|
Handheld Transceivers and Repeaters
Broome County’s Public Service Communications recent upgrade needed sixteen tower sites just to provide reliable coverage when someone is using a belt-mounted radio with a speaker mic.
The dual-band antennas that come with most HTs are notoriously weak on two meters, and the Baofeng stock antenna is the worst of the bunch. Because we have very little UHF activity around here, a simple six- to eight-inch rubber-duck antenna actually performs better. Most dual-band antennas struggle on two meters, and performance gets even worse when the radio is clipped to your belt and paired with a speaker mic.
Another common issue is bandwidth settings. Many newer radios offer narrow or wide deviation. Always use wide. Narrowband is 2.5 kHz deviation, half of the normal 5 kHz, and is intended for non-amateur radio frequencies 150 MHz and above. FM Ham Radio is wideband. The result of narrowband into a wideband repeater results in significantly reduced audio output.
Speaker microphones introduce their own problems. I have yet to hear a Baofeng speaker mic that produces clean, strong audio, no matter who manufactured it. Even some of the name-brand radios like Icom and Yaesu have trouble in this area.
Even with all their limitations, handhelds can still be surprisingly useful when paired with a proper antenna. A magnetic-mount antenna designed for mobile use can turn your HT into a solid performer. Just stick it on your vehicle’s roof while on the road or on the fridge while working from home for a quick ground plane. Those longer, flexible whip antennas also make a noticeable difference, improving your signal enough to reach full quieting.
Following these suggestions will make your HT experience far less frustrating. In the early days of repeaters, handhelds were rare and most hams started with a ten-watt mobile rig. Repeaters were built around that style of operation, and they still work best when fed with a solid signal. TCARA Ithaca Hamfest
For more information: tcara-ny.org/hamfest POTA Birthday Party
Haley KE2EVX has invited the club to help celebrate her birthday with a POTA gathering at the Tween Lakes Pavilion at Chenango Valley State Park providing a great location for operating, socializing and enjoying the day outdoors together. No RSVP is required, just come out and join the fun. Bring your favorite key(s) if you like.
We plan to have several stations setup and ready to activate the park (POTA US-2032) using the W2OW club callsign. The club as well as listed operators registered in POTA will receive POTA credit for any contacts they make during the event. Please do not submit your own log to POTA if you use the W2OW club callsign. To register and more info click parksontheair.com.
The club has received approval from the park manager for this operation, helping to ensure a smooth event and avoiding the concerns experienced during previous POTA activities.
Just a reminder that Chenango Valley State Park charges a weekend vehicle admission fee. Those attending may want to consider carpooling or using an Empire Pass, which can be borrowed from some local libraries. Keuka Lake ARA Hamfest
Breakfast Get Together
High Altitude Balloon Flight
The balloon is expected to climb past 100,000 feet, with a total flight time of roughly three hours. You can follow the flight live at aprs.fi by entering K2ZRO-9 in the Track Callsign box.
Drew Deskur, KA1M, Director of the Kopernik Observatory, is
asking amateur radio operators to help track the balloon on aprs.fi and capture SSTV images during
the flight. Kopernik hopes to collect images from stations across the
Northeast to show students how altitude affects VHF propagation. BARA Picnic Please note that there is no VE testing before the
picnic this month.
Pictures from Last Year’s BARA Picnic Join us for a relaxed summer evening at the Kopernik Observatory as we gather for our annual BARA Picnic. Enjoy good food, easy conversation and time with fellow hams while we hold a brief club meeting and share updates on upcoming activities. Whether you have been on the air for decades or are just curious about amateur radio, the picnic is a welcoming place to connect, learn and have fun. Activate
W1AW/2 New York
Registration is required to reserve a one-hour timeslot for band and mode. Only one station can be active in any given time slot, band, and mode. You can even combine this with a POTA activation. We are working on plans to operate from the Kopernik if there is
interest. Please register ("Offer Your Help") now at nnyarrl.org/w1aw . Once you receive your password, you can start reserving your
timeslots. You can review the Activator instructions at qsl.net/bara/w1aw2.pdf More to follow on special POTA logging procedures,
Kopernik/group schedules, and more. Contact Steve KA2YRA at [email protected] for more info. ROC City Net Hamfest
For more information: roccitynethamfest.com Upstate New York POTA Weekend & Meetup
Special invite from the Upstate New York POTA (Parks on the Air)
group! Join us the weekend of September 5-6 at Keuka Lake State Park
(US-2089) for the 2026 Upstate New York POTA Weekend and Meetup. After the
success of last year’s format, we’ve again reserved the pavilion
for Sunday’s meetup, leaving Saturday open for exploring the park,
enjoying the lake, and roving between nearby POTA entities. The drive is about two hours from our area. Many operators are camping at Keuka Lake State Park this year planning to arrive Friday, September 4th by 3PM and depart Monday, September 7th by 11AM. Details and reservations are available at the park website: parks.ny.gov/visit/state-parks/keuka-lake-state-park. Several of us attended last year’s POTA meetup at Watkins Glen and had a fantastic time with both new friends and familiar faces. The region is packed with POTA opportunities on the way there and back and it’s right near US-6532, the Erie Canalway Corridor National Heritage Area, offering plenty of 2-fer’s and more! For more information: nycanalmap.com
Whether you are exploring local broadcasters, streaming stations, or specialized radio services, this directory brings the world of radio together in one place.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
