At the next meeting of the KCRA, to be held on Tuesday November 15th 2011 at 7:00 PM you can become an ARRL credentialed volunteer examiner!

During this meeting we will examine chapter two of the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Manual and then complete the 40 question open book review.  The club will then send in your application and completed review to the ARRL, you will receive ARRL VE credentials and a certificate suitable for framing directly from the league in about two to three weeks.

This is open to everyone, you need not be a member of the KCRA to participate, however you must hold a General class or above FCC amateur radio license to become a VE.

There is no charge or cost of any kind to participate.

It is suggested that you print and review both the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Manual and the application. Bring them with you, limited copies will be available at the meeting.

Attention all HAM's!  We are looking for help with the  Boy Scouts of America Camporee on Staten Island's Camp Pouch

The main event takes place October 15th from 9:00 am until 5:pm. Overnight camping is available from Friday night, Oct 14th until Sunday morning Oct.16th. The event we will be helping them with is Long Distance Talking.  It basically is a semaphore competition as the camporee events are based on the old Scout Skills from the 1959 to present hand books and field books.This event has been modified to include the use of HF radio, to see who can make the best long distance contact.

The event particulars are as follows:

The attending units will be divided into two groups A and B. Group A patrols shall send to group B patrols a message which we will provide VIA semaphore; group B patrols will do the same send to group A patrols. Scoring will be based on how accurate they receive the message.  In the 1963 handbook the first class rank requirements included the requirement to send and receive a 25 letter message via Morse Code or Semaphore. 

I think it would be pretty neat if we could do a Camporee QSL PSE. I think that something like that would stimulate interest in Amateur Radio too; especially if the kids worked a station in different country and got a QSL Card in the mail.

Click on (read More) for directions and band Frequencies

Thursday afternoon Sept 1, 2011 I received an e-mail from the N2LEN Yahoo! group. It contained a snip from an e-mail from Pete N2YJZ, the ENY Section Manager, asking for help up in Green County NY. This area was hard hit by remnants of hurricane Irene. Prattsville was nearly erased from the map. Local media coverage here in NYC, never mentioned it.

This story continues, click "Read More" for the full article.

During the September 20th meeting, Joseph Nieves, N2TEE was nominated to serve on the Kings County Repeater Association board as Recording Secretary. Joe accepted the nomination.

It is unknown if Phil, K2RUH will seek reelection as Recording Secretary.

No other nominations that would result in changes to the KCRA board were received.

All full members in good standing are eligible to hold any position on the KCRA board. The meeting on October 18th is the deadline for further nominations.

The KC2RA will be honoring memory of the 911 tragedy.
 

We will never forget!

Date: September 10, 2011
Time: 1300 - 2100 UTC (9:00 am until 5:00 pm DST)
 

The KCRA will be a part of the 911 events held at the historic Conference House on Staten Island. The museum is named in memory of the 1776 conference convened at the house in an attempt to end the Revolutionary War. September 11, 1776 - A peace conference is held on Staten Island with British Admiral, Lord Richard Howe, meeting American representatives including John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. The conference fails as Howe demands the colonists revoke the Declaration of Independence.

If you would like to stop by and see what we are doing, there is ample parking.
You will find complete directions and more information about the museum at: 

http://www.conferencehouse.org/visit.html
The Conference House is located in Tottenville at the southern end of Hyland Boulevard.

You can catch us on:

20m - 14.295 USB
40m - 7.250 LSB

EchoLink nodes

#132967 (KC2LEB-R)
#64300 (KC2RA-R)
#66880 (KC2CIG-R)

We will be monitoring the KCRA and NYC Repeater Association repeaters.

447.375 (-5.0) PL 141.3
146.880 (-0.6) PL 141.3
445.825 (-5.0) PL 156.7
147.315 (+0.6) PL 118.8

Frequencies may vary due to conditions and usage of the bands. We may not be on all frequencies at the same time.
A commemorative QSL card will be available to those that make radio contact with us.

Please send us a self addressed stamped envelope to:

KCRA 911 Memorial Event
PO Box 280288,
Brooklyn, NY 11228-0288

Please be advised that nominations for all offices of the Kings County Repeater Association Inc., a New York State nonprofit corporation, need to be received by the September 20th meeting.

All full members in good standing are eligible to run for any office of the KCRA. If you are interested in running for office, or would like to nominate someone, please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or voice your matter at the September 20th meeting. If no challenger for an office is received by the October meeting, the incumbent (should they choose to accept) shall be deemed re-elected to serve 2012 as a officer/board member of the Kings County Repeater Association, Inc. at the November meeting. If two or more members are running for the same office, a paper ballot election will be held during the November meeting. This notice shall remain posted until election results are available.

The current offices, and the incumbents are:

The KCRA will be participating in the 14th annual International Lighthouse/Lightship weekend on August 20 from Nortons Point in Coney Island ILLW# US0091. If you wish to learn more about this event, go to: http://illw.net/

You may contact KC2RA, Saturday August 20 from 13:00 to 22:00 UTC (9:00 AM - 6:00 PM DST) on these frequencies:
20m - 14.295 USB
40m - 7.250 LSB
PSK31 - 14.070

D-Star - Call Sign route to KC2RA, link to the WG2MSK repeater, or Reflector 020A

EchoLink - nodes 132967 (KC2LEB-R), 64300 (KC2RA-R)

Frequencies may vary due to conditions and usage of the bands. We may not be on all frequencies at the same time.

There are literally thousands of lighthouses, lightships, and navigational beacons around the world. The basic objective of the event is to promote public awareness of lighthouses and lightships and their need for preservation and restoration, and at the same time to promote amateur radio and to foster International goodwill. Lighthouses are fast becoming an endangered species with the introduction of Global Positioning Systems and Satellite Navigation and the automation of the light source to solar power which has resulted in the withdrawal of management personnel (Keepers). It is hoped that this event will highlight this situation and help prevent further desecration of these magnificent structures all around the world.

The Kings County Repeater Association will be operating our radios using homemade antennas, and emergency, portable equipment. We will be using different modes of communication, state of the art digital and voice, to contact people around the world.

This event is open to the public and all amateurs, but you need to contact the KCRA to be involved with us on the Lighthouse grounds. There will be free refreshments provided by the Seagate Community Board. If you are interested in joining us, please send an email to; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

A commemorative QSL card will be available for those that make radio contacts. Please send us a self addressed stamped envelope to:

KCRA Lighthouse Event
PO Box 280288,
Brooklyn, NY 11228-0288

Please join us on Tuesday August 2nd at Staten Island's Midland Beach promenade for the 28th Annual National Night Out against Crime!

Members of the Ham Radio Community including Kings County Repeater Association, Richmond County Amateur Radio Emergency Services, NYC Repeater Association, and the Staten Island Repeater System will demonstrate their operating capabilities and services they provide to Served Agencies, there Communities, the General Public and fellow Amateur Radio Operators.

We will have a Canopy set up for this occasion to promote Ham Radio. We will have power available, and will be running HF/UHF/VHF radios

Let us know if you would like to help us during this event. Send an EMail to:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Come on down to enjoy the beautiful summer weather for an evening at the beach. There will be free food, Hotdogs, Hamburgers, soda, water, Ice-cream, and cotton candy, and games and rides for the Kids.

This event is hosted by the NYPD and other government and city agencies. There will be demonstrations and display of equipment by the Police, Fireman, FBI, Secret Service and other Government agencies that support this event. Please do not scan police or other public service frequencies while you are on the boardwalk.

Talk-in frequencies will be:

KC2RA repeater:   146.430 ( 1.0) PL 136.5

NYCRA Repeaters:

                  447.375 (-5.0) PL 141.3 
                  146.880 (-0.6) PL 141.3 
                  445.825 (-5.0) PL 156.7 
                  147.315 ( 0.6) PL 118.8

Big Apple Traffic Net Special Event / NTS Traffic Net @ 8:00 on:

SI North repeater:  440.550 (+5.0) PL 141.3

SI South repeater:  445.125 (-5.0) PL 141.3

EchoLink node # 132967

IRLP Reflector Node 9056

Date:Tuesday August 2nd, 2011
Time: Setup 4:00 pm
          Start 5:00 pm
          End   9:00 pm
Location: Midland Beach promenade (Turtle Circle), Father Capodanno Blvd. & Jefferson Ave, off of Parking Lot #2 

Directions from Verrazano-Narrows Bridge:

If you are coming from Brooklyn, after the VZ Toll Booth, stay all the way on the right, take the second exit, 15 S, Lily Pond Ave South/ Fr. Capodanno Blvd. The exit will go under 278 on to Lily Pond Ave. Take that a few blocks south and it will turn right into Father Capodanno Blvd. Jefferson Circle is approximately 2 miles on the left.

When All Else Fails!

This year the club has once again chosen the South Beach Psychiatric Center located at 777 Seaview Ave in Staten Island as its Field Day site location.

This huge field, were the clubs mascot the wild turkey roams free, is located just minutes from the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and offers ample free parking, 24 hour facilities, more than enough room for even the longest of antennas, and is directly across the street from the beach.

RF wise, it's shaping up to be an exciting time on the air with antennas for all allowable radio bands between 160m and 6m scheduled to be installed.

SSB/AM/FM voice, CW, and most of the latest in digital modes including D-Star will be available for you to peruse or operate!

All equipment will be powered by emergency power sources such as batteries, solar, generator, and even fuel cells.

Don't worry if your license doesn't cover HF or even if you're not a ham and just interested in what all those wires are for, come on down, we got you covered! We'll show you everything you need to know and get you on the air!

Lite refreshments will be provided by the Kings County Repeater Association.

Our hours of operation this year (including setup) are from 8:30AM Saturday, June 25th until 11:00AM Sunday, June 26th, visitors are welcome stop by anytime.

For more information including operating setup, map, and directions, click "Read More"

The KCRA needs your help, and we are willing to bribe you!

The clubs annual field day outing is our largest, most difficult, and physically demanding event of the year.

With the many antennas, radios, pop up canopies, chairs, tables, feed line, wiring and support structures to assemble (and take down) comes a great deal of physical stress and exertion to the clubs core group of volunteers. Help lighten their load, you may learn quite a bit in the process and go home with that nice fuzzy feeling inside that you helped out on the team.

We are seeking able bodied volunteers for the following positions:

Saturday June 25^th 8:30 AM

• Operations facility setup (Table, chair, tent/canopy, electrical, etc. setup)
• Antenna installation assistants (Wire antenna, support structures, feed line, etc. setup)
• 20+ WPM CW operator (Bencher paddle on site, or bring your own. CW op gets first choice of band 160-6. Must be able to computer log. You may arrive at any time for as long/little as you wish, just let us know!)

Sunday June 26^th 10:30 AM

• Operations facility break down
• Antenna break down assistants

Our bribe to you: A beautiful KCRA logo T-Shirt or embroidered hat. Supplies are of course limited, you must pre-register by June 20^th using the comment form below or by sending an This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

These volunteer opportunities are available to both members and non-members alike. Lite refreshments will be provided by the club. Further information on our 2011 Field Day, including location/map/directions may be found here.