Operating

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

Operating

K1USN QRV for Museum Ships Weekend, May 31-June 2, 2019

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
Pi Pugh, K1RV, writes:
 
As of today there are now 106 ships/museums listed as active participants and K1USN will be on the air beginning Friday evening, May 31st at 0000 UTC (8:00 PM EDST).  Check out the list at  http://www.nj2bb.org/museum/.
 
We want to stay on the air as much as possible during the entire 48 hour weekend event. Operators are needed to help keep our three HF stations on the air. We are looking for operators for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Drop me a note at pi.k1rv@gmail.com. Please let me know if you are available to spend some time during the weekend.
 
Remember that K1USN was the originator of this fantastic operating event that is now sponsored by the crew onboard the Battleship New Jersey. They have done a wonderful job promoting this event and continue to issue special certificates to stations that manage to work 15 participants during the weekend.
 

You can check out the current list of ships/museums on their website – http://www.nj2bb.org/museum/index.html

 

Operating

USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. NB1CR, QRV for Museum Ships on the Air, June 1-2, 2019

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
Ed Fitzgerald, K1DIN, writes on the Algonquin ARC mailing list:
 
There are roughly fifteen days before the AARC will send operating teams to put the Destroyer Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. on the air for the 2019 Museum Ships weekend June 1 and 2. Ship museums from all over the world will have ham operators on ships of all kinds for this special event. Hams all over the world will be contacting as many ships as they can and collecting QSL cards from each. As of this writing, there are 104 ships are listed for the event. For a list and full details: https://www.qsl.net/w/wa2tvs//museum/
 
AARC will operate on 40, 20, 17. (No points for same ship on different bands.) Join the fun.
 
As team participants, we do occasionally get pile ups and dead spots, but, we also get to chat with “Tin Can Sailors” who served on ships in Fall River and elsewhere. And, of course, there are the excited first timers who really want to tell us that we are their “Number 30” and, certainly, we enjoy contacting the other ships on the air.
 
The Radio Room on the JPK, Jr. is big enough to house three stations comfortably. Normally, at his time of the year, we have two of our bands open at the same time most of our relatively short days. We try to operate from 10-4 on Saturday and 10-3 on Sunday (need to be packed up and out the gate by 5 on both days). Teams have been meeting at the Middle School at 8 AM to pool as much as possible to Battleship Cove each day. We enter the Cove all at the same time.
 
Team size each day usually ranges from 3 to 6 so that loggers (hand logging) and operators can swap duties. So far, most operators have preferred to do their own logging.
 
If you would like to be part of a team, please let me know what day or days you can attend, and I will get back to you to confirm. 
 
I will send a sheet to team members with specifics about the trip (route, operating procedure, etc.) when I complete the roster for each day.
 
(BTW: You can bring your own food for lunch and snacks, but there is food concession in the mess hall on the USS Massachusetts.
 
(There will be a local radio club operating from the USS Massachusetts.)
 
 
73,
Ed
 
K1DIN
774 245-2788
Operating

Carlisle Fox Hunt, May 10, 2019

- by k9hi - 1 Comment

John Salmi, KB1MGI, writes on the foxhunting list on May 10, 2019 at 1:59 PM:

I placed the 2 meter Fox transmitter in Carlisle on146.565 press  DTMF tone 2 to activate 30 seconds on 30 seconds off, run time 15 minutes.

(No Bushwacking)  If you choose the wrong trail you will tricked and you will end up bushwacking a long way to find the Fox and that could be wet.
 
Choose the correct trail and it only 50 feet off the trail and (No bushwacking at all).
 
If you want to know the location and receive a map Email me at: KB1MGI55@Gmail.com
Operating

Armed Forces Cross-Band Test, May 11, 2019

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Tom Kinahan, N1CPE, writes on the Wellesley ARS mailing list:

May 11 is the Armed Forces Day Cross-band Test, where Amateur stations  listen on military HF frequencies, and use the split function of their HF radio to talk with these stations that are listening in the Amateur bands where we can talk.

I do recommend everyone that can to try this, to show that you can do it.

If you complete a contact, you can get a QSL card from the station, if you follow the directions in the link below.

Frequencies and times for the various stations are listed.

http://www.usarmymars.org/events/armed-forces-day

Operating / Technical

Faster, More Contest-Friendly FT4 Digital Protocol to Debut in a Week

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

From ARRL Web:

A new, speedier, more contest-friendly digital mode is just days away in beta version. WSJT-X Developers say serious work on the new FT4 protocol began shortly after the FT8 Roundup held last December 1-2. The goal was a mode that could compete with RTTY contesting in terms of contact rates, while preserving many of the benefits of FT8. [More]

Operating

New England QSO Party, May 4-5, 2019

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
New England statesTom Frenaye, K1KI, writes:
The NEQP is a great time to check out antenna systems and offers a moderately paced opportunity to work new states and countries.   You’ll find a wide variety of participants, from newcomers to experienced contesters, all interested in making contacts with New England stations.
We’re working to make sure that all of the New England counties are active again this year and would appreciate your help.  Get on for at least an hour or two and join in on the fun.  Please let me know if you can put in any time at all so we can work on activity from the rarest counties.   Will you be QRV?   Let us know which county you’ll be on from with a message to info@neqp.org.
Oh yes, the NEQP is also lots of fun when mobile.  Every time you cross a county line the action starts over again.   It’s amazing what a 100 watt radio and mobile whip can do.  
The QSO Party is 20 hours long overall, in two sections with a civilized break for sleep Saturday night.  It goes from 4pm Saturday until 1am Sunday, then 9am Sunday until 8pm Sunday.  Operate on CW, SSB and digital modes on 80-40-20-15-10 meters.   For each QSO you’ll give your callsign, a signal report and your county/state.   Top scorers can earn a plaque and everyone who makes 25 QSOs and sends in a log will get a certificate.
Last year we had logs from 166 New England stations and 387 more from around the country and world. 
The full NEQP rules are here ->  http://www.neqp.org/rules.html
The 2018 results are posted (and the results since 2002 are also available) ->  http://www.neqp.org/results.html
It’s just a few weeks until the 2019 NEQP.   Please make some QSOs even if you don’t want to send in a log.
Operating

Fox Deployed, Chelmsford, April 6, 2019

- by k9hi - 2 Comments.

John Salmi, KB1MGI, writes on April 6 at 10:53 AM:

A second Fox Box has been deployed somewhere in Chelmsford.

To Activate press DTMF tone 2 for two seconds on 146.565.

Remember you could activate 2 Foxes at the same time, and hear each one. Each one has different tone and in different directions. Have fun.

If you like the locations of the Foxes please email me.

Others have already asked for the location of the Westford Fox. 

It saves a lot of time tracking down the location.

Operating / Public Information

Special Event Station W1MGY to Commemorate 104th Anniversary of HMS Titanic Sinking

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
Special Events Station W1MGY, April 14, 2017
Special events operation in April, 2017. Photo courtesy @kathyschrock

Special events station W1MGY will operate at the old Coast Guard Station in Eastham on Cape Cod on April 13-14, 2019 to commemorate the tragic loss of the HMS Titanic.

Two stations will be set up and operated in approximately 4 hour shifts as follows:
 
  • Saturday April 13, 6:30 am- 10:00 am ; 10:00 am- 2:00 pm ; 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm ; 6:00 pm- 10:00 pm  (No operation over night)
  • Sunday April 14, 6:30 am – 10:00 am ; 10:00 am- 2:00 pm ; 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm ; 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm ; 10:00 pm – 1:27 am on 15th
 
“I’m going to start set up on Wednesday, April 10 at 12 noon and finish up on Friday morning if necessary,” reports Barry Hutchinson, KB1TLR. “Coffee and munchies will be available. Come and join the fun. The old station is a unique place to operate from. Pick a time slot or slots and email me your choices so that I may set up a roster.” KB1TLR adds, “If you are a CW operator, you will have to supply your own key.”
 
The station will be open to the public on Saturday from 1-4 pm.
 

This event is sponsored by the Titanic / Marconi Memorial Radio Association of Cape Cod and hosted by the Cape Cod National Seashore.

(Info via KB1TLR, W1MGY trustee, and Falmouth ARA)

Operating / Youth

“Team Exuberance” to Take Over K3LR Superstation for CQ WW WPX

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

This weekend, Newton, Massachusetts native Marty Sullaway, NN1C, will be among the young voices heard from the K3LR Superstation, an 11-acre antenna farm of 13 towers in West Middlesex, Pennsylvania, owned by Tim Duffy, K3LR. Duffy reports that “Team Exuberance” members will operate  from the station in the two-transmitter, multioperator (M2) category for the CQ World Wide WPX Contest (phone), March 30-31, 2019. [Details]

Operating

VHF/UHF Activity Nights

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Roger Coulson, WA1NVC, writes on the NEWSVHF list:

Please spread the word as we try to promote SSB activity on the VHF bands. Maybe some of the NEWS group members would like to join us for an old fashioned activity night.

Kim, WA1PBU, in Bolton MA and myself, WA1NVC, in Framingham MA are promoting the old activity nights: Monday – 2m, Tuesday – 1-1/4m, Wednesday – 70cm, Thursday – 33 cm, etc.  I have been promoting repeater activity on “220 Tuesday” and “900 Thursday”.  Now we are promoting SSB activity on Monday – 2m, and on Wednesday – 70 cm.  Our schedule is as follows:

Monday 8 PM local time 144.195 USB

Wednesday 8 PM local time 432.100 USB

WA1PBU is at a much higher location and has much better coverage than I do. I am on the northeast side of a hill with poor coverage towards CT.  I have good coverage east of I-495 and to the North, Northeast, and Southeast.  Kim can reach easily into CT where I cannot.

We have had as many as 7 people on a Monday activity night.  We have not been so luck on Wednesday activity night.

There are lots of people with multimode rigs so lets get them on the air. We have worked people on 2m SSB using a rig connected to a 6m vertical, an attic loop, a UHF mobile antenna, etc.  Blow off the dust and give it a try.

Roger
WA1NVC

P.S.  The equipment here is a Yaesu FT-736R, a Mirage B3016 amp, and a Cushcraft 215WB antenna at about 35′.