Category Archives: Featured

This category is for featured articles that we want to include in the sidebars and other areas on our website.

Member Spotlight, Craig N1SFT

Hi, my name is Craig T. Bailey.   Member Spotlight Craig N1SFT

I’ve been a licensed amateur radio operator since 1994.  Like many hams, during our sophomore year in high school, while we all were getting drivers licenses, of course, we installed citizen band radios!  It didn’t take long before we realized the CB wasn’t really what we were looking for – so we were introduced to Amateur radio, and by Junior year we were licensed Techs.   In ’94 we were still being called “No Code Techs” because the transition into the current technician structure was still fairly new.

I joined the Central NH Radio club, and the club meetings were pretty good, and there were a couple club organized hikes, so the idea of “Summits on the air” has been with me for a long time… albeit not as the formal structured activity that it is today.  Once my buddies and I started leaving for college, we all brought our HTs, and we all intended to stay active, but best-laid plans – you know how it goes.   I still have my trusty Alinco DJ-F1T 2m handheld… it was state of the art with its DTMF pad, and its huge 40 memory slots: it still works, but the battery packs are totally gone…  (I prefer my modern day stable including a Yaesu VX-8DR, FT-2980R, FT-817ND, FT-891, and even an old Yaesu FT-90R.)

In college, I studied classical civil engineering at the University of New Hampshire where I earned a B.Sci in Civil engineering, and then a Professional Masters Degree from the University of Maine in Surveying and Business Management. While at UNH things were just so busy that ham radio had to take a back seat.

My wife and I moved to Nashua in 2000, and and we started our careers and family.  I am a licensed professional engineer (PE – Civil,) and my wife Marcie is also a PE, although she’s a Mechanical Engineer.  I am also a Licensed Land Surveyor, a certified septic designer, and I work for the family surveying and engineering company based in Gilford, NH.  One job is never enough, so for my second job I’m a part-time professor of Civil Engineering Technology at NHTI, Concord’s Community college in Concord NH.  Night classes are the reason you’ll likely not see me at many Club meetings.  I teach structural engineering topics in Steel, Timber, Reinforced concrete, and of course Statics and Strength of Materials.  I also teach AutoCAD Civil 3D, AutoCAD 3D, and elementary plane surveying.

I’ve finally joined the Nashua Area Radio Society, and I’m sure glad to be here!  When I’m not on the radio, you’ll probably find me, my wife, and our two daughters (7 and 5) camping somewhere in the RV.  We love camping, and since my upgrade to General, I’ve been bringing the 100-watt radio along for night time operating from the campsite.

When I’m not volunteering for NARS, my first love is with the Boy Scouts of America.  I’ve been a member of the Daniel Webster Council BSA since I was 6 in 1984.  I’m still a member and am currently serving as an Assistant Council Commissioner, assisting the Scoutmasters, Cubmasters, and Venture Crew Leaders put on a great program for New Hampshire’s young boys and girls.

We stay pretty busy, that’s for sure!

Craig, N1SFT

Member Spotlight Craig N1SFT

NARS Prepares for the Thirteen Colonies Special Event

The Thirteen Colonies Special Event begin this Sunday, July 1 at 9 am EDT. The event runs for 6 days and is the largest Amateur Radio Special Event in the world. Each state that grew from one of the original Thirteen Colonies will be using a K2x call and will have a nice QSL card available for Hams who work them. There will also be a very nice certificate available for Hams who work one or more of the stations that are part of the event.

2018 Thirteen Colonies Certificate
2018 Thirteen Colonies Certificate

The event is celebrating its 10th year in 2018 and we have designed a new QSL card for K2K New Hampshire this year.

The New Hampshire State Navy during the American Revolutionary War consisted of a single ship commissioned by the state of New Hampshire in 1779. The Hampden, a privateer owned by John Langdon, was purchased and outfitted by the state in August 1779. Our card features the Hampden.

2018 K2K QSL Card
2018 K2K QSL Card

Nashua Area Radio Society operators will be operating all of the K2K New Hampshire stations this year. We will be defending our Top State and Top Club titles this year. The NARS team made 12,838 contacts during the 2017 event and we are looking forward to making lots of contacts again this year!

K2K New Hampshire will be QRV on all bands 160m – 6m except for 60m. We will be operating using SSB Phone, CW, and Digital modes. We will also have a QRP station operating as K2K/QRP and some mobile stations operating as K2K/M.

K2K New Hampshire, QRZ?

Fred, AB1OC

NARS Field Day on WMUR News 9 Last Night

Congratulations to everyone for a wonderful Field Day this year.  WMUR TV Channel 9 sent out a crew yesterday, and a story about our Field Day operation made it on the news last night at 6:00 PM.  For those of you that didn’t see the show, I have copied the story and we’ve posted it on our home page. Thanks to John, W1SMN for inviting WMUR to our Field Day!

Dave, K1DLM

Radio Amateurs Developing Skills Worldwide