Welcome To The Connecticut Section of the ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio (TM)

Find out how you can get involved by viewing the narrated Power Point and learn about The ARRL Field Organization.  If you wish, you can use keyboard shortcuts to clickable links:  alt-n for next, alt-p previous, pause the audio with alt-a and replay with alt-l.

Get the latest monthly Section news and other important info and news at the CT Section Page: http://ct.arrl.org

View and post Section events on the Section calendar.

Find a club near you at http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club

Get current ARES and digital info at the Connecticut ARES® Web page http://www.ctares.org.

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Breaking News

I've been using this page mostly for alerts and now will use it as a sort of log of what's happening in the Section.  I'll include operating tips too and info for new hams so come here often.  I'll date entries and keep the new material on top generally keeping posts up for one month.  Feel free to write me with your ideas and I'll try to get them up.  Check here often; I'll update it at least once per week.

 

May 24:  

Obituary Steve Mendelsohn W2ML in New York Times:  http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/23/steve-mendelsohn-whose-radios-spread-word-of-city-marathons-is-dead-at-67. We've lost a real advocate in Amateur radio.  May he rest in peace.

 

 

Hams are launching a balloon!

On 02JUN2012 at about 0830 EDT, The PSARC will be launching a high altitude balloon from Hermon, Maine. One of the payloads will be a crossband repeater using 147.570 MHz as the uplink and 446.100 MHz as the downlink. Coverage for this VHF/UHF repeater should be more than 450 miles. Stations as far away as western New York, Long Island, all of New England, and Maritime Canada should be able to work it. Please join us and help us set a distance record (for this repeater). We will be awarding a certificate for the station furthest away from the balloon to make contact through the repeater. You can see the latest information about the launch at http://www.n1me.org/Hamfest.php and at http://eece.maine.edu/umhab/ which will be updated shortly before the launch.

 

 

 

Steve Jordan, KD1OM, president PSARC

 

 

May 23:  Here's word about the Museum Ships weekend and special certificates: 

Houston, TX, May 23^, 2012:  Houston area based Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club will celebrate its fifth year of participation in the annual Museum Ships Weekend Event, June 2-3, 2012 by offering a special commemorative certificate to amateur stations who contact all five Texas Based Museum ships during the event.  The five museum ships and their call signs include the Submarine USS Cavalla and Destroyer Escort USS Stewart (KK5W) in Galveston, Texas, The Battleship USS Texas (NA5DV), in La PorteTexas, The Tall Ship Elissa (N5E) also in Galveston and the Aircraft Carrier USS Lexington (W5LEX) in Corpus Christi, Texas.

To earn the Texas Navy Certificate, amateur stations must submit proof of contact with all five TexasMuseum ships to  QSL Manager, KK5W along with a #10 SASE.  The address is in QRZ.com.

Museum Ships Weekend is an annual operating event sponsored worldwide by the Battleship New Jersey Amateur Radio Station with more than 90 ships participating this year.  “We decided to put in a special Texas twist to the event to commemorate our five years of taking part”, said Ron Litt, K5HM, one of the Event Coordinators. 

The Texas Navy Certificate is a cooperative effort between four different area clubs,  In addition to the BrazosValley club, members of the Battleship Texas Amateur Radio Station, The Tidelands Amateur Radio Society and the South Texas Amateur Radio Club are participating as well.

 

 

For more information contact:

Ron Litt, K5HM

K5HM@arrl.net

 

 

k5hm.ron@gmail.com

www.qrz.com/db/k5hm

 

 

A few volunteers still needed for Angel Ride comms this weekend.  Contact n1clv@arrl.net if you can help.  This effort supports Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Camp.

May 21:  Did you go to Dayton this weekend?  Do you have stories to share?  Be sure and write me.

 

CT ARES Region 2 is sponsoring an Amateur radio exhibit at the Fair on the Milford Green June 2. DEC WA1SFH is coordinator.

The Valley Amateur Radio Association meets tomorrow evening Tuesday 7:30 at The Shelton Community Center, Church St. Shelton.  This is a permanent change of place.

 

May 15: From W5KUB:

We are 24 hours away from our live dayton hamvention broadcast.  Help us spread the word to anyone interested.?

 

 

This will be our 10 th year to broadcast Dayton Hamvention . Our viewers have grown to about 50,000 in over 150 countries during the last Hamvention broadcast. Hamvention is May 18-20 but we actually go live  TOMORROW at 1300 UTC Wed May 16th as we pull out of our driveway and broadcast the 550 mile drive live.

The video site is http://w5kub.com and we are on 365 days a year when not broadcasting a live ham event. Over the years we have had special guests on the broadcasts. We have over $8000 in prizes to give out again this year to lucky viewers.  Some of ou rprizes are weather stations, Heil headsets, Comet CAA-500 antenna analyzers, AlphaAmp watt meters, D-star radios, yasue HTs, TenTec desk mics, G5RV antennas, and much more.  After hamvention, we will be broadcasting our 550 mile trip back to Memphis on Sunday afternoon.

 

 

We have installed a new Ka Band internet satellite uplink this year in our fleamarket space so we will be broadcasting High Def video this year. This is a first for us. Log into the chat room and talk directly to us, ask questions to those we are interviewing or just chat with each other.

 

 

Dayton Hamvention is Fri, Sat, Sun May 18,18,20

 

 

we also will broadcast the 550 mile drive (10 Hours) from Memphis, Tn to Dayton Ohio Wednesday may 16

 

 

We will be setting up our fleamarket space and the satellite uplink on Thursday May 17 and will broadcast that.

 

 

We will start giving out prizes on Wed morning.

 

 

go to http://w5kub.com for all the fun

 

 

also join us on our facebook broadcast page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/279273778772594/

 

 

Thanks, Tom W5KUB

 

 

 

In other news, help is needed in Norwalk this Sunday Bloomin' Metric Ride.  Contact DEC Toy k1wyq@arrl.net.

 

May 14:  Do you remember when you first got on the air?  Read this from EC Al K1QEX.  “today the Orange CERT Comm Group had two JOTA stations at the CONNJAM 2012 at High Plains Community Center today.  Got some excited kids when 20 meters opened up.  One kid couldn’t believe he was talking to the Netherlands.  I had one kid from the last one we held in Eisenhower Park couldn’t wait to tell me that he got his tech license (with his mother who drove him to class).”  I just think that’s special!

 

 

 

EC Jon WB2RYV reports:  “Sam (NV1P) and his girlfriend and George (AB1QK) volunteered to provide mobile course monitoring at the Norwalk Mothers Day race today. (Sunday)  About mid-way through the race, Sam and his girlfriend came upon a runner in distress (who wound up fainting).  They called 9-1-1 and stayed with her until the ambulance and a race official arrived.  Apparently the radio exchange was overheard by a Greenwich fire captain who wanted Sam and his girlfriend to know that they did everything right, and by a Norwalk city official who wanted to add his thanks for their quick response.”  Good work!  Thanks for reporting Jon.

 

 

Sky Warn Spotter class Wednesday 7:00-10:00 p.m. Canton.  Contact EC Roger k1pai@arrl.net for info.

 

May 11 Blog

 

You can get the feed on Itunes if you wish by going to

Channel RSS Feed

 

 

May 9:  May 9 News; click to listen 

May 8:  

The Southcentral Connecticut Amateur Radio Association will be holding their monthly meeting Wednesday May 9 at 1930. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 24-11 Training Center located at 1 Kimberly Avenue in West Haven. All are welcome.

Newer ops:  check out http://www.kb1kix.net; he has lots of info posted.

Listen to more news; click to listen.

 

May 7:  Attention ARES and NTS ops:  I have put up several resources to help you with written record traffic.  Check out the NTS Corner further down on this page.  You will see a training course along with some handy references you will need daily for traffic handling.

 

 

The Middlesex Amateur Radio Society will meet tomorrow evening May 8 at The Cromwell Police Station.

 

 

 

May 5

Here's a current DX news item.
http://www.hamradionews.net/2012/05/somalia-6o0cw.html

SB61, AN ACT EXEMPTING AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS USING HAND-HELD RADIOS FROM THE PROHIBITION ON USING HAND-HELD MOBILE TELEPHONES AND MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICES WHILE DRIVING. This bill has passed the senate on the consent calendar.--Thanks Jonathan KB1KIX.

New England QSO Party today!

   

May 4

Do you operate ten meters?  There’s a nice Web forum site at http://www.ten-ten.org/phpBB3/.  I notice that N1API and W1NRG, the station of the Meriden Amateur Radio Club submitted logs for the Spring digital contest. Good luck Al and MARC!  Check it out!  It appears to be an excellent example of a well-done accessible site, too.

 

 

Attention new hams:  Want to see some videos about ham radio?  Go to the K7AGE Channel where you will find lots of information.  Watch for more sources in a few days.

 

 

 

May 3

 

CT history sleuth WB1EZA uncovers thefts from national archive Old radio recordings.  Don’t miss this front page story about WB1EZa. 

Get AMSAT news weekly from the AMSAT News Service (ANS). They’re looking for volunteers to staff the booth at Dayton HamVention® for two hour shifts. If you can help write wa4sxm@amsat.org and indicate the number of shifts for which you are available.

Attention ops new to the Field Organization. View the Power Point and hear the explanations by going to the link at the top of this page.  If you qualify, you can apply for an ARRL station appointment.  Program leaders are members of the Section manager’s cabinet and are shown on this page and in most issues of Section News available to members through email.

May 2:  Allen Pitts W1AGP thanks all those who responded to the surveys on emergency communications and impediments to operating during emergencies.  ARRL got good response.  Thanks all!

May 1

The ARES community with SEC N1CLV is busy planning for Angel Ride that will occur over Memorial Day weekend.  That effort supports Paul Newman's Hole In The Wall Gang Camp.  Write n1clv@arrl.net for info.

Don't forget the New England QSO Party this coming weekend May 5-6 http://www.neqp.org.

The Meriden Amateur Radio Club is busy making arrangements for a new venue for our State Convention.  Mountain Side has been sold.  Not to worry--it will be held as usual in October.  Stay tuned for more details. 

Make your hotel reservations early for the New England Division Convention Boxboro, Mass--Holiday Inn.  http://www.boxboro.org.

 We're looking for volunteers in Fairfield County to become official observers.  For guidelines and form to apply see http://www.arrl.org/official-observer-1.

The Valley Amateur Radio Association is working on a web site--domain to be announced once ready.

One member of the Stamford Amateur Radio Association is working on a site suitable for mobile apps.  More info to come!

NTS Corner

The National Traffic System dates back to 1939 when George Hart, W1NJM skillfully created a way to route messages across the country in 24 hours.  In Connecticut, we have nets that meet daily to handle traffic into and out of the Section.  You too can get involved by contacting Section Traffic Manager Anne West K1STM k1stm@arrl.net.  

 

What is NTS?  What are nets?  What is traffic?

 

 

These questions are answered in this very nice guide written by Mark W2EAG and is used here with enthusiastic permission.  There may be a couple of inconsistencies as some time has elapsed but they can be handled on a case-by case basis.  The material is well written and represents a great deal of work by an avid traffic handler.  I hope it is useful to you and that you enjoy the content.

Traffic Handlers Guide               

View the net schedules and monthly station activity reports, net reports and public service honor roll totals and make plans to participate!

 

Handy Reference

Here are some items you will use daily when you handle traffic.

ARRL Message Form

ARRL Numbered Radiograms

Various forms, handling instructions

 

Public Service Honor Roll

If you’re an NTS operator or an ARES volunteer, you can be recognized on the Public Service Honor Roll by filing a report with your Section Traffic Manager at the beginning of the following month indicating your service.  For many years, this was known to be an NTS-only award but categories for ARES participants were added some years ago so do file a report and be recognized!  Read all about it at http://www.arrl.org/public-service-honor-roll.