Month: April 2021

From Franklin County (MA) Amateur Radio Club, KB1BSS:

Larry Krainson, W1AST, is looking for a few operators to run 13 colonies this year. The special event runs for 7 days from July 1 through July 7 and covers all modes.

We are Team K2H and are looking for operators living and operating in Massachusetts who are willing to sit and operate and make at least 500 Contacts in the 7 day period. You would be operating as call K2H.

It’s very exciting and fun. If you think you can commit the time, please contact him no later than the start of May.

Larry, W1AST
Team K2H – 13 Colonies Massachusetts State Manager

The submarine USS Squalus sank in the Gulf of Maine on May 23, 1939. Twenty-six of its crew were lost, but miraculously, 33 others were saved.

The Maine Ham Radio Society will be honoring the Squalus and its crew with a special –Remember The Squalus– event on the amateur radio airwaves on the 82nd anniversary of the tragic accident. Using the special FCC-issued callsign W1S, club members will take to the airwaves and make contacts nationally and around the globe, making other hams aware of the Squalus. Special certificates will be awarded to hams who successfully make contact with W1S that day, upon request. Members may sign up to operate during various time slots and band and mode of operation. Send N1EP an email n1ep@yahoo.com and he will send you a link to the signup schedule.

There will be an unprecedented three live fox hunts in Connecticut on Saturday, April 17, 2021.  The hunts will be in Wallingford, Norwich, and Waterford.

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In Wallingford:

Saturday will be another good day for a fox hunt. The three fox transmitters will be switched on somewhere in Wallingford at 11 AM and plan to stop at 12:30. We’ll be using what have become our standard frequencies.  There will be a 1 watt signal continuously on 146.565MHz.  It will make a short beep every three seconds and will ID in Morse Code every minute. 

The 10mW transmitter is on 147.455MHz and will beep every second and will ID in Morse Code every minute.

The 1mW transmitter is on 146.290MHz and will beep every three seconds. 

All three transmitters are planned to run continuously.

Good Luck,

Dave NZ1J 

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In Norwich:

We will have a live fox hunt beginning at 1 PM on Saturday, April 17.  Weather forecast is for sunshine and 55 degrees!  Start from anywhere in Norwich, CT – if you wish to gather at a common place when starting the hunt, then I suggest doing so at the Route 82 parking lot on Laura Blvd (map below).  I will be hiding in the area defined by the map below.  You can also download a map that could be useful (for those wishing to use a paper map) at this link: https://d85bc6ea86296c327d7f-fc14fae93feb1cf1ff31873061ee8f7d.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/62/1641/Norwich2016Reduced.pdf.  Page 2 has a complete map of Norwich, which I think you will find helpful.

There will be three transmitters running, on the following frequencies:

146.190-146.335 (1 mW transmitter – can be heard within ca. 300 feet of the fox) – this transmitter will run continuously.  Listen for a regularly beeping tone with periodic CW id (KE1IU).  I will announce the frequency the day of the hunt, as the transmitter seems to settle in a different place each time.

145.910 (25 mW transmitter – can be heard within ca. 1 mile of the fox) – this transmitter will run continuously.  Listen for a regularly beeping tone with periodic CW id (KE1IU).

146.550 (0.5 W transmitter – can be heard within a couple miles of the fox)  – this transmitter will run for 1 minute on and ~5 seconds off.   Listen for a regularly beeping tone with periodic CW id (KE1IU). The power level is a bit lower because the rig I am using has only two power levels: 0.5 W and 5 W.  It runs too hot for continuous duty at 5W.

These transmitters will be hidden – possibly by some junior hams at the site (KC1IVR and KC1LXO) – so you can hunt for them when you arrive.  

In addition, I will have a mobile rig tuned to the N1NW repeater (146.730 MHz, PL 156.7), so you can track me from the input.  Listen for me on 146.130.  I will transmit on request, and we will also use this frequency for hints.

All hunters should check in so that I can end the hunt when the last person has found me.  Also, because we are still following pandemic protocol in the State of CT, I will take this opportunity to remind all of you to wear a mask when exiting your vehicle in the vicinity of the fox lair, and please maintain social distancing of >6 feet when at the site.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Many thanks,

-Mark  KE1IU

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In Waterford:

The Tri-City ARC will be holding a fox hunt next Saturday at 1 PM. Check-in will be on the Salem Repeater at 12:50 PM.  Starting Point is the Dick’s Sporting Goods parking lot, in Waterford, CT. The fox is located within 8 miles of the starting point.

The Fox will transmit on 146.55 MHz every 5 minutes starting at 1 PM.

This is a basic fox hunt with only one fox. For folks that are new to fox hunting, try to work together and share your findings. I will monitor the Salem repeater and provide hints, if necessary.

W1RPQ

From the ARRL Letter:

The SSB ARRL Rookie Roundup is Sunday, April 18, 1800 – 2359 UTC. 

The Rookie Roundup is aimed at hams licensed for 3 years or less. Rookies make as many contacts as possible during this 6-hour event. Rookies work everyone, and non-Rookies work only Rookies. Stations exchange each other’s call signs, first names, a two-digit year, and state (US or Mexican), Canadian province, or DX. Rookies can enter as a Single Operator or invite Rookie friends over and operate as Multioperator. Up to five Single Operator Rookies can also enter from their individual stations and submit their total score as a team. This is a great way for clubs to get newer members on the air, and the perfect opportunity to be a mentor to new licensees. Seasoned operators can join in the fun by calling “CQ Rookies.” This year, the Rookie Roundup takes place during World Amateur Radio Day. Use the opportunity to wish participants “Happy World Amateur Radio Day” on the air. Logs are due on April 21 (within 72 hours after the event). No late entries will be accepted. Complete rules, logging sheets, and links for submitting your score are on the Rookie Roundup web page.