"Frozen Lakes on the Air" expedition (FLOTA)

KD2ETP; Steve is doing his “frozen lakes on the air expedition”; FLOTA, at Onondaga Lake this Saturday 2/28/15. Catch him on his HT on the KD2SL 146.67 repeater for details. See his planned times and HF frequencies listed below:

 - this will be my band plan for my frozen lakes on the air expedition this weekend. I will plan to get on the ice and set up between 10-11 am Saturday morning.

40m 7.285 (7210 at 3:10pm)
20m14.285
17m 18.115
10m 28.885

Starting at 11am and one hour on each of those frequencies will also have a HT and be monitoring 146.67 while out on the ice. Running QRP on my KX3 and a Buddipole antenna.

(UPDATED with a some pictures fresh from KD2ETP, N2DOW and WO2R)

Please give me a call!

Steve; KD2ETP

WN8Z with A Fusion demo at this weeks QCWA meeting

At the February QCWA meeting this Friday 2/27/15, WN8Z; Pat will be conducting a demonstration of his Yaesu Fusion Digital radios. Fusion is coming to several repeaters in CNY this spring. Come learn from one of the areas pioneers of Digital Voice.

The Quarter Century Wireless Asssociation (QCWA) meetings are held the last Friday of each month; 11:30 am at the Denny's Restaurant on South Bay Rd (corner of Lawrence Ave) in North Syracuse (near the Syracuse Airport). QCWA meetings are open to the public.

Check out this interesting web site!

Over the last several weeks I have had a few conversations with other Hams about how to share information with newer Hams or Hams just returning to the hobby after an absence of years. What is the best coax to use? Which connectors solder or crimp-on? How are you grounding your radio?

One of the most useful web sites that I have found for sound technical amateur radio advice is K0BG.com (link:http://www.k0bg.com/). I find myself going back to this site quite often. K0BG; Allen Applegate has done a very nice job pulling together a large amount of very detailed information.

Quoting Allen; "With safety as a byword, there are articles on amplifiers, antennas, bonding, impedance matching, installing hardware, mobile equipment, noise and RFI abatement, wiring, and much more. The suggestions contained on his web site are based on a best foot forward approach, from my experience". The site is well laid out and very easy to navigate.

There are several dozen topics down the left side of the page.
Some of my favorites are:
- Coax annd PL-259 connectors: http://www.k0bg.com/coax.html
- Grounds, RF & D.C.: http://www.k0bg.com/ground.html
- Installation Notes: http://www.k0bg.com/install.html
- Tricks of the trade: http://www.k0bg.com/tricks.html

....just to name a few! Check it out. I don't think you can go wrong spending a few minutes on this site.

Another source of useful Amateur Radio information is the LARC Bootcamp training series on the 4th Thursday of each month prior to their regular club meetings. Learn more at:
http://www.liverpoolamateurrepeaterclub.org/index.php

And don't be afraid to ask for help! ......and to the more experienced, don't be afraid to share some of that knowledge you have gathered through Amateur Radio. That's part of what makes this hobby great; sharing your experience with others.

The Rochester VHF Group

Are you interested in FM DXing and the world above 30 Mhz? The Rochester VHF Group has Monday and Thursday evening nets on both 2M and 6M. We have mentioned them on this site once before, but we heard some folks talking about this group and thought we should get out a link to their web site. The Rochester VHF Group is the oldest continuously operating amateur organization dedicated to VHF and above activities. Be sure to learn more about this group at the address listed below.

The group meets twice a week on the air for an open net. Why not give them a listen, better yet a check-in?

144.260 Mhz SSB on Monday's at 9pm 

50.200 Mhz SSB on Thursday's at 9pm

Learn more about the group at:http://www.rvhfg.org/

Learn more about System Fusion

There is quite a bit of discussion of Digital Voice (DV) modes on the local repeaters lately, especially System Fusion. There are several Fusion repeaters in the works here in Upstate NY and all are expected to be on-line before this summer. We found some helpful information from a club that was part of Yaesu’s Beta program and thought that we would share it on UpstateHam.com. The Yaesu System Fusions FAQ's can be found at the link below.

See our Digital Voice for Amateur Radio page at: http://www.upstateham.com/p/digital-voice-for-amateur-use-discuss.html

(then scroll down the page to the "Yaesu System Fusions FAQ's")

Drumlins Hamfest, April 18th, 2015

We just revived the Drumlins 2015 Hamfest poster. This is always a very good Hamfest, so put it on your calendar!
More information at : http://www.drumlinsarc.org/hamfest.htm

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.