The Westerly Amateur Radio Team and hams from the surrounding areas will be supporting the Surftown Half Marathon on September 12, 2021 in Misquamicut.
Ham Operators Needed for CT Regional Shelters for Henri Event
Tim Rodgers, KC1TWR, writes on the Radio Amateur Society of Norwich mailing list on August 20, 2021 at 8:57 PM:
To ARES members and local amateur radio operators,
Tropical Storm Henri, soon to be a hurricane, is coming and local communities have decided to open some of the Regional Shelters in preparation for the storm. The shelters decided upon for now will open at 1800 on Saturday. The logic there is that with the predicted heavy rainfall and flooding the shelters will be ready if neighborhoods, trailer parks, RV Parks, etc get flooded out and have to evacuate. Better to have a shelter open than to try and open one in the height of the storm.
As such we are looking for amateur radio operators for the Regional Shelters which do open. Preferably at least two per shelter so one operator can be relieved to get some sleep Sunday night while the storm is still going on. You can bring your own 2 meter radio or just come to the shelter. A 2 meter radio, power supply, antenna, and tripod have been pre-positioned in each shelter along with instructions, and the Emergency Communications Frequency Chart. The assigned amateur radio operators will need to set up the equipment. (Not a big deal)
Currently Red Cross and city officials will be opening the following shelters. East Lyme, Groton, Stonington, and Killingworth.
If you can volunteer to work at one of the shelters please contact Tom Scott WA2RYV tscottwa2ryv@gmail.com or myself at TimKC1TWR@gmail.com. As time proceeds and the storm predictions are better defined the timing for setting up radio stations may slide to Sunday morning. These decisions will be made by early afternoon Saturday.
Here is the Henri cone of probability and timing as of 8 PM Friday.
Hurricane Watch Net has Eyes on Hurricane Grace and Tropical Storm Henri
Via ARRL website:
08/20/2021 – The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) is mustering as Hurricane Grace, a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds of 85 MPH, is expected to make landfall between Túxpam and Veracruz, Mexico. The storm swept over the Yucatan Peninsula yesterday.
“We plan to activate this afternoon at 2100 UTC on 14.325 MHz and continue on this frequency until we lose propagation,” HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, said. “We will start up on 7.268 MHz at 2300 UTC and continue for as long as we have propagation.”
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) says Grace has maximum sustained winds of nearly 90 MPH with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast until the storm makes landfall.
Graves said that once attention shifts away from Grace it will zero in on Tropical Storm Henri, which is expected to make landfall in New England on Sunday. As of Friday at 1800 UTC, Henri was “almost a hurricane,” according to the NHC.
“We will activate Sunday morning at 1200 UTC on 14.325 MHz and remain active there as long as propagation allows,” Graves announced. “We will start up on 7.268 MHz at 2300 UTC and remain active there until we lose propagation. If required, we will resume operations on Monday beginning at 1200 UTC on 14.325 MHz.”
Eastern Massachusetts Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) Rob Macedo, KD1CY, has announced that Eastern Massachusetts ARES will be placed on stand-by later today (Friday). Macedo noted in mid-afternoon that WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center already was on the air to gather weather data via amateur radio.
The Boston/Norton National Weather Service office will be the primary agency during Henri for any SKYWARN-related activity. “VoIP Hurricane Net and New England SKYWARN regional operations will be combined to form one large network as done in past major tropical systems such as Irene and Sandy,” Macedo said. [Echolink *WX_TALK* Echolink conference node: 7203/IRLP 9219 and *NEW-ENG3* Echolink conference.] “Information from ARES-SKYWARN will be shared with other agencies including state and federal emergency management, Red Cross, The Salvation Army, and media outlets,” Macedo added. “We will coordinate with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).”
At 1800 UTC, Henri was 320 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and 720 miles south of Montauk Point, New York. Henri is heading north-northwest at 6 MPH, bearing winds of 70 MPH. Storm surge and hurricane watches are in effect for portions of the northeastern US. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the south shore of Long Island, from Fire Island Inlet to Montauk, the north shore of Long Island, from Port Jefferson Harbor to Montauk, New Haven, Connecticut, to Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts, and Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and Block Island.
“A turn toward the north is expected by tonight, and Henri is forecast to accelerate in that direction through early Sunday,” the NHC said. On the forecast track, Henri is expected to make landfall in southern New England by late Sunday.”
Additional strengthening is forecast into the weekend, and the NHC expects Henri to be a hurricane by Saturday and be at or near hurricane strength when it makes landfall in southern New England.
Prepare for Henri
Eastern MA Section Emergency Coordinator and SKYWARN Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY, writes on Facebook on August 20, 2021:
If you live in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, now is the time to prepare for Henri and expected far reaching impacts. Along and east of the track – damaging winds, possibility for severe weather and coastal storm surge flooding. And yes, even though the official track is over near the eastern tip of Long Island NY to the CT/RI border, a hurricane is not a point and we will be on the stronger east side of the system.
Remember Irene, Sandy and even Isaias last year. There will be impacts in the region. On what degree or scale, still subject for change but we should be prepared. If it ends up being less than full significant potential, we will be ready for the next big potential weather event. Also, with the current weather pattern in place, I would not be surprised if we are doing this again for another tropical system between now and mid-October so take the time to prepare.
For my friends that are SKYWARN Spotters and Amateur Radio Operators, were counting on you to deliver again with the reports, pictures, videos etc. per the SKYWARN reporting criteria and gives the ground truth of what’s really happening with Henri in our region.
Stay safe, get prepared and hope to talk to many of you during Henri Ops. I’ll try and update again as we get closer to operations time.
[Monitor the latest bulletins about Henri and other severe weather in Southern New England by visiting http://wx1box.org/.]2021 New England Forest Rally – One Ham’s Experiences
Stan Pozerski, KD1LE, Pepperell, Massachusettts, describes the challenges in providing communications for the New England Forest Rally, a two-day automotive rally that traverses both asphalt and dirt logging roads in Western Maine and Northern New Hampshire.
FCC Application Fees Unlikely to Go into Effect Until 2022
From ARRL Web:
08/16/2021 – The schedule of FCC amateur radio application fees likely will not go into effect before 2022. FCC staff confirmed during a recent virtual meeting with Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (VECs) that the agency is still working on the necessary changes to the Universal Licensing System (ULS) software and other processes and procedures that must be in place before it starts collecting fees from amateur applicants. Earlier this year, the FCC said it would not start collecting fees from amateur applicants before this summer. The new estimate is that the fees won’t go into effect until early next year.
Once it’s effective, the $35 application fee will apply to new, modification (upgrade and sequential call sign change), renewal, and vanity call sign applications. All fees will be per application. Administrative update applications, such as those to change a licensee’s name, mailing, or email address, will be exempt from fees. ARRL VEC manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, said Volunteer Examiner (VE) teams will not face the burden of collecting the $35 fee.
“Once the FCC application fee takes effect, new and upgrade applicants will pay the exam session fee to the VE team as usual, but they’ll pay the $35 application fee directly to the FCC using the FCC Pay Fees system,” she explained. When the FCC receives the examination information from the VEC, it will email a link with payment instructions to each successful candidate who then will have 10 days from the date of the email to pay.
After the fee is paid and the FCC has processed an application, examinees will receive a second email from the FCC with a link to their official license. The link will be good for 30 days. Licensees also will be able to view, download, and print official license copies by logging into their FCC ULS account. The FCC no longer provides printed licenses.
Licensees can log into the ULS with their 10-digit FRN (FCC Registration Number) and password at any time to view and manage their license and application, print their license, and update anything in their FCC license record, including adding an email address.
FEE SCHEDULE
INDIVIDUALS
$35 FEE: New, modification (upgrade and sequential call sign change), renewal, and vanity call sign applications. All fees will be per application.
NO FEE: Administrative updates, such as a change of name, mailing or email address, or license cancellation.
AMATEUR RADIO CLUBS
$35 FEE: New, renewal, trustee change, and vanity call sign applications. All fees will be per application.
NO FEE: Administrative updates, such as a change of name, mailing or email address, or license cancellation
Don Dickey, WV1W, West Hartford, CT, is operating from Penwood State Park (K-1706) on Talcott Mountain in Bloomfield, Connecticut, for Parks On The Air. He was last heard on 7.295 MHz at around 1930 UTC, according to pota.app. NZ1J: POTA Operation from Sleeping Giant, Wharton Brook State Parks, August 14, 2021
Dave Tipping, NZ1J, writes on the Meriden (CT) ARC Facebook group:
We had a [Parks On The Air] activation at Sleeping Giant [K-1717] and Wharton Brook [K-1728] simultaneously today.
Rob, K1RCT, hunted both activations from the EOC. The parks are only two miles apart and the EOC is four miles from each park. At these short distances, even with portable antennas, we were able to work every band from 160 meters to 70cm on each of the three paths. That, along with QSOs with quite a few club members, resulted in about 200 total QSOs. For anyone who wants to get on the air more, Parks on the Air is a very good way to do it.
YCCC Meeting Agenda Announced at HamXposition
The Yankee Clipper Contest Club has announced its meeting agenda for the YCCC Forum at the Northeast HamXposition (a.k.a. New England ARRL Division Convention) on September 11, 2021:
Hosts: Charlie – N1RR and Ken – WO1N
1:00 – 1:10 Intro and greeting by WO1N
1:10 – 1:20 Club Business as required by N1RR
– Secretaries Report
– Treasurer Report
– New Members
o Intro
o Vote
– Other Club Business
1:20 – 1:25 Transition
1:30 – 2:55 Contesting Activities for Young People, Helping to Create the Next Generation of Contesters
Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC
Fred will share some contesting activities he has employed that have helped to get young people to begin participating in Amateur Radio Contests. He will share activities that have proven successful and use this forum and panel discussion as a place to exchange ideas to encourage young hams to try contesting, have fun, build their skills and beat the old timers at their game. The panel of youth contesters will be available for questions and answers and offer their opinions on what has worked for them to improve their contesting skill and the future of contesting as they see it.
Youth Contesters Panel
Moderator: Marty Sullaway, NN1C
Contesters: Abby Finchum, AB1BY, Brayden Ebare, KC1KUG
2:55 – 3:00 Transition
3:05 – 3:50 Building an entry level, multi radio contest station
Jeff Demers, N1SNB
Jeff describes his quest to build a HF contesting station that is stealthy and capable. Jeff’s station goals included SO2R capability, mode flexibility, high power capable and covering all HF bands. Join Jeff’s talk to hear of some of the lessons from his journey and how this effort enhanced his enjoyment of the hobby.
4:00 – 4:50 Why Join the YCCC?
Ken Caruso, WO1N
Ken will talk to the YCCC value proposition. What does joining the YCCC have to offer? Ken will review its community presence, activities and history. Membership applications will be entertained during the entire meeting. Stop by and join up!
4:50 – 5:00 Wrap up
Following Earthquake in Haiti, Radio Amateurs Asked to Keep Frequencies Clear
From ARRL Web:
08/14/2021 – In a statement received by ARRL on August 14, 2021, Region 2 of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU-R2) has requested that radio amateurs in the Americas keep the following frequencies clear to support emergency communications in Haiti following an earthquake this morning: 3750 kHz, 7150 kHz and 14330 kHz. The statement came from IARU-R2 Emergency Coordinator (EMCOR) Carlos Alberto Santamaría González, CO2JC.
According to preliminary information from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on August 14, 2021 at 1229 UTC, about 12 kilometers northeast of Saint-Louis-du-Sud and 33 kilometers to the east-northeast of Les Cayes, Haiti; 18.352 degrees north and 73.4801 degrees west at a depth of 10 km.
Mr. Jean-Robert Gaillard, HH2JR, President of the Radio Club of Haiti, reported significant structural damage.
International news reports fear high casualties.