Winter Field Day 2024

A favorable forecast gave us the green light to set up a station in Avery, Ca. Below are Mark N6IV, Walt K6WGY and Mike KB6USJ the outing photographer(not pictured). Propagation especially on 15 M kept us busy logging stations from the mid west to eastern parts of the country. When the operation was completed the group of three came away high spirited. Not bad working 100 watts and a dipole.




Winter Field Day 2024

Additional Information can be found by clicking the Link below

https://www.winterfieldday.org




ARRL VHF CONTEST

Contest Objective: For amateurs in the US and Canada (and their possessions) to work as many amateur stations in as many different 2 degrees x 1 degree Maidenhead grid squares as possible using authorized frequencies above 50 MHz. Stations outside the US & Canada (and their possessions) may only work stations in the US (and its possessions) and Canada.

Dates: The third or fourth full weekend in January as announced. (January 20-22, 2024)

Contest Period: Begins 1900 UTC Saturday, ends 0359 UTC Monday.

Rule Changes for 2024: Participants in the FM Only category can now count contacts made on 902 MHz and 1.2 GHz toward their scores. Previously, only contacts on the four lowest VHF bands (50, 144, 222 and 432 MHz) counted toward participants’ scores in this category.

Click Here for Complete ARRL January VHF Contest Rules (PDF)

For contest information contact contests@arrl.org or (860) 594-0232




ARRL KIDS DAY

A Day on January 6th for Youth to be on the air especially on the HF frequencies as well as some local repeaters. Many of the kids participating may be with a school STEM club, or grandkids, scouts or kids of Amateur Radio Operators etc. Get your headphones on and your HF rig warmed up during the Winter WX, say hello and a copy all HF frequencies will be active




STRAIGHT KEY NIGHT DEC 31ST- JAN 1ST

A unique start for New Years Eve and New Years Day working CW, this event is for the new comer, seasoned Ham or the casual CW operator. Ring in the New Year with your fellow CW enthusiast ..-. -… click on the Link below to the ARRL site for all the details

https://www.arrl.org/straight-key-night




60 meter FCC comments Needed

Dear ARRL Pacific Division Member:

We need your assistance, and we need it NOW.  We strongly encourage you
to assist the ARRL and the entire U.S. Amateur Radio community by
submitting comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
before October 30th to save the privileges we have fought to gain on 60
meters.  Even if you are not currently active on 60 meters, the proposed
reduction in power from 100 watts to an equivalent of less than 10 watts
is the most sweeping reduction of HF privileges in decades.  If Amateur
Radio opposition to this proposed change is weak and the FCC goes
through with the change, will a lackluster response from the Amateur
Radio community embolden the FCC to remove or modify more HF
privileges?

Please read this message in full to understand why your help is needed
prior to submitting your comments.

The FCC has issued Notice of Proposed Rulemaking’s (NPRM) Docket
Number 23-120 which would reduce power on 60 meters from 100 watts ERP
(Effective Radiated Power) to the equivalent of 9.5 watts ERP.  The NPRM
would replace the current five channels (currently each with a 100-watt
power limit) with a 15 KHz continuous spectrum from 5351.5 to 5366.5
KHz, but limiting power to the equivalent of 9.5 watts ERP.  ARRL is
proposing to keep the current five channels AND add the docket’s
proposed 15 KHz of continuous spectrum, all at a power level of 100
watts ERP.

It’s important to note that in 2022 our neighbor, Canada, enacted
ARRL’s position by keeping the five current channels AND adding the
expanded 15 KHz of continuous spectrum, all at 100 watts.  ARRL is
advocating for the FCC to adopt the identical allocations and power
limits which Canada put in place over a year ago.

When the FCC authorized 60-meter access for Amateur Radio operators in
July 2003, the Commission cited the positive propagation attributes for
emergency communications.  Over the past twenty years during hurricanes,
Caribbean Amateur Radio stations used 60 meters to relay critical
weather and situational reports to U.S. operators.  Clearly, 9.5 watts
ERP would be woefully inadequate to maintain communications for these
purposes.

In the May 2023 ARRL survey, members overwhelmingly pointed to Spectrum
Defense as the #1 priority of the League.  The Pacific Division takes
this priority seriously.  For the maximum impact, the FCC needs to hear
from ARRL members in California, Nevada, and Hawaii to underscore the
importance of 60 meters in our geographically diverse region.  Having a
consistent bandplan with Canada will also ensure harmonious
communications throughout most of North America.

PLEASE support the ARRL’s filing in this matter.

To learn more about the NPRM and its impact on our 60-meter privileges,
please visit https://www.arrl.org/60-meter-band . On this webpage you
will find the links to file comments with the FCC.  Please don’t
delay.  A substantial response from the Ham community before the October
30 deadline is the only way to forestall the loss of our valued
operating privileges.  Please urge your fellow Hams to file comments as
well.  Protection of our Amateur Radio spectrum is our number one
priority.

Kristen McIntyre, K6WX
Pacific Division Director

——————————————————————–
ARRL Pacific Division
Director: Kristen A McIntyre, K6WX
k6wx@arrl.org
——————————————————————–




Emergency Set 2023

 The ARRL Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is scheduled for October 7 – 8, 2023.

The SET is ARRL’s annual national emergency exercise designed to assess the skills and preparedness of Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) volunteers, as well as those affiliated with other organizations involved in emergency and disaster responses. The SET is open to all radio amateurs and partner organizations, in addition to national, state, and local officials. Besides ARES volunteers, those active in the National Traffic System (NTS), Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), National Weather Service’s SKYWARN® Storm Spotter program, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and a variety of other allied groups and public service-oriented radio amateurs are needed to fulfill important roles in this nationwide exercise.

During the exercise, volunteers can assess equipment, modes, and skills under simulated emergency conditions and scenarios. Individuals can use the time to update a go-kit for use during deployments and to ensure their home station’s operational capability during an emergency or disaster




W7YRC Hosts A VOTA Special Event as W1AW/7

The Yavapai ARC will be operating a special event VOTA station to honor all ARRL volunteers in this year long endeavor. On the general HF frequencies listen for the call W1AW/7, to be logged into LOTW




Field Day 2023

Usually a Field Day in the Foothills could mean hot and dry weather conditions, but this past June offered up mild temperatures and pleasant sunshine. A contingent of CARS members headed up to Avery to get on the air for Field Day, below are photos of the group in action.

Pictured Above: Walt K6WGY, Mark N6IV, Aaron KN6QBY, Mike KB6USJ……….73’s




Winter Field Day This Weekend January 28th & 29th

FD

Winter Field Day (WFD), sponsored by the Winter Field Day Association, is coming again. This year, the dates are January 28 and 29. Radio clubs around the country are activating for this event. Complete rules can be found on the WFD website, at Home – Winter Field Day. Combining this with ARRL’s yearlong event, Volunteers On the Air, is a great way to make contacts that count for both activities and get new operators on the air.

WFD is a communications exercise and is held annually on the last full weekend in January. It 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. WFD 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. Like the ARRL Field Day, bonus points are earned in several ways, including for using non-commercial power sources, operating from remote locations, making satellite contacts, and more.

The Winter Field Day Association passionately believes that ham radio operators should practice portable emergency communications in winter environments, as the potential for freezing temperatures, snow, ice, and other hazards present unique operational concerns. WFD is formatted to help increase your level of preparedness for disasters and improve your operational skills in subpar conditions.

Text Courtesy of American Radio Relay League