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Fox Box 2 Deployed in the Manchester CT Vicinity, April 3, 2023

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Gregory J Vinci, N1ZXL, writes on the ctfoxhunter list on Apr 3, 2023 at 2:13 PM:

Greetings Fox hunters,

Fox #2 PL 100.0

At its new location, the fox is running the usual 1 watt into a 18-inch antenna. Since there is no starting place for finding the hidden transmitter, all you can do is while going about your travels, periodically try to activate the hidden transmitter. Your first try may be from home. You do this by going on the 2-meter simplex frequency of 146.550 MHz (PL 100.0 MHz), key your transmitter, ID and then send a DTMF “1”. If the FoxBox can hear you and you can hear it, you will hear its very distinctive sound. It will transmit for 30 seconds, ID and then go back to sleep. You can make it transmit as often as necessary to find it.

Once someone has been able to bring it up and hear it, please report that information to the other fox hunters. Feel free to reply to the group. Do not reveal its location, just a location (and direction if possible) from which you are able to hear it. This then becomes a starting point for the other fox hunters to use.

You do not actually have to touch the box to claim finding it. Eye ball contact is sufficient. It is located less than 500 feet from a safe parking location. 

Good luck in the wilds of Manchester 

National Hurricane Conference Amateur Radio Hybrid Workshop, April 3, 2023

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VoIP Weather Net logoRob Macedo, KD1CY, writes on SKYWARN announce:

Amateur Radio will again be represented at the 2023 National Hurricane Conference which will be held this year in New Orleans, Louisiana (http://www.hurricanemeeting.com). This year, the workshop will be done both live at the conference and over YouTube livestream so this will be a “hybrid workshop”. The conference theme is to improve hurricane preparedness as it has been in past years.

[Full story]

K1GUP Honored at Maine State Convention

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K1GUP Awarded Plaque by Director Kemmerer
K1GUP Awarded Plaque by Director Kemmerer at ARRL Maine State Convention

Maine Section Manager Phil Duggan, N1EP, writes:

Half-Century As Net Manager — Now That’s Dedication!

Jerry Burns, K1GUP, has been net manager of the Maine Seagull Net for fifty years!  Do you think there is another ham, anywhere, who has been net manager for the same net for that long? Doubtful! Jerry’s accomplishment is unique.

Ham radio has been in Jerry’s blood all his life. His father was a ham. Burns was first licensed at age 11. His better half (Gail, N1TCM) is a ham, and many of their children and grandchildren are amateur radio operators. 

The ARRL has declared 2023 is the Year Of The Volunteer. Many would agree that Jerry’s dedication and contributions to amateur radio should make him the Volunteer Of The Year!  After earning his ticket in 1958, he did not sit idle at all. About two years later he was already checking into the AM version of the Seagull Net, and even served as net control as a teenager. 

Jerry assumed the duties as Maine Seagull Net Manager in March 1973 and has continued in that position ever since. He has overseen the transition of the net to single sideband and has helped train countless traffic handlers and net control stations through his decades of public service. 

K1GUP was honored on March 25 at the Maine Convention and Hamfest in Lewiston with an award from the ARRL New England Division. Jerry continues to inspire hams and others with his enthusiasm for amateur radio and his remarkable dedication. 

Maine Amateurs: 5G Technology, Legislative Alert

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Maine-131-HP-466-item-1Maine ARRL Section Manager Phil Duggan, N1EP, writes:

Maine amateur radio operators are being asked to contact their local state representative and senator and convey their concern regarding LD-697/HP-466 “Resolve, to Study the Effects of 5G Technology on Bird, Bee and Insect Populations and the Effects
of Long-term Exposure on Children.”

This bill was introduced into the Maine State Legislature with the primary goal of investigating whether 5G wireless technology could effect the bird and bee populations and have an effect upon children in an educational setting (IE routers, iPads, etc.)

However, this bill includes text similar in wording that has gone through other state legislatures and somehow entangled amateur radio up with it due to the reference of radio frequency emissions.

Please look up your state representative and senator for your district, and send them a polite, professional letter, and perhaps follow it up with an email a few days later. This is the best way we can make sure Maine amateur radio operators are not targeted for unwarranted regulation.

The sample letter [below] can be re-worded to your taste.

Thank you so much for helping to protect our hobby and service.

Look up your Rep./Sen. address: https://legislature.maine.gov/.

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[DATE] Honorable [Your Rep. or Sen. Name] [look up your state rep or senator’s address here and insert: https://legislature.maine.gov/

Dear Senator (or Representative) [your local rep name, or local senator’s name]:

I am writing to you concerning LD-697/HP 466, “Resolve, to Study the Effects of 5G Technology on Bird, Bee and Insect Populations and the Effects of Long-term Exposure on Children.”

I understand that this bill is targeting 5G technology; however, the wording in the text is very similar to other state’s efforts to regulate 5G but unintentional, or not, ended up entangling the Amateur Radio Service as well. Maine recently issued a joint state legislative resolution recognizing the valuable contributions of the state’s approximately 4,500 FCC-licensed amateur (ham) radio operators and all the contributions they routinely make to Maine’s communities and to the state as a whole.

Directing the University of Maine System to investigate the effects of “radio frequency emissions at thermal levels and pulsed and modulated radio frequency radiation at nonthermal levels for extended periods of time on children in educational settings,” as the bill states, could accidentally include amateur radio within its purview, and included in any resulting future legislation. The FCC already requires licensed amateur radio operators to conduct RF exposure surveys of their ham radio stations and antenna systems.

Please keep this in mind and if any related bills or action is taken, please ensure there is an exemption for the Amateur Radio Service.

Thank you for your consideration, and for your service to the State of Maine.

[Your Signature] [Your Full Name] [Your address] [Your phone Nr or Email]

VOTA W1AW/1 Vermont Activation, March 29-April 4, 2023

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W1AW will be activated by Vermont stations from 0000 UTC Wednesday, March 29 through 2359 UTC Tuesday, April 4, 2023. 

The first hour of W1AW/1 Vermont will be streamed. Go to https://www.youtube.com/@DrDX/streams and click on “Live” starting at 8 PM EDT Tuesday night March 28.

For more information on W1AW/1 Vermont, visit: http://hamclass.net/w1aw1.html. 

The 2023 Volunteers On The Air program schedule can be downloaded at https://contests.arrl.org/docs/2023-VOTA-State-Activations-Schedule.pdf.

Southington (CT) Flea Market, March 26, 2023

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Southington ARA logoThe Southington (CT) Amateur Radio Association will conduct its annual flea market on Sunday, March 26, 2023 from 8:30 AM to 12 PM at the Southington High School, 720 Pleasant Street, in Southington, CT.  The flea will feature ham radio equipment, electronics, computers, and more. 

Six feet linear table space costs $20 in advance; checks must be received before the day of the flea market. Day of the flea market, spaces are $25.  Additional persons helping pay $7.00 as general admission. (Be fair!) Children under the age of 12 free are admitted free. Doors open for all vendors unloading  at 6:15am.

The flea also features an ARES Spring Meeting. 

For further info contact Bob, K1HSN, at 860-628-4808

Web site info www.chetbacon.com/sara/
Email: W1ECV@ARRL.NET

Download the flyer at <http://www.chetbacon.com/SARAflea2023.pdf>.

CT Governor Proclaims April 16 – 22 Amateur Radio Recognition Week

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From ARRL Web:

03/22/2023—Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has released an official statement, designating April 16 – 22, 2023, as Amateur Radio Recognition Week. The proclamation coincides with World Amateur Radio Day (WARD), which is held annually on April 18.

Members of the Meriden Amateur Radio Club (MARC) pursued the proclamation with the Governor’s office. “We want the public to know that many of their friends and neighbors are amateur radio operators,” said MARC President Ed Snyder, who’s amateur radio call sign is W1YSM. “Amateur radio is a worldwide community of volunteers who use their knowledge and skills to serve our communities,” added Snyder.

[Full story]

“Big E 2023: Here We Come!”

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Project Big E logoLarry Krainson, W1AST, writes on the Project BIG E mailing list:

Greetings All. We’re hard at work getting things into place for this year’s Big E. For 2023 it runs Sept 15 to Oct 1. The booth has been reserved, insured, the paperwork signed, and bills paid.

 A few of us have been talking about making some changes to make the booth more approachable to the public, more visible and more welcoming. 

We’re reducing the number of people in the booth per session to 3 instead of 4 to 6. We’re removing the special event station which removes the need for internet and an op. The space will be used differently. We hope to make the displays; other than the Morse code keys; more hands-on and accessible.

We’re in the midst of applying for another ARDC grant. The application will be completed by April 1 with the hopes of getting another grant and being able to reimburse everyone for admission and parking costs. Those are the two largest costs of the booth.

Also, we will put in place a much better sign up and data collection method. We had a few issues with the data collected last year and must fix that this year.

In April, we will start the planning meetings. The zoom link will be posted here.

For now, we are looking for clubs and individuals to sign up and volunteer. Without you all who volunteer, the booth will fail, so please volunteer. Here is the sign up for link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvo1vUzuuJTHbTtDLeApQQD1m4ZzX9kVe_hF2416e6apho3g/viewform

If you can not click the link, please copy and paste it into your browser.

Thank you for your volunteering and help to make The Big E Booth a BIG SUCCESS this year!

73,

Larry Krainson, W1AST

K1EHZ: “A Coupled-Resonator HF Antenna” Featured in April, 2023 QST

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Kudos to Jay Taft, K1EHZ, for his article, “A Coupled-Resonator HF Antenna” which appears in the April, 2023 QST. Jay also has antenna designs published in The ARRL Antenna Book. 

Jay is an Amateur Extra class licensee. He earned his first license in 1958 at the age of 14, and his first job was servicing marine HF radios along the Connecticut coast. Jay has a bachelors degree in biology, as well as a Master’s and PhD degree in biological oceanography.  The Bedford, New Hampshire resident operates Winlink global email gateways and is a member of ARRL, New Hampshire ARES, the Merrimack Valley ARA and the Granite State ARA. 

 

[Note: On March 10th, Jay Taft, K1EHZ, along with John Stanley, K4ERO,  gave a presentation to the Granite State ARA on Comparing Coil Form Materials.  This presentation is related to his recent April 2023 QST article titled “A Coupled-Resonator HF Antenna”. You can find the video of the presentation on the GSARA YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF-OyD3eH-k]