Author: Webmaster

  • short FD follow up

    I would like to thank every one that participated in any and all ways in FD. This was a new adventure for us. New location, new set-up, new people. We had a great time. There was some mistake made but, hey, were are only amateurs.

    The set up crew was awesome, the operating crew was great, a few SNAFUs but nothing we could not handle. Tear down went smoothly, and the trailer was repacked neatly.

    The town of Agawam was also really accommodating for us. They showed where the water lines were and the sprinkler heads. They even brought some picnic tables.

    Had a short talk with the park and rec while returning the keys and was told that we were invited to use the park again next year:).

    Ed KB1NWH

  • VE3DVY Video: Introduction to N1MM Logger and ARRL Field Day

    I found this little gem that VE3DVY put together on Field Day and using N1MM:

    This video is a great introduction to logging with N1MM. It only goes over using N1MM while logging and leaves out all the N1MM configuration info that you don’t need to know for field day.  If it still seems too complicated, don’t worry, it’s not. We’ll walk you through it this weekend when you show up to operate. You are going to be there to operate, right?

    Probably the most important and hardest thing to remember is pressing CTRL+o  and entering your callsign when you sit down at the station. This signs you into the software and will let everyone else on the network know that you’re on that particular station and it assigns your callsign (or name if you don’t have a callsign) to each log entry. When you are finished operating at that station, it’s always a good idea to press CTRL+o again so the prompt is waiting for the next person who comes by to operate and so that they won’t log QSOs under your call.

    See you all at School Street Park in Agawam this weekend!

    W1MSW

  • HCRA Invades Agawam

    T minus 4 days and counting.

    Agawam residents should be on the look out for Amateur Radio operators.

    They look like normal people, dress like normal people, but have a language all their own.

    Some speak in code (CW), Some in Digital ( RTTY, PSK), Even the words they use(CQ, 59 WMA, 73).

    Here is what we know about their movements for this weekend they call Field Day.

    Starting with a healthy Breakfast at 8:00AM Friday Morning at Partners restaurant   485 Springfield St.

    http://www.partnersrestaurant.com/ordereze/default.aspx

    [google-map-v3 width=”350″ height=”350″ zoom=”12″ maptype=”roadmap” mapalign=”center” directionhint=”false” language=”default” poweredby=”false” maptypecontrol=”true” pancontrol=”true” zoomcontrol=”true” scalecontrol=”true” streetviewcontrol=”true” scrollwheelcontrol=”false” draggable=”true” tiltfourtyfive=”false” addmarkermashupbubble=”false” addmarkermashupbubble=”false” addmarkerlist=”485 Springfield St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030{}coffee.png” bubbleautopan=”true” showbike=”false” showtraffic=”false” showpanoramio=”false”]

    Then its off to School street park to do the setup.
    [google-map-v3 width=”350″ height=”350″ zoom=”12″ maptype=”roadmap” mapalign=”center” directionhint=”false” language=”default” poweredby=”false” maptypecontrol=”true” pancontrol=”true” zoomcontrol=”true” scalecontrol=”true” streetviewcontrol=”true” scrollwheelcontrol=”false” draggable=”true” tiltfourtyfive=”false” addmarkermashupbubble=”false” addmarkermashupbubble=”false” addmarkerlist=”42.073667,-72.592786{}cablecar.png{}School Street Park” bubbleautopan=”true” showbike=”false” showtraffic=”false” showpanoramio=”false”]

    As set up continues through out the day we will be breaking for lunch and dinner which will be left to the hired volunteer help on what they want to do.

    (Note: VE session is the 28th)
    [google-map-v3 width=”350″ height=”350″ zoom=”12″ maptype=”roadmap” mapalign=”center” directionhint=”false” language=”default” poweredby=”false” maptypecontrol=”true” pancontrol=”true” zoomcontrol=”true” scalecontrol=”true” streetviewcontrol=”true” scrollwheelcontrol=”false” draggable=”true” tiltfourtyfive=”false” addmarkermashupbubble=”false” addmarkermashupbubble=”false” addmarkerlist=”42.201254,-72.628675{}contract.png{}Holyoke Hospital VE Exam” bubbleautopan=”true” showbike=”false” showtraffic=”false” showpanoramio=”false”]

    Some will stay and guard their precious aluminum that they have freshly planted and some will even stay overnight.

    On Saturday morning they get going again with some coffee and other foods from the locals.  They will continue on the setup, do any last minute repairs, and do the testing.

    If all is well at 2:00PM Saturday the festivities commence.  For the next 24 hours all that the residence of Agawam will hear is the hum of generators and people calling CQ or -.-. –.- Field day this is W1NY.

    At 2:00 PM on Sunday all goes quiet.  Peace starts returning back to this little town as the Hams of HCRA disassemble the great flowers and return them to their collapsed state.

    As things are put away neatly in the Storage trailer, people are saying goodby for the summer months  and will see every one again in the fall.

    73 and Good Night

    DE KB1NWH

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • HCRA Field Day makes local paper

    FD

    [google-map-v3 width=”350″ height=”350″ zoom=”12″ maptype=”roadmap” mapalign=”center” directionhint=”false” language=”default” poweredby=”false” maptypecontrol=”true” pancontrol=”true” zoomcontrol=”true” scalecontrol=”true” streetviewcontrol=”true” scrollwheelcontrol=”false” draggable=”true” tiltfourtyfive=”false” addmarkermashupbubble=”false” addmarkermashupbubble=”false” addmarkerlist=”42.073651,-72.593356{}cablecar.png{}School Street Park” bubbleautopan=”true” showbike=”false” showtraffic=”false” showpanoramio=”false”]

     

    Well looks like the advertising campaign for FD 2013 has gotten under way.  We also have gotten a pencil in visit from the mayor of Agawam.  Great bonuses this year.

     

    Hope to get some more volunteers for this new setup and new location.  Should be more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

     

    Ed

    KB1NWH

  • Next HCRA Meeting- Indoor Tailgate Party

    In lieu of a tailgate party in the parking lot in Feeding Hills, Hampden County Radio Association is going to have a small-scale flea market on June 7 at the Holyoke Medical Center Auxiliary Conference Center. As space permits, we will allot about 12 square feet of table space to each club member that wants to put out a few ham radio related things for sale — a rig, a reel of wire, books – anything that fits and is not totally junk, but NO computers, NO monitors, NO printers! Table space is free–we are asking a minimum 10% commission on sales for the club’s treasury.

  • HCRA Ham Radio Film Festival???

    I would like to throw out an idea for a possible meeting topic next year and would like to hear other members’ opinions on it.

    The meeting would be a ham radio film festival and we would screen ham radio related film shorts produced by our members as well as a few from other sources.   Now the first thing that might come to mind is a video tour of your QTH where technical details about the shack and antennas are documented.  While making that type of movie is a GREAT idea, it would probably be better for screening at our annual show and tell meeting. What I’m thinking are short films that capture, discuss, and/or document your, another ham’s, or a group of ham’s experience in amateur radio.  Maybe a SOTA activation, a portable operation, a special event, your experience at field day or some other emcomm training event.  How about creating a documentary about your favorite ham friend who buys lots of kits, but rarely builds them.  Or maybe you have an elmer who you would like to make a short film about.  Better yet a film about your own experience in ham radio or a film that captures what you feel are the most important aspects of the hobby. And of course, there would be popcorn, hot dogs and soda available in the lobby before the show and during the intermission.

    For this to be successful, we need a few brave hams to step forward and decide that making a ham radio short is something they would like to do.  If there are enough 1) members interested in making a ham radio film short and 2)  members interested in screening ham radio film shorts, then we’ll come up with some more specific guidelines like length restrictions and format.  Whether you think it’s a good or bad idea, please share your thoughts on this idea for a meeting.  And if you have any interest in making a film, please let me know as well.  It won’t work if we’re just sitting there staring at a blank screen.  You can post comments here or contact me directly w1msw@arrl.net

    If you have other ham radio related topics or ideas for a meeting, please share those as well.  We want to put together a program that our members will find interesting and engaging and we can’t do that if you don’t tell us topics that interest you!

  • Live Stream Of April 2013 meeting

    Were trying out a new thing. We’re trying to broadcast out meetings live. Give it a shot, We should be live right now (4/5/2013 @ 7:00pm)

    Presenter this month is Doug Grant (K1DG) talking about WRTC 2014


    Video streaming by Ustream

    Thanks!

  • Zero Beat Archives Updated (1991-1998)

    ZBbann

    Thanks to the efforts of John Balboni (AC1T), we now have issues of Zero Beat from 1991 through 1998 and some of 1999 and 2001. You can take a stroll down memory lane or see what HCRA was doing during the 90’s.

    Please check out our Zero Beat Archives page to see all the action

    Ty,
    NT1K

  • April 2013 Zero Beat now available

    Here is the link to the April issue of Zero Beat.
    Lots of good stuff this month, enjoy it and see you at the meeting Friday night!

    Zero Beat Apr 2013

  • I need articles and photos for Zero Beat!

    Anyone for dropping me an email with photos or articles of interest to HCRA members? If you are tired of seeing SOTA articles you should submit something to me for upcoming issues of Zero Beat — I would like material by early next week. (Sorry, that doesn’t mean there won’t be any more SOTA items!) An article doesn’t have to be fancy — I will take care of formatting, font selection and so on. Send text or .doc to n1fj@arrl.net

    73, Frandy, N1FJFrandy, N1FJ