All posts by Fred Kemmerer

I enjoy station building, contesting and helping new folks to join and have fun with our hobby.

Hamilton Stewart, A Friend and and a Great Mentor, SK

We received some very sad news recently. A long-time member and supporter of the Nashua Area Radio Society and Amateur Radio, Hamilton Stewart, K1HMS, has become a silent key.

I first met Hamilton at a NARS exam session where he earned his  Extra Class license, by passing the Technician, General, and Extra exams all in one session. He became active with NARS and began contributing almost immediately. Hamilton made many contributions to NARS.

Hamilton served as an instructor for our license classes and presented some of the most difficult topics in a way students could understand. He was famous for his Yagi antenna demos, which will be missed at our license classes.

Hamilton explaining a design of his at Project Night

Hamilton was an engineer’s engineer – one of the best that I have had the pleasure to know. He would always take the time to patiently explain the most difficult ideas in simple terms, helping them master technical concepts. When members need help repairing a radio or another piece of gear, Hamilton helps them get back on the air. His workshop was impressive, and he really knew how to use his gear.

Pierce, K1FOP and Hamilton, K1HMS Testing CW Stations
Hamilton, K1HMS Testing CW Stations

Hamilton loved Field Day and served as co-chairman. He was always there to help us build our stations and to operate them. We would find a way to pitch in and help with whatever the team needed to succeed at Field Day. He was always team-focused.

Hamilton was also a past Treasurer of NARS, and served on our non-profit incorporation/501(c)(3) committee

Hamilton loved to mentor and wrote many articles on our website to help newer folks learn about Amateur Radio station building, operating, and electronics. You can find his contributions in this area here.

It was a privilege to have known Hamilton. I have the highest respect for him as a person. Even when he was very sick and fighting to regain his health, he found time to continue contributing to NARS’ educational work and to share his knowledge and mentor others. I will miss him very much.

You can find information on the final arrangements and his obituary here.

Fred, AB1OC

Paterson P-Tech Students Contact the ISS via Amateur Radio

Astronaut YUI Kimiya KG5BPH

Source: Paterson P-Tech Contact the ISS via Amateur Radio – Our HAM Station

Students from a group of schools in the Patterson, NJ area will be making contact with astronaut YUI Kimiya KG5BPH aboard the International Space Station on Monday Morning, October 5th.You can view the contact via the livestream link in the article above.

Folks in New England can also listen to the downlink via Amateur Radio. Tune to 145.800 MHz FM.

The livestream will begin at approximately 9:20 a.m., and the radio link with the ISS will be established around 10:20 am.

Fred, AB1OC

ARISS Ground Station and Mentor

Low-Band Receive Antenna Upgrades at AB1OC-AB1QB

Low Band Receive System - NCC-2

We have two low-band receive systems at our station:

These antenna systems use short active vertical antennas in various combinations to create directional receive antennas for the low bands (80m and 160m).

We recently upgraded our low-band receive antennas to use the latest electronics. The upgrades improved the performance of both antennas and enabled us to contact China on 80m. You can read more about the project here.

We did a guest spot on DXendineering’s weekly video broadcast about the project. You can view the video here.

Fred, AB1OC

Radio Amateurs Developing Skills Worldwide