Operating

Operating, on-the-air events and activities, contests, DXing

Operating

POTA Activation, Hopkinton State Park, October 25, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
Parks On The Air logoSteve Ciavarini, NQ1F, writes on the Wellesley ARS mailing list:
 
Rob Jaczko, WA1UMU, and I and possibly Leandra Mac Lennan,  AF1R, are doing a POTA activation at Hopkinton State Park tomorrow at 1 PM and would love to have anyone join us. We will have plenty of antennas so you will only need to bring your radio if you would like to operate in tandem. It’s like a mini field day and a chance to escape the Covid blues. We practice safe Covid operation, keeping several wavelengths apart, hi hi.
 
 
If you can’t make it but would like to participate, work us from home and you can spot our frequencies on the website.
 
73,
Steve, NQ1F
Foxhunting / Operating

KD1D Fox is Out Again at a New Location, October 23, 2020

- by k9hi - 1 Comment
Alan Hicks, KD1D, writes on the NE Mass Fox Hunters list at 4:23 PM on October 23, 2020:
 

As of noon Friday [October 23, 2020], the KD1D Fox is on the air at a Westford Conservation Trust Site.  It will remain there through Monday.

The Site is the Veterans Memorial Complex in the Graniteville section of town. There is an excellent write up of the area at: https://westfordconservationtrust.org/tws_holding/veterans-memorial-complex/ 

Some Hints:

– The site can be approached from at least two directions.   Although one might be tempted to follow a Beacon, greater success may come from finding the Field of Diamonds.  You will know you are near the Field when you see many foxes cavorting.  Do not be deceived – our Fox is not among them.

–  When you come to the table, you will know you are on the right path.

– Like life itself, the trail has several ups and downs.  The wise seeker will carry a staff or hiking stick.

– The hunter must traverse a road made difficult by the presence of many fallen ancients.

– Beware the fortress.  It is deceitful.

Happy Hunting!

73 de KD1D

Operating

New England Digital Swap Net, October 24, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
Gene Balinski, K1NR, writes in the Algonquin ARC mailing list:
 
Please join us for the  NEW  New England Digital Swap Net 
 
This Saturday Evening 8:00 PM on the DMR-MARC New England network 
 
Choose the New England-wide talk group, and check-in when net control calls your area.   Feel free to list gear for sale, trade, or wanted.  
 
Hope to see you then,
 
73
Gene K1NR 
Operating

KC1NEF to Activate Boston (Bunker Hill) National Historic Park, October 21, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Parks On The Air logoFrom the Boston ARC website:

In a very exciting development, [Boston Amateur Radio Club] member Brendan Baldonado, the newly licensed KC1NEF, lets us know about an upcoming Parks On The Air (POTA) activation he’s about to attempt. He says:

“As you may know I am getting ready to take my General and Extra exam, but thought it could be a fun challenge to “Activate” a park using only Tech bands and Abilities. My Plan is to activate using 5 bands, if I can, with no data and no CW and mostly VHF!

The activation is not a contest so spotting is allowed, I only need to make 10 contacts to activate. For more information on POTA, go to http://parksontheair.com/

I am asking for help in activating the park by trying to contact me on the frequencies and modes listed below. I will submit a log through Parks On The Air where your callsign will receive hunter credit for you as well as activation credit for me! In addition to uploading the logs to eQSL and LoTW, I plan to buy either post cards as QSLs, or take a few pictures and turn them into Special Edition QSL cards for all the people who help me activate.

I plan to activate on Wednesday October 21, 2020. I’ll be at the Bunker Hill Monument and Park, a registered National Park, with my battery powered FT897 and Matchbox Random Length End Fed Dipole in a Tree. I’ll be starting around 2:00 PM (1800z) and going until about 6:00pm (2200z).

If you can reach out via these frequencies and let any other hams know to try and reach me I would be greatly appreciative.

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

10 Meters: 28.450 – USB
6 Meters: 50.294 – USB
2 Meters: 146.450 – FM
1.25 Meters: 223.450 – FM
70 CM: 446.00 – FM

For the most up to date spots please look at parksontheair.com and look for my callsign: KC1NEF

 

==

UPDATE

Brendan Baldonado, KC1NEF, writes:
 
The POTA activation was a success! I got 11 contacts, all 2-meter FM simplex if you can believe it. I was hoping for some 6-meter and 10-meter QSOs but that’s ok. I had two almost contacts, I heard W1JJF on 10 telling me my signal was weak and someone spotted me on the POTA site for 6 meters so that was exciting. It was a great day for it and my wife even joined me before it got too cold. […]
 
Here are a few photos from the day:
 
Clubs / Operating

Sci-Tech ARS, Wellesley ARS Members Participate in Summits On The Air Event from Mt. Wachusett, October 10, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Members of the Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society and the Wellesley Amateur Radio Society activated Wachusett Mountain in Princeton, Massachusetts for Summits On The Air on Saturday, October 10, 2020.

Fourteen STARS and WARS members and friends hiked or drove up the mountain. They logged more than 48 QSOs on 20 meters and several more on 2 meters making contacts from California to France to the base of Wachusett Mountain. The group plans to get the two clubs outdoors and operating once a month.

STARS and WARS members posed atop Wachusett Mountain for Summits On The Air

Operating / Youth

Scouting’s Jamboree on the Air Set for October 16-18, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Jamboree On The Air 2020 logoFrom nediv.arrl.org:

Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) and Jamboree on the Internet (JOTI) will be held this year on October 16, 17, and 18. Register online as an individual or as a group.

Jamboree on the Air is the largest Scouting event in the world. In a typical year, more than 1 million Scouts participate in JOTA, with over 11,000 stations operated by 20,000+ young radio amateurs from 150+ countries around the world.

JOTA details are available on the K2BSA website. The website menu will direct users to additional supporting information. K2BSA’s Jim Wilson, K5ND, says many locations are already offering virtual radio merit badge classes “and no doubt will be using similar approaches for Jamboree on the Air.” 

Foxhunting / Operating

KD1D Fox is Back On the Air, October 9, 2020

- by k9hi - 1 Comment

Alan Hicks, KD1D, writes on the NEMass Fox Hunters List on October 9, 2020:

The KD1D Fox transmitter went on the air again  in Westford MA at 1530 EDT on Friday 9 October 2020.  

It will transmit a voice message on 146.565 MHz for approximately 30 seconds which will repeat at 60 second intervals.  I expect the Fox to be operating through the weekend until at least Tuesday afternoon.  For additional information on our club’s Fox Hunting activities, please visit: http://www.wb1gof.org/activities/Foxing/
 
Some clues:

– It is located on conservation land in the northeast section of town and can be heard from Route 40 (Groton Road).

– You may park at a public playground (with a porta-potty) near the trail entrance.

-The Conservation area has a name similar to that of Tarzan’s family of origin.   

– The name is also a compound word consisting of “neither black nor white”  and a hard natural object.

Once you find  the trail, the Fox will not be far away, but it may be difficult to see.

If you’re unfamiliar with the area, drop me an email at my callsign @arrl.net and I will help you zero in on the location before you go hunting.

 
Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net – Monday October 5th, 2020 – 830 PM EDT

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

Hello to all…

The October Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday October 5th, 2020 at 830 PM on the MMRA Repeater system.

For frequencies that will be linked into the ARES Net on the MMRA Network, please see the following link from the MMRA web site detailing the repeaters that will be linked in through Hub 1:

http://www.mmra.org/repeaters/repeater_index_by_linkstate.html

We look forward to your participation and remember, we are always looking for Net Controls to run the ARES Net. For tonight’s ARES Net, the focus will be on participation in a MARS exercise taking place through October 24th, the Eastern Mass ARES SET for Saturday 11/14/20 timed with a national Red Cross exercise, the New England ARES Academy scheduled throughout the month of October and the release of the Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Plan as of last week.

Thanks for your continued support of ARES!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
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Foxhunting / Operating

Northeast MA Fox Hunting Update

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Alan Hicks, KD1D, writes on NEMass fox hunters list:

* All the 2-meter FM foxes belonging to PART of Westford members transmit on 146.565 MHz.  

* Currently the KD1D and W1HFN foxes use the Squawkbox module, which typically transmits a short (e.g. 30 second)  voice message and repeats once per minute. The low  power output of about 50 mW allows more than one Squawkbox to be on the air if they are far enough apart.  Often, I have one operating in Westford and W1HFN has one operating in Littleton simultaneously.

* Other two-meter fox boxes operated by our club members (including KB1MGI) use the Byonics module which sends a series of tones for a fixed period (e.g. 30 minutes) when activated by the hunter sending a DTMF ‘2’ for two seconds.   

* Occasionally, Andy Stuart, KB1OIQ, puts out an 80-meter Fox operating around 3.6 MHz.  

[KB1OIQ: It is supposed to be the color burst frequency.  This fox is really a Cricket 80A CW transceiver driven by an Arduino.  Yes, it is a bit overkill but I had fun making it.  It consumes too much power, so when it is out, it is usually only for a day or two.  It has a built-in real time clock so it only transmits during the daylight hours (approximately). I also occasionally put out a 2m fox, which is a Byonics MicroFox, transmitting about 15 mW.  This fox transmits 24×7 for several days until I retrieve it. I have also been accused of hiding a fox inside of a plastic owl, up on a tree branch.  Fox hunters claim to have heard the CW message, “I am most wise.”]

* The operators usually post frequency and activation information, when they announce the hunt.  I’ve gotten a bit lazy on that score and will try to mend my ways!

* Similarly, we usually announce the location (usually conservation, recreation or other public area), although lately I have been providing only clues to add a challenge.

* Some of the foxes use an HT transmitting 1 or 2 watts, in which case, we usually just announce the town it is in to practice long-distance direction finding similar to what we would need to track down a repeater troll.

It’s great to have fox hunters from outside the Westford area participating!  I will try to take that into consideration when doling out clues in the future.

73 and Happy Hunting!

Alan KD1D

Emergency Communications / Operating

Eastern MA Hospital Net Cancelled for October 3, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

John O’Neill, K1JRO, writes on the Eastern MA Hospital Net mailing list:

Due to technical difficulties, I was unable to send out a notice for the October EMHN with enough advance notice to everyone involved. 

Therefore, we will not be holding a Net this month.  I hope to have our email issues resolved soon.

Regards,

John O’
K1JRO

South Shore Health Amateur Radio Group
55 Fogg Rd. Mail-Stop 42
South Weymouth, MA 02190

Foxhunting / Operating

KD1D Fox is Back On the Air, October 2, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Alan Hicks, KD1D, writes on the NEMass Fox Hunters List at 7:51 PM on October 2, 2020: 

I set the fox loose again Friday afternoon around 5:00 pm in Westford.  It should run all weekend and into Monday.

Some clues:

It is neither ingenuous nor ingenious to say that it is an area named after something that is igneous.

It is in an area with a small rocky stream.

It should  be an easy non-strenuous hunt once you locate the general area.

73 and happy hunting!

Alan KD1D

Operating

Satellite Tracking Apps and Info

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
John Salmi, KB1MGI, writes on the PART of Westford mailing list:
 
-John, KB1MGI
 
Clubs / Operating

Wellesley ARS Parks On The Air Activation, K-2427, September 26, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Dan Brown W1DAN, writes:

[Wellesley Amateur Radio Society members] Steve Ciavarini, NQ1F, along with Rob Jaczko, WA1UMU, and Leandra Mac Lennan, AF1R, operated  Parks On The Air as K-2427 on Saturday September 26, 2020 at Cochituate State Park in Natick, MA.

After guidance from park rangers, Leandra set up her VHF Moxon beam antenna for 2m and a 20m Hamstick vertical; Rob set up his new Wolf River vertical with twelve 40-foot radials that Steve made, and Steve set up his home brew 6m beam he presented to WARS last week. Started operating around 3:30PM.

All in all, Rob and Leandra made around 60 contacts on 40M, 20M, and 2M, and one contact on 6M, which was absolutely dead.

The gang said it was good fun. Leandra wanted to do a POTA sometime, and when Rob invited she jumped at the chance. Leandra brought her Yaesu FT991 40AH battery, mini masts for the Hamstick and 2-meter Moxon antenna. Rob brought his Icom 7300, 20AH battery, and a Wolf River Coils antenna (https://www.wolfrivercoils.com). However there was a set of 50-foot radials with this antenna, which were all tangled up like a ball of twine. This took a frustrating hour to untangle, but once set up, the antenna was excellent on 40M.

Steve’s new 6-meter beam seemed to work, but the band was pretty dead as he found only one station in Manchester NH. The new beam was found to be directional–a good sign. In the meantime, Leandra worked Bill, N1WEN on 146.52.

On 20M, AF1R found another POTA station in CO, Rob said that that station later told them they were the strongest POTA station with the Wolf River antenna. Rob had a lot of success on 40M SSB with the antenna, which was stronger than the Hamstick.

Each station needs ten contacts to be “activated.” Leandra had nine with the hamstick, so she moved to the Wolf River antenna. Spotted on POTA website, then worked stations during a pileup that lasted for a half hour. During the last 30 minutes, Rob and Steve were taking gear down, as Leandra used the Wolf antenna, made 30 more contacts in 30 minutes. Leandra made about 40-50 contacts, while Rob made 32.

Rangers stopped by and said it was time to shut down as the park closes at 7 PM, so they ended operations about 6:30 PM.

Leandra noted they learned how to cooperate in making contacts more efficiently and that spotters on the POTA website helped.

This is a test run for a bigger WARS club COVID-safe event planned for this fall. Cochituate State Park closes on Columbus Day October 12 (https://www.mass.gov/locations/cochituate-state-park), so maybe we can do Callahan State Park in Framingham.

Photos courtesy Steve, NQ1F

A beautiful fall day at Cochituate State Park
COVID-Safe Operating Practice
First lesson learned from last POTA...never throw your radials in the car without first rolling them up. The three of us spent about an hour unknotting a tangled web of radials to get the Wolf River vertical deployed.
Leandra giving VHF a run on 2m & HF on 20m, but only made 9 contacts so Rob let her use the vertical--a pile-up on 40m!
Rob WA1UMU Burning up 40M

[Show slideshow]
Operating

Historic DX Test Tonight: WNJC, 1360 kHz, Washington Township, NJ, FT-8 Weak Signal Mode, September 26, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
WNJC logoFrom Boston Area DXers mailing list:
 
Duke Hamann of WNJC has announced another weekly DX Test of WNJC 1360, including a historic first-ever test of the FT-8 mode during a medium-wave broadcast test.
 
Reception reports can be sent to Duke at: kc2dux@duxpond.com
 
The test will be in two parts:
 
WNJC DX TEST PART ONE 0000 EDT-0100 EDT (0400-0500 UTC)
 
The test begin late tonight starting at midnight on the East Coast of the United States. Late Saturday/Early Sunday, 9/27 at 0000 EDT (0400 UTC) and initially air the same Morse code IDs, jingles, sweep tones, telephone off-hook sounders and other test material. This time, however, WNJC will use a backup antenna tower that has never been used before. It is located on a site the station has leased for 30 years. The land owners have refused to renew the lease as they want to develop the land, so the station will lose this tower site in 6 months. Power will be 1250 watts and the antenna pattern will be non-directional.
 
This should provide a good opportunity for the test to be received in Europe.
 
WNJC DX TEST PART TWO 0100 EDT-0200 EDT (0500-0600 UTC)
 
The second part of the test is really exciting.
 
Duke Hamann will be testing for a second hour using the amateur radio mode FT-8, developed by Joe Taylor, K1JT, a Nobel Prize winning astrophysicist.
 
FT-8 is a “sound card mode” where you simply input audio from your receiver into your computer’s sound card, then use software to process that audio digging out weak signals in the noise. How well does it work? Using the software and the audio from your receiver, you can decode signals that are as much as -24db below the noise.
 
This means if you’re on the West Coast, and ordinarily you think you would have no chance of hearing the WNJC Test, tonight you may be able to put a new station in your logbook. In fact, worldwide reception may be possible using the FT-8 mode.
 
Chief Engineer Duke Harman explains:
 
“It will be a one-way transmission every 15 seconds for 1 hour calling “CQ WNJC FM29.″ I am going to try to do it Sunday at [0100-0200 EDT] 0500-0600 UTC. The audio frequency will vary between 200 Hz and 4000 Hz in 200 Hz increments over a five minute period then repeat.
 
(200, 400, 600, 800, 1000 Hz, etc.) All you would need to do is tune your radio to 1360 in AM mode, connect to your computer and receive. Looking forward to doing this unique test!
 
HOW TO RECEIVE FT-8
 
There are a ton of resources on the Internet for hams who want to get started in FT-8. It’s one of the most popular ways for hams to communicate. Whatever you read, simply substitute the word “receiver” for transceiver. Ignore anything about transmitting, calling CQ, etc. We won’t be transmitting—just listening.
 
An audio cable to run from your receiver’s headphone or line out jack to your computer is helpful. But for many folks make FT8 work fine using a microphone placed near the speaker of their radio. Portable radios may work great too. No fancy SDR or communications receiver needed.
 
Best bet is to set it up now and test it during the day on the ham bands. The most popular frequencies for FT8 (so you can test your ability to receive) are: 14.071 mHz (20 Meters) USB
 
Search for YouTube videos. Tons of help on the web. But don’t wait, test our your receiver and computer today in order to be ready tonight for this historic test.
 
 
73,
 
Les Rayburn, N1LF
121 Mayfair Park
Maylene, AL 35114
EM63nf
Foxhunting / Operating

KD1D Fox is on the Loose Again, September 25, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Alan Hicks, KD1D, writes on the NEMass Fox Hunters List at 3:36 PM on September 25, 2020:

The Fox attempted to go out last week, but was seized by a fever* and went home.

Newly energized, the Fox is on the air as of 1445 EDT on Friday September 25, 2020.  I expect to bring him home again on Monday morning 9/28. 

CLUES:
– The Fox’s new den is on Westford Conservation Trust Land. (Check them out – they have great maps!)

– The initials of the site remind me of what broke Ralphie’s glasses in “A Christmas Story.”

– One of the parking areas bears the surname of  the lead guitarist for a band  whose first name is the same as a “luxury” model Cadillac  (1976-1996) and whose  last name is a computer famous for not being a PC.

– The same parking area also bears the name of a famous residence  in the UK and the trail is located between two  local residences, numbered 15 and 17.

– An alternate parking area is at 180° + the part of the candle that you light (and from which light emanates) + a symmetrical round 2 dimensional shape.

– You should be able to hear the signal from Rt. 225

Send me a private email to kd1d@arrl.net for additional hints.
Happy hunting and 73 de KD1D

*(The fever was caused by the point of the security eye screw puncturing the insulation on the power cord from the battery to the SqwalkBox module.  Considerable magic smoke was emitted from the power circuit, but the transmitter survived.  The screw now has a blunt end and the power cord has a 1/2 amp fuse.)

Operating

NE1PL QRV from USS Massachusetts, September 19, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

NE1PL QSL cardRick Emord, KB1TEE, wites:

The [Uncommon Service to Naval Radio] Group, NE1PL, will be operating today on the USS Massachusetts–two HF stations and one 2-meter station on the Massasoit Amateur Radio Association’s  repeater, 147.180, PL 67, from 1000-1600. Come on the air and give us a shout.

[Located in Battleship Cove in Fall River, the USS Massachusetts (BB-59), known as “Big Mamie” to her crew members during World War II, was a battleship of the second South Dakota class. She was the seventh ship of the United States Navy to be named in honor of the sixth state, and one of two ships of her class (along with her sister Alabama) to be donated for use as a museum ship. Massachusetts has the distinction of having fired the US Navy’s first and last 16-inch (406 mm) shells of the war. -ed.]
Operating

New England Wireless & Steam Museum Yankee Steam-up Special Events Operation

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
Massie Wireless Station "PJ"
Massie Wireless Station “PJ”

A special events operation from the New England Wireless and Steam Museum’s Yankee Steam-up will take place on October 3, 2020 from 1300-2000Z.  Look for N1EPJ on the following frequencies: 3.558, 14.058, 7.25, 14.258. QSL to: Massie Wireless Club, N1EPJ, PO Box 883, East Greenwich, RI 02818.

From the N1EPJ QRZ page:

The station was built in Point Judith, Rhode Island, in 1907 and is the oldest surviving working wireless station in the world. It is now part of the New England Wireless and Steam Museum.

The Massie Wireless Station provided communications to steamboats that traveled between New York City and New England cities. In 1983 the wireless station was moved to the New England Wireless and Steam Museum at 1300 Frenchtown Road in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, to avoid demolition. The wireless station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

The Massie Wireless Station is in the process of being re-activated with its new callsign, N1EPJ. The new callsign itself is significant as the station’s original callsign was “PJ” (Point Judith), which became the station’s nickname.

From www.newsm.org:

Yankee Steam-Up 2020 will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2020. Due to Covid-19 concerns, Steam-Up will be exclusively on our YouTube channel this year. We’d prefer to see you all in person, but we do hope this allows enthusiasts from all over the world access our wonderful collection for the first time.

We’ll be posting new videos leading up to October 3rd. Watch below or visit the museum’s YouTube channel. Please like and share with your friends. Check back often for more information or send us a message letting us know what you’d most like to see. Contact us.

 

Operating

International Space Station Passes; New 2-Meter/440 MHz Repeater

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
John Salmi, KB1MGI, writes on the PART of Westford mailing list:
 
See the following Space Station passes chart:
 
 
Tuesday evening at 2100 hrs or 9 PM should be very active.
 
 
Initial operation of the new radio system is in FM cross band repeater mode using an uplink frequency of 145.990 MHz with an access tone [CTCSS] of 67 Hz and a downlink frequency of 437.800 MHz. System activation was first observed at 01:02 UTC on September 2. Special operations will continue to be announced.
 
 
Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net – Monday 9/14/2020 at 830 PM EDT

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

Hello to all…

The September Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday September 14th, 2020 at 830 PM on the MMRA Repeater system.

For frequencies that will be linked into the ARES Net on the MMRA Network, please see the following link from the MMRA web site detailing the repeaters that will be linked in through Hub 1:

http://www.mmra.org/repeaters/repeater_index_by_linkstate.html

We look forward to your participation and remember, we are always looking for Net Controls to run the ARES Net. For tonight’s ARES Net, the focus will be on several announcements on upcoming events and documentation forthcoming along with the posting of exercise reports via email and the Eastern Mass ARRL/ARES section web site which were delayed due to numerous ARES-SKYWARN activations during August. We will also give a brief COVID-19 update.

Thanks for your continued support of ARES!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
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