Amateur Radio Direction Finding Gets New Name

ARDF Coordinator writes on the ARDF-USA mailing list:

The name Radio Orienteering has been around for a very long time and has frequently been applied to the sport of ARDF, but it hasn’t been recognized in any official sense. Because Radio Orienteering is more descriptive of our sport (especially to the orienteering community), and because Amateur Radio Direction Finding is often confused with other radio direction-finding activities (like mobile t-hunting), the ARRL ARDF committee has decided to officially favor the use of the term Radio Orienteering. We believe that a transition to that name will result in less confusion, and perhaps, quicker acceptance of the sport by orienteers and others who will more readily grasp the essence of the sport.

The name-change decision will impact certain websites, documents, social media, and other communication media that the ARRL ARDF Committee uses. Notably, the annual championship event that the ARRL sponsors will be titled the USA Radio Orienteering Championships going forward.

 
We hope that Radio Orienteering will gradually gain universal acceptance. But we recognize that the IARU, and others will likely continue to use the term “ARDF” for the foreseeable future. And, for now, even the committee’s name will remain the ARRL ARDF Committee. The transition may be gradual, but we believe that the change will be beneficial to the sport in the long run. 
 
Look for more references to Radio Orienteering going forward, and don’t be confused: it is the same radio navigation sport we all enjoy, but with a more descriptive name.
 
Long live Radio Orienteering!

Foxhunt, Wallingford CT, June 19, 2022

Rob Cichon, K1RCT, writes on the ctfoxhunter list at 7:21 PM on June 18, 2022:

Starting at 09:30 in Wallingford.

You may need both Doppler and Directional Systems for this hunt.

1FIAB, a 1W beacon on 145.7

3FIAB, a 12mW beacon on 145.3

4FIAB, a 1W DTMF-1 controlled txcvr as backup on 145.2

You will even hear 2FIAB, 700mW DTMF-1 controlled txcvr on 145.605

Of course, I have an array of antennae to choose from.

The radio cacophony will cease at 11:00 unless someone calls me on the W1NRG repeater or possibly on 144.97 simplex to request a hint or two.

Good luck All!

— 73!

de Rob, K1RCT

Project Big E Receives Grant

Project Big E logoLarry Krainson, W1AST, writes:

A few months ago, Project Big E applied for two possible grants. Aaron, KF1G, completed the application process and submitted it. From what we had been reading, we wouldn’t know any results until July.

Early Friday evening on the 17th of June, Aaron called me and told me the news. When I checked my email, I saw an email with the same info. The check will arrive in a few weeks.

This is exactly what the project needs right now, because a few people had a few hundred dollars for out of pocket expenses to make the project work and move forward. Now we’ll be able to re-reimburse them AND help the clubs and participants by refunding both parking and ticket expenses as well as taking care of other expenses the project has coming up.

This is SUPER EXCITING NEWS!

Spread the news to your clubs and sign up for a session or a day

OR, if you are signing up as a club, contact Larry, W1AST, to block off that session or day at W1AST@arrl.net.

Second 2022 ARRL Division Town Hall Well-Attended (UPDATED)

The second of three 2022 New England Division Town Hall meeting presentations on June 15 was well attended. Two hundred twenty-four people registered for the call; 140 attended the meeting. 

Director Kemmerer, Vice Director Temples and the division’s four assistant directors presented an update of Board of Director actions as well as recent activities in New England. In addition, the panelists fielded questions on a variety of topics including: the Amateur Radio Emergency Digital Network in New England;  efforts to preserve and grow Amateur Radio; the status of an IT Director hire at ARRL Headquarters; and progress on the new Technician license enhancement.

 

Town Hall side presentation in PDF format
Town Hall side presentation in PDF format

UPDATE: VIDEO RECORDING OF THE TOWN HALL MEETING:


Still looking for Volunteers for the New England Forest Rally July 15 & 16

Todd Rodgers, KC1SQ, writes:

The New England Forest Rally (NEFR) is a road rally conducted on logging trails in northern Maine. This year, it’s July 15 & 16 with Rally headquarters at the Sunday River Ski Resort in Bethel, Maine. The rally hosts 12-15 “stages” that run through some rough terrain, all mostly north of Bethel, some more than 50 miles north. Some 50-60 competitors are released on a stage (that might run for 10-15 miles) through totally unpopulated areas, hence the need for amateur radio communications to coordinate the release and provide communications in case something goes wrong. Two stages that are run ever year have a minor mountain in the middle of the stage that renders 2M communications unusable, so in recent years, this stage gets amateur operators that have 75 meter mobile phone capabilities and can communicate over the stage with NVIS antennae.

We’re short on 2M/HF mobile operators to support safe operations.

To read more information about the event and sign up, please read https://nediv.arrl.org/2022/05/18/ham-assistance-requested-new-england-forest-rally-maine-new-hampshire-7-15-16/

Governor Baker Proclaims June 25 “Amateur Radio Day” in Massachusetts

copy of MA Amateur Radio Day Proclamation in MAMassachusetts radio amateurs are being recognized for their service to the public in times of hurricanes, tornados, flood and other emergencies with a special proclamation by Governor Charles D. Baker declaring June 25, 2022 as “Amateur Radio Day” in the Commonwealth. The day coincides with the 2022 ARRL Field Day event.

The proclamation was obtained by Massachusetts State Government Liaison Hank McCarl, W4RIG, of Gloucester. McCarl contacted Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr’s (N1UIU) office to arrange for the issuance of the proclamation.

Copies of the proclamation will be distributed to both Eastern and Western Massachusetts Section Managers so that they may display the documents as they tour field day sites in their respective sections.

Live Fox Hunt, Wallingford CT, June 12, 2022

Dave Tipping, NZ1J, writes on the ctfoxhunter list on June 11, 2022:   
 
We’ll have a live Fox Hunt on Sunday in Wallingford (CT) from 9:30am until 11:00am.

We’ll be using these three 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 147.475MHz and will beep every three seconds and will ID in Morse Code every minute.

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

 
There is no central starting location.  Other Fox Hunters can be contacted on the W1NRG repeater 147.360 with PL 162.2
 
Good luck.

Dave NZ1J

Project Big E to Highlight Modern Amateur Radio

Ray Lajoie, AA1SE, writes on the Western MA ARRL Members list:

Project Big E is a 17-day amateur radio exhibit to be held at the 2022 Big E from September 16-October 3, 2022 in West Springfield, Massachusetts. Western Massachusetts ARRL Affiliated Club Coordinator and Hampden County Radio Association president Larry Krainson, W1AST, is the Project Big E General Chairman.

The Big E, formerly known as The Eastern States Exposition, is billed as “New England’s Great State fair.” It is the largest agricultural event on the eastern seaboard and the sixth-largest fair in the nation.  In 2021, the Big E had 1.5 million visitors, and over 1.6 million visitors in 2019. [Wikipedia.org]

Planning for Project Big E is underway. An impressive ham radio booth will showcase the many aspects of modern ham radio, and provide an avenue for people to sign up for information and courses in their local area.

Features proposed for Project Big E will include:

·         an EmComm display

·         DMR and/or other digital mobile mode demo

·         Digital HF modes on a big screen

·         A special event station (N1E) with unique QSL cards

·         SSB, CW and digital modes

·         Demonstrations of portable stations for field operation (i.e., Parks On The Air, Summits On The Air)

·         A live ARISS contact

Project Big E can succeed only if there is a sufficient number of volunteers and radio clubs who agree to participate in the event.  A web page has been created at https://nediv.arrl.org/ProjectBigE.

Also, a special Groups.io mailing list group has been established. To join, send an email to ProjectBigE+subscribe@groups.io.

To volunteer for specific days/hours, go to the special Google form signup sheet and register.

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ARRL Western Massachusetts Section

Section Manager: Raymond P Lajoie, AA1SE

aa1se@arrl.org

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