NEW — Sign up for Hands-on Radio Event July 19

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After substantial feedback from our membership survey, NCRC is embarking on an additional monthly meeting with a goal of providing members, new and old, a hands-on radio experience.  Topics will vary from month to month, but Elmers will be there to help, and there will usually be some on-air aspect of the evening.

Our first Hands-on Radio Event will be Thursday July 19th from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM at All Saints STEAM Academy,  915 W Main Rd, Middletown, RI 02842.  Our topic for this meeting will be VHF radios, antennas, and accessories.

Paul Wynn, AC1DW, will be our coordinator for the first event

We have added a new “tab” to the website, called “Hands-on Radio” where you can find details about our upcoming Hands-on Radio Events and registration information.

Select the “Hands-on Radio” Tab for more information and to register

Meeting Reminder: Monday June 11, 7 PM at KVH

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Don’t forget:  Our regular NCRC meeting will be held on Monday June 11 at KVH, starting at 7 PM. This will be our meeting to discuss final Field Day preparations, as well as vote on some pending member applications.

After the meeting, Chuck Johnson from Dayton Ohio will join us via SKYPE to discuss the history of John Kettering (founder of DELCO)

Don’t forget to let us know if you are coming to Field Day Dinner on June 23 by filling in the RSVP form (putting zero if you aren’t coming) here:  https://w1sye.org/?page_id=3917

Another Silent Key – KB1ZMO

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NCRC Clubmate, Peter, KB1ZMO, is a silent key  as of May 25, 2018.

As reported by John Mills.

Peter was Navy pilot and commercial pilot for Mohawk Airlines

He lived in Little Compton for 20+ years and was an accountant.

KB1ZMO was active on HF nets and had joined NCRC about 4 years ago.

A Silent Key Notice – KC1SD

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It is with great sadness that we report the passing lifetime member James W Kyle, KC1SD.

Jim has a long history of service to his country and his community. His love of Amateur Radio was obvious to all who knew him.

A memorial will be held on Saturday, June 30, 2018, at 2 pm at the First Presbyterian Church, 4 Everett Street, Newport, RI

Jim was a mentor to many and was an early STEM educator when the term was not even created. His willingness to share the knowledge he accumulated in his 92 years was an inspiration.  He taught radio science in local schools and found a way to do it even without a teaching certificate.

His long history in underwater sound transmission and military systems had him leading the engineering department at the Navy’s New London Sound Laboratory and he later moved to Newport when the Lab was combined with the Naval Underwater Systems Center and now NUWC.

Jim was a lifelong sailor and cruised Vineyard Sound and beyond with his family and members of Ida Lewis Yacht Club.

He will also be missed at the Atria home where he resided because he led the garden club and was an active member of his church choir until recently. Of course, he had an off-center fed dipole there, an antenna design that he studied and championed.

His pride in his family and their talents was never far from his lips.

WARNING: No handheld radio use as of June 1st !!!!

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RI Hams are warned that effective June 1, 2018, you may no longer use any handheld devices while driving your car.  That includes your 2-meter microphone, or handheld radio.

Sadly, the marketplace has not caught up with the need for hands free radio operation. There are some very expensive commercial Bluetooth interfaces available for a few radios.  Some newer ham gear includes Bluetooth interface options.  Those of you with BaoFeng type connectors can find a Bluetooth interface via eBay.  But often the Bluetooth interface does not deal with PTT — you aren’t supposed to be holding a pushbutton in your hand either.

A reminder that some radios do have VOX operation.  The BaoFeng includes a headset with lapel mic and can be configured for VOX operation.  Just watch those comments when drivers cut you off — don’t want that on air!