After watching all (well, a good chunk at least) of the equipment changing hands at the RASON auction this weekend it got my brain into Ham Radio Mode and I couldn’t help but think:
It’s getting warmer… that means…. Museum Ships Weekend is quickly approaching!
June 2 & 3rd, 2018
This fun communication event (not a contest!) includes ships and operators from around the world!
More info on the NJ2BB website: http://www.nj2bb.org/museum/
There is a SkyWarn class being held next weekend in Manchester. Here are the details I received:
Thanks go to Kevin for forwarding this information.
As the wonderful season of Spring seems to hide from us, here are some quick ham radio updates/reminders:
RASON AUCTION – Still scheduled for April 21, 2018. Check out the RASON Website for more info.
TECH CLASS – A very successful Technician class in Ledyard has concluded. Congratulations to the new Techs (and some Generals)! Hope to hear you on the air soon!
GROTON REPEATER – Work is being done at SCRAMS’ Groton repeater site by a GFA contractor to identify and eliminate interference. One part of this process has required them to turn off the CAT controller. What this means is that the repeater may sound and act a bit different. For example there is no output tone anymore. If you use Tone Squelch (tone on input and output) you will have to switch to tone only on input or the repeater will sound very quiet to you.
RESOURCES – Do not forget to check out the W1OEM ARES Region 4 Calendar and the CT ARES Discussion List
After a very cold few weeks I think a bunch of us are ready for Spring already. Here are some things going on to take our minds off the cold:
#1 – RASON AUCTION – Saturday April 21, 2018 – Same auction place! Same auction time!
Click here to check all the details on the RASON site.
#2 – Technician Class – Started in January the class is reportedly very well attended and going great. Expect to hear some new callsigns on the air late winter/early spring!
#3 – RASON Meeting Update – Just a note for everyone, RASON meetings now start at 7:30pm
And if you really enjoy thinking about warm weather, start thinking about Field Day 2018 — June 23-24, 2018!
73!
Sorry to bring up the Holidays so early but it is for a good cause!
#1 – New Annual Holiday Party Details:
2017 Christmas Holiday Breakfast Buffet
Where: The Restaurant at River Ridge Golf Course
259 Preston Ave.
Jewett City, CT 06351
Exit 22 (old exit 85) off I-395 to CT Rt. 164 South.
When: Saturday, December 16, 2017, 10:00am EST
Cost: $25 per person
Menu: Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Home Fries, Eggs Benedict, Danish Pastry, Fruit Salad
Sausage Garvey, Toast, Biscuits, French Toast, Coffee, Tea, Juice & Omelet Station!
RSVP: On or before Dec. 8th send your check made payable to RASON to:
Chip Griffin, N1MIE
1672 Glasgo Rd.
Griswold, CT 06351
Please include your name, call sign and the names of any guests.
Each person attending will be entered into a raffle for amateur radio related and general interest door prizes.
UPDATE: For children 10 years old and under the cost is $12.
#2 – Christmas Eve Net:
The Christmas Eve Net is scheduled for 10PM on Christmas Eve (December 24th) on the N1NW repeaters. I thought the time was listed somewhere here but I could’t find it.
Recent weather has washed and blown the Fox Hunt to:
Saturday November 11, 2017
All other information below is the same (location/time).
Sorry for the delay…
AUCTION:
Check out the Tri-City Auction Flyer for more information (including a partial equipment list).
Don’t forget: $2.00 at the door, bring cash, and park around back!
FOX HUNT:
The fox hunt has been rescheduled for Saturday November 11, 1PM.
Meeting place:
I-395 Exit 14 Norwichtown
Commuter Lot just west of I-395
Norwich, Connecticut
Ok, so the Simplex Net did not go as planned. And I will admit that part of it was my fault. My radio was not as thoroughly tested and ready for simplex as I had thought.
That said, there was a large showing of support from the Westerly area for the HE Net preceding the simplex net, which was awesome. I just wish everything had worked out enough to have been able to hear them check in on simplex.
WE HAVE LEARNED!
And we will keep learning! Being one (or the only?) simplex net in south east Connecticut I have to say that it was a learning experience, hopefully for more than just me and my radio (which apparently I need to read the manual again for). I know a bunch of stations were able to make contact which was excellent. I do not yet have any data as far as what power or where people were, but that is something I’d like to plan to collect next time, either over the air or email or on a repeater afterwards.
NEXT TIME?
Yes! I plan to run another Simplex Net. I think the day we picked worked out really well, so I’d like to schedule the next Simplex Net for about 1 month away — Tuesday August 22, 2017. Same time same frequency. This date is of course subject to change. We can discuss it on the next few HE nets and see what works best.
EDIT: Sorry for mentioning my post on the Net tonight and then forgetting to click the Publish button!
Just an update for anyone interested in the first Simplex Net:
DATE: Tuesday, July 25, 2017
TIME: around 7:15pm
The Net will begin at the conclusion of the regularly scheduled Horizontal Engineers Net.
However, it will not begin any earlier than 7:15pm local.
FREQUENCY: 146.550 Mhz FM mode
Remember, this is a simplex frequency; no offset, no tone.
I (KB1RAY) will be Net Control down here in Groton (not ideal, but let’s give it a shot). As always, use the lowest power necessary. The callup, in an attempt to reduce doubling, will be done by callsign prefix (letters before the number):
K, W, N, KA, KB, KC, WA, WB, NA, everyone else
This list subject to change.
Remember Museum Ships Weekend? Missed it? Want more non-contest fun like that?
Get ready for Lighthouse and Lightship weekend!
ARRL Link: http://www.arrl.org/news/international-lighthouse-lightship-weekend-registrations-top-200-and-rising
Event details: https://illw.net/
00.01 UTC 19 August to 2400 UTC 20 August 2017 (48 hours)
I know the idea has been floating around for a while, but let’s see if we can finally get something started.
I will be hosting a short Simplex Net immediately following the Horizontal Engineers Net on Tuesday July 25, 2017. If the Engineers Net runs short, the Simplex Net will start no sooner than 7:15pm local.
COMING SOON:
Field Day pictures!
horizontal engineers 