NY QSO Party - October 17th

                            2015 New York QSO Party            
     
Set aside the date: Saturday, October 17th, 10:00 AM ET

Phone – CW – RTTY/Digital

Since 2009 Rochester has been the home of the NY QSO Party. This is a great opportunity to be a station that everyone wants to work. All stations work only NY'ers!

All the information you need such as rules, FAQ's and awards are just a click
away... www.NYQP.org.
                                         
"But my station isn't good enough."  WRONG!

There is lots of activity on 40 and 80 meters so signals (yours and theirs) will be strong. QRP stations have made almost 600 QSO's in the NYQP. Activity on the upper bands grows every year.

Work a few, work a bunch. Operate from home or grab a friend and mobile a number of Counties (only if you can deal with being very popular). Can you work all 62 NY Counties? The fun is there waiting to happen!

If you expect to be operating mobile from a number of counties please post your plans to the NYQP website. More contacts, more fun! CQ NYQP!

More information and rules at: http://www.nyqp.org/

Thanks to the NYQSO Team for forwarding this notice on to us!

Send us your event info to post on UpstateHam.com at UpstateHam@gmail.com

Ham Radio Exams Saturday, October 17th

 Syracuse VE Exam Team - Ham Radio Exams 
Saturday, October 17th, 2015

All exams available: Tech, General, Extra

- registration noon to 1 p.m. at Liverpool Public Library in the Sargent Room.

Bring: copy of current license if you hold one.
2 forms of ID are needed - one with your picture
Exam fee $14 in cash or M.O.
Last exam scheduled  for 2015

Please Email any Questions to: VEexams@hotmail.com

The Syracuse VE Team has been doing these exams for 31 years!
They were also the 2nd exam team in New York state to begin under the volunteer system. 
Thanks to them and all the upstate groups that conduct training and exams!

Listening to Digital Voice communications

I recently have had several inquiries from folks interested in listening to digital voice modes. So this week I came across this interesting article that does a pretty good job of answering some of those questions. The article explains the equipment required to continue listening to many digital Amateur and public service radio transmissions. It covers most of the digital voice modes and the basic functionality of each mode. Though written from the perspective of a Canadian Ham/SWL, it is very applicable to what is happening around the world.

from Scanner Digest #72 (Summer 2015)
CANADA Report - John Leonardelli - VE3IPS

ve3ips@gmail.com

Buzz Buzz Bzzzzrrrp - The Short Guide to Digital Radio

The world of scanning is changing as we move from an

analog world to a digital one. Each digital mode has

different characteristics in how the analog voice is

converted to and decoded from digital. Linking methods

vary across each mode and inter-operability is lacking

between them. Many local amateur radio club nets that

offered interesting listening are now moving to the digital

modes. However, many ARES/RACES groups continue to

offer analog and digital mode nets to test out the

communication readiness.

Signalink and Other USB Digital Interfaces - Bug Fix for Amateur Radio Digital Modes

Huge Windows bug ruining your receive performance on all digital modes, fix discovered

https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/3eytah/huge_windows_bug_ruining_your_receive_performance/

There's a bug with the USB audio chipset used in many ham radio sound interfaces that occurs in Windows Vista and later. The affected chipset is the TI PCM2900 series PCM2904 and below, pre-C revisions.
A non-exhaustive list of devices using this chip and therefore have the bug guaranteed:
All Icoms with built in USB Audio
All Kenwoods with built in USB Audio
All Yaesus with built in USB Audio, as well as the SCU-17 Interface
All Signalink USB's

If you have one of these devices, and are on Windows Vista or later, your performance is reduced due to this bug even if you think it's working fine. Wait until you see your performance afterwards! This is confirmed by Texas Instruments, who never recommended this chipset for use on Windows Vista and later in the first place, and also tested with more than 70 hams who gained massive receive performance after the fix.

Pumpkin Patrol 2015

The Liverpool Amateur Radio Club (LARC), the Amateur Radio community and The New York State Police (Troop T) are again pleased to sponsor the 2015 Pumpkin Patrol. (Most counties across NY have Ham radio groups participating)

This is a two night public service event to be held on October 30th and 31st from 19:00 to 21:00 hours. The chairman is seeking Amateur Radio Operators who can dedicate one or both evenings. Operators are encouraged to work in pairs and non-ham friends, family or pets are encouraged to accompany them. Teams will operate from their vehicles (no walking or standing required) and repeater coverage is generally okay for handheld use although mobile units are encouraged.

Binghamton area repeaters

A few folks have asked for news on active Binghamton Area Amateur Repeaters.

Check out our list below:

146.730 - 100.0 Binghamton K2TDV (Ingraham Hill) Linked to Ithaca 146.895 K2ZG
146.865 - 146.2 Maine  WA2QEL (E.A. Link Field)
146.820 – 146.2 Vestal WA2QEL (Kopernik Obs) Linked to 146.865
147.345 + 146.2 Hancock WA2QEL Liked to 146.865
147.120 + 100.0 Vestal K2ZG
147.075 +  CSQ  K2VQ Not Sure of the Location
145.470 – CSQ  W2EWM Town of Binghamton near the PA border.
147.255 + 100.0 WA2VCS Endicott
145.390 – 123.0 N2YR Endicott
146.760 – CSQ  W2VDX Owego
147.300 + 91.5 K2OQ  Candor
147.390 + 91.5 K2OQ Owego
145.430 + 77.0 N3KZ Elk Mt. PA I-81 Good Signal From Binghamton South

444.100 + 146.2 WA2QEL Vestal Linked to 146.865
444.300 + 173.8 N2YOW Endicott Linked to WA2VCS 147.255
444.700 + 131.8 N3KZ University of Penn. Linked 70CM -currently down.

Thanks to KD2GIV; Kris for his list of observations from the Southern Tier (7/8/15)

Bear Bait Radio Club - upcoming events and news!

The Bear Bait Radio Club is having their second annual Tailgate Fest on Saturday 9/26 from 6am until 1pm. It’s at the Town of Clay Welcome Center (4401 Route 31, Clay, NY 13041). Everybody is welcome to buy or sell radio related equipment and must take their things with them when they leave.

We also have a Technician Course and VE session on 10/3 – 10/4 in Long Lake at the Gieger Building on Mt. Sabattis and then we’re back in this neck-of-the-woods for a course and test on 11/14 – 11/15 at the Clay Welcome Center. Both sessions are 8am – 5pm on both days. The cost is $14 and if they want more information, they can contact Scott on our website www.bearbaitradioclub.com or check the ARRL site.

- W2CJS-3 APRS is now working off the Blue Mountain repeater with good coverage in the central Adirondacks. Also watch for more news here on other improvements to the clubs repeaters in Long Lake and on Blue Mountain in the Adirondacks!

- Message from Nick Deyulio (KD2ETO)

.....Thanks for the update Nick!

Elmira Hamfest 2015 - Sept. 26th

40TH ANNUAL Elmira HAMFEST/COMPUTERFEST

SEPTEMBER 26, 2015 -  8AM to 2PM at the Chemung County Fairgrounds, Horseheads, NY

Tickets: $6 in ADVANCE and $8 AT THE GATE.  Get yours now!

HOURS:
- Flea Market:  6AM to 2PM
- Vendor Bldg: 8AM to 2PM
- Pancake Breakfast:  7AM until sold out.
- Lunch:  10AM until sold out.
- FCC Exams:  9AM

Free Flea Market (price of ticket) - 1 Spot per ticket, Ham & Electronic Gear preferred.
Flea Market Parking for Sellers only!


Inside Vendor Area - Quicksilver Radio

Indoor Vendor Area Available - 8' Tables for rent, Electric available,
Indoor vendor space available by reservation on a first pay - first serve basis.

Door Prizes drawn throughout the day.

Major Prizes drawn at the end of the day.

Be sure to fill-out and deposit your ticket stub in the drawing barrel at the ARAST Club table.  The earlier you get the ticket in the barrel, the more prizes that you have a chance to win.

FCC EXAMS will be held at 9:00 AM On the grounds. Walk-ins welcome.

More info:
http://www.arast.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=6
Location:
CHEMUNG COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS
GRAND CENTRAL AVENUE
HORSEHEADS, NY

GPS Coordinates:

Vendor Gate

N 42° 08.661 W 076° 49.000

General Admission Gate

N 42° 08.743 W076° 49.233 

LARC has upcoming VE Exams and back to "BootCamp"

The Liverpool Amateur Repeater Club (LARC) will start its 2015/2016 VE test sessions starting on September 24th at the North Syracuse Community Center. Testing starts at 5:30pm. Walk-ins are welcome. All exam elements are offered.

If  you plan to attend please bring two ID’s (one photo), a copy of your license or CSCE if you have one, and a black pen. The cost to take the exam is $15. If you pass you can continue on to the next level at no charge. Any re-takes cost another $15. Calculators are permitted. Cellphone/Smartphone calculator apps are not allowed.

For any VE Testing questions please contact Al May by email at wa2kfv@w2cm.com.

And don't miss LARC's next "BootCamp" series on Digital modes, September 24th at 6:15pm.

W2CM BootCamp – Sponsored by the Liverpool Amateur Repeater Club this get-together is similar in concept to the “Now That I’ve Got My License, What Do I Do?” course sponsored by the Radio Amateurs of Greater Syracuse a number of years ago. It will cover topics of general interest mainly for new hams, but all are welcome. There is no charge for the course which will be held prior to the monthly LARC meetings starting at 6:15pm. More information on the course can be obtained from K2VGN by contacting him at k2vgn@w2cm.com

Learn more about LARC at: http://www.w2cm.com/

More VE Exam listings here: http://www.upstateham.com/p/you-want-to-be-ham.html

Strong tropo ducting today - Have some fun!

Strong ducting today and forecast-ed for the next two or three days! Give 6, 10, 2 Meters a try!















Get more Tropo predictions at : http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo.html

Learn more about VHF/UHF propagation at: http://www.dxfm.com/content/propagation.htm

Check out old Radio Shack and Allied Catalogs online

 Back a few months ago I posted a brief story about the demise of Radio Shack. 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. 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. Ham Radio and Scanners were also a big part of that heyday.

Well now you can go back and view your favorite old Radio Shack catalogs on line. Thanks to the folks at RadioShackCatalogs.com. At this website you will be able to view these old 1939-2011 Radio Shack and Tandy Electronics' catalogs, sale flyers, brochures, and more...year by year...page by page.

What's unique about this website is that the catalogs are presented as a VIRTUAL catalog, in a "page-flipping" format. This gives you the experience of paging-through an actual Radio Shack catalog. They also have old sales flyers and even TV commercials along with lots of company history.

Check it out here: http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/index.html

You can also view old Allied Radio catalogs at this site: http://www.alliedcatalogs.com/

I spent an hour last night looking back at some of the cool stuff I enjoyed in my youth. Take a look for yourself, I think you'll have some fun!

Also check out our previous Radio Shack story: http://www.upstateham.com/2015/04/the-demise-of-radio-shack-and-where-to.html

If you have a Radio Shack story you would like to share with our readers, drop us a line at UpstateHam@gmail.com.

North American SSB Sprints - 4 hour DX contest! - Sat. 8/29/15

- received this notice in the mail last night!

THE FUNNEST 4 HOURS IN RADIOSPORT!

North American SSB SPRINT - THIS SATURDAY EVENING  

 AUGUST 29, 2015  (UTC 8/30 00z-04z)

==========================================================

AS WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN THE PREVIOUS EVENT,

WE WANT TO HAVE ALL 50 STATES AND ALL CANADIAN AREAS ON THE AIR AND NEED YOUR HELP! 

RULES AND RESULTS at: http://www.ssbsprint.com

QUESTIONS WELCOME via: http://ssbsprint.com/contact-us

Dear Fellow Contester:

This is one final reminder regarding the exciting four hour NA SSB Sprint contest that will be occurring this Saturday evening August 29, 2015.  We know some of you are quite familiar with the SSB Sprint and have already indicated that you will be on, while others are less familiar.

Some local repeater changes and updates

The Drumlins Amateur Radio club in Newark NY reports that on September 1, 2015, PL tones go live on the 146.745 and 146.685 repeaters. Both repeaters will now be using 71.9 Hz.

We were also sent a notice that the 147.300 in Syracuse will add a PL tone of 67.0 Hz on October 1st, 2015.

Please also note that EchoLink is back up and running on the W2QYT 147.00 repeater.

Lighthouse Weekend at Verona-Sylvan Beach

  Just a polite reminder that this Saturday and Sunday is International Lighthouse / Lightship Weekend. I will be setting up an amateur station at the Verona Beach Lighthouse on 4th avenue in Verona-Sylvan Beach. I plan on beginning set up at about 8:00am on Saturday and operating continuously through 5 pm Sunday. (Weather permitting …. My R7 and Thunderstorms do NOT play well together). All are welcome and the event is 100% free! The Verona Beach light has been beautifully restored to its original splendor by the Verona Beach Lighthouse Association! Please come out and see their fine work and maybe work my rig awhile and make some other lighthouse / lightship contact. To date there are over 450 lighthouses and lightships signed up to have amateur stations around the world!! By Saturday it will easily top 500!!

Thanks and hope to see you there or at least make a contact on the air! J

from

Fred Legawiec, W2LGA

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

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 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: UpstateHam@gmail.com