Phil Temples

Request for Operators: The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts’ Will Bike 4 Food, September 26, 2021

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Gary Roy, KB1AKU, writes on the Hampden County Radio Association mailing list:

The Amateur radio community  will again support and provide communication assistance for The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts fund raising event on Sunday September 26th. Please check out their web site for this very important fund raising event: https://www.foodbankwma.org/events/will-bike-4-food/  They need our assistance in areas that have poor or no cell phone coverage. The routes will require us to cover the area in Vermont, extending through Leyden, Colrain, and Shelburne. In addition there is a small area in Whately and Williamsburg which includes the water stop in Williamsburg.

The 100 mile route begins at 7am, but will not arrive in the Vermont area that we cover until sometime after 9am. The Whately area will not need coverage until later in the morning, possible 10am or 11am. These times will be better determined in the next couple weeks. We will need volunteers to cover the above route areas and net control. We also need riders with the Food Bank volunteer route monitors and at the Guilford water stop.

Net Control will set up next to the Hatfield Library at the entrance to this event headquarters located at the Lions Club Pavilion 15 Billings Way Hatfield. The KB1BSS repeater in Leyden, Mass on 146.985 Mhz, negative offset, with a PL of 136.5 hz will be used.

Please contact me if you can assist with the Will Bike 4 Food Event.

My email is: groy773@gmail.com

Thank You,
Gary Roy
KB1AKU

K1IR: “Tower Safety” at RATPAC Online, September 15, 2021

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RATPAC logoWednesday, September 15, 2021, RATPAC Zoom Presentation 

Starts 9:00 PM AST / 9:00 PM EDT / 8:00 PM CDT / 7:00 PM MDT / 6:00 PM PDT / 5:00 PM AKDT / 3:00 PM HST

TOPIC:  Jim Idelson, K1IR

Be sure to see future RATPAC scheduled presentations below

  • This meeting will be recorded. By participating you consent to being recorded. 
  • Please change your display name to Your First Name, Call Sign and Location, e.g. Dan K7REX Idaho. 
  • Please stay muted until ready to speak. Your space bar works like a PTT for unmuting
  • You may ask questions in chat; please stay on topic while using chat.

Join Wednesday Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2128884758?pwd=VTE0ajAraG0rMyticmtwN2ZCdHZ3Zz09

Meeting ID: 212 888 4758
Passcode: WEDNESDAY

One tap mobile
+13462487799,,2128884758#,,,,*595910091# US (Houston)
+16699006833,,2128884758#,,,,*595910091# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
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Meeting ID: 212 888 4758
Passcode: 595910091

George Lillenstein, AB1GL, Appointed New Connecticut Section Emergency Coordinator

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CT ARES logoCongratulations to George Lillenstein, AB1GL, who has been appointed Section Emergency Coordinator for the Connecticut Section.  Lillenstein was formerly the District Emergency Coordinator for District 3 in Connecticut. He replaces outgoing SEC Mike Walters, W8ZY, who resigned the post after accepting employment at ARRL Headquarters. 

Jamboree On The Air, October 15-17, 2021

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JOTA-JOTI logoFrom the JOTA-JOTI website:

JOTA-JOTI (Jamboree-on-the-Air-Jamboree-on-the-Internet) is the world’s largest digital Scout event taking place on October 15-17, 2021, on the Internet and over the airwaves. Held every year in October, the event connects millions of young people around the world for a full weekend of online activities that promote friendship and global citizenship. JOTA-JOTI enables young people and volunteers to participate in fun and engaging group activities over the Internet and amateur radio focused on developing 21st century skills through Scouting. 

JOTA-JOTI 2020 took place from 15 to 17 October. The dynamic program comprised a variety of non-formal education activities, including webinars, global campfires, talent shows, live shows, fun challenges and more through an interactive 3D campsite. JOTA-JOTI aims to support young people of all ages to learn about communications technology, the values of global citizenship, and their role in creating a better world.

 

Navy History Day Morse Code Demo, Portsmouth NH, September 18, 2021

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Sign for USS-Albacore Submarine Park, Portsmouth NHKriss Kliegle, KA1GJU, writes on the Port City ARC mailing list:

Saturday, September 18th at the USS Albacore Submarine Park is Navy History Day.

We have been asked to demonstrate Morse code to the younger (and possibly older) visitors to the park.

Hours are from 10 AM to 3 PM and some knowledge of Morse code would be essential. With a code oscillator (I have one) we can demonstrate code and interact with visitors.

Would be better if we break up the times so one of us doesn’t have to be there all day. Any takers? 

Thank you!
73 Kriss KA1GJU

Hampden County (MA) RA FoxBox Deployed, September 4, 2021

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Ken Dion, KD1KU, writes on the HCRA mailing list:

A challenge has been issued to all hunters to find both Foxboxes! Who will be the first to find either FB1 or FB2?

As of 1700hrs, September 4th, HCRA Foxbox-1 has gone into hiding over the Labor Day Weekend and into next week!

It’s about time we get both HCRA Fox Boxes back into hiding so hunters from the HCRA are out trying to locate that diabolical fox!

HINT, I was able to wake it from its slumber with 50 watts in my mobile from a few areas along Memorial Drive (Rte.33) in Chicopee, MA.

FB1 is running one watt into an 18-inch antenna. To activate FB1 go to the 2-meter simplex frequency of 147.550 MHz (PL 100.0Hz), key your transmitter, identify yourself with your call sign then press the DTMF “1”. If the Fox can hear you (and you can hear it) you will hear its very distinctive sound. It will transmit for 30 seconds, ID, and then repeat 2 more times before going back to sleep. You can make it transmit as often as necessary to locate it.

This is a good opportunity for base stations to get in on the fun. If you can hear the fox please give its signal strength and direction if possible. Please do not reveal its location, just a location where you can hear it from, this then becomes a starting point for the other fox hunters to use. It’s just as important for the hunters to know where it CANNOT be heard as well as where it CAN be heard!

When you locate the Fox Box you do not have to touch it to claim finding it. Eyeball contact is sufficient with a photo for good measure. The photo should not reveal its location as there might be other hunters out there still trying to find it. It is located less than 500 feet from a safe parking location. Announce it and post a photo on the https://groups.io/g/WMAFoxHunters and the HCRA Facebook Group that you found it along with any comments other than its location. We want to know who has found it and who hasn’t.

I can tell you it’s in a publicly accessible location with nearby safe parking. Getting to FB-1 may require a short walk on mostly flat ground.

Please do not post the frequency or PL on social media, websites, or email lists.

Note: Larry, W1AST will be hiding FB-2 first thing Sunday morning, so watch for his announcement.

ALL Fox Hunters are welcomed to participate!

Happy Hunting!

Ken, KD1KU

Fox Active in Nashua NH, September 4, 2021

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Wayne Grant, KB1HYL, writes on the Granite State ARA list at 8:11 AM on September 4, 2021:

Just letting you know that the fox is out of its cage.  It’s in Nashua, Mine Falls Park, west of the Everett Turnpike.

When you find it, would you please sign the log book with your name, call sign, date and time.  Then, if you would, please replace the camouflage over it to make it not too obvious for the next person.

 I’ll be shutting it down around 7 PM today.  (If I can find it ;^)

73

Wayne – KB1HYL

 

ARRL Responds to Story of Radio Amateur Told to Remove His Antenna

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From ARRL Web:

09/02/2021 – ARRL has responded to an Orlando, Florida, news story on August 23, 2021 by WFTV Channel 9 alleging a radio amateur was told to remove his antenna by the management of his subdivision following a complaint made by a neighbor.

“The news story appears to stem from a 2-year-old complaint from a neighbor who believed her insulin pump had malfunctioned due to the radio amateur’s operations ‘a few doors down,’” said ARRL Laboratory Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI. “The story is lacking any details or timeline, so I contacted the radio amateur involved for information, and volunteered ARRL’s assistance.”

Hare explained that medical devices such as insulin pumps are regulated by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) specifically for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) purposes and are expected to be capable of operating in all the RF environments likely to be encountered by consumers. FDA published guidance for its staff and industry defines EMC with respect to electrically powered medical devices “as the ability of a device to function safely and effectively in its intended electromagnetic environment, including immunity to electromagnetic disturbance (interference).” FDA review of EMC information submitted with a device for approval “is based on the risk associated with EMC malfunction or degradation of the device under review, as well as the use of appropriate FDA-recognized standards or appropriate consensus standards.”

Hare noted there is an FDA recall for the model number of the insulin pump in question, in approximately the same time frame. “But with so few details, there is no way of knowing whether that recall applies to the serial number used or whether the exact unit has the mechanical defect indicated in the recall notice that could cause the malfunction,” explained Hare.

It also became apparent that there is no actual evidence connecting the amateur’s transmissions to operation of the insulin pump. Hare was told that the amateur agreed to run tests to establish whether there was a cause and effect, but the neighbor declined. 

Hare commented, “While there are no requirements for a radio amateur to stop transmitting due to alleged interference to a non-radio device, the preferred path with any complaint is for neighbors to work together.”