Month: May 2024

Field Day / Ham Outreach / Mentoring / NCRC

Surfing the Airwaves from Newport County

- by Nancy Austin
Libby, visiting from Portland OR, was surprised and delighted chatting over the airwaves with local Newport County Radio club members during last weekend’s Jane’s Walk Newport RI. Shown here being  mentored by Paul Fredette, K1YBE, NCRC-VP.

 

https://www.centeraquidneck.com/airwaves

Every day across Newport County, amateur radio operators get on the air to talk with one another without needing to rely on the internet or commercial power. This diverse community of FCC-licensed “hams” take advantage of the radio spectrum frequencies allocated to licensed amateurs as part of this critical but invisible infrastructure that is the radio spectrum. 

Last weekend’s Jane’s Walk was about sharing the experience of a resilient community forged by a diverse group of local hams licensed since the pandemic, welcomed by a community of old-timers and “Elmer” mentors. We still check in daily on scheduled “nets” to say hello, offer updates about what’s happening in our part of the island, compare notes, and generally learn something new. Any licensed amateur can join in. 

It’s also about public service to our community. During bad weather, we have practiced and are prepared to set up Skywarn nets and report relevant information up to the National Weather Service at W1BOX in nearby Norton/Boston. Some of us dig deeper and practice how to send National Traffic System Health & Welfare Radiograms out of the region, should that ever be necessary. Anyone can join this amateur radio community after studying and passing a license exam that does not require knowing Morse Code.

Didn’t make it to last weekend’s Jane’s Walk?  The annual ARRL Field Day national amateur radio demo weekend is June 22-23, 2024.

The Newport County Radio Club (W1SYE) will be offering a “Get On the Air” station at Glen Park in Portsmouth, RI. All are welcome to stop by and learn more. Ham radio – the original social media. People talking to people, even if the internet is down. Amateur Radio – Communication when all else fails.

Many thanks to Rebecca Noon and Jed Brainerd from Center Aquidneck for convening Jane’s Walk 2024.

The Airwaves Jane’s Walk was fun and memorable thanks to all the local hams who got on the local repeater to chat with our visitors.  Thank you!

Newport native & “Not Yet A Ham” Jed Brainerd from Center Aquidneck, getting on the air!

Clubs / Ham Outreach / Mentoring

ARRL Division Cabinet Meeting Recap, May 6, 2024

- by Nancy Austin
This week’s ARRL New England Division meeting featured a panel presentation by active New England club leaders from CT, NH and MA who shared their thoughts on how to mentor and grow their respective clubs. This 30 minute segment was recorded and is now available to watch on the ARRL New England Division website, linked here:
Get inspired!  Share widely.  Let us know about your club’s successes with outreach and club growth. Highly recommended. 
Emergency Communications / RI ARES / Situational Awareness / SKYWARN / Weather

RI Skywarn Training a Success

- by Nancy Austin
Providence Radio Association President David Tessitore, K1DT and fellow W1OP club members attended the final Rhode Island in-person NOAA NWS Skywarn Training offered Tuesday April 30, 2024.

Last Tuesday’s in-person Skywarn Training by NOAA-NWS meteorologist Bryce Williams at Newport’s CCRI was a success. This was the final in-person training in RI planned for 2024, and was attended by about 60 motivated people – including at least a dozen radio amateurs from the Providence Radio Association (PRA), Newport County Radio Club (NCRC), Fidelity Amateur Radio Club, Blackstone Valley Amateur Radio Club (BVARC), and RI-ARES leadership.

Please note: “NEW FOR 2024: NWS Boston is no longer issuing individual SKYWARN numbers or requiring re-training every 5 years in order to remain a spotter. While we encourage spotters to retrain periodically, it is not required to continue to provide reports.” https://www.weather.gov/box/skywarn

Huge shout-out to Danny Bright, age 18, who drove 2 hours from Boston to attend.  He is a dedicated lifelong weather spotter and was thrilled to be able to meet NOAA-NWS weather officials and be at this in-person training.  Danny will be attending U Mass Lowell’s respected program in Meteorology and Atmospheric Science next fall. He is not yet a licensed radio amateur, and I encourage clubs in the Boston/Lowell area to reach out.

Future meteorologist Danny Bright (left) drove from Boston to attend this NOAA NWS Skywarn training. The final in-person class was conducted at CCRI Newport on April 30, 2024 by Bryce Williams (shown right). Rhode Island thanks you for your commitment and service.

Bryce Williams presentation was fact-filled, used helpful videos, and was engaging with wide-ranging comments. These included:

  • Lightening is the #2 weather-related killer;  #1 is heat.
  • Radar does not provide truth at the ground level, and about 1/3 of  decisions are made based on ground-truth reporting. Being a weather spotter matters!
  • Like many Millenial meterologists, Bryce Williams was first motivated toward this career path after watching the 1996 movie, Twister. A sequel is due out soon, and they can’t wait!
  • New England is overdue for a major hurricane. Be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 3 days. KNOW YOUR EVACUATION ROUTE ahead of time.  https://riema.ri.gov/planning-mitigation/evacuation

To learn more about emergency preparedness for you, your family and community, as well as the public service mission of amateur radio, please join RI-ARES. This upcoming Wednesday’s RI-ARES monthy meeting will cover some topics raised here, as well as the new ARES course released by ARRL.

The RI ARES  next Zoom meeting will  be this Wednesday May 8, 2024 from 8-9:45pm and will be run by ARRL RI Section Emergency Coordinator, Jeremy Taylor, K1JST.

We hope to meet you there,  or during an ARES or Skywarn net.

For more information, please join us at RIARES.org https://riares.org/ . Or reach out to Teri DiIorio, W1PUP, ARRL RI Assisant Section Emergency Coordinator.

Active FEMA, Red Cross Shelter, CERT, PEMA, and RI-ARES volunteer leader Teri, W1PUP (left) attended from North Providence. Along with Dan Masterson, KC1KXE from Coventry.

BVARC / Consortium / Licensing, Education & Training / Operating

Monday May 6th Consortium training on IC-7300

- by Nancy Austin

Long-time RI Section Manager Bob Beaudet, W1YRC  wrote:

Greetings:

The next Consortium is Monday at 7:00 PM. Jim will present a summary of the function controls on an IC-7300 and how to use them.

They are fairly representative of controls on other radios and Jim’s comments should be widely helpful.
As always, the Consortium will be held at the Manville Sportsmen’s Club, 250 High St., Manville, RI.
See you there.

73,

Bob Beaudet, W1YRC
Innovation / Operating

History Matters: Samuel B. Morse statue unveiled April 1871

- by Nancy Austin

Scott Tillotson, WX1X wrote about his recent visit to see the Samuel F.B. Morse statue in New York City’s Central Park East: 5th Ave and E. 72nd St.

Scott, WX1X wrote:

This statue was unveiled in April 1871 in celebration of his 80th birthday. Samuel Morse was there at the time and took the occasion to “broadcast” a telegraph message across the country and to thank all the telegraph operators who gave their donations for this statue for this occasion.

His left hand is on a morse code-tape printing machine and his right is holding a portion of the tape output.

Samuel B. Morse statue in NYC. Photos courtesy of Scott Tillotson, WX1X (longtime RI-ARES Net Manager).