Digital Voice coming to CNY and the 147.39 repeater

Yaesu's System Fusion Digital Voice capability will be coming to the WN8Z 147.39 repeater in Oswego County in early 2015. WN8Z; Pat has reported that the new Fusion DR-1X repeater is on order and he hopes to have it up and running within a month or two. Pat now has the Fusion capable FTM-400DR mobile as well as the FT1DR handheld that he is starting to explore all the System Fusion capabilities with.

Several local Ham's in the area have also purchased new System Fusion capable radios in recent months and have expressed much enthusiasm for this new mode's capabilities. There are also discussions of the possibility of one or more other Fusion repeaters coming to CNY in 2015. There are also at least two System Fusion repeaters coming on line in the Rochester area, and one in Cortland later this year.

Stay tuned here for updates on Pat's progress on this exciting project, as well as news of other System Fusion repeaters in Upstate NY.

link to a System Fusion overview: http://www.yaesu.com/pdf/System_Fusion_text.pdf

Recent articles on digital voice for Amateur Radio:

The Spectrum Monitor; January 2015, (http://www.thespectrummonitor.com/)

Reviews of 2 Fusion Radios - QST Magazine; September 2014 (http://www.arrl.org/qst)

Monday Night Hobby Net - have you got a topic?

Check out the CNY Hobby Information Net; Mondays at 7:00 pm on the 146.67 (-) PL=103.5. (also linked to the KD2SL-53.67 mhz repeater for this NET)

What's your hobby? Model cars, Radio Control aircraft, Portable Operation, Model RR or Railfans, Auto restoration, Cameras, Kites; among others ......we want to hear your story and experiences.

On Monday January 26th we wanted to see if we could get people to discuss portable operations, QRP, and SOTA. What portable antennas have you used? What radios and power sources do you use?  Have you tried SOTA - Summits-on-the-Air? Where do you go, the beach, your deck, maybe the Adirondacks? Please come joins us next Monday Night and share your experiences. Note: other topics can always also be covered, after all this is your net...have at it!.

Varying topics are covered each week (no guns or weapons please...), so tune in or contact N2VZD, Tim for more information at N2VZD@AOL.com. (...and a big THANK YOU to N2VZD -Tim for bringing this NET to the airwaves)

145.15 added to the CNY VHF linked system today!

The KD2SL 145.15 repeater, (-) offset and 123.0 PL, has been linked into the CNY linked repeater system. This repeater has excellent coverage in the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County. Give it a try sometime!

THE CNY LINKED REPEATER SYSTEM:
147.000 + PL 71.9 Auburn - Cayuga County -W2QYT  (echolink node# 9188)
145.330 - PL 71.9 Remsen - Oneida County - KB2AUJ (temporarily un-linked)
147.225 + PL 71.9 Cortland - Cortland County -KB2FAF
146.970 - PL 103.5 Ithaca - Tompkins County - AF2A (TCARA)
145.150 - PL 123.0 Lafayette - Onondaga County - KD2SL (added 1/18/15)***
443.150 + PL 71.9 Syracuse - Onondaga County (MOST)

Blue Mountain Repeater update

Blue Mountain Fire Tower and antennas (1/13/15)

Nick Deyulio from the Bear Bait Radio Club sent us an update this week on the 146.865 repeater on top of Blue Mountain in Hamilton County (central ADK's). The repeater had some issues recently and has now been replaced with a temporary replacement while the original repeater is being repaired. Thanks to Chris; KD2BAD for braving the elements to go up top on January 13th to replace the repeater (check out the picture to the left). This repeater provides good coverage to the central Adirondacks where cell coverage is very limited. Thanks to the Bear Bait Club (and helpers) for this important north country repeater!

Nick also mentioned that there is now APRS capability from on top of Blue Mountain. See the clubs web page for more information at: http://www.bearbaitradioclub.com/index.html


Read more about this repeater in an older UpstateHam story here: http://www.upstateham.com/2013/05/new-2-meter-repeater-for-adirondacks_20.html

The Bear Bait Radio Club is also having a Amateur Radio Technician Class and VE test session on February 21st and 22nd, 2015 at the Clay Welcome Center on RT. 31, Clay NY. It's from 8-5 each day. Lunch will be provided. Contact Scott; WA2DTN for more info at: kb2bdb@twcny.rr.com

The club also provides Amateur Radio licensing classes several times a year. See their calendar for more dates and times at:http://www.bearbaitradioclub.com/main_003.htm#

Cool Drone camera footage of changing a tower lamp

KD2SL - Kevin passed this on to us earlier today, nice video and story;

 "Very cool drone camera footage of a TV tower lamp bulb change. The antenna shown (batwings) is essentially the same as what we have on our tower, used for the 6m repeater for a time." 

Thanks Kevin!

link to story and video:
http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/dronecam-captures-tower-tech-changing-bulb-at--feet-/273995

MODEL AIRCRAFT FORUM AND INDOOR FUN FLY - Saturday 1/24

1/24/2015 -- Syracuse, NY (C) MODEL AIRCRAFT FORUM AND INDOOR FUN FLY.

Location: Syracuse Academy Of Science. 1001 Park Ave., Syracuse N.Y.

Indoor Electric Micro flying in an 80x80 gym.

Separate room for static displays,swap shop, information sessions, vendors and food.

A great Mid Winter activity. Sponsor: AERO RADIO CLUB OF SYRACUSE

link to web site:
http://www.amadistrictiistars.org/images/events/2015/MAFflyer2015_HQ_front.jpg

More info: Herbert Ziegler CD PH: 315.857.6266 Email: herbz1957@yahoo.com.

Marathon Hamfest - 2 weeks away!

Its coming up fast, the Marathon Hamfest the first local Hamfest of 2015!

Saturday January 10th 2015 at the Marathon NY Civic Center, corner of Brink & Peck St. in Marathon NY
7AM – noon, Admission $5.00
VE tests will be given at 9 AM with no late entry.

Reserve tables at k2iwr@arrl.net. Reserve now, tables usually sell out.
Free coffee!!

Directions: I-81 to exit 9
Follow signs to Route 221 West
Turn left just before steel deck bridge on to Peck St.
Cross Brink St, Drive straight in to the parking lot.

Sponsored by the Skyline Amateur Radio Club of Cortland

Merry Christmas!

I wanted to take a moment to wish all our UpstateHam viewers a Merry Christmas and joyous Holiday Season!

Thanks to all the contributors for your suggestions and radio information updates that we publish here. (...and always feel free to e-mail us with ideas and information at UpstateHam@gmail.com)

A reminder, the Wednesday night CNY SWAP and Information net will NOT be on the air December 24th and 31st because of  the holiday. Tim; N2VZD will take a well deserved break over the holidays returning again on Wednesday January 7th for the New Years edition of the CNY Swap and Information net.

Thanks also to all the "hammies" out there that make this great hobby possible. We appreciate the guys that the run the NET's, lead the clubs and build our repeaters.

......and Please don't forget to support our repeater owners and trustees that build and maintain our great repeaters in Upstate NY. Their is a lot of time, aggravation and expense involved in keeping our repeaters operating. Make a donation to your favorite repeater today!

Special Event Stations on the Air from the Land of Santa Claus

The Santa Claus stations, OH9SCL (“Santa Claus Land”) and OF9X (“Old Father Nine Xmas”) are on the air! As Santa is busy loading up his sleigh preparing for his journey around the world, his elves will be at the controls of Santa Radio and can tell you Santa's whereabouts. Stop by and say hello. Santa’s journey starts from Finnish Lapland, continuing through the dangerously narrow Baltic airspace to end up on Christmas Day in the US.

Principal radio activity will be over the weekends before and after Christmas. The Santa activity should be around 25 kHz from the band edges, and the SSB pole position is at 14,225 kHz. My DX Summit will feature OH9SCL and OF9X on its Santa menu selection. Occasionally Santa will be available on video, mostly when on 20 meters SSB. Tap the Video and Audio button on the OF9X page, and you may not only see Santa but hear how your own signal sounds in the Land of Christmas.

146.61 Repeater back on the air in Ithaca!

The Cornell Amateur Radio Club has returned the 146.610(-) 103.5 PL, W2CXM repeater to full operation. This repeater is located on top of the 9 story Bradfield Hall, on Tower Road, on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca NY. The repeater easily covers the greater Ithaca area, with very low power required for operation. If you are in the area - give it a try!

Winter SKYWARN Training class

NWS Binghamton is holding Winter SKYWARN Training classes!

NWS has upcoming Winter SKYWARN classes in Montrose, PA, Sayre, PA, Penn Yan, NY, Auburn, NY, and Cortland NY through the 2nd week of December . During these classes we are looking for volunteers to measure and report snowfall to us.  Like our spring classes, these are free and open to all ages.

The Auburn NY class will be at the Cayuga County Office Building on Genesee St., Wednesday, December 10th from 6:30 To 8:30pm The Auburn class has been canceled because of the weather!

They also encourage those who have had previous training to take a refresher class (either basic spring, winter, advanced or flood) every 2 to 3 years.  There is plenty of room in all classes so please consider coming out.

To register please follow the instructions at: http://www.weather.gov/bgm/outreachSKYWARNtraining
- or by sending an email to bgm.skywarn@noaa.gov

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 KD2SL@yahoo.com.”

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

73 – Tony – KC2VER

VE Amateur Radio exams in Verona N.Y.

A note from Len; WF2V (MOARC):

Amateur Radio VE exams are being offered in Verona on the third Friday of every month at 7PM.

Our next test session is this Friday 21 Nov.
Located in Verona, NY at the BOCES library on Spring Road

The Volunteer Examiner can be reached:

Leonard Popyack; WF2V
315-853-8974

I may also be on 145.170 repeater on the VE night. If bad weather or other circumstances forces us to cancel the test session, we will announce it on 145.170

We have been giving tests nearly continuously since 1988!

Thank You.

Len
WF2V

Upcoming CNY Amateur Radio classes

Several courses of interest to the amateur radio community in the central New York area will be kicking off early in 2015:

Amateur Radio License Course – Jointly sponsored by the Liverpool Amateur Repeater Club and the Radio Amateurs of Greater Syracuse, this course covers the material needed to pass the FCC test and become licensed as a Technician class ham. Beginning in mid-January, the course will meet weekly at the Methodist Church in Liverpool. There is no charge for the course and ARRL study manuals will be available at the discounted Instructor’s price. Pre-registration is required for the course, please contact N2TKX, Steve Auyer, Instructor at n2tkx@arrl.net. Classes are planned for Tuesdays, January 13, 2015—March 3, 2015, 5:00pm—7:00pm.

W2CM Bootcamp – Sponsored by the Liverpool Amateur Repeater Club this course 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 to new hams, as well as to some older hams as well. There is no charge for the course which will be held prior to the monthly LARC meetings. More information on the course can be obtained from Pete, K2VGN by contacting him by email at psochocki-at-verizon.net

Between the licensing course and the course to help news hams get involved with the hobby, these two courses are a great way to promote amateur radio in the community.

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