Operating

GSARA Parks On The Air Meetup, Allenstown NH, October 19, 2024

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Prepare for an exciting amateur radio day at the Granite State Amateur Radio Association‘s Fall Parks on the Air (POTA) Meetup! Please mark your calendars for **October 19th** as we gather at the **Bear Brook State Park Pavilion** from **10 AM to 4 PM**.

This event promises a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow radio enthusiasts, explore the park’s beauty, and participate in POTA activities. Whether you’re a seasoned operator or just starting, there’s something for everyone!

In addition to the main event, we’ll be camping for the SYP (Support Your Parks) event over the weekend, allowing for even more camaraderie and fun under the stars.

Don’t miss this chance to enhance your skills, share experiences, and enjoy the outdoors. For more details, visit our https://gsara.org/pota/fall-meetup. We can’t wait to see you there!

 
 
GSARA POTA Meetup Oct. 19, 2024

K1USN SST Open, September 13, 2024

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“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

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JOTA 2024 logoDouglas 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.

New Hampshire QSO Party, September 21-22, 2024

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Steve Roberts, KC1ILT, writes:

The New Hampshire QSO Party is sponsored by the Port City Amateur Radio Club to promote amateur radio activity within the State of New Hampshire. This annual event held on the third weekend in September is designed to encourage New Hampshire stations to expand their knowledge of DX propagation, improve their operating skills, and improve station capability by creating a friendly competition and incentive for stations worldwide to work each of the counties in New Hampshire. The rules for this event are attached.

We are asking you to invite and encourage your members to participate in this annual event, and to assist the PCARC by operating as many stations within each of the New Hampshire counties as possible.

NHQP_Rules

ARES, POTA “Go Box” Show and Tell at Nutmeg Hamfest, Meriden CT, October 13, 2024

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Douglas Sharafanowich, WA1SFH, writes on the ct-ares mailing list:

WHAT: ARES and POTA “GO BOX” Show and Tell

DATE: Sunday, October 13, 2024

HOURS: 8:30 am – 10:30 am

WHERE:

NUTMEG HAMFEST 2024
Maloney High School
121 Gravel Street Meriden, CT 06450

Open to ALL Hams

A Perfect excuse to “Get Organized” to “Go Portable”!
– Make Portable operations less of a hastle and chore.
– Eliminate the last minute hunting for gear before leaving.
– Banish the frustration of not having what you need at the operating site… because it is still back at the home QTH.
Note: For many hams on a budget, their “Go Box” does “double duty” as their Home Station.

The “Go Box” is probably the best way to organize your radio equipment for those times when you want to (or need to) “Grab-‘n-Go” for Portable Operations such as:
– Public Service Events
– ARES Drills/Exercises
– Real World Disasters
– Parks On The Air activations
– Day Trips to: the Park, Beach, Woods, or… the In-Laws.
– Weekend Get-Aways
– Vacations

Don’t Have a “Go Box”? BUILD ONE!
You can build/assemble your own “Go Box” in less than one day, and it will probably better than my Proof of Concept example.
See:  www.ctaresregion2.org/forum/prepared-to-go-go-go

BE CREATIVE!
Your creative design and build may be exactly the thing that get someone else to build his own “Go Box”… or modify their existing “Go Box”.

BRING IT!
Come with your “Go Box” to the Nutmeg Hamfest for Display, Judging, and Awards or Show & Tell

AWARDS
– Best ARES VHF/UHF “Go Box”
This will include Voice and Digital/Data capability (Winlink, “Classic” Packet Radio)

– Best ARES HF “Go Box”
This will include Voice and Digital/Data Capability (Winlink/HFVARA)

– Best ARES VHF/UHF/HF “Go Box”
This will include Voice and Digital/Data capability for each radio as appropriate.
(VHF/UHF Winlink, VHF/UHF “Classic” Packet Radio, Winlink/HF VARA)

– Best POTA 100w (max)  radio “Go Box” *

– Best POTA QRP “Go Box” *

* Where POTA “Go Box” includes: Cases, Backpacks, Camera Bags, etc.

Entry DETAILS @ 

https://www.ctaresregion2.org/forum/announcements/695-the-great-ct-ares-2024-go-box-show-and-tell-10-13-24#901

Maine QSO Party, September 28-29, 2024

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Maine QSO Party logoThe Maine QSO Party is designed to encourage Maine stations to expand their knowledge of DX propagation on the HF and MF bands, improve their operating skills, and improve station capability by creating a competition in which W/VE, and DX stations have the incentive to work Maine. [Details]

 

K1W White Island Special Expedition, Rye NH, July 27, 2024

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White I., Rye NHMark Pride, K1RX, writes on the Port City ARC mailing list and K1W QRZ page:

Special Expedition by the Port City Amateur Radio Club (W1WQM) for 2024

White Island, Isle of Shoals, Rye, NH

Plan is to arrive Saturday, July 27, 2024 by 8AM, setup stations, operate until Evening. One Day event. Primarily IOTA contest plus POTA and 6 M.

IOTA NA-217

POTA US-8006 (White Island NH State Park & Historical Site)

Lighthouse ARLS USA 406

 NH022S White Island  US Islands Award Program

FN42qx

 

QSL via K1RX

ADIF upload to POTA and other sites as needed  

Parks On The Air “Code Buddy” Hunter Event, Manchester NH, July 21, 2024

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Parks On The Air logoTimothy Cates, KC1QDK, writes on the Granite State ARA mailing list:

SUPPORT YOUR PARKS POTA CODE BUDDY HUNTER EVENT

  • Sunday, July 21, 2024
  • 10:00 AM  4:00 PM
  • Manchester, NH, 03104United States (map)

Attention Code Buddies and friends:

Come join us at Derryfield park in Manchester for support your parks weekend POTA event Sunday July 21st 10am until 4 pm.  We will be code hunting park activators from the top of the hill. This is a great opportunity to make on-the-air contacts because there will be lots of people activating parks. Parks on the Air gives an activator award for activating this day and it would be fun to get one for activating CW.

You can bring your own gear and set it up in the park or you are welcome to use my rig and gear I will be setting up a portable station with a straight key. Lots of room for everyone. Hope to see you all there and all are welcome.  

Parking near the Gazebo at Derryfield Park in Manchester the park is near Hillside Junior High 112 Reservoir Ave, Manchester, NH 03104 off Bridge st.

Bring a comfy chair and enjoy some Sunday afternoon radio fun in the park. 

New England Stations Encouraged to Join the Ohio QSO Party, August 24, 2024

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Ohio State FlagEastern MA Section Manager Jon McCombie, N1ILZ, writes:
 
Tom Miller, W1PD, is sponsoring a special award this year in the Ohio QSO Party on August 24, 2024. An award/plaque will be presented to the highest scoring New England station during the contest. Although Tom’s QTH is now in Ohio, he is originally from New England (Connecticut). The award is being given in memory of Tom’s father, John Miller, W1PDI (SK), of Hamden, CT. Complete information may be found on the Ohio QSO Party website. 
 

CT Ops Needed for 13 Colonies Event

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K2D 2021 QSLPete Chamalian, W1RM, writes:

If you are in Connecticut, I need your help.  On July 1, the annual 13 Colonies event will kick off.  In this event, special callsigns (K2A-K2M) will be on.  In Connecticut, K2D is the call and we are short of operators.  If you would like some fun and a chance to do some running, this is the place.  This is DXpedition-style and you are the rare DX.

If you would like to participate, please let me know asap.

Pete Chamalian, W1RM
W1RM@comcast.net