It seems weather has dominated the radio conversations lately, whether it is the continuing pattern of weekend rain or space weather disrupting propagation. Depending on where you live in the area, we’ve had 12 or more weekends of rain, putting a damper on some anticipated radio events. For example, the combination of rain, thunder storms, and geomagnetic storms made for a rather difficult Maine-wide POTA day. Several EAWA members attempted POTA activations or hunting, with a few reaching their goals. Those who persevered were proud of their efforts!
Jeff KA1DBE operated from Fort Point, while Stan W1BOY and Marion W1GRL operated from Acadia National Park. Several others were operating in the challenging conditions, including Joan W1DLC.
Another highlight for many EAWA members is the Hermon Hamfest. Scheduled for yet another rainy Saturday, the event moved indoors. Those who attended had a great time.
Several EAWA members and friends made their way to the Hermon Hamfest, including Joan W1DLC, Barbara KC1SSY, Mark W1ABY, Mel W1MEB, Phil N1EP, Steve KD1O, and Becky Ann W1LIC.
As we prepare for the club meeting on June 12, and then turn our attention to Field Day (June 28-29), there are several fun radio activities to keep us going. Earth and space weather permitting, there are always opportunities to participate in contests (see the Contest Calendar) and special events stations (see the ARRL Special Events Calendar online or in QST). Opportunities for POTA, SOTA, DX hunting, and nets are always available too. Eyeball QSOs at Clandestine Coffee are fun no matter what the weather is outside!
Any given Wednesday around 9:30am at Flexit Cafe in Ellsworth, you’ll find 10 – 20 EAWA members and friends discussing radio and club-related topics.
A couple of special events occurring soon that many EAWA members enjoy include the Museum Battleships on the Air, and the first of the trifecta of multi-day special events, the Lewis & Clark Trail on the Air. The 13 Colonies event occurs in July and the Route 66 event occurs in September.
Both events have operators in multiple modes and nice QSL cards and certificates.
We all know that at some point the rain will slow, or at least come mid-week rather than every weekend, and the space weather will calm, allowing for strong signals again. In the meantime, we persevere and embrace the challenge! Written by Marion W1GRL
The annual crowning ham radio event that is the Dayton Hamvention occurred last weekend. There are so many forums that, even if you are present at the event, you can’t physically attend every interesting presentation. No worries though, as most of them are recorded and posted on YouTube. You can find the Dayton Amateur Radio Association’s DARA Hamvention YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@DARAHamvention
The DARA Hamvention YouTube Channel has videos from Hamventions going back to 2015.
If you want to watch every presentation, you can zip though the daily livestream recordings at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM_NXI3v5F_zrnlb_0yTZ8G58tNaNQQcG. If the DARA team continues as in previous years, all of these day-long livestream recordings will be divided into individual video presentations.
Here you can find all-day-long livestream coverage of the four forum rooms from Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Keep in mind that there may be additional videos added to this list.
In addition to the videos in the screen shot above, here are a few of the titles posted as of this writing: *Ham RFI Starting Point *Making an Expert System *Choking Without Suffocating *Predicting HF Propagation *Summits on the Air *LICW and Renaissance of Morse Code *The Future of Ham Radio Through AI *Amateur Radio Pico Balloons Advancement The Hamvention program was filled with presentations on just about every topic in ham radio. If you can’t find your favorite topic in the individual videos, you may need to zip through the livestreams.
Of course, if you follow a ham radio YouTuber who attended Hamvention, they likely have multiple videos from the event. If you want to hear some local views on Hamvention, check with Steve KD1O. At least for those of us who keep saying, “Maybe next year,” we don’t have to miss out on the most up-to-date information. Written by Marion WGRL
What’s that unofficial post office slogan, “Neither rain …”? Well, neither rain, nor chill, nor high winds sways the determination of the EAWA, Hancock County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), and the Sea of Blue Directors Matt (KC1VLH) and Susan Heel to work together for a great event! Among the EmComm crew, spirits were high and energy focused on the serious tasks at hand.
Several EAWA members gathering between the organizing meeting and go time! Left to right: Mark W1ABY, Steve KD1O, Jeff KA1DBE, Barbara KC1SSY, Joan W1DLC, Greg KC1RID, Mel W1MEB, and Sean KC1SSW.
Community service is of great important to the EAWA, and many thanks go to Matt KC1VLH for asking the EAWA to join in the planning and execution of the race. Weeks before the race, Matt and Jeff KA1DBE checked radio coverage of the course, Barbara KC1SSY and Joan W1DLC scouted the course for locations for operator stations, and Matt prepared information boards announcing the EAWA’s presence to race participants. Barbara and Matt spoke at several EAWA club meetings to inform us all of the plans for the big day.
Matt KC1VLH worked with Marion W1GRL to create information board about the EAWA and upcoming Field Day.
As the race participants arrived on Saturday, April 26, they were greeted by EMA trailer. Special thanks goes to Andrew W1AXS for authorizing use of the Hancock County EMA trailer and for delivering it to Northeast Harbor. The EAWA EmComm team met at 8am to go over plans for the day. Operators were at their stations before those walking started at 9:30. During the event, radio operators tracked the walkers and runners, and reported back to the tailer. Many thanks goes to Rob W8HAP, Joan W1DLC, Sean KC1SSW for running the net controls and record keeping. Some operators moved, after the last participant passed, to locations at the end of the race to continue tracking.
Joan W1DLC and Sean KC1SSW work in the trailer, as Barbara KC1SSY is ready at her station and Steve KD1O readies his position.
At times the weather was truly uncomfortable, with rain, chilly temperatures, and high winds, but just like the race participants, the operators rose to the challenges. Each operator stayed until the last participant passed their station. The net control operators in the trailer remained focused until the last participant safely crossed the finish line. The post-race food and drinks were greatly appreciated as the team took a break before cleaning up and stowing all the equipment and items in the trailer. It was a great surprise and honor to receive a certificate of Outstanding Service from the Sea of Blue organizers.
Left to right: Rob W8HAP, Jeff KA1DBE, Andrew W1AXS, Barbara KC1SSY, Greg KC1RID, Mel W1MEB, Marion W1GRL, Mark W1ABY, Steve KD1O, Stan W1BOY, and Sean KC1SSW.
On a side note, two EAWA members were running the 10K race, Stan W1BOY and yours truly (Marion W1GRL). From my perspective the EAWA members operators were professional and focused, and yet relaxed enough to cheer runners as they went along. I felt safe as I knew the operators were spaced along the route, keeping an eye on all the runners. It was a great morale boost to give a “high five” or fist bump to my friends along the way.
Before and after — what a great event all around!
Community service is highly important to the EAWA. Thanks Matt KC1VLH, for offering us this opportunity to hone our skills, put our equipment through the paces, test our organizational and preparation plans, and for letting us be a part of the amazing Sea of Blue experience! Written by Marion W1GRL
It’s common thing at any ham event in this region to see Joan W1DLC representing the Women Radio Operators of Maine. You’ll find her at hamfests, the Maine ARRL State Convention, and the Ellsworth Ham Radio Symposium. For several years now it has been her mission to promote ham radio to women. She has discovered that women, and men, are surprised and pleased to see that there is such a group. Many have remarked that they know a female ham who isn’t active that might benefit from knowing other female hams in the area. These conversations provide the fuel to continue representing women operators in such a visible way.
The Women Radio Operators of Maine are well represented at numerous ham radio gatherings.
The presence of women, or YLs (Young Ladies), in ham radio activities is increasing. It’s growing more common to hear female voices on the air. For example, YL POTA Day, corresponding with International Women’s Day, has gained a large following. A Facebook group called “Ham Radio Women” currently has 4.6K members. In the contesting world, women are participating at all levels, such as Katie KE8LQR who often works SSB and CW for Tim Duffy (of DX Engineering) at K3LR, and Pia DL7PIA who was the 2024 Youth Champion in the CQ DX Marathon program. Women are taking educational roles, as demonstrated by those leading courses for the Long Island CW Club. One of the most active organizations supporting women is the international Young Ladies Radio League (YLRL), formed in 1939. The YLRL has a presence at many large ham radio events and hosts an international gathering every few years. They sponsor numerous scholarships, host contests, maintain a website with many helpful resources (ylrl.net), and publish an extensive bimonthly newsletter called the “YL Harmonics.”
From mentoring at the Get On The Air station at Field Day, to working along side women in the EAWA, to organizing a YL POTA Day, Joan provides comforting support to women operators at all levels.
While large scale resources such as the YLRL are valuable and useful, Joan’s efforts remind us that often it’s the local, face-to-face presence that makes the biggest impact. In addition to her dedication to the Women Radio Operators of Maine, Joan has been a mentor to several women in the EAWA. She guided a jittery Marion W1GRL through many contacts on the GOTA station a few years ago. She has worked with Barbara KC1SSY on running local nets and organizing EmComm activities. In 2024 Joan encouraged women to join her for a YL POTA Day activation. Every other month she gathers information from women in this area to write an entry for the YLRL newsletter, giving local active women an international platform. The YL Harmonics newsletter editor and the YLRL district representative for this area often comment on how special our active community of women operators are – a direct outcome of Joan’s efforts and support.
Joan’s efforts to support women makes an impact.
When asked about her radio journey, Joan’s story includes both operating solo for years, and later becoming involved with the larger radio community. She grew up immersed ham radio. Her father, the original W1DLC, was her inspiration and mentor. They often operated together, with November Sweeps being a favorite for many years. Her face beams as she recalls working the radio with her dad, and feeling his pride for his daughter, the only one in the family with an interest in it. She continued his legacy by working diligently to learn Morse code, how to source components and build radio equipment, and how to make satellite contacts. After his passing, she requested his call sign. She sought out the EAWA around 7 years ago to be around other hams. Currently she serves in many critical roles in the club and contributes in significant ways to all of the club’s major events. She also enjoys activating POTA locations, particularly with her son, and working Winter Field Day. She plans to return to working satellites soon.
While Joan’s efforts to promote women often go under the radar, they are impactful. The results of her personal involvement with women in the EAWA and the region show that her actions are valuable and productive. Thank you, Joan, for your willingness to do, and continue, this important work. Written by Marion W1GRL
The annual Ham Radio Symposium, sponsored by the EAWA, was held on Saturday, April 5. In addition to the three speakers, there were several antennas to view, free pamphlets, and rotating slide shows to browse. There were also chances to win several raffle prizes and some home-made treats to enjoy. The Symposium began with words of welcome from Phil N1EP, the Maine ARRL Section Manager, and John KQ1P, the President of the Ellsworth Amateur Wireless Association.
Sincere welcomes from the Maine ARRL Section Manager, the President of the Ellsworth Amateur Wireless Association, and the Women Radio Operators of Maine.
Jeff KA1DBE gave the first presentation on Amateur Satellites. Jeff’s engaging presentation intertwined the history of amateur radio and satellites along with covering the basic items needed. Operating via a satellite is similar to a using a repeater in that the activator sends a message to the satellite, and the satellite then returns the signal to the Earth. There are various configurations of satellites, such as FM satellites that can repeat only one transmission at a time, while linear satellites, which are used with SSB and CW, can handle several transmissions at a time. Jeff covered the information needed to track a satellite across the sky from one horizontal to the other. He reviewed software options along with several radio configurations for managing the transmission, and the types of antenna setups that work well. Satellites are traveling at great speeds, some tumbling as they go, so the antenna needs to be able to adjust quickly to those changes. Jeff also used one of his antennas to track satellite SO124 as it passed over the symposium room. We could hear voices clearly as it passed by.
Jeff has been hunting satellites for many years, compiling quite a list of contacts.
Guy KN0O gave the second presentation on Multi-Mode Digital Voice Modems (MMVDM) & Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Hotspot Setups with WPSD. Examples of modes handled by a MMDVM include Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio (D-STAR), Digital Mobile Radio (DMR), and Yaesu System Fusion (YSF). Guy gave examples of software uses for this kind of setup, such as sending and receiving digital voice, checking into nets, and extending your radio range. He then gave an informative tutorial on how to set such a system. He covered the required hardware, how to install and configure the WPSD software controls, and how to assemble the Pi Zero 2 W for this purpose. He had the hardware on site to show the details, down to the where to soldier parts together. He also demonstrated the potential for using an old pager as part of this process. He concluded by highlighting the benefits of this system: Emergency Communications, Amateur Radio Paging Networks, and Opportunities to Learn and Experiment.
Guy’s presentation was packed with information and hardware bits to show and demonstrate.
Phil N1EP gave the final presentation on projects and information he found interesting and useful from the book Raspberry Pi 5 for Radio Amateurs, published by Elektor and authored by Dogan Ibrahim and Ahmet Ibrahim. Phil briefly introduced the Raspberry Pi 5, noting its capabilities and uses. He also introduced the book, including its coverage of basic electronics, hardware, and programming, and mentioned some of the many home-brew projects it detailed. For this presentation, Phil focused on ham radio software that can run on a Raspberry Pi 5, specifically when paired with a Software Defined Radio (SDR) dongal, such as listening to FM radio stations, operating WSJT-X, and setting up the Ham Clock display. Embedded in the discussion was also an overview of different types of SDR devices, with pros and cons of each.
Phil’s presentation was a mix of sharing information and inviting audience discussion.
It was a fun-filled and information-filled afternoon! Raffle prizes included an ARRL Operating Manual, an RTL-SDR kit, a Baofeng UV-5RX3, an ARRL gift certificates, and a 50/50 cash prize. Many people deserve a heart-felt “Thank you,” for making this happen. At the risk of missing someone, those folks include: Joan W1DLC, Barbara KC1SSY, & Marion W1GRL for handling the sign-in and raffle tickets, Joan & Barbara for making treats and managing the food and drinks, Phil N1EP for advertising and almost all the items in the room (slide shows, special ARRL displays and literature, raffle prizes), Rob W8HAP for audio equipment and support, and the many people who helped set up the chairs and tables and then return them afterwards. This annual event is always a highlight for EAWA members, friends, and many in the community who join in. We are already looking forward to the 2026 Symposium! Written by Marion W1GRL
