Happenings

 Well there seems to be increasing activity/interest in Ham Radio here in Eastern Maine. It’s been awhile since I've heard so much activity on local repeaters and, be still my beating heart, simplex! “Old timers” and newbies alike. 

When I started hammin 23 years and there was an active simplex community that hung out on 146.565 almost every night after supper. Any given night there was 5-10 hams sharing info, trading war stories, lending a supporting hand/comment and of course telling tall tales and occasionally talking trash. 

Well there is simplex spreading across the airwaves once again, nets going on (tonight 02/16 at 1930 hrs on the N1ARO repeater, 146.835 with pl of 110.9…new casual net), Digital Fusion access also thru the N1ARO machine. Phil N1EP is starting a newTechnician level online course also! 

Speaking of N1EP, Phil is now the ARRL Maine Section Manager! Congrats Phil, they could not have chosen a better man for the job!

Anyone have anything they want to share drop me a line at res.w1krp@gmail.com and lets spread the word!

73 de W1KRP

Remember this: N1ARO, 146.835, -Offset, PL 110.9

 As about 1200 hrs today, Feb 5th 2022 Eastern Maine has a new VHF repeater for use by the Amateur Radio community!

Let’s step back a tad.

George Richards, N1ARO has only been licensed for a relatively short time.….7 months.  But he fell hard for the hobby! Located in Hancock George and his wife Nicole work their property, Barefoot Farms with enthusiasm and love of the area. George has taken advantage of their location with it’s elevation by adding a 65’ tower and has been working VHF nets with ease and enjoying nightly simplex roundtables.

 Today he fired up his new N1ARO 2M repeater on 146.835 with a PL of 110.9 -offset. Using an ICOM repeater he is repeating at 50W thru a Diamond X510 antenna, and Echolink will be added real soon!

And…digital will be coming soon.

So, if your in Eastern Maine dial up the N1ARO repeater and see what happens. Another tool in our tool box! 

Yeah…George has been bit by the Ham bug…hard.

73!

Huh! It still works!

 Well its been awhile since a post has shown up here…2019, yup…been a tad. Life continues to TRY and steer me away from radio and this blog. Nope not happening. So,onwards we go!

There seems to be a resurgence in ham radio across the nation and its apparent here in Downeast Maine as well. More and more people are seeing the perks of getting their licenses and not just stopping with the Technician level either. Recently the local VE Team held a session. Two showed up to test. Both easily passed their Tech and both unhesitatingly went on to take the General. Both failed, but at slim margins! We will be hearing them on all the HF bands soon I am sure!!

EAWA, Ellsworth Amateur Wireless Association, is going strong and carried on thru the thick of the pandemic with keeping the meetings moving through the magic of ZOOM and the enthusiasm of club officers President Jeff KA1DBE, VP Chuck AC1BS, Secretary Joan W1DLC . Recently they started up face to face meetings at the Ellsworth Assembly of God on the Beechland Rd here in Ellsworth. Thanks go out to Pastor Burt Lowry, K7HVN for letting us use this space! Word has it that our regular meeting space at Meadow View Apartments community room, located at 25 Tweedie Lane here in town will be opening back up for public usage soon!! 

Also, Phil N1EP has got the Maine Ham Radio Society rolling full steam ahead!

 ( https://mainehamradiosociety.com/ )

Great spot to keep up to date on what’s happening in Ham Radio.

 Phil also has a number of Maine Ham Radio Society videos on YouTube you should check out!

 ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUUjYOH0GfWbuT1gHFmj8kQ )

AND, yet another blast from the past…Packet radio has once again returned and this time it seems in force! Get on this mode, its a great tool and fun! Lots of activity, look for some familiar call signs! Thanks go out to Phil-N1EP, Steve-W1DTX, Kevin-AB1OX, Chris-K1WJY, Dave-N1DP and many others for keeping those packet bursts coming!

I’ll work hard at keeping this blog recent and active. Let me know if there is anything you want to share, have an article you think would be interesting, links, photos? Email me at res.w 1krp@gmail.com or contact me on FB!

Also, if you are active on social media please follow the EAWA club at EAWA on Facebook, W1TU on Twitter. 

Also, if you try and connect to any of the links on the right please let me know if they are ‘dead’ and I will see if i remember what I’m doing and vaporize it!

73 de W1KRP….. Dick

FIELD DAY 2019!!!

This coming Saturday and Sunday, June 22 and 23, the Ellsworth Amateur Wireless Association, EAWA, will be hosting the local operations of ARRL Field Day. Come and stop by the Trenton Elementary School anytime between 2PM Saturday and 2 PM Sunday to see what we are up to! We will be operating 24 hours working other participating stations across North America testing our equipment and having an overall good time! If you are interested or just plain curious about this vast hobby and what we provide come on down and join in!

From The American Radio Relay League (ARRL):

“ARRL Field Day is the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada.  On the fourth weekend of June of each year, more than 35,000 radio amateurs gather with their clubs, groups or simply with friends to operate from remote locations.

It is a time where many aspects of Amateur Radio come together to highlight our many roles. While some will treat it as a contest, other groups use the opportunity to practice their emergency response capabilities.  It is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate Amateur Radio to the organizations that Amateur Radio might serve in an emergency, as well as the general public. For many clubs, ARRL Field Day is one of the highlights of their annual calendar.

 The contest part is simply to contact as many other stations as possible and to learn to operate our radio gear in abnormal situations and less than optimal conditions. 

But despite the development of very complex, modern communications systems — or maybe because they ARE so complex — ham radio has been called into action again and again to provide communications in crises when it really matters.  Amateur Radio people (also called “hams”) are well known for our communications support in real disaster and post-disaster situations.

What is Amateur Radio Often called “ham radio,” the Amateur Radio Service has been around for a century. In that time, it’s grown into a worldwide community of licensed operators using the airwaves with every conceivable means of communications technology. Its people range in age from youngsters to grandparents.  Even rocket scientists and a rock star or two are in the ham ranks.  Most, however, are just normal folks like you and me who enjoy learning and being able to transmit voice, data and pictures through the air to unusual places, both near and far, without depending on commercial systems.  

 The Amateur Radio frequencies are the last remaining place in the usable radio spectrum where you as an individual can develop and experiment with wireless communications.  Hams not only can make and modify their equipment, but can create whole new ways to do things. “ 

 For More Information visit:   www.arrl.org

Or PM me here on FB or email me at: res.w1krp@gmail.com

Sunday Sessions...Yes They Still Live

Yes, Sunday Sessions are still alive. Yet to come up with a group project(s) a few hardy souls show up even if just to provide moral support to those of us who sometimes are “all akimbo” in the world of Ham Radio. Take this weekend’s session; Jeff KA1DBE worked magic with powerpoles to get his automatic power transfer switch type thinghy (Tech terminology, sorry) online, Chuck AC1BS researched, I worked on condensing my HB1B QRP kit into a waterproof hard shell case (I might even take it out of the case this year and actually use it!) and we topped off the afternoon with Jeff making a contact on DMR for us to observe. Chris, N1CJS EAWA club President and Chris, AB1PZ head of EMCOMM, were there to lend moral support and give us guidance where needed. And there was coffee consumed of course! 

Next Sunday Session, January 27^th, 12 noon, 25 Tweedie Lane Meadow View Phase 4 Community Room, Ellsworth. 

Questions…contact me, Dick W1KRP at  res.w1krp@gmail.com

73!

EAWA Club Battery Box

Ellsworth Amateur Wireless Association has a lot of talented members! Yet another member showed his talents by giving the club a home for its large AGM battery for power backup at 25 Tweedie Lane where we meet. Bob Morse AB1EP stepped up to the plate after we, with Bob’s help as well, purchased a large AGM battery for use in the club space. After searching for an affordable box to safely store it AB1EP volunteered to ‘come up with something’ in his workshop. Last Thursday Bob showed up at the club meeting with this work of art. Hand crafted using maple from his property none the less! Thanks Bob!

Sunday Session(s)

This coming Sunday, November 4th at 12 Noon the crew will meet for another Session. 25 Tweedie Lane in Ellsworth Meadow View Phase 4 Community Room where the club meetings are held. Possible plan on getting a shopping list to together for the End Fed antenna Morgan mentioned at the EAWA meeting recently! Bring your stuff your working on anyway and coffee of course!!