Newsletter Summer 2015, The Radiogram - Official eNews of the Wireless Society of Southern Maine

Summer 2015 Volume 5, Issue 2

2015 Field Day at Wassamki Springs
Scarborough, ME

by Tim Watson, KB1HNZ

SCARBOROUGH, ME - During the weekend of June 27-28th, the WSSM team fought off the rain and wind to participate in their 5th annual Field Day at Wassamki Springs Campground, in Scarborough.

WSSM Team Operates CQWW VHF from Mt. Washington
Gorham, NH
by Tim Watson, KB1HNZ

For the 4th consecutive year, WSSM members ventured to the summit of Mt. Washington, in New Hampshire, to take part in the CQWW VHF contest - this year using special event call sign W1V.

Building the "Two Tinned Tunas ]["
QRPME
by Tim Watson

Based on the classic kit designed by Doug Demaw W1FB, the Two Tinned Tunas ][, sold by QRPME.com, is easy to build and excellent for beginners. A step-by-step builders guide is available on the website, and all the parts you need to complete the project are included.

QSL Corner

With the ILLW activities taking place this weekend, we'll focus on QSLs featuring lighthouses. Here's a card received by Stefania Chiruta YO9GJY for a 20m SSB QSO on 16 August 2014.

W1V 5th Anniversary Special Event

W1V, KL/W1V, YO/W1V
by Tim Watson, KB1HNZ

Between July 13-27th, WSSM members took turns activating the special event call sign, W1V, in celebration of the club's 5th anniversary.

The Enigma Award

August 14-30th
by Thom Watson, W1WMG

In our efforts to highlight new and interesting on-air activities, we'll take a closer look at the Enigma Award, which takes place between August 14-30th.

WSSM Team to Activate Nubble Lighthouse for ILLW
August 16, 2015
by Tim Watson, KB1HNZ

ILLW Nubble

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.

Getting Started with DMR
The DMR-MARC Worldwide network
by Tim Watson, KB1HNZ

Now with repeaters in Southern Maine and throughout New Hampshire, hams in this area have access to one of the fastest growing digital voice networks in the world.

August 13th - from 7PM-9PM at Wassamki Springs Campground

September 10th - from 7PM-9PM at Wassamki Springs Campground

Check out the ads on page 2 to view items for sale, upcoming hamfests, announcements, and wanted items.

From the Editor's Desk

Summer Activities

The last few weeks have kept us busy with on-air activities, including Field Day and, most recently, a special event to celebrate our 5th Anniversary.

In June, we took part in our 5th annual Field Day at Wassamki Springs Campground. We operated as 3A, with 3 full-time HF stations, an additional transmitter on 6 meters, and a GOTA station, which was popular among visitors and newly licensed hams. Despite the rain and wind that we experienced overnight Saturday and into Sunday, which made staying warm and dry a challenge, we achieved our best result ever!

July saw us undertake our most ambitious on-air activity yet, as club members took turns operating with the special event call sign W1V for two weeks, to celebrate our 5th anniversary. The aim was to activate on as many different bands and modes as possible, as we offered a certificate with tiered endorsements that encouraged contacts on multiple band slots. It wasn't long before the chase was on, as many were hunting for W1V everywhere from 6 meter AM to 160m CW, and even 40m PSK-31.

Highlights of the activation included Rick Fickett K1OT, submitting logs with over 1300 QSOs, and portable activations by Stefania Chiruta YO9GJY, who operated as YO/W1V, from Baicoi, Romania, and Mike Briggs KL3UX, who operated as KL/W1V from Wasilla, Alaska.

As we look ahead, we'll be visiting the Nubble Lighthouse in two weeks for the annual International Lighthouse and Lighthouse Weekend (ILLW), and we're looking forward to helping out with the MS Journey of Hope walk, in South Portland, in the fall.

Best wishes and Good DX,

73,

Tim Watson
KB1HNZ

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