Operating

Director’s Update for 2Q-2022

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I’ve been quite busy the last few months with a combination of ARRL Board work, New England Division projects, Mentoring, and some time on the air. I am pleased to report good progress on many fronts. Here’s more about what I’ve been up to.

Club Grants

Mike Walters, W8ZY, and I, as part of an ARRL Foundation Committee, put together the application and decision process for the ARRL Foundation Club Grant program and rolled it out. Thanks to a generous donation by ARDC, the ARRL Foundation is making $500,000 available to Amateur Radio Clubs.

ARRL Club Grant Program at a glance:

  • Clubs do not need to be ARRL-affiliated clubs to submit proposals
  • Looking to fund projects that create significant impact beyond the applying club: transformative impact on Amateur Radio; create public awareness and support for Amateur Radio; educational and training impact.
  • Examples of projects include, but are not limited to: get-on-the-air projects; ham training and skills development through mentoring; STEM and STEAM learning through Amateur Radio; station resources for use by the ham community; emergency communications and public service projects that emphasize training; club revitalization projects.

The response to the first round of this program has been tremendous. We received 127 applications for Club Grants! The first round of grants will be awarded by the end of the summer, and the second tranche of applications and awards will commence in the late summer/early fall.

Board Projects and Meetings

I am working along with other ARRL Board Members and leaders as part of several ARRL Board Committees. First, I am a member of the Administration and Finance Committee, where I am chairing a subcommittee that is looking at ways to grow ARRL membership and increase active participation in Amateur Radio.

I’m also leading a subcommittee within the Emergency Communications and Field Service Committee that is working on a plan to create the next generation of the National Traffic System (NTS). I am working closely with Marcia Forde, KW1U, and other traffic handlers to create a plan for NTS 2.0. We are planning a series of briefings for Traffic Handlers here in New England as well as across other ARRL divisions on the NTS 2.0 project.

Finally, I have been appointed to be one of the ARRL Board members on the newly formed Investment Management Committee. The Investment Management Committee provides oversight of ARRL’s external investment manager and advises ARRL’s Administration and Finance Committee and the Board of Directors on investment policies and portfolio management.

Field Day

Our 2022 Field Day Visit Tour

Anita, AB1QB, and I had a great time during Field Day, visiting clubs all over New England. We covered about 1,000 miles during a three-day tour on Field Day weekend. I especially enjoyed meeting folks in person during Field Day and seeing what everyone was doing. It was great to see all of the different ways that clubs across New England approached Field Day. Anita took many great photos during our tour, and you can view those and read more about our Field Day travels here. We operated as AB1OC/M from the mobile HF station in our truck during the trip and had a ton of fun on the air as well.

Assistant Director Teams

Phil Temples, K9HI, and I continued working with our division Assistant Directors as they continued to set up their teams and began sharing information and projects across our division.

  • Cory Golob, KU1U – Assistant Director, Emergency Communications and Public Service Activities
  • Rob Leiden, K1UI – Assistant Director, Spectrum Protection and Use
  • Anita Kemmerer, AB1QB – Assistant Director, Mentoring and Ham Development
  • Dan Norman, N0HF – Assistant Director, Youth Outreach and STEM Learning

A great deal of good work is getting accomplished by our Assistant Directors, and each team has projects underway that will benefit hams across New England. Our second quarter 2022 newsletter features articles about what our ADs are doing.

BIG E Space Chat

International Space Station

New England school students will be making live radio contact with an astronaut on the International Space Station from The BIG E during the week of September 26th – September 29th. The “BIG E Space Chat” is part of a program to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) educational activities and Amateur Radio learning activities for young people.

We brokered the creation of this project through a partnership between The BIG E, New England Sci-Tech (a STEM education group in New England),  Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS), and Black Helicopter Creative LLC.

You can learn more about The BIG E Space Chat and how students can sign up to be part of the planned education program here.

Folks are also planning an Amateur Radio booth at The BIG E, and you can learn more about that project and how your club can be part of it here.

Communications, Club Meetings, and Hamfests

We continued with our work to improve communications this quarter. There are three parts to our activities in this area:

  • Quarterly Division Cabinet Meetings with Club Presidents, Section Managers and Field Staff Members, and other leaders
  • Triannual (every 4 months) Division Town Hall Meetings with all ARRL Members in New England
  • Frequent attendance at Club Meetings (at least 6 times a quarter for each DVA team member) 

We held our second Cabinet Meeting on April 16th (see what was discussed here). Our next Cabinet Meeting is scheduled for August 13th. We are inviting members of the HQ Staff to these meetings so that they can share information on what they are doing and receive feedback directly from division leaders.

We held our second Town Hall Meeting on June 15th. Attendance was excellent again, with over 140 in attendance. We provided an update on ARRL and New England Division activities and answered questions from the folks who attended. You can see what was discussed, including a recording of the event, here. We are planning to hold our next Town Hall Meeting in November.

We held an ARRL Forum at Spring NEAR-Fest in Deerfield, NH, where we provided an update on ARRL and New England Division projects and answered questions. We joined Peter Stohrer K1PJS at NEAR-Fest to talk with folks and answer questions.

 

Western MA Section Manager Ray, AA1SE and Assistant Director Anita, AB1QB discuss Licensing and Mentoring with Gordon West, WB6NOA at Hamvention
Western MA Section Manager Ray, AA1SE and Assistant Director Anita, AB1QB discuss Licensing and Mentoring with Gordon West, WB6NOA at Hamvention

We also attended the Dayton Hamvention, where we helped to staff the ARRL Clubs booth and answer questions about the ARRL Foundation Club Grant program.

I am also planning to host an ARRL Forum at HamXposition in Marlborough, MA. HamXposition will take place on August 26th – 28th. You can see the schedule for the ARRL forum and session hosted by our division ADs here.

Licensing, Mentoring, and Youth

Stu, W1SHS Intro to EmComm at Ham Bootcamp
Stu, W1SHS, hosts an “Introduction to EmComm” at Ham Bootcamp

I have continued work on Licensing and Mentoring programs. We taught weekend Technician, General, and Extra License classes this spring and helped 19 hams earn their license or an upgrade.

We also held a spring Ham Bootcamp program, which helps hams across the country to learn how to use their Amateur Radio License to operate, put stations together, and get on the air. We added additional Ham Bootcamp training on getting started in Emergency Communications activities thanks to help from Stu Solomon, W1SHS, and Cory Golob, KU1U’s Emergency Communications and Public Service Activities Team.

AB1OC Amateur Radio Activities

I’ve enjoyed some operating time in the ARRL June VHF Contest and the new ARRL International Digital DX Contest. We also operated as K2K New Hampshire during the 2022 13 Colonies Special Event. We have received hundreds of QSL requests from our K2K operations, and we are working through those now. Finally, the 6m Band has been pretty good this year, and I am enjoying some operating time on 6m on most days as well. 

I hope to see you soon at a Hamfest, Club Meeting, Town Hall Meeting, Cabinet Meeting, or some other event in the near future. All the Best and 73,

Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC
ARRL New England Division Director
eMail: ab1oc@arrl.org

Newport County Radio Club Parks On The Air Event, July 30, 2022

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Newport Co. RC logoNewport County Radio Club (RI) Parks on the Air (POTA) Activity

When: Saturday July 30, 2022 at 0930 EDST

Where:  Ft. Adams State Park:   POTA K-2874

Who: All club members and license classes welcome

All members are welcome however those with a General license are especially encouraged to attend.

Optional: bring your own HF radio, microphone and the radio’s manual. We’ll try to use it to get on the air. POTA experienced members will provide help you might need to further your understanding of your own radio. In addition, batteries, antennas, turners, other HF radios, etc. will be provided.

Club members can participate in this POTA activity in two ways:

1. Operate on the air as an “activator” at the park using call sign W1SYE.

2. Operate from home and contact W1SYE as a “hunter” on the day of the event. Activators are listed on the following POTA web site:  https://pota.app/#/

Call the W1SYE activators!

Club members are encouraged to come out to our activation to share knowledge or learn about portable setups and operations, different modes of operation (CW, phone, digital), how to manage/work pileups, and even operate HF bands with a control operator in a relaxed environment.

Ft. Adams is in Newport. We will setup on the bluff behind the Eisenhower House. Turn left as soon as you enter the park.

Greater Bridgeport (CT) ARC Fox Hunt, July 17, 2022

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On Sunday, July 17, 2021 at 11 am we will have our monthly fox hunt and this month we will have a special treat for all with an easier fox hunt. All members and non-members are invited to attend and this should be a family friendly event. The purpose of the fox hunt is to track down a hidden transmitter and find some information, then relay that information according to the instructions on a sign where the fox is located. For more tips, see below the map.  The hunt will be mainly in a square area Fairfield from Southport north to just north of the Merritt Parkway east to Sacred Heart University and south to Captains Cove.

Recommended Starting Location: Park & Ride Exit 44 off Merritt Parkway

Starting Time:10:00 AM Local

Fox Frequency:147.485 MHz Simplex

Fox Power:5W into a 1/4 wave antenna dropping to 1W at 11:00

Sponsor:Peter K1PCN

Check in on: 441.700 or 146.445 Repeaters or Echolink (recommended)

En-Route Communications: Contact K1PCN on the above repeaters 

 

Foxhunt, Wallingford, CT, July 10, 2022

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Rob Cichon, K1RCT, writes on the ctfoxhunter list at 12:32 AM on July 9, 2022:

Starting at 09:40 in Wallingford.

1FIAB, a 1W beacon on 145.7

3FIAB, a 12mW beacon on 145.3

4FIAB, a 1W DTMF-1 controlled txcvr as backup on 145.2

You may hear 2FIAB, 700mW DTMF-1 controlled txcvr on 145.605

All will cease at 11:00 unless someone calls me on the W1NRG repeater or 144.97 simplex to request more time.

 

— 73!

de Rob, K1RCT

Amateur Radio Direction Finding Gets New Name

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ARDF Coordinator writes on the ARDF-USA mailing list:

The name Radio Orienteering has been around for a very long time and has frequently been applied to the sport of ARDF, but it hasn’t been recognized in any official sense. Because Radio Orienteering is more descriptive of our sport (especially to the orienteering community), and because Amateur Radio Direction Finding is often confused with other radio direction-finding activities (like mobile t-hunting), the ARRL ARDF committee has decided to officially favor the use of the term Radio Orienteering. We believe that a transition to that name will result in less confusion, and perhaps, quicker acceptance of the sport by orienteers and others who will more readily grasp the essence of the sport.

The name-change decision will impact certain websites, documents, social media, and other communication media that the ARRL ARDF Committee uses. Notably, the annual championship event that the ARRL sponsors will be titled the USA Radio Orienteering Championships going forward.

 
We hope that Radio Orienteering will gradually gain universal acceptance. But we recognize that the IARU, and others will likely continue to use the term “ARDF” for the foreseeable future. And, for now, even the committee’s name will remain the ARRL ARDF Committee. The transition may be gradual, but we believe that the change will be beneficial to the sport in the long run. 
 
Look for more references to Radio Orienteering going forward, and don’t be confused: it is the same radio navigation sport we all enjoy, but with a more descriptive name.
 
Long live Radio Orienteering!

Foxhunt, Wallingford CT, June 19, 2022

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Rob Cichon, K1RCT, writes on the ctfoxhunter list at 7:21 PM on June 18, 2022:

Starting at 09:30 in Wallingford.

You may need both Doppler and Directional Systems for this hunt.

1FIAB, a 1W beacon on 145.7

3FIAB, a 12mW beacon on 145.3

4FIAB, a 1W DTMF-1 controlled txcvr as backup on 145.2

You will even hear 2FIAB, 700mW DTMF-1 controlled txcvr on 145.605

Of course, I have an array of antennae to choose from.

The radio cacophony will cease at 11:00 unless someone calls me on the W1NRG repeater or possibly on 144.97 simplex to request a hint or two.

Good luck All!

— 73!

de Rob, K1RCT

Live Fox Hunt, Wallingford CT, June 12, 2022

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Dave Tipping, NZ1J, writes on the ctfoxhunter list on June 11, 2022:   
 
We’ll have a live Fox Hunt on Sunday in Wallingford (CT) from 9:30am until 11:00am.

We’ll be using these three frequencies:  

There will be a 1 watt signal continuously on 146.565MHz.  It will make a short beep every three seconds and will ID in Morse Code every minute.

The 10mW transmitter is on 147.475MHz and will beep every three seconds and will ID in Morse Code every minute.

The 1mW transmitter is on 146.290MHz and beeps every three seconds.

 
There is no central starting location.  Other Fox Hunters can be contacted on the W1NRG repeater 147.360 with PL 162.2
 
Good luck.

Dave NZ1J

Blue Hill Observatory Wireless Society (MA) Communications with Mt. Washington, June 11, 2022

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Blue Hills Observatory WS special event, June 11, 2022From ema.arrl.org:

BlueHill Observatory (@bhobservatory) tweeted at 0:20 PM on Sat, Jun 11, 2022:

We are excited to have the inaugural event of the BHO&SC Wireless Society happening today. The hams are hoping to connect with Mount Washington as communications between BHO and Mount Washington Observatory were done over 70 years ago. They are also doing a ham contest today. https://t.co/DX8CNB3eXv

ARRL Kids Day, June 18, 2022

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ARRL Kids Day is on Saturday, June 18, and will run from 1800 UTC through 2359 UTC. It’s the perfect opportunity to introduce youngsters to the excitement of amateur radio. The exchange is the participant’s name, age, location, and favorite color. Sponsored by the Boring, (Oregon) Amateur Radio Club, Kids Day is held every year on the first Saturday in January and the third Saturday in June. More information is available at www.arrl.org/kids-day.

AB1OC ARISS Contact With Suffolk County, NY Boy Scout Group Can Be Heard Across New England, June 4, 2022

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AB1OC ARISS groundstationFrom ARISS:

June 2, 2022—Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and the Matinecock District Boy Scouts in Centerport, New York.  ARISS conducts 60-80 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS

The Boy Scouts of Matinecock District of Suffolk County Council, Boy Scouts of America (BSA), is located in New York on Long Island, and composed of about 52 units made up of youth ages 5-18 years. In addition to teaching youth outdoor skills, the BSA also puts a strong focus on STEM initiatives in several Cub Scout and Scouts BSA activities dealing with the sciences, robotics, engineering, and exploring all aspects of life. The venue provided for this ARISS contact is the Vanderbilt Museum & Planetarium in Centerport, New York, which has hosted events during the previous year in order to foster interest in space and space exploration for the scouts. During the year leading up to this contact, the scouts have been learning through STEM-based projects about the ISS missions, and amateur radio (including morse code practice).

This will be a telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of Astronaut Kjell Lindgren, amateur radio call sign KO5MOS. Local Covid-19 protocols are adhered to as applicable for each ARISS contact. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the telebridge station.

The ARISS amateur radio ground station (telebridge station) for this contact is in Hollis, New Hampshire, U.S.. The amateur radio volunteer team at the ground station will use the callsign AB1OC, to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for June 4, 2022 at 1:56 pm EDT (New York) (17:56 UTC, 12:56 pm CDT, 11:56 am MDT, 10:56 am PDT).

As time allows, students will ask these questions:

  1. What do you have to study after HS in order to have a career as an Astronaut?
  2. Could the ISS ever be self-sustaining and not need care-packages of food/water/oxygen from Earth?
  3. Are ISS teams only picked based on skills, or does NASA try to match personalities as well?
  4. How does the ISS stay safe from all the “space junk” floating around the Earth?
  5. Do you only do experiments in your field of expertise on the ISS or because of limited resources do you find yourself assisting others doing things you’re not as comfortable with?
  6. Is automated piloting better than manual piloting in terms of flight controls and docking?
  7. What one thing did you do as a young adult that you felt was your first significant step to becoming an astronaut?
  8. I’ve heard being in space can change you taste buds. Have you created any interesting or creative recipes to make space food taste better?
  9. How do they supply the ISS with constant oxygen?
  10. We saw a video of a gorilla suit prank on the ISS a few month ago. Has there been any other funny pranks?
  11. What jobs do you have to do on the ship?
  12. Do the astronauts get to bring something from home with them to space?
  13. I’ve heard astronauts from different countries will trade food. What country has the most popular dish on the ISS?
  14. In your personal opinion, what is the best and least best thing about being on the ISS?
  15. Can you swim in space when you’re floating?
  16. Can you feel the affects being in space has on your body? If so, what’s it like?
  17. Can you yo-yo upside down in space?
  18. Does the ISS have technology installed that could capture Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP)like the US Navy has recently? Have you seen anything up there that you can’t explain?
  19. What does it feel like to go to space?
  20. I read that there was once water on Mars. Where did all the water go?

ARISS logoAbout ARISS:

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab-Space Station Explorers, Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) and NASA’s Space communications and Navigation program. The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org