Oct172018

DoD HF Exercise – October 24-26, 2018

Radio Events

Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) members will support a Department of Defense HF radio communication exercise on October 24 through 26, 2018.  The readiness exercise will test the ability to communicate via voice and military standard communication protocols, simulating the loss of conventional communication systems.

MARS members will interface with the Amateur Radio community to collect information at the county level regarding publicly available information.  At 0001 UTC on October 24, Amateur Radio operators are asked to monitor 60-meter channel 1 (5330.5 kHz, USB) for a high-power broadcast of updated information regarding this exercise and how the Amateur Radio community can participate.

During the exercise, MARS members will communicate with Amateur Radio operators on all five 60-meter channels, as well as on other Amateur Radio bands.

Contact MARS for more information regarding this exercise. As a simulation, this exercise will not affect any public or private communications or infrastructure. The exercise will end at 2359 UTC on October 26.

Additionally, MARS members will participate in the HF automatic link establishment (ALE) on-the-air exercise taking place on October 12 – 22.

Oct62018

VE Session Results – October 6, 2018

Exams & Training • SEMARA Announcements

Congratulations to these hams who passed their exams at the October 6, 2018 VE Session:

Victoria Cooper, KC1KJW – Technician
Arthur W. Harvey III, KC1KGC – Extra

Enjoy your new/upgraded privileges!

Need help to get on the air?

Email us with your particular needs, including antennas, VHF/UHF handheld programming, SSB, CW and/or digital mode operation, etc. – radioevents [at] semara [dot] org.

When are you available?  We may be able to arrange either 1-on-1 or small classes.

Aug42018

VE Session Results – August 4, 2018

Exams & Training • SEMARA Announcements

Congratulations to this ham who passed both Technician and General exams at the August 4, 2018 VE Session:

Jeffrey M. Richard, Sr. — KC1KDC (2018-08-13)

Enjoy your new & upgraded privileges!

Need help to get on the air?  Email us with your particular needs, including antennas, VHF/UHF handheld programming, SSB, CW and/or digital mode operation, etc. – radioevents [at] semara [dot] org. When are you available?  We may be able to arrange either 1-on-1 or small classes.

Jul272018

International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend

General Interest • Radio Events

International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend, 21st year
2018 August 18 0001Z to August 19 2359Z

Some 300 groups or individuals are planning to operate that weekend.
For a list of 2018 entrants, click here.

This event is always held on the third weekend in August, and, while it is not a contest, it does bring lots of fun for all who participate.

You can read more here

Activity does not need to take place inside the structure itself.
A Field Day-style setup at the light or other building adjacent to the light is sufficient.
The intent is to make the station visible to visitors.

Perhaps SEMARA could activate one of the lighthouses near us — just an idea. What say?
To enter, register  here.

Jun102018

SEMARA Flea Market – October 6, 2018

Fleas & Fests • SEMARA Announcements

Click the image above to view the full-sized flier.

SEMARA Flea Market 2018 will be held on Saturday, October 6, 2018 at the SEMARA Clubhouse located at 54 Donald Street, Dartmouth, MA.  The event will be held rain or shine from 9:00 AM to 12 noon, with vendor setup beginning at 8:00 AM.  There is handicapped parking and access available.  Over the air talk-in will be on the SEMARA 147.000 repeater.  We will also be conducting a VE exam session inside the clubhouse at 10:30 AM for anyone interested in obtaining or upgrading their amateur radio license.

For more information, please contact us at (508) 997-7070 or hamfest [at] semara [dot] org.

Jun62018

2018 QST Antenna Design Competition

General Interest • SEMARA Announcements

The 2018 competition challenge: design the best LF, MF, or HF antenna for limited space applications.

  • Entrants should send their best designs for evaluation according to the competition rules.
  • Designs that don’t win a prize might still be eligible for publication in a future issue of QST
  • Only one entry per person (or team).
  • Submission deadline is September 1, 2018.

ARRL is offering three cash prizes for this competition.

  • First place is $600.
  • Second place is $250
  • Third place is $150.

Design and Submission Requirements

  • Antennas must be designed for one or more bands between 2200 meters and 10 meters.
  • Must fit within a 30 × 50 foot area.
  • Stand no taller than 30 feet at any point.

read more

Jun32018

Kids Day – Saturday, June 16, 2018

General Interest • Radio Events

Twice per year in January and June for five hours, ARRL Kids Day promotes Amateur Radio to our youth.  Kids Day is designed to give the on-the-air experience to young people and foster interest in getting a license of their own.  It is also intended to give older hams a chance to share their station and love for Amateur Radio with their children.  Share the excitement with your kids, grand-kids, a scout troop, a church or the general public.  Suggested initial exchange is name, age, location and favorite color.  You can work the same station again if an operator has changed.  To draw attention, call “CQ Kids Day.”  All participants are eligible to receive a colorful certificate and feedback on your experiences are also welcome at the ARRL Kids Day page.

Event Date & Time

Saturday, June, 16, 2018
2:00 PM EDT (1800Z) through
6:59 PM EDT (2359Z)

Suggested Frequencies

10 Meters: 28.350 to 28.400 MHz
12 Meters: 24.960 to 24.980 MHz
15 Meters: 21.360 to 21.400 MHz
17 Meters: 18.140 to 18.145 MHz
20 Meters: 14.270 to 14.300 MHz
40 Meters: 7.270 to 7.290 MHz
80 Meters: 3.740 to 3.940 MHz

  • For more information and forms, please visit the ARRL Kids Day page.

Jun22018

VE Session Results – June 2, 2018

Exams & Training • SEMARA Announcements

Congratulations to these hams who passed their exams at the June 2, 2018 VE Session:

Theodore J. Wojcik, KC1JMZ – General
Gary Steven Izzo, KC1CBQ – Extra

Enjoy your upgraded privileges!

Need help to get on the air?  Email us with your particular needs, including antennas, VHF/UHF handheld programming, SSB, CW and/or digital mode operation, etc. – radioevents [at] semara [dot] org.

When are you available?  We may be able to arrange either 1-on-1 or small classes.

May282018

13 Colonies Special Event – July 1-7, 2018

Radio Events

The 9th Annual 13 Colonies Special Event (K2H), will operate Sunday, July 1, 2018, 9:00 AM EDT (1300Z) through Saturday, July 7, 2018, 11:59 PM (7/8, 0400Z).

Plus two bonus stations, WM3PEN and GB13COL:

  • WM3PEN operates from Philadelphia, PA, where independence was declared.  The 13 Colonies certificate adds a Liberty Bell for a contact.  WM3PEN will be on D-STAR each evening from 7-11 PM Eastern Time.

  • GB13COL operates from Durham, England and will offer SSB, CW & Digital modes for the event. A Union Jack is added for a contact.

K2H/W1AEC would like to operate from the first to the last hours of the event period.  I could also operate from my own station as K2H/K1KVV.  The same could work for you; either W1AEC and/or your home station.  You need to register through W1AEC.  Why? Because K2H is being shared with other Massachusetts stations.  We schedule K2H operations using a spreadsheet, so there is only one Massachusetts K2H station on the air at the same time using the same band, mode and hour slot.  That’s the easy way to be maximally present and not walk on each other.

Any Southeastern Massachusetts station interested in joining K2H/W1AEC should contact me.

~Bob K1KVV
SEMARA Radio Events
radioevents [at] semara [dot] org

May212018

Museum Ships Weekend Event – June 2 & 3, 2018

General Interest • Radio Events

The Museum Ships Weekend Event will be held on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 0000Z through Sunday, June 3, 2018 at 2359Z.  It is sponsored by the Battleship New Jersey Amateur Radio Station (NJ2BB).  This is not a contest, but a fun event. All stations that work at least 15 different ships of those 108 participating will receive a certificate if they send a copy of their log entries showing these contacts.

Ships will be using PSK 31 and AM and you must work a different ship for it to count as two. In other words, working the same ship on two different frequencies or modes does not count as two ships.  While operation on any amateur frequency is allowed, most ships will operate in the General portion of the bands.  Some ships will also be on 3880 through 3885 and 7290 kHz with either their ships original equipment or modern equipment.  PSK 31 frequencies are as follows; 14.070, 10.142 18.100, 21.070 and 28.120 MHz.

A copy of your 15+ ship contacts plus $4.00 must then be submitted by September 30, 2018 to KB2BRR via US Mail to receive your certificate.