Candlewood ARA POTA Event, Lovers Leap State Park, New Milford CT, May 22, 2022

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Map of Lovers Leap State ParkJohn G. Morelli, W1JGM, writes on the Candlewood ARA mailing list:
 
Members of the CARA club will be meeting Sunday May 22 around 9-9:30 AM at Lovers Leap State Park in New Milford, CT to activate K-1691.
 
There have been only 8 activations and 237 QSOs from the park, I made 1 and 42 QSOs  on 4/30/2022. It is an easy activation.
 
Again, let’s bring the newer members in and share the fun.
 
For those that will set up a station, I suggest you bring your portable radio set up, a small table & chair, a pop-up canopy, POTA signs, your logging equipment. As for lunch I suggest the we all bring a pot luck type lunch. I will bring a cooler with Ice, soda and water.  
 
Let have some fun.
 
Lovers Leap SP is off Still River Road off RT 7 & 202   Next to Sonic 
 
 
73
John G. Morelli (W1JGM)
 
VP Candlewood Amateur Radio Association (CARA)
 

RFI Troubleshooting Guide Adds Power Company Contacts Page

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The RFI Troubleshooting Guide RFI Troubleshooting Guide – ARRL New England Division now has a list of the power company contacts for hams to report power line noise-related issues.  Hams are encouraged to contact New England Division RFI Teams prior to doing so to make the team aware of the issue, so that they can follow up if necessary.  Noise thought to be coming from power company hardware may actually be from another service on a power pole, like a leaking television cable, so try and gather as much information, with the help of the RFI team if needed, to understand the source of the noise.  We expect to need to update the maps and contact information from time to time as service areas and company relationships change over time.  If you see that we need to change some information, please let us know at k1ui@nediv.arrl.org.

Ham Assistance Requested: New England Forest Rally – Maine & New Hampshire 7/15-16

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Tim Carter W3ATB writes:

The New England Forest Rally (NEFR) is actively recruiting experienced public service radio operators who love the woods of northwestern Maine, northern New Hampshire, and world-class rally racing cars. The NEFR is scheduled for Friday-Saturday July 15-16, 2022.

It’s a two-day event although you don’t need to volunteer for both days. You help provide the safety net communications for 75 high-performance racing teams who rocket cars along gravel roads at speeds in excess of 120 mph.

Many operators have said the NEFR is the closest thing you can do to simulate real disaster radio operations and more importantly mobilization in the field. Last year the NEFR utilized NVIS HF comms for two of its thirteen races. All other races use normal 2-meter VHF communications.

You do not have to be an HF operator to participate.

If possible, it would be great to have three more operators who are HF capable to do NVIS on my South Arm and Icicle Brook stage.

You can sign up here:

http://nefr.wpengine.com/volunteers-join-us/

To discover more about all that’s involved, the type of gear you need, and why operators come back year after year to work this world-class event, go here:

https://w3atb.com/new-england-forest-rally-ham-radio/

If you have more questions, reach out to Tim Carter – NEFR Chief of Communications at:

tim@w3atb.com

Capital Area Kids’ Net

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Capital Area Kids' Net logoThe first session of the Capital Area Kids’ Net will take place on Sunday, May 22, at 7:30 pm. The target group for this net is elementary & middle school aged children who check in with an adult control operator, but any licensed amateurs are welcome to check in. The goal of the net is to provide a positive experience of amateur radio for kids in this age group with the hopes that they will want to further explore the hobby.

This will be a directed net where adult control operators will be asked to check in and say the first names of any children with them who wish to participate. Every week will feature a kid-friendly question to encourage a little more than just single word responses (The question on May 22 will be “What’s you favorite kind of pizza?”).

The net will take place every Sunday evening at 7:30 pm on the KA1OKQ repeater in Pembroke, NH (147.225 MHz, minus offset, 100Hz tone) and is sponsored by the Capital Area Repeater Society. This repeater has a fairly wide coverage area, so please help us spread the word!

If you would like to receive email announcements about this net, please send me a note at n1ji@arrl.net.

73,
Jock Irvine, N1JI
 
 

New England Mesh Network Continues to Grow

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Mike, K1NPT, in Rhode Island, has tunneled through to New Hampshire (Jay K1EHZ) and Maine, (Bill, NG1P) extending the Mesh connectivity in New England to three states.  The process has enabled these New England Mesh network operators to gain experience with connecting multiple Mesh systems together.  The connected systems will also permit the system owners to gain experience with bandwidth and latency issues as well as cross system functionality.  The New England Director and his staff congratulate Bill, Mike and Jay on their achievement and look forward to bringing more states “on-line.”

 

More information on the status of Mesh Networking in New England is found at: nediv.arrl.org/spectrum-protection-use.

Project Big E Progress Continues

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Big E Recruitment FlyerProject Big E General Chairman Larry Krainson, W1AST, writes on the ProjectBigE mailing list:

As everyone knows, we have been accepted to host a ARISS contact. That’s exciting news and a small team is in place working out the details.

Also, I managed to find a local company that does creative work and will do the live streaming, video editing, projection enhancement and recording of the ARISS contact.  The company is Black Helicopter Creative and they are donating their time and effort to make this contact and the live stream a professional view for all. They have done work for the RedSox, Fenway Park, ESPN and others. You can learn more at:  https://www.blackhelicoptercreative.com/.

Also, I spent an hour on the phone with ICOM the other night and they are very enthusiastic about the booth. They offered to lend us a few HF and VHF/UHF/D-Star radios for the booth. Once the upper management approves, we’ll be locked in for ICOM on our operating table. The goal is to have a hotspot operating too with D-Star, DMR and possibly Fusion able to use it to demonstrate some digital modes.

There is more being planned.

Right now, we are looking for those that have done demonstrations and may have booth displays. The Nashua Club has offered to lend us a few items and we are looking for more from other clubs as well. If you have something, can you either post it here in a picture or email me direct with a description and photo’s please. W1AST@arrl.net.

We have a questionnaire out on the New England Division website: https://nediv.arrl.org/project-big-e  read down to “How Can I Help” and fill in the Google Form Signup Sheet link.

For those of you traveling from more than 2-3 hours away, I am looking for more HOST families in my area that could accommodate  a few people that want to stay and volunteer. I’m hoping my home club, the HCRA, steps up in a big way for this. My wife and I can accommodate 3 to maybe 4 people. Maybe 2 more if you have a sleeping bag and air mattress or a cot. But, we’re working on that.

Lastly, we are looking for some display cabinets. Does anyone or club have something? Please contact me.

We’re 4 months from the Big E right now. We need you to get the word out to local hams through your clubs. There is a flyer (bright green sheet at Near-Fest) that you can download on the NEDIV site too. We handed out around 250 the Friday of Near-Fest. More went out on Saturday. Get them out to your members please.

We have 17 days we need to man the booth for 12 hours per day per Big E rules. This booth we have is a $4000 booth that is being given to us. We have to make it look good and be there all the time. We set up the day into 2 6 hour shifts. Or anyone is welcome to do a 12 hour shift. It will be a long day, but very worth while. IF you’re wondering about meals, there will be 120 different food vendors there plus what may be available in the State buildings. You won’t go hungry!

So, once again, go here and volunteer:  https://nediv.arrl.org/project-big-e

Best 73 for an enjoyable weekend for all.

Fox Hunt in Wallingford (CT), May 15, 2022

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Dave Tipping, NZ1J, writes on ctfoxhunter on May 14, 2022:
 
We’ll have a live Fox Hunt on Sunday in Wallingford from 9:30 am until 11:00 am.

We’ll be using these three frequencies:  

There will be a 1 watt signal continuously on 146.565 MHz.  It will make a short beep every three seconds and will ID in Morse code every minute.

The 10 mW transmitter is on 147.475 MHz and will beep every three seconds and will ID in Morse Code every minute.

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

 
There is no central starting location.  Other Fox Hunters can be contacted on the W1NRG repeater 147.360 with PL 162.2
 
Good luck.

Dave NZ1J