Month: September 2024
Live Foxhunt, Wallingford CT, September 15, 2024
There will be a 1 watt signal continuously on 146.565 MHz. It will make a short beep every three seconds and will ID in Morse Code every minute.
The 10mW transmitter is on 147.455 MHz and will beep every three seconds and will ID in Morse Code every minute.
The 1mW transmitter is on 146.290 MHz and beeps every three seconds and ID as W1NRG in Morse Code every minute. Expect a range of only about 1/10 mile on this transmitter.
Dave NZ1J
SECARS Foxhunt, Ledyard CT, September 21, 2024
K1USN SST Open, September 13, 2024
Boy Scouts Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) Activities at Connecticut BSA Camps, October 19, 2024
Douglas Sharafanowich,WA1SFH, writes on the CT-ARES mailing list:
SHARE THE MAGIC
Boy Scouts Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) 2024… is COMING!
Saturday – Oct 19
LINK: https://www.arrl.org/jamboree-on-the-air-jota
The Clock is Ticking…
In just about 1 month, you will have the opportunity to introduce kids to Amateur Radio, and help build a DREAM.
This is a great Public Service Event (PSE)
It also is a fun way to “Go Portable”, and field test your gear.
WE NEED YOU!
YOU Make it Happen!
Status (9/13/24):
– I have confirmed requests for JOTA Activity Stations at TWO Boy Scout Camps (Greenwich and Goshen).
and
– I am waiting to hear back to hear back about two additional camps (Redding and New Hartford).
SHARE THE MAGIC
Give the Scouts the opportunity to have conversations On-The-Air.
We NEED YOU… and your equipment.
I am looking to form Teams of 4-6 hams to go to each camp, run a JOTA “Activity Station”, and provide:
– HF radios
– VHF/UHF Mobile Radios
– Appropriate antennas and support gear
NOTE: AC Power is not always available.
Got Questions?
Please contact me at:
ctjotaham@gmail.com
To Volunteer, please go to:
https://tinyurl.com/2ap4okej
Thank you !
Updates to follow.
Chowdercon, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, September 21, 2024
Carl Achin, WA1ZCQ, writes on the New England QRP mailing list:
* “Chowdercon” is a full day of eating (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and operating on Four Tree Island, New Hampshire. Get to Four Tree Island before 8AM to get a good parking spot in the Four Tree Island parking lot. As usual, lunch is at Geno’s and our farewell dinner/banquet will be at a New restaurant this year, due to the closure of our usual eatery closing/closed.
Four Tree Island can get cold, even on a warm day so bring a windbreaker and hoodie/sweatshirt. And don’t forget your favorite low-power Field-Op rig, wire antenna, etcetera.
* More information to follow in another upcoming email next week.
We’re touching on 3 decades now (2000’s, 2010’s, and now the 2020’s) of this Annual Celebration of the end-of-Summer / beginning-of-Fall convention/conference of low-power radio enthusiasts operating on, Four Tree Island, New Hampshire.
Come join-in on the, Fun, Excitement, and, Camaraderie, of “Chowdercon 2024”!
* * * DATE: Saturday, September 21st, 2024, … the Equinox Weekend. – (Rain date is the following Saturday, the 28th.
7 3 . .
P.S. – Read about, and, check-out past pictures of Chowdercon here:
VE Team Members Use ExamTools at Windsor, Maine Hamfest, September 7, 2024
Cory Golob, KU1U, writes:
Maine is adopting change and getting prepared for when the ARRL VEC moves to exam tools by 2026. A group of Volunteer Examiners moved toward this goal at the Windsor Maine hamfest on September 7th.
We held a test session for walk-ins where four applicants took their test using tablets and the examtools interface. Ahead of the session, the examiners signed up for an examtools account and learned the process the day of the hamfest.
All applicants who arrived for their exam had already signed up for an FRN, which helped expedite the process since it is required for testing. Next, the applicants registered to take an exam, which was created in the system for the Windsor Hamfest. Once they filled out the form online, they were placed in the session queue. The applicant was then given a Kindle Fire tablet with examtools on it to use for the exam. After verifying their ID, they were asked to verify their information listed from when they registered (most importantly their email address). The next step was to enter the session identifier and pin number. After clicking on join test session, examiners were briefed on “action items” and how to complete them. Examiners must complete an action item to admit an applicant into the exam, provide them with an exam, and grade an exam. Each action requires the examiner to enter their password, validating it is them performing the action.
The applicant navigates a continuous webpage on the tablet with 35 (or 50) questions. They select their multiple choice answer and continue on to the next question. If they skip a question, an orange dot with the question number populates in the upper left hand corner of the screen. The applicant can click on the dot to be brought to the missed question instead of scrolling back to it. Once they are ready for grading, they click on the “grade exam” button. The VE will perform the action item and it scores immediately. The applicant then has a chance to take the next element if they would like or they can finish by signing their documentation on the tablet.
Once all of the examiners are in agreement, they electronically sign the CSCE which is then emailed to the applicant. They are marked complete by the coordinator and when all people have finished testing, the session is finalized, the two files for the VEC are downloaded and submitted. It is quite the streamlined process.
Additionally, examiners can watch the progress of the applicant as they are taking their test; A blue line progresses as an applicant answers questions. This new process was well received by the examiners and they went from being timid at first to being very excited to operate this way during the next exam session.
A big thank you to all of examiners and observers who showed up at the Windsor Hamfest: Joe Devonshire, AB1YO; Peter Bither, AI1O; Karl Richards, K1KSR; Gabriel Zacchai, KC1OJR; Dustin Hinds, N1HN; Michael Courtenay, W1MLC; John Oakes, WC1G; Paul Leonard, KE6PIJ; and Martin Brown, KC1PKQ. A special thank you to Stephen Hutchings, WM7X, for mentoring and helping us all, especially with the behind-the-scenes work and Robert Latlippe, NC1RL, for the use of the testing kit which contained the tablets, laptop, and calculators. We appreciate Maine Section Manager Phil Duggan, N1EP, as well as New England Division Director Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, and Assistant New England Director Anita Kemmerer, AB1QB, stopping by to witness this event.
Do You Have Your Ham Radio Estate in Order?
The ARRL Estate Planning Workbook is a resource to guide you through developing a plan to handle your amateur radio estate:
- How to handle your station and its many assets
- Exploring your desire to leave behind a legacy by which fellow hams can remember you
- Using part or all of your station assets to support amateur radio causes
Planning in advance will help your family or friends. Creating YOUR plan can be a simple, fulfilling way to share your commitment to amateur radio with future generations.
NTS Traffic Handling Training Session, October 14, 2024
Interested in NTS and Traffic Handling? Join us Monday, October 14 at 7:00 PM via Zoom. This training will incorporate videos and open discussion to get you started in an exciting aspect of the hobby that’s been around for over 100 years!
Your hosts: Western MA Section Manager Ray LaJoie, AA1SE; MARI Section Traffic Manager Marcia Forde, KW1U; Bob Sparkes, KC1KVY; and Shawn Dodds, N1CVO, will discuss NTS traffic handling basics and traffic net procedures.
All amateurs are invited to join, regardless of experience level. This will be first come, first served event and limited to 100 participants. We hope to see you on Zoom. Any questions? Email Ray, AA1SE at aa1se@arrl.net.
Topic: NTS Traffic Training
Time: Oct 14, 2024 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86391167095?pwd=EE7QXsDKRQPqzlUgZxc4HUfk27Ja9Z.1
Meeting ID: 863 9116 7095
Passcode: 346199
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