RI ARRL (American Radio Relay League)
A field organization of the National Association for Amateur Radio®
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.
73,
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.
Despite Tuesday’s blizzard, Rhode Island stations got on the air to participate daily, Monday to Wednesday February 12-14, 2024. Here are updates and what to expect before this Roundup wraps on Friday 7pm February 16, 2024.
Special thanks to URI amateur radio club call sign trustee, Brian Maynard, K1NW for operating as W1KMV during Tuesday’s storm and then again Wednesday to make QSOs with dozens of schools and individuals. Highlights included contact with the Cornell Club station, W2CXM, where he was station master for several years in the 1980s. Brian, K1NW reported having a great time contacting young operators at several school stations, mostly on 20m with excellant band conditions. (W1KMV may be back on the air Th/Fri to bring this ARRL School Roundup to the finish line. Standby! Keep an eye on https://www.dxwatch.com/)
Interested in helping revitalize the URI student Amateur Radio Club? Reach out to Brian Maynard here: https://web.uri.edu/pse/meet/brian-maynard/
Thanks to its lively Middle School amateur radio club enthusiastically led for a decade by Newport’s Mike Cullen, K1NPT, the All Saints STEAM Academy in Middletown, Rhode Island is a long-time ARRL Club Roundup participant. This year was no exception. Mike, K1NPT really understands how to match the exuberant curiosity of middle school students to radio hands-on learning puzzles.
Many thanks to the RI hams who reached out to make an “Individual” Roundup QSO with these eager students on Monday and Wednesday. (School was canceled Tuesday due to snow.)
TODAY is Thursday Feb 15th, and it’s not too late to listen for their N1ASA CQ at 4pm on 2m SIMPLEX 146.550. Or look for N1ASA on a dx spotting site on 20m or 40m SSB today between 3-4:30pm. Huge thanks to the RI hams who took time to chat with these confident, cheerful young operators who sounded like they were having SO much fun!
Interested in helping Mike K1NPT mentor youth in radio across the state? Reach out to Mike Cullen here: [email protected]
This was my first time participating in any ARRL School Club Roundup, and it’s easy to see why this is such a beloved opportunity to encourage youth and college clubs. Operating from my home QTH for about an hour each day (mostly between 3pm to 6pm on 20m, 40, 15m SSB and 2M FM Simplex) it was great fun to talk with experienced student operators at college clubs including University of Wisconsin, W9YT and Michigan State, W8SH. And also the many Middle and High School new operators across the country (CO, SC, TX, IN, OK, GA, RI). A surpise to me was the opportunity to log a QSO with the almost 40% of Middle or High student operators I contacted who were young women.
The snowstorm, sickness and technical difficulties contributed to the challenges getting this call sign on the air before the expected Brown University, K1D ARRL School Roundup activation push planned for Thursday 3pm to Friday 7pm. Keep an eye on https://www.dxwatch.com/
As a Brown alum, my plan is to be out there offering QSOs on 20m and 40m SSB to support this initiative. So don’t be surprised to hear Nancy, KC1NEK operating briefly today and tomorrow as K1D as we plan forward revitalizing the Brown Amateur Radio Club.
Interested in helping revitalize the Brown University student Amateur Radio Club? Reach out to Jose Sandoval, KC1TWM, a Brown student and the club revitalization contact: [email protected]
The next ARRL School Roundup is scheduled for M-F October 21-25, 2024 (The third full school week of October2024.) This would seem like a synergistic follow-up to the weekend of amateur radio upskilling planned for the annual Scouting Jamoboree on the Air (JOTA), taking place “the third full weekend in October” – or Sat/Sun October 19-20, 2024.
Meanwhile, hope to see the Brown and URI Collegiate Clubs doing well, with hams stepping up to help. Hope to hear you on the air, even today, as we mentor and offer encouragement to others.
73, Nancy Austin, KC1NEK – RI Section Manager ([email protected])
Momentum is underway revitalizing Rhode Island’s collegiate clubs and K-12 after school amateur radio clubs. Please hunt these ARRL School Roundup call signs this week and spread the word. Let’s put RI innovators on the map. Help hunt all schools participating. Check for “School Club Roundup” on DX spotting websites, like https://www.dxwatch.com/
RI Best Dates/Times – possible frequencies- but check https://www.dxwatch.com/
Exchange: (Plan is to use “S” for School) So expect this exchange: N1ASA or W1KMV or K1D, Signal report, Class (“School”), U.S. State = RI (Multi-operator group stations must choose one call sign to use for the whole operating period.)
Scoring: Stations may be contacted once per band and mode | Multiplier: [Number of U.S. States plus Canadian Provinces/Territories plus DX countries/entities] plus 2× [Number of Clubs contacted] plus 5× [Number of Schools contacted].
Favorite Sound Byte : “Quantum is just engineered RF (radio frequency) pulses and ham radio is an enabling way to learn … just so much!” Chris Lirakis, AA9AL
New Technician-class licensed radio amateur Jose Sandoval, KC1TWM operating during Winter Field Day January 2024. Brown University double major in Computer Science and Portuguese & Brazilian Studies. Please reach out to Jose, KC1TWM if you want to get involved revitalizing the Brown Amateur Radio Club now!
Rob Macedo, KD1CY & the BAA Amateur Radio Communications Committee write:
The 2024 Boston Marathon is still in need of Amateur Radio Volunteers. Therefore, Amateur Radio volunteer registration for the 2024 Boston Marathon has been extended until end-of-day Sunday 2/11/2024. Register now at register.hamradioboston.org! If you are unsure if you can volunteer but are interested in volunteering, please register now and just let us know within a reasonable amount of time if you ultimately can’t volunteer! Thanks to all for their support!
73, Rob Macedo, KD1CY and the BAA Amateur Radio Communications Committee
The RI ARES weekly net for January 23, 2024 was a Winlink challenge prompt exercise. Who could respond quickly to a request to provide situational awareness information within a five hour window? Unannounced exercises like this help demonstrate an ARES member’s self-initiative and readiness to take follow-through action despite short notice, and capably provide the desired structured communication. We have the shared goal of building a community of prepared RI ARES radio amateurs.
Jeremy Taylor, K1JST – the RI ARES Section Emergency Coordinator – offered the Winlink challenge exercise net as a further opportunity for RI hams to develop their Winlink skills and ask for futher mentoring if needed. Here is the request K1JST sent out yesterday to the RI ARES mailing list:
“Send a WINLINK message to K1JST [@winlink.org] with the following information:
I’ll also announce this net on the repeater Network at 7:30pm tonight. … Check-ins received after midnight tonight will be considered late check-ins.”
The successful check-ins included two from Newport County – including Mike Cullen K1NPT from his reinstalled VARA-FM node at All Saints Academy. (Maybe a follow-up tour? See Post update at end). Two stations were from Kent County, and two from neighboring Massachusetts.
If you would like to join the RI ARES mailing list for future net exercise “heads-up” announcements, please send an email to: https://riares.org/membership
Gaining awareness of Winlink capabilites in Rhode Island (and across FEMA Region One) was the motivation behind a new 2024 series of monthly unannounced “thunderbolt” Winlink exercises that FEMA Region One began earlier this month for the amateur radio community.
During the initial January exercise, 47 stations signed up and almost 90% responded to the unannounced request for secific situational awareness information. Rhode Island amateurs represented almost 20% of those stepping up in the time window assigned.
Shout out to: Jason AA1VV; Mike K1NPT; Mike KC1NEJ; Nancy KC1NEK; Corry KE1AK; John N1SXB; Teri W1UP; Michael KB5RWX.
For those interested in joining this training opportunity now before the February exercise, here is a repost of the original:
“FEMA Region 1 will begin conducting monthly Winlink tests starting January 2024. The purpose of this test is to exercise the Regional PACE plan, Winlink is part of the “Emergency” category of the plan. We would like to include Amateur Radio and SHARES stations in New England in this test. Here are the details:
Testing Procedure: Each month FEMA Region 1 Disaster Emergency Communications Branch will generate a Winlink message to participating stations. The message will be sent via Winlink through an Amateur Radio or SHARES gateway. The message will contain simple instructions on how to reply – which form to use, information requested, response time, etc. The receiving stations will reply to FEMA Region 1 via Winlink with the requested information within a set timeframe. The date and time of the monthly test will vary.
Participating Stations – Open to Amateur Radio or SHARES stations in New England. Stations must have Winlink capability and a valid Winlink email address. Participating operators should be aware that this test is conducted without announcement, so it is important that Winlink messages are checked regularly.
How to Sign Up – Stations wishing to participate can sign up online at https://forms.gle/sTibzJjZhftHXR4J9
Please feel free to share the above information with those who may be interested in participating. Any questions, let me know.
Thanks, Mike
Mike Corey – Emergency Management Specialist | Disaster Emergency Communications, Response Division | FEMA Region I
Federal Emergency Management Agency
fema.gov
Mike Cullen, K1NPT shared this additional information about Winlink Stations in RI:
Important architecture “factoids” for more RI hams to understand:
What’s motivating younger generations to get licensed and learn more about the Amateur Radio Technician-class bands? There is a whole community out there passionate about DIY building and flying First Person View (FPV) tiny drones (whoops) with streaming analog video. For more, keep an eye on https://ri-arrl.org/drones/
Today, Andrew Staub, KC1OKI shared this:
“This is a great fpv pilot flying tiny whoops in a classroom environment for fun. I believe they are using analog video based on the Orca goggle and antennas.”
The Providence Radio Association’s Dave Steussie, W3DRE is hooked on POTA and last weekend’s bitter cold didn’t stop him from offering his monthly Providence Radio Association POTA (Parks on the Air) Meet-Up. Indeed, when I joined the group near the RI-CT border at Pulaski State Park (K-7508), he and Dom Mallozzi, N1DM were toasty in their heated tent and almost sweating as they racked up QSOs. As we look ahead to Winter Field Day, it was impressive to see the care Dave had taken to make portable operating enjoyable – in a park, or on a summit. I’d be interested to hear more about a talk Dave, W3DRE gave on this topic to his club, the Providence Radio Association (PRA). Meanwhile, he shared stories about how visitors enjoy seeing the worldwide map of the QSOs he logs in real time using HAMRS. His tent is warmed with a portable propane heater, but he also makes sure to have a carbon monoxide monitor to be safe. For this activation, W3DRE set up an EndFedz wire off of a 40′ telescoping Spiderbeam mast. But he is also prepared to do quick activations from his truck if that makes more sense.
The park was a winter wonderland with people cross-country skiing, dog walking, and active outdoors. Dave’s Eskimo tent and antenna drew curious visitors, and became an impromptu GOTA station. It’s a fabulous way to strike up a conversation with an inactive ham who suddenly thinks – wait! I want to get active on the air again so I can join in. Thank you, Dave, for your welcoming leadership on a chilly weekend.
Your inspiring example made a difference.
73, Nancy, KC1NEK
The Consortium is an informal free class on ham fundamentals that is held monthly. Everyone is welcome. The Consortium was founded about 20 years ago by Bob Beaudet W1YRC, and the classes are run by BVARC’s award-winning Elmer, Jim Johnson K1GND.
December’s topic will be a demo on “How to Set Up Your First Ham Shack“. This is sure to be of interest to many. Hope to see you there as the RI amateur radio community continues to build connections across our small state.
What: The Consortium | When: Monday December 4, 2023 7pm. | Where: The Sportsmen’s Club at 250 High St., Manville
Consortium website: http://www.w1ddd.org/consortium.html
Posts on The Consortium include:
https://ri-arrl.org/the-consortium-continues-free-ham-training-in-manville-ri
https://ri-arrl.org/how-to-set-up-your-first-ham-shack-at-the-consortium-dec-4-2023
Jeremy Taylor, RI Section Emergency Coordinator, built on the RI Section Simulated Emergency Tests (conducted in October 2023) to challenge RI-ARES member Winlink skills in support of the Eastern Massachusetts SET conducted last Saturday, November 11, 2023 from 10-Noon. He wrote:
“As we gave gotten pretty good at collecting airport weather information and sending it, I have a challenge for those who would like to accept it. … You have several options to report the traffic. Our primary method of reporting will be via WINLINK as that is what we are practicing this month. You can report via WINLINK to EMA SEC Rob Macedo KD1CY and cc RI SEC Jeremy Taylor K1JST. VHF or HF WINLINK are preferred, but telnet is also an option. You may collect
Alternatively, You can attempt to join one of their voice nets…”
RI Section Manager, Nancy Austin, KC1NEK, passed her ATIS (airport weather) reports via a 60m voice net. New hams may not realize how easy it is to operate on 60m simply by dialing up from their 80m antenna set-up to 5.3305 USB (Channel 1).
The RI ARES HF net, held on the 3rd Tuesday at 7:30pm, might consider offering a 60m voice net.
For more information on RI ARES, please see https://RIARES.org