Connecticut Section Youth Coordinator Douglas Sharafanowich, WA1SFH, has compiled a best practices document entitled “Running a Successful JOTA Event Station” to share with clubs and groups who sponsor Jamboree On The Air events.
[PDF Download]
Phil Temples
NextNav, Inc. 902 MHz Proposal and its Potential Impact on Meshtastic
On Mon, Sep 16, 2024 at 5:08 PM Ez via groups.io <Ez.W1AEZ=gmail.com@groups.io> wrote:
Only 4 days left! It is vital (and free) to take action before September 20th, 2024
What is going on? The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is currently allowing public comment on a proposal by NextNav Inc. that would reconfigure the 902-928 MHz band used by amateur radio and Meshtastic, and replace it with a backup GPS system.
At the very least, this is likely to disrupt range and performance of Meshtastic devices- but the implications could be far wider.
Take action before September 20th, 2024
The fastest way to take action is to submit an Express Comment at the FCC website. Here is a direct link with docket number pre-filled. Or click here to learn more.
Your action is vital to keeping the 900 Mhz network open to all!
Crichton at Meshtastic has a detailed writeup at the Meshtastic blog, as well as a published opposition letter from Meshtastic President JM Casler. We encourage all to read Crichton’s post to get a full understanding of the FCC proposal and the negative effects it would have on the Meshtastic community.
Only 4 days left to take action, then the FCC will make a decision
The fastest way to take action is to submit an Express Comment at the FCC website. Here is a direct link with docket number pre-filled. Or click here to learn more.
No BIG E Amateur Radio Exhibit for 2024
“There is no ham radio booth at the BIG E this year,” writes BIG E Coordinator Larry Krainson, W1AST.
Last year’s effort was a huge success, and included The BIG E Space Chat, a live ARISS contact with the International Space Station at the BIG E fairgrounds.
Larry is getting phone calls and emails from folks inquiring about a 2024 event.
“Someone has shown interest and there may be one next year. More info to follow in a few months.”
Live Foxhunt, Wallingford CT, September 15, 2024
Dave Tipping, NZ1J, writes on the ctfoxhunter and Meriden ARC mailing lists:
For this hunt, the 1 mW transmitter will be up to 1/4 mile away from the 1 W transmitter. The Fox will be hiding at the location of the 1mW transmitter. Hunt the 1W to get close and the 1mW to find the Fox.
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We’ll have a live Fox Hunt on Sunday [September 15, 2024] from 9:30am until 11:00am. The Fox will be hidden somewhere in Wallingford.
We’ll be using these three frequencies:
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.
There is no central starting location. And, there will be no check-ins prior to the hunt. Hunters should be at a location of their own choosing and listening on 146.565 at 9:30.
There may be a two second long test of the 146.565 transmitter at 9:25.
Other Fox Hunters can be contacted on the W1NRG repeater 147.360 with PL 162.2 Hunters with an extra radio available might do well to monitor 147.360 throughout the hunt.
Good luck.
Dave NZ1J
SECARS Foxhunt, Ledyard CT, September 21, 2024
Mark Noe, KE1U, writes on the ctfoxhunter mailing list:
[The Southeastern Connecticut Amateur Radio Society] will be sponsoring a foxhunt this coming Saturday, September 21 at 1 PM at the Nathan Lester House in Ledyard, CT. You can find more information at the following link: https://ctvisit.com/listings/nathan-lester-house-farm-tool-museum
This is an “on-foot” foxhunt. You will drive to the museum and then commence a walking hunt for each of the transmitters. They will all be hidden in the woods or the park grounds in front of the homestead. There will be foxes hidden in an open field for beginners, and several of us will bring equipment and provide instruction. If you have never been on a foxhunt before, this is a great time to learn.
The foxhunt will run for ca. 3 hours or when the last hunter has found all the foxes. Please contact Mark at KE1IUMark@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Many thanks,
-Mark
Our foxes will be on the following frequencies:
K1USN SST Open, September 13, 2024
“Pi,” K1RV writes:Just wanted to remind everyone that this Friday’s usual 2000 – 2100 SST has been expanded into the brand new annual K1USN SST Open. As you all know, the K1USN SST has been a great place for many CW newcomers as well as rusty oldtimers to make your very first CW contesting QSO.
The upper “speed limit” has always been capped at a maximum speed of 20 wpm, with many stations including the K1USN club station usually sending at a reduced speed of 12 – 14 wpm each week.
The main purpose of the “once a year” SST Open will be to try to slow down everyone who is participating so that we can encourage even more of the less experienced operators to take the opportunity to get comfortable in a real CW contest atmosphere, albeit at a more casual pace. The K1USN club station has scheduled a number of our club members to activate K1USN on all the HF bands during the four hour event because one of the new contest rules will allow stations who work K1USN on each band to pick up 50 bonus points for each band they work K1USN. We plan to be on 10, 15, 20, 40, 80 & 160 meters at various times during the four hour contest to enable everyone to have the chance to increase their scores. All K1USN operators will be sending at a maximum speed of 10 wpm.
Here is a good way to find out what bands K1USN is operating on in real time during the contest –
Please check out the SST Open web page ( http://www.k1usn.com/sso_rules.html ) to learn the complete rules and to also obtain the link to download and install the new K1USNSSTOP UDC file from the N1MM Logger website.
You will notice that there are scoring multiplier incentives for operating at speeds slower than 20 wpm which should also encourage other CQing stations to slow down for the duration of the SST Open.
We hope to work many of you during this new event and invite you to spread the word.
GL & 73,
Pi – K1RV / K1USN
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.