About Carmine Prestia

Amateur Radio Extra Class License K3CWP ARES Emergency Coordinator, Centre County PA RACES/ACS Radio Officer, Centre Centre County PA

Amateur Radio Public Service Events for 2023

As of January 31, 2022 there are several public service events that have contacted me and requested amateur radio assistance.  They are listed on the calendar but here are the dates for those who want to pencil them in early or volunteer.  Unless otherwise indicated below contact Carmine, K3CWP at k3cwp@arrl.net to volunteer for an event.

  • Multiple Sclerosis Glimcher Keystone Country Ride TENTATIVE, July 15-16, 2023
    • Begins and ends at the Penn Stater Hotel in Centre County, PA

Thank you.

Centre County Amateurs Assist the Rothrock Grit Bicycle Ride

On Saturday, June 11th the Happy Valley Women’s Cycling Team (HVWC) held their annual Rothrock Grit Gravel Grinder Race.  This is a 66 mile race over various trails and roads in the Rothrock State Forest.  Several hundred bicycle racers took to the course at 09:00.  Six Centre County Amateur Radio Operators provided communications among three support stations and race headquarters. Continue reading

Nittany Amateur Radio Club members assist Alpha Fire Company Santa Express

Santa Claus appeared in Centre Region neighborhoods Christmas Eve courtesy of the Alpha Fire Company.  For more that two decades AFC used their fire truck sleighs decked with Christmas lights bringing Santa to the neighborhoods to the delight of children of all ages.  So everyone had a chance to see Santa and his elves Woody, K3YV, and Carmine, K3CWP, equipped Santa’s sleigh with APRS beacons. Continue reading

K3HOT/R Amateur Radio Repeater Information

A new Amateur Radio Service repeater is now in operation in Centre County.

The K3HOT repeater located on Rattlesnake Mountain operates on a frequency of 443.425mhz with a CTCSS of 107.2hz (pl 1B). The repeater is linked fulltime (a simulcast) with the W3ND repeater 145.11 at Harrisburg. This repeater serves as the PEMA auxiliary communications service repeater for the lower Susquehanna valley. The W3ND repeater also serves as the primary Skywarn repeater for a 10 county area.  Continue reading

Centre County Skywarn Recognition Day 2021 Participation

UPDATE: 12/3/2021 @ 1632.

Click here to see a list of Skywarn Recognition Day Registration Numbers. You can still register if you wish but they don’t guarantee a number before SRD starts this evening.

Click here to see a list of participating stations.  I imagine this will update as stations register, so check often.

Centre County amateur radio operators are invited to participate in Skywarn Recognition Day on December 3 & 4, 2021.  We hope to have contacts on HF, VHF, and UHF. Participation details may be found in the following document

Skywarn Recognition Day 2021 Incident Briefing
519.8 KiB
666 Downloads
Details

Participants may register at:

National Weather Service Skywarn Recognition Day

 

Amateur Radio provides communications for the Unpaved Bicycle Race

On Sunday, October 10, 2021, Amateur Radio operators provided communications for the Unpaved of the Susquehanna Valley bicycle race.  The race starts in Lewisburg, PA and winds its way south west through the Bald Eagle State Forest back to Lewisburg.  It is a particularly long race, the longest course is 120 miles with several other shorter courses possible.  Near 1,200 riders registered for the race with about 800 riding.  The reduced number was probably a result of the rainy weather. Continue reading

FCC Grants Temporary Waiver to Permit Higher Symbol Rate Data Transmissions for Hurricane Ida Traffic

Information received from the ARRL

FCC Grants Temporary Waiver to Permit Higher Symbol Rate Data Transmissions for Hurricane Ida Traffic

Sunday, August 29, 2021

The FCC has granted an ARRL emergency request for a temporary waiver intended to facilitate relief communications in the wake of Hurricane Ida. The waiver was orally granted on Saturday, August 28, and immediately permitted amateur data transmissions related to Hurricane Ida traffic to employ a higher symbol rate for data transmissions than the current limit of 300 baud. Continue reading