Last week, a lone Jerk set off for Florida for a second attempt at a SOTA activation. Now, you must be thinking, “There are no mountains in Florida.” Well, you’re wrong. Florida is actually a town in the good ol’ Commonwealth of Massachusetts just east of North Adams. Having learned from my mistake of attempting to bushwhack through the wet, rainy woods to the trail, I instead drove to the trailhead and began the roughly 2.5 mile hike to the summit. The Hoosac Range trail is well-maintained and I had no problem following it. I did, however, have issues with GPS and cell coverage. Luckily, my GPS locked on right as I was approaching the summit. I was able to bushwhack my way the last couple hundred feet to the summit of Big Spruce Hill where I was greeted with the remnants of the alignment tower used in the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel. In addition, there were abandoned sheds, old tower, guywires, and a whole bunch of junk littering the peak. Some of it did come in handy, however. I borrowed a couple of cinder blocks and set up my operating position as in the pictures. After an hour and 19 contacts, I couldn’t stand the wind and 40 degree weather anymore, so I packed up my gear, tossed the cinder blocks back in the pile, and headed back down the mountain and trail. On the way back down and almost near my car, I looked up from watching the trail and found myself eye to eye with a Great Dane. After a few moments, his owner came around the corner and I explained how I was still recovering from the shock of meeting his dog, who actually happened to be quite friendly. Overall, the activation went well and the Hoosac Range trail is an excellent hike, even for those non-SOTA-minded individuals.
Blog
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DX Bulletin 42
ARLD042 DX news
This week’s bulletin was made possible with information provided by NC1L, W3UR, QRZ DX, The Weekly DX, the OPDX Bulletin, 425 DX News, The Daily DX, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites. Thanks to all.
RODRIGUES ISLAND, 3B9. A group of operators will be QRV as 3B9SP from October 16 to 23. Activity will be on the HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK with three stations active. QSL via HB9ACA.
NIGER, 5U. Stations 5U5U, 5U6E and 5U8NK are QRV (more…)
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Jamboree on the Air – 2012
The Hampden County Radio Association sponsors BSA Venture Crew 510 and this Venture Crew specializes in Amateur Radio. Put Boy Scouts and Amateur Radio together and you get not only learning and fun. You get Jamboree on the Air!Held on the third full weekend of October each year, Jamboree on the Air, or JOTA as it’s known, is the largest Scouting event in the world. In 2011 nearly 750,000 Scouts participated with over 6,000 stations in operation from 150 countries around the world.
This year the 55th Jamboree-on-the-Air is October 20–21, 2012. The official hours are from Saturday at 00:00 hours local time (right at midnight Friday) to Sunday 24:00 (midnight Sunday evening). So you’ve got the whole weekend to make JOTA contacts!
This worldwide jamboree requires no travel on your part, well, other than going to your Ham shack. Scouts from around the globe, and perhaps as close as across town, will be looking for Amateur Radio Operators just like you to make contact with. So hopefully you’ll take part in this worthwhile event and work some of these Scouts. By the way, while you enjoy a good QSO, many of these Scouts are working on earning their Radio Merit Badge, and for some Scouts, this is their first time on the air!
For more information, please use the below links:
- BSA: Jamboree-on-the-Air Introduction – http://www.scouting.org/jota.aspx
- ARRL: Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA) – http://www.arrl.org/jamboree-on-the-air-jota
- World Scout Bureau Inc.: The 55th JOTA 2012 – http://www.scout.org/en/information_events/events/jota/the_55th_jota_2012
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Ham Radio License Plates
Looking out over the pool of cars at the local Ham Club’s meeting, or across the ocean of cars at a regional Ham-fest, one can’t help but notice one thing. “Antennas!” you call out. Well yeah, you’re right there. So, let me back up and say there are two things one can’t help but notice as you check out the cars, and yes the first one being the wheat-field of antennas. The second is…Ham (call-sign) license plates.
Did you know that Massachusetts was the first state in the nation to issue vehicle license plates beginning in June of 1903, but the first Mass. Amateur Radio license plate wasn’t issued until 1964? While Hams are not required by law to display a call-sign plate on their vehicle, many Amateur Radio operators elect to get and proudly display them. After all, no one else may attach this style of plate to their vehicle, and only you have your call-sign!
What do I need to do to get a set for my vehicle you ask? It’s easy, simply download Form 21584-0911 “Application For Ham Radio Operators Plates” from the Registry of Motor Vehicles website at: http://www.massrmv.com/rmv/forms/21584.pdf, or pick one up at your local Mass. Registry office. Once you have it, fill it out, then send it in along with a copy of your current and valid FCC license plus a check for $20 payable to MassDOT. And before you know it, your vehicle will be sporting its own set of Ham license plates.
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Links From Last Nights Meeting
These are the links from last nights meeting about RTTY and RTTY Contesting By: Tom Homewood, W1TO -
October Silent Auction Items
As promised, the Silent Auction is returning and will be at the October 5th meeting. We’ve got a few items all set to go and a few ‘possibles’ in the wings. Here’s what we have for sure:
1. Bencher BY-2 Chrome Iambic Paddles – like new condition – starting bid = $20.00
2. Box of new and used parts – starting bid = $1.00
3. Box of wire, coax, speaker, etc. – starting bid = $1.00See something you want/need? Visit the auction table at the side of the room and enter your bid. The high bidder will be chosen at the end of the meeting. You MUST be on hand to pay for and take home your new toy.
We’re constantly looking for more donations and or consignments for the Silent Auction. Looking to sell something, we can provide you with a space on the table. Club commission is 10% of the selling price, $1.00 minimum (this is if you bring the item to the meeting. If you want HCRA to pick up and sell the item for you the fee is 25% of the selling price). You may set a minimum selling price. See Jim, KK1W at the meeting for more details.
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Next HCRA Meeting Friday, October 5, 2012
Tom Homewood, W1TO, will be the featured speaker at Hampden County Radio Association’s monthly meeting this Friday, October 5, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. Learn about RTTY station setup and contesting and have your questions ready! This will be a joint meeting of the Western Massachusetts Area of the Yankee Clipper Contest Club and HCRA where new members will be eligible to join YCCC. All are welcome to attend the meeting. Tom is an experienced contester, RTTY expert, and a mean hand at solving diabolical Sudoku puzzles. Hope to see you at Holyoke Hospital Auxiliary Conference Center, 575 Beech St., Holyoke MA, 01040.
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October Zero Beat is live, on the web and in your email box
This Friday, October 5th! Club meeting featuring Tom Homewood/W1TO, silent auction, KX3 raffle and more.
Read all about the meeting, upcoming raffles and more in the October issue of Zero Beat. Once again Frandy has put together an interesting issue of HCRA and local interest. Enjoy!
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From the Shack – October 2012
At my ‘summer shack’! What’s that ‘funny noise’ on 14.085 MHz?
If you’re tuning around the bands and come across some signals that sound like “beedley, beedley, beedley” you may have stumbled across a radio teletype transmission. Not exactly sure what that “beedley” sound is? Here’s what it sounds like – rtty (hint, click rtty)
Usually abbreviated RTTY, it is one of many digital modes that include PSK31, WSPR and others. RTTY has been around for many years and has seen an uptick in activity lately. No longer do you have to drag home a 100 pound teletype machine, listen to the clatter of the type or smell the warm machine oil (although you still can if you want to). Modern amateur operators use a computer to do all the heavy lifting nowadays.
Sound interesting? Want to learn more? Then come to our October meeting and guess what, you will! Our guest speaker is Tom/W1TO and he will be talking to us about RTTY and RTTY contesting. You will learn what is necessary to setup and operate RTTY (hint – not much!) and how to play in your first RTTY contest (another hint, it is fun and additcive!) Best of all you’re guaranteed to leave the meeting more informed than when you arrived!
Want to see RTTY in action, here’s a short sample video to whet your appetite to try something new:
Have you subscribed to our new website yet?
HCRA’s new website is getting better everyday. New content, new links, new events – it’s the place to go to feel amateur radio’s pulse in the Pioneer Valley. Wouldn’t it be nice to know about new content or events on the website without having to constantly check the website (although that’s OK if you want to). Well you can do that, just by subscribing.
The next time you’re on the site, scroll to the bottom of the main (home) page. In the center of the page is a, you guessed it, a ‘Subscribe’ button. Simply enter your email address, press the button and you’re done. You’ll receive a confirmation email and you’re all set. Now the website will let YOU know when a new article or event is added. Stay up to date without having to work at it – how cool is that?
HCRAs website is secure, your email is never revealed or used for any other purpose. It is not necessary to subscribe to view the site or leave comments – the only purpose is to keep YOU informed of all our activities. We have over 100 subscribers on our facebook page, wouldn’t it be nice to exceed that on our webpage?
KX3 Raffle – Have you purchased your Ticket Yet?
Tickets are selling fast, don’t miss your chance to win a fantastic HF transceiver for a tiny donation of $10. Only 250 tickets will be sold, so chances are high, even if you only purchase one ticket! The faster they sell, the sooner we can hold the drawing. We’ve pre-ordered the rig from Elecraft. The wait period is pretty short with Elecraft and I’m sure we will have the rig in time for the drawing.
Why would you want to win this beautiful radio? After all, it’s only QRP, right? All I can say is, after owning one for a few months now, is it really does everything a large radio will, but at less than two pounds! All band/mode, DSP, great filtering, dual VFO’s, auto-notch, CW decode, built in PSK and RTTY and more – who wouldn’t want one?
Tickets will be on sale at the October meeting, purchase one or two and good luck. If you don’t win remember your donation has gone to a good cause! Read more about the raffle here.
Renewal Time is here!
Rich/N1KXR is asking for your help. He’s in charge of increasing HCRA’s membership, and the only way that can happen is if everyone that was a member last year renews their membership AND we add new members. New members are coming is so it is up to you, our former members, to fill out your application and bring it to the October meeting. Can’t make the meeting? Use our handy application form and mail it in to the PO box. We have worked hard over the past ten years to control our costs, provide quality events for our members and NOT raise dues. By becoming a member you will help keep dues low and fun high! Bring your completed application to the October meeting and see Rich/N1KXR or Dave/N1MFL so we can get you ‘back in the fold’.
Still not convinced? OK, here’s some incentive. If you join or renew your HCRA membership by the close of the October 5th meeting you could be the winner of a TYT TH-F5 dual band HT with rechargeable batteries, desk and mobile charger. Getting the bulk of our memberships early in the season allows us plan the year ahead. Help us out by renewing early and we might help you out with a new HT. Fair enough?
HCRA/MTARA Holiday Party – December 10th, 2012
Last year’s party was an unbridled success and we wondered, “what can we do to make it even better in 2012?). It is hard to improve on the location or the food, hmmmm. What if BOTH of the amateur radio clubs in the valley joined forces and held the party together? Wouldn’t that be fun? That’s exactly what we’re doing! Both clubs sat down and worked together to create a super get together for 2012.
Same great location!
Same scrumptious buffet!
Bigger and better raffle/door prizes!
Same $15 price tag!
MORE friends to eat, drink and be merry with!Tickets go on sale at both clubs starting in October. See Rich/N1KXR at any HCRA meeting or Diane/KB1KST at any MTARA meeting and by mail to either club’s PO box.
Another example of both clubs, working together, to the benefit of all area amateurs.
Notes from the cluster:
The HCRA October meeting featuring Tom Homewood/W1TO will also be a Yankee Clipper Contest Club (YCCC) regional meeting. If you’re interested in contesting you can join YCCC at the HCRA meeting. It’s fun, painless and not too expensive. Learn more about it by clicking YCCC!
The Silent Auction returns at our October meeting. We will have a beautiful set of chrome Bencher paddles available and a few other items. Items for the auction will be displayed on a table along with a ‘bid sheet’. Enter your bid and if you’re the highest bidder at the end of the night pay Dave/AA1YW and go home with your new toy!
Don’t forget we’re meeting at our new location! Starting September 2012 meetings will be at the Auxiliary Conference Center at the Holyoke Medical Center. Many of you have been here before, it’s where the Western Mass VE Team has given examinations for close to a decade. We have all the details of the hall and how to get there on our website. Simply click this link!
’73…
Jim/KK1W -
Tablets and Amateur Radio
This is my first article covering tablet computers a
nd the apps they provide for amateur radio. In this first article I will look at the two main platforms, Apple’s IOS and Google’s Android. Apple’s OS revolves mainly around two devices, the Iphone and Ipad. Both will utilize the same applications. But Apple has many more native tablet apps than does Google: a native app utilizes the devices space properly, an app designed for a phone often does not adapt well to the increased size of a tablet. Apple’s App Store is the front runner having more than a 800,000 applications. Google however is catching up quickly. Google’s Android platform is a bit more fragmented, not only do its devices vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, the flavor of its OS also varies. The Latest OS for Android is version 4.1, but you’ll find it on only one device at present, Google’s own Nexus 7. Many more tablets are running previous version 4.0 or earlier. When buying Android devices it’s best to get the newest OS available. Anything 4.0 or newer should be fine. Apple IOS is presently up to version 6, the benefit to IOS devices is that mostly all but the oldest devices get automatic OS updates, Android devices get updated based on the various manufacturers’ desires.So which are best for Amatuer Radio and best for you to buy ? That’s a complicated question. Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses. The Android tablet offers greater customization. Icons and Widgets can be set up on pages anyway you’d like, every Android Tablet can look different because of this. But also because of this things can be more complicated to run if you are a novice user. The Ipad also uses icons which can be rearranged on the various pages, but at a lesser degree and there are no Widgets. But because of this the Ipad is a better choice for the novice computer user, “It just Works” is a saying Apple and their users like to use and it’s true, the Ipad is very easy to pick up and use. If you are a tinkerer though and are familiar with a computer and its operating system, you should not have many problems with an Android device after a few days of use.
Both platforms offer wi-fi and cellular versions, the latter allow internet connection without a wifi connection but will cost you a monthly fee. Both have their own app stores, for Google it’s the Play Store and for Apple it’s the APP Store, where both applications and content can be purchased. So both platforms devices can be used without the need of a computer to interface with, making them the perfect first device for the non-computer user. Android tablets are available at a multitude of price points from $99 on up. The Ipad currently start at $349 for an Ipad 2, and $499 for an Ipad 3 with a higher resolution screen. Apple is rumored to be releasing a 7” version sometime this month but no details are known at this point. I did not look at the devices from Amazon and Barnes and Noble as they are more specific to content consumption to those various retailers and do not offer enough flexibility as a tablet to be useful to amateur radio.
My next article will look at the usefulness of a tablet to amateur radio. I will look at several apps useful to our hobby.
N1MFL
