    Spring 2015
Volume 5, Issue 1
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WSSM Members Teach Ham Radio Course at NWS
Gray, ME
by
Tim Watson, KB1HNZ
GRAY,
ME - Between January and February,
Wireless Society of Southern Maine
members taught a three-week amateur radio course and hosted an exam
session at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Gray, ME.
WSSM at the Maine State ARRL Convention
Lewiston, ME
by
Tim Watson, KB1HNZ
For the 4th consecutive year, the Wireless Society of Southern Maine set
up a table display, complete with printed materials and a video
presentation, as members were on hand to answer questions and talk
about the hobby. About 350 spectators came
out to take part in seminars, do some shopping, and meet other hams
from around the state and New England.
Helping Dyslexic/ADHD License Candidates
Elmers, Mentors, VEs
by Frederick Benson
As VEs, license exam instructors, Elmers, and Mentors, we need to stay
alert to license candidates with Dyslexia or ADHD (Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder). Candidates with pronounced Dyslexia/ADHD tend
to repeatedly fail license exams even after weeks of study and
attending a license exam class.
QSL
Corner
Here's
a QSL
card received recently by Stefania Chiruta YO9GJY for a 28 MHz SSB QSO
on December 12, 2014 with HT5T. The QSL celebrates the birth of
Nicaraguan national hero and teacher Emmanuel Mongalo y Rubio.
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WSSM VE Team Welcomes New Hams at Weaponcraft
Saco, ME
by
Tim Watson, KB1HNZ
SACO,
ME - The WSSM VE Team, which included Charlie Shappard W1CPS, Thom
Watson W1WMG, Tim Watson KB1HNZ, and Dave Wood KB1FGF, hosted a VE
Session on March 15th at Weaponcraft, in Saco.
2015 Maine 2 Meter FM Simplex Challenge Results
www.simplexchallenge.com
by
Thom Watson, W1WMG
This
year's contest will be remembered for the blizzard that brought high
winds and large snowfall totals to much of the state overnight and into
the morning prior to the Simplex Challenge. One would expect this to
deter the participants, but the hardy Mainers who take part annually
would not be denied. A large number of mobile operators still ventured
out, and a few of them covered some srious ground.
WS1SM Team to Operate ILLW from Nubble Lighthouse
August 16, 2015
by
Tim Watson, KB1HNZ
YORK,
ME - The WS1SM Team will operate during this year's International
Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend (ILLW) from Cape Neddick Lighthouse in
York, ME. The annual event, which last year saw more than 450
lighthouses activated worldwide, is now in its 18th year.
WSSM Celebrates 5th Anniversary with Special Event Call Sign!
July 13 - 27, 2015
by
Tim Watson, KB1HNZ
WSSM members will have the opportunity to use the special callsign W1V
between July 13-27th to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the club's
founding. A certificate will be available to anyone who has QSO's
during this time, and a schedule will be made available soon for any
member who wishes to operate. Stay tuned for details!
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April 9th
- from
7PM-9PM at the Gorham Recreation Department
May 7th
- from
7PM-9PM at Gorham Recreation Department
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Check
out the ads on page 2 to view items for sale, upcoming hamfests,
announcements, and wanted items.
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From the Editor's Desk
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Spring is in the Air
With
the long winter behind us, we can finally look forward to some outdoor
activities, and we've already been busy working on getting permission
for our next ILLW outing, which will take us to the Nubble Lighthouse
this summer, as well as our next Summits on the Air (SOTA) event. As
always, if anyone has summit suggestions, we're interested in hearing
about them. You can click here
to see if its on the SOTA list of summits. Thom W1WMG is also working
on another lighthouse expedition, and we hope to have details on that
by the next issue.
The
last few months have brought some fantastic DX, as many rare entities
were on the air during the winter DX contests, for DXpeditions, and
most recently for CQWW WPX.Among the new ones I was able to get were 7QAA, 8Q7NT, K1N, and E30FB.
We've seen HF conditions range from very good for most of January
through February, to barely usable when a massive solar flare disrupted
communications during March 17-18th. The aurora that accompanied the
flare, however, made for spectacular viewing in the northern
hemisphere, and some brief openings on 6 meters.
WSSM members have been very active in helping out with SKYWARN during the winter storms
that effected Maine and New Hampshire, most notably the blizzard that
took place in late January. The nor'easter disrupted transportation
from the Appalachia to Eastern Maine, producing heavy snow, winds, and
power outages along the way. Some of the highest snowfall totals of
35-37" came in the Worcester, Massachusetts area, with Cumberland county in Maine not far behind, with 25-30."
Ryan
Michaelson KB1YTR, Thom Watson W1WMG, and myself have also worked on
updating the WX1GYX station in Gray, replacing the power supply for the
VHF radio and wiring the transcievers with Anderson connectors, which
will make it more standardized and easier to switch and replace
equipment on-the-fly if needed. The new power supply will allow the primary VHF radio to operate at its full potential.
Since many of us work full time, volunteers are always needed to man the SKYWARN station during weekdays,
especially during thunderstorm season, which is fast approaching. If
you are interested in helping out, please contact me, and we will
provide you with all the information and training you need.
In
other new, U.S. Representative Adam Kinsinger (R-IL) recently
introduced the Amateur Radio Parity Act to Congress. The resolution, titled H.R. 1301, would
direct the FCC to extend its rules relating to reasonable accomodation
of Amateur Service communications to private land use restrictions.
Although homeowners' associations and deed restrictions are not as
common in Maine as in other parts of the country, there are many
affected, including some of our club members who live in
condominiums. Please take a moment to read up on H.R. 1301's details,
and encourage your representative to support the bill.
You can contact our representatives here:
Chellie Pingree (1st District)
Bruce Poliquin (2nd District)
Best wishes,
73,
Tim Watson
KB1HNZ
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