests. 

KC1HTT: “A Low Power, Single Polarization, 144 MHz, Earth-Moon-Earth Amateur Radio Station: Physics, Engineering, and Operations” at New England Sci-Tech Hybrid Meeting, December 20, 2022

New England Sci Tech logoThe New England Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society will meet on-line and in-person on December 20, 2022 at 7 PM and feature: “A Low Power, Single Polarization, 144 MHz, Earth-Moon-Earth Amateur Radio Station: Physics, Engineering, and Operations” by Dr. William E. Keicher, KC1HTT.

Description: Successful amateur Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) communications is the most challenging project that an amateur radio operator can attempt. The goal of this presentation is to give the amateur radio enthusiast an idea of what is required to successfully model, build, and operate a QRP EME station. The KC1HTT 2 meter, QRP EME amateur radio station is described in detail. Included in this presentation are the physics of EME communications, communication system analysis, design, and hardware implementation. In addition, the JT65B communication mode, waveforms, and signal processing are described. Finally, EME operations are reported, including QSO planning, safety considerations, EME support web sites, six successful QSOs, and a signal-to-noise analysis of the QSOs. Plans are discussed for the next generation KC1HTT EME radio station.

Bio: Dr. William E. Keicher, KC1HTT, is a retired research electrical engineer. He worked at MIT Lincoln Laboratory from 1975 to 2012 and CBS Laboratories from 1973 to 1975. He served as an officer in the US Army Signal Corps from 1969 to 1977. His research specialties include laser and millimeter wave communications, laser, microwave and millimeter wave radar systems, and infrared and visible imaging systems. He is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s Electrical Engineering Department BSEE (1969), MSEE (1970), Ph.D. EE (1974). Dr. Keicher’s amateur radio interests include HF DX chasing, VHF/UHF satellite communications, and VHF Earth-Moon-Earth communications.

New England Sci-Tech Now hosting NEWBS to Reach New Heights

StratoScience logoThe New England Weather Balloon Society is dedicated to the collaborative and iterative process of building and launching high altitude balloons to the edge of space to take instrumentation readings, record video footage, and conduct experiments. This club, hosted by New England Sci-Tech, brings together like minded tinkerers, engineers, and hams to work on exciting projects and launches. Open to all ages.

“AeroNU Project Horizon Presentation” at Northeastern University Wireless Club, November 3, 2022

Northeastern Univ Wireless logoThe Northeastern University Wireless Club is hosting a special meeting with the AeroNU Project Horizon project on November 3, 2022 at  7 p.m. in 503 Hayden (club space).

The club will discuss its upcoming collaboration with AeroNU. AeroNU is launching a CubeSat, and NUWC is supporting the construction of a VHF/UHF satellite ground station to be hosted in the NUWC club space. The team from Aero will be presenting on their work, and the communication systems onboard. 

 

New England Sci-Tech ARS (W1STR) QRV for School Club Roundup

New England Sci Tech logoW1STR will be open and operating School Club Roundup on Thursday [October 20, 2022] from 7 pm to 9 pm and Friday [October 21, 2022] 6 pm to 8 pm, all are welcome to come and operate.  New hams, youth, and anyone interested in ham radio will be able to operate this event on HF.

Bands:

All amateur bands except 60, 30, 17 and 12 meters are permitted.

Repeaters are not to be used. Only recognized simplex frequencies may be used. U. S. A. examples include 144.90-145.00; 146.49, .55, 58; and 147.42, .45, .48, .51, .54 and .57 MHz. The national calling frequency, 146.52 MHz, may not be used. Similar restrictions apply in other countries.

Suggested HF Frequencies:

Phone (MHz): 1.855-1.865; 3.850-3.880; 7.225-7.255; 14.250-14.280; 21.300-21.330; 28.440-28.460
CW (MHz): 1.800-1.810; 3.530-3.540; 7.030-7.040; 14.030-14,.040; 21.130-21.140; 28.130-28.140

More details at: https://www.arrl.org/school-club-roundup

JOTA at Camp Sayer a Success!

Rusty Moore, K1FVK, writes on the stars-radio list:

The Blue Hill Observatory Wireless Society hosted a successful Jamboree On The Air event at Camp Sayer in the Blue Hills Reservation on Saturday. Club President Steve Hillson, Tom Ulrich, Rusty Moore, Joe Fitzgerald, and John, Bree, Rhys and Tate Aldridge were all present to help. Also present were various law enforcement and security agencies (including MEMA) for a Scouting Explorer career day event.

We had full run of the covered pavilion overlooking the parking lot, and operated three stations: Steve and Rusty on SSB phone, and Tate running FT8. Tom handed out information packets and delivered a terrific introduction to the radio hobby to every group of Scouts as they arrived at the pavilion.

One of the most popular activities among the Scouts was our Morse code set-up consisting of a straight key with practice oscillator, and two wire-connected keys separated by 20 feet so that two Scouts could send code back and forth. John Aldridge and Joe Fitzgerald assisted with their code. The kids loved it.

Rusty kept tabs on the International Space Station and used a handheld Yagi to track the Station on three consecutive passes. Tate guided the antenna on the third pass.

The most memorable contact of the day was made between a young girl named Emily, who was visiting with her family, and PE1OAD/MM aboard a Dutch cargo ship out in the Atlantic! 

photo of K1MKD monitoring radio traffic from ISS
Tate K1MKD monitoring radio traffic from the ISS. Photo courtesy Rusty Moore, K1FVK

 

Young man getting response from a CQ
Rhys, Tate’s brother, getting a response to his CQ from a station in Newbern, NC. Photo courtesy Rusty Moore, K1FVK

JOTA Activity in Westford

JOTA-JOTI logoAndy Stewart, KB1OIQ, is hosting Scouts for Jamboree On The Air on October 15 at his Westford QTH.

“If you are available, please listen on the 955 WB1GOF repeater from noon until 3 p.m. on Saturday.  I will have Scouts making calls around that time.  Also, if you are able to join us on an HF frequency, we can negotiate that on 955,” Andy writes.

PART of Westford Planning for JOTA

JOTA-JOTI logoGeorge Allison, K1IG, writes on the PART of Westford mailing list:

The annual Scouting Jamboree-On-The-Air (JOTA) is the largest Scouting event in the world, and is held in the third full weekend in October. This year, it will be held October 14-16, 2022.
 
The local Westford Scout troop has several Scouts (and parents) who are interested in participating in the JOTA and pursuing the Radio Merit Badge and possibly an amateur radio license. If any PART members would be able to host a up to four Scouts and parents for a few hours during JOTA at your home station and making some contacts, please send me an email (k1ig@arrl.net) and let me know your availability.
 
73,
George K1IG

BIG E Space Chat Deemed “A Huge Success”

screenshot from ARISS contact

West Springfield, MA—The BIG E Space Chat was an unqualified success. Many hours of planning and effort went into making the ISS contact a reality.

Thirteen young STEM students who are taking space science workshops at New England Sci-Tech in Natick, Mass., were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 to ask questions of International Space Station pilot Bob Hines, KI5RQT, orbiting 260 miles above the earth via a ground station in Belgium. Held in The BIG E Arena, a large entertainment venue, the event garnered much news and television coverage at the fair which attracts 1.5 million people during its 17-day run. It was an out of this world experience for the students from across New England.

Following several informative videos, hundreds of people who gathered in the arena, along with a national audience watching via YouTube live stream, heard from: Gene Cassidy, Eastern States Exposition CEO; David Minster, ARRL CEO; Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC; and Bob Phinney, K5TEC. The pre-contact show was choreographed down to the minute in order to assure a smooth transition leading to the contact itself.

At approximately 2:30 PM ET, the audience heard astronaut Bob Hines, KI5RQT, reply to the ARISS ground station, ON4ISS:

“Oscar November Four India Sierra Sierra, this is Oscar Romeo Four India Sierra Sierra. Over.” 

Over a dozen questions were asked by the youths and answered.

“The space station has to be flying over one of our ground stations… this one happened to be in Belgium,” said Bob Phinney, President of New England Sci-Tech. He told Springfield Channel 22 News, “The time had to be perfect. So the students got exactly ten minutes to get up and talk.”
“All the new opportunities that there are about new discoveries, new planets, and even new life,” said 11-year-old Harish Sathishkaumar.

Jack Warren told 22 News, “What fascinates me the most is the unknown…. There is just so much to learn!”

“The best thing about this work is that we probably changed one or two lives today,” said Fred Kemmerer. “The biggest takeaway from this momentous day; always to reach for the stars.”

The following day, Bob Hines tweeted this message from the ISS:

Bob Hines tweet re Space Chat: "This was such a fun event... great questions from all the students at New England Sci-Tech. We talked all things space: @space_station, @nasa_astronauts, @nasaartemis and more! Thanks for the chat! -73

 

The BIG E Space Chat team consisted, in part, of:

  • ARRL New England Division Director Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC
  • New England Sci-Tech member Barbara Irby, KC1KGS
  • Assistant Director Anita Kemmerer, AB1QB
  • Western MA Section Manager Ray Lajoie, AA1SE
  • New England Sci-Tech President Bob Phinney, K5TEC
  • Vice Director Phil Temples, K9HI

Third-parties involved in making the effort a success included: the production company Black Helicopter, Limited; the BIG E Marketing team, and Eastern States Exposition CEO Gene Cassidy; NASA; and Amateur Radio on the International Space Station.

Several ARRL Headquarters staff from Newington, Connecticut attended the event including: ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA; Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1W, Director of Public Relations and Innovation; and Steve Goodgame, K5ATA, ARRL Education and Learning Manager.

At the conclusion of the contact, the youths were presented with certificates confirming their contact with Bob Hines aboard the ISS, signed by David Minster, NA2AA; Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC; and Bob Phinney, K5TEC.

Along with “Space Chat,” NESci-Tech is conducting a 12-month educational space science program that includes:

  • Amateur Radio License Course
  • Model Rocketry workshops
  • Air-Powered Rocketry
  • Introduction to Basic Electronics
  • Introduction to Arduinos Electronics
  • Public Telescope Nights
  • Morse Code Introduction
  • Elementary Mathematics for Modeling Rocket Flight

You can learn more about New England Sci-Tech’s educational space science program by visiting their website.

A recording of the pre-contact show and ARISS space station contact can be viewed on the NESci-Tech YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdxnD8uF8t0.

Blue Hill Observatory Wireless Society Organizing JOTA Event

Blue Hill Observatory Wireless SocietyTom Ulrich, KC1OCY, writes on the Boston Amateur Radio Club mailing list:
 

I’m working with the Blue Hill Observatory Wireless Society and the local Scout council to organize a JOTA event on October 15 at their base camp in Milton; more info to come soon. I’m hearing word that local troops may be planning their own JOTA events that day as well.

73,
Tom KC1OCY
 
Thomas Ulrich
thomas.rm.ulrich@gmail.com
+1 (617) 571-8650
KC1OCY / WRCU734

RAO to Launch New Amateur Radio Learning Program for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ Students with Support from ARDC

Nico Bezzerides, KC1PNP, writes on the STARS-radio mailing list:

I just saw this (https://public.nrao.edu/news/nrao-receives-ardc-ham-radio-grant/) and I thought this was really cool. There may even be an opportunity for us to partner with this project in order to fulfill their “connection with amateur radio clubs” requirement.


“Following a generous grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), the National Science Foundation‘s National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) will soon launch a two-year project to engage BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students in learning about the electromagnetic spectrum and the excitement of amateur— also called ham— radio. The new project, Exploring the Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS), is expected to offer its first student-facing trainings in January 2023.

ARDC selected EMS because of NRAO’s proven track record in supporting underrepresented minority students in the sciences by combining mentoring and instruction from content experts with best practices in equity.

As a part of NRAO’s broader impacts-focused SuperKnova learning platform, EMS will combine the expertise of NRAO staff, amateur radio enthusiasts, and other subject matter experts to develop a scalable and shareable curriculum, introduce students to EMS and radio technologies through hands-on activities, and support students in attaining technical and general class licenses in amateur radio.

Amateur radio provides a hands-on entry point to understanding the radio spectrum and its practical uses, including communications, astronomy, and community emergency infrastructure and response. Early support and engagement with amateur radio has the potential to create pathways for students to a future career or lifelong hobby in the sciences. The $315,123 ARDC grant will allow NRAO to develop and execute the program for two cohorts of students. It will also result in the development of a nine-month EMS curriculum that will be freely available to school groups, community clubs, and educational institutions.

NRAO Director Tony Beasley said, “Amateur radio continues to be incredibly important to the nation and global communications, and NRAO is excited to be working with ARDC to bring a new generation and diverse communities to the field.”

73

Nico, KC1PNP