Merry Xmas, Happy Chanukah, or whichever holiday you are celebrating this month.
Attached is the December issue of Sparks from the Spa newsletter.
Just a reminder that our December 11 meeting is our annual holiday get together at the usual location in the Wilton EMS Squad building. There will not be a Board of Directors meeting, instead the General Membership meeting will begin at 6:30 PM (instead of the usual 7:00 PM). The program will just be you and whatever you want to talk about with your fellow hams.
Feel free to bring along some empty calories in the form a snack to share with everyone. If you are able, you can also bring along an unwrapped toy to be donated to a needy child. We will start at 6:30 and it will last until the last one of us leaves the door. We hope you have some fun.
I hope you’re keeping warm! The last couple of days have been very chilly. We had not had a frost at my house until the night of election day. Having outdoor tomato plants green and healthy until November 7 has to be some kind of record.
Don’t forget that this Monday, Nov is our regular club meeting. Our scheduled speaker has cancelled at the last minute, and as of right now, I am unsure of the program.
Here is a bit of information for those of you interested in the new 630 meter band. If you have an 80 or 160 meter antenna, you might want to give a listen. The announcement says Nov 11, but does not give UTC times.
– Jim KG2H
630-Meter Special Operating Event on November 11 Commemorates Berlin Treaty From ARRL
Amateur Radio operators will descend upon 630 meters on November 11 during a special operating event to commemorate the 1906 Berlin Treaty, which made 500 kHz the International Distress Frequency on November 3 of that year. US radio amateurs recently gained access to 630 meters, but must have notified the Utilities Technology Council (UTC) of their intent to operate and either received explicit approval or not heard anything for 30 days in order to participate.
Four different groups will take part: US radio amateurs, US Part 5 Experimental operators, Canadian radio amateurs, and the Maritime Radio Historical Society (MRHS). Canadian and authorized US radio amateurs will operate from 472 to 479 kHz, using CW.
Some stations are expected to offer cross-band contacts, transmitting on 630 meters and listening on 160, 80, and 40 meters. Part 5 Experimental operators, including WD2XSH stations and others who don’t yet have UTC approval, will operate in the 472-479 kHz band or just outside of it, and there may be some operation on 500 kHz proper.
The Maritime Radio Historical Society will activate its KSM/KPH transmitter at Bolinas, California, for a mini “Night of Nights” with special messages and bulletins.
I’m pleased to attach the October issue of Sparks From the Spa. I hope you enjoy reading it.
Just a few quick items for you.
Don’t forget the club meeting this Monday, October 9. Yes, it’s Columbus day. I hope you have a nice day off of work, so come to the meeting. Board Meeting is at 6:30, and General Membership meeting is 7:00 PM.
Apple Walk is this Saturday at Burnt Hills. See the newsletter for information.
Be sure to monitor our repeaters (147.00 and 147.24) this Saturday morning. The organizers of the SET (Section Emergency Test) have been very tight-lipped about SET this year, we may have a surprise exercise.
On SATURDAY, October 7th, the annual ARRL/ARES Simulated Emergency Test (SET) will take place, and Saratoga County amateur radio operators will be taking part. The objective is to activate as many stations from as many county locations, including served agencies, as possible. The goal is to demonstrate that our county can activate a corps of radio operators quickly in case of a real emergency. Points are awarded based on the nature of each QSO, and each county will report its results to the section emergency coordinator for ENY by noon that same day.
The exercise begins at 9 am and runs until 11 am for home, portable and mobile participants. You can take part by checking-in to the club’s linked 2-meter repeaters (147.00 & 147.240) or 147.360 at or about 9:00 a.m. to obtain an assignment. This year we’ll be focusing our efforts on the Northwestern portion of the County. If you can commit to a few hours on Saturday morning, maybe up until noon if we’re getting good results, take a drive towards the Northwestern portion of the county and check-in with NET control. We’ll be looking to test communications in the following areas: Providence, Edinburgh, Day, Hadley, and Corinth. You may need to use the Warren County repeater 146.730, minus offset, 100 Hz at some of the locations so you should check to ensure you have that frequency in your radio(s).
Check-in to the SET network on the club repeaters from each location.
Do this as many times as you can … then enjoy your morning, knowing you’ve made a real contribution to Saratoga County’s emergency preparedness.
