Award

The Amateur Radio Club of the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), a private foundation that supports and promotes amateur radio. The grant will allow the Amateur Radio Club to design and implement new antennas which cover frequency ranges available to U.S. radio amateurs and add earth-space capabilities to its “shack.”

New functionality will include a computer-controlled tracking, high gain antenna system and a new satellite transceiver. This will allow for communications through the International Space Station and several low earth orbit amateur satellites.

These improvements will allow our visitors to better engage with technologies which impact their everyday lives.

Bob Allison, WB1GCM, president of the amateur radio club commented “These new capabilities will allow club members to show the full range of technologies that make amateur radio the unique lifetime hobby it is. Over the years these demonstrations have encouraged more than a few visitors to pursue their amateur radio licenses.”

The Director of the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut, John Ellsworth, emphasized the importance of the Amateur Radio Club as part of the story of communication “During our docent-led tours we discuss the history and development of radio and television. Having a working radio station available reinforces many of the topics discussed.”

About ARDC

Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) is a California-based foundation with roots in amateur radio and the technology of internet communication. ARDC makes grants to projects and organizations that follow amateur radio’s practice and tradition of technical experimentation in both amateur radio and digital communication science. Such experimentation has led to broad advances for the benefit of the general public – such as the mobile phone and wireless internet technology. ARDC envisions a world where all such technology is available through open-source hardware and software, and where anyone has the ability to innovate upon it.

Learn more about ARDC at ampr.org.

About The Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut

The radio station and museum are an all-volunteer organization located at 115 Pierson Lane, Windsor, CT. The museum is open all year, Thursdays and Fridays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Closed for major holidays.)  We can be reached at (860) 683-2903. Please visit our web site at vrcmct.org for additional information.

The 2023 W1FD scholarship was awarded to Maloney High Valedictorian Shiv Patel at the [Meriden Amateur Radio Club] June business meeting by committee chair Jim Savage, N1ZN, and President Ed Snyder, W1YSM.

Shiv is planning on UCONN’s school of Aerospace Engineering and is looking to advance into the space program with companies like SpaceX.

Courtesy Meriden ARC Key Klix, June 2023

Abigail Findchum, AB1BY, of Nashua, New Hampshire, has been selected “from an outstanding group of applicants” for the New England Amateur Radio Festival Scholarship in the amount of $2,000. 

In a letter dated June 1, 2023, from ARRL Foundation President David Norris, K5UZ, to NEAR-Fest’s Michael Crestohl, W1RC, Norris thanked NEAR-Fest for making the scholarship possible and “for aiding a student Amateur Radio operator in his/her pursuit of their higher education.” [NEAR-Fest NH Facebook page]

Maine Section Manager Phil Duggan, N1EP, writes:

Half-Century As Net Manager — Now That’s Dedication!

Jerry Burns, K1GUP, has been net manager of the Maine Seagull Net for fifty years!  Do you think there is another ham, anywhere, who has been net manager for the same net for that long? Doubtful! Jerry’s accomplishment is unique.

Ham radio has been in Jerry’s blood all his life. His father was a ham. Burns was first licensed at age 11. His better half (Gail, N1TCM) is a ham, and many of their children and grandchildren are amateur radio operators. 

The ARRL has declared 2023 is the Year Of The Volunteer. Many would agree that Jerry’s dedication and contributions to amateur radio should make him the Volunteer Of The Year!  After earning his ticket in 1958, he did not sit idle at all. About two years later he was already checking into the AM version of the Seagull Net, and even served as net control as a teenager. 

Jerry assumed the duties as Maine Seagull Net Manager in March 1973 and has continued in that position ever since. He has overseen the transition of the net to single sideband and has helped train countless traffic handlers and net control stations through his decades of public service. 

K1GUP was honored on March 25 at the Maine Convention and Hamfest in Lewiston with an award from the ARRL New England Division. Jerry continues to inspire hams and others with his enthusiasm for amateur radio and his remarkable dedication. 

John Swiniarski, K1OR, of Pelham, NH and Frank Potts, NC1I, of Southwick, MA received 222 and 1296 Worked All States certificates, respectively from ARRL.  [Full story]