International Lighthouse/Lightship events - Sat/Sun 8/15-16

 (from the August 2026 RARA Rag)

ILLW AT THE CHARLOTTE-GENESEE LIGHTHOUSE

GEORGE ADAMS, K4GWA

 Here's a combination that never gets old: Ham Radio and Lighthouses! RARA is once again taking part in International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend (ILLW), and we'd love for you to join us at the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse. This year's event runs Saturday and Sunday, August 15th and 16th, 11 AM to 3 PM, at the same spot as always. We'll set up antennas the Friday before, August 14th, starting at 3pm — extra hands are always welcome if you want to help raise a mast or just watch us figure out where the flagpole and the lighthouse tower will hold a dipole. ILLW isn't a contest — it's a friendly, worldwide event that started back in 1998 with a small radio club in Ayr, Scotland, and has since grown to include hundreds of lighthouses and lightships in dozens of countries every August. The point is simple: get on the air, make contacts, and help spread the word about these historic beacons and why they're worth preserving. 

Speaking of historic — the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse is a great one to operate from. Built in 1822 for a grand total of $3,301 and finished in just seven months, it's the oldest surviving lighthouse on Lake Ontario. It was nearly torn down in 1965, but local high school students wrote letters and saved it. Decades later, in 1984, students from Edison Tech built the replica lantern room that let tours begin again. And after sitting dark for over a century, the light itself was relit in 2014 and is once again an official Coast Guard aid to navigation. RARA will have radios, antennas, and operators on hand, and you're welcome to operate on any authorized band or mode. If you've never made a contact from a lighthouse before, this is your chance. Tours of the lighthouse are also available if you'd like to climb up and take in the view of the lake and the mouth of the Genesee River. 

Come out, meet old friends, make new ones, and chew the rag. Hope to see you there! 

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

Also....Oswego NY. Once again Fred Legawiec, W2LGA will be set up at the H Lee White Maritime Museum for a special event station activation. 

We will set up as W2G for the International Lighthouse / Lightship Weekend on August 15th and 16th from 8am -5pm. This will be our 15th year participating in the event. More information can be found at illw.net. The public as well as hams are more than welcome to participate and observe.

Fred Legawiec, W2LGA (w2lga@yahoo.com)

Learn more about the lighthouse museum at: https://hlwmm.org/

More info on the ILLW event here: https://illw.net/

W2JWW's 83rd birthday! Send him some B-day well wishes!

 

W2JWW put on several nice Hamfests in Moravia for a few years. He coincided those hamfests with his birthday. Mike has been working through some health issues recently, but is on a path to improved health. So unfortuneately, no hamfest this year, but we wanted to see if folks could send some birthday card well wishes Mike's way for his 83rd birthday on July 21st.

Please consider sending a card to Mike D Agostino; W2JWW at: 2553 Jugg St. Moravia NY 13118.

Volunteers needed - Boilmaker Race - Utica NY

 

Urgently Needed Assistance....Volunteers needed in Utica NY on Sunday July 12th, 2026

I'm forwarding you the information below on volunteering for the Boilermaker Road Race Ham Radio net. I don't know how familiar you may be with this activity so I'll give you a summary and invite your questions.

The Race Date is Sunday July 12th, 2026 with Volunteers Party on Monday, July 13th, 2026.

Basically, we run a directed net to support the health and safety of the runners during the race. Ham operators (licensed hams only) are stationed along the course, usually at water stations or with first aid personnel, but occasionally at other points to observe as well. If an operator sees a runner that seems to be in distress, he/she can alert the medical people at or near their location and work with them to communicate their needs to the net control (e.g. ambulance), golf cart/ 4 wheeler for transport if needed, and relay information. Net control is at the command center, so the communications goes to the necessary folks from there and will get relayed back to you. If the net control has an inquiry that an observer at a particular location may be able to answer, the operator may get a request. Often, those are questions about personnel at a location, where the end of the race is, etc. We don't use names on the air and refer to runners by "bib number" for privacy. This is an early morning activity and operators need to be at their assigned location along the course before 6:00 AM. All operators get credentials that identify them by name and a volunteer t-shirt to wear on race day. The race allows 2 1/2 hours for completion, and with a start time around 8:00AM, the activity will take a good part of the morning. Operators are released from their assignments when the last runner passes their post, so the actual amount of time required varies, but won't go any later than that.

You'll need a reliable dual band HT with sufficient batteries to cover the morning, note paper and a pen, sunscreen, water, and whatever snacks you need for the morning so that you can stay at your location. We cannot park vehicles on the course, so you'll need to be able to stand or sit along the course in a position that you can observe from. Full instructions on net operations, frequencies, times, locations, etc. will be provided before the race and we typically do a "practice net" prior to the race as well so you can check out your radio and get familiar with things.

The race also has a volunteer party on the Monday following the race at the Utica Memorial Auditorium that you'll get an invitation to. If you're interested in signing up, it volunteers for all aspects of the race must register electronically through the site RunSignup . Our group is Ham Radios, and when you sign up, the process will ask you to provide an e-mail and create a password as well as sign a waiver form. If you have any difficulties with the site, let me know. I can provide you with specific instructions.

We need to have signups as soon as possible, as t-shirt orders and credentials processing is going on now. If you are interested, please let me know of any questions you may have this week if you can.

We are still in need of more volunteers for the Boilermaker this year.

If you can assist - please contact Bob Decker ASAP.

Bob Decker tbd2626@yahoo.com

Bob Decker, Coordinator

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

Fort Herkimer Amateur Radio Association, Inc info: https://www.fhara.net/

Race info: https://www.boilermaker.com/

Happy Marconi Day!

 

Museum Ship Weekend June 6-7, 2026

 OPERATE W2L WITH FRED AT THE LT-5 TUGBOAT

June 6th and 7th 2026 we will be operating at the World War II Army Tugboat LT-5 in Oswego, New York for the annual Museum Ship Weekend Event. The LT-5 was an instrumental part of Operation Overlord (The D-Day Invasion). She is moored at the H Lee White Museum in Oswego Harbor Oswego, New York.

  A few twists this year though … I have obtained a Special Event Call Sign, W2L, for the event. Oswego Waterfront Festival is also going on at the same time!! I am hoping many other hams want to come and enjoy the weekend and operate from their own portable set ups. My station will be set up inside the Derrick Boat which is moored next to the LT-5. I will be operating Saturday and Sunday, June 6 & 7 from about 8:00 am until 5:00pm. I will coordinate the log submission to the USS New Jerey Amateur Radio club which sponsors the event upon event completion. Please contact Fred Legawiec, W2LGA at W2LGA@Yahoo.com if you are planning to set up a portable station and participate. I have also verified that this is also a POTA location so it will be considered a POTA Activation also. June 6, 2026 is also the 82nd anniversary of Operation Overlord (D-Day). For event detail see the Battleship New Jersey ARS - Museum Weekend Event info: https://www.nj2bb.org/museum/

Fred Legawiec, W2LGA

Niagara Radio Club - 85th anniversary

Congratualtions to the Niagara Radio Club as it is celebrates it's 85th anniversary in 2026!

First incorporated in 1941, the club has seen ham radio evolve into different modes and technologies.

We are planning special event club stations for 2026 (announcements will be forth coming).

For more information, please visit Www.niagararadioclub.com 

Thank you and 73's

James Laughlan, W2KYM

Niagara Radio Club

Winter Field Day 2026 - Jan. 24-25, 2026

Winter Field Day is an exciting annual event for amateur radio enthusiasts, taking place on the last full weekend of January. It offers a unique opportunity for radio operators to set up field operations in remote locations, enabling them to connect with other participants worldwide. You may choose to participate solo or get your your friends, family, or whole club involved. Winter Field Day is organized by the Winter Field Day Association. The association strongly believes that ham radio operators should practice portable emergency communications in winter environments. This is because freezing temperatures, snow, ice, and other hazards pose unique operational concerns.

The 30-hour operational period starts at 1600 UTC on Saturday (11 am EST), the 24th, and ends at 21:59 UTC on Sunday, the 25th (4:59 pm EST). Stations may begin setting up no earlier than 16:00 UTC (11 pm EST) on the Friday before.

The Winter Field Day event aims to help participants improve their preparedness for disasters and enhance their operational abilities in adverse conditions. Amateur radio operators have the freedom to use frequencies on the HF, VHF, or UHF bands while employing voice, CW, and digital transmissions. The event designates specific objectives to encourage a diverse range of activities, including the use of non-commercial power sources, the deployment of multiple antennas, establishing satellite contacts, and more.

More info at: https://winterfieldday.org/

Links to some WFD activity plans/examples:

https://www.n1fd.org/2025/12/11/winter-field-day-2026-6-band-multiplier-prep/

https://www.n4pow.com/parcwfd2026

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

CANCELED!!! 1/24/26 - In anticipation of the massive winter storm on its way, Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday issued a state of emergency for all of New York. 

Due to the state of emergency the park and our cabin will be unavailable, thus canceling our plans for a WFD event. Please let others know if they planned to attend.

RaRa‘s Winter Field Day event has been cancelled.

Jeff Fuller, KE2ELI
RaRa Vice President

Rochester Winter Field Day with RARA (from Jan.2026 RARA Rag):

Location:  West Lodge at Mendon Ponds Park.

Map:   https://www.monroecounty.gov/files/parks/Maps/MPP.pdf

Directions:   https://www.google.com/maps/place/West+Lodge/@43.035263,-77.5647776,17z

If you have questions you can email Jeff at:  vicepresident@rochesterham.org and you can find more information about Winter Field Day Here:  https://winterfieldday.org/

Happy New Year!

Another year has come and gone! We wanted to reach out to say Thank You to the many individuals and clubs that send us information and corrections for the UpstateHam web site! Also thanks to our viewers for visiting and supporting our site.

Wishing you all health and Happiness in the new year!

73- From the folks at UpstateHam.com

NY QSO Party 2025 - October 18th

 

NY QSO Party Objective :

● New York stations: Work as many stations inside and outside New York as possible during the contest period. 

● Stations outside of New York State: Work as many New York stations and as many New York counties as possible during the contest period. 

● Stations may be contacted on multiple bands and modes, subject to entry class. 

● 12-hour Contest Period: October 18, 2025, from 14:00:00 UTC through 01:59:59 UTC. (10:00 AM Eastern Time through 9:59:59 PM Eastern Time). 

More info at: https://nyqp.org/wordpress/

Activate the Adirondacks - Sept. 12-14, 2025

 The ARRL Northern New York Section is sponsoring this all-new operating event! The dates are Friday to Sunday, September 12th – 14th 2025.

Activators will be operating mobile or portable radio stations in POTA locations, State Forests, State Parks, Summits, Fire Towers, and other sites within the Adirondack State Park and surrounding locations. This inaugural event is open to all properly licensed ham radio operators, both as Activators and Hunters. Activators may operate on all HF bands, UHF and VHF (simplex). 

More info at: https://nnyarrl.org/events/activate-the-adirondacks-2025

Great 2025 ROC City Hamfest!

The guys at the ROC City Hamfest hit another one out of the park yesterday! The 2025 Roc City Hamfest on August 23rd was held in memory of K2ZX, Joe Merolillo. Joe would be very proud of the groups efforts! Joe was the Hamfest founder and always rallied a gang to put on one of the areas better hamfests. 

It was a beutiful day with a very large group of tailgaters as well as buyers. We got to see a lot of faces and shake quite a few hands of folks we had'nt seen in awhile. Lots of equipment was changing hands along with many smiling faces up and down the aisles. They also had quite a few people camping out Friday night as well as over thirty people at the Log Cabin for dinner. Already looking forward to next year guys! 

Maker Faire Syracuse - Sat. May 3rd 2025

 

More info at: https://syracuse.makerfaire.com/

Special Event Station - VE Day 80th anniv. - Thurs. 5/8/25

  VE DAY 80TH ANNIVERSARY - ELDRED, PENNSYLVANIA 

  The McKean County Amateur Radio Club will be operating a special event station on Thursday, May 8, 2025 at the Eldred WWII Museum, operating as W3VV to commemorate and celebrate the VE 80th anniversary, while also showing our gratitude to the men, women and children who dedicated their lives to the war effort.

  The radio club will be providing a public demonstration at the Eldred World War II museum while making voice and morse code contacts over the air with other amateur radio operators in North America, Europe and world-wide!  The amateur radio community will also learn about the Eldred World War II museum in Pennsylvania, its collections and mission. There will be a certificate available to those that make a successful radio contact with the station.

McKean County Amateur Radio Club FB page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/W3VV.CLUB/

World Amateur Radio Day!

Happy World Amateur Radio Day! 100th anniversary!

World Amateur Radio Day, held on April 18 each year, is celebrated worldwide by radio amateurs and their national associations which are organized as member-societies of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). It was on this day in 1925 that the IARU was formed in Paris. American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Co-Founder Hiram Percy Maxim was its first president. A major theme for 2025 is celebrating 100 years of IARU.  

More info at: https://www.arrl.org/world-amateur-radio-day#:~:text=2025%20World%20Amateur%20Radio%20Day%20is%20April%2018&text=When%3A%20WARD%20is%20Friday%2C%20April,best%20for%20your%20local%20club.

Save the date: Upstate New York POTA Meetup - Sept. 6&7, 2025

 Upstate New York POTA Meetup

Get ready for an action-packed weekend of POTA at Watkins Glen State Park the first weekend in September! Whe have the South Pavilion all day Sunday, September 7, and we hope you'll join us on Saturday, September 6, for exploring the park. There is also the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Festival on Friday, for those who want to come earlier. Many of us are camping all weekend, from Friday evening into Monday morning. The North Country Trail runs through the park, and behind the pavilion, making it a 3-fer! We can't wait to see you there!

More details and RSVP on the Upstate New York POTA Facebook group: 

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BoELhgoxi/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Save the date: 4th Annual Mid-Atlantic POTA Meetup - 7/19/25

 4th Annual Mid-Atlantic POTA Meetup (Northern Pennsylvania/Southern Tier NY)

🚨 Calling all radio adventurers! 🚨

Get ready to tune in, chow down, and log some serious fun at the 4th Annual Mid-Atlantic POTA Meetup! Mark your calendars for July 19, 2025, and join us at Little Pine State Park (US-1377) Waterville, PA for a day packed with radios, good company, and maybe even a few unexpected pileups.

We’ve secured Pavilion 2 for the day (8 AM – 8 PM), so whether you’re an early riser or a casual roll-in-whenever operator, you’re covered. The main event kicks off around noon with a potluck-style feast—bring something tasty to share!

☕ Bonus Event: Kickstart the day with coffee and caching! KB3KLT is hosting a Geocaching Meetup from 9:30 – 11:30 AM, so if you like hunting for hidden treasures (besides DX contacts), don’t miss out.

📍 Pavilion Coordinates: 41.363855, -77.355551

🚽 Facilities? Yep, just a short walk away.

🚗 Parking? Plenty.

Expect radios, food, friendship, and the usual POTA shenanigans. Let us know if you’re coming—see you there! 🎙️🌲

More details and RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/share/1bh8q7KcMQ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Parks on the Air - Erie Canal Bicentennial Celebration - Sept. 2025

 September 16-25, 2005 - Parks on the Air - Erie Canal Bicentennial Celebration 

The Erie Canal turns 200 in 2025! We are excited to invite you and your club to join us for a special Parks on the Air (POTA) activation of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor (POTA US-6532) in September. The event will take place during the World Canal Conference which is being hosted this year in Buffalo, New York, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the completion of the Erie Canal!

 

Experience the canal that transformed America and join amateur radio operators from across New York State as we activate the Heritage Corridor from September 16-25.While the World Canal Conference officially kicks off on Sunday, September 21, at Canalside in Buffalo, there are also pre-conference events across the state starting on Thursday, September 16.

 

We're looking for as many clubs and individuals as possible to plan POTA activations within the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor (US-6532) over the 10 days. For those activating along the canal (which is encouraged), the Empire State Trail (US-8098) is a common two-fer you may wish to include. The Heritage Corridor is a large area that also includes Cayuga and Seneca Lakes, and even north of Albany, so regardless of where you are in the state, there are a lot of eligible locations and possible n-fers (activating from multiple POTA entities at once).

 

We invite all surrounding amateur radio clubs and individual operators to join us in promoting Amateur Radio and Parks on the Air, as we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal! Clubs are encouraged to make this event their own, engaging members and newer hams to participate, possibly creating a custom QSL card, and promoting their activity across social media.

 

73,

Matt K2EAG, Angela N3ARB and Mike N2MAK

 

Note: This event is not sponsored by the Parks on The Air or the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. If you are new to POTA, or club activations, be sure to check out the resources below:

 

Parks on the Air

https://parksontheair.com

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor 

https://eriecanalway.org

World Canal Conference 

https://wcc2025buffalo.com

 

Parks on the Air Club Activation Guide

https://docs.pota.app/docs/activator_reference/activator_guide_clubs.html

 

Upstate New York POTA Facebook Group (Unofficial)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1207733937203773/

We have also collaborated with our friend Mike W4OPS, one of the official POTA vendors, on a shirt design that is available. It has the “blue and gold” canal colors and the official POTA logo on the back and sleeve. Link: https://www.hamstuffonline.com

Happy New Year!

 

Another year has come and gone!

We wanted to reach out to say Thank You to the many individuals and clubs that send us information and corrections for the UpstateHam web site! Also thanks to our viewers for visiting and supporting our site.

Wishing you all health and Happiness in the new year!

73- From the folks at UpstateHam.com!

Winter Field Day 2025

 

Winter Field Day - January 25th & 26th, 2025

What is WFD?

Winter Field Day is a communications exercise. WFD is held on the last full weekend in January. WFD can be worked from the comfort of your home or in a remote location. You can participate by yourself or get your friends, family, or whole club involved. Winter Field Day is open to participants worldwide. Amateur radio operators may use frequencies on the HF, VHF, or UHF bands and are free to use any mode that can faithfully transmit the required exchange intact. Similar to the ARRL’s Field Day, bonus points are earned in several ways, including using non-commercial power sources, operating from remote locations, satellite contacts, and more.

Send us your plans and or pictures and we will share them with our readers!

more info at: https://winterfieldday.org/index.php

Emergency Preparedness Class - Syracuse - 11/20/24

 The Bear Bait Radio Club is sponsoring a Emergency Preparedness Class given by the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. It will be held on Wednesday November 11th at 7pm at Town of Clay Highwaty Dept. Garage on Rt. 31. Registration is required. 

Register here: https://www.dhses.ny.gov/citizen-preparedness-training-calendar