POTA Activation, Sherwood Island State Park, Westport CT, April 24, 2021

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Sherwood Is. State Park map
(Red Pin Indicates Parking Location)

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.

For more information about POTA please visit their website at: https://parksontheair.com/

We will have 2 stations set up near the East Beach Parking Area.  One will be on the beach and the other closer to the parking lot.  Once in the park enter the roundabout and follow the sign for East Beach Parking.  Please see below for park address and directions. 

GPS Address: Sherwood Island State Park, Sherwood Island Connector, Westport, CT 06880

Directions:

From I-95 north and south: Take Exit 18 to access the Sherwood Island Connector. Follow the Connector directly into the park.

From Route 1 north and south: Take the Sherwood Island Connector in Westport. Proceed past the I-95 entrance/exit ramps directly into the park.
From Route 15 northbound: Take Exit 41 and proceed south on Route 33 to Route 1. Follow Route 1 north to the Sherwood Island Connector in Westport.

From Route 15 southbound: Take Exit 42 and follow Route 57 south. Go left onto Route 33. Proceed south on Route 33 to Route 1. Follow Route 1 north to the Sherwood Island Connector in Westport.

We Hope to see you there!

73,
Junie – N1DUC
N1DUC.73@gmail.com

K1VR Guest Speaker at K1USN Radio Club, April 28, 2021

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“Pi” Pugh, K1RV, writes on the K1USN mailing list:

I’m happy to announce that our upcoming speaker for the next K1USN Radio Club Zoom series will be none other than our ARRL New England Director Fred Hopengarten K1VR. This upcoming session will take place on Wednesday, April 28th at 7:30 PM EDT. (Note the date change for this session only to be held on Wednesday instead of Tuesday.)

Fred plans to discuss the following subjects and then have a Q & A followup.

“I’d be happy to talk about the new RF exposure rules. I have new info to share on that topic, and not just what you read in the ARRL press release.”

<…>

Put your thinking caps on and come up with some good questions to ask Fred. As many of you already know, Fred is the author of Antenna Zoning available through the ARRL Bookstore.

As always, we will be sending out the Zoom session invitations via separate e-mail. If you have received previous invitations then you are already on the list. if you, or anyone you know, would like to be invited then you can contact me (k1rv@arrl.net) and I will add you/them to the growing list.

FCC Issues Enforcement Advisory: Radio Users Again Reminded Not to Use Radios in Crimes

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FCC sealARLB013:

On April 20, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau issued a new Enforcement Advisory, repeating the admonishments contained in a January Advisory that no licensee or user of the Amateur or Personal Radio Services may use any radio equipment in connection with unlawful activities of any nature.

The Enforcement Advisory can be found online in PDF format at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-21-453A1.pdf.

The Commission specifically cautioned that individuals found to have used radios in connection with any illegal activity are “subject to severe penalties, including significant fines, seizure of the offending equipment, and in some cases, criminal prosecution.”

In addition, licensees should be aware that illegal operation in any service or band, including completely outside the amateur allocations, could potentially disqualify a person from holding any FCC license in any service, not just the Amateur Service.

Any amateur observing a suspicious infraction that might be of illegal or criminal nature should report it to their local law enforcement office or the FBI.

CT ARES Statewide Virtual Meeting, April 18, 2021

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CT ARES logoConnecticut SEC Mike Walters, W8ZY, writes:

As I have been announcing for the last few weeks this weekend, April 18, there will be no radio nets. Instead we will have a statewide virtual meeting. The meeting will run from 8 till 9 PM […] You do not have to have a camera on this call as I will be presenting. I hope to have a good turnout as we will be talking about a planned statewide drill similar to the SET in conjunction with the Red Cross.

Please plan to attend.

[Contact Mike, W8ZY at w8zy -at- hotmail -dot- com for Microsoft Teams meeting information.]

MA Prepares for Thirteen Colonies Special Event Operation, July 1-7, 2021

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13 Colonies US FlagFrom 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

Worked All Vermont Award

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Central VT ARC logoFrom the Central Vermont ARC website:

WORKED ALL VERMONT AWARD

PURPOSE: To encourage communications between amateur radio operators outside of Vermont, and amateurs in all counties of Vermont, and to encourage a high level of technical and operating skills from other amateurs in working all Vermont counties.

RULES: Work at least 13 out of the 14 Vermont counties. Any band or modes, or combination thereof, except repeaters. No restriction on time limits. (Vermont amateurs may qualify if they remain in one county.)

VERIFICATION: Send list of calls, dates, and counties worked, verified by two other licensed amateurs that have seen the QSL cards for the counties worked. Or include photocopies of the front and back of the QSL cards along with the aforementioned list. Do not send cards.

AWARD: A personalized certificate signed by the CVARC President.

COST: $5.00 to cover cost of certificate, postage and processing.

ADDRESS:
Central Vermont Amateur Radio Club, W1BD
P.O. Box 286
Montpelier, VT 05602

USS Squalus / W1S Special Event Operation, May 23, 2021

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USS Squalus memorialThe 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.

 

Three Fox Hunts Planned in Connecticut on April 17, 2021

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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