Operating

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

Clubs / Operating

K1USN Radio Club Members Operate in CW Open

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
CW Open logoFrom K1USN Happenings, 9/8/2020:
 
Members of the Team K1USN participated in last weekend’s CW Open sponsored by the CWOP’s Club. Despite mediocre propagation conditions the CW bands were filled with activity and our K1USN Team had a very respectable showing! Members participating were: K1RV, N1DC, N1VH, K1VUT, K1TH, K1DJ, WS1L and new member Frank, K1EBY.
 
A good time was had by all and most of us were able to watch each other’s score progress in real time using the Online Contest Scoreboard with a dedicated K1USN Team sub-group leaderboard.
 
Thanks to Rick, N1DC for organizing the team and compiling our K1USN Team scores. 
Operating / Youth

K1MKD Breaks WSPR Records

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
photo of Tate Aldridge, K1MKD, soldering a circuit board
Tate Aldridge, K1MKD

by Derek, AK1WI

 
In the last two days, Tate Aldridge, K1MKD, of Lexington, has come in #4 and #2 in the world on KB9AMG’s WSPR statistics site, with the total number of WSPR spots – after John (his dad) trimmed 5 ” off his dipole antenna.  Yesterday he had 23669 spots – which is huge!
 
This is supported by his score of 334 “unique spots” on the VK7JJ mapping software over the past 24 hours- which is an all time record for anybody in our group, and which has dethroned the reigning champ, young Charlie Bures.  (Charlie had about 230 unique spots at the same time).   The “unique” score is independent of the frequency of transmission, so something obviously going terribly right over at the Aldridge household.  [Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society News]
Foxhunting / Operating

KD1D Fox is on the loose for the Labor Day Weekend

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Alan Hicks, KD1D, writes on the NEMass Fox Hunters List at 8:07 PM on September 4, 2020:

The KD1D Fox is out again after a brief vacation.  It is transmitting on 146.565 MHz, approximately 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off.

Some clues:

1. It is near one of the numbered routes in Westford – specifically the 2nd highest numbered route passing through town.

2. It is on Westford Conservation Land.  

3. The first name of the site is the same as the surname of an Irish nationalist leader who inspired the  rising of 1803,

4. The second name is the last name of former President Richard Nixon’s secretary.

5. Parking is not immediately adjacent to the site.  Fox hunters can park at another nearby wild life area or a nearby residential street.

Happy hunting!

73 de KD1D

Operating

CW Contesting – Announcing the New Slow Way to Go!

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

“Pi” Pugh, K1RV, writes:

Announcing the New Slow Way to Go!

K1USN’s New Weekly Slow Speed Test

Inaugural session Monday, Sept 14, 2020 @  0000 UTC, (Sunday, Sept 13 @ 8:00 PM EDT)

The CWops Club (CWops) promotes the art of CW for those who wish to expand and improve their on-the-air experiences. CWops’ CW Academy (CWA) program has produced thousands of successful graduates who have gone on to become everyday CW operators. Hundreds of CWA grads have become CWops members after demonstrating their ability to understand and communicate in CW at speeds of 25 WPM and higher!

CWops’ three weekly 25 to 40+ WPM CWT sprints are exciting, stimulating and a great way to improve CW copying ability, operating skills, and propagation knowledge. The CWTs create bonds of friendship among CW-loving operators around the world.

Now, for those just getting started in CW contesting and others who prefer a more leisurely pace, several members of both the K1USN Radio Club and CWops are starting a weekly one-hour slow speed CW contest, the SST. Please join us!

K1USN’s new Slow Speed Test is designed to encourage and assist those who signed up for CWA to learn CW or to improve their CW skills but are not yet copying 25 WPM, as well as all others who feel like “taking it slow and easy” once per week both for their own pleasure and to help others out.

CWops currently offers a total of nine “slow speed” CWT’s per year just after the three CWA graduations where all are asked to slow down to 20 WPM. Many CWA grads make contacts in those sessions, enjoying a well-earned rush of accomplishment. The SST will expand those opportunities for success to 52 weeks per year!

All of us old enough to remember our Novice days recall the rush of adrenalin and the sweaty grip on our J-38 (or Radio Shack) keys during those very first CW QSOs. This is what it must feel like for the new CW operators we want to encourage.

The weekly slow speed SST is also for operators who currently participate in regular CWT sessions, but only as S & P (Search and Pounce) entrants. The weekly 20 WPM or slower SSTs can build their confidence to find open frequencies and begin calling CQ, first in the SSTs and then in the more crowded and frenetic full speed CWTs. Successfully crossing that CQing threshold is another real accomplishment!

We hope many SST participants become sufficiently comfortable with CW contesting to enjoy the regular higher speed CWT sessions, other big CW contests, and smaller local and regional QSO parties, using N1MM+ (or other) computer loggers, spotting networks, call history files, live online scoring, etc. We welcome everybody to join in the SSTs whether high speed CW contesting is your goal or not, including new ops making their first attempts at completing a CW QSO.

In addition to SST’s 20 WPM upper speed limit, we ask all to be patient, supportive, and willing to slow down further as necessary to assist another op in completing an SST QSO.

CWA recommends using electronic keyers and paddles, but if you are more comfortable with some other device, please feel free to join us in the SSTs using a straight key, cootie key, bug or paddles. Unlike high speed contests, where QSO rate is king and a CQing/“running” station expects only the required exchange and confirms a contact with simply “dit” or “R”, the SST encourages sending brief friendly greetings to the other Op.

Friendliness is part of taking it slow and easy! So please join us in the SSTs! All you need is an HF radio, an antenna, and the desire to become, and assist others to become, better CW operators!

 Time and Day:  0000 UTC Monday (Sunday 8 PM EDT)  

Suggested initial SST frequencies:

  • 80 meters 3.532 – 3.539
  • 40 meters 7.032 – 7.039
  • 20 meters 14.032 – 14.039

Exchange: Name + state/province/country

Sample SST QSO
K1RV: CQ SST K1RV
N1DC: N1DC
K1RV: N1DC Pi MA
N1DC: GE Pi RICK MA
K1RV: GL RICK TU K1RV SST

For more info or questions about our SST, please email us at: k1usn.radioclub.sst@gmail.com or visit us at http://www.k1usn.com/sst

Additional info about our SST will be found at: https://www.contestcalendar.com/weeklycont.php

The K1USN SST N1MM+ UDC (User defined Contest) file will available for download here – https://n1mmwp.hamdocs.com/manual-supported/contests-setup/setup-udc-contests/

See also: http://www.arrl.org/news/k1usn-radio-club-announces-new-weekly-slow-speed-cw-contest

Foxhunting / Operating

KD1D Fox is On the Loose in Westford

- by k9hi - 1 Comment

Alan Hicks, KD1D, writes on the NEMass Fox Hunters List at 3:34 PM on August 14, 2020:

The KD1D Fox is out again with a new battery from Electronics Plus!  I expect it to last for 4 -5 days.

In consideration of the warm weather (and the chiding I got for the last location’s altitude), the new location is easily accessible from the parking area at the end of Trails End Road in Westford.  

Happy Hunting!
73 de KD1D

Foxhunting / Operating

W1HFN Fox Deployed in Littleton, August 8, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Barry Fox, W1HFN, writes on the NEMass Fox Hunters List at 1:01 PM on August 8, 2020:

Sorry for the time lapse since deployments,  medical stuff, surgery, etc. Deployed the fox today at the Hartwell reservation in Littleton.  Transmits on 146.565 with a voice ID every 30 seconds.  In a typical (for me) senior moment, I forgot to leave the sign-in log behind.  If you say you found it, I will believe you.

BTW, wear your hiking shoes, its a long walk.

73,

Barry, W1HFN

Operating

ARRL Band Planning Committee Recommends New Band Plan

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From ARRL Web:

The ARRL Board of Directors met on Friday, July 17, 2020 in a remote session, using the Zoom videoconferencing platform During this session, the Board accepted the final recommendations of the Band Planning Committee. Committee chair and ARRL First Vice President Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF, introduced the motion to adopt the plan. An earlier draft of the plan was introduced at the Board’s in-person January meeting. After the January Board meeting, the Committee received and considered hundreds of comments from interested amateurs. The final band plan can be viewed on the ARRL website.

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

Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net – Monday July 6th 2020 at 830 PM EDT

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

Hello to all…

The July Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday July 6th, 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, we will do a brief review of severe weather events that have affected the section particularly in the last week and provide a brief COVID-19-Update as we continue to monitor this health emergency from a communications needs perspective and what you can do as ARES volunteers or general Amateur Radio Operators during this health emergency to prepare for any communications issues during this time. A link to a document that we had created for ARES awareness in April 2020 is available at the following link:

https://ema.arrl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Eastern-Massachusetts-ARES-COVID-19-Update.pdf

A reminder that a report on the Eastern Massachusetts ARES exercise will be available by Monday July 13th 2020 and will be posted via email and on the Eastern Massachusetts ARES Web Site at https://ema.arrl.org/ares. 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
http://www.wx1box.org
Like us on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/wx1box

Emergency Communications / Operating / Public Service

July Eastern MA Hospital Net Cancelled Due to Independence Day Holiday

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

John O’Neill-K1JRO writes:

Good Evening Everyone,

My apologies for the very late note.

Where the first Saturday of July is holiday, we will not have a Net this month. We will have a Net in August. A notice will be sent out about the August Net well in advance.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun 4th.

Regards,

John O’ – K1JRO

South Shore Health Amateur Radio Group – W1SSH
55 Fogg Road, Box 42
South Weymouth, MA 02190

Operating

W1 QSL Card Sorting Session Cancelled, August 13, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

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

Operating

13 Colonies Event Week, July 1-7, 2020

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
13 Colonies sample certificateBob Kelley, K1KVV, writes on the Southeastern MA ARA web site:

13 Colonies Event Week

July 1, 9AM to July 7, Midnight, EDT
(1300Z 1 July 2020 to 0400Z 8 July 2020)

Certificate: Only one 13 Colonies QSO gets you a certificate.

For a CLEAN SWEEP, you don’t need to work the Bonus Stations, WM3PEN & GB13COL.
[D-STAR is OK for Bonus Stations]

Working a Colony Station: use DX Summit www.DXSummit.fi to find a 13 Colonies S/E station.

Spotting: after working a colony station, you are encouraged to spot it on DX Summit: i.e., “K2H 13 Col MA.”
Questions? See KU2US & www.13colonies.us.

Operating

Non-ham Signals on 160 Meters

- by k9hi - 1 Comment

Art Bernstein, N2KA, writes on the Yankee Clipper Contest Club mailing list:

Some time ago I posted a bit concerning whether or not anyone was hearing a signal on 160 meters, just at and above the FT8 frequency of 1840 kHz. I received some suggestions and also that no one else was hearing it.

After doing a lot of eliminating around the shack and determining it was coming from the outside, I did some research to find out who transmits on 160 meters in addition to Radio Amateurs.

What I found was interesting and brought back some memories from years ago I had never experienced.

Fishnet Buoy Beacons. For those not knowing what they are, they are buoys that help fishermen locate their nets that have been left to catch fish. I would have thought GPS would be used these days. These beacons typically have a range of 10-15 miles over salt water and I probably live around 10 miles or less from the salt water. Normally it wouldn’t be a problem when using narrower bandwidths on CW or SSB, but on FT-8 bandwidths are typically 3-5 kHz wide. At night the zero beat frequency is about 1841.35, during the day I just checked it to be a couple hundred Hz higher (drift due to heating?)

Anyone have any ideas regarding procedures to follow here? It is likely an unlicensed radiator interfering with a licensed service. It has no identifier. Already sent message to ARRL Regulatory desk and to Division Leader.

Thanks.

73,

Art., N2KA

 

Operating

Volunteer Monitor Program Recognizes Good Operators

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FCC sealFrom ARRL Web:

06/11/2020 – Volunteer Monitor Program Coordinator Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, said the program has recognized numerous radio amateurs with Good Operator Notices.

“One facet of the ARRL and FCC agreement that set up the Volunteer Monitor Program calls for ARRL to recognize especially good amateur radio behavior, in order to encourage compliance with FCC rules and further the efficiency of the Amateur Radio Service,” Hollingsworth said. “Seventeen operators in 15 states received Good Operator Notices in the first quarter of 2020. The Good Operator Notices went to veteran operators as well as newcomers, including a 13-year-old in North Carolina for CW operation during the Youth on the Air Special Event, and a 14-year-old in Wyoming for SSB operation.” [Full story]