Operating

Cover: Field Day 2021 is coming, June 26-27! This issue of QST will help you prepare, with articles about antenna options, as well as a pull-out 2021 ARRL Field Day Guide that features helpful tips, a bonus points calculator, a handy Section checklist to keep near your operating position, and even a Field Day chili recipe!

On this month’s cover, members of the Nashua Area Radio Society, N1FD, in Nashua, New Hampshire, put their Field Day  setup through its paces in preparation for the big event. From left to right are Connor Finchum, KC1GGX; Abby Finchum, AB1BY; Vice President Jamey Finchum, AC1DC; Treasurer Anita Kemmerer, AB1QB; and President Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC. [Lori Pedrick, photo]

 

Dave Robbins, K1TTT, writes on the YCCC mailing list:

This July 4th is the 250th anniversary of Peru, Massachusetts being incorporated (originally known as Partridgefield).  To commemorate that event I will be running a special event station using the callsign K1P from June 28th through July 9th.  There will be a special QSL card featuring the new town seal.  There will also be pewter medallions of the new town seal for those who work us on the most bands/modes during that event and for the most productive guest operators from the station.

Bands: 160m, 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m, 6m, 2m, 70cm.

Modes: SSB, CW, RTTY, FT-8/4, maybe FM on VHF/UHF (no repeaters)

QSL: LOTW or SASE (to K1TTT)  (no bureau unless I get a volunteer to handle them, should I use one of the outgoing bulk services??)

Check out my web page at:  http://wiki.k1ttt.net/Peru250thAnniversary.ashx (or look on left side of k1ttt.net for link) for all the most recent information before and during the event. 

Please email me at: k1ttt@arrl.net if you are interested in operating during the event. Please forward to ham friends and club lists.

ARRL Connecticut Section Section Manager Charles I Motes Jr, K1DFS, writes on the ARRL Members list:

Subject: The Annual 13 Colonies On-Air Weekend, July 1-7, 2021 Want to have some ham radio fun?  From July 1-7, the Annual 13-Colonies On-Air event will take place and Pete Chamalian, W1RM, has tentatively agreed to be the net manager in Connecticut.  The fun part is this – you get to be on a DXpedition to a very rare and sought-after location, Connecticut, signing K2D.  In this event the whole world is looking to work each of the original 13-colonies, and we are one of them!  Full details on the event can be found at: http://www.13colonies.us/.

No matter if you are a seasoned contester or DXpeditioner or if you want to try your hand at being on the receiving end of a pileup, this is a great place to start.  The best part is you get to operate from your home station, and you get to set your own hours, bands (160-2) and modes (CW, Phone, Digital).

The only requirement is that you keep the log electronically so contacts can be exported in the ADIF format.  It makes no difference which program you use.

If you are interested or would like to volunteer, please contact Pete, W1RM at w1rm@comcast.net

This looks to be an interesting project, and open to lots of Connecticut ham radio operators.  Try it!

Chuck Motes, K1DFS
ARRL CT Section Manager

A 14-year-old General class amateur in Farmington, New Hampshire is among a group of six youths across the United States who sponsor the Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest (WWSAC), an hour-long contest that runs from 0100-0200 UTC each Tuesday (Monday evening in North America). 

“We have decent activity,” writes Brayden Ebare, KC1KUG. “Last week the winner did 130 QSOs.” 

160 through 6 Meters on SSB are used in the General sub-bands. The exchange includes signal report and age group (OM, YL, Youth YL, or Youth). 

When not organizing WWSAC, Brayden spends a lot of his time on the air operating from the K1TTT superstation. He has competed in major DX contests, such as ARRL DX SSB/CW, CQ WW DX SSB/CW, and CQ WPX SSB/CW.

For more information about WWSAC, visit  https://wwsac.com/.

 

Mill Moore, K1IB, writes on the Yankee Clipper Contest Club mailing list:

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This year I plan to be a single-op mobile [in the New England QSO Party] using the special event callsign N1E. I will be on the road in Connecticut River Valley in Vermont and NH, stopping on county lines and state lines.

The NEQP is my number one favorite operating event of each year.

73 — Mill, K1IB

Junie H Cassone, N1DUC, writes on the Greater Bridgeport ARC list:

Do you have interest in portable operations and/or finding something to do within the amateur radio hobby? Then Parks on the Air (POTA) is a wonderful way to become engaged in the radio community. Please join us for a day of radio fun in the sun!

GBARC is hosting a POTA event at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport, CT on Saturday April, 24, 2021 from 9:00 AM–4:00 PM.  We will have snacks, beverages, and a lunch will be provided.  All license class amateurs, and visitors are welcome to join! Please don’t forget to bring a chair, sunblock, jacket, hat and sunglasses.

From Franklin County (MA) Amateur Radio Club, KB1BSS:

Larry Krainson, W1AST, is looking for a few operators to run 13 colonies this year. The special event runs for 7 days from July 1 through July 7 and covers all modes.

We are Team K2H and are looking for operators living and operating in Massachusetts who are willing to sit and operate and make at least 500 Contacts in the 7 day period. You would be operating as call K2H.

It’s very exciting and fun. If you think you can commit the time, please contact him no later than the start of May.

Larry, W1AST
Team K2H – 13 Colonies Massachusetts State Manager

The submarine USS Squalus sank in the Gulf of Maine on May 23, 1939. Twenty-six of its crew were lost, but miraculously, 33 others were saved.

The Maine Ham Radio Society will be honoring the Squalus and its crew with a special –Remember The Squalus– event on the amateur radio airwaves on the 82nd anniversary of the tragic accident. Using the special FCC-issued callsign W1S, club members will take to the airwaves and make contacts nationally and around the globe, making other hams aware of the Squalus. Special certificates will be awarded to hams who successfully make contact with W1S that day, upon request. Members may sign up to operate during various time slots and band and mode of operation. Send N1EP an email n1ep@yahoo.com and he will send you a link to the signup schedule.

 

There will be an unprecedented three live fox hunts in Connecticut on Saturday, April 17, 2021.  The hunts will be in Wallingford, Norwich, and Waterford.

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In Wallingford:

Saturday will be another good day for a fox hunt. The three fox transmitters will be switched on somewhere in Wallingford at 11 AM and plan to stop at 12:30. We’ll be using what have become our standard 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 147.455MHz and will beep every second and will ID in Morse Code every minute.

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

All three transmitters are planned to run continuously.

Good Luck,

Dave NZ1J 

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In Norwich:

We will have a live fox hunt beginning at 1 PM on Saturday, April 17.  Weather forecast is for sunshine and 55 degrees!  Start from anywhere in Norwich, CT – if you wish to gather at a common place when starting the hunt, then I suggest doing so at the Route 82 parking lot on Laura Blvd (map below).  I will be hiding in the area defined by the map below.  You can also download a map that could be useful (for those wishing to use a paper map) at this link: https://d85bc6ea86296c327d7f-fc14fae93feb1cf1ff31873061ee8f7d.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/62/1641/Norwich2016Reduced.pdf.  Page 2 has a complete map of Norwich, which I think you will find helpful.

There will be three transmitters running, on the following frequencies:

146.190-146.335 (1 mW transmitter – can be heard within ca. 300 feet of the fox) – this transmitter will run continuously.  Listen for a regularly beeping tone with periodic CW id (KE1IU).  I will announce the frequency the day of the hunt, as the transmitter seems to settle in a different place each time.

145.910 (25 mW transmitter – can be heard within ca. 1 mile of the fox) – this transmitter will run continuously.  Listen for a regularly beeping tone with periodic CW id (KE1IU).

146.550 (0.5 W transmitter – can be heard within a couple miles of the fox)  – this transmitter will run for 1 minute on and ~5 seconds off.   Listen for a regularly beeping tone with periodic CW id (KE1IU). The power level is a bit lower because the rig I am using has only two power levels: 0.5 W and 5 W.  It runs too hot for continuous duty at 5W.

These transmitters will be hidden – possibly by some junior hams at the site (KC1IVR and KC1LXO) – so you can hunt for them when you arrive.  

In addition, I will have a mobile rig tuned to the N1NW repeater (146.730 MHz, PL 156.7), so you can track me from the input.  Listen for me on 146.130.  I will transmit on request, and we will also use this frequency for hints.

All hunters should check in so that I can end the hunt when the last person has found me.  Also, because we are still following pandemic protocol in the State of CT, I will take this opportunity to remind all of you to wear a mask when exiting your vehicle in the vicinity of the fox lair, and please maintain social distancing of >6 feet when at the site.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Many thanks,

-Mark  KE1IU

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In Waterford:

The Tri-City ARC will be holding a fox hunt next Saturday at 1 PM. Check-in will be on the Salem Repeater at 12:50 PM.  Starting Point is the Dick’s Sporting Goods parking lot, in Waterford, CT. The fox is located within 8 miles of the starting point.

The Fox will transmit on 146.55 MHz every 5 minutes starting at 1 PM.

This is a basic fox hunt with only one fox. For folks that are new to fox hunting, try to work together and share your findings. I will monitor the Salem repeater and provide hints, if necessary.

W1RPQ