SKYWARN Recognition Day, December 3-4, 2021

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SKYWARN logoRob Macedo, KD1CY, writes on WX1BOX.org:

SKYWARN Recognition Day 2021 (SRD’21) will occur this year but modified due to COVID19 and the fact NWS offices are not allowed to have volunteer Amateur Radio Operators at any NWS office due to COVID. Similar to last year, a social media component will be added to engage non-Amateur Radio SKYWARN Spotters more with 2021’SRD. An additional update on SRD’2021 will be posted Friday Morning 12/3/21.

Due to COVID19, typical WX1BOX Amateur Radio Operations will not occur at NWS Boston/Norton. There is a possibility similar to last year through the efforts of employees at NWS Norton who have Amateur Radio licenses, the WX1BOX station will be on the air for a few hours during SRD. Otherwise, the WX1BOX Amateur Radio team will be operating remotely via their home stations. The NWS Gray Maine office cannot be active at the office due to the same restrictions on volunteers at NWS offices nationwide but will have remote SRD operation for 2021.

For WX1BOX Amateur Radio operations, we will cover the typical SKYWARN repeaters on VHF/UHF as well as simplex and be on HF via the various remote home stations along with our WX1BOX social media pages. In addition, contacts with other Amateur Radio SKYWARN stations will count towards NWS certificates. Similar to 2020, there will be a social media component to engage non-Amateur Radio and Amateur Radio SKYWARN spotters alike. The current set of information is available and additional information will be made available on the SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) web site via the following link:
https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition.

Also, all participants are welcome to register on the SRD web site. They can obtain a SRD number. The SRD Number for this year is part of the QSO exchange but is not a requirement. It is something new since 2020’SRD so as always there will likely be some glitches and delays in getting the SRD number but if you register and obtain your SRD number, please feel free to add that to your exchange.

[Full story]

 

A Message From Maine’s New Section Manager

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Maine iconThe ARRL has appointed me as interim Maine Section Manager effective December 1, 2021 as Bob Gould, N1WJO, has resigned for personal reasons. I join with all of you in thanking him for his service to our section.

During the next few months I will focus on expanding Maine’s amateur radio community by enticing more people with the exciting and fun aspects of amateur radio. Grabbing the attention of the youth among our population is a high priority of mine, and my Assistant Section Managers, Affiliated Club Coordinator, and Youth Coordinator will help me in this goal. Shoring up our Amateur Radio Emergency Service around the state and filling the vacancies is also a top priority. In the coming days I will be making a variety of field service appointments to help in this endeavor.

Please join me in extending sincere appreciation to George Szadiz K1GDI, and Cory Golob KU1U, who have served in leadership positions but will be handing over the reigns to new appointees.

Bradley Brown, Jr, KC1JMH is replacing George K1GDI as Section Youth Coordinator. Brad is already very active in youth organizations such as the boy scouts and cup scouts. He is den leader of the local cub scout troop. He is an IT guy and embraces new modes and technologies, and is the perfect fit for the pivotal role of SYC. Brad is also president of the Wireless Society of Southern Maine.

Dennis Bosley, WA1URS, has accepted the role of Section Traffic Manager effective in January, relieving Cory Golob, KU1U. Thank you to both of these hams for taking on this important role. Cory will continue to serve as Assistant Section Manager. Dennis is an enthusiastic traffic handler, Friday net control station for the Maine Seagull Net, and is also a District Emergency Coordinator.

I can’t express enough gratitude to Rod Scribner, KA1RFD, who for decades has served both the Maine ARRL section and the State of Maine in many ways. Rod has served as Maine’s Section Emergency Coordinator, Net Manager, ham radio instructor, volunteer examiner, and so much more and has brought uncounted number of people into this great hobby. Rod is relinquishing his longtime position of State Government Liaison to Peter Hatem, KC1HBM.

Peter is currently an ASM for District 1, and VP of the Wireless Society of Southern Maine.  He is also a Maine licensed attorney since 2000, and was involved in 2019 to modify Maine’s handheld electronic device, while operating motor vehicles ban to except ham radios from the ban. He is also Net Manager for the Maine Dirigo Net, a DMR net on Maine Statewide Talkgroup that meets on Sundays at 1000 local on the NEDECN DMR system.  He is currently building out his ham shack above a new garage addition to his home in Scarborough.

Thank you Steve Curry, KD1O, for accepting the appointment as Affiliated Club Coordinator. His enthusiasm for amateur radio is a quality that is exactly what we need in an ACC. Steve is Treasurer of the Waldo County ARC.  Check out his QRZ page. Quite impressive!

The outgoing president of the Ellsworth Amateur Wireless Association, Jeff Hanscom, KA1DBE, will be replacing me as District 3 Assistant Section Manager. Jeff is one of the most enthusiastic and active amateur radio operators I know and he will prove to be of great value to our section’s leadership team.

There will be other appointments to Maine’s field services in the coming weeks. Your support and feedback are greatly appreciated. I wish you all a super holiday season! Thank you and 73.

Phil Duggan, N1EP
n1ep@arrl.net (my dot org not activated yet!)

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ARRL Maine Section
Section Manager: Philip W Duggan, N1EP
n1ep@arrl.org
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EmComm Nets in New England

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Ed Feustel, AI1R, writes on the Connecticut Valley FM Association mailing list:

There are at least three groups that practice preparing for emergency communications: two every Saturday morning and one every Wednesday. You are welcome to join any or all.

The first is the NH Digital Training Net. It uses the FLDIGI suite of tools to pass or relay messages. We learn how to use the tools so we are prepared to communicate in the event of an emergency. The net has participants from all New England States as well as NY, NJ, and PA. Typical participation include 20-30. Currently we use THOR22 or MFSK32 to transmit messages or images. However we have used ODFM(?) and other modes experimentally. The net has a checkin session on 3.582 MHz USB with an offset of 1500 Hz each Saturday at 0700 local time. The net runs from 7:30 to 8:00. You will need FLDIGI, FLMSG, and FLAMP at a minimum. These are available for free at sourceforge.net under an FLDIGI search. The group will be happy to help you get configured properly.

The second is a NH ARES section voice net. It meets weekly Saturday at 0830 to 0900 on 3.976 MHz and conducts practice of sending and receiving short voice messages. For more information on NH ARES, see nhradio.org for information on its organization, frequencies, plans, etc. Consider joining it particularly since you are in the Upper Valley area.

The third is a WinLink “net.” WinLink consists of a number of store and forward stations (s&f) or gateways that rely on a central internet hub. WinLink serves as a pickup place for mail consisting of text, images, etc. It relies on gateway stations that still have power and internet connectivity. A station in an emergency area without communications sends their e-mail via radio to one of the gateway stations that it can contact somewhere in the world. That station will either send the e-mail via the internet (if directed) or store the message in a “cloud” so that it can be picked up by a calling station. Accounts last for 90 days from last access, so it is important to check in frequently to be have a usable account in the event of an emergency. gateway stations are available on HF, VHF, and satellite with higher bandwidth being available on higher frequencies. A special program, WinLink Express, is used via telnet or one of a variety of radio modems.  Most gateways now use the VARA modem in one of its three forms in either free or licensed forms. The WinLink Net has us send a special WinLink formatted message to a NCS once a week: Wednesday from 6AM to 6PM. We get a reply message indicating who has checked in.

NH encourages it ARES participants to join a SKYWARN net on DMR (VHF/UHF) on Thursday evening on the SKYWARN Talk Group for more detail see nhradio.org.

VT had/has a RACES net. I believe it was on a weekday evening.  I have forgotten its frequency and time.

I participate in the NHDN group weekly and once every 5 weeks as NCS. If you have further questions about it, please feel free to contact myself or George, N1GB (a VT ham), organizer of its activity.

Vermont New Hampshire (VTNH) CW Traffic Nets

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Fred,WA1MXT, writes on Facebook’s The New England Traffic Handlers group:

VERMONT NEW HAPMSHIRE (VTNH) CW Traffic Nets meets every night at 7pm local time on 80 meters 3.539. We normally operate at approximately 15 words per minute but will slow down to what ever speed you check in at. Don’t be bashful, we have all been there at one time or another. 

Fox Hunting Video Conferences Over the Winter Months Proposed

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From ema.arrl.org:

George Allison, K1IG, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list:

As the snow season arrives, we’ll be taking a hiatus from our outdoor fox hunting events. To keep our expertise up, though, what is the interest in having one or more video conferences over the winter to show off equipment and techniques? I can host the conferences with a Webex account (very similar to Zoom).

Possible meeting agendas could include fox and fox-finding equipment demos, photos of memorable hunts, discussions of hunting techniques, and improvements or variations to our events.

Depending on interest, the first video conference could be held in December or January. 

Please reply to the group to let us know if you’re interested. Tell us your preferred day(s) of the week, suggested agenda items, and when you want the first meeting (specific date not required; preferred month is fine). When I get the info I can send out some date choices.

73,
George K1IG

Maine Section Manager

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ARRL logoMaine Section Manager Robert Gould, N1WJO has resigned for personal reasons. ARRL would like to thank Robert for his years of service and his dedication to amateur radio. He has been the Maine Section Manager since July 2020. Mike Walters, W8ZY, Field Services Manager has appointed Philip Duggan, N1EP, as Interim Section Manager to fill the remainder of the term effective December 1, 2021. Maine is scheduled to hold an election for a new Section Manager in April of 2022.

Thanks,

Mike

Mike Walters, W8ZY
Field Services Manager 
ARRL – The national association for Amateur Radio®
225 Main Street
Newington CT 06111-1400
860-594-0305
mwalters@arrl.org
www.arrl.org

New England Traffic Handlers Facebook Group Created

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blank NTS formA new joint NTS/RRI New England Traffic Handlers Facebook group has been established called “The New England Traffic Handlers.”

According to MA Section Traffic Manager Marcia Forde, KW1U, and RRI Board member James Geschwinder, N1PZP, the group will promote traffic handling activities and training across New England.  All are welcome to join.

Visit the group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/307326484575346.

KD1D Fox, Littleton, MA, November 27, 2021

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Alan Hicks, KD1D, writes on NEMassFoxHunters list on November 27, 2021 at 11:33 AM:

The KD1D  RF Fox  is out for one last hunt before hibernation.  

The KD1D Fox operates on 146.565 MHz FM with an output power of about 50 milliwatts and is currently located somewhere in Littleton.  It can be heard in the area  on Route 119 /2A between Route 110 (Littleton Common) and Route 27 (where the rail trail crosses).  If you’re not familiar with the area, check out the expandable map on

https://littletonconservationtrust.org/trail-guide/

Clues:   A small three-leaved plant and one of the Disney chipmunks.

73 and good hunting de KD1D Alan

The trail may be a bit wet in spots.  Boots are advised.

Hidden Transmitter, Agawam/Feeding Hills, MA Vicinity, November 25, 2021

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Hampden Co RA logoChris Thornton, W1TRK, writes on the WMAFoxHunters list:
 
Attention All Foxhunters!
 
The [Hampden County Radio Association] foxbox #2 has escaped its den and has gone into hiding AGAIN!
 
FB #2 is transmitting on 147.550 Mhz with a PL of 151.4. You can activate FB #2 by depressing the DTMF key #1. A short depress will activate it if you are close enough. FB2 is transmitting at 1 watt into a tall ducky antenna.
 
The location is in a publicly accessible area with some nearby parking and can be heard along RT.57 in Agawam/Feeding Hills.
 
This is a good opportunity for base stations to get in on the fun. If you can hear the fox please give its signal strength and direction if possible.  Please do not reveal its location, just a location where you can hear it from, this then becomes a starting point for the other fox hunters to use. It’s just as important for the hunters to know where it CANNOT be heard as well as where it CAN be heard!