Tag: #covid19

Operating

Youth Team Postpones its Planned CQ WPX CW Operation from K3LR

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From ARRL Web:

04/14/2020 –The youthful Team Exuberance has announced that it’s postponing its planned CQ WPX CW contest operation from K3LR until May 2021. Team Exuberance will compete in the multi-two category.

“While this decision was not taken lightly, it was clearly the appropriate action in light of the coronavirus pandemic,” team member Bryant Rascoll, KG5HVO, said in an announcement. “Thank you to all individuals and clubs who financially contributed to our fundraising efforts,” he said.

Those seeking to have their 2020 contributions refunded should email him or Marty Sullaway, NN1C. All funds retained will go toward Team Exuberance’s next operation, Rascoll said. — Thanks to Bryant Rascoll, KG5HVO 

Marty Sullaway, NN1C (formerly KC1CWF) is a 17-year-old Extra Class radiosport aficionado living in Newton, Massachusetts. He serves as president of Team Exuberance, Inc.

All

HamXposition / ARRL New England Division Convention Postponed to November 6-8, 2020

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Bob DeMattia, K1IW, writes:
 
I hope this messages finds you safe and healthy.   After long consideration, the convention committee has decided to postpone the 2020 convention to the week of November 6 through 8. 
 
There are several reasons for this, the first and foremost is the health and well-being of our attendees.   In addition, there are many logistical problems with holding the convention in July, even under the most favorable conditions of the pandemic emergency being over by then.
 
1. We believe it is unlikely that the state’s ban on large gatherings will be completely lifted by the end of July.
 
2. Even if it were, we believe attendance will be severely impacted due to lingering (and quite appropriate caution).
 
3. Almost all of our exhibitors are unwilling to commit to anything prior to June.
 
4. The convention is subject to penalties for cancellation.  The penalties increase as we get closer to the convention date.  By moving to November, we move out the schedule on these penalties.  This will allow us to reassess the viability of the convention in early August.  By then we will have further insight into  prevailing conditions.
 
5. The November weekend was the only one available to us – and could be lost to another group if we did not act on it.
 
We know that many look forward to attending each year, and have probably grown weary of all the cancellations of events like these.  However, given the reality of the situation, we believe it is in everyone’s best interest to postpone.
 
 
Stay safe & 73,
 
Bob – K1IW
Chairman
Northeast HamXposition 2020
Licensing Education & Training

“Drive-in” Volunteer Exams Seen as an Alternative to In-Person Sessions

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ARRL VEC logo/bannerGiven the risks associated with the COVID-19 virus while conducting  in-person Volunteer Exam sessions, several clubs across the country are beginning to explore an alternative–“Drive-In” VE sessions.

The Newport County (RI) Radio Club is holding its next licensing class online starting on Tuesday April 21st at 5:30 PM. It will be held weekly using “Zoom.” At the conclusion of the class, the team will hold an ARRL VEC-sponsored “drive-in” exam session. Students will remain in their cars to keep social distancing.

An ARRL VEC-sponsored team associated with the Warren Country Radio Club in Eastern New York conducted a “drive-thru” amateur radio exam session on April 5, 2020. 

According to ARRL Eastern New York Section Manager John Fritze Jr., K2QY: “I visited for a short while to see what how they managed this… I was very impressed with the professionalism and the degree into which […] safety was observed.  Everyone in direct contact with either the examinees or the test materials wore face masks and gloves (which were switched out so there was no cross contamination).   All examinees were warned to use a bathroom before coming to the test location.  All examinees were confined to their vehicles which were checked for any papers or electronics which could be used to cheat.  VEs stood in front of and between two cars so each car could be observed by VEs from two angles.  All instructions were given using a portable FM transmitter using low power in the commercial VHF range and received on the individual car radios.  The VE team spaced themselves more than six feet apart at a long table in front of the examinee’s vehicles.”

A video about the Warren County RC test session by Mickey Corentto, N2MC, documents how it was implemented.

Clubs

PART of Westford April Meeting / Video Conference

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

Our next club meeting on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, will be conducted via video conference.  For the past two weeks, the PART board has been testing several systems, and we’ve settled on Cisco’s Webex (webex.com).  This system is easy to use, has good audio and video quality, and doesn’t require you to install any software on your computer; all you have to do is click on a link in an email. We can have up to 100 attendees in the meeting for an unlimited amount of time, and best of all, it’s free.

If your computer doesn’t have a video camera, or if you don’t have a computer at all, you’ll still be able to attend.  You don’t need a camera to be able to view the conference on your computer, and there will be a dial-in number to call if you just want to hear the audio.

To get everyone ready for the club meeting, we’re going to hold practice sessions right after the Sunday night net for the next two weeks.  At about 8:15 PM on Sunday evening I’ll send an email via Groups.io to the club that will have the URL link and dial-in number.  We can use the repeater to coordinate the session and resolve connectivity problems.

Some things to note:

  • Video conferencing systems use a lot of resources in your computer to properly display all the video.  If you’re on a laptop computer or smartphone, be sure it’s plugged in; if not, the battery will quickly drain.
  • Be in a well-lighted room, with the light on your face.
  • When you first attend a meeting on Webex, you’ll be asked to allow your camera and microphone to access the software.  There may be a short delay while the link is initialized.
  • Mute your microphone if you’re not talking.  There’s a mute button on the Webex screen.

See you next Sunday.

Operating

Annual Armed Forces Day Crossband Test Postponed

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From ARRL Web:

(04/08/2020) – Due to the ongoing COVID-19 response and mitigation actions, the 2020 Armed Forces Day (AFD) Crossband Test scheduled for Saturday, May 9, has been postponed. Because it’s uncertain just when stay-at-home orders will be lifted across the US, AFD planners chose to postpone this year’s event, because the government stations that typically support this event may not be available. Armed Forces Day Crossband Test planners are considering scheduling a November event in honor of Veteran’s Day, depending on COVID-19 mitigation actions. During the AFD Crossband Test, military stations in various locations transmit on selected military frequencies and announce the specific ham frequencies they are monitoring to work radio amateurs. — Thanks to US Army MARS Program Chief Paul English, WD8DBY 

Operating

Museum Ships Weekend Event 2020 Cancelled

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[Ed note: this impacts various local museum ships that normally operate on the air for Museum Ships Weekend.]

“Due to the current unknowns with COVID-19 virus, Battleship New Jersey ARS is cancelling the planned annual Museum Ships Weekend Event 2020 which was scheduled to begin 6-June-2020 at 0001Z and end 7-June 2020 at 2400Z. A lot of the ships that participate are already closed due to this health situation and others may get orders to close soon. As of today, April 6, 2020, it is unknown when the “lock-down” will be lifted so it is with an abundance of caution and regret that we have decided to cancel MSWE 2020. The health and safety of all our ship participants takes precedence at all times. We look forward to the event for 2021.” –https://www.nj2bb.org/museum/

Licensing Education & Training / Organization

ARRL VEC Update

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ARRL VEC logo/bannerFrom ARRL Web:

(04/02/2020) – We know many examiners have canceled amateur radio license exam sessions to meet the requirements and recommendations of national and local government and of health officials. The health and safety of examinees and our Volunteer Examiners (VEs) is first and foremost in any decision-making process. The ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) does not offer video-supervised online amateur radio licensing exams at the present time. We are aware, however, that some VE teams are exploring alternative formats on a local basis. Please use ARRL’s License Exam Search to find scheduled exam sessions in your area and verify with the local exam team that the session is still being held.

The ARRL VEC is continuing to process license examination materials from VEs who have completed exam sessions, although some delays may occur under the circumstances. The ARRL VEC electronically forwards all required data to the FCC for qualified examinees. [Full story]

Operating

International Marconi Day 2020 Cancelled

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Marconi photoFrom ARRL Web:

The annual International Marconi Day (IMD) ham radio operating event that was set to take place on April 25 has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The 24-hour amateur radio event celebrates the birth of Marconi on April 25, 1874. Sponsored by the Cornish Radio Amateur Club, which operates as GB4IMD, International Marconi Day features participating stations operating at sites having a personal connection to Marconi, including places where he set up transmitting and receiving stations.

Given the fact that the National Seashore is closed to the public, a “Marconi Event” on April  25 had been planned from the home of Barry, KB1TLE, along with several other home stations.   -thanks, Falmouth ARA

 

Clubs / Operating

Yankee Clipper Contest Club Post-WPX SSB Virtual Get-together, March 31, 2020

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Jim Idelson, K1IR, writes on the YCCC mailing list:

Great online meetings are no accident. With some planning, our meeting tonight [March 31, 2020] can be a lot of fun for all. Here’s what it takes to make our on-line meeting a success.

Plan to join and participate! More participants means more content and more value to the club.

Get setup for Zoom in advance. I will be in the Zoom room 30 minutes ahead to help people get going. When the meeting is underway at 7, we want to focus on WPX, not Zoom.

Bring interesting content – something for the group to see or hear. Start with a short story to tell. Add a picture of your shack. Show how you have your logger screen setup. The antenna project that generated some extra points. An audio clip of a great experience in the contest. Tell me in advance, and we’ll make sure you can share it ok.

Videoconferencing is more than just a phone call. Done well, an online meeting can be even better than an in-person meeting.

Clubs

Framingham ARA: Additional Nets and Frequencies to Consider

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John Iwuc, KB1VXY, writes on the Framingham ARA mailing list:
 
[The Framingham Amateur Radio Association]  has added  a Wednesday night net Health and Wellness check-in net at 7:30 in addition to our usual Sunday 7:30 pm net.  
 
We may consider using ZOOM for our meeting this Thursday.  Tune into the net tonight and Wednesday for details from Morris, N1AVP.  Alternatively, we may just check in for the meeting on Thursday on the the W1FY repeater.
 
The Central Mass Amateur Radio Association (CMARA) is running an additional “Breakfast” net each morning at 9:00 am on the Paxton, MA repeater 146.970 PL 114.8   
 
They also run the George’s Old Timer’s Net at 7:30 pm daily, all are welcome.  I am net control on Tuesdays.
 
They follow this at 10 am by a 75-meter net on or about 3982 KHz daily.
 
There is quite a bit of activity on 10 meters, starting at the calling frequency of 28.400 MHz upper side-band, but also checking 28.350, 28.420 and 28.430 MHz for different groups.
 
And don’t forget the Yankee 6-Meter Single Side-band  Net each Sunday at 9:30 am on 50.272 MHz upper side band.  I am the net control on alternate weeks.   Six meters had good local coverage so test out your equipment.
Operating

20th USA Amateur Radio Direction Finding Championships, Boston, MA, Cancelled

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March 28–The ARRL ARDF Committee has determined that the 20th USA ARDF Championships scheduled for June 9-14, 2020 near Boston, MA must be cancelled due to the COVID-19 situation. With events surrounding COVID-19 developing rapidly, along with the obvious need for urgent steps to contain its spread, the need to cancel the championships has become apparent. The 20th USA Amateur Radio Direction Finding Championships will be rescheduled for a future date.
 
USA ARDF Championships are open to everyone – there is no previous ARDF experience required, nor are competitors required to have an amateur radio license. There are usually several days of practice events followed by four days of competitions. The best radio athletes in the USA compete for spots on Team USA while others get their first taste of the sport. Stay tuned to messages from this group for all the latest announcements and information, or visit http://arrl.org/ardf.
 

 

Field Day / Organization

Field Day 2020 — A Time to Adapt

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From ARRL Web:

Many individuals and groups organizing events for Field Day 2020 have been contacting ARRL for guidance on how to adapt their planned activities in this unprecedented time of social distancing and uncertainty.

“Due to the unique situation presented this year, this can be an opportunity for you, your club, and/or group to try something new,” ARRL Contest Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE, said. “Field Day isn’t about doing things the same way year after year. Use this year to develop and employ a new approach that is in line with the current circumstances.” [Full story]

All

Lawrence Bacow, KA1FZQ, and Spouse Test Positive for COVID-19

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The President of Harvard University, Lawrence Bacow, KA1FZQ,  announced this afternoon that he and his spouse have contracted COVID-19.

March 24, 2020:

Dear Members of the Harvard Community,

Earlier today, Adele and I learned that we tested positive for COVID-19. We started experiencing symptoms on Sunday—first coughs then fevers, chills, and muscle aches—and contacted our doctors on Monday. We were tested yesterday and just received the results a few minutes ago. We wanted to share this news with all of you as soon as possible.

Neither of us knows how we contracted the virus, but the good news—if there is any to be had—is that far fewer people crossed our paths recently than is usually the case. We began working from home and completely limiting our contact with others on March 14 in keeping with recommendations to adopt social distancing measures. In line with standard protocols, the Department of Public Health will be in touch with anyone with whom we have had close contact over the past fourteen days.

We will be taking the time we need to rest and recuperate during a two-week isolation at home. I am blessed with a great team, and many of my colleagues will be taking on more responsibility over the next few weeks as Adele and I focus on just getting healthy. Thanks, in advance, for your good wishes. Thanks also for your understanding if I am not as responsive to email as I normally am.

This virus can lay anyone low. We all need to be vigilant and keep following guidelines to limit our contact with others. Your swift actions over the past few weeks—to respond to the needs of our community, to fulfill our teaching mission, and to pursue research that will save lives—have moved me deeply and made me extraordinarily grateful and proud. I hope to see as few of you in our situation as possible, and I urge you to continue following the guidance of public health experts and the advice and orders of our government officials.

The world needs your courage, creativity, and intelligence to beat this virus—wishing each of you good health.

All the best,

Larry

 

____________________

Lawrence S. Bacow

President

Harvard University

Organization

Update to All ARRL Members from Interim CEO Barry J. Shelly, N1VXY re COVID-19

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Update from Interim CEO Barry J. Shelley, N1VXY

To ARRL Members

This message is to let our members know that the ARRL remains operational to meet the needs of our members during this Coronavirus outbreak. At the same time, we are taking steps to help protect the health and safety of ARRL Headquarters employees in line with the recommendations being provided by U.S. and Connecticut state health officials and governmental leaders.

We have arranged for many of our staff, depending on their job responsibilities and requirements, to work remotely during this unprecedented time. This helps the organization reduce the number of people in the building and improve our “social distancing” capabilities.

At the present time, all departments at ARRL Headquarters are functioning and customer service representatives remain available to answer your questions or direct you to the appropriate department to assist you. During this period, though, we strongly encourage members to use email as the preferred method of communication with ARRL in order to get you the timeliest response possible.

In particular, the ARRL’s VEC Department has been dealing with a higher-than-normal volume of emails and phone calls, and the staff there asks for your patience while they attempt to answer everyone as quickly as possible. There has been some significant disruption to VE exam schedules, given the restrictions that have been placed on gatherings in many locales. As with our employees, the health and safety of our Volunteer Examiners is a top priority and we have informed our VEs that they need to follow their local community’s guidelines and then use their best judgement when deciding whether to conduct, postpone, or cancel an exam session.

As previously reported, we have suspended all visits and tours of ARRL Headquarters and W1AW, so we have asked all volunteers to stay home until further notice.

All of these actions will remain in place until further notice. We will continue to monitor conditions from this outbreak and follow any additional guidelines provided by federal and state health professionals and government officials. We thank you for your understanding and patience during this difficult time.

73,
Barry J. Shelley, N1VXY
Interim Chief Executive Officer

All

Henniker, NH Flea Market Cancelled, March 22, 2020

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Via the NEQRP mailing list:

From the CVRC website, posted Sunday, March 15th:

Governor Sununu has ordered all schools in New Hampshire closed until a reassessment some time around April 3rd. This, of course, means that our Flea Market is cancelled for the 22nd and rescheduling is uncertain at this time. We certainly look forward to seeing you at some time in the future, but at this time, we wish to have you all be safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Steve Jones,  CVRC Secretary,     N1JHJ

All

Dayton Hamvention Cancelled

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From arrl.org:

03/15/2020 – For the first time in its 68-year history, Dayton Hamvention® will not take place this year, due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak. The glum news was not entirely unexpected, given widespread cancelations of public gatherings and a national state of emergency. 

“The Hamvention Executive Committee has been monitoring the COVID19 pandemic. We have worked very closely with our local and state health departments. It is with a very heavy heart the Hamvention Executive Committee has decided to cancel Hamvention for this year,” Hamvention General Chair Jack Gerbs, WB8SCT, said in announcing the cancelation on March 15. “This decision is extremely difficult for us, but with around 2 months until the Great Gathering we felt this action necessary. More specific details regarding the closure will soon be posted. Thank you for your understanding in this time of international crisis.” [Full story]

All

Eastern MA amateur radio clubs’ response to COVID-19 threat

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In order to assist affiliated clubs and other organizations who face important decisions regarding conducting activities during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, your Eastern MA section staff have been in contact with club leaders regarding their plans. We present the following information to assist radio clubs and their members at:

 https://ema.arrl.org/covid19-response

Special thanks to Affiliated Club Coordinator Bruce Blain, K1BG, and Assistant Section Manager Phil Temples, K9HI.