Phil Temples

Test of High-Altitude Balloon Repeater, Natick MA, May 7, 2023

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New England Sci-Tech logoFrom ema.arrl.org:

    Seth Kendall, KC1PZY, writes on the New England Sci-Tech mailing list:

We plan to hoist up our payloads as high as we can over [New England Sci-Tech] this Sunday (May 7th) at 1pm.  The payload will be running the full repeater setup and live video transmission for flight.

We’d like to invite anyone who might have line of sight with NEST to try calling in once we start the event to test the functioning and propagation.  Keep in mind, the repeater uses low power HTs with homemade Slim Jim antennas, so do not expect the level of performance achieved by the real NEST repeater.  It is also expected to get significantly better signal up in free space during the flight than it will on the ground.

We are putting out a call to see if anyone has a long, sturdy gopher pole or extendable mast that could be temporarily mounted on the roof and hold 5 lbs. up vertically without bending.

To participate, here is what you need to do:

  1. Set up your UHF/VHF radio to these frequencies:
    1. Uplink (your transmit): 446.05 MHz
    2. Downlink (your receive): 146.55 MHz
  2. Use the best dual band antenna you’ve got, or two single band antennas with duplexer.  Antenna height will help a lot.
  3. Write down your distance from NEST and include it in the exchange.
  4. We’ll try to have someone calling CQ as W1STR during the test and writing down contacts and distances.
  5. If you’d like to come join us at NEST during the event to help with setup and operation, come join us around noon.  We’ll either be in the makerspace or on the roof.  We can order some food as well.

We are also looking for a volunteer to try receiving the video signal from some place with direct line of sight that is further than right down the street.  Ideally 1-5 miles away (not expecting the kind of propagation we’ll get up in free space).

  1. If you’d like to volunteer, let me know. 
  2. You’ll need a laptop with Windows.
  3. You’ll need to come into NEST either on Saturday or Sunday so I can give you the receive antenna we are testing, the receiver hardware, and help you set up your computer to input and view the video feed.
  4. You’ll need to find a place with direct line of sight (that’s the hard part).

“Artemis 2 astronauts flying to the moon could phone home with ham radio”

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An illustration of the Orion spacecraft in orbit around the moon. (Image credit: Lockheed Martin) From Space.com:

“It’s been 40 years since the first astronaut called an amateur radio operator on Earth. Now the moon is in the community’s sights.

“Most of the astronauts aboard the Artemis 2 mission, which will send a quartet of people around the moon in late 2024, are certified ham radio (amateur radio) operators. There’s high hopes in the community that the astronauts may call home from deep space, the president of Radio Amateurs of Canada told Space.com.” [Full story]

ARRL Member Survey, Dues Increase Considered

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ARRL logoDear ARRL Affiliated Club,

This Monday, May 1, ARRL will launch a survey for members, encouraging their participation as we consider a dues increase.

The survey will include some short questions about raising dues and modifying the way some membership benefits are bundled. The survey will also include an opportunity for members to share their feedback.

The participation of every member is important. Please encourage all the ARRL members in your radio club to complete the survey in May.

The survey will open on May 1 at www.arrl.org/take-dues-survey. This is a member-only page. Members need to be logged into the ARRL website to take the survey. Members who are not logged in may select the Login button on the top of the web page, and they will be prompted to enter their ARRL website username and password. If they have not logged in since April 2022, they should use these Login Instructions.

Thank you in advance for urging all ARRL members to complete the survey.

73

Mike Walters, W8ZY

ARRL Field Services Manager

RFI Training at NEAR-Fest, April 29, 2023

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From Maine ARRL Facebook page:

Rob Leiden K1UI, the New England Division ARRL Assistant Director for Spectrum Protection and RFI, leads Radio Frequency Interference Team Training at Near-Fest in Deerfield. [ARRL Maine Section Manager Phil Duggan] N1EP picked up Maine’s RFI equipment and Toolkit, including IC-705 and some handy RFI-sniffing antennas. The New England Division is leading the nation in helping hams who may be experiencing annoying RFI.
 
Maine training and policy, planning will follow in the coming weeks.

 K1UI RFI Training at NEAR-Fest April 28-29, 2023

“Ham radio operators air a grievance: Leave our hobby alone”

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Phil Duggan, N1EP, in ham shackFrom The Maine Monitor, April 29, 2023:

“Controversial soaring edifices along the Downeast coast seem to be all the rage, most notably the proposed Flagpole of Freedom Park in Columbia Falls, which garnered national attention and prompted a temporary building moratorium.

“But neighboring Jonesboro shouldn’t be overshadowed. Although much less imposing than the proposed 1,461-foot flagpole, a ham radio antenna array, with the highest antenna stretching 200 feet, was constructed last year atop Jonesboro’s picturesque blueberry barrens off Route 1.”

[Full story]

“International Marconi Day: National Parks Director Makes QSO”

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IMC Day photo of National Parks Service Director SamsFrom The ARRL Letter, April 27, 2023:

International Marconi Day celebrates the accomplishments of radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi on the Saturday closest to his birthday each year. Stations around the world activate a special operating event to celebrate.

National Parks Service Director Charles ” Chuck” Sams, III (left) operates as KM1CC from the South Wellfleet Historic Site at Cape Cod National Seashore. Marconi Cape Cod Radio Club Trustee Barbara Dougan, N1NS, (right). (Marconi Cape Cod Radio Club KM1CC, photo)

On January 18, 1903, the first public two-way wireless communication occurred between the United States and Europe. A message from President Theodore Roosevelt was sent to King Edward VII from the South Wellfleet site. The site is preserved within the Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts. [full story]

Newport County Radio Club: “One Year of Digital VE Sessions”

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Contributed by Nancy Austin, KC1NEK, NCRC

NCRC Digital VE Session
NCRC Digital VE Session Lead Mike Seil, AA1XQ (standing left) April 22, 2023

 

The Newport County (RI) Radio Club offered its first digital VE session a little over a year ago on March 12, 2022. That session was held outside in a parking lot because of the lingering pandemic, and relied on inexpensive Android tablets (with a cramped keypad) connected via a hotspot. It was the team’s first official use of ExamTools and despite multiple practice runs, there remained learning curves.

Fast forward to our most recent VE session given last Saturday April 22, 2023. It was a successful milestone for lessons learned around people, processes and tools implementing digital exams. In particular, the NCRC benefited from a roughly $2000 ARRL Foundation Club Grant that allowed us to now offer applicants easy to use Wi-Fi enabled 64GB/ 10.2″ iPads with folder-style covers, and the option to use stylus pens. The main benefits include much more reliable Wi-Fi connectivity, a large screen, and well-designed consumer user interface. With the “best tool” problem solved, another concern was upskilling VE examiners on the ExamTools.org platform and software. This took time. Over this year, the digital VE session lead, Mike Seil, AA1XQ, has successfully recruited and trained a team of prepared VE examiners who are able to confidently address whatever issues come up.

The timing was right for this all to come together since our data suggests the second quarter is the busiest period for testing VE Session applicants. Indeed, our April session was busy, with more planning to sit for the Technician or an upgrade in June before Field Day. If it turns out that the number of applicants outnumbers our suite of iPads, we hold two sessions back to back.

Bob Beatty, WB4SON (right) wrote the grant
Bob Beatty, WB4SON (right) wrote the grant

Our club owes many thanks to Bob Beatty, WB4SON, for totally revising his Technician class content to reflect the new pool of questions; all applicants who sat for the new Technician exam this April were well-prepared and passed. (A number of hams shared that they had decided to try the General exam in April before the test content changes by June.)

What other things help any VE Session go well? In our experience, it is important to be mindful of the need for all test takers to have quiet maintained throughout their VE session. We now have one VE stationed outside the building to both greet and debrief applicants. Folks appreciated being welcomed before the exam and also having their enthusiastic post exam questions answered. Meanwhile, the remaining test takers in the hall could continue to concentrate without distraction. These test takers might include those who choose to sit for all three exams and thus potentially be there for an hour plus. It includes determined folks who want to take the exam again, or those who just need lots of peace and quiet to give the exam their best.

Clubs considering the change to digital VE sessions might plan for a one year process. Getting the volunteer people, processes and tools in place to see this through took teamwork, leadership, and commitment. Many thanks to Bob Beatty, WB4SON, for stepping up to write the ARRL Foundation Club Grant as the Newport County Radio Club embarked on this digital transformation. Our successful ARRL grant allowed us to buy the right tools for the job.

Offering a well-run digital VE session is a transformational opportunity and providing the best user experience for your applicants will matter.

NCRC VE examiners who upskilled on the ExamTools platform
NCRC VE examiners who upskilled on the ExamTools platform