Operating

ARRL Survey Reminder

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ARRL logoOn May 1st, ARRL began a survey for members to provide feedback on some changes it’s considering to ARRL dues and membership.  The ARRL survey will remain open until May 31st.  It is very important that you take a few moments and share with the League your opinions how changes could be made to ensure the long-term viability of ARRL.  Raising dues is not something any organization enjoys doing, but this will mark only the second time in 22 years that ARRL is considering it.

Your input is very important to the League.  The decisions ARRL leadership is considering should be influenced by all members. If you have already taken the survey, thank you! If you haven’t yet, please do so soon.

The results from the survey will be tabulated and shared with members on the ARRL website in June.  Responses will ultimately help guide the future of ARRL.  The survey is only available to ARRL members.  Why?  Because you have a stake in the outcome! 

Please make sure you log into www.arrl.org to participate.

Thank you for being an active member, and for your ongoing support of amateur radio and ARRL.

“Rhode Island’s Radio Legacy Continues”

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Photo of rhombic antenna at W1OP
Providence Radio Association’s historic Collins antenna used during the recent MARS Armed Forces Day Crossband Test, with PRA Club President Dave Tessitore, K1DT, and Vice President John Good, W1GS

Contributed by Nancy Austin KC1NEK, NCRC and Dave Tessitore, K1DT, PRA

Rhode Island is a small state with a rich history. The Providence Radio Association invests in RI’s radio legacy by maintaining a historic Collins 237B-1 rotatable 13 element log periodic antenna originally installed as part of NAVCOMMSTA Newport’s impressive transmit antenna farm on Beavertail Point, Jamestown RI from c.1964-1975. On Saturday 13 May 2023, the Providence Radio Association again participated in the MARS Armed Forces Day (AFD) Crossband Test using their historic antenna and the equally historic call sign, NAF.

NAF began operation from the Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, RI c. 1900, and was among the first US Naval Radio shore stations. Eventually, several naval radio stations were consolidated as NAVCOMMSTA Newport. NAF transmitted from c.1900 until 1975 at various coastal Narragansett Bay locations, including NAVRADSTA (T) Beavertail Point (Jamestown).

The Providence Radio Association shares the next chapter in this rich Rhode Island radio history: “The drastic curtailment of naval operations on Narragansett Bay in 1975 closed all naval activities at Sachuest Point and Beavertail Point. In 1975 the Navy allowed the Providence Radio Association to hold its annual Field Day exercises at the Beavertail Station. Following the decommissioning of the facility and turn over to land of the State, in 1983 the PRA acquired one of the Collins 237B-1 rotatable log periodic antennas used by NAF and erected it at our club facility in Johnston, RI. It has been utilized since then under the Amateur call sign W1OP. Once a year, we either operate from the original NAVRADSTA (T) location at Beavertail Pt, or we use this antenna from our clubhouse in Johnston to participate in the Armed Forces Day Crossband Test, using its original naval call sign NAF.”

Providence Radio Association club president "Tess," K1DT
Providence Radio Association club president “Tess,” K1DT

For this year’s AFD Crossband Test, the Providence Radio Association again got permission to operate as NAF and transmit on their restored original Collins antenna. The W1OP clubhouse on Neutaconkanut Hill (on the Providence/Johnston border) opened its impressive radio station to members and Amateur Radio guests, including: Dom, N1DM; David, W3DRE; Doug, K3DRE; Andy, AJ1S; John, W1GS; Dave, K1DT; Teri, W1PUP; Jeremy, K1JST; Adam, KC1KCC; and Nancy, KC1NEK. Hundreds of phone QSOs were logged on mostly 20m and 40m.

As the ARRL notes: “The AFD Crossband Test is a unique opportunity to test two-way communications between military communicators and radio stations in the Amateur Radio Service (ARS), as authorized in 47 CFR 97.111. These tests provide opportunities and challenges for radio operators to demonstrate individual technical skills in a tightly controlled exercise scenario. Military stations will transmit on selected frequencies and will announce the specific ARS frequencies monitored. All of the times are Zulu (Z), and all frequencies are Upper Side Band (USB) unless otherwise noted.”

For more on the history of call sign NAF and their restored Collins antenna, reach out to Providence Radio Association club president Dave Tessitore “Tess”, K1DT, at k1dt@verizon.net.

Radio communication has a long history in Rhode Island. By 1900, Newport’s naval officers were given instruction in wireless technology. Newport’s Torpedo Station was one of the first of a network of U.S. Navy shore radio stations, along with an adjacent site at the Naval Training Center used to train radio operators for the Navy. From c.1964 until 1975, Sachuest Point on Aquidneck Island and Beavertail on Jamestown served as key receive and transmit stations. Today, Amateur Radio offers an experiential learning gateway to 21st century workforce development opportunities in electronics and wireless radio communication, both analog and digital. This highly relevant mission is at the heart of many ARRL-affiliated RI radio clubs.

 

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For more information, see also:  
https://www.arrl.org/news/annual-armed-forces-day-crossband-test-1
https://www.navy-radio.com/commsta/newport.htm
https://www.navy-radio.com/manuals/NAVCOMM-history-1958.pdf

Providence Radio Association Will Operate N1F / NAF During Armed Forces Day Crossband Test, May 13, 2023

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Providence Radio Assoc logoDave “Tess” Tessitore, K1DT, writes:

Armed Forces Day Crossband Test: May 13, 2023  1400Z – 2300Z (10 am-7 pm)

[The Providence Radio Association] will operate this annual Amateur Radio/Department of Defense joint exercise from the PRA clubhouse (and possibly Ft. Burnside) using the military callsign NAF – NEWPORT NAVAL RADIO STATION MUSEUM NEWPORT, RI. 

Thanks to W3LPL for securing permission from the DoD for us to use the original callsign NAF – NAVRADSTA(T) Newport for this cooperative military event and tribute to our US Armed Forces.

We have also secured the Amateur Special Event 1×1 callsign N1F so as to foster further activity in the ham bands! https://www.dodmars.org/mars-comex-information-website/armed-forces-day

 

Annual Armed Forces Day Crossband Test, May 13, 2023

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From ARRL.org:

The US Department of Defense (DoD) will host this year’s Armed Forces Day (AFD) Crossband Test on May 13, 2023. This annual event is open to all licensed amateur radio operators and will not impact any public or private communications. For more than 50 years, military and amateur stations have taken part in this event.

The AFD Crossband Test is a unique opportunity to test two-way communications between military communicators and radio stations in the Amateur Radio Service (ARS), as authorized in 47 CFR 97.111. These tests provide opportunities and challenges for radio operators to demonstrate individual technical skills in a tightly controlled exercise scenario.

Military stations will transmit on selected frequencies and will announce the specific ARS frequencies monitored. All of the times are Zulu (Z), and all frequencies are Upper Side Band (USB) unless otherwise noted. The frequencies used for the test will not stray outside the confines of the exercise.

A complete list of frequencies, time periods, QSL cards, and other information can be found at DoD MARS – Armed Forces Day.

AFD is a time of honor. It will be celebrated on Saturday, May 20, 2023. The first AFD was celebrated with parades, open houses, receptions, and air shows. Today, many events and activities take place and may include multi-service military displays in areas open to the public, various educational activities that teach children about the armed forces, and large parades with local celebrations.

The longest running AFD parade in the United States is held in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Certain types of music will be played at AFD 2023 events to show respect to those in the armed forces who died for their country.

 

Port City ARC to Activate USS Albacore and USS Thresher for Museum Ships On The Air Event, June 3-4, 2023

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Dave Taylor, N1FCC, writes on the Port City ARC mailing list:

[The Port City ARC] plans to activate two stations for the [Museum Ships On The Air special event, June 3-4, 2023].  We will operate from the USS Albacore museum in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, as NM1JY and from the USS Thresher memorial in Kittery, Maine, as W1WQM.

Please reach out if you have any questions 

Dave Taylor N1FCC

Port City Amateur Radio Club

 

W1AW/1 Rhode Island VOTA Operation, July 26-August 1, 2023

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VOTA logoWe’re still looking for Rhode Island operators to help put W1AW/1 on the air [July 26-August 1, 2023]. You don’t have to be a big gun DXer or contester, or have the best station, to be an operator – just be on the air from Rhode Island. You can operate from home, a club station, or maybe from a friend or fellow club member’s station.

If you would like more information on participating as an operator for W1AW/1 Rhode Island, please contact Mike Corey, KI1U at mpcorey@gmail.com. You can also fill out this form to sign up as an operator: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe3bm7fcV_4wdXE77A2Eeq2bG20g_VhpsYK0Nmy-xSHlNZvQA/viewform

 

New England QSO Party, May 6-7, 2023, How to Operate and Submit

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New England QSO Party logoKen Caruso, WO1N, writes on the Billerica (MA) ARC mailing list:

Hi all,

A few questions have trickled in. I sometimes forget I am one of those “Contesters” (aaacckk!) and I take a lot for granted because I’ve been doing it so long.

While many a contester was born on Field Day, in fact FD is quite a challenge because of the environment, unfamiliarity with radios and logging software, marginal antenna, noise etc. The [New England QSO Party] is a great opportunity to learn to be a proficient contester using your own equipment/home station that you are comfortable with.

You probably don’t want to be using your general purpose logging program for the event. A contest logger will help make contacts go much smoother. I can highly recommend N1MM+ (hint, this is what we have been using for Field Day logging). It is free and probably the most feature rich contest logging solution available. There are others like WriteLog ($), N3JFP (free), I am not as familiar with those.

A detail description of setting up N1MM+ is beyond the scope of this message. If you are new to it and have questions about its setup, drop me a note or give me a call and I can help walk you through it.

Anyone can call CQ and you can answer anyone calling CQ NEQP. Note there are at least two other QSO parties going on at the same time this weekend. Don’t sweat it, just log what they give you.

A typical SSB Exchange when you are calling CQ might go like:

  • You: CQ NEQP WO1N
  • Participant: WI1ZRD
  • You: WI1ZRD 59 MIDMA
  • Participant: 59 MIDMA
  • You: QSL, WO1N NEQP

If the participant is not in New England they will give their state, or possibly county+state (like we do). Just log what they give you.

If they are DX they might say their country but you would log as “DX”.

Club Competition / Submittal:

So, you have entered the contest using your own call and category. To support the Club Competition:

At the end of the event, the contest sponsors need a “Cabrillo” formatted file for your entry. Cabrillo is a standard format that all the contest sponsors have agreed upon.

Use your own call sign and after the event make sure the Cabrillo file that is generated calls out the Billerica Amateur Radio Society on the “Club” line. The header will look like this:

START-OF-LOG: 3.0
LOCATION: EMA
CALLSIGN: WO1N
CLUB: Billerica Amateur Radio Society
CONTEST: NEWE-QSO-PARTY
CATEGORY-OPERATOR: SINGLE-OP
CATEGORY-ASSISTED: ASSISTED
CATEGORY-BAND: ALL
CATEGORY-MODE: CW
CATEGORY-POWER: LOW
CATEGORY-STATION: FIXED
CATEGORY-TRANSMITTER: ONE
CLAIMED-SCORE: 24274
OPERATORS: WO1N

etc….

The sponsors will take care of the rest, they will just group all entries with the same Club call out, total them up and that determines the Club’s standing. Your individual score will also be shown on the results page under the category you entered (Single Op etc.).

If you are using a purpose built Contest logger as I recommended, when you input your Station Configuration info there is the opportunity to define you Club name. Otherwise, you can edit the header after the fact and add the line shown above.

N1MM+, will generate the Cabrillo file for you (File à Generate Cabrillo) and store it on your disk as callsign.log (e.g. wo1n.log).

Use the sponsors log submittal page (https://neqp.contesting.com/neqpsubmitlog.php ) and follow the instructions. Upload your callsign.log You should be all set, you’ve entered the contest and supported the Club Competition effort at the same time.

Finally, to keep your logbook up-to-date, you would import an ADIF of the event log. N1MM+ will generate for you. (File à Export à Generate ADIF).

What happens if we win?

We all go to Disney!

Wait no, that’s a different competition….

The Club would receive a nice plaque. In this case the Yankee Clipper Contest Club sponsors the plaque. By tradition, the winning Club President gets to keep the plaque, displayed proudly on their contest Wall of Fame, forever.

73,

Ken – WO1N

“International Marconi Day: National Parks Director Makes QSO”

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IMC Day photo of National Parks Service Director SamsFrom The ARRL Letter, April 27, 2023:

International Marconi Day celebrates the accomplishments of radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi on the Saturday closest to his birthday each year. Stations around the world activate a special operating event to celebrate.

National Parks Service Director Charles ” Chuck” Sams, III (left) operates as KM1CC from the South Wellfleet Historic Site at Cape Cod National Seashore. Marconi Cape Cod Radio Club Trustee Barbara Dougan, N1NS, (right). (Marconi Cape Cod Radio Club KM1CC, photo)

On January 18, 1903, the first public two-way wireless communication occurred between the United States and Europe. A message from President Theodore Roosevelt was sent to King Edward VII from the South Wellfleet site. The site is preserved within the Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts. [full story]

Massachusetts K2H “13 Colonies” Special Events, July 1-7, 2023, Sign Up By June 1

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2022 13 Colonies K2H QSL card
2022 13 Colonies K2H QSL card

Larry Krainson, W1AST, writes:

 
It’s 13 Colonies time again and that means Massachusetts K2H is looking for ham that would like to activate.
 
The special event runs 7 days from July 1 through July 7.
 
Team K2H is looking for ops. Last year we made over 21,300 QSOs during those 7 days. We are hoping to exceed that this year. Would you like to be part of Team K2H?
 
If yes, then go here and fill in the form:
 
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeUdsnh9EjBgRYigude9Q12mQ3A5DlJ2Z6VXwT_1fQQv6kzcQ/viewform
 
Larry, W1AST will be in touch with you.
 
Would you like to know more? You can go here to learn about 13 Colonies: http://13colonies.us or contact Larry, W1AST at W1AST@arrl.net.
 
The last day to sign up is June 1, 2023.