N1ASA – All Saints Academy 1st ISS Contact!

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Admin Admin

At 21:16:47 UTC (5:17 PM) today, N1ASA from All Saints Academy (ASA) was copied by several hams making a round trip Packet contact with the Packet Robot, RS0ISS, aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The following packet was logged by a Canadian ham:

20160407211647 : N1ASA]APRSAT,RS0ISS*,qAR,VE2GQF-2::EMAIL :abrouse@allsaintsacademy.org Note thru ISS

Since ASA was sending position data as well, their packets were were forwarded via outer space to the APRS system which allowed them to be recorded on the following map:

Congratulations to All Saints Academy for their first contact with the ISS (and proof that their gear is working fine for upcoming ARISS contact in early May).

W1SYE Activates a New Island – Cranberry

Posted on April 6, 2016 by Admin Admin

The intrepid NCRC crew activated another island, Cranberry, in the Providence River at 11 AM today. The irony that it was colder today than during Winter Field Day didn’t escape anyone. Rich, KA1ARO, Paul, N1PSX, and member hopeful Mike, KA1IOO decided that snow/ice and cold weather wouldn’t keep them away.

Paul (left) and Rich (right) activate Cranberry Island, RI022

Paul N1PSX (left) and Rich KC1ARO (right) activate Cranberry Island, RI022R

The first contact was made at 15:00 UTC on 14.252 MHz and the pileup continued for a few hours. Within less than 30 minutes they had contacted 25 stations and 2 DX stations, making the activation of US Islands RI022R official.

Work an ATNO before it’s too late!

Posted on April 2, 2016 by Admin Admin

Club members have been very busy working DX on behalf of W1SYE. As of today, we have 93 confirmed countries. Seven more to go before NCRC is awarded its first DXCC Certificate!

There are a total of 339 DX entities that hams can work, so even when we get to 100, there are lots more to go. For a list of all the countries, including the ones we have already worked, please go check out this list.

By the way, ATNO, is a DX term that means “All Time New One”; a DX entity that you have never worked before on any band.

W1SYE Works VK0EK on Heard Island

Posted on March 28, 2016 by Admin Admin

NCRC adds another one to the DXCC count by working VK0EK on Heard Island. One of the most difficult places on the planet to reach, Heard Island ranks as the #5 “most wanted” DX contact. The contact was made on 30-meter CW, where the VK0EK signal was 3 S-units above the noise floor around 11 PM local time.

A real-time “DX Atlas” provides almost immediate confirmation of the contact. See the bearing from Heard Island of almost 235 degrees heading toward W1SYE.