Please join us this evening, from 7PM – 9PM at the Cumberland County EMA Bunker, located at 22 High Street, in Windham, ME, for our monthly Emergency Communications Team (ARES) meeting.
Tonight we’ll be discussing the upcoming Simulated Emergency Test, which takes place Saturday, October 26th.
For those who won’t be able to join us in person, please tune in to our ECT training net on the 449.225 (- / 103.5 Hz) WS1EC repeater at 7PM.
This month, we will also be testing Simplex coverage, after the net on the repeater, on 146.580.
Please join us this evening, from 7PM – 9PM at the Cumberland County EMA Bunker, located at 22 High Street, in Windham, ME, for our monthly Emergency Communications Team (ARES) meeting.
Tonight we’ll be discussing the upcoming Simulated Emergency Test, which takes place Saturday, October 26th.
For those who won’t be able to join us in person, please tune in to our ECT training net on the 449.225 (- / 103.5 Hz) WS1EC repeater at 7PM.
This month, we will also be testing Simplex coverage, after the net on the repeater, on 146.580.
As Hurricane Helene bears down on Florida and Georgia, please be mindful of our brother and sister Amateur Radio ops who will be manning their radios on behalf of public safety. Some HF frequencies to be aware of:
Some Florida Nets
South Florida ARES Net3.940
North Florida ARES Net3.950
Northern Florida ARES Net (NFAN):
9:00 AM Eastern time Monday through Saturday Frequencies are 7.198 MHz. Backup on 7.242 and 7.265 MHz, all LSB-
Hurricane Watch Net
14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz
To ALL our friends in the Southeast who are in Helene's path ...... our prayers are with you. Take care, be safe and may God be with you.
Not clear on the concept. If you or someone you know has an HF station with a goal of DX communications in disaster situations, I have a question: What are you really trying to do? What is the need for very long distance communications in a SHTF scenario? Save for... Read more »
In the classic educational film titled “Electronics at Work,” produced by Westinghouse in 1943, viewers are introduced to the fascinating world of vacuum tubes. This film highlights the crucial role these devices played in both military and commercial sectors, including radio telecommunications, radar, and various industrial applications. The narrative suggests that vacuum tubes provided the […]
In the classic educational film titled “Electronics at Work,” produced by Westinghouse in 1943, viewers are introduced to the fascinating world of vacuum tubes. This film highlights the crucial role these devices played in both military and commercial sectors, including radio telecommunications, radar, and various industrial applications. The narrative suggests that vacuum tubes provided the […]
When the Sun lets you down. Loyal OGH reader Randy from Wisconsin recently commented that for several weeks in June and into July he barely got anything at all out of his well planned, high-budget home solar power system due to nearly constant clouds and rain. His dilemma highlights a... Read more »
Curious about what you can hear on shortwave ham radio? This video is a brief survey of the diverse world of communications on the shortwave spectrum. Expand your radio horizons and enhance your emergency communication preparedness by tuning in to the world of shortwave ham radio. If you’ve started delving into radio communications beyond local […]
Curious about what you can hear on shortwave ham radio? This video is a brief survey of the diverse world of communications on the shortwave spectrum. Expand your radio horizons and enhance your emergency communication preparedness by tuning in to the world of shortwave ham radio. If you’ve started delving into radio communications beyond local […]
The Colorado Search and Rescue Association is promoting FRS (Family Radio Service) Channel 3 as “the default during backcountry search and rescue (backcountry SAR) emergencies.” FRS channel 3 is the same as GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) channel 3. There is more GMRS info here. To keep things simple, no CTCSS (“privacy code”) is used…carrier squelch only. See the CSAR Continue reading FRS3 For Colorado Backcountry→
The Colorado Search and Rescue Association is promoting FRS (Family Radio Service) Channel 3 as “the default during backcountry search and rescue (backcountry SAR) emergencies.” FRS channel 3 is the same as GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) channel 3. There is more GMRS info here. To keep things simple, no CTCSS (“privacy code”) is used…carrier squelch only. See the CSAR announcement here: FRS Radio Use for Backcountry.
For backcountry exploring, it is important to emphasize self-sufficiency and to avoid reliance on electronic gizmos that may fail. Avoiding an emergency situation is way better than having a device to call for help, which may be many hours away. See this article for a discussion of The Ten Essentials for Hiking.
Still, the FRS3 concept has merit. Many backcountry hikers already carry FRS or GMRS radios, so designating a preferred channel makes sense. My read on this is that randomly calling for help on FRS3 will not be very effective due to the limited range of FRS radios. However, it does not hurt to try. More likely, FRS3 can be used for local comms once Search and Rescue crews have been deployed and are within a few miles of the party in distress.
Ham radio operators may want to carry a handheld transceiver capable of transmitting on 462.6125 MHz. For emergency use only, of course.
WINDHAM, ME – The Wireless Society of Southern Maine will participate in the American Radio Relay League’s Summer Field Day activities during Windham’s Summerfest event on June 22nd. Once Summerfest activities end on Saturday evening, ham radio operations will continue through the night and end on Sunday at 2 pm. The public is welcome to visit each operating station to learn more about ham radio.
ARRL Field Day is the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. On the fourth weekend of June of each year, thousands of radio amateurs gather with their clubs, groups or simply with friends to operate from remote locations.
Field Day is a picnic, a campout, practice for emergencies, an informal contest, and, most of all, FUN!
It is a time when many aspects of Amateur Radio come together to highlight our many roles. While some will treat it as a contest, other groups use the opportunity to practice their emergency response capabilities. It is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate Amateur Radio to the organizations that Amateur Radio might serve in an emergency, as well as the general public. For many clubs, ARRL Field Day is one of the highlights of their annual calendar.
The contest is simply to contact as many other stations as possible and learn to operate our radio gear in abnormal situations and less-than-optimal conditions.
Ham operators use these same skills when they help with events such as marathons and bike-a-thons; fund-raisers such as walk-a-thons; celebrations such as parades; and exhibits at fairs, malls, and museums — these are all large, preplanned, non-emergency activities.
But despite the development of very complex, modern communications systems — or maybe because they ARE so complex — ham radio has been called into action repeatedly to provide communications in crises when it matters. Amateur Radio people (also called “hams”) are well known for our communications support in real disasters and post-disasters.
What is Amateur Radio?
Often called “ham radio,” the Amateur Radio Service has been around for a century. In that time, it’s grown into a worldwide community of licensed operators using the airwaves with every conceivable means of communications technology. Its people range in age from youngsters to grandparents. Even rocket scientists and a rock star or two are in the ham ranks. Most, however, are just normal folks like you and me who enjoy learning and being able to transmit voice, data, and pictures through the air to unusual places, both near and far, without depending on commercial systems.
The Amateur Radio frequencies are the last remaining place in the usable radio spectrum where you as an individual can develop and experiment with wireless communications. Hams not only can make and modify their equipment but can create whole new ways to do things.
Look for them on the athletic field next to the Windham Primary School. They will have signs throughout the facility to point to the location. Actual ham radio operations will begin on Saturday @ 2 pm and end on Sunday @ 2 pm.
To find out more about Amateur Radio locally, and how to get involved in this rewarding pastime, please visit the Wireless Society of Southern Maine’s website at: www.mainehamradio.com
WINDHAM, ME – The Wireless Society of Southern Maine will participate in the American Radio Relay League’s Summer Field Day activities during Windham’s Summerfest event on June 22nd. Once Summerfest activities end on Saturday evening, ham radio operations will continue through the night and end on Sunday at 2 pm. The public is welcome to visit each operating station to learn more about ham radio.
ARRL Field Day is the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. On the fourth weekend of June of each year, thousands of radio amateurs gather with their clubs, groups or simply with friends to operate from remote locations.
Field Day is a picnic, a campout, practice for emergencies, an informal contest, and, most of all, FUN!
It is a time when many aspects of Amateur Radio come together to highlight our many roles. While some will treat it as a contest, other groups use the opportunity to practice their emergency response capabilities. It is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate Amateur Radio to the organizations that Amateur Radio might serve in an emergency, as well as the general public. For many clubs, ARRL Field Day is one of the highlights of their annual calendar.
The contest is simply to contact as many other stations as possible and learn to operate our radio gear in abnormal situations and less-than-optimal conditions.
Ham operators use these same skills when they help with events such as marathons and bike-a-thons; fund-raisers such as walk-a-thons; celebrations such as parades; and exhibits at fairs, malls, and museums — these are all large, preplanned, non-emergency activities.
But despite the development of very complex, modern communications systems — or maybe because they ARE so complex — ham radio has been called into action repeatedly to provide communications in crises when it matters. Amateur Radio people (also called “hams”) are well known for our communications support in real disasters and post-disasters.
What is Amateur Radio?
Often called “ham radio,” the Amateur Radio Service has been around for a century. In that time, it’s grown into a worldwide community of licensed operators using the airwaves with every conceivable means of communications technology. Its people range in age from youngsters to grandparents. Even rocket scientists and a rock star or two are in the ham ranks. Most, however, are just normal folks like you and me who enjoy learning and being able to transmit voice, data, and pictures through the air to unusual places, both near and far, without depending on commercial systems.
The Amateur Radio frequencies are the last remaining place in the usable radio spectrum where you as an individual can develop and experiment with wireless communications. Hams not only can make and modify their equipment but can create whole new ways to do things.
Look for them on the athletic field next to the Windham Primary School. They will have signs throughout the facility to point to the location. Actual ham radio operations will begin on Saturday @ 2 pm and end on Sunday @ 2 pm.
To find out more about Amateur Radio locally, and how to get involved in this rewarding pastime, please visit the Wireless Society of Southern Maine’s website at: www.mainehamradio.com
Time + technology= options. Ham radio has a lot more options than it did years ago. Back in the day your choices were phone or CW and that was about it. In the 1970s/1980s slow scan TV and early data such as RTTY came about, but they were niche modes... Read more »
The unloved child. Lots of hams are very successful with solar. It seems to be the “go to” off grid power source. I don’t have firm numbers, but anecdotally it appears solar is more popular than even gas generators. Of course, solar is not the only game in town. Wind... Read more »
It’s better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. It’s been quite a summer! Flooding, extreme heat, wild fires, and (at this writing) a hurricane just tore up the Western USA and another storm is churning in the Gulf of Mexico. Every time... Read more »
It cannot be avoided… Batteries are arguably the weakest link in the off grid radio chain. Solar panels, controllers, connecting cables, and almost everything else can last years, even decades. But batteries are a consumable product and no matter how good yours are, it’s almost certain they will not last... Read more »
Revisiting an old topic. I don’t do a lot of antenna articles because there is already so much information in circulation I can’t see much ground left to cover, at least that’s what I thought until new Off Grid Ham reader Rick sent a nice email that inspired this article.... Read more »
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