Licensing Education & Training

“Winklink Radio Interfaces” at RATPAC Presentation, January 21, 2021

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RATPAC logoPlease plan to attend Thursday’s January 21 Zoom presentation. 

10:00 PM AST / 9:00 PM EST / 8:00 PM CST / 7:00 PM MST / 6:00 PM PST / 5:00 PM AKST / 4:00 PM HST

 Topic: Winlink Radio interfaces

 Speaker/Presenter:  Scott Currie NS7C 

This meeting will be OPEN for all to attend. Please feel free to invite others.

Hey folks: These Zoom sessions left open after the presentation. 

After the Zoom presentation has been closed, sign back into Zoom to visit.

  • 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 Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2128884758?pwd=czd3MHFDeUMvcXFQSjRJYmlxOXRCQT09

Meeting ID: 212 888 4758
Passcode: Winlink

ARISS Contact at Maine Regional School Unit 21 in Kennebunk, ME, January 21, 2021

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ARISS logo[Updated January 18, 2021]

Students from four elementary schools in Kennebunk, Maine, including the Sea Road School, will have the opportunity to speak with astronauts aboard the International Space Station on Thursday, January 21, 2021 at  18:27 UTC, according to Rosalie White, K1STO, one of the two ARISS-US Delegates, and the delegate who represents ARRL.

Thomas Moyer, KB1VPD of New England Radio Discussion Society (NERDS) is named as the ham radio point of contact along with David Taylor, N1FCC.

According to their submitted proposal:

“NERDS offered to do a free course in electronics and radio fundamentals which includes DC and AC theory, semiconductor basics, applications, and digital electronics.  NERDS, Great Bay Radio Association, and Port City Amateur Radio Club will provide technical expertise and help plan and present radio information and demonstrations and basic radio projects.

“The elementary STEM team for Maine Regional School Unit 21 see every class, K through 5th grade for 45 minutes every week.  One of our main goals is to instill an engineering ‘thought process’ even in the youngest students.  The ARISS contact will intertwine lessons we’ve been fine-tuning for years including coding, 3D printing, and robotics. Some specific lessons include: a NASA lesson on space communications titled ‘Signals and Noise Oh Boy’ and Google Glasses Expeditions on Northern Lights, space, and more. We want our students to be able to see themselves in future STEM careers. A cross-curriculum will have students researching and writing letters to the astronauts and about the ISS, calculating distances and measuring time for math, understanding the impact of gravity and how it varies on other planets for science. The Brick Store Museum has a STEM thrust and has hosted a six-month radio exhibit created by two hams of the NERDS.  Kennebunk students and students bussed-in from other elementary schools visited the exhibit.”

Students will take turns asking their questions of Mike Hopkins, KF5LJG. Claudio Ariotti, IK1SLD, in Italy will serve as the ARISS relay amateur radio ground station. Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, has served as the ARISS Technical Mentor for the contact. The ISS callsign is scheduled to be OR4ISS. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHz.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for January 21, 2021 at 1:27 pm Eastern Time, (18:27 UTC). The contact will be live streamed and can be viewed at  https://youtu.be/LN70OpJFMgs . The livestream is expected to begin at approximately 30 minutes before the contact time.

[See also:

“Kennebunk Maine School Students Prepare to Contact International Space Station”

“Liftoff: Sea Road School Students to Chat With Space Station Astronaut“] 

Vermont Team Offers Online Ham Exams

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A VE team in Vermont is offering online exam appointments each week:

“Remote exams are NOT for everyone! Make absolutely sure you meet all requirements regarding computers, equipment and Internet connection. Please go to hamclass.net/examreq.html for full details.

Only sign up with ONE Exam Team! We offer specific appointments. Other teams may offer a large session where you wait in line for a long time to be tested. Choose the team you want, but please only choose one. Making and then cancelling appointments results in more work for us (we are all volunteers) and it denies others hard-to-get exam slots. Please be considerate of others.

Make sure you are ready to NAIL THE EXAM. You need to score over 90% on at least 8 different exams to be sure. Testing often results in anxiety where students do not do as well as in practice, so you need to aim higher. We can only test ONE applicant at a time. Failing an exam results in wasted time of the examiners, and a wasted exam slot when someone else could be earning a license.

Sign up for an exam session when you are ready to take the exam. We do not maintain a waiting list for future dates.

To reserve an exam slot, go to hamclass.net/remote.html and fill out the application.”

K8ZT: “Technician HF Privileges” RATPAC Presentation, January 6, 2021

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RATPAC logoPlease plan to attend Wednesday’s January 6 Zoom presentation. 

10:00 PM AST / 9:00 PM EST / 8:00 PM CST / 7:00 PM MST / 6:00 PM PST / 5:00 PM AKST / 4:00 PM HST

 Topic: Technician HF Privileges

 Speaker/Presenter: Anthony Luscre, K8ZT  Click on Anthony’s name/call sign to see his QRZ.com page.  
 

This meeting will be OPEN for all to attend. Please feel free to invite others.

  • 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 Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2128884758?pwd=dFZMVmZsc2RIMWdMYVQyTnhnSlNIdz09

Meeting ID: 212 888 4758
Passcode: HFTECH
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,2128884758#,,,,*536623# US (Houston)
+16699006833,,2128884758#,,,,*536623# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
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        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
Meeting ID: 212 888 4758
Passcode: 536623

 

ratpac.plan@gmail.com

St. John Valley ARA (ME) DMR Class Online, January 16, 2021

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St. John Valley ARA logo“This class is geared towards explaining why DMR is set up the way it is and why it seems so complicated. By the end of the class it is my hope that you will understand how the DMR repeater system works and also understand the terms to be able program your radio to access the system. This class is focused on the DMR system specific to Maine, which is a C-Bridge / DMR-MARC system, but the content can be applied to almost any MotoTRBO system. This class was developed by kb1zpp and sponsored by the SJVARA.

Note: This is not intended to be a class on how to set up your codeplug but rather how to understand the terms to be able to write a codeplug yourself from scratch. That being said I will have codeplug examples from a few models and may have time at the end of the class to address any brand specific questions. There will be a follow up class “Advanced DMR Programming” to follow this class in the near future which will dive deeper into the programming software side of DMR.

Intro to the Maine DMR System
January 16, 2021
Lobby opens at 16:30 est
Class starts at 17:00 est
Held via www.freeconferencecall.com, you will need an account which is free
You will need a computer, PC or Mac. You won’t see anything on a smartphone.
You will need to download the app from www.freeconferencecall.com
For a walkthrough to set up an account check out the April or November issues of the SJVARA newsletter at www.sjvara.com/feedpoint”

Register at <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeK37_oBBQskFtztsLhYRjOelBuxCUjgFITreusaAVXITW6Gg/viewform>.

Hampden County (MA) Radio Association to Offer Technician Licensing Class

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Hampden Co RA logoThe Hampden County Radio Association will hold a five-week Technician licensing class where “you can learn everything you need to earn your (entry-level) FCC Amateur Radio license.” 

The class will run from February 3 to March 3, 2021 from 7-9 PM via Zoom.

Pre-registration is required at <http://www.hcra.org/licensing-classes>.

For more information, contact Mike DeChristopher, N1TA, at <mfdechristopher@gmail.com>.

Ham Radio University Online, January 9, 2021

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Ham Radio University 2021 logoWith Covid19 restrictions precluding an in-person gathering, the Ham Radio University (HRU) educational conference will be held as a virtual event Saturday, January 9, 2021 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm  as a GoToWebinar on-line video conference.

HRU 2021 will feature 14 informational presentations by local experts in a broad range of Amateur Radio activities including:

  • Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
  • Basics of HF Operating
  • Communicating Through Amateur Radio Earth Satellites
  • Remote Station Operating Over the Internet
  • Software Defined Radios
  • HF and UHF Digital Communications
  • Using RaspberryPi Computers in Amateur Radio

In addition to viewing the presentations, on-line attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of the presenters.

Presented in memory of Ham Radio University’s founder, Phil Lewis, N2MUN, who passed away in March, HRU 2021 also will be the on-line convention of the ARRL’s NYC-Long Island Section.

As in years past, participation in HRU 2021 will be free of charge, with an optional suggested donation of $5.00 but advance registration–that starts December 15, 2020–will be required for each presentation.

Further information, including the schedule of forums and advance registration starting December 15, 2020, is on line at: <http://www.HamRadioUniversity.org>.

Amateur Radio’s Role at the Boston Marathon Bombing

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BAA Bombing, 2013Steve, Schwarm, W3EVE, Wrentham, Massachusetts, will present “Amateur Radio’s Role at the Boston Marathon Bombing,” one of series of presentations sponsored by the ARRL Learning Network on December 8, 2020 at 10 AM PT/ 1 PM ET. 

“Amateur radio has played a significant role in public service communications for the Boston Marathon for several decades. That role was put to the test in 2013 when two bombs were exploded near the finish line. This presentation will describe the role that ham radio played at the Marathon and how that role changed due to the bombing.”

[Register]

RATPAC Tentative Presentation Schedule

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RATPAC logoRadio Amateur Training Planning and Activities Committee (RATPAC) provides weekly national presentations on general amateur radio topics and specialized Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES) topics.  

To receive notifications and Zoom conference details, contact Dan Marler, K7REX at ratpac.plan -at- gmail -dot- com.

Here is the tentative 2020 RATPAC presentation schedule:

 

Date General Ham Radio Wednesday Presentations
18-Nov NanoVNA (Vector Network Analyzer)
25-Nov Thanksgiving Eve – No presentation
2-Dec Band Plan
9-Dec SDR 101 – Intro into software define radios
16-Dec WA3FET Antenna
23-Dec Noise Mitigation
30-Dec ARRL Public Relations

 

Date ARES Zoom Thursday Presentations
19-Nov Red Cross Disaster drill follow up
26-Nov Thanksgiving – no Zoom presentation
3-Dec Introduction – Digital Voice IP Voice over Internet, etc.
Digital Voice Overview (RF & IP) Hotspots, DVMEGA Product presentation
10-Dec TBA (To be announced)
17-Dec D-STAR HF – (Digital Voice on HF)
24-Dec Christmas Eve – no Zoom presentation
31-Dec New Year’s Eve – no Zoom presentation


Notes:
• November 17 we will finalize 2020 schedule and begin 2021
• Still in discussion is Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA)
• Covid-19 has delayed our plans for our Youth Hams in Space program, now planned for 2021
• We have reached out to AMSAT for presentations and youth involvement

Best of 73s everyone and please stay safe,

Dan

Ham Bootcamp Deemed “A Great Success”

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October 2020 QST Cover Ham Radio Bootcamp

Ham Bootcamp Fall 2020 was a great success, according to Nashua Area Radio Society President Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC. Ham Bootcamp is held twice a year by the Nashua Area Radio Society in conjunction with their  Ham Radio Licensing Program.

Kemmerer reports that 269 people registered for the daylong event with over 200 logged into the Zoom session for most of the day. Some highlights included live contacts on the HF bands, lots of videos, and “some great questions and answers during the session.” 

“We conducted an online survey of all of the folks who participated, and the feedback is overwhelmingly positive,” he adds.

Ham Bootcamp was truly a national event. A breakdown by geographic region shows the percentage of attendees per region:

  • MA/NH:  29%
  • Northeast: 18%
  • Southeast: 15%
  • West: 15%
  • Midwest: 13%
  • Southwest: 8%
  • Hawaii/Alaska/Canada: 2%

AB1OC reports that over half of the “Bootcampers” had General Class or higher licenses. “It was also great to see the approximately ten percent of registrants who did not yet have a license.”

Most of those who attended Ham Bootcamp learned about it from the recent article in QST, reports Kemmerer. “The article plus the great work that the ARRL did in follow-up through their website accounted for some 60 percent of our participants. Ham Nation was next (10 percent) followed by various web properties and social media sites. Word of mouth referrals were also strong in total, accounting for 19% of registrants.”

The Nashua Area Radio Society is experiencing a flood of license class registrations and memberships in their organization in the aftermath of the Bootcamp event.

“A big THANK YOU to the HamXposition team for helping us to promote Ham Bootcamp,” says Kemmerer. “We are planning another online Bootcamp in the spring after our license classes are completed.”