Operating

Attention, All Interested Foxhunters: Video Conference, February 8, 2022

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From ema.arrl.org:

George Allison, K1IG, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list:

The days are starting to lengthen and that can only mean that fox-hunting season is getting closer! To help get us ready, I’ve scheduled a Webex video conference for all interested fox hunters on Tuesday, February 8, at 7:30 PM. If you haven’t used Webex, it’s very similar to Zoom; I’ll send out an invitation to the groups.io list with instructions and a link you can click on to join the conference. Feel free to forward the invitation to anyone you think would be interested in attending.

The February 8 date is flexible; if there aren’t enough attendees to support that date, I can re-schedule.

I haven’t finalized the agenda, but it could include these topics:

  1. Introductions
  2. Show and tell of foxes and antennas
  3. Discussions of fox-finding techniques
  4. Plans for the upcoming season. Suggestions for variations and improvements.
  5. Suggestions for recruitment and training.

If anyone has a discussion topic or wants to make a presentation, let the group or me (k1ig@arrl.net) know. We should be able to finalize the agenda by February 1. 

73,

George
K1IG

[Contact George, K1IG, at k1ig@arrl.net for Webex video conference details]

Guest Operator Opportunities at W1AW

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W1AW buildingEmily Clarke, N1DID, writes on the Greater Bridgeport ARC mailing list:

W1AW is open and you can be a guest operator.  Even if you are technician, you can operate W1AW with supervision.  I’d like to schedule a trip there, so please email if you are interested, what days of the week you can come, and if you want to drive or carpool.  W1AW gets on the air from 10am to 4pm weekdays only.

I will tell you that this is a great experience that you will never forget.

Cheers,

Emily/N1DID

Kids Day is January 1, 2022

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From ARRL Website:

Saturday, January 1, 2022, is Kids Day. The event gets under way at 1800 UTC and concludes at 2359 UTC. Sponsored by the Boring (Oregon) Amateur Radio Club, Kids Day has a simple exchange suitable for younger operators: first name, age, location, and favorite color. After that, the contact can be as long or as short as each participant prefers.

Kids Day happens twice a year — in January and June — and can be your opportunity to get youngsters on the air and mentor future amateur radio operators to show them the fun and excitement that ham radio has to offer. You might just be introducing the next generation of hams to the airwaves. Share the excitement with your kids or grandkids, a Scout troop, a church or the general public.

Look for activity on these frequencies: 10 meters: 28.350 – 28.400 MHz; 12 meters: 24.960 – 24.980 MHz; 15 meters: 21.360 – 21.400 MHz; 17 meters: 18.140 – 18.145 MHz; 20 meters: 14.270 – 14.300 MHz; 40 meters: 7.270 – 7.290 MHz, and 80 meters: 3.740 – 3.940 MHz. Repeater contacts are okay with permission of the repeater owner.

As with any on-the-air activity that includes unlicensed individuals, control operators must observe third-party traffic restrictions when making DX contacts. Additional details are on the ARRL website.

As many communities are taking precautions due to COVID-19, participants are reminded to adhere to social distancing and face mask guidelines where applicable. If it’s not feasible to invite youngsters into your shack, consider other options to mentor, such as using social media platforms or via Zoom or other non-contact means.

ARRL Rookie Roundup CW Event is December 19, 2021

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If you’re new to CW operating, the ARRL Rookie Roundup (CW), December 19, 1800 – 2359 UTC, is a chance to enhance your CW skills. The objective of the event is to encourage recent licensees to experience competitive amateur radio operating on HF.

A Rookie is anyone who was first licensed in the current calendar year or in the previous 3 calendar years (2021, 2020, 2019, or 2018), regardless of license class. If you were licensed earlier, you can still qualify as a Rookie if you haven’t made any contest contacts on CW before this Rookie Roundup.

Rookies will attempt to make as many contacts as possible during the 6-hour event. Rookies work everyone, and non-Rookies work only Rookies. Stations exchange call signs, first names, a two-digit year, and state/province (or DX, if appropriate). In the exchange, Rookies should send the last two digits of the year of your first contact. If you’ve never made any contest contacts using CW, or if you’re a non-Rookie, send the last two digits of the current year in your exchange. — Thanks to ARRL Contest Program Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE

Algonquin ARC (MA) “Lantern Battery Competition,” January 1-March 31, 2022

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Algonquin ARC logoSkip Youngberg, K1NKR, writes on the Algonquin ARC mailing list:

Last year’s Lantern Battery Challenge was a success.  So our Activities Chairman, Joe said, “Let’s do it again!”

The event can be a great way to beat the winter doldrums.  The entire goal is threefold:  to have fun, to get on the air, and to see just what battery power can do around the shack.

This year’s rules are below.  You’ll see that you don’t have to go out and find “lantern” batteries this time.  Your inventiveness will determine just how much you spend in time and money getting on the air.

73,

Skip

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AARC’s 2022 LANTERN BATTERY CHALLENGE

The intent of the AARC LBC is to foster camaraderie among members and find out—in a light-hearted fashion—just how many QSOs can be extracted from a stack of batteries before they are depleted beyond the point of usefulness.  We’re continuing to call this the “Lantern” Battery Challenge even though there is no need to actually use expensive lantern batteries.

Activity period

AARC’s LBC will commence at 0000Z on 1 January 2022 and conclude at 2400Z on 31 March 2022.  Participants can join at any time during the challenge period but must finish by the end of the challenge.

Bands, Modes

Consistent with the terms of the participant’s license, operation on any band, using any mode, is permitted.

Energy Source (Batteries)

Batteries must be assembled from the equivalent of “D” cells or smaller.  Any combination of cells stacked in series not exceeding 15 volts is acceptable, provided that no more than two cells are connected in parallel anywhere in the stack.

     (Note that each of the lantern batteries used last year was the equivalent of four 1‑1/2 volt “D” or “F” cells in series, so two lantern batteries stacked in series yielded 12 volts.  Most rigs like 12V or higher and mis-perform at voltages under 10V.  Current drain depletes the cells quickly and reduces their voltage.  This year’s “connected in parallel” rule allows for starting with twice as much energy, increases the available current, and slows voltage depletion.)

[Full story]

 

W2AN/1BCG Special Event, December 11, 2021

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1BCG special event2021 marks the 100th year anniversary of the historic Transatlantic Tests. On December 11, 2021 The 1BCG replica transmitter will be operating as W2AN/1BCG on 1.821 MHz, plus or minus, using CW, from The Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut. Transmissions from W2AN/1BCG will be one-way, just like the original transatlantic tests in 1921. You can get a SWL certificate for this Special Event by sending a copy of the transmitted message to 1BCG@AntiqueWireless.org

Schedule: Transmissions start on December 11, 2021, on 1.821 MHz, +/-, at 1800 EST or 2300 UTC, then every 15 minutes thereafter for a total of five hours thusly; 1815, 1830, 1845, 1900, 1915, 1930, 1945, 2000, 2015, 2030, 2045, 2100, 2115, 2130, 2145, 2200, 2215, 2230 and the last transmission at 2245 EST.

This special event is your opportunity to relive a historic moment in amateur radio history.

For more information, visit <http://1bcg.org/1BCG/>.

Fox Hunt Near South Windsor CT, January 1, 2022

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Paul Gipson, N1TUP, writes on the ctfoxhunter list: 
 
Greetings Fox hunters,
 
Keeping with tradition, I will be hosting a Fox hunt on New Years Day at 1pm.
 
This hunt will be conducted in the same manner that we have previously conducted live fox hunts.  The hunters will assemble at the  91 Ayers Road in South Windsor, CT, home of the old Wapping Elementary School, be set up and ready to start by 1pm. The fox will take a roll call at 1pm on the BEARS repeater, 145.110 MHz, PL tone is 77.0 Hz.  This hunt will be conducted using the repeater for all communication and information sharing.  I encourage communication between participants and any base stations that can supply helpful information to the hunters.  Once you have spotted the fox you should stop all transmissions.  Pay attention, if someone says they are going to check an area and you never hear from them again, that might be a clue. 
 
Remember not to hunt the repeater output frequency as that will just lead you to the repeater.  I will not be there.  You will want to listen on the repeater input frequency, 144.510MHz.  That is the frequency the fox will be transmitting on.
 
The fox will be located within 20 air miles of the starting point and not within Hartford or Springfield. The fox will be on publicly accessible property that will not require anything other that a standard passenger car for access.  The fox will host a “tailgate” party at the end of the hunt at the “den”. 
 
If this is your first hunt, I would recommend riding along with someone who has done this before.  Dress warmly as you will be outside at the end for the party, the rest of the time you will be in and out of the car taking bearings etc.
 
Experience has shown that hunters will start arriving in the den about 1 hour after the start.  The event has a two hour time limit not including socializing in the den at the end.
 
Current information regarding this and other fox hunts in Connecticut are on groups.io. If you are not already a group member, you may want to consider signing up for the groups.io CTFOXHUNTER so that you do not miss any important foxhunt related news.
 
73,

Paul, N1TUP

Fox Hunting Video Conferences Over the Winter Months Proposed

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From ema.arrl.org:

George Allison, K1IG, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list:

As the snow season arrives, we’ll be taking a hiatus from our outdoor fox hunting events. To keep our expertise up, though, what is the interest in having one or more video conferences over the winter to show off equipment and techniques? I can host the conferences with a Webex account (very similar to Zoom).

Possible meeting agendas could include fox and fox-finding equipment demos, photos of memorable hunts, discussions of hunting techniques, and improvements or variations to our events.

Depending on interest, the first video conference could be held in December or January. 

Please reply to the group to let us know if you’re interested. Tell us your preferred day(s) of the week, suggested agenda items, and when you want the first meeting (specific date not required; preferred month is fine). When I get the info I can send out some date choices.

73,
George K1IG

KD1D Fox, Littleton, MA, November 27, 2021

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Alan Hicks, KD1D, writes on NEMassFoxHunters list on November 27, 2021 at 11:33 AM:

The KD1D  RF Fox  is out for one last hunt before hibernation.  

The KD1D Fox operates on 146.565 MHz FM with an output power of about 50 milliwatts and is currently located somewhere in Littleton.  It can be heard in the area  on Route 119 /2A between Route 110 (Littleton Common) and Route 27 (where the rail trail crosses).  If you’re not familiar with the area, check out the expandable map on

https://littletonconservationtrust.org/trail-guide/

Clues:   A small three-leaved plant and one of the Disney chipmunks.

73 and good hunting de KD1D Alan

The trail may be a bit wet in spots.  Boots are advised.

Hidden Transmitter, Agawam/Feeding Hills, MA Vicinity, November 25, 2021

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Hampden Co RA logoChris Thornton, W1TRK, writes on the WMAFoxHunters list:
 
Attention All Foxhunters!
 
The [Hampden County Radio Association] foxbox #2 has escaped its den and has gone into hiding AGAIN!
 
FB #2 is transmitting on 147.550 Mhz with a PL of 151.4. You can activate FB #2 by depressing the DTMF key #1. A short depress will activate it if you are close enough. FB2 is transmitting at 1 watt into a tall ducky antenna.
 
The location is in a publicly accessible area with some nearby parking and can be heard along RT.57 in Agawam/Feeding Hills.
 
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!