Happy New Year!

 

Happy New Year! 

Here we go into a new year! We are starting our 10th year at UpstateHam.com and appreciate everyone's continued support and contributions to this great hobby! Please continue to send us your event notices, comments and suggestions. (email us at: [email protected] )

Hopefully we are reaching a peak in the Covid situation and that things will improve as we go through the winter months. We hope you and your family are safe and getting through these very challenging times. 

Hats off to the clubs and groups who continue to hold on-line meetings, training events and VE exams during the pandemic. We have attended several on-line meetings over the last 18 months that have been very well run. I hope some of these types of meetings and trainings might stay as regular options for some of us who are challenged by distance or other circumstances! 

Don't forget that Winter Field day is coming up on January 29-30, 2022. Great time to get outside or participate from the warmth of your own shack. (learn more here: https://www.upstateham.com/2021/12/winter-field-day.html 

We are also still optimistic about sunspot cycle 25 which is looking more promising everyday!  Take a minute to check the low bands, as we have continued to find some really nice openings lately!

We are hopeful that hamfests and in-person meetings will start/continue to be held as the situation improves. Watch our pages for Event updates as they become available. 

Our Events schedule: https://www.upstateham.com/p/2014-upstate-hamfests-that-i-have-heard.html

From the team here at UpstateHam.com; Wishing you all Health and Happiness in 2022!

Results from the 2019 State of our hobby survey

We ran across a link to a survey done by N8RMA on the state of the Amateur Radio hobby. This is a
pretty interesting survey and the results we hope will interest you. The analysis of the results will hopefully give us all something to think about as the wave of technology change continues to influence the world and our hobby.

Check it out and tell us what you think in the comments section below this post! (and share it with others!) ...maybe a topic for a future club meeting or Net.

Find the survey results here: https://www.radiosoth.org/2019/04/2019-state-of-hobby-results.html

Listen to VE0JS on her RTW sailing attempt

Jeanne Socrates - Maritime Mobile on her Round The World (RTW) Record Setting Sail 


Jeanne Socrates; VE0JS is about 3 months into her around-the-globe voyage that could set a new world record. The 76-year-old sailor set sail from Victoria BC, Canada in early October aboard her 38-foot sail boat.Jeanne is attempting to the be the oldest person to sail solo, unassisted and non-stop around the globe. She already holds the record as the oldest woman to circumnavigate the globe.

Socrates has made two attempts to be the oldest person to sail alone, but has experienced several challenges during her initial voyages. Well underway on her current attempt, Socrates officially crossed the equator on November 4th and the tip of Africa on December 20th.


If all goes according to plan, Socrates is aiming to circumnavigate the globe in eight months which would bring her back to Victoria in May of 2019. Check out her progress, radio schedule and other trip details on her QRZ link below:

Jean's QRZ page:
https://www.qrz.com/db/VE0JS/?mlab=

Check out her latest status update on her blog: 
https://svnereida.com/blog

The future of tracking radio signals from above

I recently stumbled upon a few news references to a new company that is working to advance the tracking of Radio signals from above. The company; HawkEye 360 just launched their first satellite based system, named Pathfinder, on the most recent SpaceEx rocket launch.


The company expects the US military to be increasingly interested in the technology, especially considering that HawkEye 360 can deploy its sensors on airplanes and high-altitude balloons (in addition to satellites). That feature could allow for real-time tracking of drones and weak signals on a battlefield.

Another planned use of Pathfinder is more down-to-earth: The technology could detect improper use of the radio-frequency spectrum, including interference between cell-phone towers. Such interference can cause data loss between mobile devices and towers, leading to slow and unreliable internet, among other problems.

From the companies web site: "HawkEye 360 is developing a new, geospatial information solution that will use radio frequency (RF) technology to help monitor global activity across air, land and sea and assist with emergencies. Our constellation of small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) will collect information on specific radio signals worldwide to provide high-precision radio frequency mapping and analytics that we can customize to our clients’ needs."

Read the full referenced article below for more details on their future plans.

article link: https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-to-launch-70-satellites-radio-tracking-2018-11

HawkEye360 company web site: http://www.he360.com/

More of the story: http://www.satmagazine.com/story.php?number=2060893990

Radio Shack revival? ...maybe in Syracuse too?

Note from Jim/WA1KPG:

I just read on the ARRL website that Radio Shack is opening "Express Stores" in some HobbyTown stores across the country.

I just called Walt's HobbyTown on Dwight Park Dr. (near the John Glenn Blvd. exit off I-690) asking if Walt's would be one of the stores in the chain that would have a Radio Shack department. The person I spoke to said they haven't made a decision but are considering it.

I told him that I'm a ham radio operator and that having a Radio Shack back in Syracuse would be of interest to the many hams in the area. He said that was good information and appreciated the call, that he already received 2 or 3 other calls,  and repeated that they are definitely considering bringing in Radio Shack and are trying to determine if it would be a good business decision.

If other hams from LARC & RACES call, that may help them decide. 

Give Walt's a call!

Walt's HobbyTown
2 Dwight Park Dr.
Syracuse, NY
315-453-2291
https://www.waltshobby.com/

73,
Jim/WA1KPG

more info at: https://www.dealerscope.com/article/radioshack-looks-to-make-a-comeback-with-hobbytown-deal/

AES going out of business..........sad day!

From CQ magazine blog today:

Amateur Electronic Supply (AES) Going Out of Business

Amateur Electronic Supply (AES) has announced that it is ceasing operations as of the end of July, 2016.


The Milwaukee-based retailer has four locations around the country, including Milwaukee; Cleveland (Wickliffe), Ohio; Las Vegas, Nevada and Orlando, Florida. It has long been the nation's second-largest ham radio dealer, after Ham Radio Outlet. No reason was given for the decision to close the business.

 I will miss the AES guys in Cleveland! ...they have always been very helpful and stocked almost everything. Place an order before 2 pm and it was standard UPS shipping to my house in just 2 days. ........Always stopped at the Orlando store when I was in Central Florida!

My Favorite Marsh-Man (from AR Newsline)

11/19/15 -UPDATE from Steve on his day in the Marsh (and the pictures):
So the Marshes-on-the-air (MOTA) was a big success! Thanks to the local community for being so supportive . In total I made 57 contacts on four bands 40, 20, 10, and  6m in the 5 hours I was out. The weather  cooperated with just a few brief moments of drizzle . The furthest contact was Colorado which gave me a signal report of 44 as well as Florida where I received a 56/7 and to the northeast; Nova Scotia where I received a 56 as well . We hit various other states including Michigan , Virginia, New Jersey , Mass , New Hampshire and Maine. Overall we did very well with good signal reports from all . Again this was a lot of fun and I really appreciate all the local contacts and enthusiasm from everyone in the immediate ham community. I can't wait to get out and find some more interesting spots to activate in the future . One final note I wanted to thank my YL for being so supportive and being a good trooper putting up with my quirks with my hobby. This is the second expedition she has gone on with me (IOTA) and I give her a lot of credit for putting up with me and getting out in the field . youtube video of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHHHgX7iIgI

Thanks
 KD2ETP; Steve

(This story from the Nov. 6th AR Newsline Broadcast - hear it on Monday Night Ham News this Monday on the KD2SL & KC2VER Repeaters in Syracuse)

 The Hamlin Marsh Wildlife Management Area in New York's Adirondack(?) region holds many things in its vast acreage of wetland: aquatic birds, frogs, deer and various grasses. But it holds something even more for one Syracuse area ham: endless radio possibilities. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, has the details:

Since earlier this year, Steven Mussi, KD2ETP, has believed he could enter the upstate New York wetland known as Clay Marsh and find solid footing for a QRP adventure. So Sunday, Nov. 8, will find Mussi canoeing out across the swampy landscape, climbing ashore on some hospitable patch of land, and setting up his Elekraft KX3 and his two antennas.

Do you have interesting Amateur Radio related news or stories to share?

 At UpstateHam.com we are always looking to publicize your event, NET , or maybe tell a story, or share your review of a radio or antenna. If you, your club or organization would like some help getting the word out on your event, just drop us a line at [email protected]. If you would like to share an Amateur Radio related experience or story, just send us a note and we can get things started. We can also help you with final edits or adding your pictures to help tell the story.

 Our goal is to pass on interesting Amateur Radio related information to our viewers in Upstate NY and beyond. We try to cover the area from Albany west to Buffalo and from Binghamton north through the 1000 Islands and Adirondacks.

......and we are always looking to be accurate and improve our content. Please send your comments, corrections and suggestions to us at: [email protected]

The demise of Radio Shack and where to buy stuff locally

Generations of home electronics hobbyists, ham radio enthusiasts and computer geeks spent their growth-spurt years hanging around their local Radio Shack stores. I was one of them. None of us are happy to have witnessed the company's long slide toward irrelevance and its looming exit from the retail landscape. The company's heyday ran from the 1970s through the late 1990s, when it rode the CB radio craze as the largest retailer in the market, and then transformed into a creditable maker of computer gear.

Read more about Radio Shack's demise here:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/radioshack-may-be-facing-the-end-after-decade-of-decline/2015/02/03/1d513ee0-abdb-11e4-ad71-7b9eba0f87d6_story.html

I am reminded of heading to my local Radio Shack store after school to get batteries, crystals, parts and books. My first crystal radio kit, a 101 Electronics project kit and first VHF scanner all came from the “Shack”. Remember the Battery of the Month Club card? Was I the only one that waited for the new catalog each fall? The manager in my local store was a great guy! I scored lots of “damaged” goods for little to nothing from the return shelf in the back of that store. His support was another influence that shaped my career choice and several lifelong hobbies. So the “Shack” as we once knew it is another Silent Key. What do we do now? (read more below)

Drone Footage of Tower Demolition

Great video sent by one of our UpstateHam.com contributors. Watch this tower fall!

Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4vghs8DxOE&feature=youtu.be


http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/drone-footage-of-tower-demolition/274982

KD2SL 53.67 repeater antenna change (Syracuse)

An update from Kevin - KD2SL:

“I am running another experiment and have changed the 53.67 repeater antenna configuration once again. Up until this past Thursday we had been receiving from a 6M dipole antenna up just over 700 feet and transmitting from the "old" bat-wing TV antenna on the top of our tower. We are now both transmitting and receiving (with a duplexer) on the 6M dipole at approximately 700 feet. This may degrade your ability to hear the repeater in fringe areas, but since those fringe areas can’t get in to the repeater, being able to hear it there was of dubious value.  Still, the repeater’s receiver is working better than ever, probably because there was some desense that we didn’t realize was being caused by the split antenna arrangement.  Thankfully, running duplex into the single antenna is working well, with no cracklies or desense.  This set up is much more balanced, meaning that if you can hear it well, it should now be able to hear you.

Thanks to EVERYONE, you have all been really great sports, willing to play numerous rounds of “can you hear me now?”!  I’m very interested to know how well you can hear the repeater in this current arrangement. Please send me your reports at [email protected].”

-Kevin - Thanks for all your efforts to bringing us the great KD2SL repeaters in Syracuse! 

73 – Tony – KC2VER

Amateur radio operators support the Halloween Pumpkin Patrol

New York State Police Troop T and citizen volunteers conducted their 38th annual "Pumpkin Patrol" aimed at preventing Halloween pranks and protecting motorists along the New York State Thruway on October 30th and 31st.

In Onondaga County over 20 amateur radio operators manned the bridges on both nights. In Cayuga County over 10 amateur radio operators manned the bridges on Friday night.  Amateur Radio operators in almost every upstate county along the Thruway participated again this year.Thanks to all who gave up their evenings for this important project.

“I commend Troop T and our committed volunteers for their efforts in helping to prevent the threat of dangerous pranks during the Halloween weekend on our roadways,” said Thruway Authority Executive Director Thomas J. Madison. “These patrols help to further emphasize the importance of safety and reliability on the New York State Thruway by offering extra assistance to protect the well-being of all motorists.”

Patrols consisted of Troop T officers, as well as local radio clubs, and amateur radio operators. This year, volunteer groups from 15 different organizations spanning across 19 counties in New York State joined in the Pumpkin Patrol safety initiative. Volunteers assisting Troop T monitored Thruway overpasses and reported any unusual activity to State Police or local law enforcement.

The Pumpkin Patrol was initiated as a volunteer effort in 1976 by Katherine St. Jacques in Fort Johnson, Montgomery County.  Ms. St. Jacques was talking to a truck driver on her citizens band radio when the windshield of his vehicle was struck by an object thrown from an overpass.  The driver sustained injuries from the broken glass of his windshield.  St. Jacques and two companions decided to stand watch on the three over passes that crossed the Thruway in the Fort Johnson area.
The State Police assumed control of the Pumpkin Patrol in 1990 as part of the State Police crime prevention effort.  More than 300 volunteers will participate in this year’s safety efforts.

References:
- Press release from the NY State Police Troop T Public Information Officer Trooper Matthew Izbicki.
- CNY Central
- Syracuse.com
- WSYR News Channel 9
- local  Amateur radio operators

Ham Radio VE Exams in Liverpool NY - 10/18/14

note from the SYRACUSE VE EXAM TEAM

Ham Radio VE Exams will be held October 18, 2014  at the Liverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip
Street, Liverpool, with registration noon to 1p.m. in  the Sargent Room.
Open to all working for their new Ham ticket or a license upgrade.
Bring two forms of ID, one with your picture and $14 fee (cash or M.O.)
   
>  >  >  NEW from the FCC:
Hams  holding  a  license  in the past  which has expired,  can now  submit a copy of   your past license, take the current Technician Exam    -- upon passing,   the FCC will return you to your Amateur Radio License.

Questions? e-mail us at :[email protected]     / from the SYRACUSE VE EXAM TEAM

Repeater updates (to the updates)

Folks a couple of new or back on the air repeaters that you
 may want to try out:

145.150 -  Pl 123.0, Lafayette, KD2SL
  (note the PL was changed to 123.0 on 8/23/14)
146.640 -  Pl 131.8, Clay, Bear Bait Radio Club, KD2CDY
444.250+  Pl 131.8, Clay, Bear Bait Radio Club, WA2DAD

If we get any more details on their equipment or future plans, we will post them here. (The original post was on 7/2/14)

Balloon Chase

Many of you may have heard the repeater activity last Thursday 5/29 as a group of students, educators and Hams from Central & Western NY chased three hot air balloons over the Fingerlakes. This was a project of the Cazenovia High School Technology Class and Pittsford-Mendon High School . The balloons were equipped with Amateur radio APRS transmitters to allow tracking and recovery. One of the balloons traveled to an altitude over 100,000 feet! All three balloons were eventually recovered. Great job guys!

We will try to get some more detailed information to post here from the team, but for now take a look at some amazing video recorded by one of the balloons.

(update 7/30/14) Read the whole story in the July 2014 RARA Rag at: http://rags.rochesterham.org/e-RAGS/RAG_July_2014.pdf

Here is a you tube link to some video from one of the balloons:

http://youtu.be/SQ7S-ey-CX4

MOST needs Ham Volunteers!

 The Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology (often referred to as the MOST) is a museum located in the Armory Square neighborhood of Downtown Syracuse, New York. The museum includes multiple exhibits, a gift shop and a domed IMAX movie theatre. It is located in the former Syracuse Armory.

The Most is in need of Volunteers to man the Amateur Radio station. It is open from Wednesday thru Sunday 10AM-5PM. Please have anyone interested contact N2OMK, Bob at: (315) 487-2650 or Andy Slaugh - KB2LUV at: [email protected]

The Amateur Station consists of a Kenwood TS-870S as the main HF rig, a all mode 2M/70cm, another 2 meter mobile, and an Ten-Tec SDR receiver. We have several computers, a mock up Telegraph system, and many handouts and old rigs for viewing. Antennas consist of a 20/40 meter trap vertical, a 40 (tunes most 40-10) meter Inverted V, and an 80 meter dipole. The 2 meter mobile has a 3 element yagi, and the all mode is on a egg beater. the SDR is on a discone. We have great plans for the future of the station, but we need volunteers to make it happen.

Interested persons MUST be trained on the proper use of the equipment. They can not just come in and operate without being certified as a Volunteer of the MoST.

For more info on the museum and the station, see:

http://www.most.org/

http://www.most.org/2_ee_telecomlab.cfm

Interesting APRS story..........

A local amateur friend, AB2MS, Todd Brown shared an interesting story with me on our Monday morning commute a few weeks ago. I was very impressed by the story and asked Todd if he would write down the story and send me a few pictures to post on our blog. His story follows (with a few edits and only two of 5 pics):
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We all get random emails, usually spam or something that doesn’t get much more than a glance. But sometimes those random, unexpected emails can lead to an adventure. On April 8, I received an email with the subject “Balloon from U-Mich down near you”. I thought it sounded odd, just out of the blue, but the subject drew me in to read it:

Todd,

de Dave KB3EFS up near Alexandria Bay. A High Altitude Balloon from U-Mich Ann Arbor is down near you. See http://aprs.fi/#!call=a%2FAETHR1-1&timerange=172800&tail=172800 
It looks like the area is a swamp or a forest. I can get you contact info for the group at U-Mich if you or others want to go get it.

73
Dave
KB3EFS

The balloon was tracked on APRS so the whole journey was online for all to see.
Clicking on the link, here is what I found:

Seems the balloon had quite the trip, reaching almost 40,000 feet and over 120 MPH! So where is it?

About 11 miles east of me, just west of Central Square, not a huge trip to go out there. But what about the terrain? Where did this thing decide to end its parachute decent back to earth? I could hope for an easy recovery, but I knew I wasn’t that lucky…… so I bring in the satellite view! Ugh, out in the middle of nowhere, and where does that creek go? Oh, looks like it spreads out into a swamp. Great news during spring thaw…… So where to begin? Looks like a farm to the west of it. Farms are a good place to start looking for land owners and info. 

So Saturday rolls around, nice warm sunny day and I follow the directions my GPS I giving me to get to the farm. I first met two of “the boys” tinkering on a car. I explain the situation and they point to “ma and pa” down sawing firewood. I drive past the house and see the apparent owners. I again explained the story to “pa” and he told “ma” to stop her chainsaw and come over so I could retell the story again. After having heard it they seemed quite cooperative and I was sent off with another one of the boys in a manure covered farm truck. He guessed it was in the swamp, but was determined we get closer so maybe at least a glimpse of the payload could be seen and the actual location could be determined. After stopping to say hi to everyone on the route (farmers know EVERYONE around) we drove up a field as far as he dared and set out to find us a balloon. I had plugged the coordinates into my handheld GPS, so we had a general idea of where it hopefully was. 

Skip ahead a half hour after pushing through brush and stepping in mud, and the GPS points ahead to the left…….. right into the swamp. We trudged further ahead, skirting the muck (for the most part) and suddenly stepped into mud up to our knees. A little further and through the trees we see what looks like a bunch of plastic sheeting. Could it be? The GPS is pointing right at it. We already were wet up to our knee, so it was time to get a closer look to be sure. Sure enough that’s all it could be. Now I’m thinking how far I had trudged, how long I had already spent looking and the fact I was already wet. One thing to do now……… empty my pockets, hang my backpack with camera in a tree and go for it. I brought the cellphone as it was waterproof and luckily my Leatherman. 

Getting close, I can see the payload:

So how do I get that down from up there in the tree? Parachute cord! I mean it looks like it’s tangled around a few branches, why not! Well, after straining the cord as much as I dared and not wanting anything to snap back and knock some teeth out I tied it off and thought. Leatherman! I still had my Leatherman in my pocket. It has a saw. So I wade over (now wet almost up to my chest) and realize the tree is more than twice the diameter of the little saw. Who am I to let that stop me now?

I finally had the prize at ground level and could grab it and make my back to the guy waiting at the edge of the swamp for me. 

All in all it was quite an adventure. It shows the use of APRS tracking the balloon, and my digipeater was the closest station to the landing site. I guess it also shows how crazy and / or determined I was. The guys at U-Mich Ann Arbor were quite happy I retrieved their payload which was a tiny radio / GPS / TNC unit and it now could be re-used for more educational purposes. They sent me a prepaid envelope to send it back to them and included an 8’ balloon to pique my interest in trying my own launch.  

I encourage everyone to visit http://www.projectaether.org/main/ to learn about these balloons and their use in research and education. They have a lot of info and videos to check out, plus they announce launches so we can watch for another to come this way. I just hope it lands in a better spot next time. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Todd, Thanks for sharing this cool story!