Amateur Volunteers Sought for Dave Birtwell Memorial Walk for Alzheimer’s, Sandwich, May 18
Chris Ranney, WA1CMR, writes on the Barnstable ARC mailing list:
This year I am coordinating volunteers to provide ham radio support for the Dave Birtwell Memorial Walk for Alzheimer’s at Scusset Beach Reservation, Sandwich on Saturday, May 18th, 2024, 11-2 pm. BARC and FARA have provided this service for the walk for several years and I hope we can do so again this year.
This year we need 6-8 volunteers to be at the walk from 10-3 with a 2 meter handheld radio. Jon N1ILZ will provide Net Control for a 2 meter simplex net and I will be coordinating our activities the walk headquarters.
If you can help please get in touch with me. I will provide more information to the volunteers as the event gets closer.
Chris Ranney, WA1CMR
508-681-9981
Massachusetts – Rhode Island STM Report for March 2024
The March 2024 STM Report for Massachusetts and Rhode Island can be found at https://ema.arrl.org/massachusetts-rhode-island-stm-report-for-march-2024/ . Note new traffic handlers, preparations for Field Day, NTS Letter archive, Radiogram Web Portal and training and promotional materials on the NTS2 website.
HamXposition Club Newsletter Award
Open to all New England Amateur Radio Clubs
- Each club submits:
- Club newsletter from the 2nd quarter of 2024 (April, May, or June)
- Email newsetter to: cq-newsletter@hamxposition.org
- Deadline to submit: Friday, July 5
- Judging by someone impartial who resides outside of New England on the following:
- Layout design
- Content
- The top three get a digitial sticker they can use on their newsletter for the next 12 months showing that they are #1, #2, or #3 best club newsletter in New England for the period September 1, 2024, through August 31, 2025.
- The top three winners for the 2024 HamXposition will be ineligible to participate in the 2025 HamXposition competition to allow other clubs to win.
“Going the extra mile: the radio operators who connect all 26.2 miles of the Boston Marathon”
Members of the Northeastern Univ. Wireless Club were featured in the Northeastern student newspaper for their work at Monday’s Boston Marathon:
“Early in the morning April 15, thousands of volunteers and athletes began to check-in and start the race that constitutes one of the biggest days in sports: the Boston Marathon. Among them were a cadre of unseen — but vital — amateur radio operators who kept a constant loop of communications for the duration of the race.”
[Full story]N1SV: “VP9I: Operating from Bermuda” at Nashoba Valley ARC Meeting, April 18, 2024
The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club’s April meeting is Thursday, April 18th (the day after tomorrow) at 7:30 PM at the Pepperell Community Center (in Pepperell). We start gathering at 7 PM to socialize before the meeting starts.
April’s presentation will be “VP9I – Operating from Bermuda.”
As you may or may not know, Les Peters, N1SV, regularly operates SSB DX Contests from the island of Bermuda (VP9). Many of us have worked Les from this DX location, and I’m always excited to get him in my log (and get credit for the new country multiplier in the contest!). Les will talk about his Amateur Radio operating adventures from Bermuda – VP9.
I’m looking forward to this presentation!
Other items on the agenda –
NVARC Elections!
NEARFest April 25th and 26th
New England QSO Party May 4 – 5
The Groton Road Race May 5th
Dayton Hamvention May 17-19
Northeast HamXposition August 22-25
Need directions? Click here and put your own address in box “A”.
Thanks and 73. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Bruce, K1BG
978-772-2773 or bruce.blain@charter.net
Amateur Assistance Sought for Fast Half Race, Hamilton, April 21, 2024
Chris Winczewski, W1TAT writes on the Cape Ann ARA mailing list:
April 17: The event is now “fully staffed.” Thank you, volunteers!
Titanic Event and POTA Operation Update, April 12-14, 2024
The Titanic event for 2024 has been delayed and set with stumbling blocks. We originally planned as operating as a POTA station, but after month of attempts never got final approval from the headquarters of the Cape Cod National Seashore. We have operated from the visitors center as well as from the old Coast Guard station in the past. They are new people in charge and new rules.
NOTE: Members of the club will be operating from home stations, 05:00 UTC – 17:00 UTC on the 12th and 13th. On the 14th we will operate from 05:00 UTC until 22:40 UTC and then relay a memorial message.
If you would like to operate in a time slot for this event please contact W1MGY trustee- Barry / KB1TLR. Calling or texting my phone at 508-237-3429 would be the best way at this time. I do not want to smother the bands with operators. I was thinking in terms of 3 hour shifts. CW, SSB, or FT8.
I’d like the option of giving an operator two or three bands to work in his/her time slot, in case conditions are poor. If you are working different modes that would not be a problem. I need digital logging that can be merged to a master file. We will make all particulars known to operators. You will also receive a certificate of Appreciation from W1MGY.
This is the 112th anniversary of the loss of the Titanic and over 15 hundred lives. I don’t really have time for a history lesson, but you can readily look up pertinent info on the web.
Looking forward to operating with some or most of you.
73, Barry / KB1TLR; Trustee / W1MGY
[See also: Titanic Event and POTA Activation, April 12-14, 2024]Boston ARC Field Day Promotional Story
From the Westwood Minute:
Amateur Radio “Field Day” June 24 and 25, 2023, Demonstrates Science, Skill, and Service.
The public is invited by the Boston Amateur Radio Club to view the proceedings on Saturday from 2 to 8 PM and on Sunday from 10 to 1 PM at Hale Reservation, 80 Carby Street, Westwood, MA. Drop by to see them in action, learn how to join in on the hobby.
Free
Hale Reservation
80 Carby Street
Westwood, MA 02090
Eastern Massachusetts Hospital Net (EMHN) – Saturday 4/6/24 at 1000 AM ET
Jeff N1SOM and the South Shore Hospital Group W1SSH writes:
Good Evening,
On Saturday April 6, 2024 the South Shore Hospital Amateur Radio Group will hold an Eastern MA Hospital Net commencing at 10:00AM.
We realize that some locations, individuals, and groups may be subject to COVID restrictions. We encourage everyone who is affected by these restrictions to utilize their home or mobile stations to check into the net if possible. Even if you cannot reach all the systems being used, please check-in on those you can.
We will use the following repeaters in the order listed.
1. West Bridgewater Repeater 146.775 dcs 244
2. Dartmouth Repeater 147.000 tone 67.0
3. Sharon Repeater 146.865 tone 103.5
4. Simplex 147.420
We will then return to the West Bridgewater Repeater for Net closing.
NET Protocol: Please wait for Net Control to ask for Check-ins. When asked to check in please use the standard net check-in procedure which is: Here is.., un-key, wait 3 seconds to check for doubling, then give your or your facilities call sign, your first name, and your facility’s name.
We extend an invitation to any health care facility, EOC of any city or town as well as RACES or ARES members to check in during the NET.
We are always looking for groups or organizations to try their hand at Net Control duties. If you are interested in trying your hand at Net Control please let us know. We can be reached by sending an email to ssharg@outlook.com or replying to this message. The goal is to rotate Net Control practice and the experience among as many individuals and groups as possible.
We thank the repeater trustees for their generosity in allowing us to conduct these monthly nets and the use of their systems in an actual event.
We hope to hear you Saturday.
73,
Jeff N1SOM and the South Shore Hospital Group W1SSH
K6JEY: “Test Equipment for Hams, including Vector Network Analyzers Explained” at the Billerica ARS Meeting, April 3, 2024
Due to the inclement weather forecast for tonight, the Board of Directors has decided that tonight’s club meeting at 7:00 PM ET WILL BE ZOOM ONLY! We are doing this because we hold the safety of our members as the highest priority.
[For Zoom conference details, email Bruce Anderson, W1LUS, at w1lus -at- hotmail -dot- com.]
Boston ARC QDX Build Class Begins April 18, 2024
Reminder: April 1st, 2024 MEMA RACES/ACS Communications Test Net
Hello to all,
This email is the typical monthly message to let everyone know that Monday evening, April 1st, 2023 is our first non-holiday Monday of the month and, as such, will be the next RACES/ACS/Preparedness Net night. I would like to thank the stations that checked into our nets last month as well as those stations that participated in the section emergency exercise that occurred this past weekend.
As always, I am looking for Net Control stations to staff our sector nets for the evening. This month I am on my 24 hour Fire/EMS shift and I may not be able to run the Sector 2A net. As such, I am looking for any interested operator that may want to take that net to prevent the net from not occurring. If there is no Net Control Operator at the start of the net I strongly encourage any of the on-frequency stations to take over as NCO and run the net and submit a net report via email. If anyone would like to act as NCO, for the 2A net please let me know! As always I am looking for NCS operators to lead the Sector 2B (Plymouth County) net. Sector 2D has already arranged for an NCS operator for this month’s net and Sector 2C is a Winlink only net on a monthly basis.
For any operators interested in performing the duties of Net Control Station (NCS), there are materials available to make the task fairly simple and straight forward. The net pre-amble and role call lists are available at http://wc1mab.org/RACES_R2_Interim_Preamble.pdf and http://wc1mab.org/Month.php with the role-call lists on the left column near the bottom. If anyone is worried that they may mess up running a net, please remember that, in many cases, a less than perfect net is WAY better than no net at all! At the conclusion of any net, any operator that acted as Net Control Operator is asked to please send a note to WC1MAB@gmail.com letting me know who ran the net and who checked in so that the proper numbers can be reported to our served agencies. We cannot always count on our normal net control operators to be available in the event of a large scale emergency, so every RACES operator should be prepared to act as NCO if needed when disaster and emergency strikes!
Winlink Net Instructions From Don Rolph:
*Winlink Net*
To participate:
– create a check-in form using the Winlink standard checkin form
– send via Winlink after 6 AM EST Mon. April 1st and before midnight EST April 2nd (any mode, but include mode in check-in form) to KF1D
I continue to ask that any operators who have the time, please try to check into sector nets from near-by sections. This will allow our Net Control Operators to practice fielding nets with a strong check-in count and will also serve to help practice with relays or modified sector assignments in the event that a single repeater is out of service.
For those operators who serve as Net Control Operators, please try to remember to send me a list of the stations and communities that check into your nets. The numbers are reported to MEMA to show them our level of participation. I am continuing to work on a graphical map based report to show which parts of our section have strong coverage and which areas may need a more targeted recruitment campaign to improve our ability to provide back-up communications in an emergency.
The Region #2 and State Net Schedule for this evening is as follows:
Net | Frequency/Offset | Time |
Sector 2A | 147.00 /+0.60 PL | 19:30 Local |
Sector 2B | 145.39/-0.60 PL 67.0 | 20:00 Local |
Sector 2C | Winlink Net Check-In | 6AM-Midnight Local Time |
Sector 2D | 146.865/-0.60 PL 103.5 | 19:30 Local |
6-Meter State Net | 53.31 / -1.0 PL 71.9
Note: Net activity on this repeater has been hit and miss. Please report any activity. |
19:00 Local |
MA RACES HF Net | 3930 KHz LSB moving up to 3955 KHz until there is a clear frequency | 18:45 Local |
MA MEMA NBEMS Net | Frequency: 3584.5 MHx, Center Frequency: 1500 Hz, Initial mode: THOR22 | 19:00 Local |
I appreciate you all answering the call to help our communities remain prepared. Thank you all for helping us keep things on track and prove that we remain a consistent source of communication capability to the Commonwealth. This net provides a monthly reminder to our communities and served agencies that we stand ready with a quiet professionalism prepared to serve as a voice to whomever needs one to get help and resources to where they need to be.
If you know someone who would benefit from being on this list, please have them contact me at WC1MAB@gmail.com and I will add them to this distribution. Thank you all!
If anyone has any questions or comments I can be reached by e-mail or cell phone. Thanks for being a part of our team and I look forward to hearing back on who can participate this month.
Sincerely,
Michael Leger (N1YLQ)
MEMA Region #2 RACES Officer
C: 508_995_0203
Operators Needed for 2024 MA Thirteen Colonies Special Event Station
Larry, W1AST
- ARRL WMA Affiliated Club Coordinator
- Northeast HamXposition Committee Member
- HCRA President
- Visit my Ham Radio club website at: www.HCRA.org
- Team K2H – 13 Colonies Massachusetts State Manager
- Proud Member of ARRL, FCARC & YCCC
- 413-348-3289
- Hamop.W1AST@gmail.com
Reminder: Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net – Monday April 1st, 2024 at 830 PM on the MMRA Repeater System
Hello to all…
The April Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday April 1st, 2024 at 830 PM on the MMRA Repeater system.
For frequencies that will be linked into the ARES Net on the MMRA Network, please see the following link from the MMRA web site detailing the repeaters that will be linked in through Hub 1:
https://mmra.org/repeaters/repeater_linking.html (Click the ARES box to see the repeaters and other systems linked)
We look forward to your participation and remember, we are always looking for Net Controls to run the ARES Net. We will have several announcements for the net and we will continue the NTS practice message that we started doing in these nets in October 2023.
Thanks for your continued support of ARES!
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
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Massachusetts RACES Nets – Monday 4/1/24 for HF, Region 2D VHF, NBEMS & Winlink – Times and Details Below
Don Rolph, AB1PH, Walpole area ARES Emergency Coordinator writes:
The MEMA RACES nets are held on the first Monday of the month, unless the first Monday is a holiday, when it is delayed one week, For Apr 2024, the RACES nets will be held on Mon Apr 1 at:
********************************************************************************
The HF net will start at 6:45 PM ET: using the following frequency plan:
We will start at 3930 KHz moving up to 3955 KHz until there is a clear frequency,
Marc Stern WA1R will be net control.
*********************************************************************************
Region 2D VHF net:
7:30 PM ET VHF net on 146.865 MHz PL 103.5 (Sharon Repeater)
We will have a general call up of any RACES, ARES, or other interested stations. If there is time, we will have a simplex test.
Jeff Marden N1JCM will be net control.
********************************************************************************
HF 80 meters NBEMS net:
7:00 PM ET
Dial Frequency: 3584.5 MHx
Center Frequency: 1500 Hz
Initial mode: THOR22
We will have checkins, followed by an ICS-213 format message using FLMSG.
Don Rolph AB1PH will be net control.
*********************************************************************************
Winlink Net:
Bryan Marcotte KF1D will be net control.
Send a winlink checkin form to KF1D, copy AB1PH, between 0600 Monday Apr 1 and 2400 Monday Apr 1.
We look forward to you checking in!
—
73,
AB1PH
Don Rolph
Ham Assistance Requested, Westford Apple Blossom Parade, May 18, 2024
Terry Stader, KA8SCP, writes on the PART of Westford mailing list:
Hello fellow ham radio community members. It is that time of the year where we start pitching for ham radio support for the annual Westford Apple Blossom Parade. This year’s parade will be held rain or shine on Saturday, May 18th. The parade starts in Westford Center and ends at the Abbot School. It has been hosted by the Westford Kiwanis (https://westford.org/kiwanis/) and has a long history in town. PART has been providing comm support for many years. Parade starts at 10 AM, we usually muster around 8AM for any last minute updates and to insure adequate coverage. Parade is done usually before noon. Your assignment could finish earlier.
All you need is a 2 meter FM handheld that works with the 146.955 WB1GOF repeater. Some assignments are stationary at specific parade route locations, others may be to be a shadow to one of the Kiwanis Parade organizers.
If you’d like to sign up or need more information, please contact me, Terry KA8SCP ka8scp@arrl.net.
Terry M Stader KA8SCP
WB1GOF Repeaters/D-STAR Admin
Eastern MA Amateurs Attend 2024 National Hurricane Conference, Orlando FL, March 26, 2024
NHC Session #1 – 130 PM-300 PM EDT: John Cangialosi, Senior Hurricane Specialist, from the National Hurricane Center will also present on the importance of Amateur Radio surface reporting. Bob Robichaud-VE1MBR from the Canadian Hurricane Centre will provide a video on a Canadian Hurricane Centre Overview and a few meteorological topics via a video recording. Julio Ripoll-WD4R will present WX4NHC Operations and Bobby Graves-KB5HAV will present an overview on the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN).
NHC Session #2: 330 PM-500 PM EDT: Rob Macedo-KD1CY will present on the VoIP Hurricane Net and best practices in SKYWARN Tropical Systems presentation, Joe Bassett-W1WCN will provide a SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Response Radio Network) overview video. Josh Johnston-KE5MHV will give an ARRL update and K1CE-Rick Palm will present on his personal Hurricane Idalia experience. This will be followed by a Q & A session and raffle prizes will be offered.
Amateur Radio presentations will be recorded and posted to Youtube after the workshop within the month of April. The Amateur Radio presentations will also be livestreamed via Youtube as a best effort. It is noted that Internet connectivity can be a challenge at hotel locations for livestreaming but we will do our best to livestream the workshop but please note technical difficulties could affect the livestream so please be patient if you watch the livestream and we will have recordings available post workshop. The YouTube livestream link is: https://www.youtube.com/live/-
2024 National Hurricane Conference Presenters and Moderator:
• Moderator: Rob Macedo, KD1CY, VoIP Hurricane Net
• John Cangialosi, Senior Hurricane Specialist, National Hurricane Center
• Special guest speaker Bob Robichaud, VE1MBR, Canadian Hurricane Center
• Special guest speaker Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, Director of Emergency Management, ARRL HQ
• Julio Ripoll, WD4R, WX4NHC Assistant Amateur Radio Station Coordinator
• Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) Manager
• Joe Bassett, W1WCN, SATERN, Salvation Army Team Emergency Response Radio Network
• Rick Palm, K1CE, ARRL ARES E-Letter Editor/Public Service Columnist
• Rob Macedo, KD1CY, Director of Operations, VoIP Hurricane Net & ARRL ARES Eastern Mass SEC
• Jim Palmer, KB1KQW, VoIP Hurricane Net (Videographer)
Detailed Schedule Outline – All Times (Eastern Daylight Time):
130-135 PM: Opening Remarks
135-210 PM: Hurricane Surface Reports and 2023 Season Review (John Cangialosi)
210-220 PM: Canadian Hurricane Centre Overview and Meteorological Topics Video (VE1MBR-Bob R)
220-250 PM: WX4NHC Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center (WD4R)
250-310 PM: HWN Overview (KB5HAV)
310-330 PM: Break
330-400 PM: VoIP Hurricane Net Overview & Best Practices in SKYWARN for Tropical Systems (KD1CY)
400-410 PM: SATERN – Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network Overview Video (W1WCN)
410-430 PM: ARRL Update (KE5MHV)
430-450 PM: Florida Hurricane Response & His Personal Hurricane Idalia Story (K1CE)
450-500 PM: Moderated Q & A session and Panel Discussion (All)
500-510 PM: Door Prizes (All)
International Marconi Day, 2024
From ARRL News:
03/22/2024—This year, International Marconi Day (IMD) is on April 27. Italian inventor and electrical engineer Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi was born on April 25, 1874, and is credited for inventing the radiotelegraph system, creating Marconi’s law, and sending the first wireless transmission over the open sea.
IMD was created to honor Marconi and is hosted annually by the Cornish Radio Amateur Club, GX4CRC. The purpose of the day is for amateur radio enthusiasts around the world to contact historic Marconi sites using communication techniques similar to those that he would have used.
The 24-hour event will operate from 0000 UTC to 2359 UTC, and registration is required. Participants can register at GX4CRC’s registration web page.
Stations in the United States, including Marconi Cape Cod Radio Club, KM1CC, in Massachusetts, are already registering for the event. KM1CC hosts several on-air events each year to keep the accomplishments and story of Marconi and his wireless station site in South Wellfleet alive. In 1975, the Wellfleet station was listed as a National Historic Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places and is now part of Cape Cod National Seashore, a unit of the National Park Service. When possible, KM1CC sets up a temporary radio station inside the park. More information about KM1CC is available on their Facebook page.
Massachusetts – Rhode Island STM Report for February 2024
The February traffic report for the combined sections of East and West Mass and Rhode Island can be found at https://ema.arrl.org/massachusetts-rhode-island-stm-report-for-february-2024/. Highlighted are two section nets including special commendation to MARIPN for highest number of check-ins and traffic, as well as MARI CW, then and now. Come join both friendly groups. We would love to hear from you.