Operating

Greater Bridgeport (CT) ARC Combined SET, JOTA & POTA for Fun-Filled Weekend

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Greater Bridgeport ARC loogo

Members of the Greater Bridgeport Amateur Radio Club combined the best of a Simulated Emergency Test (SET), Jamboree On The Air (JOTA), and Parks On The Air (POTA), while operating from three state parks on October 16, 2021: 

  • Sherwood Island SP (Park K-1715)
  • Silver Sands SP (Park K-1716)
  • West Rock SP (Park K-1727) (2 stations)

“Our goal [was] to provide community outreach for ham radio, and to help train our new operators,” explained GBARC president Emily Clarke, N1DID.   

During the POTA Event the groups also participated in the CT ARES SET using simplex VHF/UHF as well as DMR.

“I wanted to do the SET from a distance away from our ARES region (Region 1)  so we could simulate simplex communications outside our region.   I was in Region 2, and all our other stations were in CT State Parks in Region 1 or were mobile enroute.  After the SET we turned our attention to our main reason for being in the park, our POTA event,” says Clarke.
 
According to N1DID, the JOTA contact wasn’t actually planned. 
 
“We were doing HF communications for POTA when a huge troop of Scouts walked by.  We asked, ‘Does anyone want to learn about ham radio?’ and they all ran and formed a very disciplined semi-circle around us.  I gave them an explanation about HF communications, then gave a short talk explaining how we and other radio amateurs were active on the air promoting our beautiful state parks.”
 
“We gave additional information about emergency communications. how parents and even scouts can get their technician licenses, and about how they can reach out to local clubs for help with their radio merit badge.  
 
Clarke and her group took  questions from the kids and parents and got a big thank you.  Clarke encouraged them to reach out to the club in the future. “Afterwards the Scout leader came up and took my email address and said ‘I always wanted to do this.’”
 
Although N1DID and the other GBARC members got to interact with the public at the other parks “The 40+ Scouts and parents we met  was the icing on the cake of a wonderful day in the park.”
 
Scouts at GBARC POTA event
Scouts visiting Greater Bridgeport ARC Parks On The Air event

K1PCN To Activate Sherwood Island State Park, K-1715, Westport CT, October 17, 2021

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Google map of Sherwood I. State Park POTA activationPeter Cimino, K1PCN, writes on the Greater Bridgeport ARC mailing list:

I will be setting up in a clump of tress just north of the West Beach Parking Area. It is flat and shady. Also, you can drive right up to the activation spot. I will be setting up an OCF Dipole for 20, 40 and 80m. Please bring a chair and lunch. I will have water and soft drinks available. Unfortunately it seems that all the restrooms are closed for the fall. I will be monitoring 146.58, the GBARC repeater and DMR talkgroup CT TAC1. If there is enough people, I can set up a second station and if you have a radio but need a battery or antenna to operate, contact me.

I look forward to anyone who would like to try HF. This is a two person job; running the station and logging. I am happy to log and let any of you take control of the station under supervision if needed.

Directions: Sherwood Island State Park is just off Exit 18 off I95. Once you enter the park, proceed straight into the roundabout. Take the first right (west) in the roundabout towards WEST BEACH. Continue straight through the first intersection and take a right (North) at the second intersection (just before the West Beach Parking Area). Continue 100 yards and I will be on the right. Look for my red Toyota Tundra Pick up truck.

GPS N41.114729° -73.334621°. We are 100 yards North of the West Beach Parking area

Any questions, please contact me. Peter K1PCN 203-767-5888

YCCC Qualifications for 2022 WRTC

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Yankee Clipper Contest Club logoDave Malley, W1VEM, writes on the YCCC mailing list:

Congratulations to Bob, WA1Z, and Randy, K5ZD, for qualifying as Team Leaders for the 2022 Italia WRTC championship!

Congratulations also to Dave, K1ZZ; Paul, K1XM; Ed, N1UR; Marty, NN1C; Dennis,W1UE; Gene,W3UA and Robert, WA1FCN.

Nine YCCC members is terrific & my apologies if I missed anyone!

Jamboree On The Air Operation, Enfield, NH, October 15-17, 2021

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JOTA-JOTI logoRay Chaffee, WA1ORT, writes on the Twin State Radio Club mailing list:

I am looking for operators for the weekend.  I plan on operations starting on Friday at 7:00 PM until Sunday at 10 AM. Operations subject to band openings.

I hope to have at least 3 HF and DMR stations. I would like to do a fox hunt on Saturday if I have enough help.

We will be at La Salette on Route 4A in Enfield, NH.

Ray WA1ORT

Wadsworth Falls State Park (CT) Activated for POTA, October 11, 2021

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Parks On The Air logoDave Tipping, NZ1J, writes on the Meriden ARC Facebook page:
 
John, KC1KQH, and I activated Wadsworth Falls State Park K-1726 for [Parks On The Air] today. We again used the Inverted Vee antenna, which was highlighted in one of these photos to make it more visible. 40 meters was great and yielded 75 QSOs for each of us. We also got nine QSOs on 80 meters and a few on 6 meters. The hunters were very courteous and several thanked us for activating and commented on how good our signal was. We also had a good signal path to several club members and those QSOs are always appreciated.
 
A park ranger stopped by while we were working a pile up, but he was satisfied with all our answers. We had no stakes in the ground and nothing fastened to a tree (two pet peeves of park rangers).
 
This was another very enjoyable activation. NZ1J
 

Greater Bridgeport (CT) ARC Parks On The Air Event, October 16, 2021

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Greater Bridgeport ARC loogoGBARC Parks on the Air
16 October 2021 – 9am to 5pm

GBARC will hold a multi-station Parks on the Air event that will see us setting up stations in four State Parks.  The parks include:

  • Sherwood Island SP (Park K-1715)
  • Silver Sands SP (Park K-1716)
  • Osbornedale SP (Park K-1709)
  • West Rock SP (Park K-1727) (2 stations)

The goal is to provide some community outreach for ham radio, and to help train our new operators.  We will divide our efforts into four teams who will each take four parks.  

During the POTA Event we will be participating in the CT ARES Simulated Emergency Test.  During the SET we will be using simplex VHF/UHF as well as DMR for contacts.

Multiple Foxes to Hunt, Norwich CT, October 9, 2021

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Mark Noe, KE1IU, writes on the ctfoxhunter list on October 9, 2021 at 9:12 AM:

A reminder that we will have a foxhunt today at 1:30 PM in Mohegan Park – Norwich, CT.  We will have 4 fox boxes at different power levels to be distributed around the area of the park.  Your goal (if you wish to accept it) will be to find as many of the fox boxes in the allotted 2 hour period.  The fox boxes may or may not all be within Mohegan Park, but that will be a good starting point for you to hear them all.  The fox box power levels and frequencies are listed below – Note there are changes to this list!:
 
146.330 MHz – 1 mW (KE1IU Fox H listed on our website)
145.910 MHz – 10 mW (KE1IU Fox I listed on our website)
146.585 MHz – 0.5 W (KE1IU Fox J listed on our website)
146.550 MHz – 1 W, DTMF 1 to activate – PL of 114.8 Hz (Fox B listed on our website)
 
Please let me know if you have any questions.  We will be asking people to check in to the foxhunt at the beginning of the hunt.  
 
If you are a beginner and need help, then you can call me on the RASON repeater (146.730) at the beginning of the foxhunt and I will work with you to hunt the 146.550 MHz box.  That one is being hidden on me, so I have no idea where it is!  If you do not have a radio with you, then you can call me on 860-326-8025 and we will coordinate to meet.
 
Many thanks,
 
-Mark

Fox On the Loose, Bedford, NH, October 9, 2021

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Wayne Grant, KB1HYL, writes on the Granite State ARA list on October 8, 2021 at 10:41 PM:

Since I probably won’t be able to send an email after I set the fox loose, I’ll give you the important information now.  (I’ll be going to the Saturday breakfast.)  I plan on setting the fox out around 7:00 or 7:30 in the morning.  I’ll be calling it a day around 5:30 or 6:00 PM.  It will be located somewhere in the Earl Legacy Park, Bedford.  The frequency is 146.565.

I will provide a small notebook to enter your name, call sign and the date/time that you find the fox.  If you don’t find it, don’t bother filling it out. ;^)  But seriously, enjoy the hunt.

73

Wayne – KB1HYL

Rare Northern Maine Parks Activated by WC1N, October 7, 2021

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Parks On The Air logoBob Farquharson, WC1N, writes in K1USN Happenings, October 7, 2021:

Hello friends:

I will be heading to Northern Maine into the wilderness north of Moose head lake and this side of Quebec Thursday [October 7] AM early.  (7-8 hr drive).

I am hoping to activate parks that have never been activated.  Might not even be able to spot myself due to no wifi or cell coverage.  I am hoping to operate about 14059 CW (top of the hour) or 14340 SSB (30 minutes past the hour) any time after 1500 UTC to 0000 UTC……….. From 0000 – 1400 UTC 7059kc CW top of the hour and 7249kc SSB 30 minutes after the hour.

Currently AK9A, WA!MAD, K0KLB & Wi1G will be trying their best to help on freq. If anyone can hear me and spot me on the POTA site it would be greatly appreciated.

Possible parks will be :

  • Moxie Falls Property State Preserve.             K-8444
  • Lily Bay State Park                                          K-2394
  • Seboomook Lake Property State Preserve     K-8443
  • St. John Pond Ecological Reserve                  K-9171
  • Lobster Lake Property State Preserve    K-8442

APRS will be on for tracking:  

https://aprs.fi/#!lat=42.04400&lng=-71.09133