Greater Bridgeport ARC Foxhunt, Trumbull/ Easton/Monroe, CT, April 10, 2021

Greater Bridgeport ARC loogoFrom GBARC Wiki:

On Saturday April 10th at 9 am we will have our monthly Foxhunt.  All members and non-members are invited to attend.  The purpose of the foxhunt 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.  DO NOT CONGREGATE or socialize with others.  Whenever possible remain safely in your car and stay a safe distance away from others.   You will be able to find the sign by the fox with the information from inside your car.  For more tips, see below the map.

The first person to locate the fox will receive a free pizza delivered to their home and 5 points.  All other participants will receive 3 points for locating the fox and 1 point for participating . Points will be tallied for the year, and at the end of the year prizes will be awarded to the top 3 hunters. [Full story]

WB8SIW: “Radio Relay International” on RATPAC Online, April 8, 2021

Radio Relay Int'l logoThursday, April 8 Speaker/Presenter: James Wades, WB8SIW

Join RATPAC Zoom Meeting Thursday, April 8th:  

9:00 PM AST / 9:00 PM EDT / 8:00 PM CT / 7:00 PM MDT / 6:00 PM PDT / 5:00 PM AKDT / 3:00 PM HST

  • This meeting will be recorded. By participating you consent to being recorded. 
  • Please change your display name to Your First Name, Call Sign and Location, e.g. Dan K7REX Idaho. 
  • Please stay muted until ready to speak. Your space bar works like a PTT for unmuting
  • You may ask questions in chat; please stay on topic while using chat.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2128884758?pwd=UlBIN2FPMGwzYzlkb0JSejdPVUVodz09

Meeting ID: 212 888 4758
Passcode: RRI
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,2128884758#,,,,*21006293# US (Houston)
+16699006833,,2128884758#,,,,*21006293# US (San Jose)Dial by your location
        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
        +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
Meeting ID: 212 888 4758
Passcode: 21006293
 
~Dan
Dan Marler, K7REX
 

“Slow Speed Test” Gains Popularity

K1USN Slow Speed Test logoIn September, 2020, members of the K1USN Radio Club (who are also members of the CW Operators’ Club) started sponsoring a one-hour slow speed CW “contest” called SST aimed at “those who prefer a more leisurely CW pace or are new CW operators or contesters.” SST is held on Mondays at 00:00-01:00 UTC (8-9 PM EDT Sundays).

The event has enjoyed increased popularity, both nationally and internationally. It is supported by the N1MM software logging program.  A second weekly one-hour SST session was started on February 5, 2021, at a time more suited for European amateur radio operators: 20:00-21:00 UTC Fridays.

For more information about the Slow Speed Test, please visit <http://www.k1usn.com/sst.html>.

Wellesley ARS “POTA Party,” Winchendon, MA, March 27, 2021

Parks On The Air logoDan Brown, W1DAN, writes on the Wellesley (MA) Amateur Radio Society mailing list:
 
Who: Anyone interested in amateur radio regardless of experience, license, or equipment
What: Parks-On-The-Air (POTA) Activation of Otter River State Forest (Lake Dennison Recreation Area). 
 
Where: Lake Dennison Recreation Area, 219 Baldwinville State Rd, Winchendon, MA 01475 (drive in to the first large parking lot). 
 
When: Saturday March 27, 2021 starting at Noon. 
 
Special Instructions/Notes: Just show up. Bring any radio or other equipment you may want to use, or use my stuff. Sign up for POTA if you plan on logging your own activation https://parksontheair.com/ .  If you are not planning on logging then please plan on getting on the air with my callsign (POTA Hunters want to get their points!) It is a large parking lot and big outdoor area. We will be there unless the weather is very very bad (i.e., electrical storm, typhoon); I will post to this group if it’s canceled. We will monitor 146.52 if you want to bring a vhf radio. We will operate at least ssb and cw, other modes welcome. I will be in a green van…it is unmistakable. Bring whatever you need to be comfortable (food, water, shelter, etc.)
 
My equipment: I will bring enough equipment to set up at least one cw and one ssb station. I also have band pass filters for 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 40, and 80 meters so we can run stations simultaneously. PLEASE BRING A SHORT COAX JUMPER WITH PL259 CONNECTORS IF YOU THINK YOU MAY WANT TO USE ONE OF MY BAND PASS FILTERS! I do not have enough to share. 
 
Pandemic notes:
Plan on wearing a mask. Outdoor gathering limits are 25 people in Massachusetts; if we exceed this we can split into separate groups, it’s a large enough area.  You of course are responsible for your own safety, so whatever precautions you need, please prepare for it. 
 
Okay, that’s all. Bottom line: Show up and play radio! I can’t wait to meet you all in person! 
 
Mindy
KM1NDY

“Inside the Summit-Obsessed World of Ham Radio”

WG0AT operating from a mountain summit“On a gray Friday afternoon last spring, Steve Galchutt sat high atop Chief Mountain, an 11,700-foot peak along Colorado’s Front Range. An epic panorama of pristine alpine landscape stretched in almost every direction, with Pikes Peak standing off to the south and Mount Evan towering just to the west.  

“It was an arresting view, and the perfect backdrop for a summit selfie. But instead of reaching for his smartphone, Galchutt was absorbed by another device: a portable transceiver. Sitting on a small patch of rock and snow, his head bent down and cocked to one side, he listened as it sent out a steady stream of staticky beeps: dah-dah-di-dah dah di-di-di-dit. “This is Scotty in Philadelphia,” Galchutt said, translating the Morse code. Then, tapping at two silver paddles attached to the side of the radio, he sent his own message, first with some details about his location, then his call sign, WG0AT.” [Full article]

KM1CC QRV for International Marconi Day, April 24, 2021

photo of MarconiThe Marconi Cape Cod Radio Club  writes on Facebook:
 
[The Marconi Cape Cod Radio Club – KM1CC] is participating in International Marconi Day, Saturday April 24, 2021. This event is sponsored by the Cornish Radio Amateur Club. “The purpose of the day is for amateur radio enthusiasts from around the world to make contact with historic Marconi sites using communication techniques similar to those used by Marconi himself.”
 
KM1CC CW operations will be set up at the historic Marconi Station Site – rare grid FN51. SSB ops will be from a home station in Wellfleet also in FN51. Check back for operating/band info.
 
Follow the link to see other registered Marconi Stations. http://gx4crc.com/imd-stations/.
 
from ema.arrl.org

KA0XTT “Last Man Standing” Special Event

KA0XTT QSL cardMarty Sullaway, NN1C, writes on the YCCC mailing list:

I reached out a few weeks ago, got lots of excitement, but few signups, so I’m nagging again.

As many of you know, the hit Tim Allen sitcom Last Man Standing has an actual ham radio station on the set and ham radio is highlighted on the show periodically as one of Mike Baxter’s (Tim Allen’s) character, with the fictitious callsign KA0XTT. Before COVID-19, each week before the show taped operators would activate the station on the set and many people lined up to work KA6LMS, the club callsign of the on-set station.

After nine great seasons, the show is in the midst of its last season of production. In order to celebrate the end of the show and the exposure it has provided amateur radio, a week-long special event has been planed. From 3/24 – 3/30, the KA6LMS special event will be on the air. If the pileups from the studio were any indication (I had the chance to operate there!), it’ll be quite fun. Though this week surrounds CQ WPX SSB, there is still plenty of time to get on the air.

Similar to the W1AW/p operations in 2014, during the week KA6LMS/xx will be on from all ten callsign areas as well as a few W6x special event 1x1s. *I have been asked to form a team to operate as KA6LMS/1.* Thus, I am asking for you to join me, and sign up to operate as much, or as little as you’d like during the event using the KA6LMS/1 callsign.

We can have as many operators on different band/modes as we want at once, as long as there is only one station per band/mode. I am recruiting operators to operate as few or as many hours as you like, on any band, DC to daylight.

*To sign up, use the Google Sheets link here. <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Cnp2KVdHHIy1q13GuDhlvj8A5GWzHEOEgVDrLT1zRDU/edit?usp=sharing>
*

Meriden (CT) ARC Fox Hunters Brave the Cold

parking lot fox hunt, Meriden (CT) ARCDave Tipping, NZ1J, posts on the Meriden (CT) ARC Facebook page:
 
Fox hunt on March 6, 2021–due to the pandemic, this parking lot was deserted. This resulted in very little multi-path and a strong transmitted signal. Again, all the regular hunters braved the wind and the cold. For more than a month now, no one has been willing to take off their winter gloves long enough to get a photo. With the warmer weather we should expect a return to some actual photos from the fox hunts.
 
 

ARRL SSB DX Contest, March 6-7, 2021

ARRL International DX Contest logoContest Objective: 

To encourage W/VE stations to expand knowledge of DX propagation on the HF and MF bands, improve operating skills, and improve station capability by creating a competition in which DX stations may only contact W/VE stations. One contest period is CW-only and one is Phone-only.  Use only the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter bands.

W/VE amateurs: Work as many DX stations in as many DXCC entities as possible.

DX stations: Work as many W/VE stations in as many of the 48 contiguous states and provinces as possible.

Date: Phone: First full weekend in March (March 6-7, 2021).

Contest Period: Begins 0000 UTC Saturday and runs through 2359 UTC Sunday.

2021 Multoperator Accommodations:

ARRL has issued temporary accommodations for multioperator stations competing in the 2021 International ARRL DX Contest (CW and phone). Individual team members may operate from their home stations in conjunction with the multi-op station. The home stations must be within a radius of 100 kilometers (62 miles) of the multiop station, and must be within the same DXCC entity, US State, or Canadian province.  For more information, visit the link below.

www.arrl.org/news/guidelines-issued-for-arrl-dx-contest-multioperator-stations

Contest rules are now maintained as a single downloadable document (see “Full Contest Rules” below).

For contest information contact contests@arrl.org or (860) 594-0232

RAC World Amateur Radio Day Special On-Air Event, April 18, 2021

RAC World Amateur Radio Day colorful flyerEvery year on April 18, radio amateurs worldwide take to the airwaves in celebration of Amateur Radio and to commemorate the formation of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) on April 18, 1925.

Radio Amateurs of Canada is once again holding a “Get on the Air on World Amateur Radio Day” special event in which we encourage as many Amateurs as possible to get on the air and contact as many RAC stations as possible.

  • RAC official stations will operate across Canada from 0000Z to 2359Z on April 18. The RAC official station call signs are VA2RAC, VA3RAC, VE1RAC, VE4RAC, VE5RAC, VE6RAC, VE7RAC, VE8RAC, VE9RAC, VO1RAC, VO2RAC, VY0RAC, VY1RAC and VY2RAC.
  • Those contacting one or more of these stations will be eligible for a special commemorative certificate noting their participation in RAC’s Get on the Air on World Amateur Radio Day Event.
  • Participants simply need to complete one or more contacts, on any band and mode, with RAC official stations to earn their certificates.
  • No logs need to be submitted; simply check back on the RAC website when instructed and enter your call sign to download your certificate.

Note: From 0000z to 0500z and again from 1200z to 1800z, VA3RAC will be active in the Ontario QSO Party and will be sending the contest exchange. Stations contacting VA3RAC during those time periods are encouraged to send their contest exchange in return (state/province/country or Ontario county).

Thank you for your continuing support and understanding during this time of crisis. As with many of our Amateur Radio activities, overcoming challenges is a great way to learn. Please take care of yourself and your loved ones, stay safe and have fun while celebrating World Amateur Radio Day.

For more information on World Amateur Radio Day and the RAC “Get on the Air on World Amateur Radio Day”  special event please visit:

https://www.rac.ca/operating/world-amateur-radio-day-april-18/

Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA
President, Radio Amateurs of Canada

-via K1USN Happenings, 3/5/21