With the addition of the Rhode Island Team of Keith, W1KJR, Scott, WX1X and Norm, W1NEP, all seven New England sections now have RFI teams to assist hams having RFI issues in their shacks. Most sections would still welcome volunteers to serve as members or alternates if needed so, if interested, please contact your Section Manager or Technical Coordinator. The team members and contact information for your section can be found on the New England RFI Team page.
RFI Team Equipment Tookits are Defined
At a June 5, 2022 New Hampshire meeting of the New England RFI teams, a set of tools obtained for team use was demonstrated, along with some more sophisticated equipment available for loan, brought by Steve Anderson, W1EMI, of the ARRL Lab. The teams evaluated these and selected those to be obtained for the use of each team, to be loaned from the ARRL or loaned from a New England division inventory as needed. These may now be seen on the RFI Team Toolkit webpage. Action is in progress to obtain funds to procure this equipment for each team and for sharing within the New England Division.
Rhode Island STEAM Club “Making Its Own DX”
A Rhode Island STEAM club is making its own kind of DX. The All Saints STEAM Academy (N1ASA) in Middletown, Rhode Island, is tracking its GPS/tracker balloon using APRS. As of mid-day June 8, it was located over Canada. “N1ASA’s GPS/tracker balloon survived the night and is reporting regularly Wednesday from 24,000 feet above Nova Scotia, heading at 24 MPH to the northeast,” according to a post today on the Newport County Radio Club’s Facebook page.
“Tuesday’s thick cloud cover which disrupted the production of solar power has thinned out. There’s no battery on board, just a ‘super capacitor’ to store enough power to run the 0.02-watt transmitter for 110 seconds every 10 minutes.” The package uses a 35-foot dipole antenna.
The group hopes the balloon will continue to remain airborne long enough to reach Europe.
ARRL Foundation Club Grant Program Has Launched
The ARRL Foundation Club Grant Program has launched and is now accepting applications. The deadline to apply is June 30 at 7 PM EST. An informational webinar will be held on Thursday June 9 at 7 PM EST to answer questions about the program. A video of the webinar will also be available on YouTube. You can register now by visiting this link.
For more information about the program, visit: http://arrl.org/club-grant-program.
For correspondence concerning the program, contact: clubgrants@arrl.org.
ARRL Kids Day, June 18, 2022
ARRL Kids Day is on Saturday, June 18, and will run from 1800 UTC through 2359 UTC. It’s the perfect opportunity to introduce youngsters to the excitement of amateur radio. The exchange is the participant’s name, age, location, and favorite color. Sponsored by the Boring, (Oregon) Amateur Radio Club, Kids Day is held every year on the first Saturday in January and the third Saturday in June. More information is available at www.arrl.org/kids-day.
RFI Teams Meet in New Hampshire
RFI Team members from Eastern Massachusetts, Western Massachusetts and Maine met on June 5 in Hollis, New Hampshire with the New England Director Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC; Rob Leiden, K1UI, Assistant Director for Spectrum Protection and Use; Anita Kemmerer, AB1QB, Assistant Director for Mentoring and Ham Development and Steve Anderson, W1EMI, from the ARRL Lab. Also at the meeting were: Stephanie, WA1YKL; Dan, W1DAN; Dom, N1DM and Najm, AB1ZA,
An IC705, DXE HF loop and an Elk VHF/UHF Yagi, obtained by the Director for evaluation, were demonstrated and team members had an opportunity to try them out. Steve demonstrated the RE240, a high-end RFI analyzer suited for power line noise location and an MFJ ultrasonic detector and dish that are available for use by the teams should the need arise. The RE 243 is the newest version of this instrument. Team members also brought along some homebrew and commercial tools they use. Najm showed the others a pocket RFI guide that is still available for purchase. Steve noted that the ARRL RFI guidebook is being revised and will be in print when the Lab update and review is complete. The ARRL Lab is updating its website to reflect solar energy RFI and other recent developments.
The teams selected the tools that will be obtained for use by the section teams. Some of the tools already purchased for evaluation were the Elk VHF/UHF log periodic, the IC705 HF/VHF/UHF transceiver and the DX Engineering HF Loop, Steve Anderson, W1EMI, brought additional tools available to loan to the teams as needed. These included an ultrasonic dish and detector, a Radar Engineers RE240 and VHF yagi for hunting power line RFI and a handheld circuit “sniffer” for finding local sources, especially in the home.
The need for additional web process material was identified to:
- Better define the role of the teams,
- Outline anticipated communications between the teams and hams with pending RFI issues and
- Ensure all the information required by the ARRL Lab is recorded and transmitted to the ARRL Lab when required.
Connecticut Radio Amateur Endows ARRL Affiliated Club Initiative
From ARRL News:
Dr. Ed Snyder, W1YSM, of Wallingford, Connecticut, who provided funding for an endowment to support the ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Initiative in 2017, has generously donated additional funding to expand the endowment to include ARRL Affiliated Clubs. The endowment, formerly known as the W1YSM Snyder Family Collegiate Amateur Radio Endowment Fund, has been renamed and will now be known as the W1YSM Snyder Family Collegiate & ARRL Affiliated Club Endowment Fund.
Dr. Snyder credits ARRL’s dedication to supporting amateur radio clubs across the nation with giving him a renewed passion for reinvigorating clubs. The additional contribution to the endowment allows ARRL to expand and continue club programs. Dr. Snyder, President of the Meriden Amateur Radio Association, views this program as essential to the legacy of amateur radio.
ARRL Field Services Manager Mike Walters, W8ZY, stated that the W1YSM Snyder Family Collegiate & ARRL Affiliated Club Endowment Fund will benefit programs for large and small clubs across America. “Amateur radio clubs are the backbone of local amateur activities,” said Walters. “Clubs mentor new amateur radio operators, serve their communities through emergency communications, and engage youth in STEM disciplines.” ARRL has a network of almost 2,800 affiliated clubs in the US. To locate a local club, visit www.arrl.org/find-a-club.
The Collegiate Amateur Radio Initiative has led to the development of a national network of college amateur radio clubs under the aegis of ARRL and set up ways for these clubs to stay in contact and communicate on the air, in meetings, and through other activities. “Five years ago, ARRL began the Collegiate Amateur Radio Initiative to support the grassroots fellowship between collegiate clubs, while highlighting their diverse technical and operating interests,” said Andy Milluzzi, KK4LWR, who has co-advised the initiative with his brother Tony Milluzzi, KD8RTT. Together, they have organized collegiate meetups at hamfests, online groups via Discord and Facebook, and monthly Zoom forums. “Collegiate Amateur Radio is an important pillar of both the hobby and STEM education,” Milluzzi said. “Thanks in part to the generous support from the W1YSM Snyder Family Collegiate & ARRL Affiliated Club Endowment, we are excited to announce that ARRL’s collegiate support has graduated. The name change to ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Program (CARP) reflects the ongoing support and growth of the thriving community of collegiate hams. Please join us celebrating this ARRL member-driven program’s current and future success.” To learn more about the ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Program, visit www.arrl.org/WeWantU.
Scouts on Long Island Contact the ISS via Amateur Radio
Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, writes on https://stationproject.blog/ :
I once again had the pleasure to help a group of young people make contact today with an astronaut on the International Space Station. [Full story]
Project Big E Weekly Planning Meetings Begin June 7, 2022
Larry Krainson, W1AST, writes:
I’m starting a weekly Zoom meeting every Tuesday night at 7:00 pm EDT to discuss all things for the Big E Booth.
We will start with organization and planning the booth layout as well as the continuation of getting the word out to clubs and volunteers and more.
Please urge your club presidents to join us too and everyone is invited. I hope to see you on.
[For Zoom conference information, contact Larry at w1ast@arrl.net or join the groups.io list at groups.io/g/projectbige]Maine Section Manager eNews, June 2022
Phil Duggan, N1EP, writes on the Maine ARRL Members list:
Hermon Hamfest!
Hermon Hamfest is TOMORROW, Saturday, June 4 at the Hermon High School. Don’t miss it! Gates open at 0800 and 0730 for tailgaters. There will be amateur radio exams but you must be registered (no walk-ins). This will be one of the last opportunities to take the Technician Class exam under the current question pool, which expires on June 30. I understand there will be a drone demonstration at the hamfest, as well as cribbage games!
Field Day
Warmer weather is finally here and the opportunities for portable ham radio activities in the great outdoors will be ample. And the mother-of-all outside communications is ARRL Field Day, which is June 25 – 26, 2022! As Section Manager, I will attempt to visit a couple Field Day sites in the southern part of Maine, as I will be on the way to a family event in Massachusetts that weekend. For Field Day participants, you can earn the 100 point section manager message a number of ways. As long as the message leaves the Field Day site via RF, you can send it to me via Winlink. Also, on Saturday, Dennis Bosley WA1URS will be taking my messages for me on the Maine Seagull Net on 3.940 MHz at 5:00pm. Additionally, Maine’s Section Emergency Coordinator, Keith Anoe, KE4UCW, will be ready to receive either SM messages or SEC messages during the first 15 minutes of each hour on 3.940 MHz, as well as on various nets that weekend. So there will be ample opportunity to get those bonus points!
ARRL Kids Day
Inspire youth with amateur radio on June 18, ARRL Kids Day. Let your children, grandkids, nieces and nephews get on the air with your ham radio station and show them how much fun amateur radio can be. Try and arrange with other hams to have a QSO with them, especially with other kids. You can get more details of Kids Day at http://www.arrl.org/kids-day
New England Division Town Hall
The second New England Division Town Hall meeting with Director Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC and Vice Director Phil Temples, K9HI, is scheduled for June 15 at 7:30PM via Zoom. You can register for the meeting at this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zfiGGX_CTIK7xvq9vmuXzw
Club Grants & Webinar
Clubs may submit applications for grants that can be used for various ways to enhance their club and amateur radio. More information is available at http://www.arrl.org/the-arrl-foundation. Also, ARRL Field Services Manager Mike Walters, W8ZY, has announced another webinar regarding the club grant program:
“We are planning another webinar for the Club Grant Program. This is planned to be a very short update on the program and a question-and-answer session. The schedule is as follows:
Thursday June 9th at 7PM Eastern Time. The video will be on YouTube the next morning. We are planning for a 1-hour event and hope to keep it at that time.
The registration link is https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_d8G7PlunRiGXDN0JJw5HBQ.”
Thanks For Membership!
Your ARRL membership helps the League to protect and work to expand our amateur radio frequencies and privileges, encourage and assist youth in pursing this great hobby, enhance our Amateur Radio Emergency Service and disaster preparedness activities, offer contesting and other radio sports events, and so much more. Thank you so much for your support and participation!
ARRL Affiliated Club Highlight
The Ellsworth Amateur Wireless Association has a rich history in the Downeast region of Maine. They are an active group routinely organizing fun amateur radio activities for their members and other folk, especially outdoor portable operations. Their club call sign, W1TU, was the call sign of Charles Ellsworth, who was the radio operator in Newfoundland who received the Titanic’s distress call after it hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic. The club meets on the second Thursday of each month at Meadow View Apartments Phase IV Dining Hall, 25 Tweedie Lane in Ellsworth at 7:00pm. They also usually have a video feed for members to join in via Zoom. The club president is Evie Sargent KA1BRA, VP is Chuck Liebow AC1BS, and Treasurer/Sec is Joan Hildreth W1DLC. The club holds a weekly on-air meeting on the Hull’s Cove Repeater (Bar Harbor) 147.030+ PL 100 at 7:00PM each Wednesday. This is a great bunch of folks. If you live in the greater Ellsworth area, consider joining this fun-loving group of amateurs. BTW, EAWA will be holding field day at the Trenton Elementary School this year.
Contact Section Manager
If you have any questions or issues regarding ARRL, amateur radio, etc, feel free to contact me at n1ep@arrl.org.
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ARRL Maine Section
Section Manager: Philip W Duggan, N1EP
n1ep@arrl.org
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