| Time | Forum | Moderator | Biography |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00am – 8:50am | Newcomer’s meeting – an overview of HRU |  Diane Ortiz K2DO |
Diane Ortiz K2DO is past president of the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club, a member of QCWA, YLRL and Secretary and past president of the Order of Boiled Owls of New York. Diane was the ARRL Hudson Division Grand Ole Ham in 2009. Diane has operated from many countries including the Turks and Caicos Islands, Grenada, the United Nations HQ and recently from the Azores as part of the Azores Nine Island Hunt. Diane wrote the YL news column for the ARRL’s QST Magazine for 10 years and the YL Contesting column in CQ Contest Magazine. Join her as she provides an overview of Ham Radio University. She will talk about what HRU is, what to do and where to go. Diane’s insider “scoop” is certain to make you more comfortable and confident, both on and off the air. |
| 9:00am – 9:50am | ARRL Forum |  Jim_Mezey W2KFV |
Jim Mezey W2KFV, is the Section Manager for NLI with over 50 years of experience in Emergency Communications, Jim has served as ARRL Section Emergency Coordinator for Nassau County. He holds an Extra Class license and is a member or officer of LIMARC, Nassau Amateur Radio Club, Nassau County Police Amateur Radio Club, QCWA, and IPARC. A VE Examiner, Field Instructor and Examiner, Jim is well versed in public service communications. He was a member of the ARRL Emergency Communications Advisory Committee and is also a certified ARRL instructor who is trained in ARRL Emergency Communication Courses as well as ICS and NIMS. He has been honored in receiving LIMARC’s N2MEI Award for Outstanding Public Service and the 2009 Hudson Division Amateur of The Year Award. |
| 9:00am – 9:50am | ARRL Forum |  Ria Jairam N2RJ |
Ria Jairam, N2RJ is the ARRL Hudson Division Director. She has been licensed since 1997 in Trinidad and Tobago and in the US since 2001. She first became interested in radio at 5 years old from her dad, an avid SWL and learned about amateur radio from a teacher, Mr. Tony Lee-Mack, 9Y4AL. Ria is active in contesting, Dxing, DMR, DSTAR and digital modes. To her name are several DX and contest awards including 9 band DXCC (160 through 10 meters), Challenge at the 1800+ level, all 3 modes and 325 entities mixed. She has also won several contest plaques including regional, national and North American titles in various DX contests. Ria has won a “Top Elmer” award in 2016 for her mentoring on the Flex Radio forums and also helping users use their radios remotely. She subsequently was awarded two “Top Tester” awards in 2017. She is a volunteer QSL card sorter with the W2 QSL bureau, run by the North Jersey DX Association (NJDXA) and is the Northern NJ section manager for the Frankford Radio Club (FRC). She is also the District 2 chair of the Young Ladies Radio League (YLRL) and a member of the British Young Ladies Amateur Radio Association (BYLARA). Ria is an alumna of the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, where she studied Electrical Engineering. In the ARRL, Ria is currently the chair of the IT Modernization committee, a member of the Programs and Services Committee, as well as ARISS and Band Planning committees. Look for her in the DX pileups, often operating remotely, or operating WSJT digital modes to snag a new one. |
| 9:00am – 9:50am | ARRL Forum |  Robert Jagde KD2GRS |
Rob Jagde, KD2GRS, has had an interest in ham radio since building a Heathkit CW practice rig as a teenager. It was not until over 40 years later though, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, that he finally joined the ranks of Amateur Radio operators. His call sign is KD2GRS and he has an Amateur Extra license. Rob’s primary interest in radio is for emergency communications, particularly digital communications. He joined the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) in Nassau County to learn and participate in radio operations while supporting the American Red Cross and the many public service events held around Long Island and NYC. He was appointed by ARRL as an Emergency Coordinator and is currently the Assistant District Emergency Coordinator for Nassau County ARES. Rob has completed the CISA AuxCOMM training as well. Rob also works with the national EmComm Training Group running weekly and semi-annual Winlink educational and training drills. |
| 9:00am – 9:50am | Building your first HF station |  Neil Heft KC2KY |
Neil Heft, KC2KY, received his first ham call sign (WN2UDP) in 1971 when he was a 12 year old lad living in Stony Brook, NY. By 1973, just barely able to copy 13 words per minute, Neil upgraded to Advanced at age 15, about a month after his Novice license expired. (In those days, the Novice license was only good for 2 years and was non-renewable.) In the late seventies, Neil studied Electrical Engineering at Drexel University and Ham radio started taking a back seat. After finishing his undergraduate work in 1980, his interest in ham radio started to take off again. By 1987 Neil, now KC2KY, upgraded to Extra Class. Neil is an active member of Radio Central Amateur Radio Club on Long Island. Today Neil is President of Radio Central and is editor of Radio Central’s club newsletter, Random Oscillations. He works as an Electrical Engineer at Mini-Circuits Labs in Deer Park. |
| 10:00am – 10:50am | Basics of HF operating |  Mel_Granick KS2G |
First licensed in 1977 as a Novice, Mel Granick upgraded to Technician, General and Advanced class licenses within six months and has been an Amateur Extra since 1981. He’s been active in numerous aspects of Amateur Radio ranging from traffic handling to the early use of packet radio. With a modest station consisting of a 100 watt transceiver, 3-element tribander and 40/80 dipole up just 35 feet, he’s been successful as a DX’er (DXCC-250+), awards chaser (5BWAS) and one of the leading contesters in the 2nd Call Area, repeatedly placing in the top ten among U.S. low-power single operators in the CQ World Wide DX, CQ World Wide WPX and ARRL 10-Meter contests. Mel is a seasoned DX and contest operator and will guide you through the HF bands, modes, propagation, on-air procedures, and using rig controls to get the most out of your HF transceiver. |
| 10:00am – 10:50am | Basic of grounding in the ham shack |  Donald Kane WB2BEZ |
Donald W. Kane, WB2BEZ, has been a licensed HAM for over 45 years (ARRL Life Member) and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of New York with over 40 years of engineering experience including: Product Safety Evaluation; Electric Utility Substation and Plant engineering; Design and Manufacture of Diesel powered generators, including controls and switchgear; rail transit rolling stock and infrastructure engineering and electrical construction and HVAC. This seminar will present an overview of grounding and bonding, as applied to the typical amateur radio installation, with regard to power, lightning protection and RF (antenna) grounding. |
| 11:00am – 11:50am | Contesting: All Your Questions Answered | Mel_Granick KS2G |
First licensed in 1977 as a Novice, Mel Granick upgraded to Technician, General and Advanced class licenses within six months and has been an Amateur Extra since 1981. He’s been active in numerous aspects of Amateur Radio ranging from traffic handling to the early use of packet radio. With a modest station consisting of a 100 watt transceiver, 3-element tribander and 40/80 dipole up just 35 feet, he’s been successful as a DX’er (DXCC-250+), awards chaser (5BWAS) and one of the leading contesters in the 2nd Call Area, repeatedly placing in the top ten among U.S. low-power single operators in the CQ World Wide DX, CQ World Wide WPX and ARRL 10-Meter contests. His forum will provide contesting basics, discuss strategies and tactics, and answer the most commonly-asked questions about contest operating. |
| 11:00am – 11:50am | QRP low power fun |  John Meade W2XS |
John Meade W2XS started ham radio in the mid sixties as WB2SLI. The QRP bug hit him when Heathkit came out with the HW-8. Since that time, he has used many of the QRP rigs out there including Ten Tec, Small Wonders Labs, MFJ, OHR, NorCal, and Elecraft. There have been many successful outings with the Long Island QRP club with QSOs far and wide with simple (but effective) equipment and antennas. His career has been in the Electronics Management industry as well as teaching Electrical Technology at Nassau Community College. |
| 11:00am – 11:50am | Amateur Radio Satellites in Space |  Peter Portanova W2JV |
Peter earned his Technician license in 1964, the NY Worlds Fair was a major incentive along with listening to Jean Shepard spin his humor on WOR radio in the 60’s. Earning an Extra class ticket was something he never thought he could attain until he met N2MUN, Phil (SK) at the GSBARC in 1996. Phil and Peter immediately bonded, his teaching style was very special and down to earth as he was in life. Peter earned his Advanced and Extra Class licenses as they were classed in 2004 and every day that he’s on the air he thinks of the impact Phil had on him and so many others. Peter met another Mentor at Field Day, 2008, Neil Heft, KC2KY, who was operating the Satellite station for Radio Central and the Boiled Owls. He was making a contact on AO-51, an easy-sat, while Ritchie, KB2ZPB was rotating the antenna on both horizontal and vertical plains, and they were having a great time. Peter was, mesmerized, again and thought that you had to be a Rocket Scientist to talk thru the Satellites. Neil, again a brilliant Engineer and communicator used simple everyday language to explain what he was doing. Peter went home, put in the uplink and downlinks of AO-51 into his Yaesu FT-50R, went to the AMSAT site for the passes and made his first Satellite contact with Tim, N3TL, it’s that complicated and that easy, a year later he received his VUCC Award and the Oscar Satellite Communications Award.; Peter was a board member and is currently an AMSAT Ambassador and Congressional liaison for AMSAT. Peter has made thousands of contacts thru the Amateur Satellites and hundreds of Presentations of “How to get started in operating thru the OSCAR fleet”. Visit the HRU You Tube site for all our videos. For HRU 2023 Peter will talk about the History of Amateur Satellites, from OSCAR 1 to the exciting MEO digipeater Satellite GREENCUBE. This a presentation that has never been done in this format, you don’t want to miss this it! |
| 12noon – 12:50pm | Overview of Ham Radio Logging programs |  Tom Carrubba KA2D |
Tom Carrubba KA2D was first licensed in 1978 as KA2DFO. He is an active DXer and Contester. Over the course of his on air activity he has earned DXCC in CW, RTTY and SSB along with 5BDXCC with 30, 17 and 12 meter endorsements and DXCC Challenge. He made DXCC Honor Roll via LoTW. Tom operates all modes/bands. His favorite modes are RTTY and CW and is also active on Digital modes. KA2D has helped coordinate and participated in various Special Event Stations from the Long Island area such as Montauk Point and Fire Island Lighthouses, The Long Island Air Show, National Weather Service/ARRL SKYWARN Recognition Day and ARRL Field Day. In 2016, Tom was active in National Parks on the Air and was part of the group that activated the White House. Field Day and Lighthouse weekend are his favorites. Tom become active in computer logging in 1988 and has logged on a computer since then. In his forum, we will review logging method history and demonstrate the advantages of computer logging. The presentation will cover the many logging program features such as award and QSL tracking at your fingertips. Tom hopes you will enjoy his presentation. |
| 12noon – 12:50pm | A presentation by the Long Island CW Club |  Howard Bernstein WB2UZE |
Howard Bernstein WB2UZE has been an active ham since 1965 and holds an Extra class license. He graduated from SUNY Albany in 1974 with a BS in Business Administration and shortly thereafter started a company in the import and export of industrial chemicals. Being partially retired at this time gave him the opportunity along with Rich K2UPS, to co-found the Long Island CW Club in 2018. The club currently has over 3300 members in 50 states and 47 countries and teaches 77 CW classes and forums weekly via Zoom. in addition to having many local activities. Besides having a passion for CW, Howard has a vintage gear (boat anchor) station made up of the gear he wanted to have as a young ham in the 1960s but could not afford back then. Outside of ham radio Howard enjoys travel, antiques and his 1956 Oldsmobile. Howard has also written a book: Fire Island Lighthouse Maritime Communications: A History Spanning 1859-1973 which centers around post WW2 Coast Guard transmitters still miraculously remaining at the Fire Island Lighthouse. |
| 12noon – 12:50pm | Cables and Connectors |  Richie Cetron K2KNB |
Richie Cetron K2KNB has been the president of the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club from 2008-2013, and again from 2017 until the present. Richie is a Volunteer Examiner, The Affiliated Club Coordinator for New York-Long Island, and an Assistant Director for the Hudson Division. He was the Hudson Division Amateur of the Year for 2012 and 2020. The forum will consist of some basic information about the selection of cable and connectors for the best possible results in transmitting RF signals. Understanding how coaxial cable is constructed and the amazing things that occur within will hopefully stimulate you to delve more deeply into this interesting component of our hobby. |
| 1:00pm – 1:50pm | The ABC’s of DXing | Tom Carrubba KA2D |
Tom Carrubba KA2D was first licensed in 1978 as KA2DFO. He is an active DXer and Contester. Over the course of his on air activity he has earned DXCC in CW, RTTY and SSB along with 5BDXCC with 30, 17 and 12 meter endorsements and DXCC Challenge. He made DXCC Honor Roll via LoTW. Tom operates all modes/bands. His favorite modes are RTTY and CW and is also active on Digital modes. KA2D has helped coordinate and participated in various Special Event Stations from the Long Island area such as Montauk Point and Fire Island Lighthouses, The Long Island Air Show, National Weather Service/ARRL SKYWARN Recognition Day and ARRL Field Day. In 2016, Tom was active in National Parks on the Air and was part of the group that activated the White House. Field Day and Lighthouse weekend are his favorites. Tom become active in computer logging in 1988 and has logged on a computer since then. |
| 1:00pm – 1:50pm | HF Digital Modes including FT8 |  Neil Goldstein W2NDG |
Neil Goldstein W2NDG has been tinkering with radios since the early seventies when he used to hang out in his uncle’s ham shack in CT (W1PVC sk). These days he can be found in the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains with a QRP radio, or sitting at his workbench amidst a cloud of solder smoke. After first getting licensed in 2011 as KD2APZ, he started looking for ways to merge his two hobbies: computers and radio. Now, a holder of an Extra Class license, he experiments with SDR, rig control, digital modes, and has a well-used soldering iron. Neil is active in local Ham clubs, has written for AmateurRadio.com as well as The Spectrum Monitor, and frequently presents at various club meetings on computer-related subjects. Neil maintains radiokitguide.com, the complete list of radio kit sources on the Internet, and hosts the Long Island CW Club’s weekly Makers Forum. |
| 1:00pm – 1:50pm | Parks on the Air |  Dennis Boyé AH2O |
Dennis Boyé AH2O was first licensed in 1978 and is a Radiosport enthusiast. He has lived and operated from several states and countries. Dennis is an active DX Chaser earning 5-Band DXCC with 12M, 17M, 30M endorsements, DXCC-SSB, DXCC-CW, DXCC-Digital, DXCC Challenge. Earned 5-Band WAS with 12M, 17M endorsements, WAS-SSB, WAS-CW, WAS-FT8, WAS-FT4, WAS-RTTY, WAS Triple Play. He is also an active contester with numerous wins / top-ten placements in the New York City Long Island Section / Hudson Division / 2nd call area operating in the ARRL Sweepstakes SSB, ARRL DX SSB, ARRL CW, NAQP CW, NAQP RTTY, CQ World Wide DX, CQ World Wide WPX, CQ World Wide RTTY, IARU HF World Championship SSB, and NY QSO Party SSB. The thrill of contesting led to Parks-On-The-Air (POTA) operations and the activation of over 25 parks with over 1000 QSOs. Dennis has hunted over 500 different parks. |
| 2:00pm – 2:50pm | Software Defined Radios for HF | Ria Jairam N2RJ |
Ria Jairam, N2RJ is the ARRL Hudson Division Director. She has been licensed since 1997 in Trinidad and Tobago and in the US since 2001. She first became interested in radio at 5 years old from her dad, an avid SWL and learned about amateur radio from a teacher, Mr. Tony Lee-Mack, 9Y4AL. Ria is active in contesting, Dxing, DMR, DSTAR and digital modes. To her name are several DX and contest awards including 9 band DXCC (160 through 10 meters), Challenge at the 1800+ level, all 3 modes and 325 entities mixed. She has also won several contest plaques including regional, national and North American titles in various DX contests. Ria has won a “Top Elmer” award in 2016 for her mentoring on the Flex Radio forums and also helping users use their radios remotely. She subsequently was awarded two “Top Tester” awards in 2017. She is a volunteer QSL card sorter with the W2 QSL bureau, run by the North Jersey DX Association (NJDXA) and is the Northern NJ section manager for the Frankford Radio Club (FRC). She is also the District 2 chair of the Young Ladies Radio League (YLRL) and a member of the British Young Ladies Amateur Radio Association (BYLARA). Ria is an alumna of the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, where she studied Electrical Engineering. In the ARRL, Ria is currently the chair of the IT Modernization committee, a member of the Programs and Services Committee, as well as ARISS and Band Planning committees. Look for her in the DX pileups, often operating remotely, or operating WSJT digital modes to snag a new one. |
| 2:00pm – 2:50pm | Raspberry Pi applications for Ham Radio | Neil Goldstein W2NDG |
Neil Goldstein W2NDG has been tinkering with radios since the early seventies when he used to hang out in his uncle’s ham shack in CT (W1PVC sk). These days he can be found in the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains with a QRP radio, or sitting at his workbench amidst a cloud of solder smoke. After first getting licensed in 2011 as KD2APZ, he started looking for ways to merge his two hobbies: computers and radio. Now, a holder of an Extra Class license, he experiments with SDR, rig control, digital modes, and has a well-used soldering iron. Neil is active in local Ham clubs, has written for AmateurRadio.com as well as The Spectrum Monitor, and frequently presents at various club meetings on computer-related subjects. Neil maintains radiokitguide.com, the complete list of radio kit sources on the Internet, and hosts the Long Island CW Club’s weekly Makers Forum. |
| 2:00pm – 2:50pm | Practical HF Antennas | Neil Heft KC2KY |
Neil Heft, KC2KY, received his first ham call sign (WN2UDP) in 1971 when he was a 12 year old lad living in Stony Brook, NY. By 1973, just barely able to copy 13 words per minute, Neil upgraded to Advanced at age 15, about a month after his Novice license expired. (In those days, the Novice license was only good for 2 years and was non-renewable.) In the late seventies, Neil studied Electrical Engineering at Drexel University and Ham radio started taking a back seat. After finishing his undergraduate work in 1980, his interest in ham radio started to take off again. By 1987 Neil, now KC2KY, upgraded to Extra Class. Neil is an active member of Radio Central Amateur Radio Club on Long Island. Today Neil is President of Radio Central and is editor of Radio Central’s club newsletter, Random Oscillations. He works as an Electrical Engineer at Mini-Circuits Labs in Deer Park. |