a field organization of the National Association for Amateur Radio®
All things technical
Bob Glorioso, W1IS, writes on the PART of Westford list:
Thanks to all who voted for our article on the 40M beam in June QST.
We just received notice that we won the Cover Plaque Award!
Thanks & 73,
Bob W1IS
Bob KC1DSQ
[See also: <http://www.arrl.org/news/view/bob-glorioso-w1is-and-bob-rose-kc1dsq-win-the-june-2021-qst-cover-plaque-award>]
PART of Westford President George Allison, K1IG, writes on the PART mailing list:
The dynamic duo of PART member Bob, W1IS, and Bob, KC1DSQ, have another article published in CQ Magazine. In the May 2021 issue is their article titled “A New Design of a 40-6 Meter Off-Center-Fed Dipole,” that describes a dipole antenna covering the 40, 20, 15, 10, and 6-meter bands.
Reminder: The two Bobs wrote an antenna article that was published in the June issue of QST, and voting is still open for the cover plaque award. ARRL members can vote for their favorite article.
Ray Cord, K2TGX, writes on the Sturdy Memorial Hospital ARC mailing list:
Just to let you know that the K1SMH 147.195 Sturdy Memorial Hospital repeater has returned to the air as of about 1330 today [March 28, 2021] thanks to the efforts of: Pierre Guimond, N1EZT; John Bellissimo, KA1EWN; Steve, N1LEO and Bill, WB1DJM. Bill rebuilt the Super StationMaster that the repeater is now using while the damaged JAG 4 element folded dipole array was rebuilt from the damage it received in the tower fold-over. We lost about five feet in elevation and we are on a different antenna so you may notice some difference in coverage on the fringes.
It is good to get it back on the air and hope to hear activity soon. If I missed anyone who helped in this endeavor, please accept our thanks.
73,
Ray K2TGX
Secretary/Treasurer
SMHARC
The latest edition of ARRL’s Eclectic Tech (Episode 34) features a discussion with Philip Gladstone, N1DQ, Carlisle, Massachusetts, the creator of the popular PSKReporter website.
The Eclectic Tech podcast is sponsored by Icom and is available on iTunes (iOS) and Stitcher (Android), as well as on Blubrry.
Warren Rothberg, W4WR/1 (ex-WB1HBB) writes:
The Pocahontas Radio Club (an informal group of old and new friends) and the owners and trustees (N1HSY and N1HOW) are pleased to announce that the Topsfield MA repeater (147.285 PL 100.0) has been completely rebuilt with a new tower, new antenna, new hardline, new weatherproof repeater enclosure and refurbished or replaced electronics. The “Pokeys” hold a ragchew net 7 days a week at 0830 EDT and all are welcome to join in at any time to make new friends and renew old acquaintances. Special thanks to Doug, N1LHP, and his many friends for their tireless work.
[Warren is a former Section Manager of New Hampshire, and a former New England Division Vice Director.]
Many amateurs have requested a recording of the RF Exposure Rules presentation featuring Eastern MA Technical Coordinator Dan Brown, W1DAN on May 4, 2021. ARRL Laboratory Supervisor Ed Hare, W1RFI also participated in the call, fielding questions from the audience.
The presentation can be viewed at: <https://youtu.be/7dSieKF3rm0>.
[See also: Additional RF Exposure Rules Presentation, May 4, 2021]
Eastern MA Technical Coordinator Dan Brown, W1DAN, will hold another presentation addressing the new FCC RF exposure rules on May 4 at 7:30 PM using the ARRL GoToWebinar platform.
His April 27 talk was a hugely successful–a maximum number of 100 connections for the call was reached just as the discussion started. The GoToWebinar has a much higher limit and should accommodate all who are interested. ARRL Laboratory Manger Ed Hare, W1RFI, will serve as Technical Moderator on the call.
To sign up for the presentation, visit:
The April 27, 2021 RF Exposure Rules Zoom Discussion by Eastern MA Technical Coordinator Dan Brown, W1DAN, has been posted to the Eastern MA ARRL website at: <https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_qIGZhHyMrha-axJt87Dcu0UZuJO0t8F>.
The discussion was a huge hit. The maximum number of 100 connections for the call was reached just as the discussion started; many late arrivals were disappointed to be turned away, but W1DAN plans to hold at least one additional online discussion before the May 3 deadline using a larger “Zoom room.”
Watch this space for details.
AK1WI will present “Adventures in Home Brew SDR Design” at the New England Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society on April 27, 2021 at 7:00 PM.
In this talk, Derek will describe his multi-year project to develop the hardware and software for a stand-alone SDR system using the “Teensy” family of microcontrollers from PJRC. In particular, it uses the Teensy Audio Library structure, hence its name “AudioSDR.” The software is now freely available from GitHub.
Derek will describe the origins of the project from a graduate course he was teaching in 2010, and how it was not initially intended for ham radio, but rather as an exercise in applied DSP (digital signal processing). He will describe in very broad terms the structure and operation of the system. Math will be kept at a minimum.
The talk will also cover the associated hardware for the RF front-end and the LCD display, as well as how the system is controlled, and the software structure for the Teensy Audio Library coding. We will look at (extremely) over-simplified seudo-code to demonstrate concepts of real-time software. We will write such code for an SDR version of the humble crystal-set – the simplest of all radios.
Derek will also discuss current developments and future enhancements for AudioSDR, including the addition of a transmit function to make it a true transceiver.
If feasible we will have a demonstration of the operation, or at a minimum, pre-recorded sound clips of the output.
Eastern MA Technical Coordinator Dan Brown, W1DAN, writes:
QST!
The new FCC RF exposure rules become effective May 3, but do not fret! I will explain what we should do. Please forward this invite to anyone you may think is interested.
Dan
W1DAN
EMA-ARRL Technical Coordinator
—
Dan Brown is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: RF Exposure
Time: Apr 27, 2021 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98941600273?pwd=TDc2Mjd4NldWdjBtdzlwY0JGRjhkZz09
Meeting ID: 989 4160 0273
Passcode: 134832
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Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/abXuYdDvqm
The Bristol County Repeater Association / Fall River ARC will conduct a tape measure antenna build party on May 1, 2021 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at the South Swansea Baptist Church in Swansea. The club asks for $20.00 to cover materials. They will supply the tape measures, 1/2″ PVC pipe and fittings, clamps, and a connection for your radio.
For more information visit the club web site at <https://bcra.club/bcrawprel/2021/04/06/fox-hunting-antenna-build/>.
From the MIT Radio Society website:
Our perseverance is beginning to pay off! After much discussion and collaboration with MIT Facilities and various contractor groups involved in the Green Building renovations project, we have completed an initial design and project cost for the renewal of our Large Radome.
MIT has informed us that, if we raise $1.9 million before May 1st, 2021, the restoration of the radome can be included in the Green Building renovation project. While this is an enormous challenge, we believe it is not insurmountable.
We have already raised a part of this in the process of our overall station renovation fundraising drive, and there is additional interest in this project across MIT — from Physics’ J-Lab, to AeroAstro’s Small Sat Center and STAR Lab.
If we can raise this, we can ensure that this historic radome can continue to serve the MIT Radio Society and the MIT community overall. With your support, we can safeguard this treasure. [Full story] [See also: MIT Radio Society Update: Station Renewal and COVID Response]
Bob Glorioso, W1IS, writes on NE Mass Fox Hunters list on Mar 11, 2021 at 6:06 AM:
W. Middlesex ARES uses 147.435 MHz with 110.9 Hz tone simplex for our net and emergency calling frequency. When the local Fire Dept. moved to a new building and left the tower in the center of town for Fire and Police repeaters, we were stuck with a 2M antenna at 90 ft but no place for a rig. We worked with Fire Chief Landry and shared the expense of putting a new antenna and remote base in the equipment shack at the base of the tower that has automatic power back-up. Its input is on 70 cm..
Interference from a strong intermittent broadband signal started on 147.439 MHz late last year. It is dead full quieting into our remote base on 147.435 and wipes out direct calls on 147.435 around town. The base only comes on when someone with the right tone triggers it but, if the noise comes on, many of the handheld stations around town are wiped out. I found it was strong near the Intel plant in Hudson by driving around when it was on. Early in January it went off and, unfortunately, came back on yesterday right after our monthly net. I heard it today coming back from getting our Covid shots at Gillett when we got to Hopkinton on 495.
Any assistance locating and silencing this noise will be appreciated.
Thanks & 73,
Bob W1IS
EC Stow
from WickedLocal.com:
Ten-year-old amateur radio operator Max Kendall is having a blast with his latest weather balloon project. The Medway youth has been constructing a balloon payload around a Raspberry Pi computer and camera. The microcomputer he’s programming will collect atmospheric data, and convert the temperature values to the Fahrenheit scale “because I have a better feel for Fahrenheit than Celsius.”
Max is focusing on his next weather balloon. He thinks it will be ready for launch later this month, or in April.
For details about Max’s first weather balloon project, visit https://maxkendall.wixsite.com
Most of you will remember SuitSat. In 2006, the ARISS team managed to acquire a Russian spacesuit with an expired expiration date that would have just been thrown overboard to burn up. ARISS designed and built an antenna and radio gear that was approved for installation into the suit and the whole shebang got deployed by a cosmonaut and Commander Bill McArthur, KC5ACR at the start of a spacewalk.“The Amateur Radio community, students, scanner enthusiasts, space fans and others have been eagerly awaiting the launch of the most novel satellite ever to orbit Earth. SuitSat-1 will transmit its voice message “This is SuitSat-1 RS0RS!” in several languages plus telemetry and an SSTV image on an eight-minute cycle as it orbits Earth. The three batteries powering the satellite are expected to last about a week, and SuitSat-1 should re-enter Earth’s atmosphere after several weeks of circling the globe. and SuitSat-1 has piqued the imagination of the news media over the past couple of weeks. In addition to articles in The New York Times, the Houston Chronicle and Associated Press, National Public Radio, Fox News, CNN, Readers Digest, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, MSNBC and others also produced broadcast or cable news reports. A magazine article is set to appear in Aviation Week and Space Technology.”
https://io9.gizmodo.com/an-astronaut-has-an-unwelcome-and-possibly-undead-visit-1846085578.
-Thanks, Rosalie White, K1STO, ARRL ARISS US Delegate
Please plan to attend the Thursday, August 13 ARES Zoom session.
9:00 PM AST / 9:00 PM EDT / 8:00 PM CT / 7:00 PM MDT / 6:00 PM PDT / 5:00 PM AKDT / 3:00 PM HST
Topic: WK4 – Winlink Radio Soundcard Interface
Speaker: Kevin Custer W3KKC
Thursday’s meeting will be OPEN for all to attend. Please feel free to invite others. Please note that we have a Zoom participate limitation of 500. Let us know if you can’t get in so that we can send you the video link.
[For Zoom conference details, email Tom Walsh, K1TW at k1tw@arrl.org or Phil Temples, K9HI, at k9hi@arrl.org.]
John Salmi, KB1MGI, writes on the PART of Westford mailing list:
I have had a S-9+ power line noise on my VHF beams on 2 meters and 6 meters along with my HF vertical antenna during the dry spells this spring and summer. When it rained the noise reduced or stopped all together. I traced it down to a pole 200 feet from my QTH.
Charlie Bures, WA3ITR, writes in the Wellesley ARS Spark Gap newsletter, June 2020:
Derek, AK1WI started a NEST group in January to work on a 20-meter WSPR beacon project he is leading. Foolish me signed up to write the construction manual.
The goal was for the group to eventually build it for around $25 per kit – – Stu, W1SHS; Bruce, N9JBT; Mark Seltser; Nicole Deshone; Mindy, KM1DY and others from New England Sci-Tech were part of it, but then it all kinda shutdown in March due to COVID-19. Derek is up to revision 1.6 on his custom PC board and software and supplied me with some parts to try building the older version 1.5 board. He put together a small kit, and last week and this, I soldered the parts, sockets, LED, etc.
Derek designed the board from scratch and wrote the software, which gets loaded into the Espressif ESP microcontroller.
Search for WA3ITR on 20m then click UPDATE. You’ll see where 3 watts in Natick reaches.Tuesday afternoon, I went to Derek’s house and he made the last mod and at 17:45 PM, we turned it loose with his dipole strung around his study area. It has been running ever since, using my callsign, WA3ITR.
Terry Stader, KA8SCP, writes on the PART-L mailing list:
Last week, I sent this message out to our D-STAR users…. I am forwarding it since it contains some information that may be helpful.
The latest information is that new antennas are up and the new hardline is installed. There is a tentative switch over to the new water tower scheduled for next week. As soon as I know what day this is to occur, I will send a message out.
There will be some downtime where all three repeaters will be offline to conduct maintenance. All three repeaters have been on the air without any down time since December of 2018. That is over 11,500 hours EACH. We expect that the switch will be seamless, but please be aware that during the changeover, the repeaters may be up one minute and then down the next. If we encounter any issue with the changeover, we will revert to the previous configuration.
—
From: Terry M. Stader – KA8SCP
Sent: Thursday, April 02, 2020 9:45 AM
To: wb1gof-dstar@groups.io
Subject: Re: [wb1gof-dstar] antenna Change
Change is coming… so let me expand on what is existing now and what is happening soon.
Today, the VHF analog VHF 146.955 and D-STAR UHF 442.450 antennas are sited on the top of the older Town of Westford Prospect Hill water tower built in 1918. The D-STAR VHF 145.330 repeater antenna is located on top of the communications building at the base of that water tower, 90 feet below to other two antennas located on the top of the water tower, hence, the difference in signal levels.
A new, bigger water tower was built adjacent to the old tower. The old water tower is scheduled to be torn down in the future.
Three NEW commercial grade replacement antennas were ordered and are waiting for the new coax lines to run, then the new antenna to be placed (all 3 of them) on top of the new water tower tank on a pedestal that has already been built. When the antennas and hardline runs have been tested and we have been advised they are ours, I will go to the site and start making the switch to the new antennas.
The latest word I have was just this week… the hardline/coax installation was to be started this week. I was asked about the new antennas, so hopefully they are being transported to the site/installer.
The new water tower is considerably larger than the old water tower. It is about the same height as the old tower, exact dimensions are not yet known. The new tower is about 80-100 feet away from the old tower. That does mean that the hardline/coax runs to the new antennas are longer. The antennas are the same antenna models we have had previously. Because there is a little shift to the north in physical location, we expect pretty much the same coverage on the 955 analog and the 442.450 D-STAR repeaters. We do expect a significant change in coverage of the VHF D-STAR 145.330 repeater.
This is all the information I have at the moment. I will advise of any significant deviation from what was outlined above when known.
Thanks all for your support to our WB1GOF repeaters.
Terry
Terry M Stader KA8SCP
WB1GOF Repeaters/D-STAR Admin
Bob Phinney, K5TEC, writes: